People are doing three-month treks across Nepal’s mountains along the Great Himalayan Trail, they are even running ultra-marathons from east to west. Now, make way for mountain bikers. It took Welshman Richard Williams 29 days to bike west-to-east across Nepal from Dadeldhura to Phidim -- 1,650 horizontal kilometres, but we are left to calculate how many vertical metres up and down that meant. Williams has chronicled his journey in a book titled simply, The Road, which is not just a description of his journey but also a guidebook for cross-country bicycling aficionados.&nbsp; Each day is chronicled like a diary, capturing the culture and current mood of the country through cuisine and conversations, and it is well illustrated with photographs and useful maps and graphs.&nbsp; Williams lives in Switzerland and started biking in the eastern Himalaya in India because he was spooked by reckless bus drivers on roads with nightmarish drops.&nbsp; He then did the Yak Attack in Nepal in 2013, a multistage mountain bike race in the Annapurnas. After the 2015 earthquake, he came to Nepal frequently to help rebuild schools, and the idea for The Road started to develop.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240622140624_91e58281194b39e34c236f18c89ad2dc6bebc912890dc0f2d51869060b1e0f34.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20240622140624_91e58281194b39e34c236f18c89ad2dc6bebc912890dc0f2d51869060b1e0f34" data-rendition-name="original" width="2250" height="1501" loading="lazy" alt="Richard Williams"> <figcaption>Richard Williams has chronicled his biking journey in a book titled The Road.</figcaption> </figure>  “Nepal is associated with extreme adventure, but there are plenty of opportunities for mellower activities,” Williams told us in Kathmandu. He hopes this book will open up mountain biking in Nepal to a wider demographic. “Roads are much better now, and drivers are safer.” &nbsp; The Road is ideal to see as much of the country as possible while having a challenging enough ride in not-so-extreme temperatures. Biking across the country along The Great Himalayan Trail, has been done but it is cold, high, and sometimes requires carrying the bikes over high passes.&nbsp; Biking on the East-West Highway along the Tarai is hot, flat, and dangerous. The road across the mild climate of the scenic mid-mountains is much more enjoyable. &nbsp; Since Nepal’s rivers mostly flow north to south, traversing the country does mean lots of ups and downs for bicyclists.&nbsp; The Road starts with an introduction to Nepali culture, a history of mountain biking, and Willimas fills the middle with journal entries. Interviews with professional Nepali mountain bikers serve as a bookend. &nbsp; Photographs by Manish Maharjan and Ananta Poudel are appealing, and drone shots of the trail and landscapes of the remote far western Nepal are blown up over two pages. Portraits of Nepalis work and play means that the book is not just about biking, but also about the people and places along the way. &nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240621190656_4b444967aeb82a8b14e47b382e8078946520ab5cba39b07ed74e7a5ca5da65ad.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20240621190656_4b444967aeb82a8b14e47b382e8078946520ab5cba39b07ed74e7a5ca5da65ad" data-rendition-name="original" width="1082" height="751" loading="lazy" alt="Been there, not done that NT"> <figcaption>It took Richard Williams 29 days to bike west-to-east across Nepal from Dadeldhura to Phidim.</figcaption> </figure>  On maps, the routes are marked as small red lines that zig-zag through serpentine roads, and elevation graphs depict altitudes gained and lost. Cartographer Mark Murphy, who turned 61 during the trip, rode alongside Williams put the maps together.&nbsp; Most days, the events are pretty similar: tough ‘undulating’ climbs, steep descents, great views, and conversations with locals often over food and beer, chyang, or tongba. &nbsp; Williams observes Nepal perceptively, and notices that there are very few men in the villages because of outmigration, and the remittance economy is buoyant.&nbsp; Another time he talks to a group at a chiya pasal who are frustrated with the government (surprise, surprise) and vent their ire.&nbsp; The book is dotted with colloquial Nepali phrases like “Tei ta,” “Ek Chin,” “Estai ho,” and “Ke Garne” – perhaps summing up a stoic Nepali spirit somewhere between helplessness and sarcasm. &nbsp;Williams find the Nepalis' resignation to their fate remarkable. &nbsp; Perhaps these attitudes are also behind what Williams admires &nbsp;about Nepal. “There is a much stronger sense of community, and people are so friendly,” he says. “Life in the West is good but everybody is individualistic, and working all the time.