Raja Kumar is sitting alone in his house. A small three-room house located in Lala Chhapra village of Raxaul, Bihar is rushing to bite them.
The flag (a red colored cloth attached to bamboo) planted during Nag Panchami in the courtyard of the house is reminding him again and again of his mother Manati Devi.
He stares into the void and says, "Mummy had come to this house from Nepal on Nag Panchami. She had cleaned the house and performed puja. We were the ones who took her from here to Nepal. If only we had not taken her, she would have remained alive."
Not only Raja's mother but his three sisters Sandhya, Rupa, Asha and Sandhya's two-year old daughter Ayushi are missing in the floods in Nepal.
All the women of Raja's family are missing in the devastating floods that hit Nepal on August 26. Only the king's married sister Rani Devi is left in this house.
So far, more than 1200 people have lost their lives in the floods in Nepal and thousands are missing.
Went to Nepal to work as a scrap dealer, entire family destroyed
Raja's father Budhan Sah is originally a resident of Lala Chhapra village of Adapur block of Raxaul.
Budhan lived with his entire family in Betravati of Rasuwa district of Nepal for the last four years. He used to roam around here with his son Raja Kumar, buying and selling scrap. Budhan Sah has 6 children.
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Budhan Shah, his wife Manati Devi, a married daughter Sandhya and her two-year old daughter Ayushi, Rupa, Asha, Raja and Sajan Kumar lived in Nepal.
Budhan Sah's two daughters Sandhya and Rani Devi are married. Rani Devi lives in Trishuli with her husband Ranjay Kumar, who runs a grocery shop, and three children.
For this financially weak family, there was no other option other than going to Nepal and earning their livelihood.
What happened that day?
Raja Kumar tells BBC News Hindi, "We got up in the morning and had tea and went. My younger brother Sajan had gone to study tuition. There were only mother and sisters at home. We were four-five kilometers away from home when my mother called that a lot of water was coming. We could also see such water that could cover a five-storey house. I told my mother to run to the hill. But the water came within a few seconds. Mom's phone got switched off and then "It is closed since till today."
Just bring some body of my mother and give it to me...
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Raja returned to India on August 2. He kept searching for his mother and sisters after the flood on 26 August.
He says, "About five thousand people used to live where we lived. But now there is nothing there. Barely 12-13 people have survived. We also went to Narayanpur Ghat to see the dead bodies, but did not find anything. I wish I had died too, but how will my father live? We are left with nothing. Only a note from Nepal is left."
The king's sister Rani Devi starts crying bitterly every now and then. Rani Devi herself has survived this accident. Her husband Ranjay Kumar was trapped in the flood-induced silt near Trishuli.
Rani says, "He (husband) got trapped and the Nepal Police pulled him out. When the water came, he was riding a motorcycle. He left the motorcycle and ran to the heights but still got stuck. We are fine but we just want to say that please bring some body of my mother and give it to us. At least we will give her proper rituals."
Rakesh Kumar Singh, a local leader of Adapur block, tells BBC, "Eight people from Adapur block alone are missing in East Champaran."
Babita Devi of Unchidih village, located a few kilometers away from Raja Kumar's house, sits sobbing in a dark room with her four children.
Sometimes the sound of their crying is loud and sometimes slow.
As soon as she saw me, she grabbed my arm and pulled me towards herself and started crying with her head on his shoulder. Babita's husband Umesh Prasad also used to work in installing tiles in Sherpa Company of Timore, Rasuwa.
She says, "There was a conversation on Tuesday night. He had asked about the well-being of the children but since Wednesday his phone has not been working. Since then we have not talked to him. The family members have gone to Kathmandu to find out but you people searched for them. Search for them... find them and bring them back. They are the only ones earning in the house."
Veer Kishore Kumar's house is a few steps away from Babita's house. Covered with mud, puja is going on in his house and close relatives have gathered. Both Veer Kishore and Umesh Prasad used to work in installing tiles in the same company.
When Papa comes, he will bring the truck...
Veer Kishore's elder brother Naval Kishore Kumar, who himself works as a laborer living in Nepal, is tired of searching for his younger brother.
Naval Kishore tells BBC, "I went everywhere. But only a dead body was visible. Nothing was found about the brother but they made a video of the dead body in very poor condition and brought it back. I did not understand what to do and what answer to give to his wife after coming back home (Bihar)."
Inside this house, Veer Kishore Kumar's wife Priya Devi is trying to console herself by crying along with her three small children. Veer Kishore's little child silences his mother by saying, "When Papa comes, he will bring a truck (toy)."
Veer Kishore talked to his children on the morning of 26th August. Wife Priya Devi says, "When the call came at 7 in the morning, we talked to the children. We were cooking so they told us to call at 11. But his call did not come. When the call did not come for a long time, I called but his phone was switched off. Later I came to know that there was water. If the government of Nepal or India wants, they can search for my master (husband) from every nook and corner and bring him back. We do not want any wealth, we just want our master."
Actually, Nepal border is just two kilometers away from Unchidih village.
Bhulan Sahni, a former ward member of the village, says, "When the people here become capable of earning, they go to Nepal to earn. Everyone goes there and works as a labourer. These people who went to Rasuwa also used to get 1500 Nepali rupees, which would be equivalent to approximately 900 rupees in India. People have been going for years but this is the first time this has happened."
An effigy of Kush was made and cremated.
Pantoka Panchayat is at some distance from Raxaul market. 23 year old Rahul Kumar Singh of this Panchayat also worked in a company named Andes in Nepal.
Rahul's uncle and his cousin also worked with him in this company. Rahul's uncle and cousin have returned. But Rahul did not return.
These people have returned with the news of Rahul's death.
Rahul's father Dharmnath Singh made an effigy of Kush (a type of grass) and performed his last rites on 31st August.
Is there no hope of Rahul returning alive?
On this question, Dharmnath Singh says, "When my brother saw with his own eyes that Rahul has been subdued, I have no hope of his return. That's why we have called Pandit ji, made an effigy of Kush and are getting all the rites done. Who knows when will his body also return? Tell me, on what hope should I wait?"
A large number of people from East and West Champaran districts of Bihar go to Nepal to work as labourers. Now these families are only waiting for their loved ones. Either his miraculous return to life or at least his dead body.
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