A New Leaf for Nepathya

AUG 30 -
‘Folk songs travel and can be taken from anywhere; folk songs continuously evolve. Their lyrics and melodies go through variations as it gets transferred from one person to another,” says Amrit Gurung, the guardian of Nepathya—the folk rock band that has successfully managed to bring forward traditional folk tunes which echoed in the hills and plains, yet somehow were limited to rural Nepal. An avid traveller, Gurung and his band have played an important role in preserving and popularising these tunes by collecting them from the remote areas, re-composing and blending them with popular urban genres—either rock or pop, thus keeping these melodies alive in the hearts of Nepali youth and adults alike. After celebrating 20 years of consistent popularity, Nepathya is bringing out its ninth album, Aina Jhyal on Sept. 9.

After the previous two albums—Ghatana and Mero Desh—which carried social messages on war, peace and patriotism, their new album Aina Jhyal brings back refreshing and fun-filled music. It revives the old Nepathya spirit and brings back memories of songs like Sa Karnali, Taal ko Pani and Resham. Gurung says that it was high time the band shifted back to a lighter mood and enjoyed the beauty of existence. “The previous albums were more social and abstract,” he says.

The simple theme and the beautiful music of the new album support what Gurung says. It touches all human emotions like love, ego and freedom. It includes four folk melodies and this time around, Nepathya has added a love song and a lullaby to its portfolio. The lyrics of the title song, Aina Jhyal, have been adapted from Madhav Prasad Ghimire’s poem collection Kinnar Kinnari. The rest of the songs have been written and composed by Gurung himself.

One of the songs that stand out from the new album is Jog le Hunchha Bhet; it is an upbeat number loaded with energy. Similarly, Mai Mari Jaula and Palla Gharka Baika are other peppy numbers. Mero Hajur will bring a different taste to Nepathya fans—a love song, Gurung wrote it in 2005 when he travelled to the Everest Base Camp.

 Typical Nepali words selected in each composition are very strong and will definitely captivate you provoking strong thoughts and emotions. “Folk songs encompass ecological, environmental and social aspects,” says Gurung.

The use of a single instrument—guitar—provides a soothing effect in the song Aina Jhyal. The song is about a butterfly that is trapped in a glass box and has no way to fly out. Gurung believes this song reflects the current Nepali situation. But, as he puts it, it depends upon the listener to understand the music whichever way they want to.

Gurung can also be called a music collector. “I love travelling, talking to people, seeing things and then collecting songs from the region.” He considers himself lucky that he  has been able to collect songs—whether from porters or from celebrating people. “The strongest aspects of folk songs are the lyrics and it is fortunate that Nepathya has been able to pick up some good ones,”

says Gurung. However, he believes that though a few folk songs have managed to evolve and survive, many have disappeared, and there is dire need to archive them. He says that music scholars should carry this out and believes that  “only when people are prosperous can they pay more attention to art and culture.”

Still, despite these limitations, Nepathya’s music has been reviving our traditional folklores, if only in a small way. 

The Spirit of Adventure

AUG 26 -
Rum Doodle 40000 ½ feet Bar and Restaurant—the name is as unique as its setting. As you enter the Thamel eatery, you will notice plywood footprints hung on the walls right from the entrance itself. These footprints are the stories of the Everest Summiteers—a legacy that has been continued since the time Sir Edmund Hillary penned his name on a board at the restaurant. Now, Rum Doodle is no longer just a bar or a dining place. Instead, it is a chronicle of the adventures on the high mountains, some of which date back to beyond the 32 years of its establishment.

Regular visitors to Thamel may wonder why we are reviewing a place which has been quoted oft in the Lonely Planet guide books as the place to be in Nepal. The caveat here is that it has shifted last March from its old location to Jyatha, and its new arrangements have given an entirely new touch to the restaurant's ambience. The halls are more spacious and the restaurant extends to three floors, including a terrace. Now, you can enjoy both the comforts of a cozy indoors and an open terrace.

Rum Doodle has a variety of dishes on its menu, ranging from pastas and pizzas to steaks. One of the specialties they serve is the Chicken Basket, a crispy flour basket filled with chicken and whipped cream gravy. Vegetarians need not panic, because the Mushroom Basket is an equally-good substitute. Moreover, the Woodfire Pizza, made in a specially prepared oven, adds a different flavour to the regular pizzas available around the city. In addition to the taste, the hot pizza served on a traditional nanglo looks attractive and, surprisingly, gives a Nepali feel to the Western dish.

The unique name of the restaurant has been derived from a humourous novel, The Ascent of Rum Doodle, where a fictitious mountain of 40,000 ½ feet height is named Rum Doodle. Trying to be true to the meaning of its name, the restaurant boasts: "here the tales are as tall as the mountains and the cocktails are as bizarre as their names, with one to suit every taste." So we cannot miss out its specialty—an attractive range of cocktails and mocktails. Among the pleasures of the alcoholic kind, the Kathmandu Royal—whisky, rum, orange juice, pineapple juice and cream—stands out. For those who don't drink, Yog's Special Mocktail gives a sharp and refreshing taste with its special combination of orange and lemon squash, soda, sprite and cream.

Rum Doodle is a traveller's hangout—well reflected in the number of footprints on the walls. Manager Yog Bahadur Rajbhandari says, "We have covered over 75 percent of Everest summiteers in over 16,000 footprints." Thus, it is a must-do on the mountaineer's itinerary: step inside and carve your name on a footprint if you have climbed any mountain. If you are one of the rare ones to have climbed the highest peak on the plant, you get an additional benefit: free food.

The restaurant gets livelier on Fridays as it features a live performance by a band, The Heartbreakers, who play English rock numbers and also Hindi and Nepali numbers on special request. Don't miss out on this adventure, where tales from the high mountains and stories of the Yeti regale you every now and then. If not, just enjoy the good food and drinks—the cocktails are an adventure by themselves.

A Different Perspective on Nepal

AUG 25 -
It is not uncommon to see tourists clicking pictures of sights that Nepalis would consider a part of their daily lives. Take for example, the Basantapur Durbar Square. Despite being the archaeological marvel that it is, most locals who sit on the temples’ steps are oblivious to it. Instead, it is the tourists who click it from various angles, and provide even the locals with a perspective that is unique.

Diplomats can fall in a similar category as well. They are here to represent their respective country, but their perspective of Nepal fits in with the larger worldview that the country has. A new photo exhibition puts up the photographs clicked by the outgoing Danish Ambassador to Nepal Finn Thilsted, and the collection provides a different perspective to life in Nepal.

During Thilsted’s five-year tenure, he visited several parts of the country and took out some time to click a few aspects that interested him. The collection depicts different facets of the country—as a tourist destination, a war-torn country, a poor nation, and a country rich in diversity. “He depicts Nepal with complexities and challenges; he has maintained proper balance and has not just shown pretty facets. He has also included human and intimate moments,” says Nayantara Gurung Kakshapati, coordinator of photo.circle that organised the exhibition. 

Ambassador Thilsted also believes that his pictures don’t just reflect the poverty of Nepal; rather, it has a holistic feel of the country. He says, “I could have taken much stronger pictures of poverty in Nepal if I had to.” An amateur photographer, he took photographs of a few sights that struck him as interesting  and he found that it would be appropriate to have an exhibition to allow Nepalis to have a look at their country though his eyes.

“Sometimes, you need an outsider to see your country from the perspective that you don’t have because you live there,” says journalist Kunda Dixit. There were indeed photographs that Nepali would have considered nothing outside the usual; however, for a foreigner, it’s an entirely different world. Simple pictures like red chillies out to dry; three generations—grandmother, mother and daughter—of a family walking together; and breathtaking views from Nagarkot dominated the exhibit. Moreover, the caption further clarifies what the photographer wants to say through the picture. One of the best pictures was the picture of a red-thread tied around the wheels of a car (for good luck); the caption read, “Blessing a car is a nice tradition, but I am glad that I have a comprehensive insurance.”

The exhibition will continue till Aug. 29 at Yala Maya Kendra in Patan. Admission to the exhibit is free.

Leading a Folk Revolution

AUG 23 -
Since the last six years, the musical ensemble Kutumba has struggled and claimed their space in the hearts of Nepali music enthusiasts. They have their own identity—refreshing tunes from traditional instruments like tabala, flute, sarangi, tungna, arabajo and different types of skin drums. They are probably the most popular instrumental band in the country; they focus on individual instruments and believe that lyrics cannot render the power that good music can carry.

With Arun playing the tungna and arbajo, Kiran on sarangi, Pavit and Raju on percussions, Rubin on flute and Siddhartha on effects, Kutumba has, to a great extent, succeeded in its original mission of popularising local instruments among the youth who are more inclined towards Western music. “We focus more on the youth and want to show everyone that our local instruments can be used to create great music,” says Pavit. Although they move ahead without specific plans, they have gained popularity because of their frequent concerts. “We do have a tag of holding a lot of concerts; we hold around two to three live performances in a month,” says Arun Gurung, the band manager, having performed in 27 districts of Nepal already.