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240621190656_81548880eb221741c789930c76de69c443adf5785351c9f37f210d95bbe92811.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20240621190656_81548880eb221741c789930c76de69c443adf5785351c9f37f210d95bbe92811" data-rendition-name="original" width="1499" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Been there, not done that NT"> </figure>  He notes his appreciation for the laid back, content culture, and marvelled at how resourceful Nepali biking guides could be. “Once during Yak Attack a guide used a coke bottle to fix a puncture and the biker went on for 40km like that,” he remembers.&nbsp; The book is also ethnographic. Williams stayed with Dalits and met Rautes, and especially liked biking through the remote parts of Western Nepal that haven’t yet been reached by mass tourism. In one entry he details locals amused at the sight of the team, and two children initially apprehensive about meeting a stranger hijacked his bike for a quick joyride.&nbsp; A lot of Williams’ descriptions are of food and drink on the go. He describes scrambled eggs for breakfast and the uniqueness of every dal bhat along the way.&nbsp; “This was real, authentic Nepali food,” he says. Williams is especially taken with tongba, the warm fermented millet drink that one has to sip through a bamboo straw. Then he passes the outsized cement monument of a giant tongba container at an intersection in Myanglung. &nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240621190656_a3bccfb770c65fea82bc7c9fc887772b90a4cb87c4f14f60578dc8b2cfe76ff6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20240621190656_a3bccfb770c65fea82bc7c9fc887772b90a4cb87c4f14f60578dc8b2cfe76ff6" data-rendition-name="original" width="1499" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Been there, not done that NT"> </figure>  The book is a guide as well, and advises readers on where to stay and eat, and what to expect. While an ‘intrepid’ rider might want to ‘bikepack’ the route independently, Williams strongly recommends a guide and a support vehicle. Packages for The Road are currently offered at Himalayan Single Track, a bike shop and mountain bike tour company in Thamel.&nbsp; “It is hard to sell the entire trail because of how long it is, but we have packages for people to do parts of it, with different levels of support,” explains Australian expat and co-founder Jenny Caunt, who also wrote several chapters of the book.&nbsp; Mountain biking tourists are on the rise in Nepal, and they mostly come from Germany, Denmark, the UK or the US. Caunt reckons 90% of them come to Nepal exclusively for a mountain biking holiday.&nbsp; “Routes on the Annapurna Circuit and Upper Mustang are popular. Most of our clients are foreigners, but many Nepalis like to bike independently,” she adds. “Some of the back country routes between Kathmandu and Pokhara are perfect to ride.” &nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240621190656_bfe2bfba6f651834c3643d4d57963e3f81521a5bca6f0b7abf038b576cfd7b39.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20240621190656_bfe2bfba6f651834c3643d4d57963e3f81521a5bca6f0b7abf038b576cfd7b39" data-rendition-name="original" width="1136" height="702" loading="lazy" alt="Been there, not done that NT"> </figure>  <h2> The Great Himal Race</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240622140620_e8317641b697ba8d4a6f6a42ba070e6130a8834fb1197abf23814b5cce484fef.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20240622140620_e8317641b697ba8d4a6f6a42ba070e6130a8834fb1197abf23814b5cce484fef" data-rendition-name="original" width="3000" height="2690" loading="lazy" alt="The Great Himal Race NT"> <figcaption>Photo: FLEURY ROUX</figcaption> </figure>  The multistage race across the length of Nepal Himalaya was first held in 2017 by Bruno Poirier from France who himself ran from one end of the country to the other in 1994. Outdoors instructor and tourism entrepreneur Jagan Timilsina was the winner in 2017 when participants ran from Khang La on the eastern border between Nepal and Sikkim, to Hilsa in the country’s northwestern corner. This time, the runners went west to east instead, starting at Hilsa and ending at Kangchenjunga Base Camp. Ultrarunners from France, Switzerland, the US, Greece and Nepal participated in this 51-stage, 60-day journey that borrows much of its routes from the Great Himalayan Trail. There were three joint winners: Swiss national Jules-Henri Gabioud, Frenchman Fleury Roux, and Nepal’s Upendra Sunuwar, all with a time of 264 hours and 31 minutes. Two women: Asimina Inglezou from Greece and Rachelle Komarnisky from Canada also finished the race. After the race, the runners walked from the base camp to Taplejung over a few days before taking a bus to Bhadrapur and flying back to Kathmandu. Awards of victory and completion were handed out at Hotel Manaslu. <h2>Everest Marathon</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240622140624_a0e26aeb6d1873beaa5c9ed399988d09ef3e023c39ea70f9d5afc090359ec9fe.