<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114101124/637209dc9c7e80680e0b556ajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2880" height="1920"/><figcaption>Spotted owlets. Photo: AARATI NEPALI.</figcaption></figure>Nepal has more than 889 species of birds, and counting them accurately is a difficult process. Now, a new app will help crowdsource the annual bird census.Launched this week, the छिमेकी चरा (Neighbourhood Birds) app is designed by the nature group <a href="https://www.birdlife.org/partners/nepal-bird-conservation-nepal-bcn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN)</a> to involve the public in its annual avian census which was previously done only by professional ornithologists during the winter migration season.The census would also be restricted to wetland areas and protected forests, but with the app birds in villages and urban areas can now also be included.“Nearly 1,000 volunteers and partners from 64 districts across Nepal have already downloaded the app,” says Aarati Nepali, the project’s program co-ordinator. “For half-an-hour on Saturdays, they will use the app to identify the birds in their vicinity and record their numbers and species.”Nepali says the app is designed to accurately count birds that live and fly near human settlements, and could include the common sparrow, pigeon, barn swallow (गौंथली), doves (ढुकुर), ruddy shelduck (चखेवा), magpie, crow and owl.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114101124/637209df9c7e80680e0b556bjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="730" height="450"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>The Cornell Lab of Ornithology developed the ‘Great Backyard Bird Count’ project in 1998 which was the first online bird-counting program. It was later expanded world-wide into an effective method to collect information about bird sightings.In Nepal, counting bird species and their numbers began in 1987, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-bird-census/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-bird-census/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1645451833989000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3OOqAoKaqK6JtTTJydNPKT">simultaneously with other parts of Asia</a>, under the initiative of Wetlands International. In 2012 and 2013, BCN organised bird count outings and included amateur ornithologists as well.“Bird-watching is a small community,” explains Niraj Dahal of BCN. “This app will expand that. We already spend a lot of time online and on-screen, and through the app we can bring together conservation helpers and ‘citizen scientists’ who can help in bird counting.”Nepal, ranks 25th in the world and 11th in Asia in terms of avian biodiversity. It has nearly as many bird species as the continental United States in a much smaller area — and makes up 8% of the world’s total bird species. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-bird-census/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-bird-census/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1645451833989000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3OOqAoKaqK6JtTTJydNPKT">Most of these species are found in the Koshi Tappu Nature Reserve</a>, Chitwan, Bardia and in wetland areas of the Tarai.Of the species found, 389 are indigenous birds, and 45 seasonally migrate to Nepal. Another 300 or more are migratory species that transit through Nepal in their east-west or north-south migrations from Siberia to Africa, Sri Lanka and Indonesia in the northern hemisphere winter.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114101124/637209e29c7e80680e0b556cjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>The <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=10794#.YhEMa-5Bz0t" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id%3D10794%23.YhEMa-5Bz0t&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1645451833989000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0ccOM9IpSbiKla3GKbt6y1">reasons for this diversity are three-fold</a>. Nepal has a great altitude variation and is in the boundary between the eco-biological domains of the Paleo-arctic realm to the north (Tibet, Siberia) and the Indo-Malayan realm to the south (India, south-east Asia).The country also lies smack along an east-west Himalayan divide of which the Kali Gandaki Valley forms a distinct avian boundary. <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=17788#.YhEL_u5Bz0t" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id%3D17788%23.YhEL_u5Bz0t&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1645451833989000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3fMSb4xm6ax1Xi_l-BPeq6">Climate diversity and altitude variation</a> from the wetlands of Kosi Tappu, barely 90 metres above sea level, to Himalayan peaks above 8,000 metres makes the rich birdlife possible.Bird Life International has identified 37 Important Bird Areas in Nepal, and although nearly 27% of Nepal’s land area is protected, a high proportion for a developing country, only 17 bird conservation areas have effective protection activities.Among the species found in Nepal, 168 are on the endangered list while eight have been declared extinct. This year’s census across Nepal’s wetlands and national parts <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-bird-census/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-bird-census/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1645451833989000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3OOqAoKaqK6JtTTJydNPKT">showed a decline </a>in the number and species count for water birds, a trend in recent years, although a few rarely sighted migratory species were seen.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114101124/637209e49c7e80680e0b556djpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1512" height="2016"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114101124/637209e79c7e80680e0b556ejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2091" height="1902"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>BCN’s Dahal says the bird app was launched in February to track the return of migratory species. There will be another census in six months to include summer migrants as well.<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OiVTlAz6pQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">A tutorial has been uploaded on YouTube</a> and volunteers can record information in their devices even without the internet and add species not seen in the list as new species.The record is then processed and BCN will publish a map showing the areas where certain bird species are prevalent. So far, the app is compatible only in android phones, but a version for the iOS is also being developed.Says Arend van Riessen of the Chimeki Chara project: “In the Netherlands, birds are counted based on their street numbers. We cannot do the same here, but perhaps in the future we can reach that level.”Translated from <a href="https://www.himalkhabar.com/news/128374">the original</a> by Aria Parasai.

