A rapid assessment of the epicentre of the earthquake that hit just before midnight on 3 November shows that lack of accurate information about the status of survivors and their needs continues to be a challenge. Our trip to the hardest hit areas from Khalanga to Nalgad in this remote district in the mountains of western Nepal involved the rescue of a month-old infant whose mother was reported to have died from the cold.&nbsp; There has been inaccurate and sensationalised reporting in the media after people died from the cold. While it is true that winter has set in the mountains and the long term illnesses can be exacerbated by the cold, stress or unhygienic conditions, many of the deaths have been due to acute illnesses and existing preconditions. There have also been reports of relief items being stuck in bureaucratic bottlenecks and piling up in municipal offices instead of being distributed to those in need. While that may have happened in the early days of the earthquake, on this week’s trip that was not what we saw.&nbsp; In any natural disaster, it is important to recognise that the scenario for relief can rapidly change from day to day, thus making a rapid response and clear communication channels vitally important.&nbsp; We are concerned that inaccurate journalism based on hearsay without fact checking can foster an environment of cynicism and criticism, discouraging collaborative efforts. It can also affect the morale amongst first responders, spreading distrust.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231201131252_0b36cd97d9d54136ebbc601ca2170c1402ec22944d1f8c5d837ba1e3dfc8ef13.png" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20231201131252_0b36cd97d9d54136ebbc601ca2170c1402ec22944d1f8c5d837ba1e3dfc8ef13" data-rendition-name="original" width="1368" height="1058" loading="lazy" alt="Jajarkot earthquake NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231201131252_9f96af647fb9e343ef22159c2191e7aaac8574f6cce70891237a91d24747fcc2.png" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20231201131252_9f96af647fb9e343ef22159c2191e7aaac8574f6cce70891237a91d24747fcc2" data-rendition-name="original" width="748" height="1142" loading="lazy" alt="Jajarkot earthquake NT"> </figure>  Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/learning-from-jajarkot-what-we-didnt-after-2015-695vpzle">Learning from Jajarkot what we didn't after 2015</a>, Sushil Gyewali Relief must be survivor-centred and not be sensationalised or politicised with fake news. A centralised database that can foster collaboration is being put up with accurate and up to date information on the <a href="https://jajarkot.himalayandisaster.org/">Jajarkot Earthquake Response website</a>. Partners on the ground can also fact-check and debunk false reports, and we urge reporters to seek out these primary sources instead of relying on sensationalised clickbait. Rubble and destruction&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023120112124_66e5ce77ae433644dabf10e3391e39021e92857248896af39bf19ad128e05e8b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="2023120112124_66e5ce77ae433644dabf10e3391e39021e92857248896af39bf19ad128e05e8b" data-rendition-name="original" width="1333" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="2023 Jajarkot after earthquake NT"> </figure>  As we approached the epicentre with three vehicles filled with jackets, sanitation kits, blankets, the destruction was shocking. Even in the relatively accessible areas like the district headquarter of Khalanga the houses are still in ruins. A month after the earthquake the rubble still has not been cleared. Things get worse the deeper we go into the mountains. On the way to Nalgad, there are rows upon rows of destroyed houses. Most people are living under tarp and bamboo tents, in one of them there were seven members of a family huddled inside. One man in Kalanga had broken his arm, and was sifting through the rubble of his home with his other hand. He was sheltering in a nearby school with many other neighbours.&nbsp; A school in Nalgad was still functioning, and students were attending classes in tents. Their school was damaged and there was fear of aftershocks.&nbsp; Multiple political groups and nonprofits are helping clear the rubble in places, but no active rebuilding has started yet.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/grief-stricken-survivors-are-cold-and-hungry">Grief-stricken survivors are cold and hungry</a>, Sagar Budathoki CGI-based temporary homes might be better than tents for this winter. But rapid, affordable, earthquake resistant and sustainable rebuilding must start as soon as possible using the experience and plans developed after the 2015 earthquake. Rural municipalities must be key partners in all rebuilding efforts. Relief organisations can divide up their efforts to avoid duplication. There are prototypes for <a href="https://www.dezeen.com/2015/07/11/prototype-bamboo-shelter-nepal-earthquake-victims-built-by-unskilledworkers-three-days/amp/">winterised temporary shelters</a> and <a href="https://habitatnepal.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Bamboo-Temp-Shelter-Nepali-web.pdf">long term solutions</a> for reconstruction: Immediate Relief and Humanitarian Aid&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023120112124_fa55e5f5c7e0c08e34679ea94f7eee9d393899fe41c45d32ca0d8b3b52d00ee6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="2023120112124_fa55e5f5c7e0c08e34679ea94f7eee9d393899fe41c45d32ca0d8b3b52d00ee6" data-rendition-name="original" width="1333" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="2023 Jajarkot after earthquake NT"> </figure>  Nepal has a one-door policy currently to manage aid coming into disaster zones. Each district’s disaster relief committee is led by the Chief District Officer (CDO), who is in charge of relief items coming to the region. Jajarkot district has received tons of relief material, and local distribution was initially the bottleneck. There are still reports of items not getting to those that live in remote and roadless areas.&nbsp; We saw this week that the distribution management appeared to have improved. Items lying in municipality offices and district offices were in the process of being delivered. The municipal system makes it easy to coordinate with local ward chairs to find the areas of acute need.&nbsp; Our trucks had to be registered with the CDO with an itemised list and approved for further transport deeper into the district. The process seemed seamless. In Nalgad municipality, where few relief organisations are present, the mayor’s office and the Nepal Army have coordinated with NGOs to distribute blankets, clothes to more remote regions.&nbsp; Read also:<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/earthquake-vacates-villages-in-nepal"> Earthquake vacates villages in Nepal</a>, Anita Bhetwal The municipalities are coordinating better, and working closely with relief aid partners. But there is still a need for logistics management and strategic distribution of relief material to difficult to reach villages. Special care must be given to villages at higher altitudes where it will soon start snowing. Relief organisations must respect the one-door policy, and not bypass this effort to coordinate relief and avoid waste and overlap. The Ward chairs have their feet on the ground and are the best source for exact need. They should be made partners in all aid distribution locally.&nbsp; Healthcare&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023120112124_b094ac6d0dfcdc924f571e1308307ebaa4b6b1d2b7d5c0ebcfe290466cd3abf0.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="2023120112124_b094ac6d0dfcdc924f571e1308307ebaa4b6b1d2b7d5c0ebcfe290466cd3abf0" data-rendition-name="original" width="1333" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="2023 Jajarkot after earthquake NT"> </figure>  Jajarkot has a well-equipped district hospital, and each municipality has a &nbsp;health centre. There are smaller health posts in wards within the municipality. The nearest high level facility with ICU capacity is in Surkhet.&nbsp; Jajarkot district hospital had a large number of traumas during the first weeks after the earthquake. The hospital has five medical officers, and one MDGP (consultant) physician, and can provide basic emergency care, maternal and child care including caesarean section and vaginal delivery, and has a robust pharmacy. The hospital’s patient census was not impressive during our visit.&nbsp; The Nalgad municipality health centre was busy with only one medical officer available. Large tents from UNICEF had been erected outside for additional inpatient ward and emergency space. There seems to be a gap from the district to support the local municipality's needs.&nbsp; We came across many groups coming to Jajarkot to conduct health camps. Though increased engagement has benefits, it is not so useful to have camps near the health centres or the district hospital as there are already facilities there. &nbsp;Doctors told us that they had extreme excess of certain supplies and not enough of others.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/in-a-disastrous-state">In a disastrous state</a>, Sonia Awale Groups organising health camps should focus on two areas: 1) bring specialist care that otherwise does not exist in this region, 2) reaching areas away from local health infrastructure. They must also coordinate with the district hospital and municipality health centre to assess their utility. Funds used for health camps could instead help strengthen local health facilities. The districts should divert some of their resources (doctors, nurses, etc) to some of these busy health centres in local municipalities like Nalgad. It does not make sense for one doctor to see a large number of patients in Nalgad, while the district hospital is not busy.&nbsp; Safeguarding Women and Children  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023120112124_2e48aaab35412bd26e577239a96e036781290ce1391da4a9b5d90d44410d9a63.jpg" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="2023120112124_2e48aaab35412bd26e577239a96e036781290ce1391da4a9b5d90d44410d9a63" data-rendition-name="original" width="1800" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="2023 Jajarkot after earthquake NT"> <figcaption>Ramu Kharel (left) and Maggie Doyne with locals in Jajarkot. The infant whose mother died was brought down and is recovering in ICU in Surkhet.</figcaption> </figure>  There are a large number of pregnant and postpartum women in the most affected areas in Nalgad, Rukum and Kuse. Recent news items have used false narratives to gain viewership, but there is a real need for access to appropriate ante-natal and postnatal care, which was an issue that existed before the earthquake in underserved areas of western Nepal. Jajarkot hospital, the municipal health centres are both equipped to care for most of these women. Various groups are providing warm clothes for the most vulnerable and prioritising these women for safe winterised shelters is a must.&nbsp; There are child protection units and National Child Rights Council (NCRC) offices at each municipal office. When a child, adolescent, pregnant or postpartum woman is in potential or imminent danger, it is critically important that officers be notified immediately.&nbsp; The NCRC works directly with government bodies, police, licensed shelters, and relief agencies to ensure that the woman or child is taken out of danger. NCRC and Kopila Valley are able to work together directly to safeguard the children in distress. The involvement of NCRC also prevents child smuggling and safeguards against family separation, exploitation, and human trafficking. The use of trained trauma informed social workers and child protection officers is critically important when discerning information and keeps the child’s rights and protection at the centre.&nbsp; Available health centres must be equipped with in-facility and outreach programs to identify and care for the most vulnerable in the region. This disaster could be used as an opportunity to equip and build a system around the municipal health centre and district hospitals to create innovative models like <a href="https://www.nyayahealthnepal.org/">Nyaya Health Nepal’s</a> community health care model in Achham, where community health workers are trained and equipped to provide care at home. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/rebuilding-resilience-7-years-later">Rebuilding resilience 7 years later</a>, Anil Pokharel When someone is really ill, taking the patient to Surkhet might be the only way but the road is long and hard. A streamlined approach to access government services like helicopter rescue must be available in this post-disaster setting.&nbsp; A robust ambulance and EMS service from either the municipal health centre and/or Jajarkot district hospital must be made.&nbsp; Water and Sanitation&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023120112124_186d4e99aa2c91f173de7e0e430b03a24c1099075fdbfeae8ead9b770cee9ca6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_15" data-image-id="2023120112124_186d4e99aa2c91f173de7e0e430b03a24c1099075fdbfeae8ead9b770cee9ca6" data-rendition-name="original" width="1333" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="2023 Jajarkot after earthquake NT"> </figure>  Even before the earthquake, Jajarkot and surrounding districts were hit by a cholera epidemic in 2009 that killed over 300 people, many of them children. Running water and sanitation has always been a major concern and this danger has been exacerbated with the earthquake aftermath in the dry season.&nbsp; None of the temporary tents and shelters we saw had appropriate water access and hand washing stations. Donor agency temporary toilets were dirty with no hand washing. Water and hygiene must be a priority for development groups going forward. Relief groups must put WASH in their priority.&nbsp; After meeting survivors, relief workers and local elected officials we saw a resilience and a determination to bounce back. The items we took to Nalgad are being strategically distributed in coordination with municipality offices to reach those in most need.&nbsp; We were able to locate the one-month-old infant in Nalgad municipality’s Ward 8. The infant is now getting safe ICU level care now in Surkhet, and is doing better.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/shaking-things-up">Shaking things up</a>, Editorial Resources for aid information and reporting can be found <a href="https://aidpulse.org/aidboard">here</a>. Important phone numbers:&nbsp; National Child Rights Council: 01-5550121&nbsp; Chief Minister Karnali: 985804444&nbsp; Chief District Officer Jajarkot: 9858047777&nbsp; Mayor Nalgad: 9842236335&nbsp; Mayor Kuse: 9858937755&nbsp; District Hospital Khalanga: 089-430188&nbsp; Ambulance: 102&nbsp; AIN (Federation for NGOs): 01-4468128&nbsp; Poison information center: 01-450-2011&nbsp; Suicide Hotline: 1166&nbsp; Police: 100 Ramu Kharel (ramu_kharel@brown.edu) is an emergency medicine physician with global health and public health expertise, and decade long experience in disaster response within Nepal. He is an assistant professor at Brown University, and is founder of <a href="http://www.hapsaglobe.org/">HAPSA Nepal</a>. Maggie Doyne is the co-founder of the <a href="https://blinknow.org/">BlinkNow Foundation</a> and, and has worked for 18 years in the Karnali region caring for at-risk children through community development efforts. She is a CNN Hero and author based in Surkhet.

