Baglung. Until a decade ago, the people of Dhorpatan used horse mules to transport goods from the market and travel. In Dhorpatan, horse mules were out of work after the road was expanded and the motor started moving.

Many people say that if they stopped rearing horses and mules, they would be able to sell them to the farmers who have been rearing them. The horse business is flourishing as the number of tourists in Dhorpatan has increased in recent times, which has worried the farmers due to the lack of sale of useless horse mules.

The farmers, who had sold it earlier, have now started buying horses after tourists visiting Dhorpatan started riding horses to take pictures and videos. According to the entrepreneurs, horses, which were previously useless, are now becoming a source of income.

Khim Bahadur BK of Dhorpatan Municipality-9 said that the horse business has also started flourishing due to the increasing number of tourists. He said that he used to charge Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 to travel from the Valley to Bukipatan. He said that many people in Dhorpatan have started buying horses, saying that they charge Rs 50 to Rs 150 for taking photos and videos on the ground riding horses.

“Around 10-15 years ago, there was no one in Dhorpatan without horse mules, many used to earn a living by transporting goods, and horses and mules used to carry loads on difficult roads from far and wide,” he said. Now, even if you carry two or four tourists, you earn. ’

Tourists who reach Dhorpatan go to The Valley as well as Bukipatan, Niseldhar and Jaljala on horseback. Horse trader Dhanram BK said that the horse mules, which used to transport potato, apple, beans and other food items produced in Dhorpatan to the market and bring other food grains from the market, have now started carrying tourists.

Bk said that even if goods are transported by car, horses are used in places where vehicles do not reach. According to him, earlier a single farmer used to rear more than two dozen horses, but now they have started rearing less.

There have also been complaints that businessmen are charging more for riding horses. Kuldeep Tamang, who visited Dhorpatan, said that he had to pay Rs 300 for taking a photo once on horseback. He complained that the businessman had initially demanded Rs 100, but in the end, he demanded Rs 300. Tamang stressed the need to take action against the businessmen who charge exorbitant fees from the tourists.

More than 200 tourists visit Dhorpatan every day. The number of tourists coming to Dhorpatan to enjoy the forest flowers in the rainy season and to play snow in the snow is increasing. According to the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve Office, the number of tourists visiting Dhorpatan has increased from 15,573 in the fiscal year 2080/81 to 23,692 in the fiscal year 2081/82.