Bardia National Park is naturally famous for being the easiest place in the world to see tigers in the wild. But since visiting this jewel in the plains of western Nepal five times in the last 40 years, what attracts me most about Bardia besides its charismatic mammals is its fabulous birdlife. The park has recorded over 525 bird species and 61 mammals, and is recognised as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area and so of global importance for birds and other wildlife. By area, Bardia is Nepal’s largest national park in the Tarai, and much of it consists of the alluvial plain of the Karnali River in the west as it bursts out of the mountains, and the pristine Babai River valley to the northeast.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240601010640_5ae001599fa5f7df2f3a461106cc765aad061744bc8bd4b4fa4735869ef7c77b.png" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20240601010640_5ae001599fa5f7df2f3a461106cc765aad061744bc8bd4b4fa4735869ef7c77b" data-rendition-name="original" width="1704" height="1158" loading="lazy" alt="birds of Nepal"> </figure>  To the north, the Chure Range rises to 1,440m which means the park has diverse vegetation types ranging from extensive grasslands to climax forests, and over 70% of the reserve is covered by sal forests.&nbsp; Then there are riverine forests of acacia and sissoo in the lowlands and deciduous and chir pine forests higher up. The park is dotted with pools, many of them manmade, to provide water for wildlife. But what makes Bardia special are its birds. Just woodpeckers, there are 16 species, including the globally Vulnerable Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus): a gangling and prehistoric-looking bird that is one of the largest woodpeckers in the world.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240601010636_3576e07e2731932dfdb0c7b59863aada319535dc6769eff675924defb22541bf.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20240601010636_3576e07e2731932dfdb0c7b59863aada319535dc6769eff675924defb22541bf" data-rendition-name="original" width="3580" height="2518" loading="lazy" alt="Great Slaty Woodpecker"> <figcaption>Great Slaty Woodpecker, easily located by its distinctive whinnying cackle and often in small groups.</figcaption> </figure>  Then there is the scarce White-naped Woodpecker (Chrysocolaptes festivus) which is endemic to the Subcontinent.&nbsp; Great Hornbills (Buceros bicornis) are frequently seen, but the loss of large fruiting trees as nest sites and food source, as well as hunting for food and medicinal purposes have put the hornbill in the globally vulnerable category.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240601010640_b4e9687e4634bba32b76bc89a1a5d275a30d39e4eb3b15294da5169248da0a44.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20240601010640_b4e9687e4634bba32b76bc89a1a5d275a30d39e4eb3b15294da5169248da0a44" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1252" loading="lazy" alt="The Great Hornbill"> <figcaption>The Great Hornbill in flight when it makes a sound like a steam engine starting up.</figcaption> </figure>  Bardia is rich in raptors, and among them is the Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis), a winter visitor. Rapid recent declines have led to it being listed as globally Endangered. The rare local Grey-headed Fish-Eagle (Icthyophaga ichthyaetus) can be seen on pools and streams.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240601010640_efaef889e4fa44a70263e3d6dbc60998bee21832f520e44e9d3df0e1ced7824c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20240601010640_efaef889e4fa44a70263e3d6dbc60998bee21832f520e44e9d3df0e1ced7824c" data-rendition-name="original" width="1985" height="1811" loading="lazy" alt="Grey-headed Fish-Eagle"> <figcaption>Grey-headed Fish-Eagle feeds almost entirely on fish, sometimes supplemented by birds and mammals.</figcaption> </figure>  The Rufous-bellied Eagle (Lophotriorchis kienerii) is another uncommon resident in the park and listed as Near-threatened globally because of widespread deforestation. An aerial hunter, it often captures prey on or near the ground or treetops after spectacular dives. Bardia has an impressive list of 14 resident owl species. The magnificent Mottled Wood Owl (Strix ocellata) was only discovered for the first time in Nepal in 2015 when a pair was photographed in Khata Corridor in the Buffer Zone and has been frequently recorded since. India is the only other country where Mottled Wood Owl is regularly seen.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240601010640_ce746028c7025ab5a2235a1fff8a5bce77cea32dfa938ef41f87274db8ced956.