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Here & Now

Jajarkot: One month after the earthquake

Fifteen years after a post-conflict Constituent Assembly abolished Nepal’s monarchy, growing public discontent with the successive governments is fuelling a drive to restore the country’s Hindu monarchy. There were last-ditch attempts to retain the monarchy in some form, but the assembly voted on 28 May 2008 to turn Nepal into a federal, democratic and secular republic. King Gyanendra held a chaotic press conference at Narayanhiti Palace and drove off to his residence, where he has remained a private citizen since. It was Nepal’s own ‘velvet revolution’--the country went from monarchy to republic without the king being hounded into exile or executed. And Gyanendra, till recently, has not made any overt political statements. But with the rise of the Hindu-right in BJP-ruled India, the ex-king has been attending large pro-monarchy rallies by the RPP possibly thinking that the time is now ripe to sit on the Serpent Throne for the third time.&nbsp; Journalist Kiran Nepal attended Gyanendra’s last press conference at the palace in 2008, and remembers how the palace guards abandoned their posts and media colleagues rowdily wrestled to sit on the royal chair to take photos. “The chaos after the king left the room was a striking illustration of what was to come, and I remember thinking--is this the country’s future under republicanism?” Nepal recalls. Indeed, although there have been 13 governments since the abolition of monarchy, most of the politicians are the same. Pushpa Kamal Dahal is Prime Minister for the third time, his coalition partner Sher Bahadur Deuba has been premier five times, the opposition UML’s K P Oli has also led the country three times. &nbsp; Most Nepalis say there is little to show for Nepal becoming a federal, secular republic. War crimes and high-profile corruption cases go unpunished, the president pardons a murderer serving a life sentence. Nepalis have one of the lowest per capita income in Asia, and half of all Nepalis in the 20-45 age group are working abroad--yet the government does not want to give them the right to vote.&nbsp; Besides those who genuinely feel that Nepal should have never abolished the monarchy, there are unsavoury characters who have also latched on to the bandwagon. A pro-monarchy demo last week in Kathmandu was organised by a bank defaulter who rallied others like him. Gyanendra kept away from this protest, travelling instead to attend the installation of a statue of Prithvi Narayan Shah in Jhapa organised by Rajendra Lingden of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP). Lingden and former journalist Rabindra Mishra of the RPP believe Nepal needs a strong symbol of national unity embodied by a king. They point to the long queues at Gyanendra’s tika ceremony this Dasain, comparing that to the few who attended the President’s ritual down the road.&nbsp; While keeping in the background, Gyanendra manages his social media presence to appeal to young Nepalis with clips of himself dancing to nationalistic songs at popular nightclubs. Even in Communist strongholds like Bhaktapur, there are large flag-waving crowds coming out to welcome him.&nbsp; Read also:<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/street-politics"> Street politics</a>, Shristi Karki “I strongly believe in preserving the institution of the monarchy because the country's future might be jeopardised without it,” the RPP’s Rabindra Mishra told us. “Prachanda’s ideology is taking the country into decline.”&nbsp; Although past public opinion polls have shown that a majority of Nepalis would want Nepal to revert to a Hindu state, it is not clear if there is similar support for the restoration of the monarchy because of the persona of Gyanendra and his son, Paras. Support for a Hindu state is due to most Nepalis taking the Nepali translation of secularism (धर्मनिरपेक्षता) to mean atheism, as well as the perception that there is rampant proselytisation by evangelical Christians. Into this mix, add geopolitics. Nepal’s federal, secular republican Constitution was guided by India’s centre-left parties. But since then New Delhi has seen regime change, and while foreign policy architects there may not necessarily want Nepal’s monarchy back, the BJP (with an eye on elections next year) may not be averse to erasing ‘secular’ from the Constitution. &nbsp;&nbsp; Gyanendra has been visiting India often, and on his last trip had a meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is also the high priest of the Gorkahnath monastic order linked to the kingdom of Gorkha, the seat of the Shah dynasty. &nbsp; Even though nearly 80% of Nepalis say they are Hindu, says Kiran Nepal, it is different from the political Hindutva spreading in India. Secularism was added to the Constitution to defuse ethnic tensions that arose while demarcating and naming the new provinces. Reverting this process may lead to instability in Nepal.&nbsp; Perhaps the person most responsible for Nepal becoming a republic is Gyanendra himself. Historians have noted that before 2008, Gyanendra was presented with various proposals under India’s ‘twin pillar’ policy to retain a ‘cultural monarchy’ or under a ‘baby king’ formula.&nbsp; Rabindra Mishra concedes: “His refusal to accept those options undeniably led to the end of the monarchy, influencing the current trajectory of our nation. But the former king is someone who has love, passion and aspiration for his country and its people, he is not hungry for power and money. He should return.” One of the foremost proponents of a secular republic was Maoist ideologue and one-time Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. He is increasingly worried that the political trends in India will affect Nepal, and wrote on X: ‘The return to a Hindu monarchy will plunge Nepal into a quagmire of counter-revolutionary instability which will also impact India.’&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/borderlines/crimson-saffron-and-green">Crimson, saffron and green</a>, Chandra Kishore &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;***** An excerpt of the interview with Rabindra Mishra of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party:  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231201041248_6bde4ca2084865c26374cc0fde3cbc6d74676744eeb5da4b6e4895959421f700.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20231201041248_6bde4ca2084865c26374cc0fde3cbc6d74676744eeb5da4b6e4895959421f700" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Rabindra Mishra"> </figure>  Nepali Times: You didn't have any problems with the Constitution until you joined the RPP party. How come? Rabindra Mishra: Yes, until that time I was also ‘Prachandised’. We formed the joint party Sajha Bibeksheel in 2017 but I already had problems with the 2015 Constitution. The 12-point agreement only pertained removing an authoritarian monarchy and in agreement with the king, we agreed to keep the monarchy as an institution. The Constituent Assembly in its very first meeting on 17 April 2007 had also considered the eldest daughter as an heir to the throne. Secularism was neither the demand of the Madhes movement, of 12-point agreement, nor the People’s Movement. It came out of nowhere. Even with federalism, it was the Madhes that wanted it but the whole of Nepal wasn’t even asked about it. When all these new issues entered Nepali politics, I started having my reservations. It just was not done properly. I entered politics with the belief that Nepal can be saved with good governance, corruption control, equitable prosperity and development. But after three or four years I realised we were on the wrong road.&nbsp; Along with that, the relations between castes, languages and religions of Nepal have become very weak, bitter and sensitive. If I were to do politics only for you and my generation, I could easily become a minister, an ambassador or an MP? All my life I worked for myself, but politics must be about the country, and preparing for the challenges Nepal will face 30-40 years from now.&nbsp; Due to the country's geopolitical and internal sensitivities, I decided that it would not be in the interest of this country to follow the politics of Prachandapath in a Prachandised society. What do you mean exactly by Prachandaisation? The Maoist party is on the road to failure. But personally, Prachanda has been quite successful, he took the entire society and politics down his Prachanda "path". If he changes course, there may be some redemption, but at the rate it is going the Maoists will shrink further if they fight elections alone. However, he must take the entire responsibility for bringing federalism, republicanism and secularism to Nepal.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/faith-in-tolerance">Faith in tolerance</a>, Editorial <div class="embed-block"><div><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="//cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FArMSoMvZ_6E%3Fsi%3Debvic9U8XLE3grSH&key=87ca3314a9fa775b5c3a7726100694b0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;"></iframe></div></div></div> But secularism was agreed upon by two-thirds of the elected Constituent Assembly. First of all, you should not see elections as representing the will of the entire Nepali people. It is just an electoral vote. Now, when the king (former King Gyanendra Shah) goes to Janakpur, the centre of federalism, when he goes to Jhapa, the hub of Nepal's leftist movement, even if he goes to Bhaktapur, the stronghold of the Communist Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party, or Nepalganj, or Surkhet, or Dhangadi, wherever he goes, tens of thousands of people come out to welcome him. But why do they not vote in elections? No matter where you go to village teashops, temples or anywhere else, everyone says, 'This was a Hindu nation. By turning it into a secular republic everyone became a Christian.’ But they still vote for the secularists and republicans. Why? Federalism has become a problem, we have to support 40,000 people's representatives. Instead of one king, we now have a thousand kings. Still the people vote for federalism. In Nepal's context, there is a distinction between the electoral results and public opinion. Vote banks are captured by political parties, so that nothing can be changed. I have a counter question for you, is it the responsibility of journalists to protect the Constitution? Journalists say that this Constitution should be saved, the news is therefore one-sided. Opinions are also of one sided, and even if it is called a debate in a newspaper, they all take the same side. Is this allowed? For example, Nepal's media ignored the crowds that greeted King Gyanendra when he visited the bastion of the Newar community in Bhaktapur because they said it was the same king who censored the press at gunpoint in 2005. There is a tendency to do mission journalism. Rather than serving a thousand corrupt and incompetent leaders, I am ready to serve a king who saved this country even in difficult times, kept the country's honour high at the international level and contributed to the rapid development of the country in a certain period of time. In 2007-08, Nepal's leaders changed course, and the people were forced to follow suit. Now the entire country and the majority of the people have changed course, but the leaders have yet to change. When people demand change, change will come one way or other.&nbsp; What do you think of Durga Prasai and his rally? I appreciate the popular support that has been seen in favour of the monarchy. In whatever form and wherever it came from, it was for the return of the monarchy. The rally that was seen in Jhapa, Nepalganj, Itahari, Bhaktapur were more in favour of the monarchy than any individual's efforts.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/india-s-hindutva-politics-influencing-nepal">India’s Hindutva politics influencing Nepal</a>, Santa Gaha Magar

