A couple enter the third decade of marriage even as their eldest daughter finds herself trapped in a failing one. The son doesn’t want to be hitched, while the youngest daughter is enthusiastic about her upcoming arranged marriage. On the stage of Kausi Theatre this is a microcosm of marriages in contemporary Nepal, acted out in a two-hour play.&nbsp; Bidushi (Ranjana Bhattarai), the youngest daughter of Rukmani (Loonibha Tuladhar) and Krishna Koirala (Aashant Sharma), is getting married to a man based in the US, a person she has never seen before.&nbsp; The family has come together for the wedding, with Hema (Kenipa Singh Pahari) making the trip from Australia to be part of the celebration. Her husband, still in Australia, is not in touch with her.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230927070944_976c38a2cdcdb1e91bc42c946991002f583d9943678fb287d4e11fe4c4a5529f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20230927070944_976c38a2cdcdb1e91bc42c946991002f583d9943678fb287d4e11fe4c4a5529f" data-rendition-name="original" width="960" height="640" loading="lazy" alt="Wedding Album"> </figure>  Amid wedding preparations, their sibling Rohit (Sudam Ck) tries to reconcile his own relationship with his girlfriend to the other marriage proposals coming his way. Meanwhile, Rukmani and Krishna’s own 30-year marriage is tainted by Krishna’s past abuse of his wife.&nbsp; There is added tension in the home because of the strained relationship between Rukmani and Kusum Didi, the Koiralas’ housekeeper. &nbsp; Wedding Album is directed by Katha Ghera co-founder Akanchha Karki, who also adapted the play into Nepali from Indian actor and dramatist Girish Karnad’s 2011 play originally written in Kannada, which Karnad translated into English himself.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230927070916_c512eec6955be86eed0064de5a3cfd944f0ce20a2fc12804421610eb9f2555fc.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20230927070916_c512eec6955be86eed0064de5a3cfd944f0ce20a2fc12804421610eb9f2555fc" data-rendition-name="original" width="960" height="959" loading="lazy" alt="Akanchha Karki NT"> <figcaption>Director Akanchha Karki. Photo: AKANCHHA KARKI/FACEBOOK</figcaption> </figure>  Against the backdrop of the various conjugal conflicts, director Karki gets the cast to tackle issues including mental health, misogyny, domestic abuse, sexual violence, self-worth, and the female psyche. As individual stories and hidden truths of each of the family members unfold, Karki weaves these issues through their interaction with each other—showing how each personality constantly contradict itself. &nbsp; For instance, Bidushi is headstrong, outspoken, progressive, sexually liberated. She confronts men who sexually assault her in a cafe. Yet she is ready to be married off to someone she has never met. She is unable to understand why her sister is in an unhappy marriage.&nbsp; Hema lives with her family in Australia but is not more tolerant. She still disapproves of her brother’s Christian girlfriend. She is aware, but silent about her father’s abuse of her mother. Even as she tells her sister that it is okay to leave the relationship if she is not happy with her soon-to-be partner, she struggles to comprehend that she could leave her own crumbling marriage.&nbsp; Middle child Rohit plays the ideal, responsible, long-suffering son fending off unwanted marriage proposals. But his personality is transformed once out of the home. He also agrees that his sister Bidushi should leave her husband if the relationship breaks down, but mistreats his own girlfriend.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230927070944_f35d97f6b552b5698ee333662acce965465e704fb9d1d7463b4ef91dbea739bf.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230927070944_f35d97f6b552b5698ee333662acce965465e704fb9d1d7463b4ef91dbea739bf" data-rendition-name="original" width="960" height="640" loading="lazy" alt="Wedding Album"> </figure>  The Koiralas are educated and ‘liberal’, but still willing to marry off their daughter to someone they have not met before. They are not impervious to the inherent wastefulness and spectacle of extravagant South Asian weddings meant to show off wealth, rather than a contained celebration of love. The strength of the play lies in its cast. LoonibhaTuladhar and Ashanta Sharma are brilliant as Rukmani and Krishna, while Kenipa Singh, Sudam Ck, and RanjanaBhattarai hold their own as the three siblings. The supporting cast is solid, if a bit melodramtic at times.&nbsp; The clever staging and set design enhance the production. Director Karki does not employ unnecessary movement just for the sake of covering the entire stage. A particularly poignant scene sees Rukmani and Krishna at opposite ends of the stage, their anger palpable. Meanwhile, props and music have been used sparingly. As the end of the play approaches, there are a lot of loose ends in the stories of the siblings and parents. Perhaps as in life itself.&nbsp; Wedding Album will play at Kausi Theatre in Teku until 14 October.