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20240601010640_ce746028c7025ab5a2235a1fff8a5bce77cea32dfa938ef41f87274db8ced956" data-rendition-name="original" width="4080" height="3803" loading="lazy" alt="The Mottled Wood Owl NT"> <figcaption>The Mottled Wood Owl is nocturnal, if lucky can be spotted before dusk falls.</figcaption> </figure>  The Dusky Eagle-owl (Bubo coromandus) often breeds in a deserted stick raptor nest in the top of tall mature trees, at the forest edge or in grassland. Brown Fish-owl (Ketupa zeylonensis) is a commonly seen resident, usually roosting in the daytime camouflaged in thick foliage of large trees in a secluded site near water in forest. Bardia supports a host of smaller bird species like the Blue-bearded (Nyctyornis athertoni) and Asian Green (Merops orientalis) Bee-eaters are fairly common residents, while Chestnut-headed (M. leschenaulti) and Blue-tailed (M. philippinus) Bee-eaters are common in summer.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240601010644_b6ed309138a64ed6a1ad7b06bb057c45ddbbe47805b1fd98b2d04a4119a97bf9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20240601010644_b6ed309138a64ed6a1ad7b06bb057c45ddbbe47805b1fd98b2d04a4119a97bf9" data-rendition-name="original" width="4080" height="2720" loading="lazy" alt="Spot Bellied Eagle Owl."> </figure>  Other colourful and fairly common summer visitors are Indian (Pitta brachyura) and Western Hooded (P. sordida) Pitta. In March the gorgeous scarlet flowers of the silk cotton tree attract an array of nectar feeders: Hair-crested Drongo (Dicrurus hottentottus), Black-hooded Oriole (Oriolus xanthornus), Scarlet Minivet (Pericrocotus flammeus), and Spot-winged Starling (Saroglossa spiloptera), to name a few. Grassland specialities include Golden-headed Cisticola (Cisticola exilis), Yellow-bellied Prinia, (Prinia flaviventris), White-tailed Bushchat (Saxicola leucurus), Indian Grass-babbler (Graminicola bengalensis), and Chestnut-capped (Timalia pileata), Striated (Argya earlei) and Yellow-eyed (Chrysomma sinense) Babblers.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240601010644_abad29cdacd2091c633fe234fb070b6c92b617849e7ca3c1ba60db43edad2187.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20240601010644_abad29cdacd2091c633fe234fb070b6c92b617849e7ca3c1ba60db43edad2187" data-rendition-name="original" width="4080" height="2722" loading="lazy" alt="Orange-breasted Green Pigeon."> <figcaption>Orange-breasted Green Pigeon.</figcaption> </figure>  The striking Siberian (Calliope calliope) and Himalayan Rubythroat (C. pectoralis) are winter visitors to scrub and grassland as well as several wintering bush-warblers: Aberrant, Grey-sided, Pale-footed and West Himalayan Bush-warbler. The rivers and streams support a rich diversity of birdlife: Greater Painted-snipe (Rostratula benghalensis), River Lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii), Stork-billed (Pelargopsis capensis), Pied Kingfishers (Ceryle rudis) and Black-backed Forktail (Enicurus immaculatus) which are all resident. While in winter there is Blue Rock-thrush (Monticola solitarius), Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria), Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) and many wader species.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240601010644_c5c95f38b86a5047bb0073d9fdd11aef7fef9980772f2b4746978cd1bb95e290.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20240601010644_c5c95f38b86a5047bb0073d9fdd11aef7fef9980772f2b4746978cd1bb95e290" data-rendition-name="original" width="2708" height="1805" loading="lazy" alt="Stork-billed Kingfisher"> <figcaption>Stork-billed Kingfisher is impressive, with a massive red bill.</figcaption> </figure>  While crossing the Babai Bridge on the East-West Highway, there are stunning views of the unspoilt Babai River valley with its forested hills and wild river. The Critically Endangered Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) and Vulnerable Mugger (Crocodylus palustris) can be easily seen in the cold season, basking on sandbanks. The Gharial is exclusively a fish-eater, and it hunts underwater with sharp interlocking teeth and long narrow snout.&nbsp; The Mugger preys on fish, snakes, birds, and mammals and is also a scavenger. The Himalayan or Golden Mahseer (Tor putitora) is an Endangered fish which can reach up to 2.75m and turtles such as the Endangered Indian Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia gangetica) can often be seen on the Babai. Nepal tripled its tiger population to 360 in the past 14 years, and nearly 160 of them are estimated to be in Bardia and its buffer zone.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240601010648_8f657bceea305b157de52e46be4ecc95712994c17d3e6eeacd40ccd240dab9e1.