City Hawkers

It was late at night when I along with some of my friends had a get together diner on 8th of August and we were boozily walking along the street in Thimphu. By then it was 12 midnight and I could see so many people along the road. I wondered "at this hour!!” People were really busy like in the vegetable market. As I walked near the crowd, a lady called "thukpa thukpa sir" I looked and was astonished to see a line of hawkers with big hot-case in front of each one of them. Most of them are women and at one point of time I was thinking 'why at this hour in the middle of the street where so many delinquent youths move, it is not very a safe place'. I nudged one of my friends and told him; let’s see what they have got. I went near one elderly woman and asked her "what have u got". Without even us asking for it, she poured in a plastic cup and offered me saying "beef thukpa, how many more?" I took it and all my three friends were interested too. We took two each and paid which cost Nu 20 per cup. 

Then little up in the line, I saw a girl aged 13 or 14. I went near her and asked "what have u got", she happily said, "Veg thukpa, momo and Doma". I told her, "Do u stay nearby?" She referred to a place which is about 3-4 kilometers away from town. "Then how do u manage to stay late at night?" "We come in groups and we go in groups and sometimes my uncle comes to pick me up" she said. I was curious if that place could be safe for the hawkers like her, she said so far there was a not a single problem but she fear all the time that the problem could arise any time. My friend called me and I just left after having paid for the delicious Momo she prepared. Especially during a chilling night, they serve a very warm and delicious thukpa (porridge) and people especially the party goers are highly benefited. It is a very good business but at the same time I find it not very safe especially for the girl hawkers.

Then after that we drove to Luntenzampa parking areas as one of my friends told us that its a very good place to hang out at night. We reached there and I was again surprised to see so many cars parked, so many people, singing, dancing and having good times there. Even there, I could see so many hawkers, some even setting up a stall displaying so many edibles inside a car. After spending sometime there, we drove to Buddha point and I found the same there along the road sides. Then I realized people do very good businesses, they help those who go for walk/drive serving very warm tea and porridge and in return they are getting paid.

City hawkers play a very vital role in creating a very comforting scene for those who hang out late night and at the same time they are able to make a living out of it. Almost all the hawkers are women and this is something we have to respect and appreciate their effort despite the late night risks.