The band shares that most of them were organisers long before they grouped; they used to ask other artists to play local instruments at ticketing events. However, they felt that such performances still lacked the proper representation of the instruments and it substantially lacked a ‘Nepali touch’. Therefore, they set out together with their first folk instrumental performance on May 8, 2004, at Patan Museum. Though the crowd was limited to their own circle of friends, they were encouraged by the response. They slowly rose to fame as they frequently appeared at youth events and also numerous fund-raising concerts. Today, they have four albums—Forever Nepali Folk Instrumental, Folk Roots, Naulo Bihani and Mithila—to their credit.

Kutumba creates magic on stage with their instrumental numbers—they blend traditional folk tunes with their improvised ideas and sounds. They believe in experimenting and bringing up new tunes every now and then. During one of their previous concerts at the Nepal Tattoo Convention in August, they jammed with a metal band, E.Quals, and brought about a unique sound—a mixture of folk tunes with metal—and wooed the crowd. Their effort to preserve our national culture is commendable. “We have gathered local artists from different places and shared our skills,” says Gurung. He further explains that they learnt playing the arabajo when they travelled to a village in Pokhara and added the instrument to their portfolio. It is a string instrument which has almost disappeared from popular musical discourse. They also included folk tunes from the Tarai on their latest album Mithila. “People remember songs from the hills when we talk about folk music, but we wanted to incorporate tunes from all regions,” says Pavit.

The band is now ready for another concert—Kutumba Collaborates at Gurukul. Kutumba will be performing with other artists—guitarist Ashish Chitrakar, Sunit Kansakar who plays the sitar, singers Mica Sundari, Yanik Shrestha and Garima Shah—at theatre group Gurukul on Sept. 4. This is a pre-album event and all the numbers played during the event will be from their new album. The album, which is not named yet, will be launched on Oct. 8, on Ghatasthapana.

Kutumba lives up to their name—a unique bond—as they have successfully brought together compositions from different cultures within our country. They continue to touch the hearts of many, including the young and the old, with their compositions which has been derived from the pristine tunes from all parts of Nepal.

Ashesh and Nekhvam Tour to Europe

AUG 16 -
Ashesh and Nekhvam are marching forward with their passion for music with a step towards international shores with a musical tour to Germany and Norway in August and September.

Vocalist and guitarist of the band Ashesh Dangol will be touring Europe with other members of the band. Apart from formal concerts in Norway and Germany, they also plan to visit Denmark, Belgium and Spain where they will be playing at local bars and pubs. The band left on Monday for Norway.

The band had come connected to a larger and multicultural audience after its participation in the international music festival Alamar 2007 in Spain. The band has two self produced albums—Free Spirit I and Free Spirit II—to their credit. Both these albums reflect their core interest—blues combined with classical music.

Chinese Films in Town

AUG 10 -
On the occasion of the 55th year of bilateral relation with China, Embassy of China, in collaboration with World Cultural Net and Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office, has organised Chinese Film Festival 2010 at City Hall, Exhibition Road. The festival was inaugurated on Tuesday by Mod Raj Dotel, the acting secretary at the Ministry of Culture.

Altogether five Chinese movies will be shown during the two-day festival. The event celebrates the century long glory of Chinese film industry as some of the selected movies date back 30 years. These movies will allow viewers the glimpses of Chinese history, culture, society and its development over the years.

The first movie shown during the festival, Farewell to my Concubine, which has been listed Time magazine’s 100 all time movies, depicts the Beijing Opera. The Chinese movie parade, comprising of movies like Shanghai Triad, Purple Sunset, Xiao Hua and Third Show will be showcased today.

Everest Women Inspire Student

AUG 07 -
Eight successful women climbers from the First Inclusive Women Sagarmatha Expedition 2008 shared their experiences and dreams with students at Mt. Olive School at Sinamangal on Friday. Students of grades 8 to 10 from Mt. Olive School, Acme Academy and Saraswati Kunja School had participated in the hour-long interaction programme. With the support of World Food Programme (WFP), the women climbers have been visiting schools across the country to share their inspiring stories of their struggle and hard work. 

The event started with a documentary show followed by an interaction between the speakers and the students. This also brought forward sensitive issues such as gender equality, women empowerment and climate change. The students enthusiastically put up their queries and shared their views. “We learnt that nothing is impossible. So, we must not only dream but also strive to achieve them,” said Suvechha Bhandari, a student at Mt. Olive School.

Discussions on the economic prospects of our Himalayas also featured during the event. Sita Pokhrel, Principal of Acme Academy says, “We need to understand the potential of our mountains. We want our students to grow interest in them.”

The summiters have already visited 82 schools all over Nepal and also in Australia where they ascended Mt.Kosciuszko, the highest peak in the Australian continent. They will be leaving for Russia by the end of this month to scale Mt. Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe in their run up to ascend the highest peaks in all the continents. 

First of its Kind

AUG 03 -
Tattoo culture in Nepal has been mistaken to be a result of Westernisation; however, it has been prevalent in Eastern societies since a long time back. To revive this traditional form of art, Bijay Shrestha and Mohan Tattoo Inc. have initiated the first National Tattoo Convention. The event promoted by Nepal Tourism Board will take place on Aug. 7 at United World Trade Centre in Tripureshwor.

Thirty-two tattoo artists from all over Nepal will be present at the event where they will exchange ideas about various types of tattoo styles. Visitors will have a unique opportunity to interact with the artists regarding their queries about tattoos, the safety aspects and also get a tattoo themselves. Babu Raja, the first professional Nepali tattoo artist will be honoured on the occasion.

Novel by a Young Writer

JUL 17 -
Pradeep Swar, a 19 year old writer, launched his novel Beautiful People on Friday. It is a story about two families who come to cross the same path but due to different circumstances; it includes elements of inner satisfaction, travel, and

terrorism.

On launching the book Swar said, “Writing has been all about excelling capabilities and surprising yourself.”  The novel by  the young writer Swar is published by Pilgrims Publications.  

A Tribute to Bangdel

KATHMANDU, JUL 10 -
The conjunction of the works of 16 artists gives a striking look to the walls at Nepal Art Council. The Society of Modern arts (SOMA) has brought forward a pleasing blend of different forms of arts, media and artists in their second venture, Kalapunja-2. Despite the diversity in the paintings put for the exhibition, the artists, who had worked under the tutelage of Lain Singh Bangdel, have come together for a common objective- a tribute to Bangdel, the pioneer of Abstract Art in Nepal.

The 80 paintings range from portraits to pure abstractions.  Different shades of colours are used to express a range of themes- culture, history and nature. Some artists have also resolved to other media such as pen and ink, oil and mixed media. The depiction of the rich culture of Nepal done in just black ink has also been successful to captivate great attention.

During the inauguration of the event, two veteran artists, Kali Das Shrestha and Dil Bahadur Chitrakar were honoured with Bangdel Memorial Award 2010. The award which carries the amount of NRs. 2, 00,000 will be conferred yearly to promising artists of Nepal. “This award is a gift for my teacher, Lain Singh Bangdel, ” says Karna Maskey, the president of SOMA.

The exhibition will continue till July 19. 

Message through Films

JUL 05 -
Words that remained unexpressed throughout generations have finally been released through the short film Endless Ride, which was screened on Sunday. The film is a commentary on the domestic violence that Nepali women face every day. Although laws have been passed against this, the state has not been able to stop the crime.

The producers Su-Dhan Pictures also exhibited another documentary called Tears of Fear on the same day. This film portrayed the cruel tradition of animal sacrifices in the name of appeasing the gods. It shows how people slay innocent beasts mercilessly during festive seasons.

Producer and director Nir Shah commented, “Endless ride definitely speaks out about the problems faced by women and carries a significant message. However, the movie could have been more refined and made in an unconventional way.”

A Blend of Colour and Verse

JUN 30 -
Canvas and colours are not sufficient for artist Sunita Rana to express the whirlpool of emotions inside her; instead, she has added to her portfolio a collection of poetry that expresses these feelings. The inauguration of Rana’s fifth solo exhibition Nostalgia on Tuesday thus came with a surprise—Antim Kas—Rana’s collection of poems.

Inaugurating the event, poet Manjul expressed his pleasure, “I like it when artists paint on the canvas, but when artists write poems, I like it even more.” According to him, the poems of Rana bring forth vivid images like the colours on her canvas.

Rana’s abstract images of women in different shades hung on the walls of Srijana Contemporary Art Gallery will definitely grab one’s attention. Most of Rana’s art captures the joyful moments in a woman’s life. “I recollected some beautiful childhood memories and just expressed it on the canvas,” Rana said. The artist has made a good use of various warm and cool shades on mixed media. The use of glue along with pigments and water colour adds a unique touch to her works. Rana has also used acrylic paints and successfully blended dark hues of blue and purple with golden colours.

The verses in her poems too reflect similar emotions. Rana said, “The paintings and poems came up almost simultaneously, so they contain similar feelings.” Some of the poems that appear in Antim Kas have already been composed as songs. Rana’s poem, Timi Bhanda Pani, has been sung by Nepali singer Sugam Pokhrel.