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Bird-counting in Nepal made easy

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109121112/636b8b969c7e80680e06b2abjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"/>Nepal is famous for its spectacular scenery of mountains and plains, rich cultural heritage. But <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/years-of-botanical-art,3222" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/years-of-botanical-art,3222&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEbqYNGMKP7BhS8i2Z5tBeHWOkCmw">no less wondrous is the beautiful flora</a> that adorns it.It is the flowering season, and some of us lucky to be up in the mountains during the lockdown will wonder what that <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=4345#.XpaWtEAza70" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id%3D4345%23.XpaWtEAza70&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNE53Ja4STcS_kFYzcp9jIf9DA_Z5w">gorgeous rhododendron</a> is called.  Or what is the story behind that delicate carnivorous plant with leaves like the hands of the Buddha?  How about the medicinal uses of the lovely blue gentian?Now, the answers are all within reach – literally in the palm of your hand- and it does not add a single ounce to your backpack.The Flora of Nepal Project and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation have partnered with vegetation ecologist Elizabeth Byers and High Country Apps to produce <a href="http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEXC7HOQiXj7PnMF6BMgO4J_uyTTQ">Wildflowers of Mount Everest</a>, the first-ever wildflower identification app for Nepal.<a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=10343" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id%3D10343&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGxRLjv_f63wQrCiPrWpFq6ReLXhQ">Nepal’s flora is unique in the world</a>, being specially adapted to survive at high elevations, through cold winters and wet summer monsoons. In spring, luxuriant displays of rhododendrons and primroses <a href="https://www.rbge.org.uk/science-and-conservation/major-floras/flora-of-nepal/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.rbge.org.uk/science-and-conservation/major-floras/flora-of-nepal/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEXiQd2YjIwSUspOd2pMz-MtBjyHQ">cover whole mountainsides with colour.</a><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109121112/636b8b999c7e80680e06b2acjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="262" height="500">Summer brings the beautiful and sometimes bizarre blossoms, such as Hippolytia gossypina with its white-haired pillars topped by clusters of golden flowers. The autumn trekking season is painted with the blue of gentians and the bright red and yellow autumn foliage of the shrubs and trees.Wildflowers of Mount Everest offers easy-to-use graphical keys, botanical help, detailed descriptions, and plant lore to identify and explore Nepal’s remarkable flora. The app does not require a cellular or internet connection to run, so it can be used anywhere, whether on the trail or in your home. Users can create a list of the plants they see each day and email it to themselves or their friends.“The app is suitable for students, educators, scientists, guides, and visitors interested in the beautiful wildflowers of Nepal’s Mount Everest region. It will be a useful tool for park rangers and scouts as they work to conserve the park’s floral diversity,” says Gopal Prakash Bhattarai, Director General of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.Designed for people who are complete beginners as well as experienced botanists, Wildflowers of Mount Everest will appeal to anyone who wants to identify or learn about plants in eastern Nepal.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109121112/636b8b9a9c7e80680e06b2adjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="333">Byers has spent much of the last 40 years identifying, photographing, and cataloging specimens of  subalpine and alpine flora of eastern Nepal. “Two things make this field guide special,” she says. “First, the Sherpa elders who have graciously shared plant lore and stories to give us a glimpse of the cultural importance of each species. Second, the botanical experts from all over the world who have volunteered their knowledge to help us understand the unique and specially-adapted plants of Mount Everest.”The Wildflowers of Mount Everest app is available from the Apple App Store and Google PlayStore for $7.99. The authors will periodically update the app to include new species and other content, at no additional charge to users.Elizabeth A Byers is a vegetation ecologist studying rare plant species and climate change vulnerability of plants. She has been studying and photographing the flora of Nepal for nearly 40 years.<a href="http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEXC7HOQiXj7PnMF6BMgO4J_uyTTQ">http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx</a><h2>Tourism down? Use the pause to learn about flowers</h2>Tourists and trekkers will be flocking back to Nepal before long. For guides, now is the time to learn new skills and increase their confidence and knowledge so that when business picks up again, clients will rave about you and about their experience in Nepal.A fun skill-building activity is offered by the Wildflowers of Mount Everest app, the first plant identification app written specifically for Nepal.  This is an enjoyable way to learn the flora of eastern Nepal’s upper elevations.  It is designed for beginners and experts alike, with easy picture-based keys, information about local lore, and plant facts.  The richly illustrated app includes 557 species of wildflowers, shrubs, and trees.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109121112/636b8b9b9c7e80680e06b2aejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="146" height="300">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwd39Foy9jwFlora of Nepal ProjectThe <a href="http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEXC7HOQiXj7PnMF6BMgO4J_uyTTQ">Flora of Nepal Project</a> is an international partnership tackling a knowledge gap identified in Nepal’s National Biodiversity Action Plan. The project is coordinated by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in partnership with the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, the Government of Nepal’s Department of Plant Resources, Tribhuvan University’s Central Department of Botany and the University of Tokyo, and draws on the expertise of taxonomic experts throughout the world.The Flora of Nepal Project is supported by <a href="http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEXC7HOQiXj7PnMF6BMgO4J_uyTTQ">High Country Apps</a> which is dedicated to developing applications that deliver high quality natural history information with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface. It partners with expert botanists and photographers to provide information of the highest quality in its mobile field guides.High Country Apps will donate a portion of the app proceeds of Flora of