Kathmandu’s other jazz festival, KatJazz, returns for its sixth iteration this month, blending contemporary tunes with the rich traditional music of Nepal and beyond. This eight-day music fest starts on 22 April and concludes with a grand celebration of a finale on the UNESCO recognised International Jazz Day on 30 April. The very first KatJazz in 2017 had jazz education as its objective. The festival has come a long way since and has been integral in further lifting Nepal’s jazz scene, perfectly aligning with the theme this year ‘The Jazz Trail to Kathmandu: Past Voices. Global Sounds. Future Harmonies.’ “This festival is a two-way thing. It brings Western jazz music to Nepal but it simultaneously puts Nepal’s music to world music,” says Abhisek Bhadra, academic director of Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory (KJC), co-organiser of the festival.&nbsp; This year’s lineup features 15 international and 12 Nepali musicians as well as 11 women musicians of KJC Rajamati Choir. “Our emphasis has been on local artists and the collaboration that will take place between the ensemble,” adds Bhadra.&nbsp; The ‘Taking the Lead: The Diverse Voices of Women in Jazz’ session scheduled for 27 April is set to be the highlight of the entire festival. The session will celebrate female musicians in the jazz scene with performances from Juliana Rodrigues, Enji and Maria Fajardo. The artists have all worked extensively, blending jazz with the traditional and folk music of their homelands. Says Abhisek Bhadra: “We are celebrating contemporary jazz music while acknowledging and appreciating traditional music of Nepal and elsewhere.” &nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/jazzing-up-the-mandu-for-20-years">Jazzing up the ‘Mandu for 20 years</a>, Aïsha MacDougall <h2>Ben van den Dungen Quartet &nbsp; (The Netherlands)</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240421110428_3f2422989e2c43c002aed73545f7e411557af406286338f37011c3334d8352e6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20240421110428_3f2422989e2c43c002aed73545f7e411557af406286338f37011c3334d8352e6" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="1133" loading="lazy" alt="Ben van den Dungen Quartet"> </figure>  Ben van den Dungen is an acclaimed Dutch Jazz saxophonist who started his concert career in the early 1980s and has since performed in 6,000 concerts in 70 different countries. His band, Ben van den Dungen Quartet, has regularly toured South America, Russia, Indonesia, South Korea, China, India and Europe.&nbsp; At KatJazz, the quartet is paying tribute to the legendary saxophonist John Coltrane, one of the most influential saxophonists of all time. In this dazzling ode, they present a contemporary interpretation of a repertoire that has rightly been labelled as 'classics'. Ben van den Dungen – Saxophone | Miguel Rodriguez – Piano | Steve Zwanink – Bass | Mitchel Damen – Drums <h2>Enji&nbsp;</h2> <h2>(Mongolia/Germany)</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240421110432_e4450b10ff9a05f5cd70cd02e96b9acfa2ea78da9e4b54f50695c22e8a4d293b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20240421110432_e4450b10ff9a05f5cd70cd02e96b9acfa2ea78da9e4b54f50695c22e8a4d293b" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Enji"> </figure>  Enkhjargal Erkhembayar ‘Enji’ is a Mongolian-born Jazz singer and songwriter. As such, there is a touch of Mongolian folk to her music. Enji’s previous album, 'Ursgal,' received acclaim from The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Guardian, making it to the Best Jazz Albums of 2023. She was also invited to perform for COLORS in Berlin. For this year’s lineup, she is joined by Martin Zenker on double bass and Paul Brandle on guitar, adding new dimensions to her already extraordinary sound. Enji - Voice | Martin Zenker - Bass |Paul Brandle - Guitar Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/bass-and-no-treble">Bass and No Treble</a>, Sajeet M Rajbhandari <h2>Gyan Residency</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240421110432_1e921a7a3312bd71d0950142c655c7a71ff2abbfb63b20e2205f774d2a582dce.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20240421110432_1e921a7a3312bd71d0950142c655c7a71ff2abbfb63b20e2205f774d2a582dce" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1468" loading="lazy" alt="Gyan Residency"> </figure>  The Gyan-KJC Residency, a crucial part of the KatJazz festivals, has been providing a space for collaborative dialogue through music. This year, it brings together Nepali maestros Shree KC (dhrupad vocals), Santosh Bhakta Shrestha (esraj), and Jagannath Dhaugoda (tabla), alongside international artists from Chile (Tomas Carrasco, Moa Edmunds), Brazil (Juliana Rodrigues), Spain (Javier Galiana, Javi Delgado, Guillermo Martín-Viana, Pedro Cortejosa), Mongolia (Enji Erkhem), and Nepali folk musicians, including Pushpa Palanchoke. Before 22 April, these participating artists will discuss Hindustani music, Nepali folk, and Western music in workshops aimed at deepening the understanding of Hindustani music among Western performers and vice-versa, fostering cross-cultural learning. In the next phase from 23-25 April, all the artists will collaborate and put together a blended music piece which will be showcased at the Gyan-KJC Residency concert on 30 April at Moksh in Jhamsikhel.&nbsp; <h2>Jhuma Limbu and Raithane Music&nbsp;</h2> <h2>(Nepal)</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240421110436_d8598c4ceaa57272816d15a9d77c9f8ecf174f3e1a36df270737016d6b7b4ff3.