Nepalese flock to Himalayan dist to collect Viagra
Thousands of Nepalese, taking considerable risk, have left for the high altitude mountainous region of the country to collect a Himalayan herb popularly known as Nepali Viagra.
Some 9,000 to 10,000 people have headed towards Karanebheg of Mugu district, 750 km north-west from Kathmandu to collect the local herb called “Yarchagumba”, that can fetch up to Rs 250,000 in international market.
The herb is popular for increasing sexual power and vitality.
Sixteen people including women and children, who went to the mountain to collect the herb, were killed last week when their tent was buried under the snow.
It is very risky to collect the herb also known as life giving herb as people usually get sick due to high altitude.
The villagers, who mostly survive on maize and potato as no other cash crops can be grown in the high Himalayas, are happy this time to freely collect Yarchagumba without paying tax to the Maoists, Gorkhapatra daily reported.
Earlier, each individual villager had to pay Rs 500 and businessman had to pay Rs 35,000 to the Maoists to collect the herbs, according to government daily Gorkhapatra Daily.
Now the district development committee is benefiting from Yarchagumba by collecting tax from the people.
The DDC charges Rs 500 each from local people and Rs 1,000 from business man while collecting Yarchaguba.