Nepal to support field costs of Nepali students or buy field equipment to allow them to conduct botanical studies.Link to High Country Apps: <a href="http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEXC7HOQiXj7PnMF6BMgO4J_uyTTQ">http://www.highcountryapps.com/WildflowersOfMountEverest.aspx</a>Direct links to the app in stores($7.99):Apple: <a style="letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1479336982" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1479336982&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFMi5OfsgOmCfZIhAVk3SIUmnD4lg">http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1479336982</a> (live on April 2)Google Play:  <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.everestfieldguide" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id%3Dcom.emountainworks.android.everestfieldguide&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984665000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEEJVG1lhJk6If5tcTf2oKAwFUECQ">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.everestfieldguide</a>Visit the Flora of Nepal Project at <a href="http://www.floraofnepal.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.floraofnepal.org/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587053267549000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHI7T_cy1R8lTM7Z-d5FFFNPMFFXw">http://www.floraofnepal.org/</a> Read also: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/years-of-botanical-art,3222" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/years-of-botanical-art,3222&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587016984666000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEjXzEv-sovFIWihDSY7QcgTXF1tA">200 years of botanical art</a>, Nepali Times<h2>Special Offer for Nepali Times Readers:</h2>Free test download instructions exclusively for Nepali Times readers currently living in Nepal:To download the app for an iPhone or iPad (Apple Store) device, please go to this link: <a href="https://testflight.apple.com/join/mO9pvYhM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://testflight.apple.com/join/mO9pvYhM&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1587190760045000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFgdef-ivLJWYS757hx9ne1ctEVWw">https://testflight.apple.com/join/mO9pvYhM</a>You will be asked to download the free 'Testflight' app.  Follow the instructions and click the link again to open a free 70-day trial version of 'Wildflowers of Mount Everest' app. The free trial ends on June 30, 2020.To download the app for an Android (Google Play) device, please send a message confirming that you are a 'Nepali citizen living in Nepal' to Elizabeth Byers at <a href="mailto:everest.flora@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">everest.flora@gmail.com</a>Please confirm that your phone or tablet can access Google Play apps before requesting one of the limited number of download codes.High Country Apps and Elizabeth Byers are pleased to support nature exploration in Nepal during the current crisis. The Android version of the app is a full version and will not expire.

Wildflower app celebrates Nepal’s flora

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcEQ83jG7UIIn this space over the past three months, we have profiled successful entrepreneurs from various arenas of business. All have in common that they are determined to make their ideas work, are willing to take risks and learn from mistakes, and have a passion for what they do.The goal for these people is never simply to make money but rather to create something new. Rajan Bajracharya is another such entrepreneur. He left the comfort of a secure job as a geographic informational systems (GIS) specialist to found his business three years ago, ignoring the many who told him the move was foolish.Read also: <a href="nepalitimes.com/opinion/migrant-worker-finds-farming-in-nepal-more-rewarding/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Migrant worker finds farming in Nepal more rewarding</a>, Naresh NewarBajracharya didn’t take the leap into the unknown on his own. He convinced his buddies in information technology to do the same, to leave their full-time jobs to start a company with him.“What really excited me, despite a lot of fears of financial risks, was to use my freedom to create innovative products without any limitations and inhibitions,” says 43-year old Rajan, who led his team to work on a world-class agriculture information web and mobile-based app called GeoKrishi to provide crucial contextual and location-specific information for  farmers during each stage of the agricultural cycle, from planting to harvesting.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101136/636b74809c7e80680e06239bjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1125"/><figcaption>Photo : NARESH NEWAR</figcaption></figure>The project has received international recognition. It was awarded the U.S. Data-Driven Farming Award in a global competition with entries from over 60 countries and got a cash prize of $100,000, which Bajracharya has ploughed back into his company for use in agricultural research and development.Rajan’s team translates scientific data and research into inputs that ideally can reach real beneficiaries of that information. Although the share of agriculture in Nepal’s economy has fallen to 30%, some 65% of the population is still dependent on farming. Much of this is subsistence agriculture, which is rainfall-dependent and low in productivity.Nepal must aim for <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/productivity-empowerment-and%20job-with-mechanization-and-cooperative-in-agriculture,2378" target="_blank" rel="noopener">self-sufficiency and surplus in some agricultural products</a>, but for that farmers need data. There is no scarcity of research on how mechanisation or changing crop rotations and cropping patterns could help, but that information much reach where it is needed most.Read Also: <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/farmers-in-Surkhet-save-water-boost-harvests,2132" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smart farmers practice smart farming</a>, Stéphane Huët“If we do not work on information delivery mechanisms, even the best information will be of little use,” explains Bajracharya. “The information must reach real end users and be packaged in a way that they can understand.”In trying to bridge this information gap, Bajracharya and his team found that creating a mobile app was not enough, as many farmers did not have access to the internet or to smart phones. So they established call centres in Salyan and Surkhet, where farmers can call in and ask for advice from experts directly. In more remote areas, the company seeks to connect farmers to local “heroes”, highly successful farmers who are already well-respected locally and whose advice counts for something.GeoKrishi also provides farmers with low-cost equipment for measuring soil fertility and advisory services on what unfamiliar crops to grow at what time. This is important given disruptions to seasonal farming practices because of the climate crisis.Because