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20240601010648_8f657bceea305b157de52e46be4ecc95712994c17d3e6eeacd40ccd240dab9e1" data-rendition-name="original" width="4000" height="3000" loading="lazy" alt="Bardia"> <figcaption>Bardia National Park is in the alluvial plains of the Karnali River, and is dotted with pools. Photo: CAROL INSKIPP</figcaption> </figure>  The park is one of the best places to see Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) in the wild. Other mammals are: Leopard (Panthera pardus), several deer species including Spotted (Axis axis) and Swamp Deers (Rucervus duvaucelii), Nilgai (Bosephalus tragocamelus), as well as Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) which has been successfully re-introduced from Chitwan National Park. If you are lucky, you can spot the Endangered Gangetic River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) on the Karnali River.&nbsp; Bardia is relatively isolated, and this has helped to protect its wide range of wildlife and habitat, and is much quieter than Chitwan. It is well worth the effort to get there.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240603040632_1beaf48c370de444726e1be6330f5d9c26b61b658624633ebe97efa5ce6c093c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20240603040632_1beaf48c370de444726e1be6330f5d9c26b61b658624633ebe97efa5ce6c093c" data-rendition-name="original" width="900" height="331" loading="lazy" alt="Bardia birds books"> </figure>  Getting to and Staying in Bardia  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240601010648_0255590ce98955aa543f3661cd1ba2f5b317dc67c7aa1a31a450b5d441398005.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20240601010648_0255590ce98955aa543f3661cd1ba2f5b317dc67c7aa1a31a450b5d441398005" data-rendition-name="original" width="4000" height="3000" loading="lazy" alt="Babai River Bardia"> <figcaption>The pristine Babai River valley is situated at the northeastern part of the Bardia National Park. Photo: CAROL INSKIPP</figcaption> </figure>  Fly to Nepalganj from Kathmandu, and take the two-hour jeep ride through the park to the Park Headquarters at Thakurdwara. There is a range of accommodation in the Buffer Zone from luxury resorts to tented camps and homestays. Some suggestions: Royal Tiger Cottage, Burhan Wilderness Camp, Tiger Tops Karnali Lodge. Experienced and very knowledgeable local guides are available for safari and jungle walks. Allow at least three days for your visit. &nbsp;

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Bardia’s birds

It’s a small world

The monsoon has got bad press because Nepal’s tourism operators actively told visitors to avoid <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/managing-the-monsoon?%2F">the rainy season</a>. It is time to change that. The reason can be found right here in the vast alpine meadows of Central Nepal where this time of year you can walk on velvet grass of pastures abloom with delicate pink, red and yellow flowers as the mist rolls up the valley. There is no sound except the hum of bumble bees. &nbsp;&nbsp; There are dozens of places across high Nepal called Chaurikharka, which means yak pasture. But this particular Chaurikharka in Rukum East located at an altitude of 4,000m stands out for its serene beauty, rustic charm and bucolic setting. There is just the occasional chime of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/when-yaks-go-so-does-culture">yak bells</a> in the distance, and the sharp whistle of herders corralling sheep. &nbsp;&nbsp; The grass shoots are so fragile that one hesitates to step on them, the rounded ridges appear and quickly vanish in waves of mist. With the<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/before-the-next-monsoon"> arrival of monsoon</a>, these meadows are a soothing shade of green dotted with millions of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/the-anatomy-of-a-flower?%2F=">multi-coloured flowers</a>. Until very recently, it took a week or so to hike up to places like Chaurikharka, but with the expansion of the road network even to these far-flung mountains in the lap of Dhaulagiri, they are much more accessible. It is just a three-hour uphill from the Mid-Hill Highway on the border between Baglung and Rukum East.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250802130828_a0b06b494d751b2144ffbbf10894ea64b29e8aed844bc8c66171783abfaf4e16.