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20240622140624_a0e26aeb6d1873beaa5c9ed399988d09ef3e023c39ea70f9d5afc090359ec9fe" data-rendition-name="original" width="3000" height="2000" loading="lazy" alt="Everest Marathon NT"> <figcaption>Photo:TENZING HILLARY EVEREST MARATHON / FACEBOOK</figcaption> </figure>  The Everest Marathon honours Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s first successful ascent of the highest peak in 1953 being held every year on 29 May for the last 19 years. The route goes from Everest Base Camp to Kala Patthar and Namche Bazar. Runners may choose between three categories: a standard 42.195km route, a 21km half marathon, or a 70km ultramarathon. There were participants from all over the world, including the UAE, Australia and Lithuania, but most of the top finishers were Nepalis. Arjun Rai Kulung was first in the standard category with a time of 03:53:02. Kulung is a professional runner who started out as a porter and ran his first Everest Marathon at 19, finishing in the top ten despite running in trekking boots. He is signed to The North Face Asia Pacific Adventures. Gopal Tamang finished first with a time of 08:18:04 in the 70km extreme ultra category. <h2>Everest 135</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240622140620_dcebdaf28c228915e5bdffecff0f29eba018adeec9ddcb7552f09822a9f7aa45.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20240622140620_dcebdaf28c228915e5bdffecff0f29eba018adeec9ddcb7552f09822a9f7aa45" data-rendition-name="original" width="1750" height="2848" loading="lazy" alt="Everest 135"> <figcaption>PHOTO: EVEREST 135 / FACEBOOK</figcaption> </figure>  The Everest 135 is an ultramarathon which, as the name suggests, is 135 miles long, more than five times longer than a standard marathon. This is the first race longer than a hundred miles in the Everest region. An annual race was held for the first time since 2019 last month because of the pandemic, and was jointly organised by Nepal’s Himalayan Trail Running and the Guwin International Sports Club in China. Participants ran from Jiri to Thame, Rinzo La Pass and Everest Base Camp before looping back to Lukla. They experienced a cumulative elevation gain of 13,900m and a total descent of 12,800m while reaching a maximum height of 5,517m. There is a cutoff at 150 hours, anybody taking longer is considered as a ‘did-not-finish’. For runners who want a more manageable challenge, the race has a 100km category as well. Elite runners from China, Australia, Japan and the US participated. This year, 49-year-old Wang Xiaolin from China won the 135-mile category with a time of 85:41:40. Runner-up to him was Niwa Kaori, also a 49-year-old from Japan and the only woman in the top 10.&nbsp;

Vishad Raj Onta

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Been there, not done that

There are certain activities that demand absolute focus. The surroundings blur as vision narrows, tension rings in the ears. The closer to danger, the more exciting it gets.&nbsp; Thrill is what adventure sports like mountaineering, canyoning and white water rafting are all about. Now, a new kind of outdoor activity is taking advantage of Nepal’s vertical terrain and scenery: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/wheeling-in-the-woods">mountain biking</a>. The sport is going viral as passionate, trailblazing Nepalis turn what used to be trekking paths into biking trails, and post GoPro videos of their adventures. Now, the sport is going international and at the forefront is Phaplu Mountain Bike Club that held its second <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/yak-attack-single-track-edition">Enduro</a> Ratnange Race in March. “Last year was all about proving the viability of the event. We worked hard to figure out every single detail,” says club founder Ang Tsering Lama, who this year got support from the local government and sponsors.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240406020452_bbe3d7448ec3463a0bffa747ca008bdfbecad75d0b5361e5aeabf4a24975ea91.