farming doesn’t offer quick returns, non-farmers are often reluctant to invest in agriculture. However, Nepal has tremendous potential to export niche products. The country’s geographical diversity and altitude variation give it subtropical and tropical regions, mountains as well as river basins, and different micro-climates across the country during the same season. This is nature’s gift to Nepal.Read Also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/returning-to-nepal-has-its-rewards/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Returning to Nepal has its rewards</a>, Naresh Newar“There are no limits to innovations in this sector. And it is time for tech companies to not just focus on products but on creating platforms that reach out to the most neglected communities, like the farmers,” says Bajracharya. These platforms are important to create functional connections between farmers, agro-based vets, traders, marketers, scientific communities and consumers.For now Bajracharya is not making a huge profit, but as a social entrepreneur he believes the company’s value is not just based on cash returns but on its ability to help millions of struggling Nepali farmers to benefit from their hard work.<h2>Information is power</h2><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101136/636b74849c7e80680e06239cjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="983"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>“Information gives us the power to make good decisions and build new confidence, and GeoKrishi has really made a difference to many farmers like me,” says Tilak Sharma, a 33-year-old farmer from Kapurkot Rural Municipality of Salyan district.Through the GeoKrishi app, Sharma learned about safer production practices that use less pesticide, reducing farm expenses, and proper scheduling of different stages of the agricultural production cycle. This information has helped him to increase the productivity of his farm by over 20%. Sharma shared his new learnings with 40 fellow subsistence farmers in his region and hopes that the productivity of their farms will increase as well.Sharma now also sends feedback to the GeoKrishi team to help it create more locally-relevant content. The collating of farmers’ knowledge in this two-way information exchange helps GeoKrishi to customize information to the local context, thereby better serving farmers in each region.

Building an information bridge for Nepal’s farmers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quNIH9UyXBI&amp;feature=youtu.beKathmandu’s overcrowded public buses are a daily challenge for commuters, but they are virtually impossible for the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-right-of-passage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visually impaired</a> and people with disabilities. Fortunately there is now <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/outdated-laws-limited-ecommerce-hold-back-tech-industry%20,3547" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tootle</a>, the motorcycle ride-sharing app, for people like massage therapist Junu Shrestha, 31, who likes the door-to-door service.“I am a female and a blind one at that. Micros are unsafe, taxis are expensive, but Tootle is affordable and convenient,” says Shrestha (pictured below) who commutes every day to work at a Boudha branch of <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/touching-and-feeling-seeing-hands,4105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seeing Hands</a>, the blind massage therapy centres in Kathmandu.Chiran Paudel, 35, is fed up with extortion from taxi drivers taking advantage of his inability to see. Paudel tells his female colleagues to avoid micros and taxis, and call Tootle or the other ride-sharing app, <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pathao.user&amp;hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pathao</a>, instead.“I can’t count the number of times I’ve been cheated by taxi drivers,” says Paudel, who also works for Seeing Hands.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41919c7e80680e04a681jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="359"/><figcaption>All photos: MONIKA DEUPALA</figcaption></figure>Kushal Pandey, 26, is partially blind, and says it is nearly impossible to get on crowded buses. “As soon as conductors see our walking stick or someone on a wheelchair they speed off, and if the driver does stop it is impossible to get the seat for the disabled.”It is no coincidence that <a href="https://tootle.today/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tootle</a>, which has been facing hurdles over taxation, has taken off among female commuters and people living with disabilities, who find public transport difficult and dangerous. Women make up half of Tootle’s users — and roughly 10% of the service's drivers — and there are more than 150 visually impaired riders a day.“The Tootle app was developed to give everyone the freedom of movement, especially those living with disabilities, women who face <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/going-under-cover-bus-sting-operation%20,3889" target="_blank" rel="noopener">harassment in crowded public transport</a> and those without personal vehicles,” says CEO Sixit Bhatta, who adds that the firm’s software engineers have worked with the visually impaired and those with disabilities to make the app more user friendly.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41949c7e80680e04a682jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427">Roma Neupane lost her left leg in an accident when she was eight. She is now a famous <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=14509#.XOaYW1IzaUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one-legged dancer</a> and actress in Nepali movies. But despite her popularity, she hasn’t been able to travel easily to shoots around Kathmandu.“I have to perform all over the city and often times the shoot goes late into night; I now manage it all with Tootle,” says Neupane, who calls for rides up to four times a day and to get home at night. “The drivers now know me and treat me like their sister.”In the two years since its launch, the ride-sharing startup has also amassed support among the general public, created 10,000 jobs, and now serves thousands of passengers a day. Much more challenging has been navigating Nepal’s byzantine tax laws and the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepals-budding-e-commerce-ecosystem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lack of electronic micropayments</a>.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41979c7e80680e04a683jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427">Bhimmaya Sunuwar (pictured driving the motorcycle above) a mother of two from Dharan, works as a Tootle driver from 9AM-3PM, when she is free from her duties as a mother and homemaker. She makes Rs30,000 a month, and Tootle does not take any fee from women drivers like her.Says the 37-year-old: “The best thing is that the working hours are flexible and I can choose to ride when I want to. And the money is handy.”