The exhibition will continue till July 7.

The FACTORY for Football

KATHMANDU, JUN 12 -
The World Cup fever has gripped the valley as many football fans swarm around the screens to watch the most popular sporting event.  What could be more fun for football maniacs than hanging with buddies in a great place with great cuisine and favourite sport on a screen? If you are looking for the best destination for this football season, The Factory at Sagarmatha Complex in Thamel could be a good choice.

As you enter The Factory, the unique metallic interiors that resemble a set up of an actual plant will grab your attention. Though you feel you are at workplace, the comfort has not been compromised at any cost.  The Factory is celebrating a month-long festival which they delightfully call “Factory for football”. The walls have been decorated with posters of popular football players, adding a lively touch to  ambience of the place. The matches will be shown on two big projections placed at the corners of the hall. However, this is not the only surprise. You will be delighted by the colorful cocktails which represent each of the 32 countries; you are served drink of your favourite team by the waiters dressed up in jersey. Sommelier Sandeep Kumar KC says, “We have researched the tastes of participating nations and come up with cocktails for every country, keeping in mind their topography, national food and colour.”

Moreover, the director of the Factory, Mr. Max explained that they will be preparing special dishes each day, dedicated to the country that is playing the tournament and there will be a post match party.

There are other attractions such as face paintings, ADIDAS goodies shop, FIFA game zones, and weekly prizes.

Apart from the World Cup craze, The Factory has also chosen this season to launch the Spanish Tapas Range for the first time in Nepal. Although, the large space in the menu is covered by non vegetarian items, the vegetarians are not ignored as The Factory also serves a range of vegetarian dishes and fresh fruit mocktails. The only work this unique factory assigns you-- watch World Cup with mouth watering delicacies.  

n Anustha Shrestha

Jabulani Fever

KATHMANDU, JUN 09 -
The FIFA World Cup has to be the biggest festival on the planet. Watched by nearly half of the world’s population, this year’s South African edition promises to be bigger, better, and throw up many more surprises than ever before. The Post’s Anustha Shrestha and Sambhav Sirohiya asked a few celebrities on the team that they will be supporting, and where they will watch the matches.







Usha Khadgi

Former Miss Nepal

Of course I am excited. I will be supporting Brazil as I did before. I watched the finals of the last World Cup at Eden in Kathmandu Mall with friends. This year too, I have plans for a get-together at my place for the main matches. I will be enjoying it with my husband and some friends.



Manoj K.C.

Lead Guitarist, 1974 AD

I have not been following it up lately but I will be supporting Brazil. On the opening day, I will catch the match in Moksh with my friends and band members.



Dinesh D.C.

Actor

I used to play the game when I was young. Argentina has been my favourite team. I have a tight schedule so I won’t be able to watch all the matches, but I won’t miss the quarters, semis and the finals. My family has been planning to watch the matches together so I have left it up to my daughter to decide the venue.



Abhinav Kasaju

cybersansar.com

I am not very enthusiastic about football. I don’t have a favourite team and will maybe support some Asian team. I might catch up with one or two matches scheduled in the evenings.



Simrika Sharma

News Presenter

I am looking forward to this World Cup because this event comes after a long time. I am supporting Argentina, Brazil and England, but I am a bit disappointed because my favourite player, Ronaldinho, will not be playing this time.



Rekha Thapa

Actor

I would love to watch every single match, but some of the matches are at midnight which is too late because I am a busy person. I will try not to miss any of Brazil’s matches since they are my favourite team. It’s sad that Ronaldo and Ronaldinho are not in the squad this year; they have always been my favourites.





Deepak Giri

Actor

Argentina should win this World Cup considering they have the best footballer—Messi. I am looking forward to it; most probably I will watch the matches up to the quarter finals at home as they are not as important as the matches after the quarter finals. I will watch the matches after that in restaurants that screen them.

Lessons from Another War

JUN 08 -
“Let us forgive each other—only then will we live in peace.” Leo Tolstoy’s saying was the main theme for the documentary As We Forgive, which was screened at United Nations (UN) House on Monday. The hour-long narrative was a depiction of how the Rwandese people, after the 1994 genocide, have left behind their bitterness and joined hands—a much needed interjection in the Nepali context today.

One of the most brutal memories of the 90’s, the Rwandan genocide saw neighbours killing each other in the name of ethnicity. But after the civil war ended, the only solution seemed to be reconciliation, for which the Rwandan National Unity and Reconciliation Commission was set up.

The documentary revolved around the grief of the offenders and the survivors in the aftermath of one of the most tragic periods in world history. It showed remorse on the part of the offenders, whose guilt compelled them to confront those whom they had wronged. Rosaria and Chantal, who survived this nightmare after seeing their families murdered brutally, meet the guilty. The conflict of emotions such as hatred and neutrality, and blame and forgiveness, colour the entire documentary.

Ram Babu Shah from the UN Information Centre said that the theme could be a lesson for the Nepalis.

The documentary was targetted at stakeholders such as human rights activists. However, the turnover was minimal and most seats were filled up by enthusiastic groups of youth. Shah said he was disappointed about the lack of concern regarding the issue.

The documentary will be screened at the Centre for Constitutional Dialogue (CCD) from next week, which will be open to all. The UN is also planning to dub it in Nepali and screen it on national television.

Young Newa Talents

AUG 14 -
On Friday, the hall at CW Restaurant of Durbar Marg was busier than usual from the hustle and bustle of the young participants of the 5th Miss Little Newa 2010. Nepalese Fashion Home organises this event annually in order to hone the talents of young Newari girls. 

The girls eagerly waited for their turn to show their skills; the parents seemed more excited than the girls. The excitement seemed natural because the girls were not just participating in a beauty pageant, but through this event they were promoting their culture. “We not only teach the girls how to present themselves on stage but also teach them different aspects of Newari culture, language and script-at least they now know how to introduce themselves and write their names in Newari,” said program coordinator Subita Rai.

A participant, Prekchya Shrestha, believes that she has developed her self-confidence and also got to learn her culture and language. Her mother, Anita Amatya Shrestha was proud of her daughter who gave a beautiful dance performance even with minimal practice. She highlighted that such participation helps in the all-round development of students as “concentrating only on academics is not sufficient at this age.”

Girls of ages 8 to 13—dressed in red and black or dhaka dresses, adorned with traditional ornaments and red flowers neatly tied to the hair, carried off their culture with grace on the stage.  The panas and sukunda lighted on stage at the beginning gave a warm traditional welcome to all the audience. Moreover, the Newari dance numbers-both old and new-dominated the performances. In addition to this, the traditional newari pots and other props complemented the traditional touch of the event.

The winners of the talent show will be announced on the final round of the event which will take place this Saturday at Nepal Academy Hall in Kamaladi. The coveted title for these girls-Miss little Newa 2010 will also be awarded on that day.

Widening Horizons

“Music is all about colouring silence with melody,” says Nabin K Bhattarai, a well known artist in the Nepali Music Scenario. Including his recent album, Nakshyatra, he already has 10 solo albums to his credit. He has won hearts with melodies like Aakhama Timilai, Sajha pakha, and many more. However, this time around, he has opted to take a step further and go for a  film soundtrack.

As a high school student, he had a profound interest for music; this passion drove him to create a band of his own-The Steel Wheels when he was at his intermediate levels. Although the band had not produced any hits, he carried on his pursuit of music and joined music school at Kathmandu University. His musical journey started off with the hit number Aakhama timilai; then he came up with other hits, one after another. However, he feels very lucky because he didn’t have to struggle a lot because he shot to fame soon, after his first hit number. For him, coming up with new tunes was a practical application to whatever he had been studying at the university.

Bhattarai believes in constant improvisations and believes that to be a complete singer one should learn and understand music to the core. He has constantly tried to add a new touch to his music, and this year he has completely moved on from solo records to music direction in the film-Challenge.  He has given music to 6 songs in the movie which is directed by Shyam Bhattarai. The film itself is going to be different than the mainstream Nepali cinema and he believes that these songs will add a new dimension to the movie as the songs have moved away from typical dance numbers.

Challenge was indeed a challenge for him because of the completely new experience of creating music based on a particular storyline, and with the entire team coming up together to listen to each songs, passing on views from various angles. He confessed that it had been difficult to convince everybody one by one; nevertheless, he enjoyed the entire process.

Though his soft rock numbers are usually based on love themes, he shared that he wants to come up with themes that carry social messages. He complained that producers usually play a role in commercializing the art and this hinders the artists to come up with their own themes and points that there is a dire necessity to prioritize true art rather than commercializing it. Moreover, he believes that a lot of Nepali numbers, nowadays, tend to imitate other music rather than sticking to originality. He also commented that music companies have been focusing more on glittery music videos rather than creating good music.

He is currently engaged in the promotion of Nakshyatra. Moreover, his fans have also uploaded a music clip for the song Timilai mann parauchhu on Youtube. 