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20250802130828_a0b06b494d751b2144ffbbf10894ea64b29e8aed844bc8c66171783abfaf4e16" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Visit Nepal in the monsoon"> </figure>  Purists would say that such easy access devalues the sanctity of these remote high meadows, but it also means more people will be moved to treasure the experience, appreciate <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/natures-fragile-gift-to-nepal">the value of nature </a>so they can take steps to protect it.&nbsp; To be sure, the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/deadly-monsoon-in-nepal-turns-deadlier">monsoon season can be challenging for road travel</a>. The roads are rough even at the best of times, and in the monsoon they become muddy and treacherous, often blocked by<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/monsoon-deluge-in-nepal"> landslides</a>. But that could be precisely the kind of adventure that the more intrepid visitors crave. Improved road connectivity has already made Chaurikharka and places like Badimallika &nbsp;and other sacred lakes in the mountains of western Nepal popular with domestic tourists. What is driving this traffic is the urge to go to exotic new places and share videos and selfies on social media. Several of Nepal’s travel vloggers have visited Chaurikharka and popularised the place, enticing followers on TikTok or YouTube to retrace their footsteps. But even as they become more popular, these fragile and once-remote places should be protected from over-tourism.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250731110736_f97110b7cdc3e7f80d5877690948fc9f4c95a09c583deb23b07355491e6c5446.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20250731110736_f97110b7cdc3e7f80d5877690948fc9f4c95a09c583deb23b07355491e6c5446" data-rendition-name="original" width="1083" height="699" loading="lazy" alt="Visit Nepal in the monsoon NT"> </figure>  <h2>INCREASING FOOTFALL</h2> Chaurikharka is located in Bhume Rural Municipality of East Rukum, near the scenic valley of Dhorpatan in Baglung district. Even in the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/monsoon-culture">middle of the monsoon</a>, there is a steady stream of Nepali hikers trooping to these high pastures – especially during festival days like Saune Sankranti which this year was on 17 July and actually marks the auspicious beginning of the monsoon here. “This year the rains have not been as heavy and there have been some clear mornings when we could see everything from Dhaulagiri to Machapuchre,” says Khageswar Bhandari, who trekked up here from the road. “The flowers, the greenery and the snowy mountain views make this an incredibly unique place.”&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250802130824_1b9e26f2e9853fdfe69154bb42a7c9ea6da4bf4940efc1da99b304dcfbd7d3d9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20250802130824_1b9e26f2e9853fdfe69154bb42a7c9ea6da4bf4940efc1da99b304dcfbd7d3d9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1152" loading="lazy" alt="Visit Nepal in the monsoon"> </figure>  Chaurikharka is worthwhile to get to in any season, but it has a different charm during the monsoon. Word has spread and because it is now easy to get to from Baglung or even Pokhara, people have been flocking here.&nbsp; “Holidays and Saturdays see the largest crowds, with up to 500 visitors every day,” says ward chair Mankaji Pun of Bhume.&nbsp; There was a time not too long ago when local herders brought sheep, goats, cows, buffaloes, horses, and mules to graze here during the monsoon. Although there are still livestock around, animals have been replaced by visitors taking selfies. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-monsoon-and-nature-s-arithmetic">The monsoon, and nature’s arithmetic</a>, Tom Robertson Ward Chair Pun says infrastructure development is his main priority. A foot trail to Chaurikharka was built last year by the Tourism Division Office in Kohalpur, but access via the Raniwas-Koipa road section still remains challenging.&nbsp; “If we get more budget, we can improve the road and facilities to make Chaurikharka the main tourist attraction of this region,” says Bhume Municipality Chair Hom Prakash Shrestha. “After that, we hope to promote Chaurikharka as a top tourist spot.”&nbsp; Economic activity is also picking up with the arrival of visitors, but there seems to be a need to manage the makeshift sheds made of corrugated sheets that spoil the beauty of the place. Tea shops and lodges are also available but facilities are basic. Kuldeep Neupane took a three-day trip from Ghorahi in Dang to visit Chaurikharka recently, and says: “This is an ideal trip to make a quick getaway and let nature recharge your mind and body. And it is much more fun with a tent, to watch the sunrise over the Himalaya or the mist blowing in.”

