” I open my shop at 10 in the morning. I buy 9 daily newspaper with my own money and stack it near the pavement so that the tired pedestrians can take a rest and read some news. I have arranged plastic seats too. I put aside water for the stray dogs too in a bucket. I always carry stickers of Nepali flag with me and hand it away. I can’t do too much but I will do what I can.”

How many flags do you sell in a day?

“You seem like a good guy. Can we not talk business?”

Sure.

“But I’ll tell you this is not just a piece of fabric. This is hope. So many things have changed in the country except for this flag and I am proud that people know me as the flag dai.”

– Chandra Jewan Shahi, Chad’s Flag House, Basantapur, Kathmandu