Alisha Sijapati

Long leave the King

Muna Acharya was married off by her family when she was barely 14 to a man who physically and emotionally abused her for years.&nbsp; He beat her, threw her out of the house in the middle of the night, and constantly hurled insults. Muna’s own family was no help. After 19 long years of this, she had enough and left her husband. &nbsp; “It hurts me to think about all those years of trauma, I don’t know how I could bear it for so long,” says Muna who became a migrant worker in Malaysia in 2010.&nbsp; It was an escape from abuse, but also a chance to earn enough to support her two children who were 16 and 12 at the time in Jhapa.&nbsp; “Far away from Nepal, I could breathe easy for the first time in my life,” recalls Acharya who was encouraged to seek foreign employment by her relative Gita Katuwal, who had also gone to Malaysia a year before to escape harrowing circumstances at home. Like Muna, Gita was abused so severely by her husband that she would often have to ask her family and neighbours to cover up the dark bruises on her skin.&nbsp; “It was not as easy to get a divorce back then as it is now. Usually the village elders and police would mediate and force reconciliation with the husband,” Gita recalls. “They would behave themselves for a few days and the beatings would start again.” &nbsp; Being homemakers meant that both Muna and Gita did not have the time and opportunity to get jobs that would give them financial independence. Moreover, their own families, neighbours would refuse to get involved. &nbsp; When it became clear that they would not get help from anyone at home, both women saw no other way out than to opt for self-imposed exile from Nepal. &nbsp; Gita ultimately ended up spending 13 years in Malaysia, and says it turned her life around, giving her confidence and independence as well as allowed her to give her children a secure life.&nbsp; “I could not make my children happy when I stayed with them, but I was able to give them the things they deserved while being far from them,” she says. “Going abroad gave me my life back.” There are many Nepali women like Muna and Gita who survived domestic violence and spousal abuse and neglect, and unable to bear it any longer, have abandoned not just their abusive households but also their own country. Foreign employment has empowered the women, giving them financial independence and self-respect. Back from Malaysia, Muna Acharya has invested her savings in a convenience store. “Foreign employment has given me everything. I no longer have to worry about where my next meal is going to come from, and I don't have to live in constant fear of physical abuse,” she says. Buddha Maya Limbu’s abusive husband left her 15 years ago when she was three months pregnant. As the reality of raising a child on her own sank in, Buddha Maya promised herself she would not let her child’s life be touched by the pain and hardship that she herself had experienced. &nbsp; Over the next couple of years, Buddha Maya worked first at a clothing facility that eventually went under, and then raised chicken until they all died in a bird flu epidemic. &nbsp; Realising that her only hope was to find work abroad, Buddha Maya left her home in Jhapa for Kuwait in 2009, leaving her two-year-old son in the care of her parents. She returned to Nepal three years later, immediately began to pay off the interest on loans and invested the rest on a property. &nbsp;&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231126101124_a950e3698a720c6e6562aebae2546f41f4e878cf605f34cc138dbf6ae05dab6c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20231126101124_a950e3698a720c6e6562aebae2546f41f4e878cf605f34cc138dbf6ae05dab6c" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Female migrants NT"> <figcaption>(Clockwise) Muna Acharya, Gita Katuwal, Kumari Chemjong, and Buddha Maya Limbu. Photos: SUJATA DHUNGANA</figcaption> </figure>  She left Nepal once again in 2014, this time for Malaysia. By the time she returned in 2021, she had wired enough money back home to send her son to school, and to build a house. “Now I don’t have to worry about renting rooms again,” iy Maya says, “I built this house with my own money. It has a strong foundation, and so does my son because of the education I could give him.” Her mother Ranmaya is overjoyed at her daughter’s success and that Buddha Maya has bigger dreams to get her son recruited into the British Army.&nbsp; “My daughter means everything to me,” says Ranmaya. “But how can I stop her from leaving again when I have seen the life she has built by going abroad?” Kumari Chemjong had dreamt of becoming a dance instructor ever since she was a schoolgirl, never missing a dance event in the village. “My grandmother always told me that dancing was not a job,” she says. “It took me many years to understand what she meant.” Kumari got married, and it was not easy. She left behind her toddler son and escaped to Kuwait in 2017 via backchannel routes through India because female migrant workers were banned from going abroad at the time because of reports of abuse by employers overseas. “I knew I should not have gone illegally,” Kumari admits, “but there were countless reasons for me to escape from troubles at home.”&nbsp; For two years in Kuwait she cleaned houses, and this made her realise the value of work, taught her the importance of being with family and loved ones, and made her realise her attachment to Nepal. &nbsp; “I understand why Nepali migrant workers feel the need to kiss the ground when they get off the plane at Kathmandu airport,” she says. Now back home in Jhapa, Kumari has finally fulfilled her childhood dream and teaches dance at two private schools in Haldibari. She also makes and sells beaded necklaces, and has written and recorded two gazals. She is also the vice president of the Jhapa chapter of the Center for the Protection of Migrant Workers’ Rights, and says that women tend to save more and send more money home than men. Safe working conditions and financial literacy are crucial for women seeking foreign employment, she adds. “Foreign employment has helped women who experience domestic violence, abuse, ostracisation, and economic deprivation to turn their own and their children’s lives for the better,” says activist Renu Adhikari. “The remittance they send is also contributing to Nepal’s economy.” But even if women overcome the stigma of abandoning their families to go abroad, many women who end up working as household help face abuse and unsafe working conditions from employers overseas as well. Domestic abuse is often replaced by overseas abuse. &nbsp; Gita Katuwal was forced to leave her home and country to escape her abusive husband and in-laws, but says overseas migration is an opportunity for Nepali women. “People who didn’t believe I would make it in life now ask to borrow money from me,” she says. “I am now able to speak my mind confidently in my community without fear or doubt that my opinions matter.”&nbsp;