Visit Nepal in the monsoon

Two weeks ago, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announced jubilantly on social media that Nepal had achieved a historic annual growth of 81.8% in exports. He was right. Nepal’s trade did take a great leap forward compared to last year. But the dramatic rise was mainly due to processed soya bean oil.&nbsp; However, Nepal does not produce the edible oil it exports. In fact, the soya and palm oil that make up 44% of total exports are imported from Southeast Asia and South America, and simply re-exported, mostly to India.&nbsp; Under the SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area) Agreement, Nepal can export products to India duty-free if it has at least 30% value-added. Nepal’s traders have taken advantage of SAFTA even though the edible oils they export do not reach that value addition threshold. “The 30% value addition requirement is often only on paper,” says former commerce secretary Purushottam Ojha. “It is clear that simply packaging edible oils in Nepal does not fulfil the terms of the trade agreement.” Prime Minister Oli is aware of this, and even called Nepal’s export figures “fake” at an earlier event. The government is relying on other iffy figures to suggest that Nepal’s economy is strong and getting stronger. For example, the value of imports rose by 13.25% in 2024-25 compared to the previous fiscal year.&nbsp; Some of it was due to a jump in electric vehicle imports worth Rs 31.76 billion, but mostly it was because more wholesale soya oil was imported to be re-packaged and sold in India. The very fact that the government boasts about increased imports is an indication of how much it relies on taxing them for revenue. Touting such trade figures cannot be the basis to claim an economic rebound.&nbsp; “A jump in the value of imports can be interpreted as an increase in purchasing power, but it is not evidence of a stronger economy,” says economist Keshav Acharya. “Even though imports have increased, Nepal's domestic production and productive capacity have not improved.” Nepal Rastra Bank's semi-annual economic activity study report shows that industrial production was down in the first six months of the last fiscal year. This despite an increase in the number of new industries registered and investment commitments. Out of the Rs70.2 billion proposed foreign investment, Nepal received only Rs17.9 billion last year.&nbsp; Meanwhile, the rate of capital formation was limited to 24% last year, which is lower than the year before, suggesting that new investment, job creation and economic expansion all declined. If domestic production does not improve in relation to this year’s inflated trade figures, the outflow will put pressure on foreign exchange reserves like it did three years ago. At that time, Nepal borrowed from the IMF under its Extended Credit Facility Program to kickstart the economy.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025080710084_2cdaaa5795828c4a7de93a0604ba884ef0a8b8f24cccd939f6c24e279ab6058f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2025080710084_2cdaaa5795828c4a7de93a0604ba884ef0a8b8f24cccd939f6c24e279ab6058f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1633" height="723" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal's bubble economy NT"> <figcaption>Source: NEPAL RASTRA BANK</figcaption> </figure>  The macroeconomy is on firm footing with foreign exchange reserves at a comfortable Rs2,520 billion in May, up 23% from last year. This was largely due to remittances, and partly due to a falling NPR exchange rate. Real estate transactions and the stock market index have also been climbing as a result of government policies to revive the sector.&nbsp; However, former executive director of Nepal Rastra Bank Nar Bahadur Thapa cautions: “This is not organic growth, it is the result of deliberate policy decisions to relax rules on real estate and stock markets transactions.” In reality, the sharp rise in land prices have increased the cost of production, and excessive monetisation of the real estate has become the main source of Nepal’s economic woes. The central bank has announced a slew of new policies, shifting the terms of loan repayment for industrialists and entrepreneurs, reducing interest rates, and injecting more working capital — all designed to inject adrenaline into the real estate and stock market sectors.&nbsp; When he was governor, Mahaprasad Adhikari made several financial reforms during the latter half of his tenure to stimulate the economy, including tightening credit flow.&nbsp; By the last fiscal year, additional financial reforms had resulted in a credit expansion rate of around 8%. As the pace of credit expansion slows, real estate prices have started to fall. This is actually beneficial to the economy, because it lays the foundation for improvements in land-related entrepreneurship, production, and the construction sector. Just because real estate and the stock market transactions increase, it does not indicate an economic turnaround — especially when manufacturing and productive sector continues to languish.&nbsp; “It is foolish to believe that real estate and the stock market have magically revived our economy. Agriculture employs more than half of the population, but it is in decline. Investment in the productive sector has not increased, and job creation has not increased.” Two years ago, Nepal’s industrialists, business leaders, and political leadership predicted a recession amidst a sluggish business, declining market demand, large-scale job loss, and a shrinking real estate and share market.&nbsp; Still, the economy grew by 3.36% in fiscal year 2023/24. In fact, Nepal’s economy has grown nominally over the last two decades even when all sectors of the economy are in decline.&nbsp; Says Keshav Acharya: “The growth in trade, real estate, and the stock market are bubbles. The real economy remains stagnant.”

