The harvesting season for Bodhichitta (Buddha seed), an increasingly lucrative cash crop, has begun, but with it has come a familiar wave of thefts, disputes and conflicts in Kavrepalanchok district.
More than a dozen incidents related to Bodhichitta have already been reported this season. The crop’s high market value has fueled disputes among orchard owners and traders, and among traders themselves, creating growing security concerns.
Between June 3 and July 10 (Jestha 20 to Asar 25), Bodhichitta thefts were reported from several parts of the district, including Dhulikhel, Panauti, Panchkhal, Bhumlu, Mandandeupur and Roshi Rural Municipality. In some cases, thieves cut down entire trees to steal the seeds, while in others, they allegedly used motorcycles to carry out nighttime thefts, according to police investigations.
District Police Office Kavrepalanchok Information Officer DSP Rabin Bista said more than a dozen Bodhichitta-related incidents have occurred during the current harvesting season alone. Seeds were stolen directly from trees at eight different locations, he said.
On June 27 (Asar 13), the trunk of a Bodhichitta tree belonging to Kulman Tamang in Anekot, Panchkhal Municipality-1, was cut in half before its seeds were stolen. Police have yet to identify those responsible.
On the same day, seeds worth an estimated Rs 500,000 were stolen from the orchard of Janak Bahadur Khatri in Pinale, Bhumlu Rural Municipality-4. Preliminary investigations suggest the theft was carried out by individuals who arrived on motorcycles.
Similarly, on July 5 (Asar 21), Bodhichitta seeds belonging to Suman Lama of Kamrang Tol, Bhumlu-5, were stolen.
Also, on July 5, a Bodhichitta garland belonging to Sanukanchha Tamang of Dadagaun, Mandandeupur-1, was stolen. On July 8 (Asar 24), another garland was stolen from the orchard of Akkal Bahadur Tamang in Chitle, Mandandeupur-2, while on July 9 (Asar 25), police recorded the theft of Bodhichitta belonging to Manorath Bhurtel of Rajbas, Roshi-9.
Earlier, on June 21 (Asar 7), Bodhichitta owned by Surya Kumar Tamang of Balthali Pallodanda, Panauti-11, was stolen. On June 3 (Jestha 20), about one pathi (traditional measure) of Bodhichitta garlands belonging to Ajay Tamang of Mitinchhap, Dhulikhel-1, was also reported stolen.
On June 13 (Jestha 30), a police team from the temporary police post at Kavrebhanjyang, Dhulikhel-9, arrested two individuals during a security check while they were carrying Bodhichitta seeds.
Disputes over harvesting rights
Police say theft is not the only concern. Disputes over the right to harvest Bodhichitta seeds have also intensified.
The District Police Office deployed 16 police personnel at four locations to maintain security after conflicts erupted over harvesting rights.
According to police, security was provided at orchards owned by Krishna Kumari Badal of Dhulikhel-8, Mohan Bahadur Rayamajhi of Roshi-11, Aitesing Thing, Dhawa Thing and Jenising Thing of Lurpung, Roshi-5, and Sher Bahadur Tamang of Roshi-6 after disputes arose over who had the legal right to harvest the seeds.
DSP Bista said police even had to guard a Bodhichitta tree in Dhulikhel-8 because of a dispute between a husband and wife.
“The couple had been living separately and had independently signed agreements with different buyers to sell the seeds from the same tree. A dispute later arose over who had the right to harvest the seeds, prompting a request for police protection. The matter even reached the court. Eventually, the husband won the case, harvested the seeds and sold them. We provided security until the sale was completed,” Bista said.
In another case, police provided security in Roshi-11 after business partners who had jointly purchased a Bodhichitta garland became involved in a dispute. In Lurpung, Roshi-5, security was deployed after three owners of a single Bodhichitta tree separately signed agreements to sell the same harvest, leading to conflict.
Bista said police provide protection only when requested by orchard owners or traders.
“As the price of Bodhichitta continues to rise, disputes recur every year because some orchard owners attempt to break earlier purchase agreements and sell their harvest to other traders offering higher prices,” he said.
Arrests made in theft cases
Of the nine theft cases reported so far, police have arrested suspects in two.
Three men—Fursang Tamang, Rose Tamang and Phurba Tamang, all from Dhulikhel-1—have been arrested for allegedly stealing Bodhichitta seeds worth around Rs 700,000 belonging to Kanchhi Tamang.
In another case, Samrat Kami and Kumar Kami of Bhumlu Rural Municipality-6 have been charged with stealing Bodhichitta seeds worth approximately Rs 500,000 from Sun Bahadur Tamang of Mandandeupur Municipality-12.
High-Value crop with growing security concerns
Temal and Roshi Rural Municipality are considered the main Bodhichitta-producing areas of Kavrepalanchok. Encouraged by its rising market value, cultivation has expanded to other local governments across the district in recent years.
Although production and trade have increased, disputes over harvesting rights, purchase agreements and recurring thefts continue to pose security challenges every harvest season.
The collection and processing season for Bodhichitta, highly valued by Buddhists for making prayer beads, runs from Asar (mid-June) to Ashoj (mid-October).
Driven by strong demand from China, traders often purchase the harvest directly from farmers before the seeds are picked. The seeds and prayer bead garlands are mainly exported to Tibet in China and Bodh Gaya in India.
The value of Bodhichitta depends largely on the size and the number of natural “faces” or grooves on each seed. According to traders, a high-quality prayer bead garland made from 108 seeds can fetch anywhere between Rs 30,000 and Rs 800,000.