Nepali women flee abuse for overseas work

A small Tarai town is not the first place one would expect a fashion designer establishing a thriving business.&nbsp; But Keshar Kala Thapa is a proof that with determination all Nepalis can design their own successful careers. Growing up in Rupandehi district in the central plains of Nepal, Keshar Kala was obsessed with clothing and fabrics from a young age. She turned the pages of fashion magazines, fascinated by what the models wore.&nbsp; Read Also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/strength-in-numbers-for-female-farmers">Strength in numbers for female farmers,</a> Sahina Shrestha In a household with five children, Keshar Kala’s mother purposely did not buy a television set because it would hamper their studies. But for Keshar Kala, this meant more time to devour the fashion magazines.&nbsp; After her mother finally relented and brought a tv when she was in the tenth grade, the program that Keshar Kala would be glued to would be the Miss Nepal contest.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231123091148_563024b8afe5e4a5a3eb68f972d9ee573604706b3b546066f687527804ca818d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20231123091148_563024b8afe5e4a5a3eb68f972d9ee573604706b3b546066f687527804ca818d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Keshar Kala"> </figure>  “On magazines and on tv, I was spellbound by the clothes people wore, the ramp they walked on. I did not want to dress like them, but wanted to create something even more elegant for others to wear,” recalls Keshar Kala. The family had a small sewing machine in which her mother sewed shirts and skirts, tailoring all their school uniforms herself. Sometimes all five siblings would have to wear the same matching clothes that their mother stitched. &nbsp;&nbsp; “I did not like our matching outfits, I felt like I was a sheep in a flock and yearned to wear more original clothing,” remembers Keshar Kala. After high school, Keshar Kala found out that fashion designing could actually be a viable profession. She begged her mother to enroll her in an institute in Butwal, and even attended classes for a month but had to discontinue due to financial constraints.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231123091132_f5ee3242b02d2f3a4767f5a8ce6138116da2e3788bef9633d4f2db1fbeb8c2f1.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20231123091132_f5ee3242b02d2f3a4767f5a8ce6138116da2e3788bef9633d4f2db1fbeb8c2f1" data-rendition-name="original" width="3000" height="1859" loading="lazy" alt="Keshar kala 2"> </figure>  She went back to school and graduated with a business degree. Then she gave fashion one more try. She went to fashion school, trained as an apprentice, and then branched out to open her own boutique. Four years ago she registered her training institute. “My friends and family were a bit wary about my decision at first. They couldn’t understand why I would sew clothes when I have a college degree,” says Keshar Kala. “People still do not understand that this can be a viable profession.” &nbsp; Read Also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/weaving-the-fabric-of-a-new-life">Weaving the fabric of a new life</a>, Sahina Shrestha Keshar Kala now wants to use her skills to train other women to make them financially independent so that fashion is more accessible to Nepali women. She owns and operates Saffron Boutique and Training Center with her husband, Tej Bahadur Kala in Tilottama. “Every designer wants celebrities to wear their clothes and that would always be an honour, but what I find really fulfilling is designing for everyday women,” she says.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231123091136_b7045e1377f9b2eac480d4d0562c201c6df78ae9ee249ca79e5ceb2134a3094e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20231123091136_b7045e1377f9b2eac480d4d0562c201c6df78ae9ee249ca79e5ceb2134a3094e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1636" height="1046" loading="lazy" alt="Keshar kala 3"> </figure>  At the training center, students enroll for six months at a fraction of the price of many other institutes in the area. The couple makes sure each student has their own sewing machine so that they do not have to waste time waiting for their turn working on fabric. &nbsp; “The environment here is different,” says Aashu Thakuriee, who completed her training from Saffron two years ago and has been working with Keshar Kala. “I like the way she approaches teaching. She creates a comfortable environment for students.”&nbsp; Read Also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/honey-money?s=08">Honey = Money,</a> Sahina Shrestha While Keshar Kala is busy instructing the students, Tej Bahadur takes care of their son, picking him up from school and preparing dinner. He is also in charge of all the social media handles of the business and coordinates all the client orders and deliveries.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231123091136_7654547be5dbde82f28db99e223eff7d080c7789773c8c699a736408ea1a7ec1.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20231123091136_7654547be5dbde82f28db99e223eff7d080c7789773c8c699a736408ea1a7ec1" data-rendition-name="original" width="3426" height="2160" loading="lazy" alt="keshar kala 4"> </figure>  Tej Bahadur went to South Korea in 2015 as a migrant worker and saw how people of all ages embraced fashion and how quickly the trends changed. He recognised the opportunity in Nepal and when his contract was up in 2020, instead of looking for ways to stay on in Korea, he returned to help his wife in the business. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/multimedia/staying-home-to-create-jobs">Staying home to create jobs</a>, Sahina Shrestha Keshar Kala’s business degree has been helpful in managing the venture, she makes calculated risks when investing in fabrics and sourcing them, keeping track of inventory and accounting. The couple go to Sunauli in India, source locally in Butwal or make a trip to Kathmandu to buy their own cloth, but Keshar Kala says that finding good quality materials are still difficult.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231123091136_8e7e080da1bfef63a312e88e231e90c847bb6044f66a4e230744e98dd7b4ac12.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20231123091136_8e7e080da1bfef63a312e88e231e90c847bb6044f66a4e230744e98dd7b4ac12" data-rendition-name="original" width="3357" height="2120" loading="lazy" alt="Keshar kala 5"> </figure>  The couple now wants to expand the business and create clothes that can compete with the imports from other countries. They also want to ensure employment for trainees who cannot afford to set up their own business and make designer wears available for women locally.&nbsp; Says Keshar Kala, “Fashion enhances the inner beauty of people. And everyone from housewives to professionals deserve to feel beautiful.”

A designer by design

This is the 47th instalment of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/diaspora-diaries">Diaspora Diaries</a>, a regular series in Nepali Times with stories of Nepalis living and working abroad. When I first went overseas in 2005 as a kitchen help to Bahrain, I had just one goal: to save Rs200,000 so I could return to Nepal and start a small business like a cold store. &nbsp; Nearly 20 years later, I am still overseas. The years have just flown by.&nbsp; When I had first started applying to migrate for work, I got rejected in many interviews because of my poor English. I was close to giving up, but instead enrolled myself for language training.&nbsp; And it paid off. I was the last interviewee in a recruitment drive for a Bahrain-based job, but got selected. When I first saw the vacancy in the newspaper, I did not know where Bahrain was. I had heard of Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but not Bahrain.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231123101124_37b1ba3da8af8f5e5448d049083827b68366859b0d8165ccfb8e02da4e8d6efd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20231123101124_37b1ba3da8af8f5e5448d049083827b68366859b0d8165ccfb8e02da4e8d6efd" data-rendition-name="original" width="525" height="700" loading="lazy" alt="Diaspora Diaries 47"> </figure>  After a few years there, I did manage to save my first two lakhs, but then I wanted the next two. And so it went on. As we work and earn, our dreams grow. And there are no limits to our dreams. You buy land back in Nepal, and after some time overseas, manage to build a one-storied house. You build the first storey, and then think why not add another floor. Once the house is done, it’s time to start thinking about the children’s future. There is no end, really. Read Also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/diaspora-diaries/finding-a-niche-in-nepal">Finding a niche in Nepal</a>, Babare Bahadur Bomjan My starting salary in Bahrain was Rs12,000. Now I am a chef earning over 33 times the amount. My specialisation is in French and Italian cuisine at a high end restaurant but with an Arabic twist for the palate of our customers. I manage over 35 kitchen staff from Asia and Africa.&nbsp; At peak hours, the kitchen can get quite chaotic and loud, but I am also at my best under pressure and try to create a fun environment for my team. My base is in Bahrain, but I am currently in Saudi Arabia temporarily setting up a new outlet for the same employer. One of the reasons for my involvement in the Saudi outlet is that many of the new staff are from Nepal so my employer figured it would be easier for me to train and motivate them.&nbsp; Read Also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/diaspora-diaries/adventures-of-a-nepali-coffee-aficionado">Adventures of a Nepali coffee aficionado</a>, Laxmi Prasad Timilsina Before leaving Nepal, I dreamed of joining the army but it got complicated when I used to get questioned in my village, including from my friends who had joined the Maoists. They gave me a hard time.&nbsp; I lied at a canteen that I had prior experience working in restaurants. I kept making mistakes and did not even know how to cut vegetables the right way. I used to say “this is how we used to do it at my old restaurant” and cut carrots without peeling them or putting random spices in noodles. I got away with it. My first mentor in one of the restaurants was a Dubai returnee who trained me. &nbsp; In my years away, I have come home twice intending to stay. My sacrifices and effort working night and day has earned me the trust of my employers so I could tell them that I will go home, try out something and if it does not work out, I will return. And I did return, and they welcomed me back. When you prove yourself at work and build good relationships, doors remain open.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231123101140_ff3a1b3424a4ea61fa941f967ed4b30bca5af18ced066e319252ec62098be33d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20231123101140_ff3a1b3424a4ea61fa941f967ed4b30bca5af18ced066e319252ec62098be33d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="1200" loading="lazy" alt="diaspora diaries 47"> </figure>  Switching jobs also improves your bargaining power and employment benefits, either by your original employer who will match the new offer or the new employer who will try to attract you with better benefits. I have jumped from Bahrain to Qatar and back to Bahrain over the years, and these added to the benefits. Despite what I have achieved, I know that I have missed out a lot in life by being away. True happiness is at home, where my family is. That will never change, no matter how much time I spend away.&nbsp; I first left Nepal when my wife was pregnant with my eldest daughter. It was a time when photos were exchanged over letters and phone calls were expensive and difficult to arrange. I wasn’t there to hold my wife’s hand during those months. Read Also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/diaspora-diaries/the-return-of-a-master-baker">The return of a master baker</a>, Raju Pakhrin I made up for it partially when my son was born eight years later. I could at least go home for the delivery. My daughter will go abroad for her education when she finishes high school next year. By the time I return to Nepal, she will have left to pursue her own dreams. Once she is abroad, I will pass on the baton to her and she will help bring her younger brother to wherever she is. That a family like mine can dream of sending children for overseas education is a testament of our sacrifices. But then you miss all important milestones in life. I could have brought my family to Bahrain but my work schedule is so busy that I would not be able to give them enough time. I have come a long way since my days as a kitchen help. But if someone were to make a movie of my life, it wouldn’t be of my professional journey but rather a story about separation and sacrifices. About not being able to give my family the quality time they deserved.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231123101124_e67381d1bdc348ac5d675eb569b2c802ac9abb0042eb4c8491cb38e7112594bf.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20231123101124_e67381d1bdc348ac5d675eb569b2c802ac9abb0042eb4c8491cb38e7112594bf" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1125" loading="lazy" alt="Diaspora Diaries 47"> </figure>  Ours is a generation of sacrifices. And we were born at a time and in a country where it feels impossible to balance time with family with earning money. There are festivals that you miss because you are away from home. But there are also times when work keeps you so busy that you even forget that it is Dasain back home. &nbsp; Many Nepalis have done well across the Gulf including in the hospitality sector by proving themselves with their hard work and loyalty despite not having formal education or language skills. &nbsp; Youth these days have it a lot easier, young Nepalis are better educated and have English. But it is your skills, work experience and performance at work that matters most. As an interviewer who is involved in recruitment drives now, I have learnt to look beyond English skills or CVs to identify genuinely hard-working people eager to learn and grow.&nbsp; Many newcomers these days are in a rush for overnight success and promotions and get easily disheartened, but it is a process, a journey. With luck, hard work, and patience success will come.&nbsp; Read Also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-on-my-mind">Nepal on my mind</a>, Ishwar Chaulagain I do not think my story is that remarkable. I am a simple Nepali who worked hard and made personal sacrifices, and things fell into place. I was good at grabbing opportunities that came my way. I think that most people who stick to their craft continuously for years will eventually get good at it.&nbsp; Everything might not work out as we plan or hope, but something or other inevitably will. That is my mantra, to give it my all without worrying too much about results. In fact, I try not to worry about anything at all. &nbsp;&nbsp; Translated from a conversation with the author. Diaspora Diaries is a regular column in Nepali Times providing a platform to share experiences of living, working, studying abroad. Authentic and original entries can be sent to editors@nepalitimes.com with Diaspora Diaries in the subject line.