Nepal’s bubble economy

The final investigation report on the crash of a Saurya Airlines jet on 24 July 2024 at Kathmandu airport has revealed flaws in the carrier’s technical operation procedures, poor monitoring by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and gaps in the airport’s emergency response. Eighteen people including a child were killed, and only the captain survived as the plane plunged seconds after takeoff, crashing within the airport perimeter. This was the latest in a series of aircraft accidents in previous years, and further tarnished Nepal’s already poor aviation safety record and contributed to the country being retained in the EU’s air safety list. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The circumstances in the Saurya crash were different from the Yeti Airlines crash in Pokhara in January 2022 that killed all 72 on board, and two Tara Air crashes in February 2016 and May 2022 on approach to Jomsom that together claimed 45 lives. However, all four tragedies were a result of negligence of carriers and crew, failure to follow procedures, regulatory slackness, and overconfidence. The Saurya crash, especially, was a glaring example of how an ailing airline broke its own rules to allow passengers, including non-employees, a joy ride to Pokhara on a maintenance ferry flight. CRASH REPORT The Final Investigation Report prepared by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission and released on the first anniversary of the crash last week carried a long list of rules that were ignored or broken, and of regulatory failure. The first mistake was to cram spares, tools and inflammable chemicals needed for the aircraft’s C-Check in Pokhara into the cargo hold flouting its own ground handling procedures.&nbsp; There was no check-in of passengers, some of whom were not even employees – even though regulations say only flight and maintenance crew should be on board a maintenance positioning flight. Many brought their own luggage into the plane and stored it unsecured in the cabin. There was no flight attendant to give a safety briefing to passengers. The load and trim charts given to the flight crew were rough estimates, and the total takeoff weight of the plane was 18,300kg plus or minus 200 kg. That would still have been all right, but there was a glaring mistake in the speedchart Saurya pilots were using to calculate the minimum takeoff speed (known as VR), and it had been wrong ever since the 21-year-old aircraft entered service with the airline in 2017. FAULTY DATA&nbsp; The Commission probed Flight Data Recorder inputs from previous takeoffs of the Canadian-built CRJ200-LR in 2023-2024 and found that the undetected error in the speedchart had caused the plane to pitch up at an abnormal rotation rate at least 18 times on previous takeoffs.&nbsp; Any rotation rate more than 3°/sec is regarded as unusual. But on at least two occasions, this aircraft with tail number 9N-AME had rotation rates of 5.8°/sec and 5.5°/sec, the second one was when the pilot who survived was flying in March 2024.&nbsp; On this particular day, the plane’s rotation rate was 6.5°/sec, causing it to go into a deep stall soon after takeoff, the Commission report said. Essentially, the plane was not flying fast enough down the runway to take off safely.&nbsp; It is not yet clear whether excess weight, unsecured luggage, wrong centre of gravity were also factors, but relying on a faulty speedchart for the given takeoff weight, the captain flying pulled back on the yoke before the plane had reached takeoff speed and at a pitch angle that was too steep. The investigation report says the plane then went into a deep stall and started banking right with the stick shaking. At this point, the flight officer on the right hand seat is heard on the cockpit voice recorder saying: “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Sir, Sir, Sir…” It then banked left before the pilot flying turned the plane sharply to the right again in an evasive action to avoid the parking aprons of the international and domestic terminals. Had he not done so, there would have been a disaster of a much greater magnitude at Kathmandu airport that day. The plane scraped the runway with its right wingtip, collided with a container having helicopter spare parts, and plunged into a gully east of the runway, exploding in a fireball. The investigation also noted that the impact forces seemed to be survivable for some occupants. The fire trucks took unnecessarily long to reach the site even though it was inside the airport perimeter. The absence of an ICAO-standard runway strip, inadequate rescue drills, lack of training, and a blocked emergency service gate leading to the crash site were cited as other factors. &nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>Timestamp of a Disaster</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250731110724_39cdd04693994ce6e55a5b302905c0fa4884fe85bed21ff0779bb1439f3a5725.