Dirgha Raj Upadhyay

Colorado

Durango is a small city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Colorado. About 340 Miles from downtown Denver, the city’s Himalayan Kitchen restaurant was packed with an overwhelming crowd on Monday morning.

Himalayan Kitchen, which is usually closed on Mondays, had opened this time for lunch. And only for four hours-from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It seemed as though the entire city of Durango had turned out to take part in the buffet lunch, which Himalayan Kitchen had discontinued after COVID.

It was the first day after the weekend, a time when people are usually busy at work. But the residents of Durango put their work aside and began lining up at Himalayan Kitchen early Monday morning. The crowd at the normally quiet Durango, along the Animas River, was not driven by hunger. They had gathered to support Nepalis affected by the Himalayan tsunami.

Serving them were Himalayan Kitchen owner Karma T. Bhotia, his wife Jhyamu, and their staff. The lunch program was organized by the Karma and Jyamu Foundation, a nonprofit organization established in the couple’s names.

The purpose of the buffet was to raise funds for relief and rehabilitation efforts for those affected by the devastating Bhotekoshi floods. The buffet was priced at $30 per person. In addition, a QR code and a donation box were made available for participants who wished to contribute according to their means.

More than 400 customers attended the buffet during the four-hour period. They not only paid the $30 for their meals but also made additional donations ranging from $10 to $1,000 as they left. The Bhotia couple, initially surprised by the unexpectedly large turnout, were even more astonished when they finished counting the contributions. The four-hour lunch raised $24,173.

Known for its gold and silver mines, Durango is also a historic and tourist city. In terms of population and geography, however, it is a small city.

The size of the geography and population is not what matters; what matters is how big the hearts of the people who live here are, says Karma T. Bhotia, visibly moved by the crowd that turned out for the lunch. The hearts of the people in this small city nestled in the mountain valley are enormous. We are grateful to them.

There were no personal phone calls. Nor was there any correspondence. Karma simply made a general appeal through social media, asking people to participate in the buffet. We had prepared food for about 300 people. We were wondering whether even that many people would show up, Karma says. We received a response beyond what we had imagined. The buffet also gave us an opportunity to meet some friends after many years.

The Bhotia couple, whose ancestral home is in the remote village of Chyamtang in Sankhuwasabha and who came to the United States two and a half decades ago, are equally active in social work alongside their restaurant business. Through the Karma and Jhyamu Foundation, they have established a child development center, school buildings and a library in Chyamtang. They also sent whatever support they could to Nepal following the devastating earthquake and during the COVID pandemic.

This time, seeing the devastation caused by the catastrophic floods in the Bhotekoshi region left them deeply concerned. They could not simply remain silent. So they came up with a different plan to help. They shared the idea with their American friends associated with the foundation. Everyone not only praised the plan wholeheartedly but also committed to supporting the effort.

Their idea, the support of foundation members, and the participation and generosity of Durango residents made the lunch program an extraordinary success.

The Bhotia couple covered all the expenses of the lunch program themselves. Since the foundation operates with volunteers and has very limited administrative expenses, Karma said the entire amount raised from the lunch program would be sent to support flood-affected people in Nepal.

He thanked the people of Durango for standing with Nepal during this time of crisis. Karma said, We will never forget the kindness of the people of Durango.