Sky is the limit for Nepali chef in Bahrain

The Malaysia-Nepal migrant scam nexus

Alton C Byers and Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa have teamed up to expand, update, and improve the first edition of Khumbu Since 1950 published in 2017. The result is a first-rate photographic documentation of the dramatic changes which have occurred in the villages, forests, and glaciers of the Mt Everest region over the past 73 years.&nbsp; Both the historic and recent photo replicates are of excellent quality, and even the more than 70-year-old enlargements acquired from contact prints of 35-mm negatives appear remarkably clear (it was necessary to use the prints of the negatives because the negatives themselves had been lost).&nbsp; Their own replicas of the historic photographs are outstanding, especially considering that taking them required many hundreds of kilometers of trekking, and thousands of meters of climbing, even some serious semi-technical mountaineering, in search of the exact locations from which the historic photographs had been taken, as far back as 1950 and the first visits by westerners to Khumbu.&nbsp; The photographs have been expanded from the original 133 to 228, many of them never before published and taken by the first western climbers, climber-scientists, anthropologists, and development workers to have visited the region (the lack of historic photographs taken by Sherpas reflects the lack of personal cameras at the time).&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114041140_2e0b1e0557d5b1d77d58d06db8ebd4539b79c1f893726196d23020c4f0cee754.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20231114041140_2e0b1e0557d5b1d77d58d06db8ebd4539b79c1f893726196d23020c4f0cee754" data-rendition-name="original" width="3000" height="2770" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> <figcaption>Namche Bazar in 1976 when hardly 1,000 tourists per year were visiting Khumbu. Roofs were made of fir shingles held down with stones. Even then at least five buildings had corrugated metal roofs. In 1976 the Sagarmatha National Park was set up.  Photo: L S SHERPA</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114041140_0d36e41949a0b447bc51bec41435ff19398dc61aa96cc19a92db4ee07a4d7737.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20231114041140_0d36e41949a0b447bc51bec41435ff19398dc61aa96cc19a92db4ee07a4d7737" data-rendition-name="original" width="3000" height="2769" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> <figcaption>Namche at night in 2011. The electrified town 11 years ago had all-night bars, restaurants, and dozens of lodges. Photo: L S SHERPA</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114041140_c4ee1cc53a923f960cb190271b9eaf03aa172fa7a294b954bc1ef4942592d5eb.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20231114041140_c4ee1cc53a923f960cb190271b9eaf03aa172fa7a294b954bc1ef4942592d5eb" data-rendition-name="original" width="3000" height="2652" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> <figcaption>Namche in 2018. By 2019, the number of lodges had grown to 62, and annual tourist numbers were approaching 50,000 per year. Photo: L S SHERPA</figcaption> </figure>  The resultant collection, many of them panoramas originally taken by photogrammetric cameras in the 1950s, covers the fields of anthropology, human and physical geography, landscape change, climate change, and glaciology.&nbsp; This leads to assessments of the impacts of the massive increase in trekking tourism and mountaineering since the early 1970s, together with the effects of current climate warming. It follows that the photographic collection is of vital importance as a historical document, and in the words of Lhakpa Norbu Sherpa “…could very well serve as the foundation for future monitoring, and subsequent management, of the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone’s changing cultural and physical landscapes”. Byers and Sherpa introduce us to many of the early pioneers of mountaineering, survey, and conservation in the Khumbu. They include John Hunt, Charles Evans, Fritz Müller, Erwin Schneider, Helmut Heuberger, C. von Fürer Haimendorf, Charles Houston, Bruce Jeffries, and Nick Ledgard.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114041140_851cc5f9acb90223b408ada9830a0d2bcc2af0bcc4eba07bd9b20278b70f8a5e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20231114041140_851cc5f9acb90223b408ada9830a0d2bcc2af0bcc4eba07bd9b20278b70f8a5e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1520" height="1070" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> <figcaption>View from Khumjung monastery in 1964. Note the absence of lodges, and the Khumjung School had not yet been built. Photo: C VON FÜRER-HAIMENDORF</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114041140_86d23cc3fc071b75e39e0fb4f510de8ba4ce520132dec998e6ee645d1968c69d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20231114041140_86d23cc3fc071b75e39e0fb4f510de8ba4ce520132dec998e6ee645d1968c69d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1494" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> <figcaption>The density of houses had more than tripled in Khumjung by 2007, and the Khumjung School and satellite buildings had been constructed. Photo: ALTON BYERS</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114041140_ddb8006a5e09260f43fdaa86ea3a87a5e23a4c19179f1899ae5f1c1227fb3c38.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20231114041140_ddb8006a5e09260f43fdaa86ea3a87a5e23a4c19179f1899ae5f1c1227fb3c38" data-rendition-name="original" width="1554" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> <figcaption>Khumjung in 2018, with more lodges along the main Khumjung to Khunde trail Photo: L S SHERPA  </figcaption> </figure>  The book includes a foreword by the late Venerable Ngawang Tenzing Zangpo Rinpoche, Abbot of Tengboche Monastery, who reminds us of “…how quickly our culture and landscapes can change, and thus the importance of balancing this change with adequate protection of all living things.”&nbsp; The preface by Byers describes the evolution of the book, from his first visit to Khumbu as an undergraduate student in geography in 1973 to his more recent work documenting the impacts of climate change, especially the danger of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).&nbsp; Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa tells the story of how, in spite of losing his hearing to meningitis at the age of 19, he has overcome the resultant challenges to become one of Nepal’s foremost landscape photographers, the founder of the new Sherpa Culture Museum in Namche Bazaar, and the recent recipient of a prestigious award for his lifetime achievements from the Government of Nepal.&nbsp; A new chapter, Introduction to the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone, Khumbu, Nepal: Past Present, and Future introduces the reader to an updated account of the people, history, vegetation, and glaciers of the region, written from the perspectives of one author who has studied the region for over 50 years, and the other who was born there.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114041140_7709664117146105ba7410f2430f88b918fff71d9304e842b1492ea373268707.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20231114041140_7709664117146105ba7410f2430f88b918fff71d9304e842b1492ea373268707" data-rendition-name="original" width="1421" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> <figcaption>This photopoint along the trail from Sanesa to Tengboche provides testimony to the greening of many parts of the Khumbu region over the past 50 years.  Taken in 1956, this photograph shows what appears to be mostly bare shrub-grasslands on both the south- and north-facing slopes of the Imja Khola. Photo: FRITZ MÜLLER</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114041140_ad83ed869bebe6dae234534d61b192b3ce0bb9e63335b80c08bb4febe25e83f3.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20231114041140_ad83ed869bebe6dae234534d61b192b3ce0bb9e63335b80c08bb4febe25e83f3" data-rendition-name="original" width="1173" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> <figcaption>By 2007, significant tree growth had occurred, especially on the north-facing slopes of the Imja Khola. The reason for this is not entirely clear but could include some combination of the new conservation policies brought in by the national park, the fact that the traditional shingo nawa system of natural resource management had never really died out, changes in livestock population perhaps due to a decreased use of cattle for milk and meat and their increased use as pack animals for trekkers and expeditions, and climate change with warming trends more conducive to tree growth. Photo: ALTON BYERS </figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114041140_68375116e453a269fcc3115ff8e8448357bdc640ece618c416b8c0f90cc419e3.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20231114041140_68375116e453a269fcc3115ff8e8448357bdc640ece618c416b8c0f90cc419e3" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> <figcaption>In 2018, the replication of Mϋller’s 1956 photopoint revealed that even more tree growth had occurred in the interim. Photo: L S SHERPA</figcaption> </figure>  The book then leads us on a tour of the Khumbu region over time, from Junbesi in 1954, to the Lukla airstrip, to Chermading, Phakding, Namche, Tengboche, Dingboche, to the far reaches of the Imja, Gokyo, and Thame valleys. Dramatic changes in villages, from sleepy traditional communities to bustling international tourist centers, are illustrated in dozens of repeat photographs.&nbsp; The rapid regeneration of Khumbu’s subalpine forests over the past 50 years is clearly evident in a number of different photo pairs, and challenge the hypotheses of ‘deforestation in the Khumbu’ so popular with developers in the 1970s and 1980s. The loss of the region’s snow, ice, and glaciers is particularly sobering, captured by the repeat photograph of cartographer Erwin Schneider’s 1956 image of a debris-covered glacier, which has now turned into a glacial lake containing some 91 million cubic meters of water.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114041140_a713c7c529a865f2ec7b01cd7b663f5479f3bae91c482096e481ac12be57fc49.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20231114041140_a713c7c529a865f2ec7b01cd7b663f5479f3bae91c482096e481ac12be57fc49" data-rendition-name="original" width="3093" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> <figcaption>Imja’s debris covered glacier in 1956 was typical of most large glaciers in Khumbu, a sign of glacial stagnation since the end of the Little Ice Age around 1870. A series of small meltwater ponds began to form in the early 1960s that have grown steadily over the past 50 years into the glacial lake seen today. Photo: E SCHNEIDER</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114041140_d17445555f0b48348a26dcacfe13a8c17ad78072e5fb5d3d985343e2bcd21b7e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20231114041140_d17445555f0b48348a26dcacfe13a8c17ad78072e5fb5d3d985343e2bcd21b7e" data-rendition-name="original" width="2838" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> <figcaption>By 2012, Imja glacial lake measured over 2km in length, was 550 m wide, had an average depth of 50m, a maximum depth of 150, and contained 75 million m3 of water. Its calving rate between 1992 and 2002 was 36 m/yr, and between 2002 and 2012 accelerated to 52 m/yr.  Imja is the most studied glacial lake in Nepal if not the world, and has been the source of considerable controversy over whether it is dangerous or not in terms of a glacial lake outburst flood.  Most scientists now agree that while the lake may not be dangerous at present, within 10 to 20 years it could pose a serious risk to downstream communities when the lake lies directly underneath the overhanging ice of the mountains at its head. The lake was lowered by approximately 3m in 2016 by the Nepal Army. Photo: ALTON BYERS</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114041140_6cd3b13cb6b108a825ccaca27557302b76b94ee5af2ce3543ec3cce318069b5b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_11" data-image-id="20231114041140_6cd3b13cb6b108a825ccaca27557302b76b94ee5af2ce3543ec3cce318069b5b" data-rendition-name="original" width="6766" height="2262" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> <figcaption>Imja glacial lake panorama in 2017. Photo: ALTON BYERS</figcaption> </figure>  Many good things have resulted from tourism and the modernisation of Khumbu, several of the consequences remain chronically troubling. Thousands of tons of plastic, aluminum, electronic, medical waste continue to be burned and buried each year in the hundreds of landfills that now pockmark the region, poisoning the air, water, people, and animals that live there.&nbsp; In spite of nearly 200 years of mountaineering history throughout the world, strategies to effectively manage human waste at high altitudes continue to elude the mountaineer and development practitioner alike. Khumbu Since 1950 is thus a reminder that, in spite of much progress, much work remains to ensure a thorough collaboration between the local mountain people and visiting supporters toward sustainable mountain development. Khumbu Since 1950 is a vital visual tool that will be appreciated and used by visitors, scholars, government, and development workers alike for years to come. The fact that it can now be updated by future Nepali scholars interested in the positive and negative aspects of change over time makes the book all the more valuable.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114161128_dfba8a4d937fca9c210065170694c9279c1186748f05a00d55cb5027b96d7a03.png" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="20231114161128_dfba8a4d937fca9c210065170694c9279c1186748f05a00d55cb5027b96d7a03" data-rendition-name="original" width="1153" height="519" loading="lazy" alt="Khumbu NT"> </figure>  Jack D Ives is with the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University Ottawa, Canada. <a href="mailto:JackIves@Cunet.Carleton.ca">JackIves@Cunet.Carleton.ca</a>

