The life of a Nepali guide

Dilli Bahadur Rai, or “D.B.” as he is known to his customers, is a senior guide in the Himalaya Mountains of Nepal. He comes from the village of Basa 6, one of 9 villages that make up Basa Village Development Committee (VDC). These VDC’s are a creation of the Nepal government for administration purposes and can be confusing to the outsider but are identity to the people of Nepal.

First moments

Like all of the Rai people, DB was born at his parents’ home in the village. His mother gave birth by herself at 4am on August 20, 1981. His birth wasn’t registered by Western standards, but instead recorded by the village Brahmin (Hindu) elder who gave him the original name of “Purna” based on astrological signs. While DB is Rai and an animist (animal sacrifice and a single diety that represents nature and art), his culture is dominated by the local Hindu culture of Central and Southern Nepal. The Brahmin told his mother that the stars said that could be a government minister, which is a position of honor in this small country.

Getting strong

DB attended school in Basa 2 which is 25 minutes from Basa 6. He started school at five years old and immediately began walking to and from the school. For Lower Secondary School, he attended a school in Basa 4, a 45 minutes walk from his house…up and down the steep mountainside. These years of what Westerners would find to be very difficult walks are also the primary reason Nepalis can perform so well in the Himalaya.

His favorite study was science and he excelled at this topic. The sports played at the school were mostly limited to volleyball because of the lack of flat, available land, but the taller boys (DB is just 5 feet tall) were better at spiking while he was, appropriately, a setter…not that Nepalis are much taller on average.

A man of many talents, DB also plays the harmonium, guitar and flute. He learned to play by himself after making his own instrument and is learning piano at the moment. His favorite kind of music is the traditional music of Nepal, and is favorite song is “Lekali He Choyako Doko” (The basket from the higher altitude bamboo).

Trekking start

DB moved to Kathmandu to work for another trekking company in 1998, moved to Adventure Geo Treks in 2003 and is currently full time staff. His early days of trekking were tough, as DB worked as a porter from 1998 to 1999, then a kitchen helper and assistant guide before becoming a guide in 2005 with an official license from the Nepali Government. He wanted to work in tourism since his childhood when he saw his father acting as a porter but telling DB, “If you learn English, you can be a guide and you have a chance to do the job with ‘White People'” His father’s encouragement was a big part of what made him a guide. In a country where trekking is a key source of jobs and income, his father’s advice was wise.

Passion for Nepal

DB’s favorite trek is Mustang Valley because the landscapes and culture are so different from the rest of Nepal. This area is very similar to the Tibetan Plateau and famous for its beauty and isolation, but he is concerned that the road is making this trek less remote and appealing. More than anything, DB would like to preserve trekking in Nepal by keeping the special areas of Nepal without roads, where the local people don’t derive benefits from the roads. He would also like to see more hydroelectric power development, cable cars, and other ways of improving lives without destroying cultures.

DB loves Nepal because of its beautiful mountains and is proud of this. He loves to talk with trekkers about the amazing biodiversity you’ll see when you fly from 60 meters to 3000 meters in an hour, like when traveling between Nepalgunj to Simikot. We can tell you from experience that DB is an excellent guide and his enthusiasm for his work and his country are in abundant supply. DB was our head guide for the October 2011 Mera Peak Trek.

Giving back to Basa

DB isn’t satisfied with just working as a guide. He is a key part of the Basa Village Foundation, a Kathmandu-based philanthropic group that has done remarkable things for their home village of Basa. The Foundation, working with international groups, has been instrumental in building the Basa 6 school and bringing clean water, electricity and smokeless stoves to a place that is a shining example of what is possible when culture is protected while the villagers are directly involved in tackling health issues and bringing progress to their beautiful corner of the world. If you’d like to know more or would like to help DB’s village, a description of their work can be found here.