A trip to Bhadgaon is a commitment. You need to get on that Arniko Highway, and race Enfields and micros zooming eastwards at 80kmph. Bhaktapur is only 11km from the Ring Road, and 20 minutes away at night. But at rush hour, there are bottlenecks that make it seem farther than it is.&nbsp; This is the week of Bhaktapur’s biggest chariot festival, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/biska-celebrations-begin-in-bhaktapur">the Bisket Jatra</a>, the first day of which is known locally as Dhwo kwabijyaigu or ‘the god carried downwards’. It might be a good idea to extend the day trip to see the festival and stay overnight to really get to know the city of devotees. By evening, most of the tourists and visitors will have left, and <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/bhaktapur-world-heritage-site-nyatapola,1376">Bhaktapur</a> once more belongs to its residents. A good place to hang out to watch the goings-on in the Darbar Square is from one of the window seats at the Temple View Restaurant, popular for its Newari menu but also Chicken Thali complete with masala tea and juju dhau at Rs795.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240411110444_63cf46c7dff59414109d5f44b2fe7802dfa0c133d9c0fdf7545b7168fe6585c2.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20240411110444_63cf46c7dff59414109d5f44b2fe7802dfa0c133d9c0fdf7545b7168fe6585c2" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="One night in Bhadgaon NT 1"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240411110448_d0644ce851a3a0a5aa76543b23c4799b35b98a6d490041e65f8bda0abdfc5441.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20240411110448_d0644ce851a3a0a5aa76543b23c4799b35b98a6d490041e65f8bda0abdfc5441" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="One night in Bhadgaon NT 1"> </figure>  &nbsp;Nearby is Taumadhi Square, dominated by Nepal’s highest temple Nyatapola. This sturdy five-roofed temple withstood the 1934 and 2015 earthquakes, perhaps because it is guarded by five pairs of stone bodyguards. It is in the evening that <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/nyatapola-alight">Nyatapola</a> looks even more impressive, glowing in the light of the square and standing out against the darkening sky. Climbing the long stairs, one gains a vantage point overlooking the square and the town beyond the surrounding rooftops.&nbsp; There is usually an evening puja going on in the Bhairavnath temple to the east of Nyatapola, with chanting and cymbals, a great soundtrack to the bustling, busy square as well as a reminder that temples are not only selfie spots for tourists, but also places of worship.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240411110444_08df42b25422fa41b0c2c3757986eb3fef7d25dc7c16091c31781ce72cf982a8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20240411110444_08df42b25422fa41b0c2c3757986eb3fef7d25dc7c16091c31781ce72cf982a8" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="One night in Bhadgaon NT 1"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240411110444_64988e88c264361d9e4138a8af7187590030b9c251d669cd5c497526379c0bfa.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20240411110444_64988e88c264361d9e4138a8af7187590030b9c251d669cd5c497526379c0bfa" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="One night in Bhadgaon NT 1"> </figure>  Despite it being night, motorbikes race diagonally across Taumadhi, so be prepared to dodge these easy riders as you make your way to our next night-time attraction: Dattatreya Square.&nbsp; The street there is lined with curious passages that must be stooped through into courtyards. Down a narrow lane off to the side of the square is the famous peacock window, and the first floor of a house opposite offers the best eye-level view. The light and shadows of the night make the carved wooden window look even more delicate and exquisite. <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/the-tug-of-tradition">Bhaktapur is loyal to traditional ways of life</a> and architecture. The styles of buildings are consistent and well preserved. The restaurants and shops, at least the ones in the main squares, are housed in centuries old heritage buildings.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240411110448_71e8993546835129c90df4187e8d060a4059eff7e75988e9045567b0048cb45b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20240411110448_71e8993546835129c90df4187e8d060a4059eff7e75988e9045567b0048cb45b" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="One night in Bhadgaon NT 1"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240411110452_4f8b7bfdac926e47eb36d7d9bbf7075c1c5298016edd515688a39cc1fa845b01.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20240411110452_4f8b7bfdac926e47eb36d7d9bbf7075c1c5298016edd515688a39cc1fa845b01" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="One night in Bhadgaon NT 1"> </figure>  &nbsp;It is at night that Bhaktapur brings out the best of itself, radiating art and culture. Many new cafes have opened, and shops that sell souvenirs and intricate thangkas. The red brick roads give the town elegance and character different from the tourist haunts in other parts of the Valley.