The Indelible Ink

AUG 09 -
Nepal’s first National Tattoo Convention saw an overwhelming response from the urban masses. The event, which took place at United World Trade Centre on Saturday, was the first of its kind as 38 tattoo artists from all over the country came together to promote their art.

Drawing inspiration after visiting several international tattoo conventions, Mohan Gurung and Bijay Shrestha decided to initiate this venture in Nepal. After the success of the first convention, they have also expressed the wish to take the event to the international level. “The response has been good and we still expect more. Some were willing to get a tattoo on-the-spot whereas some were scared, but everyone enjoyed,” says Shrestha.  He considered the event a success because the artists in each stall were busy with people eagerly waiting for new tattoos to be imprinted on their bodies.

Colin Hendry, from Canada, also agreed with Shrestha’s point, “I have been to several international tattoo conventions before and this is the first time I am having a tattoo on the spot.” He had his own design in mind which he shared with the tattoo artists from the Skin Art Tattoo Studio. Although Hendry is confident about the safety of tattooing here, he still complains that the standard is not yet up to the mark.

It can take hours for artists to complete a tattoo. And when people have their own designs, it often takes a long time to communicate their ideas. “It’s difficult to complete all the work in one day, so people registered their names and booked for tattoos, but many people came for piercing,” says Bibek Rai of Mohan’s Tattoo Inn. According to the stall-keepers, many visitors were concerned about safety and also came to pick up information about designs, care and modification of tattoos. Apart from tattooing, many of them were seen busy piercing their bellies, ears, lips etc., or weaving dreadlocks.

The younger generation represented a majority of the visitors, boys and girls alike. “I pierced my belly and ears today and I have also come for a touch-up on my tattoo,” says Jharna Shilpakar. She says that even her mother is interested in this form of art. She said that this art has long been present in our society and also emphasised the high demand for tattoos of deities such as Ganesh and Bhairav. “My mother is spiritual and she adds to her tattoo every Nag Panchami,” she added.

Sensitising the Public

Nepal may have been the first country in South Asia to legalise homosexuality, but the social acceptance of sexual minorities still has a long way to go. Thus, a pleasant, and an important, event on Sunday made it even more imperative that LGBT issues are sensitised in the public sphere.

An hour-long programme at Moksha in Jhamsikhel on Sunday saw members from the Blue Diamond Society, an LGBT organization, and Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory put up a performance that incorporated dance, music, and theatre to spread the message of social tolerance all around.

The result of a four-day workshop in July under the TransArt Project Nepal, the project was initiated by Dutch foundation Creativity for Empowerment. "Transgenders have been marginalised but today they are at the centre stage," said Ankie Warmerdam from the foundation.

Thus, we had something like the Transgender Rap, a song that encompassed what the project was all about--do not discriminate against the third gender.

A play entitled Dreams was also put up at the programme. The play spoke about the limitations of dreams one may have in life. In a rather pragmatic way, the play asked the audience to dream, but also insisted that life is more than just dreams--instead, it is necessary to work hard to achieve them.

"Though language was a barrier, we could overcome it," said one of the instructors Sytse Schalk. Two such programmes had already been put up the previous year when the participants had worked with instructors Sjoerd Warmerdam and Jaco Van Den Dool. At the time, however, there was only a choir presentation. "The theatre culture here is different than in the Netherlands; they are more expressive here," said Schalk. Nevertheless, he enjoyed interacting with the performers and believes that this workshop has been the best experience of his life.

During the programme, the participants included a surprise performance in which they expressed their gratitude through a rap song which they wrote themselves and dedicated to their trainer Sean Dunne.

The performers seemed completely at ease on the stage. They expressed their wish to participate in such workshops again. One of the participants Swastika Lama explained, "This programme has given us a chance to be free and sing and dance in front of everyone."  Another performer Umesh Pandey also agreed with Lama about how these events help them to liberate their feelings and exhibit their passion. He added, "It also helps us to sensitise issues of the third gender; it helps to spread awareness."

Happy Friendship Days

JUL 31 -
The first Sunday of August marks the day for the beautiful bond of friendship. First introduced in 1930s in the States, Friendship Day has slowly gained popularity internationally and has also permeated our part of the world; it has basically captivated urban youth.

Yellow roses and colourful wristbands have already flooded gift outlets with the start of August; it is a new-found urban culture of exchanging gifts on special occasions. “Friendship bands mean a lot,” says Sunaina Shrestha while getting hold of attractive bands at Archies Gallery in New Baneshwor, along with her friend Keshara Pun. Another shopper, Jayanti Limbu also emphasised the importance of this day, “No matter what you give-small or big, it is still precious; so I will give bands to my best friends.”

Vendors agree with the girls. “Friendship bands are more popular because of the affordability; cards and gifts cost much and since you have lots of friends you cannot buy gifts for everyone,” says Rajesh Agrawal from Hallmark store at New Baneshwor.

Bands ranging from Rs.10 to Rs. 100 are available at stores. Apart from bands, yellow roses and cards, Hallmark flaunts some exclusive wrist-wares which can cost upto Rs. 250 and a new item-friendship rings that cost Rs. 25. Archies Gallery, on the other hand has a good collection of gifts for friendship day: special mugs, stuffed bears, mirrors, etc.

Although some boys can be spotted at these stores, girls seem more interested. “I will just greet my friends, or just text them; save paper,” says Pranesh Basnet who came to buy a friendship band for his best friend Susana. It is easier to keep in touch via electronic media, thus, e-cards and friendship SMSes have become cheaper alternatives for cards and bands. 

However, the charm of these fancy bands-whether stone studded, beads or simple wristbands, have not yet evaporated. Arun Shahi from Archies Gallery mentioned that there are still people who purchase bands in large quantities, sometimes even up to 10 to 12 bands. But he complains that the sales are not as satisfactory as last year. “The stores were flooded with people last year because there were a lot of events marking the day and the media as well had highlighted the day,” says Shahi.

Celebrations like these are just excuses to separate out some time from our daily schedules to express how much we value such relations in our lives. Just spare some time to celebrate the special bond with your close friends in your own way-meet at a good restaurant, go out together, or just hit the nearest gift outlets and gift your special friends with flowers, bands, or anything that you can get hold of.  

A Different Dance

JUN 29 -
“We don’t want to be known as disabled; we want to be known as differently-abled,” said 18-year-old Maiya Bisunkhe from SOS Children’s Village, while rejoicing with her physically-disabled friends backstage in the Nepal Academy Hall. A similar feeling was reflected on the cheerful faces of the other physically-disabled performers who awed the audience with their beautiful dance performances on Monday.

Fifty-five children and youth from CWIN- Nepal, HDCS- Asha Bal Bikash Sewa, Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre (SIRC), and SOS Children’s Village Jorpati, had come together with choreographer Charan Pradhan to put up a lively performance. Pradhan, who has specialised in the therapeutic use of dance, had come back to Nepal in 2008 to share his skills here. After their widely appreciated first programme a few months back, they decided to go further with their venture.

“At first I thought we won’t be able to dance, but today we are all dancing. I can forget everything and dance,” said Devi Acharya, a spinal injury patient. 

This day was special, unlike the several other functions at the academy, as colourful posters that appealed for child rights in the new constitution flooded the premises right from the entrance. The hall was crowded by an excited mass of people who were finally calmed by the performance of SIRC participants. Performers glided through the stage gracefully in their wheelchairs. The magnificent lighting and visual effects added to the presentation.

The dancers swayed to the high and low notes of the songs Mero Desh and Shanti Lukaun Kahan while forming visual patterns on the stage. This expressive dance form narrated the story of everybody present on the stage; it gave a message that music binds us all and we all have a common dream—to live peacefully. This was also the main theme of the programme: “Expression of Peace through Dance”. The spirited children scattered on the stage and their slight innocent flaws made a playful performance like Rama Rama livelier.

The voices for the songs specially composed for the event were rendered by popular Nepali singers such as Ani Choying Dolma, Ciney Gurung, Adrian Pradhan, and Yogeshwor Amatya. “Music helps prevent depression and trauma. When I saw these kids rejoice and dance to the tunes I had put up, I felt that my music was worth it,” said Nhyoo Bajracharya, who composed the music to the programme.

It is high time that the unspoken words from the differently-abled children are heard and they are correctly addressed. If they are encouraged they can prove to be equally competent. The best example is Maiya Bisunkhe who has excelled in athletics and has also represented Nepal internationally. “I believe that politicians should also be dragged to watch this so that the appeals from these children reach their ears,” said actor Madan Krishna Shrestha.

Dance in City Centre

JUN 26 -
On the occasion of the  first anniversary, Nepal Life Insurance Company (NLIC) City Centre has come up with an exciting package of events. After the successful organisation of the exhibition of wedding costumes last week, they have come up with an open dance competition. The final round of the competition was conducted at City Centre, Kamal Pokhari on Saturday.

The preliminary selection round had taken place amid the crowd of shoppers at the Centre on June 11 and 12.  The Centre initially sent in the invitations to schools, colleges and dance academy inside the valley but they also got a number of impromptu participants at the venue during the auditions. “The crowd here got really enthusiastic -some of them filled the forms on the spot, transferred their songs to us via cell phones and danced,” said Pallavi, one of the the organisers. There were altogether 7 solo performers and 2 group dance for the finale.  The contenders could choose any English, Nepali or Hindi numbers.  