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Review

Marriage drama

There is a special place for Italian cuisine the world over. Kathmandu is no exception. Pastas and pizzas have become as much of a household name as any Indian or Chinese dish. One of the first few restaurants that introduced Mediterranean cuisine to the Nepali palate was Olive Garden at Hotel Radisson in Lazimpat at a time when the Italian food culture was yet to create a stir in the country. Radisson opened Olive Garden in 1998, the same year it was also set up, making the restaurant only a second of its kind after Fire and Ice pizzeria to specialise in Italian cuisine in Nepal.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/khana-khanu-bho">Khana khanu bho?</a>, Sonia Awale  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230823100820_4cd381ce972b54005b31768d3ca1c0ee83f65356da24c326c5b7cd81a24559e7.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20230823100820_4cd381ce972b54005b31768d3ca1c0ee83f65356da24c326c5b7cd81a24559e7" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Olive garden"> <figcaption>Spaghetti con Gamberi. Photo: PINKI SRIS RANA</figcaption> </figure>  Serving guests with an à la carte menu for over two decades, Olive Garden has now reopened after a four-year hiatus following the Covid-19 pandemic but with some delectable changes. Located at the lobby level of Radisson Hotel’s main building, the restaurant now offers a five-course meal with a table d'hôte menu, a fixed menu opening exclusively for dinner time between 6-10:30PM. “We have tailored the menu and timing targeting the family and married couples keeping in mind their work hours,” says Kedar Pandey, director of Food and Beverage at Radisson. “One doesn’t have to spend much time deciding what they want to eat. We have meticulously curated the menu for them.” Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/nepali-vegan">Nepali Vegan</a>, Sahina Shrestha  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230823100820_bb6e6aa1f87f15e769b93eb7f938f2983433c501fbfbe444b7be34dd632538e6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20230823100820_bb6e6aa1f87f15e769b93eb7f938f2983433c501fbfbe444b7be34dd632538e6" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Olive garden"> <figcaption>Photo: SHRISTI KARKI</figcaption> </figure>  The restaurant’s soft yellow glow makes for a cosy picture. A lighted candle on each table and a soft melody in the background sets the mood right for an intimate candlelight dinner, especially on a rainy evening. The restaurant can seat 46 people and the management is planning to add a live piano solo to accompany the dining experience. There are two options for the table d'hôte menu. Within each course, there are additional 2-3 options offering both vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies as per one's preferences. Either of the two options of the full-course menu is available at a net total of Rs.4,500 per person. The same meal with a bottle of Italian wine is Rs11,000. A single Italian dish from the five-course meal can cost up to Rs2,500. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/multimedia/exploring-nepal-s-culinary-diversity">Exploring Nepal's culinary diversity</a>, Kedar Sharma and Kiran Sharma  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230823100820_3af39a723e64e0ed5be4df73dc1849f6de0f9c47f89e05285fb61a87be518f14.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20230823100820_3af39a723e64e0ed5be4df73dc1849f6de0f9c47f89e05285fb61a87be518f14" data-rendition-name="original" width="1516" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Olive garden"> <figcaption>Classic Tiramisu. Photo: PINKI SRIS RANA</figcaption> </figure>  Providing a five-course meal at that price, is not exorbitant by today's standards and is comparable to any other high-end restaurant in Kathmandu. &nbsp;&nbsp; The full course is packed with elevated flavours: Zuppa soup Minestrone is rich tomato broth with zucchini and carrots. Topped with basil leaves, it was served with a basket of Italian bread. For the Antipasti, there is ‘Gnocchi alla Sorrentina’ which hit all the right spots to whip up the taste buds. Gnocchi made of mashed potatoes, flour and eggs with cherry-like tomato toppings and garlic sauce had a base of green basil pesto sauce. Dip the gnocchi in both sauces for a burst of flavours. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/terrace-garden-brings-mexico-to-nepal">Terrace garden brings Mexico to Nepal</a>, Nepali Times  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230823100820_00a9ee03f95fdf8bb5e57e83a688efc427a572fe6599a8d13aa1a8e3f00fe5bc.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20230823100820_00a9ee03f95fdf8bb5e57e83a688efc427a572fe6599a8d13aa1a8e3f00fe5bc" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Olive garden"> <figcaption>Photo: SHRISTI KARKI</figcaption> </figure>  The ‘Spaghetti con Gamberi’ Is &nbsp;served with shrimp in red tomato sauce. The main course Secondi can be the ‘Parmigiana di Pollo’ -- breaded chicken topped with melted cheese and the grana padano layered over it. The dish is served with a base of tomato sauce with broccoli and carrots on the side. Last but not least is the Classic Tiramisu for the Dolci dessert. After every dish with some form of tangy tomato sauce, this sweet and sour creamy dessert with a tinge of lemon was a fresh change to the palate -- just the right way to end one’s hearty meal. Olive Garden sources its ingredients from Italy itself, and Executive Chef Gyanesh Dass has more than 25 years of experience in continental cuisine and says: “We have tweaked the dishes just right to serve the Nepali palate all while staying true to our Italian roots.” Olive Garden Radisson, Lazimpat 01 4511818 Everyday 6-10:30PM Read Also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/flavours-from-nepal">Flavours from Nepal</a>, Prashanta Khanal

Radisson's Olive Garden returns

A centuries-old tradition of cultural exchange between northern India and Kathmandu Valley got continuity recently with Nepal Art Council exhibiting ancient and contemporary art at the Bihar Museum Biennale in Patna. Kathmandu Valley, the Mithila Kingdom and Buddhist sacred sites of Bihar have an intertwined history that is reflected in close affinity of their culture and art. Which could be why the 205 artworks by 68 Nepali artists in the Patna biennale have been so popular among visitors here. The arts of Nepal with their multi-fold expressions have blended engineering with art to create structures that incorporate all forms of art holistically. The skill and practice were initially passed down through family traditions, but in time influenced many more than just the core practicing community.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/amalgamation-of-nepali-art">Amalgamation of Nepali art</a>, Aayusha Pokharel  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230817130820_6329c49adc01e457a1b176a23649550171f2cd115a7c723917f3bc250130c3c5.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20230817130820_6329c49adc01e457a1b176a23649550171f2cd115a7c723917f3bc250130c3c5" data-rendition-name="original" width="1024" height="768" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal Art Council"> </figure>  Nepal got another opportunity to showcase its art in the largest display outside the country in Patna with an exhibition titled ‘Nepal, Where the Gods Reside’. &nbsp; The focus of the exhibition was the centrally placed colourful Pancha Buddha and Asta Mangala floor Mandala. Many visitors bent down to touch the mandala, thinking it to be a painting.&nbsp; The interest and appreciation of the visitors, established artists and curators from India and abroad was immense. Alka Pande, the chief curator of the Biennale said the Nepal exhibition was a 'show-stopper'.&nbsp; This exhibition encompassed a wide range of genres reflecting Nepali creativity throughout history right to the present day. Artistic production in Nepal is a living heritage, where creators draw inspiration from spiritual, philosophical traditions and iconographic sources before giving free rein to their imagination.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepali-art-going-places/">Nepali art going places</a>, Kunda Dixit  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230817130820_7680b4e860fdcdc8bfd7f2f3916c57c19fd012ce69c75a2719b192c5968e7c62.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20230817130820_7680b4e860fdcdc8bfd7f2f3916c57c19fd012ce69c75a2719b192c5968e7c62" data-rendition-name="original" width="1024" height="768" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal Art Council"> </figure>  These artworks through their intricate detail evoke a sense of sacred beauty and serve various purposes, including veneration, enhancing spiritual aura, and adding aesthetic value to secular spaces.&nbsp; The exhibition also impressed upon visitors the vastness of Nepal's syncretic spiritual atmosphere, as the abode of deities. The artworks ranged from the formless to myriad incarnations and manifestations of the divine, showcased through traditional and contemporary paintings, straw art, wood and metal statues made using lost wax and repoussé techniques, filigree with semi-precious stone inlay, and ceramics. &nbsp; In the last decade, Nepali art has got an international reach. Many artists have settled abroad and made a name for themselves. Others exhibit their works worldwide. NAC itself has taken Nepali art to three editions of the India Art Fair, and in 2019 it co-curated 'Nepal Art Now' with 100 works at the Weltmuseum, Vienna. This exhibition was equally popular and was extended for two more months.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/deciphering-thangmi">Deciphering Thangmi</a>, Ashish Dhakal  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230817130820_62ce18e42dbd92d5dde79ab5ef5cf53a66e792848a0763fd507b38a87c0742a9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20230817130820_62ce18e42dbd92d5dde79ab5ef5cf53a66e792848a0763fd507b38a87c0742a9" data-rendition-name="original" width="768" height="1024" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal Art Council"> </figure>  The city of Patna has a College of Art and Craft established in 1939, and its streets are replete with traditional Madhubani art as well as thematic contemporary drawings and paintings, mostly providing social messages related to environment conservation. &nbsp; This second edition of the Bihar Museum Biennale 2023 was inaugurated by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on 7 August and had exhibits from Thailand, Panama, Costa Rica, Italy, Russia and from other Indian museums as well.&nbsp; This generates a two-fold advantage to both the locals, who get acquainted to the artist tends of the world, while the domestic and international visitors witness the glory of the ancient Indian polity as well as the exquisite artforms from the pre-historic times till that of India's independence, in the museum's permanent galleries.&nbsp; The foundation day of Bihar Museum coincided with the inauguration and showcased the folk art of Padma Shree-awarded artists from Bihar and launched ‘Together We Art’, an exhibition of G20 member and guest countries. The exhibition will be in Patna till 7 October. The world class Bihar Museum is the largest museum of central and South-Asia, and the first post-colonial state museum of India, showcasing historical artefacts from the early civilisation up to 1764 as well as folk and contemporary art forms. &nbsp;&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/vibrant-mithila-art-thrives-in-nepal">Vibrant Mithila art thrives in Nepal</a>, Anita Bhetwal Swosti Rajbhandari Kayastha is Curator of the Nepal Art Council.