Khumbu since 1950

“I just heard the tiger call three times. Let’s stop here to see if they come out onto the river bank.”&nbsp; All eight of us tense in silent anticipation. From the pug marks in the sand, the trackers have confirmed a male and female were together in the forest borders that stretch of the Babai River. Naturalist D B Chaudhary has heard the throaty cough of the mating signal, although none of the rest of us had noticed anything above the gurgle of the river. Swathed against the morning glare of the sun in wide brimmed hats, cotton scarves, dark glasses and factor-50 sunscreen, we perch motionless on the hot rubber of the inflatable boats. It is only 9am, but already the sandy heat is tangible. The boatmen hold the rafts against the shore as our binoculars scan for any sign of the world’s largest cat, stripes that move in the sunlit shadows.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023111403110_54a30262aef599946d2e4e70c13fda4c65efd0e94cd593a808b3a584138045a5.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2023111403110_54a30262aef599946d2e4e70c13fda4c65efd0e94cd593a808b3a584138045a5" data-rendition-name="original" width="1778" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Bardia NT"> <figcaption>Binoculars are an essential part of kit on the Babai. Photo: LISA CHOEGYAL</figcaption> </figure>  Our four-day river trip through the Babai Valley in the heart of Bardia National Park is taking us through the undisturbed domain of the wealth of wildlife found in the Tarai. Seldom visited, only a handful of companies attempt the complex logistics needed to outfit a multi-day river and camping trip that requires carrying in all equipment, supplies, medical and food, and packing out all rubbish and any sign that anyone has been there.&nbsp; The cost of operating a Babai River trip is prohibitive, appealing to special interest wildlife tourists and mahseer anglers who are prepared to pay the price for the privilege of having the river to themselves for days on end.&nbsp; These discerning international travellers contribute the significant national park entry, camping, fishing fees and liaison officer expenses, appreciating the protection given by the Nepal government and the local communities to such pristine habitat.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023111403118_a622b682ca07b638f461c221211b31b76c2661cc8d9a115b37c737a9e7de5d4b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2023111403118_a622b682ca07b638f461c221211b31b76c2661cc8d9a115b37c737a9e7de5d4b" data-rendition-name="original" width="1024" height="768" loading="lazy" alt="Bardia NT"> <figcaption>Photo: CHRISSIE FRERE-COOK</figcaption> </figure>  We see no other person or sign of civilisation on our journey from the Chepang bridge below Surkhet to the irrigation dam on the East-West Highway an hour west of Kohalpur. Only the glint of an occasional guard-post roof and a few silver aircraft droning overhead. Our self-sufficient crew consists of 14 Nepali guides, naturalists, boatmen, camp, kitchen and park staff looking after our group of eight clients organised by Ussher Tours from the UK, personally escorted by Christopher Ussher, and operated by his former Gurkha colleagues at Insight Himalaya.&nbsp; Piled high with equipment, our five rafts were paddled skilfully through the gentle meandering rapids or pushed over the smooth stones in the shallows. The two admin boats go ahead to make camp on a scenic beach, ensuring that by the time we arrive the tents are ready, kitchen, shower and toilets erected, and drinking water cleansed through the membrane filters of the innovative system brought from the US. Cheerful army efficiency make it look effortless.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023111403114_e780daae435a7c8fd02bf1c12894e70bcf943d5e360fefe86d6380a942b6135b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="2023111403114_e780daae435a7c8fd02bf1c12894e70bcf943d5e360fefe86d6380a942b6135b" data-rendition-name="original" width="1778" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Bardia NT"> <figcaption>Christopher Ussher of Ussher Tours flanked by Tanka his lead game scout (right) and Raju our Liaison Officer from Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC). Photo: LISA CHOEGYAL</figcaption> </figure>  The rest of us dawdle through the day guided by DB and Christopher, stopping to view chital and langur on the river’s edge, walking quietly through grassland and riverine forest in promising spots, teetering painfully across expanses of river stones to catch a mugger or gharial unawares, and examining tiger, elephant, rhino, deer and otter tracks on a sandy stretch.&nbsp; Stately eagles, kites and falcons wheel overhead, flocks of teal and ruddy shell duck, storks, herons, egrets and lapwings live on the riverbank, and flashy kingfishers skim the surface. We pause to wallow in the cool clear water safely away from the deep turquoise pools favoured by crocodiles, and each day find a patch of delicious shade to eat lunch.&nbsp; We are in constant state of expectancy – at any moment something might appear. As we munch our sandwiches and savour the view on the first afternoon, DB whistles an alert. His sharp ears have caught the tell-tale crack of a branch.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114021156_32ce81a2cd277abf81ab250675f381e8477f59eb76251f83d688a48bcde8cd9a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20231114021156_32ce81a2cd277abf81ab250675f381e8477f59eb76251f83d688a48bcde8cd9a" data-rendition-name="original" width="1778" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Bardia NT"> <figcaption>Fwd: Tiger tracks is as close as we got on this trip, but we saw plenty every day. Photo: LISA CHOEGYAL</figcaption> </figure>  Sure enough, flapping ears emerge through the high grass and soon the full majesty of a grown tusker is revealed on the opposite bank. The elephant drinks deeply from the river, keeping a watchful eye on us, then sprays his dusty crinkled skin from light to dark grey before lumbering upstream to cross the river.&nbsp; Fully submerged at one point, he uses his trunk as a snorkel. Whilst he climbs purposefully out of the water just above us, we make a tactical withdrawal back into the boats.&nbsp; We are braver the next day when a small herd of six elephants, mothers, aunts and a couple of babies, grace us by appearing silently out of the tall grass opposite. With a squeal of alarm the matriarch leads them up the river and back into the trees. There is plenty of water in the jungle at this time of year and we see a proliferation of new tracks daily, but the Babai’s wild animal and bird population are not used to seeing visitors, making them shy and wary.&nbsp; Layers of Bardia’s sal covered hills, riverine forest and thick grasslands recede in the moonlight as we gather around the driftwood fire, essential for deterring curious wildlife but handy for drying our towels. On previous visits, elephants and rhinos have caused hasty retreats to the boats in the small hours. Christopher regales us with stories from the private wildlife and angling groups he has been bringing to this wilderness over the decades.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114021136_b875f8164f222582c7bc450f636810b031e6c2b95a0c4332583fd63a563f49d8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20231114021136_b875f8164f222582c7bc450f636810b031e6c2b95a0c4332583fd63a563f49d8" data-rendition-name="original" width="640" height="480" loading="lazy" alt="Bardia NT"> <figcaption>Photos: CHRISSIE FRERE-COOK</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114031112_3fdfb94e59cb306dc2d3e7abc695433fa092a27366ec4962c884ac4d9786fdfe.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20231114031112_3fdfb94e59cb306dc2d3e7abc695433fa092a27366ec4962c884ac4d9786fdfe" data-rendition-name="original" width="768" height="1024" loading="lazy" alt="Bardia NT"> </figure>  In the 1980s his colleague Col Mike Allen, then British Embassy Defence Attaché in Kathmandu, and John Edwards of Tiger Tops first explored the Babai’s pools and runs for golden mahseer – catch and release fishing is strictly regulated by Park authorities. Established in 1976 as Royal Bardia Wildlife Reserve, the current 968 sq km dimensions of Bardia National Park were fully gazetted in 1988 to protect 61 species of mammals, 513 species of birds, 42 herpetofauna and 120 fish. The Babai Valley was added in 1984 after 1,500 households were relocated outside the Park.&nbsp; In 1997, the 327 sq km buffer zone was declared, jointly managed with local communities arranged into user groups. Conservation achievements include the translocation of 91 Greater One-Horned rhinos with the help of WWF Nepal from Chitwan National Park to the Babai, and bringing under control the poaching that proliferated during the years of insurgency. We woke early on our final morning to a fine mist and soft jackal tracks in the sand, padding in the moonlight around our tents and the kitchen. Those tigers never did appear, much to DB’s disappointment as he longed to show us the world’s most magnificent cat. Nocturnal, solitary and minimising contact with humans, for most of us it is enough to know that they thrive in this undisturbed terrain.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231114021136_175f2c090dca27de82da4ca0cff4905053f97cd0e9b48e629c01184a44f8601e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20231114021136_175f2c090dca27de82da4ca0cff4905053f97cd0e9b48e629c01184a44f8601e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1606" height="1218" loading="lazy" alt="Bardia NT"> </figure>  I remember my first descent of the white water rapids of the Bheri River into Bardia with the skilled oarsmen of Himalayan River Exploration who pioneered commercial river trips in Nepal. We passed villagers who clearly had not seen foreigners, hurtled through churning cascades, ending at Tiger Tops Karnali Tented Camp on the Karnali River which in 1987 first opened West Nepal to foreign visitors and introduced tourism to Bardia. The riverside site is still a favourite with campers, though the concession to operate a permanent facility lapsed over ten years ago. At Nepalganj airport we meet a Canadian group, extreme sport types who look as shell shocked with civilisation as we feel. They have been running the extreme white water of the mighty Karnali river, through the upper gorge, waterfalls and rapids in kayaks and rafts. “Super cool, one of the best trips of my life,” one bearded participant in lycra told me. They took out soon after entering Bardia as the Park’s flat water held no interest for them. But like us, they were super happy with their unique Nepal adventure. The tranquil green waters of the Babai, a tame float trip at best, too slow and low for most of the year without pushing over river rocks, holds little appeal for white-water adventure addicts. There are over 70 registered rafting agencies in Nepal these days, and a wide variety of rivers to be explored, packaged and matched to the range of high-value post-covid travellers seeking remote nature. Likewise precious few of our thousands of registered trek and travel agents, are offering innovative new ecotrips to tempt untapped new international and domestic markets that could open up new destinations and spread tourism benefits throughout the country.&nbsp;