Sonia Awale

Three toots for Tootle

The newly-formed Himalayan Art Council is set to launch Nepal’s National Art Protection Platform that seeks to preserve <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/the-history-of-heritage">Nepal’s unique cultural heritage </a>using<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/artificial-censorship"> AI-powered tools</a>. The Council seeks to safeguard <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/nepali-art-going-places">Nepali art works</a> from neglect, theft and counterfeiting as well as preserve existing artwork and celebrate living masters by giving them a cultural space to continue the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/sacred-survival">sacred art traditions</a>. "We are introducing a new digital platform designed to preserve, verify and elevate <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/nepals-new-generation-of-alternative-artists">Nepal’s art for generations to come,</a>” says a statement from the Council, adding that the digital platform will use AI told for authentication and blockchain to keep track of works of art. Artists can now be protected by <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/ayo-ai?fbclid=IwAR1uwmTVq4gUB70ljfRezjzukD9ArWXPuMnUikopeQ8PoiZMjicToPSwhKE&amp;=1">AI tools</a> that detect forgeries, identify their work even when unsigned, and ensure they receive proper recognition and credit. The archives will be searchable with translated inscription and interactive guides. Says curator Meena Lama: “AI and blockchains are tools that give us the power to detect fakes and identify unsigned paintings and track every piece. With these tools we can restore trust, secure authorship and give artists the dignity they deserve.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250514170544_2ab58f6313c0458f75114a692b0016bd9efb3b59d5f8f07f0da72e1e37b82f53.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20250514170544_2ab58f6313c0458f75114a692b0016bd9efb3b59d5f8f07f0da72e1e37b82f53" data-rendition-name="original" width="1300" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Artwork at the Traditional Art Exhibition at Patan Museum."> <figcaption>Artwork at the Traditional Art Exhibition at Patan Museum.</figcaption> </figure>  The Council is also holding an exhibition of Nepali cultural masterpieces with 50 historical <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Buzz-the-art,671">thangka and paubha </a>by past masters and <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/between-the-sacred-and-everyday">contemporary works by current artists</a>. This curated collection is a living tribute to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/when-yaks-go-so-does-culture">Himalayan culture</a> with economic depictions of deities, mandala and sacred narratives. The exhibition at <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/a-portal-into-patan-s-past-and-present">Patan Museum</a> also provides an opportunity to meet painters and custodians of art and culture. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/golden-deities">Golden deities</a>, Sewa Bhattarai ‘The exhibition is only the first step in a long journey to ensure that Nepali art is no just seen but fully understood, <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Narratives-of-Faith-and-Memory-Remembering-the-Lost-Sculptures-of-Kathmandu-exhibition,987">protected and remembered</a>,’ the Council says. Artist Kailash K Shrestha of Artudio has spent decades promoting thankha and paubha traditions because of their beauty and devotional meaning. But he also says artists are underpaid, exploited and ignored. He adds, “AI and blockchain are not just buzzwords, they are powerful tools that can protect Nepal’s artists from fraud, verify authenticity and build a permanent record of provenance.” Traditional Art Exhibition Till 17 May Patan Museum

Digital protection for Nepal’s art

India and Pakistan are twins separated at birth. Tensions between them have been at a hair trigger ever since independence and has erupted into full scale conflict at least four times in the past 80 years.
The 22 April terrorist attack in Kashmir that killed 25 Indian tourists and a Nepali citizen, threatens to escalate tension between the two nuclear-armed nations. India has squarely blamed Pakistan for the attacks, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his military “operational freedom” to respond. Pakistan has said it has credible intelligence of an Indian military strike and its officials have promised a “full spectrum” response — a code for a <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/thinking-the-thinkable">nuclear retaliation</a>.
For Nepal, the killing of its national in the Pahalgam attack comes as another stark reminder that in conflicts from Afghanistan to Iraq, from <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/how-to-agree-an-armistice-in-ukraine">Ukraine</a> to Israel, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/10-nepalis-from-one-town-fighting-in-ukraine">Nepalis are getting caught in the crossfire</a>. The last time full-scale fighting broke out between <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/peacemongers-at-india-pakistan-border">India and Pakistan</a> on Kargil in 1999, at least 22<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/india-s-trial-by-fire-for-soldiers-from-nepal?%27%5C%22="> Nepalis fighting for the Indian Army</a> were killed in action.