&nbsp; Many businesses on the streets play music, prayer hymns, and burn fragrant incense. There is always a procession going past, giving night time <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-s-traditional-seismic-resistant-designs">Bhaktapur</a> a spiritual ambience.&nbsp; By late evening, there are fewer motorcycles and the pedestrians start shuffling home. Community dogs take over, guarding the guardians of the gods on Nyatapola’s steps. In a neighbourhood falcha, some elderly devotees are still chanting hymns to the gods. Clouds towering over the mountains to the north are lit up by the pink neon of silent lightning.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240411110448_79e373b228c194410dd6a7c02a97185a83fee28a6d2dce152b9c86e2f2ba586a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_11" data-image-id="20240411110448_79e373b228c194410dd6a7c02a97185a83fee28a6d2dce152b9c86e2f2ba586a" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="One night in Bhadgaon NT 1"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240411110448_71d51751230e8769bcbcdb5730d9b1246d127c082c0b9b4265056b8277f50ce4.jpg" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="20240411110448_71d51751230e8769bcbcdb5730d9b1246d127c082c0b9b4265056b8277f50ce4" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="One night in Bhadgaon NT 1"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240411110448_4481a5fae6b464df1355cc7f223fd3eb08d511360f555118c8e1c7033ce9699d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_13" data-image-id="20240411110448_4481a5fae6b464df1355cc7f223fd3eb08d511360f555118c8e1c7033ce9699d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="One night in Bhadgaon NT 1"> </figure>  &nbsp;Bhaktapur is not just a town, it is a way of life.&nbsp; ---- Places to Stay Peacock Guest House Located near the Dattatreya Square, this guest house is simultaneously a hotel, café and handicraft shop all rolled into one. The café is what you walk into, with seating extending into a courtyard. It is all very compact and tasteful. A man who appears to be the owner sits at one of the tables and is drawing.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240411130412_3d539ef65ad9559abcf8163f0567e13039b88dc0df2ce5f6a5db021e05277b54.jpg" data-media-id="editor_14" data-image-id="20240411130412_3d539ef65ad9559abcf8163f0567e13039b88dc0df2ce5f6a5db021e05277b54" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1125" loading="lazy" alt="Peakcock guesthouse Bhaktapur"> <figcaption>Breakfast at Peacock Guest House.</figcaption> </figure>  Peacock Guest House is Bhaktapur in a microcosm in the way it incorporates heritage. It has narrow wooden staircases and doors, intricate windows, and a copper water jar. The rooms are cosy, and come with a bookshelf featuring interesting titles. There is a traditional carved window in each room that must make guests feel like the Kumari. The second floor has a large showroom with many statuettes and carvings. On the roof terrace, the evenings are cool and quiet. Rs7,000&nbsp; Dattatreya Square&nbsp; (01) 6611829 Milla Guest House&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240411110448_a41255ab6bca5a2d96a5a0211b1e0f88f8663e80fea85243c25c673cdc4b0ba6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_15" data-image-id="20240411110448_a41255ab6bca5a2d96a5a0211b1e0f88f8663e80fea85243c25c673cdc4b0ba6" data-rendition-name="original" width="680" height="454" loading="lazy" alt="One night in Bhadgaon NT 1"> </figure>  A five minute walk away from Dattatraya Square, Milla Guest House is a bed-and-breakfast designed by<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/kathmandu-s-legacy-is-goetz-hagmueller-s-legacy"> Götz Hagmüller</a>, architect of the Patan Museum and the Garden of Dreams in Kathmandu. The hotel uses brick, wood, and terracotta tiles and balances modern with traditional designs. Rooms have attached bathrooms, and two of them come with balconies. On the top floor is a terrace and kitchen, and breakfast is complimentary.&nbsp; Rs12,000&nbsp; Dattatreya 9817849759 The Nanee  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240411130416_1b729a528446d5ad6249f593b4a284531ffc5ef2ba9e2fcecf1fdb6f78e1ff28.jpg" data-media-id="editor_17" data-image-id="20240411130416_1b729a528446d5ad6249f593b4a284531ffc5ef2ba9e2fcecf1fdb6f78e1ff28" data-rendition-name="original" width="680" height="453" loading="lazy" alt="The Nanee"> </figure>  A luxury boutique hotel located just before you get to the Darbar Square, The Nanee is an ‘immersive lodging experience,’ with detailed tours of Bhaktapur led by local experts, as well as food tours of traditional dishes and restaurants. The rooms and lobbies are expertly designed with fusion pieces of traditional art with modern twists. There are suites on offer as well.&nbsp; Rs21,000 onwards Itachhen (01) 5915110