The group dance winners and the solo winner were entitled to cash prizes of Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 5,000 respectively along with trophies and gift vouchers sponsored by different stores within the City Centre. 

The Centre has planned a book exhibition along with other events for the next month. 

Back Once Again

JUN 07 -
Driven by passion and zeal for music, the spirit of the rock group Monkey Temple has been alive for almost a decade now. Yet, not many know of them because of their constant disappearing acts. In 2002, when most of the band members were just teenagers, they rocked from the premises of their high school. Old-timers will probably recall their hits such as Acoustic 11 and Stoned at 920—but despite making their presence felt, the band had to split up.

Now, eight years later, Sareen Deoja, the lead vocalist, has come back from the US and started the band again, this time with a new line-up. Which isn’t new; in this gap, Monkey Temple had released a few tracks under a different line-up. Then, they disappeared again.

After their first album, Black Bee and the Flower, the band unfortunately, had to split as the members disbanded in favour of further studies. The original line-up featured Subodh Gurung and Prashant Manandhar on the guitars, Devashish Yonjan on the drums, Gaurav Basnet on keyboards, bassist Avaya Bajracharya, and Deoja.

Now, Sareen has teamed up with guitarist Girish, bassist Bijay, and Bikram on the drums. And in the pipelines are a few more singles that promise to bring back the focus on the Temple.

There are four new singles that the band is currently recording. Sareen, who has written the lyrics, explains that the theme revolves around life’s philosophies. For instance, the single Prashna talks about the known and unknowns of space; the song Ananta Samma intends to make the listener escape from the realities of life. The other two singles, Swapna and Anubhuti, follow similar themes as well.

Though the band had come up with their own English compositions in their last avatar, they are now keener on Nepali lyrics. Their YouTube hits are testament to this. Their earlier songs, Samaya and Baachau Sangai, have each gathered more than 15,000 views each, with the latter track already crossing 40,000 views. Comments on YouTube are full of praise for the band.

Deoja believes the band’s songs are targetted towards those living in urban Nepal. But there is a wide following for the band among Nepalis living abroad, especially in the US and Australia. To cater to this fan base, Monkey Temple will release their new tracks on iTunes. Eventually, they hope they can put out a new album in its entirety.

Monkey Temple started out as an alternative rock band. The members agree that during the initial phases, they were immature and lacked good instruments. But this time around, they are resolute about bringing a different sound to the Nepali music scenario. “We listen to all genres and we have been greatly inspired by senior bands such as Nepathya and 1974 AD,” says Girish. The band is enthusiastic about how the rock scene in Nepal has evolved, and is looking forward keeping in mind the rising popularity of the genre.

This time around, Monkey Temple hopes to stay for a longer time—a good sign for Nepali music fans.

Citrus fruits for cure

JAN 09 -
With the common cold and flu affecting most of us, perhaps we need a reminder of the benefits of eating citrus fruits. Citrus fruits are the best defense for the immune system and a natural remedy to ward off common cold and unwanted flu. “Many people do take in vitamin C tablets to avoid unnecessary sniffles just to be precautious. However, it is best to opt for natural remedies,” says dietician Rashmi Shrestha.  Thirty to hundred milligrams of vitamin C per day is the general recommendation, which can be easily found in citrus fruits. Since these fruits are rich in water content, regular consumption helps to moderate the body’s water level during winter. “In winter, people generally don’t drink water much; so consuming citrus fruits helps to prevent dehydration.”.

 Furthermore, the vitamin C is known for skin care. “It helps to prevent dry skin during winter and we all know that the peel of the oranges help in forming good face packs for facial skin.” Citrus fruits are quite popular agents for dieting as vitamin C helps to cut body fat and reduce weight typically gained during winter. However she shows her concern regarding the use of citrus fruits for dieting, “Excess consumption of citrus fruits only can create acidity. It can also create other problems such as erosion of dental enamel.”

Although these fruits are a healthy choice for many, sugar patients should be conscious and should only take these fruits in limited quantities. For patients with kidney failure, the high amount of potassium in these fruits could prove risky.

It is ideal to get hold of the oranges and grape fruits that have flooded the streets and are quite economical these days. Spare some time to peel these nutrition-packed fruits and enjoy a winter immune to cold, dehydration or dry skin.

Dashain Diet

OCT 10 -
Dashain is all about puja, tika and celebrating with family and friends, and remains incomplete without good food and drinks. Therefore, it is difficult to avoid the string of health issues that are attached to it. It becomes even more necessary to take care of our health during this time so that unnecessary problems do not spoil the festive mood. This is even more pertinent for those who suffer from ailments such as diabetes, gastritis, uric acid and kidney problems.

The most common problem that people face during Dashain is indigestion and gastritis; people remain empty-stomach till the puja ends and then they take meals in large quantities, with the food usually spicy. “They skip almost two meals and join a huge feast at the end of the day; they take too much calories at once and it doesn’t burn,” says dietician Rashmi Bajimaya Shrestha. Moreover, these feasts normally comprise food with low water content, especially for the Newar community who usually have samaya baji (beaten rice, soyabean, meat, garlic etc), which causes dehydration and also gastritis.

Moreover, it is necessary to be careful about storing food. One must be careful of food poisoning caused by leftover spoiled food. The trend is to cook the entire feast at once, and with problems like power failure, people should take care in storing food, especially the meat. Dietician Shrestha suggests that it would be helpful for people to store meat in small packages rather than in bulk. “When you take the meat out of the freezer, you are introducing it to a warmer temperature suddenly, and then when you put it back again, the temperature drops. This irregularity may also cause contamination.”    

Dashain, especially for the health-conscious, thus becomes a double-edged sword. While on one hand, people face indigestion and diarrhoea due to spicy or contaminated food, on the other, they may also suffer from constipation. Food rich in fibre—legumes, green salads, vegetables—are missing from the usual Dashain diet. This creates problems in digestion. Therefore, it is necessary to take special care in drinking sufficient amount of water and be careful about alcohol intake. “It is part of our culture to walk to Bhagwati temples during Dashain, and I would suggest people continue to go for morning walks to religious places—it helps them burn the high calories they gain from food and alcohol during the festival,” says Shrestha. She also stresses on munching as many green vegetables and fruits—apples, guavas or anything that is available in the market—as one can get during this time.

“People with diseases should be more careful and maintain a proper diet plan,” adds Shrestha, “I have seen patients die just a day before their dialysis simply because they chose to eat food which they weren’t supposed to in the name of merriment.”  Celebrate Dashain with full enthusiasm, but be careful about what you are eating—do not allow health problems to dampen your festive spirit.

Worshipping the self

NOV 05 -
The Gregorian New Year is one among the many New Years that are celebrated across the world. Different cultures mark different days as their New Year, and here in Nepal, Baisakh 1 is generally considered to be the New Year. But not so for the Newars, the original inhabitants of the Valley, for whom Tihar is not just about celebrating the goddess of wealth, but also about ushering in the New Year with a celebration of the self.

The first day of Nepal Sambat, as the calendar that the Newars follow is called, falls on the day after Laxmi Puja. Newars draw a mandala, a religious symbol, which is supposed to be a reflection of their physical selves and worship it in the hopes of good health, longevity, success and prosperity. Colloquially known as Mha Puja (Mha means body), the worship can also be interpreted as worshipping the divine being within oneself.

There are as many variations of the mandala as there are Newar households, yet each mandala has its unique significance; each circle drawn inside a larger one carries their own meaning. One of the most popular mandalas is made in the shape of a lotus flower, bearing eight petals.

The lotus represents purity in Hindu religious symbolism because of the conditions it grows in. “Though the seed is sown in a swamp, the lotus blooms to be a beautiful flower above the swamp,” says Deepak Bajracharya, a Newar priest from Patan. “The flower is also a message of hope for all of us. It symbolises how a man can achieve success despite hard luck.” The eight petals of the lotus symbolise the Ashtamangal—the eight symbols of fortune: Nagpasa, Kamal, Dwanja, Kalash, Chamar, Matsyayugma, Chhatra and Shankha.

According to Bajracharya, Mha Puja is intended to be a celebration of the self. “We worship ourselves and the elements that make up the human body—agni (fire), jal (water) and vayu (air)—which are respectively represented by lawa (popped rice), paddy and aakhe (a special kind of rice) placed in the centre of a mandala.” Bajracharya says families often also use black soybeans and black lentils to represent Shani and Rahu, the two forces that can bring bad luck to daily lives.

