Something Old, Something New

Krishna Gurung, one of the founders of Shanti, took a few of us to visit the old leprosarium in Khokana where he grew up. Although most of the thousand or so people that used to live there are now moved on to better conditions, there are still some of the old folks hanging on, as well as a few new families that have moved in because they literally have no place else to go. The conditions are very, very poor and the buildings falling apart, but for the people who came there long ago in an effort to keep lepers completely isolated and separate from society, it is the place they know as "home." Krishna says that the old people want to stay there and die. At the same time, new life also comes for the younger families there and Shanti Sewa Griha is hoping to be able to create another eco village there in the next few years.