Vishad Raj Onta

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One night in Bhadgaon

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111152/636a35b59c7e80680e0482c7jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2106" height="1404"/><figcaption>Photos: MONIKA DEUPALA</figcaption></figure>The annual Sindoor Jatra in Thimi has been observed with much fanfare. Devotees carried idols of different deities in 32 palanquins across the ancient city while singing and dancing to traditional drum and dhimay music. As all the palanquins came together, the whole town was painted red with participants applying vermilion to each other in good jest. Once the deity Ganesh was moved to Taleju, the crowd quickly swarmed to Bode to witness the famous tongue-piercing.Celebrated on the second day of the Nepali month Baisakh by the Newar community in Madhyapur Thimi, the festival also marks the advent of the spring season.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111152/636a35b89c7e80680e0482c8jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2106" height="1404"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111152/636a35bc9c7e80680e0482c9jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2106" height="1404"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111152/636a35bf9c7e80680e0482cajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="4096" height="2730"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111156/636a35c39c7e80680e0482cbjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="4096" height="2730"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111156/636a35c79c7e80680e0482ccjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2487" height="1658"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111156/636a35ca9c7e80680e0482cdjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2106" height="1404"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111156/636a35cd9c7e80680e0482cejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2106" height="1404"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111156/636a35d09c7e80680e0482cfjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2106" height="1404"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111156/636a35d39c7e80680e0482d0jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2498" height="1665"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111156/636a35d69c7e80680e0482d1jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2052" height="1368"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111156/636a35d99c7e80680e0482d2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2052" height="1368"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108111156/636a35dd9c7e80680e0482d3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2052" height="1368">Also: <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/blogs/mycity/2015/04/16/paint-it-red/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paint it red</a>, Gopen Rai

