- Joined
- Mar 5, 1999
- Messages
- 34,096
I am getting more information now that answers some of our lingering questions. I learned this about kami Sanu (Shorty) Bishwakarma. Customers have perhaps a dozen khukuris made by this kami but Rusty is the only one I can verify with certainty for it was Sanu who made the sun, moon and stars khukuri. Here is a little provenance.
Sanu has been with us for awhile. Gelbu recruited him on an early recruiting journey to various villages. The story goes like this.
Gelbu ran across Sanu is some small village -- don't know the name, and Sanu was having a hard time of it. Unlike many kamis he owned no land and was living in a small rented mud hut and had his shop located outside in the dirt. He is perhaps 35 or 40, married with a couple of kids. He had only a couple of khukuris in stock and was out of steel and other supplies. Gelbu looked at the khukuris and they were pretty good so he bought them.
Sanu complained that he had not had enough work to meet expenses and he had been forced to borrow 10,000 rupia just to stay alive. He did not have enough money left to buy food or steel so he was mightily pleased to receive payment for the last two khukuris he had in stock. I think these two khukurs came in our first shipment of village models so somebody out there has them but I don't know who.
During their conversation Sanu discovered that we were just getting shop 2 on the air and asked for a job. Gelbu told him to come along and return with him and speak with Pala. Sanu readily agreed.
Upon his arrival in Kathmandu Sanu told Pala his story and asked for work. To his great credit Pala gave Sanu 15,000 and told Sanu to return to his village, pay his debts, load up his wife and kids and return to Kathmandu for work.
And to the great credit of Sanu he did exactly as he was told. He has worked very hard and just before Pala left for the US Sanu repaid the last of the 15,000 rupia Pala had loaned him.
There are three very important considerations here.
The first is the great trust and generosity shown by Pala. One of the "benefits" I mentioned offered by shop 2 that are unheard of in other shops. Remembering that the per capita income in Nepal is about $150 per year the amount Pala loaned Sanu was more than $200 or well above the per capita income. In the US the equivalent would be perhaps $20,000.
The second consideration is the fact that Sanu repaid the loan quickly -- in about three months. He is a man of honor and integrity and I am proud to have such a man working in shop 2. He has earned my admiration and respect.
And, third, and something that is very near and dear to my own heart is that by working at shop 2 and doing a good job Sanu made enough money to repay the loan in three months. He was taking good care of his family and was still able to put aside 5,000 per month for loan payment. Boys, I have been there and I can tell you from personal experience that Sanu is making BIG money for a kami and God bless him.
More kami stories as I get them.
Sanu has been with us for awhile. Gelbu recruited him on an early recruiting journey to various villages. The story goes like this.
Gelbu ran across Sanu is some small village -- don't know the name, and Sanu was having a hard time of it. Unlike many kamis he owned no land and was living in a small rented mud hut and had his shop located outside in the dirt. He is perhaps 35 or 40, married with a couple of kids. He had only a couple of khukuris in stock and was out of steel and other supplies. Gelbu looked at the khukuris and they were pretty good so he bought them.
Sanu complained that he had not had enough work to meet expenses and he had been forced to borrow 10,000 rupia just to stay alive. He did not have enough money left to buy food or steel so he was mightily pleased to receive payment for the last two khukuris he had in stock. I think these two khukurs came in our first shipment of village models so somebody out there has them but I don't know who.
During their conversation Sanu discovered that we were just getting shop 2 on the air and asked for a job. Gelbu told him to come along and return with him and speak with Pala. Sanu readily agreed.
Upon his arrival in Kathmandu Sanu told Pala his story and asked for work. To his great credit Pala gave Sanu 15,000 and told Sanu to return to his village, pay his debts, load up his wife and kids and return to Kathmandu for work.
And to the great credit of Sanu he did exactly as he was told. He has worked very hard and just before Pala left for the US Sanu repaid the last of the 15,000 rupia Pala had loaned him.
There are three very important considerations here.
The first is the great trust and generosity shown by Pala. One of the "benefits" I mentioned offered by shop 2 that are unheard of in other shops. Remembering that the per capita income in Nepal is about $150 per year the amount Pala loaned Sanu was more than $200 or well above the per capita income. In the US the equivalent would be perhaps $20,000.
The second consideration is the fact that Sanu repaid the loan quickly -- in about three months. He is a man of honor and integrity and I am proud to have such a man working in shop 2. He has earned my admiration and respect.
And, third, and something that is very near and dear to my own heart is that by working at shop 2 and doing a good job Sanu made enough money to repay the loan in three months. He was taking good care of his family and was still able to put aside 5,000 per month for loan payment. Boys, I have been there and I can tell you from personal experience that Sanu is making BIG money for a kami and God bless him.
More kami stories as I get them.