Patan in Patna

Nestled within the historic confines of Baber Mahal Revisited, the ‘Amalgam’ art exhibition at Siddhartha Art Gallery is a vibrant tapestry of contemporary expressions of over 40 Nepali artists young and not-so-young.
A staple of Kathmandu’s annual art calendar since 2009, Amalgam aspires to foster &nbsp;connections between artists, art aficionados, writers, and patrons, all converging to celebrate creativity and vitality.
Initially begun as 'Monsoon Moods', the exhibition has evolved over time into Amalgam, but still happens during the wettest part of Nepal’s rainy season, embodying the melding of various viewpoints, concepts, and artistic forms.
The exhibition spans two venues within Baber Mahal Revisited: the main gallery showcases 54 items featuring diverse mediums such as acrylic, polymer clay, oil on canvas, sculpture.
‘Melting Life’ by Min Thapa is a painting meticulously composed of thousands of dots, masterfully capturing the urgency of the climate crisis.
Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/deciphering-thangmi">Deciphering Thangmi</a>, Ashish Dhakal
Teesha Shrestha’s ‘Beauty and the Beast II’ poignantly portrays the encroachment of modern cement structures upon the city’s cultural urbanscape.&nbsp;
Sara Koinch’s ‘Parallel Journeys’ is a reflection on a personal odyssey of transitions between traditional and contemporary norms sensitively conveyed evoking both worlds.&nbsp;
The visual diversity of the exhibition becomes remarkably apparent through the vibrant colour palette and the intricate play of textures on the first floor. In contrast, the second floor presents a more subdued tone with sepia and pen and ink hues, gently conjuring a sense of nostalgia and timelessness.
The annexe building has 25 artworks using mediums like knitwork, mixed media, embroidery, digital print, mandala work.
The common theme in both galleries is thoughtful exploration of contemporary societal dynamics with a compelling mix of themes that ranging from culture, religion, and traditionalism to materialism, climate change, and the modern world. Spiritualism and indigeneity are also explored.&nbsp;
Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/vibrant-mithila-art-thrives-in-nepal">Vibrant Mithila art thrives in Nepal</a>, Anita Bhetwal
The convergence of established and emerging artists adds depth and contrast to the exhibitions. Curator Sangeeta Thapaexplains: “Amalgam is a platform that gives space to artists who have not got a chance to represent their art. Younger artists may feel left out because of the long waiting period to be seen. This is so they do not feel that way.”&nbsp;
Prithvi Shrestha from Bindu who collaborated on amalgam has his own artwork ‘Believe’ that hangs on the first floor of the art gallery.&nbsp;
"Our different cultures are getting lost, but the young generation still has veneration for an invisible force,” says Shrestha, pointing out his display. “The mask signifies that. When we put on the mask, we get the feeling of being god ourselves." &nbsp;
Shrestha adds that the mission of the exhibition is to spotlight the skill and creativity of artists from various backgrounds and experiences. Amalgam is successful in showcasing Nepal’s diversity.&nbsp;
Amalgam
Siddhartha Art Gallery
Till 27 August, 11pm to 5pm&nbsp;
Free entry
Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepali-art-going-places/">Nepali art going places</a>, Kunda Dixit

