Kunchok Tsewang, Dharamshala.

"I am the famous Bolo. Bolo means chubby in Tibetan. I used to be little overweight when I was young. So, all of my friends know me as Bolo rather then my real name. Now I have my few family members who call me from my name, beside from that, I am known as ‘Bolo’. But right now, I am not that chubby boy anymore. Maybe, Bolo got stuck on lips of my friends and my customers."

"Ahhh.. Customers, well, actually I run a small local restaurant named ‘My Cafe’. This restaurant is more like for my friends. Most of them come here for breakfast, Lunch and dinner as most of them live alone. Thus, eating with me is better than eating alone. I am like a counsellor for them. Ha ha ha ha. While eating, we talk about all these issues from politicians to local kids. I am becoming more like a news reporter who listens all kinds of these things. Many of them comes to me when they are heart broken or leg broken. And I am there for them. thus, at one point, this little restaurant is more like a little clinic. Smiles. "

"But, since my restaurant is located near the roadside on Jogiwara, I hate these bikes and cars rushing up and down creating pollution. I hate it. My customers also don’t like it at all. I don’t know why these drivers have to rush as in India all you have is time. So I wish that they will go little slower. "

"I am originally from Tibet but all my official report says I was born in India. Some times even I get confused as I know I was born in India but I have lived in India for a such a long time. "

Kunchok Tsewang, Dharamshala.

Interview and Photo credit Kunsang Tenzing.