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20250731110724_39cdd04693994ce6e55a5b302905c0fa4884fe85bed21ff0779bb1439f3a5725" data-rendition-name="original" width="778" height="826" loading="lazy" alt="Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy NT"> </figure>  11:10:34 - The Saurya Airlines CRJ200 on the takeoff roll from runway 02. It had a takeoff weight of about 18,300kg, but the pilot’s speedcard had a previously undetected mistake about the minimum takeoff speed. 11:10:55 -The plane with tail number 9N-AME goes into deep stall soon after takeoff because it does not have enough speed to lift its weight. The plane also has an abnormally steep nose-up attitude.&nbsp; 11:11:03 - Without enough speed to generate lift, the plane banks right, then left and right again in CCTV photos taken from the domestic apron (below). If it had not banked right, it could have hit the aprons and terminal buildings. Seen parked is Saurya’s other CRJ200 with tail number 9N-ANM.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250731110732_608132f7225c649125cca2691dd6a6bf930984c5b359e888d7ad9e5eacce3afd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20250731110732_608132f7225c649125cca2691dd6a6bf930984c5b359e888d7ad9e5eacce3afd" data-rendition-name="original" width="770" height="555" loading="lazy" alt="Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy NT"> </figure>  11:11:08 - The plane scrapes the runway with its right wingtip, and falls into the gully. The captain is thrown off the left side of the cockpit and survives. 11:11:15: Plane explodes in a fireball inside the airport perimeter. Firefighters take time to reach the site because of lack of access road and a blocked gate. Read the full investigation report <a href="https://www.tourism.gov.np/files/9N-AME%20AIC%20Final%20Report.pdf">here</a>.

Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy

American artist Peter Makela was in Nepal in 2022 on a Fulbright scholarship when he experienced the Matya festival in Patan in which devotees made the rounds of the city’s shrines.&nbsp;
He joined the procession, walking through 2,600 stupa and 140 bahal of the town. That immersion left a lasting impression.
As part of Gallery Mcube’s international residency program in Patan, he put his inspiration to canvas in the exhibition Yala Yatra: Walking, Working, Worshipping. The exhibition also coincides with this month’s Matya festival.&nbsp;
Makela has visited Nepal often in the past 11 years but he mostly stayed in and spent his time around Boudha. “This time I stayed in Patan, put the sites I wanted to visit on my map, and off I went,” he tells us. “Each of my artwork is inspired by the stupas and shrines in Patan that I visited.”
The stupa and Ganesh are recurring motifs in his watercolours, and the elephant gods are located in chaityas — reflecting the interplay and blending of the Hindu and Buddhist faiths in Kathmandu Valley.&nbsp;
The stupas and Ganesh are painted in vivid red, yellow, blue and green against abstract backgrounds meant to represent the sky.
“I use the sky as a backdrop because the sky has no border,” says Makela. “The four colours represent the four elements, the different Buddha families and also lights bouncing off of a rainbow.”
The use of just four colours for all the artwork stands out, and combined with the absence of heavy canvases, frames or stands render Makela’s art striking in its simplicity.&nbsp;
The Ganesh is always holding something and the art also portrays the elephant god’s sacred vehicle, the mouse.
While his vibrant stupas and Ganesh reflect the tangibility of Patan’s tradition and heritage, it is as if the backdrops with their shades of grey and red and yellow capture the soul of the city’s shrines.
“If you look closely, there is a sense of form and formlessness at the same time,” he says.&nbsp;
Makela walked 108 kora around the shrines during his exploration of the town, and in the process developed a spiritual connection with Patan’s heritage and traditions.&nbsp;
The exhibition connects with visitors on a deeper, more spiritual, level as well. And with it, they feel a sense of pride as well as the need to urgently preserve Patan’s heritage for future generations.
“Peter’s inclination and approach towards Nepali art and culture is fascinating, and it reflects in his work,” says Mcube curator Manish Lal Shrestha, whose international artist residency program promotes Nepal’s cultural heritage. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Yala Yatra: Walking, Working, Worshipping
1-5 August&nbsp;
10AM-7PM
Gallery Mcube, Patan

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Walking, working, worshipping in Patan