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20240406020452_bbe3d7448ec3463a0bffa747ca008bdfbecad75d0b5361e5aeabf4a24975ea91" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal pushes mountain bike tourism NT 1"> </figure>  Some of the best mountain bikers in the world attended, among them acclaimed French rider Rémy Absalon, who told us: “Ratnange trails are some of the best in the world, the mixture of loam and dust is just awesome to ride on. I have travelled a lot, but never seen a country like Nepal where we are so well received.”&nbsp; The Ratnange Trail Center is a network of 13 routes spanning 60km used solely for <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/bicycling-in-waling">mountain biking</a> with a selection of narrow, technical, wide, or single tracks that need the complete concentration of riders. The rest stops offer stunning views of the Everest region. Lama designed the route on existing foot trails, and works with the local community to maintain them. He raises funds by renting out paths to private companies, who name trails after their brand for Rs20,000 a year.&nbsp; Explains Lama: “The trails roll through the forests and the route is designed based on what you want it to be. Do you want it to flow? Do you want switchbacks? Drops? Jumps?”&nbsp; Flowy trails have kind curves that allow bikers to maintain momentum and a smooth speed, while switchbacks are zig zags built into a steep trail to reduce speed on descent. Drops are where the trail falls away. Jumps consist of takeoffs and landings, and vary in the time the rider is airborne. &nbsp; When blazing a new trail, a good road must always be close by for urgent medical attention. The risk of serious injury is ever present. Safety precautions include helmets, knee and elbow pads, and chest and back guards. Even then, concussions, fractures, discolations, and broken wrists are common.&nbsp; Lama advises matching ability to the choice of trail, but riders always want to push their limits. One way they train, is at <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/kathmandu-gets-first-pump-track">pump tracks</a>, which are artificial dirt circuits. The bike club built one of these in Phaplu where young ‘rippers’ learn to control bikes.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240406020456_fdee77cb19a67c56aa8e9e6aaef197f57e1d53c00b056ae8477d843fc253320c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20240406020456_fdee77cb19a67c56aa8e9e6aaef197f57e1d53c00b056ae8477d843fc253320c" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal pushes mountain bike tourism NT 1"> </figure>  Another way to train for <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/downhill-all-the-way">the downhill</a> is actually the uphill. “The uphill builds the mental endurance needed for the downhill,” explains Lama. It also builds physical strength. Riders need strong, endurable legs, a sturdy core, and a solid grip. “But on the downhills, a state of complete focus and presence washes over you, and all of your sensations and abilities are heightened. It is taxing on the body, but still meditative.”&nbsp; Lama runs The Happy House in Phaplu, a family lodge where Edmund Hillary used to stay and call his “happy place”. When he formed Phaplu Mountain Bike Club, Lama wrote to bike shops and friends, who donated two-wheelers. Before long, local young children started coming in after school to zoom around the track.&nbsp; Club members did well at <a href="https://enduroratnange.com/">Enduro Ratnange</a>, inspiring a new generation of young riders to dream of careers as mountain bike athletes or biking guides, who make $25 an hour to a trekking guide’s $15.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240406020456_d083b2b6b2f8632e5befa8ec775dcbebdaf5b38e28c9a7b1293f13f37191055f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20240406020456_d083b2b6b2f8632e5befa8ec775dcbebdaf5b38e28c9a7b1293f13f37191055f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1125" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal pushes mountain bike tourism NT 1"> </figure>  Despite the popularity of the sport and possibilities to compete at higher levels, the bureaucracy, government ignorance, and a lack of infrastructure are setbacks. &nbsp; The club makes sure that it is inclusive: there is no membership fee, and bikes are set aside exclusively for girls. The main trainer, Mingma Yangzi Sherpa, is a woman.