Amalgamation of Nepali art

All Nepalis take pride in the fact that the Buddha was born in Nepal, but few may know that Kathmandu Valley has the longest uninterrupted Buddhist tradition. Legend has it that the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka visited the Valley and married his daughter Charumati to a Patan nobility 2,000 years ago. The stupas of Chabahil and Pim Baha date back to that period. Buddhism has been preserved and continuously practiced in Kathmandu Valley since then to this day. Because of Kathmandu Valley’s relative isolation, the monastic tradition survived here while it was destroyed by waves of Muslim invasion in north India. The centres of learning and worship safeguarded Theravada practices, while evolving into the unique Vajrayana traditions that are the characteristic of Newar Buddhism that then travelled north into Tibet, China and up to Japan, assimilating local influences along the way. It was in the Valley’s monastic sites, known as baha, that rituals and tantric practices of Newar Buddhism thrive to this day. Seven of Kathmandu Valley’s temple complexes are in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites, and Itumbaha is one of five main Newar Buddhist monastic enclaves in Kathmandu. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/news/itumbahas-living-museum">Itumbaha's living museum</a>, Sahina Shrestha The World Monument Watch has included Itumbaha in its list of most endangered sites. A visit to the square shows why: while the courtyard and temple are intact, it is now surrounded by concrete high-rises of inner city Kathmandu.&nbsp; Itumbaha has existed for at least 800 years, and many of the carved wooden struts and columns, steles and votive structures survived earthquakes, invasions and political upheavals. Indeed, Itumbaha is only one of only three monastic structures in Kathmandu Valley that have preserved their original architecture for so long.&nbsp; The monastery is a part of the community and its rituals and activities are managed by the local sangha made of non-celibate priests, and the leadership in itself has been passed down through the generations.&nbsp; Because of its importance, Itumbaha was selected for urgent protection in 2003, and work started in restoring the collapsed south wing of the courtyard by Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT) with support from the German Embassy and the local community. The eastern wing was subsequently restored with support from the World Monument Fund. Read also: <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=604">Polishing up the past</a>, Nepali Times The historical and cultural importance of Itumbaha and its meticulous rehabilitation from 2002- 2016 is now documented in a new book launched by KVPT last week: Restoration of Itumbaha. The book has contributions from a star cast of heritage conservationists and architects like Niels Gutschow, Thomas Schrom, Rohit Ranjitkar and contributions by other local and international experts. Alexander von Rospatt of Berkeley has a longish chapter on the monastic traditions of Itumbaha and explains why its intangible heritage is the reason the place is such a culturally vibrant shrine to this day. Gutschow documents in great detail the restoration work, with revealing before and after illustrations. One of the elaborately carved wooden tympanum was stolen in 2003 and has never been found. It was probably sold by art dealers to collectors or museums. Read also: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Legends-of-pragya-paramita,3281">The legends of Pragya Paramita</a>, Shuvechchhya Pradhan As a part of the effort to protect existing artefacts and to spread awareness about heritage theft, a small room in the southwest corner of the courtyard is housing a museum that is being <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/itumbahas-living-museum">upgraded with support from the Rubin Museum</a>. The Itumbaha Initiative did not even try to fight the tidal wave of concrete that engulfed the historic heart of Kathmandu in the past decades. There was no legal way to stop private property owners to go high, and neither was there the political will to implement zoning laws. Gutschow notes: ‘Entering the courtyard one experiences a world of its own, a confined sanctuary with a horizon below the eaves. Rising the eyes only one is aware of the other world, contemporary Kathmandu … (with its) aggressive environment.’ And that is the message of this book: that Kathmandu’s best treasures like Itumbaha are hidden away. Finding them needs work. One has to walk down narrow alleys with cantilevered high-rises that block out the sky, through the fumes, noise and crowds of Asan Tole, to enter the Kayagunani square and from there cross the threshold of the inner courtyard and then the sanctum sanctorum. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/remembering-nepals-lost-and-the-found">Remembering Nepal's lost and the found</a>, Ashish Dhakal Centuries of history speak from the corners, cobble stones are polished by the feet of ages, the bricks are eroded with time, chaityas encrusted with vermilion dot the courtyard.&nbsp; Restoration of Itumbaha is a documentation of the heritage and conservation of this priceless secret jewel of Kathmandu, and the book can serve as a useful guide for first time visitors and frequenters alike.&nbsp; Once is not enough because there is so much history and culture crammed into such a small space. Best to take the book along, sit in the square and let the architectural drawings, pre-restoration images and progress of pilgrims immerse you in Itumbaha's universe.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230728060712_e361648b29caa0a50bc6b0d014cbaacbcdfe2ddad3cd70133f31fc3b5beb88a8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20230728060712_e361648b29caa0a50bc6b0d014cbaacbcdfe2ddad3cd70133f31fc3b5beb88a8" data-rendition-name="original" width="3000" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="Page 9 book details NT"> </figure>  Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/faith-stolen-lost-in-nepal-found-in-america?fbclid=IwAR339kc1dVacPz-FtNvJMdX7wBCk68KWkYD9EYasJsPphlbsQdwG-cfMkSg">Faith Stolen: Lost in Nepal, found in America</a>, Lost Arts of Nepal