Paint the town red

This is the 91st episode of Diaspora Diaries, a Nepali Times series in collaboration with Migration Lab providing a platform to share experiences of living, working and studying abroad. I have still not come to terms with the reality that my daughter Ruby Thakur is now the Deputy Speaker of Nepal’s Parliament. Sometimes, when I am walking, the thought hits me, and I cannot believe it.&nbsp; Things changed for my daughter in a very short time. I had dreamt that the best my daughter could achieve was a good engineering job. Fate had bigger plans for her. She is no longer just my daughter, she is the nation’s daughter. Nepal’s daughter.&nbsp; My children’s education was always my foremost priority. That is the main reason I went overseas for employment. I realised the value of education while working in Saudi Arabia. In my office, colleagues with good education earn $8,000 per month working on computers. Those with low education toil outdoors in the heat for much lower wages. A good education or skills can change everything. I am in Nepal on vacation and will soon return to my job. Ruby is all set now. But I still have to take care of my other children's education. As the eldest son, I myself never got a chance to prioritise my own education. I dropped out in Grade 7 because I had to take care of my ageing parents and younger siblings. I have done all kinds of jobs. I worked in a landlord’s field for a share of the harvest. Even now my wife and I farm for the land owner and have to give away half of what we grow.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260413120444_051b61e01a5189af538aa1e011acd3e2b38d5f42825116b2afd325d93d0c519b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20260413120444_051b61e01a5189af538aa1e011acd3e2b38d5f42825116b2afd325d93d0c519b" data-rendition-name="original" width="4032" height="2268" loading="lazy" alt="DD"> <figcaption>Sogarath Thakur during a break in Nepal with wife tending to his farm.</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260413120448_8a1c3ac3fd559026bc6f981cc8dc82cb8ad09a3a4f55fb9f6f7fd5f49c3d5571.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20260413120448_8a1c3ac3fd559026bc6f981cc8dc82cb8ad09a3a4f55fb9f6f7fd5f49c3d5571" data-rendition-name="original" width="4032" height="2268" loading="lazy" alt="DD"> </figure>  Then I worked as a barber, my family’s line of occupation. I went door to door cutting people’s hair and later worked in a relative’s saloon. Hairstyles were simple back then, and I got to keep half the fee. I also worked in a brick factory where I was paid weekly. &nbsp; I married when I was 16, and my wife was a year younger. As my family and responsibilities grew, I had to migrate leaving behind my three children including Ruby who was just three months old.&nbsp; I went to Qatar where I continued working as a barber. It was a large saloon and the standards for cleanliness and professionalism were higher. I had to hand over 70% of my daily earnings to the employer. I had to rely on my colleague to translate what the customer wanted. But I slowly became fluent in Arabic. I used to jot down words in Nepali and Arabic and memorise them. In Qatar, customers even came at night for haircuts, and people stayed up late. I would work till 3AM.