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20240421110436_d8598c4ceaa57272816d15a9d77c9f8ecf174f3e1a36df270737016d6b7b4ff3" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="1125" loading="lazy" alt="Jhuma Limbu"> </figure>  With over two decades of experience in the Nepali music industry, Jhuma Limbu is a highly skilled folk singer renowned for her performances across diverse genres including cultural, folk, playback, patriotic, and modern music. Limbu is dedicated to preserving and promoting Nepal's rich indigenous musical traditions. This concert is a fundraiser for her ongoing album-recording project in collaboration with Chilean musicians Tomás Carrasco and Moa Edmunds, and Nepali producer, keyboardist and arranger Abhisek Bhadra. Jhuma Limbu - Voice | Manice Gandarva - Sarangi | Tomás Carrasco - Flutes | Moa Edmunds - Guitar | Abhisek Bhadra - Piano | Sudhir Acharya - Percussion | Javier Delgado - Upright Bass Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/orchestrating-cross-cultural-collaboration">Orchestrating cross-cultural collaboration</a>, Tayama Rai <h2>Juliana Rodrigues&nbsp;</h2> <h2>(Brazil)</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240421110436_94f1cfbe5ec5e59a7930ef9482b9786a2b0dad9f7bc35bae1c0849d9e28170d4.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20240421110436_94f1cfbe5ec5e59a7930ef9482b9786a2b0dad9f7bc35bae1c0849d9e28170d4" data-rendition-name="original" width="1750" height="745" loading="lazy" alt="Juliana Rodrigues"> </figure>  A pianist and composer from Sao Paulo, Juliana Rodrigues has released two albums, Vive and Mnemosine, showcasing her unique and diverse musical background. Her team of three performs with excellent cohesion, bringing her compositions to life with a repertoire of rhythms, phrasing, and collective improvisation.&nbsp; Rodrigues is also a member of the women-only samba group Dona da Rua, which recently released singles Filha da Luta and Que Venha em Mim. She has performed at Sala São Paulo, Festival Jazz al Este, Instrumental SESC Brasil, Savassi Festival, and Sonamos Latinoamérica. Juliana Rodrigues - Piano | Rajat Rai - Bass | Prajwal B.K. (Punku) - Drums <h2>Samyog Regmi and Co. (Nepal/Spain)</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240421110432_b1e551e11fa610c40a01c8ba51544fa8b8d91998faf649ca437d0e197ad4d62d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20240421110432_b1e551e11fa610c40a01c8ba51544fa8b8d91998faf649ca437d0e197ad4d62d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="997" loading="lazy" alt="Samyog Regmi"> </figure>  Samyog Regmi, born in Nepal, was immersed in diverse musical influences from an early age, including local traditional music, jazz, and Eastern classical music. An alumni of the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory (KJC), Regmi pursued musical studies in the Netherlands. His compositions span various ensembles, including his quintet (a group of five playing music/ singing together), septet (a group of seven playing music/ singing together), and the Conservatory of Amsterdam Big Band.&nbsp; Recently, Samyog released his album Unpopular Opinion. At KatJazz 2024, get ready to witness his musical craft accompanied by international artists from Chile and Spain. Guillermo Martín-Viana (Spain) - &nbsp;Drums | Tomás Carrasco (Chile) - &nbsp;Flute/Sax &nbsp;| &nbsp;Pedro Cortejosa (Spain) - Saxophone | Javi Delgado (Spain) - Upright Bass <h2>Versados Despistados Quartet&nbsp;</h2> <h2>(Spain)</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240421110448_71b6459b542f238634cf7f154404667f9988999f3b671d330e4dd93b369c7818.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20240421110448_71b6459b542f238634cf7f154404667f9988999f3b671d330e4dd93b369c7818" data-rendition-name="original" width="4100" height="1050" loading="lazy" alt="Versados Despistados Quartet"> </figure>  The four Andalusian (south of Spain) musicians that make up Versados Despistados Quartet have been in the national and international scene for years. With their own voice and classic jazz instrumentation, this quartet explores the fusion between different forms of Andalusian and Afro-American music. Featuring Pedro Cortejosa on saxophone, Javier Galiana on piano, Javier Delgado on double bass, and Guillermo Martín-Viana on drums, Versados Despistados, which translates to ‘versed scatterbrains’ takes the audience on a dynamic journey of sound with freshness and a sense of humor that catches one by surprise. Pedro Cortejosa - Tenor saxophone | Javier Galiana - Piano | Javier Delgado - Double Bass | Guillermo Martín-Viana - Drums Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/in-nepal-east-meets-west-musically">In Nepal, East meets West musically</a>, Shrijan Pandey <h2>SCHEDULE</h2> Piano Explorations with Javi Galiana and Juliana Rodrigues&nbsp; Monday, 22 April&nbsp; 7PM onwards&nbsp; Rs800 Alliance Française, Pulchok&nbsp; Samyog Regmi and Co.&nbsp; Tuesday, 23 April 7PM onwards&nbsp; Rs800 Jazz Upstairs, Lazimpat&nbsp; A Tribute to Coltrane by Ben Van Den Dungen Quartet&nbsp; Wednesday, 24 April&nbsp; 7PM onwards&nbsp; Rs800&nbsp; Dhokaima cafe, Patandhoka&nbsp; Enji (Enkhjargal Erkhembayar) Thursday, 25 April&nbsp; 7PM onwards&nbsp; Rs800&nbsp; Moksh, Jhamsikhel&nbsp; Versados Despistados&nbsp; Friday, 26 April&nbsp; 7PM onwards&nbsp; Rs800 EDN Sanepa&nbsp; Taking the Lead: The Diverse Voices of Women in Jazz with Juliana Rodrigues, Enji, Maria Fajardo&nbsp; Saturday, 27 April&nbsp; 6PM onwards&nbsp; Rs1000 Yellow House, Sanepa&nbsp; Jhuma Limbu and Raithane Music Monday, 29 April 7PM onwards&nbsp; Rs1000 Mandala Theatre, Thapagaun International Jazz Day Concert Tuesday, 30 April&nbsp; 7PM onwards &nbsp; Rs1200 Moksh, Jhamsikhel&nbsp;

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Jazzing up Kathmandu again

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;

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