Kunda Dixit

Bedrock of Buddhism

Growing up amidst lush paddy fields of Bara district, Babita Shrestha felt the most at home gardening with her grandfather. Her parents worked in Hong Kong and Kathmandu, so Babita looked after her younger sister, and her life in an age before tv and cell phones revolved around friends and family. She acted as the sous chef for her grandfather, helping him in the kitchen every day.&nbsp; At the age of 12, she moved up to Kathmandu from the plains when her mother got pregnant. She took over the kitchen, making chaku bhat and a variety of soups to heal her body. What initially started as a responsibility soon grew into a life-long passion. Her mother had grown up in Kolkata, and was an accomplished cook, blending the flavours of Nepal and India. In Kathmandu, Babita also learnt from chefs at her father’s restaurant.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230714120724_e33316da31eb66c3249f1f3b998e4e67366aeb02523252bc5f65c6ba750699ae.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20230714120724_e33316da31eb66c3249f1f3b998e4e67366aeb02523252bc5f65c6ba750699ae" data-rendition-name="original" width="533" height="800" loading="lazy" alt="Babita Shrestha "> <figcaption>ALL PHOTOS: BABITA SHRESTHA</figcaption> </figure>  She absorbed all the knowledge she could get from everyone she met. “The more variety of food I ate, the more I wanted to learn how to make them and experiment with flavours,” she says. But at the end of all her culinary explorations, she came back to the basic Nepali comfort food: dal bhat--simple, tasteful, nourishing, and healthy. It is her love for flavours and simplicity that Babita Shrestha brings to her new cookbook, Plant-based Himalaya: Vegan Recipes from Nepal. The book shows that vegan food is not just about salads, or replacing dairy and meat with more expensive and exotic products. Maintaining a plant-based diet is possible with very little change to the ingredients already used in everyday Nepali food.&nbsp; Read Also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/featured-videos/recipe-for-nepali-culinary-diversity">Recipe for Nepali Culinary Diversity,</a> Sahina Shrestha  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230714120720_f48c350f1002d32ba7bacf4bb996d26a6ef7c2bd397f3b9a1a99903922320a9e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230714120720_f48c350f1002d32ba7bacf4bb996d26a6ef7c2bd397f3b9a1a99903922320a9e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Plant based himalaya 2"> <figcaption>ALL PHOTOS: BABITA SHRESTHA</figcaption> </figure>  For example, the Gajar ko Haluwa recipe replaces ghee and milk with coconut oil and coconut milk, and the carrots and other ingredients are the same. Cauliflower curry that is already a staple in every Nepali household is already a vegan dish if ghee is not used.&nbsp; Babita became a vegan when she realised that milk and meat in the US were not as fresh as in Nepal and contained hormones and additives. “In an American college, I had an unhealthy diet and was not completely happy with what I was putting in my body. So, I decided to live a vegan lifestyle as much as possible,” she says. Her plan was to move back to Nepal after graduation. But in 2015 after the earthquake, she decided to stay back before deciding what to do next. She moved to Kentucky from Minnesota, and could not find a single restaurant that served wholesome Nepali or Indian food. Initially, she thought of opening her own restaurant, but the investment was too high. Even a food truck was too costly, so she opened a pop-up at a local night market serving momo and pakoras. In 2017, veganism was trending and people started lining up at her counter as word of mouth brought more customers. She also ran cooking classes, all the while maintaining a full-time job.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230714120724_061922eab1eedac0622e3d2bd6767dd23231b23aef696fec99ea35adebbbda7c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20230714120724_061922eab1eedac0622e3d2bd6767dd23231b23aef696fec99ea35adebbbda7c" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Plant based himalaya"> </figure>  It was her husband who planted the idea of writing a vegan cookbook when he saw her love for food. She looked at all the recipe books at a local Barnes and Noble and decided that is what she was meant to do, too. But writing and publishing a book meant money and time, and with bills to pay, she shelved the idea.&nbsp; After completing high school, her parents had sent Babita to Hong Kong to get away from the conflict in Nepal. She spent three years as a domestic helper, first for some relatives and then for another family. In 2009, she traveled to the US for an undergraduate degree in Film Studies. A year into the program, she discovered maybe making movies was not for her, and she transferred to graphics design, a skill that proved valuable to publish her own cookbook. Read Also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/flavours-from-nepal">Flavours from Nepal</a>, Prashanta Khanal “When I started researching who needs to be involved in producing a book, I found out that writing is only the first step,” says Babita. She needed designers, photographers, food stylists, and editors, but as a graphics person, she decided to do it all herself. She had come to Nepal after 11 years away, and after the lockdown traveled across the country, developed recipes, and took photos for the book. “I wanted the book to be an introduction to Nepal so that people who have never visited can also know the country,” Babita explains. “I wanted to share some of my favourite recipes I grew up cooking and eating.”&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230714120724_f4f7405adf9cee815f54e09e1666eb8839b7cb0c6de9e198c0fb96464a33194b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20230714120724_f4f7405adf9cee815f54e09e1666eb8839b7cb0c6de9e198c0fb96464a33194b" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1428" loading="lazy" alt="Plant based himalaya 3"> </figure>  Divided into eight sections with 38 easy to follow recipes, featuring 250 photos of food, mountains, Nepali culture, and animals, Plant-Based Himalaya reminds people the beauty of home-style Nepali food. The book starts with an introduction to the geography and biodiversity of Nepal followed by recipes for different kinds of chiya (tea), khana (grain), dal (lentil), tarkari (curry), sag (greens), khaja (snacks), achar (pickles) and mithai (desserts). The simple, easy to follow recipes along with the photographs of ingredients and quick tips makes the book suitable for not only those interested in vegan recipes but also Nepali food culture.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230714120724_3b8ae5da4e14ad164dd577f4173ce62debd69ea3ccdbe61efb3461984480e1cb.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20230714120724_3b8ae5da4e14ad164dd577f4173ce62debd69ea3ccdbe61efb3461984480e1cb" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Plant based himalaya 4"> </figure>  The more advanced Nepali home cooks may however find that they already know many of the recipes shared in the book. Thoughtfully designed with mouth-watering food photography, the book is a visual treat even for those who are not interested in cooking.&nbsp; This book is especially helpful for foreigners looking to explore what Nepalis eat on a daily basis, and for second generation Nepalis living abroad who are looking for an introduction to the taste and culture of Nepal. “Cooking is about loving yourself and loving those around you,” says Babita. “It is a skill everyone needs to learn and pass down to generations to preserve.” &nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230714120712_bc5d58554e3db18e70c0f118bf0d3e869256408347e9b5e21815049750f33e56.png" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20230714120712_bc5d58554e3db18e70c0f118bf0d3e869256408347e9b5e21815049750f33e56" data-rendition-name="original" width="1319" height="837" loading="lazy" alt="Plant-based himalaya"> </figure>  <h2>Vegan diet</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230714120724_7b59aeffb8d4b9f95067df99a65791f247fac1403fffc8426617a7f765927813.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20230714120724_7b59aeffb8d4b9f95067df99a65791f247fac1403fffc8426617a7f765927813" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Plant based himalaya 5"> </figure>  A vegan diet is based on plants including vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes, fruits and seeds. Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals, including dairy products, honey and eggs. Many also do not consume products like wines and beers that may have been filtered using animal parts, made with animal ingredients or been tested on animals. A vegan diet may seem overly restrictive or complicated, but Nepalis looking to switch or try it may be surprised at how many local dishes are already vegan, or need only a few ingredients to be replaced. If milk and dairy products are removed from the cooking and garnishing, most Nepali dishes are already vegan to start with.&nbsp; Mas ko dal (black lentil) can be made vegan if the ghee is omitted. Pakora, samosa, chatpatey, pani puri snacks are also vegan. With some planning for a good balanced diet, anyone can follow a healthy vegan diet. <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%2Fyoutu.be%2FqqQ9cII6fIQ&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>