&nbsp; Communicating with my family was one-way. I would go to Bismillah and ask someone to type out questions to my family about their whereabouts, how the harvest was that season. I would offer very little information about my life in Qatar because it was not easy. What was the point of getting them all worried? What could they do? I never received a letter in return, so throughout my time in Qatar, I never knew how my family was faring. When I appeared in the village after five years without any advance notice, it was a bittersweet reunion, and I had no gifts. I still remember how unfamiliar my village felt when I came home after so many years. I had to ask for directions. When I came home, Ruby was already in school. I had left her in my wife’s arms five years prior. I missed her growing up, and did not even see her pictures. My wife had to introduce her to me as her father. But it took just 15 minutes for her to warm up to me.&nbsp; The Arabic skills I had picked up in Qatar came in handy when I remigrated two years later to Saudi Arabia. I worked as a labourer in the desert heat, but once my company found out I spoke Arabic, I was hired for an indoor job as an office boy. The struggle in Qatar had paid off. I worked in an air conditioned office serving tea or coffee, doing bank runs or getting documents signed and photocopied. I have worked in the same company for the past 20 years, sending money home.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260413120448_f083fa873a6d77b19c8b0bdde623415c643a151fb550c57ff4e52b3c2431355f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20260413120448_f083fa873a6d77b19c8b0bdde623415c643a151fb550c57ff4e52b3c2431355f" data-rendition-name="original" width="5712" height="3213" loading="lazy" alt="DD"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260413120452_5ccd9a01ee05ce26b71381725108215d0f0d3806508b0cb482aabcfea09bbaef.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20260413120452_5ccd9a01ee05ce26b71381725108215d0f0d3806508b0cb482aabcfea09bbaef" data-rendition-name="original" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" alt="DD"> </figure>  My wife is not just my children’s guardian, but also mine throughout the two decades I was away. I trust her with all my earnings, and she manages our household finances well. She makes sure that the children’s school fees and other expenses are paid on time. These days, with video calls, things have become much easier for me to stay in touch with home.&nbsp; When Ruby told me she wanted to do an engineering diploma, I was happy. Later, her friends inspired her to join politics so she started getting involved with Shram Sanskriti Party. I first found out she got the proportional representation nomination through social media while on my work duty in Saudi Arabia. I was so excited, but even more so when she was elected Deputy Speaker. I was back home in Dhanusha on my vacation at the time.&nbsp; We are overjoyed and waiting for her to come back to the village for a visit when she gets a chance so we can celebrate properly with everyone. I plan to go back to Saudi Arabia as originally planned, I have a good job and will work for maybe five more years. Ruby has taken 75% of the load off my back. She can help take care of her siblings.&nbsp; I sleep at 8PM every day and wake up at 5AM to exercise before my day in Saudi Arabia begins – I have stuck to the same routine for the last two decades and it has worked well for me and my health. I have a good rapport with my boss who is an Egyptian. My requests to resign have often been met with counter-offers to stay on. My honesty and hard work have won me the company's trust. I will go back and resume working as I have, despite my daughter’s huge achievements. I am still a farmer’s son, a simple man who has to fulfil his family responsibilities. My colleagues in Saudi Arabia are aware that Ruby is Deputy Speaker in Nepal’s Parliament, they are all happy for me and have congratulated me. This time, when I go back, I have promised them that I will throw a bakhri party to celebrate my daughter’s achievement.