Three of Nepal’s immediate neighbours (China, India, Pakistan) have nuclear weapons, and they do not have good relations. With China supplying weapons, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/war-and-warming">missile technology</a> and other support to Pakistan, this triangular friction could set off a regional conflagration.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-022-00573-0" target="_blank">Research at Rutgers University</a> has calculated that even a week-long tactical nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan would throw up so much smoke and debris into the atmosphere that it would block out the sun for years, and lead to a collapse of the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/grow-nourish-sustain-together-world-food-day">global food system</a>. This does not take into account the radioactive fallout that prevailing winds would blow up to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/lives-on-the-line-in-the-himalaya">the Himalaya</a>, contaminating glaciers that are the sources of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/saving-what-is-left-of-himalayan-rivers">Asia’s main rivers</a>.
The impact of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/climate-breakdown-linked-to-thame-flood">climate breakdown </a>on High Asia was already ringing alarm bells about its <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/himalayan-icecap-melting-faster-than-thought">shrinking ice cap</a> reducing the dry season flow of water downstream. Water was going to be the next strategic commodity, geopolitical experts warned, and the next wars in Asia would be over water.
That water war is already happening. India retaliated to the Kashmir attack by suspending the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/24/world/asia/india-pakistan-indus-waters-treaty.html" target="_blank">Indus Waters Treaty</a> of 1960 mediated by the World Bank that has withstood at least three wars between India and Pakistan. The treaty gives India control over the three eastern tributaries of the Indus (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beas_River" target="_blank">Beas</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravi_River" target="_blank">Ravi</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutlej" target="_blank">Sutlej</a>), while Pakistan got water from the Indus and two of its western tributaries (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_River" target="_blank">Indus</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chenab_River" target="_blank">Chenab</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jhelum_River" target="_blank">Jhelum</a>.
Pakistan was assured of 70% of the annual flow, and India could use a reasonable amount of water for<a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=15231"> irrigation and hydropower</a>. &nbsp;Within days of its threat, India stopped water flowing down to Pakistan from the Chenab river and is reportedly preparing to do the same on the Jhelum.
The sabre-rattling has reached a crescendo. Besides threats and counter-threats there are also symbolic drills, with the Indian Air Force practicing landing on an expressway in Uttar Pradesh by its Rafale, Su-30 and Jaguar fighter jets to demonstrate ‘operational readiness’. In response Pakistan test-fired its Abdali ballistic missile that can carry a nuclear warhead and has a range of 450km.&nbsp;
The danger is that with ultra-nationalist rhetoric and the beating the war drums by both sides, India’s government and Pakistan’s military may have to ‘do something’ to appease domestic public opinion. But any tactical strike, an artillery exchange, or territorial incursion could quickly escalate out of control.
Expecting an Indian retaliation for the Pahalgam killings, Pakistan is using<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/interfaith-collaboration-for-nuclear-disarmament"> nuclear deterrence </a>and warning of “catastrophic consequences”. The two neighbours came close to a nuclear exchange in 2019 after an attack on the Indian military in Kashmir, and prompt international intervention led by the United States cooled tensions.&nbsp;
This time, the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/trump-shock-wave-hits-nepal">Trump administration</a> is too distracted and not as engaged. Pakistan has denied it was responsible for the terrorist attack and called on Washington to stop a possible Indian retaliation. India and Pakistan have stopped overflights by each other’s airlines, and some international carriers have even stopped flying over Pakistan fearing an air war.
Washington, Beijing, the UN and the EU have all urged restraint. Iran, which has good relations with both India and Pakistan has sent its foreign minister to urge both countries not to go into a tit-for-tat war. Iran has its own nuclear flashpoint to worry about with tensions in Israel, &nbsp;Yemen and Syria.
India and Pakistan both share similar problems of joblessness, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/why-nepal-s-poverty-rate-is-stuck">poverty </a>and <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/climate-change-new-threat-to-nepal-s-rhinos">environmental threats</a>. Neither side needs the threat of a senseless war, and we in the neighbourhood do not need it either.&nbsp;
Kunda Dixit
This Editorial is brought to you by <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/" target="_blank">Nepali Times</a>, in collaboration with <a href="https://inpsjapan.com/en/" target="_blank">INPS Japan</a> and <a href="https://sgi-peace.org/" target="_blank">Soka Gakkai International</a>, in consultative status with UN ECOSOC.