&nbsp; <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/pedalling-for-life">Mountain biking is also good for the soul</a>, says Lama. “Getting good at this sport requires discipline, and a sense of camaraderie. Bikers seem to develop a deep respect for the environment.”&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240406020456_a61ba3ac33c2daba9f8f516f4e1652051ef4a31788af290397779a67d0780fbf.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20240406020456_a61ba3ac33c2daba9f8f516f4e1652051ef4a31788af290397779a67d0780fbf" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1125" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal pushes mountain bike tourism NT 1"> </figure>  Mountain biking tourists are great for Phaplu’s economy as well. Trekkers who pass through Phaplu stay for a day, while bikers may stay for four or five. Mountain biking destinations in Wales, Canada, and the Alps see millions of tourists every year. Nepal already has the terrain, the trails, the hospitality and unsurpassed views.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/phaplumtbclub/">Phaplu Club</a> is already looking forward to next year and hopes to organise Asia-wide events with top talents. There is also potential to stage Ratnange-like projects in Makalu and Ilam.&nbsp; Kathmandu to <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/So-far-so-good/going-to-phaplu-in-winter,1107">Phaplu</a> is a now a nine hour drive on the Sindhuli Highway via Okhaldhunga, or a 30 minute flight to Phaplu. Riders can then pedal up to the start of the trail or take a shuttle for themselves and their wheels. Just so you’re not, you know, two tyred.

Nepal pushes mountain bike tourism

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161124/636d17b49c7e80680e0ac781jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3073" height="2048"/><figcaption>Surrounded by luscious green forest Balthali village with its traditional ochre-coloured houses sits atop a plateau. All photos: AMIT MACHAMASI</figcaption></figure>Tucked between the Roshi and Ladku Khola rivers, just ahead of the town of Panauti and Khopasi some 40km southeast of Kathmandu, lies the picturesque village of Balthali.Surrounded by lush forests with rhododendrons, magnolia and pine, terraced farmlands, ochre-painted houses with tiled roofs and sparkling rivers, Balthali is a perfect destination for those looking for a day hike or some time away from the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu.Sights of terraces and ripening rice have grown rare in the Kathmandu Valley, but Balthali remains largely untouched by modernity.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161124/636d17b89c7e80680e0ac782jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3073" height="2048"><figcaption>Sights like these terraces of ripening rice are now rare in Kathmandu valley.</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161124/636d17bc9c7e80680e0ac783jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3073" height="2048"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161124/636d17c09c7e80680e0ac784jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3073" height="2048">Travelers can enjoy the off-beaten path and take a stroll through the luscious green fields, the jungle or around the village taking in the unique culture and tradition. Even the most avid mountain bikers will enjoy cycling around the trails here.Those who want to spend more time can opt to stay in local homestays or the resorts in the area.Visitors can also enjoy clear skies with the majestic view of snowcapped mountains including Dorje Lhakpa and Langtang to the north.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161124/636d17c39c7e80680e0ac785jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3073" height="2048"><figcaption>The muddy brown of a river meets the clear water of another stream.</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161124/636d17c69c7e80680e0ac786jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3073" height="2048"><figcaption>The bridge above Roshi river.</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161124/636d17ca9c7e80680e0ac787jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3073" height="2048"><figcaption>The sights and sounds of gurgling rivers accompanies hikers as they traverse through the forest.</figcaption></figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161124/636d17ce9c7e80680e0ac788jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161124/636d17d19c7e80680e0ac789jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427">Balthali is surrounded by lush forests with rhododendrons, magnolia and pine.