The nation’s daughter

At 6 feet and one inch, Hira Bahadur Ghalan was exceptionally tall for a Nepali. In 1936, when people came to his Tamang village near Tistung looking for porters, they recruited him on the spot. This was no ordinary job, Hira Bahadur would lead gangs of 30 or more porters to carry cars bought by Rana rulers from Bhimphedi to Kathmandu.&nbsp; Those were the days when the only motorable roads in Nepal were in Kathmandu, but the capital was not connected to anywhere else by road. So, before cars could carry people, people had to carry cars. More Nepalis had carried cars than ridden in one. The porters were paid Rs5 for the job, and sometimes the Rana owners gave Hira Bahadur a Rs25 baksheesh. One of the cars his community helped carry was a 1939 Daimler Benz gifted by Adolf Hitler to King Tribhuvan to woo Nepal away from the British. The rusted dusty vehicle is now in the Narayanhiti Palace Museum.&nbsp; Hira Bahadur hauled cars for 25 years until his knees gave way, he died at age 90 eight years ago — the last surviving car porters of Nepal from Chitlang Valley.&nbsp; Hira Bahadur Ghalan had three sons and three daughters, one of them is Maila Kaji Lama, who at age 68, is a chauffeur in Kathmandu. His son, Manjil Lama is a pilot with Summit Air, flying to remote Himalayan airstrips. Three generations of one family worked in professions that followed a century of transportation history in Nepal. &nbsp; After the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/the-long-and-winding-road-to-india">Tribhuvan Rajpath was finished in 1957</a> and the ropeway upgraded, Hira Bahadur was out of a job. He tilled the family farm, watching trucks and buses headed to and from Kathmandu on the hairpins.&nbsp; As a child, Maila Kaji was fascinated by cars and wished one day to be able to drive one. After he failed Grade 8, he came to Kathmandu in 1975 and got a Rs20/month job at a petrol station in Maiti Devi. “I watched King Birendra’s coronation and was impressed by the glamour of Kathmandu, and decided to stay here,” Maila Kaji says.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2026041816040_a1a41e47dec8500727702f700e43af625f059043cbcd283f13b247344b3a20aa.png" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2026041816040_a1a41e47dec8500727702f700e43af625f059043cbcd283f13b247344b3a20aa" data-rendition-name="original" width="1974" height="1608" loading="lazy" alt="car carriers"> <figcaption>Maila Kaji</figcaption> </figure>  Former minister Ramesh Nath Pandey used to bring his Volkswagen Beetle to the station, and Maila Kaji started taking care of his car. Later, he drove a Russian Jeep for former minister and geographer Harka Gurung. Along the way, he fell in love with the daughter of a Brahmin colleague, and married her. “My father back in Tistung did not approve of our inter-ethnic marriage, and not speak to me for five years,” Maila Kaji recalls. Manjil Lama grew up in Kathmandu, and did well in science in school. He had wanted to go the US to become a pilot like his friends, but was denied a visa.&nbsp; “The visa officer told him I did not earn enough,” says Maila Kaji, “so I sold some property and sent Manjil to flying school in the Philippines.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2026041816040_e9091162840baa6d182de2d7cc6f09e43ec9cfd9a9b6e71e7e7b14bc72da3537.png" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="2026041816040_e9091162840baa6d182de2d7cc6f09e43ec9cfd9a9b6e71e7e7b14bc72da3537" data-rendition-name="original" width="1434" height="1754" loading="lazy" alt="car carriers"> <figcaption>Manjil Lama</figcaption> </figure>  After returning to Nepal, Manjil Lama now flies Let 410s of Summit Air to difficult air strips like Lukla and Simkot, and has logged over 2,000 hours. He has to go to the Czech Republic regularly for simulator training. Says Maila Kaji Lama: “My father worked hard carrying cars to raise us, I started from scratch to become a driver to support my family, and my son is now a pilot with experience in flying in the world’s toughest terrain.” &nbsp; Watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvT3iTi8yw4" target="_blank">video clip from S Dillon Ripley here</a>.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260419020448_40f8b1bdaace08106ca5c24819b6e7a34fb2109a9a3ec5c6ac179b3309e686ed.png" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20260419020448_40f8b1bdaace08106ca5c24819b6e7a34fb2109a9a3ec5c6ac179b3309e686ed" data-rendition-name="original" width="900" height="1582" loading="lazy" alt="car carriers"> </figure>