Lisa Choegyal

Boating down the Babai in Bardia

Here are the recent 10 books selected by the Nepali Times team for your Tihar reading. From heritage restoration and preservation to exploring Nepal’s culinary diversity, from foreign diplomacy to its strategic location between India and China, from Himalayan architecture and humanitarian support to hard-earned democracy, the listicle has something for anyone looking to learn more about Nepal in-depth.
Timmur: Stories and Flavours of Nepal 
Nepali cuisine is so much more than dal-bhat-tarkari and momo. With over 100 ethnic communities, the country’s culinary range is as vast as its biodiversity. Prashanta Khanal’s cookbook <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/flavours-from-nepal">Timmur: Stories and Flavours of Nepal</a> presents selected recipes from 12 ethnic groups, with unknown and overlooked dishes from around the country. While the book does not represent the entirety of Nepali cuisine, it is a fine example of what Nepal has to offer, and perhaps a step towards having more than a few well-known dishes represent the country in the world’s gastronomic atlas. You might want to try cooking some these dishes this Tihar.
Timmur: Stories and Flavors of Nepal
By Prashanta Khanal
Fine Print 2022
297 pages
Regular hardback Rs2,500
Special hardback with slipcase Rs3,000
Kingdom Lost: Nepal’s Tryst with Democracy 1951-2008
<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/kingdom-lost-republic-gained">Kingdom Lost: Nepal’s Tryst with Democracy 1951-2008</a> chronicles Nepal’s tumultuous road to democracy spanning 70 years after the Ranas. Two players stand out in the sequel: BP Koirala and King Mahendra. Kingdom Lost stops in 2008 but readers would agree that a third book depicting Nepal’s rocky transition to peace and federalism, the stalled transitional justice mechanism, the new Constitution and the rise of alternative politicians is due. Sagar Rana's previous book, Singha Durbar, is an inside story of the Rana era by a descendant of Chandra Shumsher, grandson of Gen Baber Shumsher, son of educationist Mrigendra Shumsher and brother of Bharat Shumsher.
Kingdom Lost: Nepal’s Tryst with Democracy 1951-2008
Sagar SJB Rana
Rupa Publications, 2023
326 pages Rs952
Monuments of the Kathmandu Valley: Before &amp; After the 2015 earthquake
Within minutes of the 7.8M earthquake in 2015, Nepal’s foremost heritage architect Rohit Ranjitkar was out helping rescue not just those trapped under the rubble but also mobilising the community to safeguard many of the artefacts that fell. He has now put together a voluminous documentation of the repair, restoration and rebuilding of Kathmandu Valley’s monuments after the 2015 earthquake, a post-mortem of how the historic temples, shrines, monasteries, stupas, rest houses and Rana palaces were rebuilt from the ground up – with both good and bad examples. <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/rebuilding-better-than-before">The 625-page volume</a> is lavishly illustrated with photographs and drawings of the reconstruction process including that of Machindranath Temple in Bungmati, the Indrayani Temple built in 1792, Kasthamandap, Boudhanath stupa, and more.
Monuments of the Kathmandu Valley:&nbsp;
Before &amp; After the 2015 Earthquake
Achievement in Seven Years
by Rohit Ranjitkar
Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust, 2023
+977 1 5523212
ISBN: 978-9937-1-3504-7
Restoration of Itumbaha
Seven of Kathmandu Valley’s temple complexes are on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites, and Itumbaha is one of five main Newar Buddhist monastic enclaves in Kathmandu. Itumbaha has existed for at least 800 years, and is only one of only three monastic structures in Kathmandu Valley that have preserved their original architecture for so long. The historical and cultural importance of Itumbaha and its meticulous rehabilitation from 2002- 2016 is the subject of this book <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/bedrock-of-buddhism">Restoration of Itumbaha</a>. With contributions from a star cast of heritage conservationists and architects like Niels Gutschow, Thomas Schrom and Rohit Ranjitkar, the book can serve as a useful guide for first-time visitors and frequenters alike.
Restoration of Itumbaha
Buddhist Kathmandu Campaign — Itumbaha Initiative 2002-2016
Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust, 2023
200 pages
ISBN 978-9937-3-3637-2&nbsp;
Between the Mountain and the Sky
Maggie Doyne was a wide-eyed 19-year-old in 2006 when she came to Nepal to backpack. While walking along a dry river bed in Surkhet, she spotted a 6-year-old girl Hima Tamata helping her mother break boulders for a construction contractor, and she became the reason Doyne stayed on in Nepal to help disadvantaged children with money she earned from baby-sitting back home in Mendham, New Jersey. Seventeen years later, the act of enrolling Hima in school has grown into the BlinkNow Foundation which has educated over 500 children now. Along the way, Doyne was named CNN Hero in 2015, and has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, and this newspaper. She was also named Woman of the Year by Glamour magazine. Published in 2022, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/love-and-loss-healing-and-hope?s=07">Doyne’s biography</a> is an emotional coming-of-age story of how one gap year student can change the world. Along the way, there are personal hurdles, financial challenges, the tragic loss of two children, and finally finding love.
Between the Mountain and the Sky: A Mother's Story of Love, Loss, Healing, and Hope
by Maggie Doyne
Safu Publications, 2023
(South Asian Edition)
251 pages
Rs700
Himalayan Style: Shelters &amp; Sanctuaries
The Himalaya may be famous globally for the world’s highest mountains and the people who climb them, but this 3,000km range has also evolved its own distinctive art and architecture. Kathmandu-based photographer Thomas L Kelly and author Claire Burkert collaborated to document the elegance of the built environment of the Himalaya in a <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/style-and-substance">new edition of their coffee-table book</a>. The final product is a record of Himalayan design, style and culture across Pakistan, India, Bhutan, China and Nepal some of which are disappearing, and others are being revived. First published in 2014, the 2022 edition updates the content with new museums that preserve art and precious objects, and public gardens that are oases in the urban sprawl of Himalayan towns. In essence, a book by non-Nepalis to remind Nepalis about the richness and treasures of Himalayan style and our way of life.
Himalayan Style: Shelters &amp; Sanctuaries
by Thomas L Kelly and Claire Burkert&nbsp;
Mandala Publishing, 2022&nbsp;
304 pages
Hardback: $49.99
The Nepal Nexus
This is the English translation and updated version of the 2013 bestseller Prayogshala by editor Sudheer Sharma. It offers readers a vivid account of Nepal’s ten-year conflict, the 2006 people’s movement, the fragile transition that followed, to the Maoists’ subsequent rise to power. It has gripping revelations about the dynamics between the palace, Parliament, the (Royal) Nepal Army, Nepal Police and the Maoists between 1996 and 2006. One of the highlights of