Each family has a mandala that is unique to them. The Lacoul family from Gahna Pokhari near Handi Gaun, for instance, adopts a design made of circles and angles and is more complex. There are three circles in the centre of a larger circle, and a square and a diamond are drawn around the circumference of the outer circle. This is the core of the mandala, where the five symbols—lawa, paddy grains, aakhe, black soybean and flowers—are placed in each of the four triangles formed in the centre of the rings. “These are the symbols of the five elements that our body is made up of,” says Manogya Prasad Lacoul. Their mandala resembles the intricate mandala that is designed at the Maitighar

crossing.  The construction of a mandala ends only after drawing a red curve that represents a lock of hair. According to scriptures, it is from the top of the head that the soul escapes

when one dies. The Lacoul family also makes a circle out of water and oil, which represents the liquid present in the human body. “The entire mandap actually represents the human anatomy,” he says.

This process is repeated for every family member, and another mandala is drawn for the house deity. Some families also draw two smaller circles that represent the gods of death. Before the actual puja begins, daily household items like the broom, the kalash (water pot), and the nanglo (bamboo tray) are worshipped in the belief that these are necessary household equipments and therefore must be revered. Khwelu Ita, a long thread dipped in oil, is lit after the puja ceremony begins. This oil lamp should not burn out till the end of the ceremony.

Once the puja is over, family members receive swogan, the sacred offerings made to the gods. As one worships the self during Mha Puja, one receives the swogan as the deity—which is unusual because at all other times, one can only eat after the offerings have been made to the gods. 

The swogan is a mix of boiled egg, fish, and meat, and local aila. But before the swogan is offered, the naki (the family’s matriarch) overturns a mix of walnuts, makhmali flowers, and lawa on each family member. The walnut and the makhmali flower are symbols of durability and longevity.

The ceremony ends when the naki sweeps away all the mandalas, sweeping away all the evils from the house and inviting Laxmi to dwell in the residence for another year.

The intricate procedures that are a part of Mha Puja signify a different aspect of the self. There are multiple interpretations as to the ritual significance of this puja, but on top of the list is the Hindu belief that god resides in the hearts of all living beings. It is also a festival of the harvest, borne by the agricultural produce used in the rituals. As Newars were originally farmers, this festival also pays obeisance to the gods for a good harvest.

But, like many aspects of Hinduism, Mha Puja too has multiple meanings. And it is up to each family to discover the meaning themselves.

The festival that has no equals

OCT 29 -
Legend tells us that a huge empire called Bishalnagari once extended around the Valley. The queen of the empire and her best friend were pregnant together, and while discussing various issues, the queen’s friend said that the lord Narayan himself had to lay a path for the queen’s baby to be born. The queen shrugged off the idea; after all, why would a God be required for such a minor event? As days passed, the friend gave birth, but the queen didn’t. Everybody waited for the heir to the throne, but the queen couldn’t deliver the baby even after 12 long years. The king then consulted an astrologer who said that Lord Narayan had gone to the Himalayas for meditation and until he came back to assist in the birth, the queen would not be able to deliver the child. The king then set off to the mountain to request the lord to help. In return, he promised the God festivities that no one had ever seen before.

True to what the king had said, the Narayan Jatra of Handi Gaun is unique. In fact, it is so unique that it has even lent its name to a Nepali proverb—Kahin Nabhayeko Jatra, Handi Gaun Ma—

implying the jatra here is one of a kind.

One can easily make out at first sight why this festival is called so. The first things that stand out are the strangely-built chariots, which appear to be inverted. Usually, chariots for the gods inside the Valley are built in traditional Newari pagoda style, tapering towards the top with a gajur—the most common one being Rato Machhendranath’s chariot. Here in Handi Gaun, the three chariots resemble inverted tops, with three circular bamboo structures stacked on top of each other and a single wooden pole that acts a truss for the three discs. An idol of lord Narayan is placed above the three bamboo discs, which are then rotated by two people standing beneath the structure, with a priest to accompany them. The chariot is carried around the locality by others.

The three toles of Handi Gaun each bring out a different, albeit similarly constructed, chariot. A white disc at the top of each chariot represents the Himalayas from which the lord had to be coaxed to come to the palace, while the first bamboo disc represents the lower foothills of the Himalayas—the Mahabharat range. This disc is decorated with pine leaves and marigold flowers. The entire chariot is decorated by wax flowers (called siswann in Nepal Bhasa).

Though the legend has been passed down from

generations, there are no historical records as to when this festival began. Although a date encrypted on one of the idol cryptically reads 838, no one really knows whether this corresponds to the Bikram Sambat or the Nepal Sambat. But that doesn’t really matter. The three-day festival is celebrated every year beginning from Kojagrat Purnima, the first full moon after Dashain. The chariots are taken across the locality and dismantled on the third day, with the idol returning to its residence in the priest’s home.

“Celebrations have changed a lot,” shares Buddha Kumar Shrestha, a longtime-resident of Handi Gaun, “Earlier, the chariots would be taken around early in the morning and everyone would wake up while it was dark. Now, the chariots are taken around in the day.” Shrestha also points out people no longer wait for the chariot to be pulled now to do their puja.

During the three days, Handi Gaun becomes a town cut off from modern civilization. Till a few years back, electric lines had be to be removed beforehand for the chariots to pass through the narrow lanes. This year, the lines weren’t removed, but telephone lines and all other cables had to be removed.

One family, the Manandhars, is responsible for building the chariots every year. Ganesh Bahadur Manandhar is the current patriarch, and rues recent developments that have left this unique festival bereft of any support. “We appealed to the Ministry of Culture for funding, and the secretary had promised us some money,” he says, “but before we received anything, he was replaced.”

But more than the funding, what worries Manandhar is the migration of families from Handi Gaun to Kathmandu. “Most people from this area have migrated and there are only three families now who know the details about this festival. Since the festival is limited to Handi Gaun, it is not as popular as Indra Jatra or the other Jatras and is therefore not given much importance.”

What Manandhar says is true. Walking around Handi Gaun on the day of the Jatra, different versions of the origins of the festival can be found. Most did not know the whole legend. Instead, what emerged were fragments. This disconnection also left its imprint on the festival this year. Manandhar had to request some local boys to take time out to build the chariot. While earlier pictures show all three discs being decorated by siswann, this year only the top two discs were decorated by the wax-flower.

The legend of Bishalnagari also goes on to say that the entire capital burnt down to embers once, thus giving the area its current name—Handi Gaun—as the ruins had turned as black as a pot. If Narayan Jatra continues to suffer from what Manandhar has described, Handi Gaun’s Kahin Nabhayeko Jatra will become extinct, and in turn be called Ek Taka Ko Jatra (a festival that was held once upon a time).

Like a flower in the sky

OCT 08 -
When I was a child, I used to rejoice each time Dashain was near. Like any other child in the neighbourhood, I used to run around with a bright kite in my hand and count down the days till Ghatasthapana. The best part of the festival was the day of tika, when my sister and I excitedly waited for our gifts.

As I grew up, I realized I wasn’t the only child who loved Dashain. Children loved the festival, and this continues even today. The children at Sungava institute are no different.

Sungava is a climber; a beautiful flower that grows with the support of the trunk of a strong tree. The symbolic name itself speaks of the girls who bloom at the institute—they are afflicted with mental disorders such as Autism and Down’s syndrome. The children have thus grown physically, but they haven’t still developed their mental capacities, and depend on the support and guidance of strong tree trunks—their family members and others who help them at the institute.

This institute, located on the top floor of a five-storey building at Jamal, is equally buzzing with the onset of Dashain. At any other time, this centre has an entirely different atmosphere; in its two rooms, the teachers—who are also parents of the 16 girls who come here—provide vocational training and teach them basic life skills. These innocent girls, with smiles on their faces, love this humble accommodation and come here every morning to spend the rest of the day.

For Gunjana, Binija, Sama and Shrabhha, Dashain is all about new clothes, flowers, fruits, good food, and kites. “I go to my mama ghar (maternal home) and Dakshinkali; I put tika and also play the swing,” says 16-year-old Binija. Sama, who is 30, seems more excited about the new dresses, particularly the blue kurta she bought at New Road for Dashain. “We get to eat chicken and mutton,” 23-year-old Shrabha adds excitedly; Gunjana takes the conversation towards Tihar, and the four girls begin talking about the beautiful lights, the mandaps, and Bhai Tika.

But not all the girls here share the same excitement. Luza, Sanju, Rachana and Unita kept smiling while I spoke to them; they couldn’t put their feelings into words, and perhaps didn’t fully understand why the others were excited. They nodded their heads when I spoke to them, but there wasn’t any further communication from their sides. “For all of you,” Binu Shrestha, mother of Shrabhha, points at me, “Growing up is all about becoming independent and thinking by yourself.

For us, our only hope is that our daughters can one day take care of themselves.”

It torments the mothers to see their children this way; there isn’t much they can do, except assist them in any way they can. Still, the one constant fear among the mothers is that “Who will take care of them when I am gone?” Urmila Suwal, mother of Unita, tells me how other mothers snatch their children away when one of them comes near her daughter. “They don’t even let their children touch my daughter,” she says, “For us, they are still our children. But others don’t understand this.”

Still, the mothers are doing all they can to make Dashain special for the children. “They get really happy when the festival approaches,” says Tara Kamal, another mother whose daughter, Ratina, stays at home most of the time. Tara takes her daughter along wherever she goes—shopping, meeting relatives for tika, or anywhere else. 