Grandfather carried cars, son drives cars, grandson flies planes

Nepalis are insured but not covered

The series Nepal Made profiles Nepali products and the people who make them possible. Named after the mythical bird-like creature, GarudX is Nepal’s first precision manufacturer of UAV platforms. They offer a wide range of drone products and services. Last month, GarudX won first place at the US-Nepal Startup Weekend Challenge, a three-day accelerator-style program that gathered 25 of Nepal’s most promising early-stage companies. These include custom drones, cinematography, virtual tours, first-person-view (FPV), drone racing, 3D reconstruction, ground control software, and drone light shows. “I think they liked that we pitched the company as a Drone Enterprise System, as a company providing large-scale, integrated drone services,” says Dipawoli Malla, an AI software engineer with GarudX. The company sees a lot of potential in AI-based aerial computer vision, which is already used for infrastructure planning and land surveys, and could be vital in tracking wildlife poachers and assisting search and rescue during disasters. “Our vision for the company has always been to be the one stop solution for every drone problem,” says GarudX CEO Avash Thapa, who also oversees video production. Drones have gained high profile in the past five years due to their widespread adoption in war. While they do work with the Nepali army, GarudX wants to focus on the idea of drone for good. For Nepal, the potential is great for civilian applications especially because of the country’s terrain. Past efforts have been experimental, like a project to deliver tuberculosis treatment in Piuthan in 2019, and for wildlife censuses in Chitwan. Journalists now regularly use drone footage to get a bird’s-eye view for investigative stories on illegal sand-mining or delays in infrastructure projects. Drones were vital during the GenZ protests last September, in which aerial videos provided clues about what actually happened when the crowd surged towards Parliament. They also captured the dramatic aftermath of the destruction of government buildings featured in this paper. “A lot of people do not know or appreciate that drones are also made in Nepal,” notes Malla. “We export a lot of technology as software. It is a big achievement that we can also export hardware.” GarudX was informally started and active on social media since 2018, and officially registered as GarudX Multipurpose in 2024. Founder and Managing Director Adarsha Raj Bhusal had experience working with robotics and FPV drones when he launched the company, as an engineering group interested in custom-built high-performance aerial robotics. “I design our products,” says Bhusal. “We send designs to China where they are manufactured as individual parts. Costs are low when importing from China. Then we assemble and sell them here. It's a system that works well for us.” Among the UAVs GarudX makes include the Skyreaper, which is a long-range drone with advanced obstacle sensing; the GX8 Pyro which is Nepal’s first cinema-grade cinelifter; and the Aether Zoom which is a 4K UAV camera designed for tactical, industrial, or reconnaissance missions.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260417150440_d9f36b32e0b4d65dedded3e705aa7bf8769fd72417fc53669e77ce7a32f8ccd1.webp" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20260417150440_d9f36b32e0b4d65dedded3e705aa7bf8769fd72417fc53669e77ce7a32f8ccd1" data-rendition-name="original" width="960" height="1280" loading="lazy" alt="garudx"></figure>  NO CERTIFICATION The main obstacle to GarudX's growth has been the lack of a national certification system. Permits to use drones are convoluted and require applications to various government agencies. “We miss out on so many international projects, for national park footage for example, since there is no way to get our drones registered — even after the army thoroughly checks our craft,” says Adarsha Raj Bhusal. GarudX says it now has the capacity to export its drones overseas at competitive prices, but Nepal does not have a registration system in place. “We can’t legally ship them,” says Avaya Pokharel, Chief Operating Officer who oversees service and repairs. With a new RSP government in place with an ambitious blueprint for digitisation, things could soon change. Relevant bodies are the Home Ministry, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Defence because of privacy, aviation safety and national security issues. “There are meetings going on, and there is hope that progress will be made. Of course we want certification to be easy, but it is hard for the government as they have to understand the technology and what is coming in future,” says Bhusal. Legislation could look like a Remote ID system to register every drone. It could also specify pilot verification, placing limitations on what a pilot can do based on their skill level. It could also look at revising drone policies in the capital. Most of Kathmandu Valley is technically a no-fly zone for drones at present because of the concentration of government buildings, army bases and the international airport flight path. To comply with current regulations, GarudX has focused on lightweight FPV drones: small, nimble craft that can be maneuvered at high speed in tight spaces, operated by a pilot wearing immersive goggles. This results in exciting fast-paced footage, particularly useful for clients like Redbull or vehicle companies. “It feels like you are flying,” testifies Bhusal, who has flown FPV for commercials and movies, and ranks way ahead of runner ups in drone races. His work can be seen @adars_fpv on Instagram. The company has built a community of FPV drone racers, and is working with the government to certify it as a sports competition. It holds race events at colleges in Kathmandu and also consults for FPV events in in India.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260417150440_43b27b1b6890e47028c5e780c2ed0147a057f625d9d551221ddbd504dc03a356.png" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20260417150440_43b27b1b6890e47028c5e780c2ed0147a057f625d9d551221ddbd504dc03a356" data-rendition-name="original" width="923" height="619" loading="lazy" alt="garudx"></figure>  MULTIPURPOSE Drones can be versatile tools, but they are particularly helpful in Nepal and the Himalaya. Powerful drones have been used for the last two years to transport ropes and ladders up Mt Everest to reduce the dangers on the Khumbu Icefall, and to bring trash down. If scaled with many pilots and drones, this could be a complete solution to the Everest trash problem while massively reducing risk to human lives. GarudX has also tested its products in the mountains. A recent blog entry on their website is titled, ‘Flying at 6,120m: What We Learned Testing Drones on Lobuche Peak’. They document the process of using different battery tricks and propellers to see what combination allows for more flight time in the thin, cold air. It is refreshing to see a Nepali company making such progress in a unique industry while also documenting advances.

bisket-jatra

One night in Bhadgaon

Paint the town red

The nation’s daughter

Grandfather carried cars, son drives cars, grandson flies planes

Nepalis are insured but not covered

Nepal drone startup takes off