Sahina Shrestha

Nepali Vegan

The oil paintings hang in sharp relief against the white walls at Siddhartha Art Gallery, and have a distinct sepia tint reminiscent of historical images from the early days of photography. &nbsp; And just like the sepia tone protects prints and keeps them from ageing, artist Mann Gurung uses the warm monochrome tint to preserve the history and identity of his indigenous community in the mountains of central Nepal.&nbsp; Gurung’s collection of 24 burnt umber paintings titled Lost in Translation II is a continuation of his<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/lost-in-transition"> 2019 exhibition</a> of the same name. His art depicts real men, women and children from up country villages in his native Gorkha district, and are as much an act of cultural conservation as a homage.&nbsp; Born in Gorkha’s Khorla village, Gurung grew up away from home to attend school in the neighbouring towns. As a child, he would draw pictures of gods and goddesses and create his own comic strips, which eventually gained the attention of an INGO worker who suggested he study art in Kathmandu.&nbsp; For a long time after he left home, Gurung took comfort in the memory of his village where people still wore their customary jama, bhoto, lungi and cholo, sang dohori during Dasain, &nbsp;and were self-reliant in agriculture and trade.&nbsp; But when he returned after completing his Master’s in the United States, Gorkha had changed. The district was just getting over the trauma of conflict, and traditional attire and customs had given way to new influences. T-shirts had replaced bhoto, film songs on mobile phones had taken the place of dohori and ghatu. Just like he had, many young men had left the village, and only the elderly, women and children remained.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/at-the-edge-of-tomorrow">At the edge of tomorrow</a>, Mark Turin  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230712100744_1da3e2e936ab582955cf91d92c3cf759ac9d89a2e6d539a837e1c2185bc81e3f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230712100744_1da3e2e936ab582955cf91d92c3cf759ac9d89a2e6d539a837e1c2185bc81e3f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1714" loading="lazy" alt="Lost in Transition"> <figcaption>Photo: MANN GURUNG</figcaption> </figure>  “Our identity was being wiped out in front of our very eyes with no visual reference point and archive,” explains Gurung. “I knew that if we did not document our history and culture, they would become a mere memory.” The artist travelled through 13 villages in Gorkha documenting what he saw for his Lost in Transition exhibition in 2019. And in 2021, he started work once again to create a second collection.&nbsp; Gurung paints his subjects as if they are posing in front of a camera, a calculated choice to reflect the indigenous community’s unfamiliarity with modern devices even as they move towards modernity.&nbsp; Their smiles are careful, stances self-conscious. An elderly woman looks out at visitors, clad in lungi, cholo, ghalek, and patuki. Her head is covered with a pachyeuri, and she wears gumboots. Another man has a tungna strapped to his jacket, and a patuki around his sweater, and smiles beatifically as he glances away. &nbsp; But the most striking work in the collection is the only one in which Gurung deviates from his monochromatic style. A single family of eight women and children are standing as if to get a family portrait taken at a photo studio. The men are present only in the background, in colourful signages of remittance companies.&nbsp; In another part of the gallery, Himalayan Light Award 2022 recipient Riti Maharjan is wrapping up her own migration-themed exhibition, Awaiting. The theme here is more contemplative, and portrays the longing and waiting for a faraway relative.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/chitwan-s-bote-people-in-a-changing-world">Chitwan’s Bote people in a changing world</a>, Sravasti Ghosh Dastidar  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230712100744_a4c5c06b34fdeb7df36d78ab01d20b44d936b3c36fc7f755e5f3cc7b9135d1e7.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20230712100744_a4c5c06b34fdeb7df36d78ab01d20b44d936b3c36fc7f755e5f3cc7b9135d1e7" data-rendition-name="original" width="1009" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Awaiting"> <figcaption>Photo: RITI MAHARJAN</figcaption> </figure>  Maharjan uses vibrant colours that are also poignant, and feature women and children as they wait for their migrant sons and husbands and fathers to return home. Maharjan completed her Masters in Fine Arts in China, and that was the first time she had been away from her family for an extended period. She says, “It hit me that many Nepalis are far from their loved ones, and on return I began to notice that there wasn’t a family in my community that didn’t have someone living abroad.” Born in Kathmandu, Maharjan married into a family in Lamjung after graduating. On visits to her in-law’s village, like Mann Gurung in Gorkha, she noticed that there were only women, children and the elderly. She also noticed how the women tended their homes with dedication and care, painting murals on the walls that are traditional to Brahmin communities in the region. “These women might not realise that they are folk artists, and I felt that their work should be honoured,” adds Maharjan. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/no-country-for-young-men">No country for young men</a>, Shristi Karki  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230712100744_ae35181903d7b20b2bba96b580d04a36c45b0f332c952f40b643e138ab5debe6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20230712100744_ae35181903d7b20b2bba96b580d04a36c45b0f332c952f40b643e138ab5debe6" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Awaiting"> <figcaption>Photo: RITI MAHARJAN</figcaption> </figure>  Geometric murals are a recurring motif in her paintings which have rich reds, yellows and greens, providing a backdrop for a depiction of a young girl longing for her father as she sits in her mother’s lap. In My Father’s Hat another toddler has on his father’s too-big Dhaka topi while his mother looks on at a framed photograph of her previously intact family.&nbsp; The Melting Emotion shows an elderly woman standing and waiting for somebody, longing etched in her wrinkled forehead. Maharjan has painted her as if she is dissolving away with age and grief, her entire being dripping with tears.&nbsp; Curator Sangeeta Thapa of Siddhartha Art Gallery notes that although migration is the central theme in both exhibitions, the artists employ differing stylistic approaches which provide entirely different perspectives.&nbsp; “Both of these collections are representative of how communities are impacted by Nepal hurtling from tradition towards modernity for the last seventy-odd years, while our culture and traditions have failed to catch up,” says Thapa. “What we need to figure out is how we balance progress with preserving culture and identities.” Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/multimedia/the-last-of-the-kusunda">The last of the Kusunda</a>, Sewa Bhattarai Mann Gurung’s Lost in Transition II is on exhibit at Siddhartha Art Gallery until 18 July. Riti Maharjan’s collection, Awaiting, can be viewed online <a href="https://www.siddharthaartgallery.com/online-gallery/394-awaiting-riti-maharjan" target="_blank">here</a>.