The children at Sungava, just like the flower itself, need a lot of nurturing and love. The mothers do the best they can, and the strain sometimes shows on their faces. Still, they continue to be patient, give the children the love and care that they need, and live in the hope that their daughters too can celebrate the joy of living the way everyone else celebrates Dashain.

Sign of the times

SEP 10 -
Two weeks ago, my aunt called me to her house to baby-sit her two-year-old daughter; she had to go to a Teej party organised by a labour union at her office. A week later, when I was at her house, she was busy matching her jewellery with her red sari. I asked her where she was going, she replied, "I am attending a Teej party organised by another group at my office."

Compare that with what my great-grandmother had to say about Teej. "During our time, it was really difficult to fast. We were allowed to eat dar the day before Teej until midnight, then we bathed early in the morning, wore fresh clothes, went to a Shiva temple, and fasted throughout the day without drinking even a single drop of water."

The grandeur of Teej is no longer limited to the traditional values and essence of the festival. Instead, it is now a month-long celebration that begins long before the actual festival itself. The festival itself is a ritual that calls for wives to pray for their husbands' long lives through fasting. Now, women have started drinking water and taking short meals, especially fruits. Even the activities that surround the festival have changed. Teej was initially a ritual that allowed a girl's parents and relatives to send her gifts. The whole family would then come together to exchange gifts and have dar. "But this happened only a day before Teej, not a whole month," my great-grandmother said, sardonically.

She may have been horrified by what Teej has come to denote today, with Teej parties happening left, right and centre, besides Teej melas and special discounts. Nevertheless, the festival is now as much a commercial celebration as much as it is a religious one.

"The crowds seem to be increasing every year," says Riyaj Udin, the owner of a bead shop at Indra Chowk. Besides new saris, the Teej shopping list includes pote, bangles, and bindis. Indra Chowk is popular for beads and women buy a variety of products from Riyaz's shop--from simple beads to thick necklaces with gold-plated tilahiri ranging in price from Rs. 10 to Rs. 2,000. Riyaz says that during the month of Teej, sales almost double and his shop's revenue cross Rs 2,500 per day sometimes. Sari shop owners say their six-month 'season of sales' starts with Teej. Most sari retailers agree that women find it necessary to buy red cotton saris--not only to follow the rituals of giving gifts to their nearest and dearest, but also because they have to be dressed in new clothes for the fasting ceremony. Pradumna Shrestha, who owns a clothing store in Min Bhawan, says that sales can reach up to Rs. 40,000 per day around Teej. He believes that people try to follow what others are doing, a sort-of-a conspicuous consumption that adds to the extravagant expenditure.

After the end of the Nepali month of Shrawan--nearly a month before Teej--various groups and organisations began organising Teej festivals. "Women can find all the necessary items at one venue, and it is fun when they come together. Moreover, the funds collected will be spent for social causes," says Sumitra Adhikari from Sangini Sanstha, which organised a three day Teej festival at Begam Party Palace in Tangal recently. Other organizations also tag a similar social cause to such programmes, while others says these events are held to make Teej goodies available for women at a central location. No matter the reason behind organising these get-togethers, it cannot be denied that Teej is becoming more commercialised--which means good news for party venues and catering businesses.

Kamal Gurung, manager of Begam Restaurant, will confirm that. His restaurant, which has a large hall, has been booked for two Teej fêtes and five to 10 groups have booked the venue for dar parties with guest lists ranging from 50 to 200 per party. He agrees that the trend of hosting parties at restaurants is new and is only about five years old. Gurung estimates that his revenue from Teej parties this year will be around Rs. 1 million, almost double of what he earned last year during the same festival. 

Kamal Prava Kharel, president of Inner Wheel Club of Bagmati and a Teej party organiser, says Teej parties are a good way to have fun. "The members of our club got together, had fun and also selected our own Mrs. Teej--Mrs. Srijana K.C.," she says. Kharel believes that one reason Teej parties are on the rise is because there are more women who are working now. Nevertheless, Kharel adds, "But it is not good when women leave their jobs and families to indulge in parties during this time." Kharel is critical of the extravagant expenditure such parties can entail, but clarifies her own parties are only "get-togethers".

There are women who tend to disregard the commercialization of Teej as an aberration, a corruption of a festival that originally celebrated womanhood. Nevertheless, the increasing festivity mood surrounding the festival also highlights another important sociological shift in attitudes: Urban Nepali women are asserting themselves more than ever before. This subtle social shift may be an undercurrent, but all the criticism of commercialization will not stop women from understanding Teej to be a month-long party.

Power to heal

AUG 20 -
If you’ve ever suffered from an obnoxious cold, and your supply of Vicks or D-Cold has been exhausted, you may have noticed your grandmother slip into the kitchen to prepare a special ointment or a warm drink--her own recipe--just for you. Magically, it seems, the cold has disappeared the next morning, and you no longer need to visit the physician. It is amazing to see how herbal ingredients like tulsi, neem and camphor, and spices such as turmeric can help cure countless minor diseases and heal wounds. You can learn your grandparents’ secret formulas by observing as they prepare each concoction; they seldom spell out the recipe. The practice of traditional healers around the Valley is passed down in a similar fashion--they learn from their predecessors, help heal others, and then pass the formula on to a select few successors. The only difference between traditional healers and your grandparents is that they have cures for a wider range of diseases--from skin rashes to bone fractures, from diarrhoea to severe jaundice--and they actually work.

“I have a torn ligament; the doctors suggested a plaster. However, I was uncomfortable with that idea. So I came here,” says Ramila Manandhar who is satisfied with her treatment from traditional healer Ramesh Man in Majipat, near Ason. Ramesh Man has a large inventory of treatments for dislocated bones, sinusitis, gastritis, problems related to nerves and numerous other ailments. Another patient, Uttam Bol Shrestha, had a chronic back problem that was exacerbated after he fell down the stairs several years ago. When he sought help from allopathic doctors, their only suggestion was an operation. He disapproved of this idea, and opted for other natural treatments, including acupuncture. Nothing he tried bore satisfactory results. Later, he heard about the treatment available at Majipat from his niece who had recently been treated by Ramesh Man for a severe ankle injury. Now, he has been undergoing treatment at Majipat for a week and says, “The man here rubs my back using some ointment and it gives me relief; I feel better now.”

Like Manandhar and Shrestha, people from all corners of the Valley are in search of these traditional healers. Baba Regmi, an elder woman from Bhaktapur, says, “It took me many days to find this place; but I can finally get rid of these painful lumps on my feet.” Ramesh Man claims that he has even been getting patients from Europe. A few years ago, he cured a child that Western doctors believed would require a lifelong rib support; since then Man has gained much popularity.

“People learn about us from different sources like friends or relatives and they come looking for us” says Ashta Bahadur Manandhar, another traditional healer in Samakhusi. Best known for treating jaundice, he also offers treatment for other problems like asthma, diabetes, sinusitis, gastritis, piles (haemorrhoid) and skin rashes. Manandhar has been a traditional healer for over 30 years now. Like Ramesh Man, he prepares his medicines himself, and along with his brothers has also opened a jaundice treatment centre in Sitapaila. 

The major dilemma for people today is the credibility of such healers. Are the medicines and methods reliable? Moreover, such practitioners also ask their patients to abandon all other allopathic treatments they have been receiving. Manandhar assures that the medicines he prepares are purely herbal; furthermore, they are effective and he has had no complaints so far. He explains that his medicines have proven helpful even for diabetes, and when patients pair them with precautionary eating habits, they don’t face severe problems further down the road. He adds, “Most people come to us after they have been disappointed with allopathic treatments and it takes time to adjust to completely herbal methods. With such patients I start with a mild dose and it takes more time for them to recover.” He prepares personalised medicines for his patients, but the compositions are neither written nor defined anywhere on paper. He simply uses his experience as a basis to gather herbs and prepare medicines.

Several reasons can be identified as to why such treatments are still prevalent; most importantly, these methods have been successful in many cases and they are a cheap alternative to doctor and hospital expenses. Manandhar says that the total cost of his treatment may be equal to the cost of a routine check-up at some hospitals in the city. Both Man and Manandhar have been working in this profession as an inheritance from their forefathers and consider their work a kind of selfless service. They charge a nominal price and thus believe that they are helping those who cannot afford the high cost of Western medicine. Nevertheless, Man also has something to add to his credibility--he has a Bachelor’s degree in medicine. He combines his traditional methods with modern technology to cure his patients. In many cases, like back pain or basic sprains, he first applies a traditional ointment and then he works the problem area using a massager.

Both traditional healers express satisfaction in curing others, even if the profession doesn’t provide them with adequate means to live by. Manandhar’s son has been learning from his father, but Ramesh Man says he is unsure whether his trade will continue after him. Further, in an age of medical advancements, will there really be a place for traditional medicines? 

