When looking isn't as easy as it looks

Man finally finds a single piece of magic worm 

“If wishes are horses, every beggar would ride it,” and if cordyceps are wishes, every highlanders would collect it as much as they want. But sadly though, wishes merely remain wishes.

Given the availability, every highland nomads vies for as much collection in every season as they can because every piece of cordyceps collected is a ‘midas’ collection when it can bring lots of money. 

"Like economist puts it, all resources are limited and one day must exhaust"

But like economist puts it, all resources are limited and one day must exhaust. This is exactly what seems to be happening even to the cordyceps in northern fringes of Laya gewog of the Gasa Dzongkhag as vindicated by Aum Om of Laya.

“In five days of literal hunting for the worms, I could manage only 100 pieces," said Om

“In five days of literal hunting for the worms, I could manage only 100 pieces,” unveiled Om. She added, “Last year I collected almost quadrupled the number in the same period of time. This year the yield is unusually very low.”

Before they head north, towards the ice capped mountain, they’ve to avail government permit (GPT) for which each pay nominal fee of Nu. 260/-. Maximum permits for the three members of the each household are granted in one season. This is supposed to check overexploitation of the resources plus the stern monitoring in the collection spots. Reports say that foresters in Bumthang have left a month ago to carryout monitoring at the cordyceps collections site in mountains.

"Preparations are hefty when it involves trudging folds of mountains and vales before reaching the cordyceps spot"

That’s not done yet. Preparations are hefty when it involves trudging folds of mountains and vales before reaching the cordyceps spot. With their mission destinations such as Sinchilakha, Butsulakha, Japhukab and Rodo some of which are many thousands of feet above sea level, it’s like going to a war. Few un-providential ones may not make back home becoming a sacrificial lamb in return for the nature’s costly gift.

"Looking ins't as easy as it looks"

The baggage includes yak herder tent which itself is a big baggage, warm wollen clothes and other necessities. This leaves with very little room for one basic need of every human – the food. Since it is not sensible to pack normal food, they make with fast food such as ‘flour dough.’ “Water is all you need for the flour to make a dough,” supplements Pem Dechay, seated next to Om in the Takin festival ground in Laya.

"Reaching to the collection location takes about 5 days journey through the hostile mountain environment"

Reaching to the collection location takes about 5 days journey through the hostile mountain environment. Once camp is set up, they march into the collection zone armed with empty plastics package of noodles. For whole day, they imitate or almost become an animal when they’ve to be on four feet, combing and scanning through every blade of grasses looking for the cordyceps. The mountain summer sun sweltering close to your head is merciless or the rain combined with low mountain temperature shivers almost to death, but there is no giving up.

Once back in the campsite, the day’s collection is cleaned and dried, the routine goes till the season last. But that evening, there is no such thing as sumptuous dinner. Every time the dough refuses to get swallowed, gulp of cold mountain water helps to force it down. At night temperature drops several minus below the zero degree and sleep evades you whole night.

"So, next time you see a highland nomads in maroon coloured dress walking away with enviable amounts of cash from one of the auction, its his fruition of near death commitments" 

But there is sense of an accomplishment, when at the end of the collection season; you’re heading back with your family’s source of livelihood in your backpack.

So, next time you see a highland nomads in maroon coloured dress walking away with enviable amounts of cash from one of the auction, its his fruition of near death commitments securing the one year livelihood of his family.