Shristi Karki

Home and away

Franz Kafka’s Report to an Academy is first and foremost about conflict which operates on several levels: from the obvious similarities between the simian and human, to the three-point tug-of-war between memory, identity and assimilation. Studio 7’s adaptation of the story for the Vajra Hotel stage titled Red Peter preserves this motif to the t, turning the first-person narrative into a theatrical performance where past and present intermingle. Directed by Sabine Lehmann (The Conference of the Birds, The Little Prince), the play begins in a warmly-lit room, awash with blue, designed by Ludmilla Hungerhuber. In the back, three images of the same chimpanzee stare at the audience through narrow windows. A long, sturdy rope is looped into a swing upstage beside a ladder that appears to connect the ground with the heavens, a symbolic ascent, or descent, of evolution. It is at once a ship, a jungle, private bedroom, and the academic stage, a space that exists almost as a mental landscape, in fantasy and reality. Then, behold: an ape appears.&nbsp; In tailored pants and a white shirt, Red Peter the eponymous monkey puts on a tie. He is readying himself for an appearance at the Academy where he is to present a paper on how he ‘transformed’ into a human.&nbsp; But he is more than an exotic evolutionary specimen, as we find out later. He huffs and puffs, letting out guttural sounds: aspirated “Hon’ble” which then slowly becomes “ono’ble”, but he is not entirely satisfied and the time is running out, the appointment drawing close. It has been five years since he began this miraculous journey and yet he trips over an H.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230618100628_2df74c0784b597c57d1fc56f411202bae41f121f1c08500cfac82076759da234.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20230618100628_2df74c0784b597c57d1fc56f411202bae41f121f1c08500cfac82076759da234" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1151" loading="lazy" alt="red peter 1"> </figure>  Enter three academicians in brightly coloured gaudy robes looking more like circus performers than serious philosophers and scientists they insist they are. The air of self-import, colonial and imperial in its smell, contrasts strikingly with Red Peter’s own retrained disposition. After all, they have millions of years of evolutionary divergence at their disposal, while Red Peter only five. “The report?” they ask pointedly, for that is really all they care about.&nbsp; “Members of the Academy,” says Red Peter, gently bowing. He thanks the National Geographic for a recent cover, and adds turning towards the audience: “Gentleman, ladies, dear guests.” Immediately, we are also transported to the same liminal landscape, metaphysical and postmodernist, as Red Peter breaks the fourth wall, as if to remind us that whatever happens in the story is as much our concern as it is his, no exceptions. We learn of his past in the West African forest, where he was shot and wounded one day by the human employees of a Research Centre + Circus. It is the ensuing bloody scar that earns him his name. Captured and locked in a tiny cage on a cargo ship, he was then transported to Europe. For the first time, he remarks to the Academy and to us, he was without a way out.&nbsp; And no, he does not mean freedom by this, as ‘freedom’, he explains, drawing analogy with trapeze artists in the variety shows, is nothing but a self-controlled movement, and all too deceiving a notion.&nbsp; This search for a way out drives Red Peter and the course of the play. Thus, bound by the crate walls, his own apehood dies and he is made anew. He then begins to ‘ape’, as it were, the crude sailors who smoke their pipes and drink like fish. He learns how to spit and say ‘Hello’. But far from smooth sailing, the transformation begins with cruelty, as the sailors, who have themselves suffered oppression, exercise brutality on Red Peter deeming him of a lower rank than themselves. But Red Peter is now also clever. He loses his animal instinct and takes on a strange calmness. When on land, he joins the show business because he ‘knows’ the other option would be a cage in the zoological garden where there would be no way out.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230618100628_3d823a6ece4c5078fcdeb466985a73d9db3e54c1d85c8e370ebb049548ec7f64.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20230618100628_3d823a6ece4c5078fcdeb466985a73d9db3e54c1d85c8e370ebb049548ec7f64" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1151" loading="lazy" alt="red peter 2"> </figure>  Kundoon Shakya as Red Peter is perfectly cast. His own sweltering transformation into an ape becoming a man is arresting and magnetic. In addition, although not present in the original story, the three Academicians add comedic, ‘human’ touch to the story. Exquisitely played by Alizé Biannic, Aashant Sharma and Glory Thapa, they are pompous, self-congratulatory, and altogether whole. Their lines, taken from contemporary newspaper headlines and stories, throw searing light on the irony of humanity which in its depth is no different than what it terms as primitive, uncivilised and animalistic.&nbsp; In between perfect choreographies, they effortlessly brush off generational colonial atrocities with a wave of their hands and coyly wink at the audience. Here, compassion takes on contrasting meanings. How can children be burdened with blame for the crimes of their parents and ancestors, they ask. Director Lehmann has also added references to the Syrian migrant crisis, boats upturned and sunk in the sea, and the supposed superiority of the European and Western thought to support the pertinence of the play, and its drama.&nbsp; But what is the cost of this assimilation? Red Peter is now himself a philosopher who has trotted out of the cave. Performance, domination, self-optimisation, he remarks, maketh man – and all this he has learnt to do. In the process, he has also warred with his own nature. At the outset, the play may feel like an exploration of evolutionary theories, but it then quickly turns into a serious dissection of the mind-body question. As such, embodying Descartes’s ‘cogito ergo sum’ in one respect, Red Peter also calls to question identity as performance and the essence of the self if it is to be constantly re-enacted. In the end, this fiercely existential play closes with an echo to the ending of another story: the creatures look from ape to man, and from man to ape, and from ape to man again, but already it is impossible to say which was which.&nbsp; Red Peter A Stage Adaptation of Franz Kafka’s ‘Report To an Academy’ Directed by Sabine Lehmann Studio 7 at Hotel Vajra, Swyambhu 1 hour 15 minutes 22–25 June 2023, 7 PM onwards&nbsp; Ticket Price: VIP Rs 1,000, Standard Rs 700, Students discount with ID available (limited seating)&nbsp; For reservation: <a href="mailto:info@hotelvajra.com" target="_blank">info@hotelvajra.com</a> / 015371545 &nbsp;

Ashish Dhakal

The planet of the apes on Kathmandu stage

As one of the last countries in the world to introduce television in 1998, and internet a year later, Bhutan has a whole new generation of young adults who have grown up with access to movies, football matches, and Facebook. The Buddhist-majority country holds its culture and traditions dear, and parents expect to pass these values down to their children who are having difficulty adjusting to the two worlds. The Next Guardian (2017) is a new documentary that explores this contrast between traditionalist values and modernist changes in Bhutan and questions the ideals of the country’s Gross National Happiness slogan. Directed by Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó, the feature-length documentary follows a teen brother and sister, Gyembo and Tashi, who love soccer and their phones. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/in-nepal-east-meets-west-musically">In Nepal, East meets West musically</a>, Shrijan Pandey  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023061113068_f36c45447643ca3e6bf111ef35f2f40b131ec34b3649566c774f1ae9d64698e7.png" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2023061113068_f36c45447643ca3e6bf111ef35f2f40b131ec34b3649566c774f1ae9d64698e7" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="803" loading="lazy" alt="The Next Guardian NT 2"> </figure>  Their father runs a monastery and believes that their culture must be passed on to future generations to preserve it. Gyembo is studying in a modern English school, loves football, and has crushes on some girls in his class. But he is suddenly expected to become a monk. Bhattarai came up with this true story when he heard about Bhutan’s first female football camp. He spent six months in the camp and finally came across Tashi who looked and acted like a boy and wanted to become a football player. However, after meeting her family and Gyembo, he changed his focus to show the widening generational gap in Bhutan by documenting one family’s story. “We saw it as an opportunity to reflect on how Bhutan is changing,” Bhattarai told an online audience during an online screening of his documentary by Screen Southasia organised by Himal Southasian, which also holds the biannual Film Southasia documentary festival. “Screen Southasia was born out of our love for South Asian documentaries and Film Southasia’s massive archive of documentaries and network of alumni,” says Alok Adhikari, Assistant Director of Film Southasia. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/pasang-lhamu-sherpa-the-film">Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the film</a>, Tayama Rai  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023061113068_fb42d3dac6947db26be86256f41b27af537a886692cafd2e5ed54636de071111.png" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2023061113068_fb42d3dac6947db26be86256f41b27af537a886692cafd2e5ed54636de071111" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="856" loading="lazy" alt="The Next Guardian NT 3"> </figure>  Screen Southasia hosts monthly online shows of compelling documentaries from the region, including Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Burma, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka -- a diverse range of films, both classic and new, that showcase the unique cultures, histories and perspectives of the Subcontinent. Screenings are followed by Q&amp;A sessions &nbsp;with the filmmaker, editor, camera person to better understand the craft of filmmaking, funding and marketing aspects.&nbsp; June’s selected The Next Guardian effectively captures the transition of Bhutan to the digital age as Gyembo, Tashi, and their friends use smartphones, watch football tutorials, take photos, and talk to friends on Facebook. It also portrays how Gyembo is not different from young people anywhere else in the world today. In contrast, their father prepares local dishes, does everyday rituals, performs traditional dances, and is passionate about Buddhist teachings. With its rich cinematography, the film uses static wide shots to portray the scenic beauty of Bhutan and to showcase the rhythm of everyday rural life in the country. Key to Bhattarai’s filming style is not to use a lot of movement to capture the real, authentic rituals of the family with cinéma vérité technique. The cinematography is unobtrusive, and the characters ignore the film-makers and go about without being at all self-conscious. The blurs the dimension between film and reality. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/on-screen-mountains">On-screen mountains</a>, Sahina Shrestha  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023061113068_0bdb4decbe10c16488b4afe993680dba4313ed7d4f3c509713ed2178cde00c1d.png" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="2023061113068_0bdb4decbe10c16488b4afe993680dba4313ed7d4f3c509713ed2178cde00c1d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="850" loading="lazy" alt="The Next Guardian NT 4"> </figure>  “Sometimes, I waited for hours observing their day-to-day interactions. Some clips were possible only after the protagonists opened up as themselves, forgetting the camera,” Bhattarai explains. The film delves into the traditional South Asian dynamic where a child cannot say no to parents and is expected to carry out their wishes. The father constantly tries to convince Gyembo of the advantages of becoming a monk and the importance of preserving heritage. Gyembo has different dreams, celibacy not being one of them, yet he never actively protests. “Since I grew up near Bhutan, I wanted to tell this story,” says Bhattarai. Tashi has her own arc in the story, dressing up and cutting her hair like a boy, and she is mostly drawn to masculine behaviour. She is passionate about being a football player, and the film shows a wonderful acceptance of Tashi’s gender expression by her family and society at large. Her father, in line with his strong Buddhist beliefs, sees Tashi as a girl born with the spirit of a boy from her past life and calls it natural. And after seeing movie, Gyempo’s father postponed sending him to the monastery. The Next Guardian was the first documentary film many people in Bhutan watched in a cinema for the first time. It won the Best Documentary at the Zsigmond Vilmos Film Festival in 2018, and was nominated for the Golden Gate Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Films like The Next Guardian highlight dynamic cultures and their unique ways of relating to the world. However, financing is difficult, and filmmakers often have to rely on producers from the West.&nbsp; Says Arun Bhattarai: “What this means is that rather than producing a relatable film for the local audience, sometimes you have to make it relatable to a Western audience.” Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/at-the-edge-of-tomorrow">At the edge of tomorrow</a>, Mark Turin The next Screen Southasia event will be a film from Bangladesh.