Nukes in the neighbourhood

Most Nepalis thought they had seen the last of it after <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/11-56-25-april-2015-wkc9q2an">the 25 April 7.8 magnitude </a>earthquake ten years ago. But the Himalaya had more surprises in store. On 12 May, another 7.3 magnitude tremor that some said was an aftershock, but was strong enough to itself be a major earthquake, struck Dolakha.&nbsp; Not many people had heard of Singati till then — a cluster of houses by the Tama Kosi River along a narrow gorge that is the roadhead to Rolwaling Valley.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110520_57b6e316656851f71eca56ca6f98d9bbcc820c1a00d62af3c990725b4361244d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20250508110520_57b6e316656851f71eca56ca6f98d9bbcc820c1a00d62af3c990725b4361244d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110520_016534fb2b6a79957402281cda768efb83a146786377e39e11df3e251d37159e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20250508110520_016534fb2b6a79957402281cda768efb83a146786377e39e11df3e251d37159e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> </figure>  It was here that dozens were killed on 25 April in the first earthquake. Hundreds of <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Singati-rising-from-rubble-rebuilding,3703">Singati survivors</a> had lined up for food and relief supplies in the morning of 12 May when the second earthquake triggered a rock slide that buried a nearby camp. At least 50 people were killed. &nbsp; Three hours later, a US Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom helicopter landed in a nearby cornfield to pick up the wounded, and flew off. The aircraft lost contact with air traffic control in Kathmandu and its wreckage was located high on Kalinchok four days later. Six American servicemen, two Nepal Army soldiers, and five wounded civilians from Singati were killed. Today, Singati bears little physical scar of the multiple tragedies that struck the town ten years ago. Most <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/bungamati-builds-back">houses have been rebuilt</a> as urban-style concrete structures, and Singati has become an economic hub on the road leading up to several hydropower plants and a<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/off-the-beaten-trek-in-nepal"> popular trekking destination</a>.&nbsp; The town looks less like a village and more like a suburb of the Dolakha district headquarter of Charikot, 47km away.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110520_196f341d1df1403ba133e5dfeb837eec20d7cbcb4c8c56b17cc5598810de5df2.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20250508110520_196f341d1df1403ba133e5dfeb837eec20d7cbcb4c8c56b17cc5598810de5df2" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110524_ae66c4a92430f67db51b5e11e017059eedfbac4cb18c8e073f2a50cca1fe904e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20250508110524_ae66c4a92430f67db51b5e11e017059eedfbac4cb18c8e073f2a50cca1fe904e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> </figure>  “The demand for construction material, cement, iron rods and bricks peaked after the earthquakes,” says Suresh Khadka, who owns a hardware business here and now supplies material to the 456MW Upper Tama Kosi hydropower project that is undergoing repairs after it was damaged by a landslide last year. The demand for cement boomed since most residents believe, not necessarily correctly, that <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/in-a-disastrous-state">cement houses are safer</a>. Although Khadka did well selling construction material after the earthquake, he worries that most new structures do not follow seismic-resistant building codes.&nbsp; The construction boom financed by bank loans has in turn forced many from Singati to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/making-overseas-migration-better">migrate overseas for work</a> so they can service their debt.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110524_50caa4530bd5ff9120cf7ab70a62173846d337ef448ff8bac339f3faa375a9e2.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20250508110524_50caa4530bd5ff9120cf7ab70a62173846d337ef448ff8bac339f3faa375a9e2" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> <figcaption>Suresh Khadka</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110520_ef8b7d3993fc3b5df852bbf952feb3fbabc96d6883b0d5eb74ee5c60f4123b83.jpg" data-media-id="editor_11" data-image-id="20250508110520_ef8b7d3993fc3b5df852bbf952feb3fbabc96d6883b0d5eb74ee5c60f4123b83" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> <figcaption>Phu Doma Sherpa (right)</figcaption> </figure>  “My family had no choice but to borrow money to rebuild our home since the government compensation was not enough, and ten years later we are still paying off the loan,” says Phu Doma Sherpa, 60. Because of the shortage of qualified masons and proper seismic engineering, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/structural-problems">many of the buildings are of questionable building standards </a>and the traditional architecture has been abandoned, admits Kul Bahadur Budathoki, deputy chair of the municipality. “But these buildings were more expensive than what the government grants could cover, many people here are heavily in debt and the men have <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/every-day-is-closer-to-pay-day">migrated to the Gulf to pay their loans</a>,” Budathoki says.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110520_32f89e97b7e757fc9286c0bbb671f48ea8d4468e9634fa646d7247c650ad8480.jpg" data-media-id="editor_14" data-image-id="20250508110520_32f89e97b7e757fc9286c0bbb671f48ea8d4468e9634fa646d7247c650ad8480" data-rendition-name="original" width="1501" height="1079" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> <figcaption>Kul Bahadur Budathoki</figcaption> </figure>  Singati is in a multi-hazard zone. The <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Singati,3091">12 May 2015 earthquake </a>could have led to the collapse of Nepal’s largest glacial lake, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/stairway-to-heaven">Tso Rolpa</a>, upstream. Due to global warming, the glacier has turned into an expanding lake 3.5km long, and its collapse would have unleashed a catastrophic Himalayan tsunami down the Tama Kosi Valley, with Singati directly in its path. Singati has literally risen from the ashes of 2015, with its residents beginning to recover from the trauma and financial toll. But it is not out of danger as <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/climate-breakdown-linked-to-thame-flood">climate breakdown </a>magnifies the risk from future earthquakes.

Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village

The streets of Patan are alive this month with lavender jacaranda trees under rain-washed skies as <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/the-red-god-rises-again-in-patan">the chariot of Rato Matsyendranath</a> is pulled across town. This is the festival of the rain god, and inevitably the heavens opened up and pre-monsoon showers pelted the chariot as it started being pulled in Pulchok last week. Thousands of devotees, onlookers and the chariot procession organisers thronged the streets on the first day last week. The rhythmic cymbals and drums exuded a vibrant energy as the enormous four wheels turned and the chariot lurched.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025051007050_81df97744db16f732a419dc1f1579d235ce3df37642b078f50b83bd4bd026688.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2025051007050_81df97744db16f732a419dc1f1579d235ce3df37642b078f50b83bd4bd026688" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1503" loading="lazy" alt="Divine chariot"> </figure>  The<a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Red-rain-god,3141"> red rain god</a> has Hindu and Buddhist antecedents, alternatively called Bungadya and<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/kathmandu-s-gravity-defying-chariot-festival"> Karunamaya</a> — reflecting Kathmandu Valley’s syncretic mixture of the two religions.&nbsp; “Bungadya is a profoundly <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/12-full-opinion/marketing-the-intangible">intangible form of heritage</a>,” explains heritage expert Monalisa Maharjan. “It embodies traditional knowledge,<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/reviving-nepal-s-craft"> artisanal skills passed down through generations</a>. Local communities and specific families have specified roles in being custodians of the heritage, ensuring their survival over the centuries.” There are many legends and stories about this annual tradition. Lichhavi king Narendra Dev is supposed to have brought Rato Matsyendranath from Assam to Kathmandu Valley to convince Guru Gorakhnath to lift a spell that created a two-year drought in Kathmandu.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250510050520_347a9a398f8a9abc4a7fb4e2774fde8264cccbdce8bdab23851ab3f0e73c3e8a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20250510050520_347a9a398f8a9abc4a7fb4e2774fde8264cccbdce8bdab23851ab3f0e73c3e8a" data-rendition-name="original" width="1503" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Divine chariot"> </figure>  Matsyendranath was Gorakhnath’s mentor, and upon seeing him, the serpents were released, unleashing the rains. The chariot festival honours the return of this life-giving rain. The deity is seen as an icon for thriving agriculture, t<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/before-the-next-monsoon">he arrival of monsoon</a> showers, and the welfare of the community. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/the-reign-of-the-god-of-rain">The reign of the god of rain</a>, Vidhu Prakash Kayastha Till this day, the Rato Matsyendranath festival is no ordinary celebration. Patan does not sleep for a month as the chariot is pulled through various neighbourhoods. It unfolds at a state level with the president (formerly the king) attending the climax of the Bhoto Jatra in Jawalakhel later this month.&nbsp; The intergenerational transmission of tradition is unique in the world, and the reason the festival is one of the most vibrant cultural expressions that thrives despite inroads of modernity. The other unique aspect is that it is a transnational festival, binding Patan with Guwahati in the Indian state of Assam.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025051005058_8bc685ada13045d863b28e3eed91c931da2b510714586af6fd7eb5d1e298a24a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="2025051005058_8bc685ada13045d863b28e3eed91c931da2b510714586af6fd7eb5d1e298a24a" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1503" loading="lazy" alt="Divine chariot"> </figure>  “Unlike Nepal, where the deity commands grandeur and devotion, many in Assam are unaware of Rato Matsyendranath,” says Khagen Sharma of Gauhati University, which convened <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/nepal-assam-connection-revived">a symposium in February in Guwahati on the rain god</a>. Attending was a delegation led by Lalitpur Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan, organisers of the festival, and builders of the chariot. After the symposium, a committee was formed to explore and revive the tradition in Assam as well. Although the team had planned to visit Nepal this month, logistical challenges delayed the trip. Still, there are plans to build a Guru Matsyendranath statue in Assam to reestablish regular worship practices in the Guwahati shrine.&nbsp; The vines used to build the chariot in Patan are sourced from the jungles of Assam. But Sharma notes that in recent years unclear regulations have blocked the official import of the vines, although they are still brought to Nepal informally. The <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/makers-of-machhindranath,2204">chariot making</a> has also had a taste of modernisation in recent times. In the past, even a single nail or piece of steel was avoided. But over time, the wooden structure, particularly the shaft between the wheels, has been replaced with bronze. When that too proved unstable, metal clamps were introduced, which have become a pragmatic compromise.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250510050524_b2a819a5791612f14c81d30fc393dbd3f99f0c64b90a9110e8b0855d944bfa93.jpg" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="20250510050524_b2a819a5791612f14c81d30fc393dbd3f99f0c64b90a9110e8b0855d944bfa93" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="998" loading="lazy" alt="Divine chariot"> </figure>  Another welcome change is the focus on safety. Builders climbing the chariot’s tower now wear harnesses and there are efforts in crowd control. The most visible change in recent years has been the involvement of Patan’s enthusiastic youth in the festival — the tradition is now passing to a new generation. Says Matsyendranath expert Vidhu Kayastha: “There is more energy, the young people in red t-shirts this year were very organised, these modern touches aren’t diluting our culture, they’re keeping it alive in new forms.” He adds, “We are <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/searching-for-a-homeland-away-from-home">reconnecting with our roots</a>, we have more resources, more awareness than ever before. We must not be swept away by western values that may not serve us, and in some ways, cause more harm than good. We must revive our own culture.”&nbsp;