<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/two-takes-on-the-nepal-india-nexus">Sharma’s book</a> is the treatment of Nepal’s relations with its neighbours, in particular India’s role in helping the Maoists join mainstream politics – apparently as a way to weaken a nationalist monarchy as well as to show India’s own Maoist revolutionaries that there was an electoral path to power.
The Nepal Nexus
An Inside Account of the Maoists, the Durbar, and New Delhi
by Sudheer Sharma
Penguin, 2019
521 pages&nbsp;
Rs1,118
Democracy in Turns
<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-story-so-far">Sanjay Upadhya’s book</a> looks back at the country's struggle to construct a new democratic identity under seven constitutions in seven decades. The author casts a critical look at the country’s monarchy, the decline of the political parties as well as the rise of ideology-personality politics including the Maoists, and non-political actors and their significant influence over the national discourse. The book also analyses Nepal’s corruption conundrum including the alleged increase in corruption post-Panchyat, electoral politics, and how the anti-graft body CIAA found itself at the centre of politics while issues of transitional justice and human rights were cast aside.
Democracy in Turns: A Political Account of Nepal
by Sanjay Upadhyay
FinePrint Books, 2023
<a href="http://www.fineprint.com.np/">www.fineprint.com.np</a>
280 pages&nbsp;
All Roads Lead North
The 2015 Indian Blockade is often considered the turning point in Nepal's relations with China for transboundary trade, energy and infrastructure. But Nepal did not turn northwards overnight. The book is as much about China’s rise as a global superpower as it is about Nepal’s foreign relations. It delves into the historical and cultural ties between the two countries, rooted in Buddhism. Tibetan guerrilla fighters, failed coup leaders, trans-Himalayan traders and territorial disputes make for an interesting read with the writer primarily reflecting on the suffocating embrace of India and China next door to Nepal.
All Roads Lead North
Nepal's Turn To China
by Amish Raj Mulmi
Context, 2021
320 pages
Hardcover: Rs1,278
Unleashing the Vajra
Nepal’s great advantage is its strategic location between India and China, more so now as the two giants emerge as the next global superpowers. Historically, Nepal has been at its most prosperous when it has leveraged this geographical position but rarely have our politicians played the game right, instead pitting China and India against each other, and in turn, losing in spades. What Nepal needs to do is hitch its wagon to the fast-moving engines to its north and south, writes former columnist of this paper, Sujeev Shakya. He analyses the social, political and cultural aspects underlying the current state of Nepal to strategise the recalibrations required to capitalise on its location while also arguing that economic transformations cannot be realised through money and management skills alone but have to be driven by societal transformation.
Unleashing the Vajra
Nepal's Journey Between India and China
by Sujeev Shakya
Penguin, 2019
414 pages
Rs958

10 books for Tihar

The April 2015 earthquake had just hit Kathmandu, and a patient was admitted to Alka Hospital. His small black pet puppy had followed the man to his cabin C18. The patient died during treatment, and his body was taken away without the pooch knowing. But for the past eight years, the dog has waited for her owner outside the room. She is grown up now, her silky black coat is &nbsp;dirty and scraggly. But every night since 2015 she has kept vigil outside room C18 at Alka Hospital. In the daytime, she takes the stairs down to the hospital courtyard.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023111206110_32b88b2b867c4c67436bcb6666c08049190398404a09087501718f8043d492eb.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2023111206110_32b88b2b867c4c67436bcb6666c08049190398404a09087501718f8043d492eb" data-rendition-name="original" width="1536" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Kali Alka Hospital NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023111206110_5aa880cbc690e3c2b51a7d2a38a3a754fcf67db2d04a86c5a25badce7c7deee3.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2023111206110_5aa880cbc690e3c2b51a7d2a38a3a754fcf67db2d04a86c5a25badce7c7deee3" data-rendition-name="original" width="1619" height="998" loading="lazy" alt="Kali Alka Hospital NT"> </figure>  “She just sits there waiting for him to show up,” says Alka Hospital administrator Bhagwan KC. “She has never gone anywhere else but this hospital, and at night she is always on the mat outside C18.” The hospital tried to take the dog back to the patient’s family. She refused to go, and when his family came she got very agitated and used to hide and bark. The administration then tried to chase the dog away, but she always came back. “After a while, we just gave up, and have adopted her,” says Goma Thapa, who is a janitor at Alka. The dog has been given the name Kali because of her colour, and she has become a permanent fixture at the hospital. <div class="embed-block"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4HcdzWhXx-k?si=T-4YYY6yG_vHeKKh" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> Last week when we visited Alka just before midnight, there was Kali sleeping outside C18. Even after eight years, she remembers her best friend and is still waiting for him. Hospital staff feed her, and she does not bother anyone. “She stays here all the time, she eats here, sleeps here, she never leaves, she is like a member of the staff,” Thapa says. “She is an amazing dog. The owner must have loved her a lot.” When she sees someone unfamiliar she still wags her tail, sniffs the person curiously, but then dejectedly goes back to sleep when she finds out it is not her owner.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023111206110_69e9237d964b606675a2b4c333ecc1c71df650b12ca682b5f7a18bce064d44e3.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2023111206110_69e9237d964b606675a2b4c333ecc1c71df650b12ca682b5f7a18bce064d44e3" data-rendition-name="original" width="1458" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Kali Alka Hospital NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023111206110_be5e5f0d3fb0f85c0504255472c91c5fe3a61780c42146992b024ce6a8216128.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="2023111206110_be5e5f0d3fb0f85c0504255472c91c5fe3a61780c42146992b024ce6a8216128" data-rendition-name="original" width="1567" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Kali Alka Hospital NT"> </figure>  Kali reminds veterinary specialist Bishal Chaudhary of Hachiko, the Japanese Akita which waited outside Shibuya train station in Tokyo for his owner for nine years in the 1920s. “The human mind is episodic, but a dog’s brains is associative, it links its sense of smell with memory of space and time,” explains Chaudhary, who thinks the owner must have taken the puppy to hospital with him several times for checkups before he had died, and she associated the place with him. Hospital administrator KC says Kali is now a part of the Alka family, and there is no question of sending the dog anywhere. Kali is now getting older, she is slower, but she has never given up waiting for her owner. Says KC: “She will live the rest of her life here, right outside cabin C18.”