In the land of Gross National Happiness

A year ago in the hilltop town of Kirtipur overlooking Kathmandu, musicians started to experiment with a blend of Appalachian Bluegrass with the mewl of the sarangi from the Himalaya. Zoe Levitt, a Bluegrass mandolinist and songwriter from the US, and Prince Nepali, a fourth-generation sarangi player and educator, bonded well and established their Nepali-American folk fusion band, Manaslu Blue.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230521150536_dbba6249269f8f2cf5e3a1ce61bbee2da31f735947d02377ecf44ea6034c0b81.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20230521150536_dbba6249269f8f2cf5e3a1ce61bbee2da31f735947d02377ecf44ea6034c0b81" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" alt="Manaslu Blue"> </figure>  One year later, Manaslu Blue debuted in KatGrass: Bluegrass &amp; Nepali Folk Fusion Concert to a diverse audience of Nepali and international enthusiasts in an evening of high-energy music, dancing, and cheers at Moksh. Manaslu Blue has Prince Nepali on sarangi, Zoe Levitt on mandolin, Anish Tamang on guitar, Sabin Ghising on flute, Yuson Maharjan on percussion, and Ryan O’Donnell on vocals and guitar (featured guest artist for KatGras). The musicians are united in their effort to preserve traditional music with members particularly concerned about preserving folk music and their unique instruments like the sarangi, bansuri, and damaha.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230521150536_ffcdd0197a4e00e4f4d9a693b3a87dc523e5c1db65b29f368e73fc7fdbbec357.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20230521150536_ffcdd0197a4e00e4f4d9a693b3a87dc523e5c1db65b29f368e73fc7fdbbec357" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" alt="Manaslu Blue"> </figure>  “The new generation does not have folk artists to look up to, traditional musicians need to be recognised if we want to preserve our folk tunes,” says Prince Nepali who runs classes in Sarangi Ghar. Nepali is also looking to make archives of traditional songs, including some composed by his great-grandfather.&nbsp; Guitarist Anish Tamang adds that many younger Nepalis, as well as musicians look up to Western genres, prioritising it over traditional music. This has also meant that there are not as many platforms to learn traditional music.&nbsp; Manaslu Blue has an upcoming EP which will highlight Nepali folk music and musicians, and help listeners recognise the band members as artists who can inspire new, younger audiences. Bluegrass and Nepali folk music come from different corners of the world, however, unlike sheet music, both styles are traditional and are learned by ear.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230521150540_8f4a8d4981cc1ff4a4100769bacafe9cd498312165d733b39e47575e606a1b2f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230521150540_8f4a8d4981cc1ff4a4100769bacafe9cd498312165d733b39e47575e606a1b2f" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" alt="Manaslu Blue"> </figure>  The musicians have to listen to one another and play what feels right to them at the moment. Since everyone in the band is comfortable with improvisation, the band produces something new every time they perform, a unique charm that defines the band’s synergy. The music alternates between the use of different instruments like mandolin, flute, sarangi, percussion, and guitar as everybody plays in sync as well as spaces out to give every instrument their unique solos and voices.&nbsp; Fusing folk music with Bluegrass also opens the door to experimentation, diverse collaborations, and unique music. The band plans to introduce this fusion to a global audience, starting with Bluegrass festivals around the globe to surprise different musical communities. “Nepali bands often target the Nepali diaspora when touring internationally. Manaslu Blue wants to introduce it to a larger audience, like at Bluegrass festivals and folk festivals and beyond, so Nepali folk music gets exposure to different demographics,” says Zoe Levitt, adding that the band is open to collaborating with folk musicians from around the world.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230521150540_28fd8caca9031aaa7fef03dd178b3937c11f57c188a62267e67f883f0d96d339.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20230521150540_28fd8caca9031aaa7fef03dd178b3937c11f57c188a62267e67f883f0d96d339" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" alt="Manaslu Blue"> </figure>  Band manager Akriti Maya, has her job cut out for herself with Bluegrass being a new musical genre in Nepal. She says: “Fusion can be scary, but when they work, it is almost like they are philosophically connected.” For Maya, folk music is synergetic and works well in courtyards where people from different communities let themselves indulge in the unique mixture of their folk music and dance. At Moksh last week, Americans toe-tapped to the Bluegrass tunes while the Nepalis waved their hands, combining dance steps from both traditions.&nbsp; Manaslu Blue members bridge the musical distance between the Appalachian and Himalayan mountains. The members are united by their shared love for the music and the traditional instruments that produce the sound.&nbsp; Ryan O’Donnell, a featured guest of the band, puts it best: “The music is powerful, beautiful, spellbinding – it is a very logical combination.”&nbsp;