Time to stand up

KATHMANDU, JUL 23 -
Nineteen-year-old Shanti* was travelling on a Nepal Yatayat bus when she felt a man come close to her. “I felt him touching me, and even when I moved away, he would still come closer,” she says. After it continued, Shanti asked him to stop. He didn’t move away. “Luckily, someone got up and I got a seat, but I couldn’t control my tears.”

This is just one example of the lewdness and disrespect women increasingly face in metropolitan Kathmandu. Men usually restrict themselves to ogles and crude whistles, and most times, women choose to ignore rather than retaliate, often feeling powerless at the lack of consequence in fighting back and the fear of being judged if they speak up. But ignoring the misdemeanour only encourages further instances; whether whistling, passing lewd remarks, groping or physical abuse.

But it’s difficult to retaliate. Most girls I spoke with simply ignore the abuse. Only one, Dilmaya, gathered up the courage to retaliate. She was frequently eve-teased by a group of men on her way home from school. After it continued for days, she could no longer tolerate it and shouted at them, “Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves? You are teasing a school girl, that too in a school uniform. Should I call my uncles to beat you up?” The men stopped bothering her after that.

Dilmaya’s response points towards two conclusive arguments. One, that eve-teasers are nothing but bullies, seeking to harass individuals they perceive to be weaker (in their case, women). Two, women should not tolerate any kind of abuse, and that retaliation, on any level, can force eve-teasers to back off.

Passing sexual comments and groping in public places is considered sexual harassment by law, the punishment for which is a fine of Rs. 10,000 and/or a one-year jail term. But shock, shame and fear lead most instances to go unreported.

Surprisingly, it is not younger men just discovering the female sex that are more inclined to eve-tease. Rather, grown men, usually married, are more commonly indulging in such behaviour as Binita found out. “In grade nine or ten, I was in a microbus. An old man sat beside me and placed his hand on my lap. I thought it was unintentional, but it shocked me when he didn’t remove it.” Neeti Aryal Khanal, Gender Studies lecturer at Tribhuvan University, agrees. “Older men are more involved in sexual harassment cases; in our context, men see women as sex objects and this belief strengthens after marriage.” Feminist writer Archana Thapa argues this may be the outward expression of repressed sexual desires.

This objectification-of-women argument is something many men agree with. Many said it was “entertaining” to pass comments about women, admitting they did it to look “cool” in front of their peers. Yet paradoxically, men find it unnerving when their own girlfriends or wives are teased or harassed. “I become furious when I hear about such incidents, especially when it happens to my girlfriend,” says Ajit, a college student. He agrees that if a girl would try to fight back, people would stand up for her. However, a woman should carefully observe her surroundings before retaliating. “If everyone around her seems to be part of the same group, then it is better to keep quiet and move away as soon as possible.”

But retaliation doesn’t always get women the support they need. Maya, a student, says, “Even if we raise our voice, people may not believe us. At the end, it is always the girl’s fault.” Advocate Bimala (Bindu) Khadka from Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD) blamed the “prevalent ideas about male domination and the attitude of men towards women” present in Nepal’s patriarchal society for aggravating the problem. Like Maya, she also believed that many women, not just young girls, hesitate to speak up in the fear of being ostracised.

However, Thapa emphasised the need to retaliate, even without public support. “At least it will be a kind of backlash to the offenders,” said Thapa. The method of retaliation may vary; some may choose to shout back whereas others may politely request the person to stop.

Although there may not be specific provisions against eve-teasing, the Police says that immediate action is taken when cases are reported. Superintendent of Police Yadav Raj Khanal agrees that few women report eve-teasing. “If someone misbehaves in a public area, a woman can simply raise her voice and get support,” Khanal says, “We have seen cases where the crowd has beaten up the abuser and handed him over to the police.” And according to Khanal, once an offender is taken into police custody, he seldom repeats the crime.

Yet, at the end of the day, society’s prejudices prevail. Fear of social ostracism keep women from reporting such crimes, and in turn, eve-teasers go unpunished and are further encouraged because they never face consequences for their misconduct. It seems that women must come up with their own solutions.

Someone like Sabina has a unique remedy: she rides her own scooter, and thus, doesn’t have to face such problems. But unfortunately, not every woman can afford this form of protection. In countries like India and Japan facing similar problems, women have resorted to travelling on ‘Women-Only’ buses and trains. But isolating women from men is not a permanent solution. “Until and unless women raise this issue, this step will only make them more vulnerable. They have to become physically and mentally strong,” says Advocate Khadka.

SP Khanal also emphasises the necessity of women’s physical fitness. “Although karate and kung-fu might not ensure that a woman is 100 percent safe, it may prove to be a good self-defence mechanism,” giving women time to fight back until help arrives.

At the Nepal Kwanmukan Karate Do Association, 25 women are currently learning karate. One student, Anju Bista, is confident that she can confront anybody (the fact that she has a brown belt certainly helps). At the same time, these skills are worthless without confidence. Seventeen-year-old Rashna Awal says she has been learning karate for two years but she still doesn’t have confidence in her abilities.

Eve-teasing is a social crime that affects the victim’s self-esteem and creates a fear among them, a deterrent to freedom and personal growth. In turn, molesters are emboldened by women’s lack of retaliation. Thus, the cycle of male domination continues. “Gender issues should be included in school curriculum so that not only girls, but also boys know about the adverse impacts of eve-teasing,” says lecturer Khanal.

(*Names of all the victims have been changed) 

The strength to speak

I was sipping coffee in my college canteen waiting for a friend to arrive when I met Maya didi. She approached me after spotting me in the canteen but was hesitant to talk, as if unsure whether to speak or not. She slowly gathered some courage and asked me about Maiti Nepal. I immediately told her everything I knew about the organisation, and gave her the contact number. After a long silence and my constant prodding, she revealed that she needed help because she could no longer tolerate the way her husband treated her.

“My husband comes home drunk and beats me up regularly,” she said softly, almost whispering. “I think I need a divorce; I cannot stand it,” she heaved. The couple had started working at the college canteen three months earlier, and it had been just a few days since her husband, a regular face at the college, had gone missing. It was then Maya didi and the rest of the students got to know each other better. She probably approached me because of our growing familiarity, or because she knew that I worked for a newspaper and thought I might have information on organisations that could help her. Not all the silent sufferers of domestic violence have the courage to get help from others, but she did.

“I was heading out to shop for the canteen when I saw him right outside the college, where he was waiting for me. He began thrashing and punching me hard on my head and snatched the thousand rupee note from my hand,” she grieved. “If Indira didi had not opened  her door and pulled me inside, he might have even killed me.”

Later when I spoke to Indira didi, another employee of the college, she supported what Maya didi had said. “He used to come drunk and punch her hard on her head; he wouldn’t stop even when we pulled him back.” A few weeks ago, the college decided to dismiss the couple from their work, but they pitied Maya didi and offered her refuge. Since then, Maya didi’s husband has been threatening to not let her live or work peacefully.

Maya didi got married to Dhana Prasad Ghale in Gorkha seven years ago, at the tender age of 19. Soon after the marriage, her husband left her to look for a job in Saudi Arabia. It was then that his family began treating Maya didi badly. She couldn’t tolerate the harsh words hurled upon her, and so she left the family and returned to her home. About a year later, her brother-in-law, who was also out of the country, returned to Nepal and asked her to come back.

Her husband returned three years later and brought her to Kathmandu along with her elder sister. He neither let her work nor did he earn enough to feed them both. He flew back to Saudi Arabia after a few months and harangued her over the phone. “He used to call me regularly and scold me as he always suspected that I was seeing another person,” she shares. “Moreover, he didn’t allow me to work and sent me around Rs. 7000 every two months.” How Maya didi survived seven years in Kathmandu without a job is a mystery to me.

“If I had known that he would treat me this way, I would have searched for a job. I would at least have savings for myself,” she said regretfully. “We came to college to work at the canteen and now he blames me for being kicked out. He seeks revenge for his fate and yesterday, he even sent the police to arrest me. The college management, however, spoke in my favour and the police went away.”

Maya didi had appealed for a divorce when she went to Gorkha a few days back, but her husband wouldn’t concede. “Perhaps he is scared that he would have to give up a certain share of his property. He keeps asking me for the money he sent from Saudi Arabia. But I told him that I spent it on furnishing the room that he has taken over now.”

“Her husband calls her up and abuses her verbally. Because of him, my husband doesn’t allow me to meet Maya—I have to come here secretly,” says Sabita Gurung, Maya didi’s friend. Maya now feels that she needs shelter and has finally decided to knock on the doors of organisations that help women. “I want to free him so that he can be with the other woman whom he likes,” Maya didi said. “I don’t need his money; I just want to live life independently,” she added boldly. I had finally seen her speaking up strongly.

Like Maya didi, there are many women who suffer domestic violence silently and accept it as their fate. Many feel uncomfortable to speak up and hide their family matters, as it is uncommon to speak of them publicly. A lot of women are not even aware of organisations like Saathi and Maiti Nepal that help them.

Knowing her story, I think Maya didi has a lot more to conquer than the minor challenge of earning a living for herself. Her journey is now defined by her search for true freedom and the need to help other similar victims.