Off the beaten track

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108181148/636a966f9c7e80680e05dc68jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1125"/><figcaption>Photos: EPIC MOUNTAIN BIKE</figcaption></figure>Rupesh Shrestha was nearly paralysed after a spinal injury, and his business was on the verge of bankruptcy. Just when he thought things could not get much worse, he lost his wife to cancer.Today, Shrestha is a living example of someone who turned adversity into accomplishment, using a positive mental attitude and persistence to transform a small bicycle shop into one of Kathmandu’s top mountain bike stores.“When you are on the edge you learn so much about life, and it was my passion for business that drove me to success,” says Shrestha. “You can either get stuck or move forward.”Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/migrant-worker-finds-farming-in-nepal-more-rewarding/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Migrant worker finds farming in Nepal more rewarding</a>, Naresh NewarFive years ago, after suffering a prolapsed disc, he was hospitalised then bedridden at home for months. It was rigorous physiotherapy and yoga that saved him from paralysis.Against his father’s advice, he had set up Epic Mountain Bike in 2000, when he was just 20. Shrestha was ahead of his time because Kathmandu was not yet ready for mountain biking, and the business did not do well.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76OS31e_2iUThen tragedy struck: his wife was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and despite treatment she died in 2016.“This was a very difficult time for me, but during the 13-day mourning period I did a lot of self-reflection about life. It was the support and counselling from my friends and family that helped me to move on,” recalls Shrestha.The trick was to put his energy completely into his mountain bike store, understand the market, promote cutting-edge technology and focus on making the venture successful.Read also: <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=15137#.XdZnjdUzbIU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cycle city</a>, Roma Aryal“At that time, 80% of my clients were westerners and 20% Nepali — today it is just the reverse,”  says Shrestha, who sees many urban Nepalis now adopting the sport, taking advantage of the country’s challenging topography and stunning scenery to undertake adventures on two wheels.He went to Singapore to train himself in the potential for mountain biking, and read and researched the subject starting with the bible of the sport, The Complete Book of Mountain Biking, by mountain biking pioneer Gary Fisher.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108181148/636a96749c7e80680e05dc69jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1050">Back in Nepal, Shrestha re-started his shop in Jhamsikhel and trained staff to become mechanics. “I was very passionate about this business, not only to sell bikes but to get more Nepalis interested in going out to the great outdoors. This is both fun and environment-friendly.”Shrestha started mapping mountain-biking routes around Kathmandu Valley, giving enthusiasts on-the-spot training to develop biking skills and techniques. Outside Kathmandu, his sister company, Epic Rides Nepal, started guided tours, taking cyclists for one-day trips to Hetauda and Chandragiri Ridge, and then longer and tougher 10-day grinds in Mustang and Annapurna.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/no-city-for-cyclists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No city for cyclists</a>, Sewa BhattaraiThe company organised even longer 21-day trips to Lhasa, cycling 1,000 km. This September, Shrestha’s team organised the first of a kind, 12-day biking trip for Nepali riders in Colorado and Utah.“Since the beginning we targeted Nepalis because that made the business sustainable,” says Shrestha, adding that his Nepali customers have helped his company grow to an annual turnover of Rs20 million today.Shrestha is also involved in various charities, organising awareness campaigns through annual bike rallies on <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/think-pink-breast%20cancer-diagnosis-treatment,3877" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Breast Cancer</a> Day in memory of his wife, donating the proceeds to hospitals to treat cancer patients who cannot afford treatment. He also helps with an HIV/AIDS treatment centre in Kirtipur.Rupesh Shrestha’s advice for success is to muster courage, patience and passion, and learn from failures. And finally: “Only get into a business doing something you are really passionate about, and don’t rush it. Never give up.”

Rupesh’s epic journey

Being one of the world’s most vertical countries, with six directions (east, west, north south, up and down) it was only a question of time before racing downhill on <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=1346#.XMrUIzAzaUk" target="_blank">mountain bikes</a> became a popular sport here.
Now it has. Pedal-powered, two wheel downhill races are gaining adherents looking for adrenalin and adventure. With the world’s most rugged terrain to practice in, Nepalis are even <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nepali-times-buzz/nepal-mountain-bike-champs,1234" target="_blank">winning international championships</a>.
Adventure seekers hurl themselves down steep slopes on their dirt bikes, careening throiugh narrow trails, dodging cattle, goats, people, trees and rocks, all the while striving to maintain balance and prevent themselves from losing control and veering off the path &nbsp;to the valley below.
Possibly the first daredevil mountain bikers here were Craig Moffet and Brad Grunewald, who rode all the way to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/on-thin-ice-in-the-khumbu/" target="_blank">Everest Base Camp</a> and back in 1983. Since then, as <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=15361#.XMrUKjAzaUk" target="_blank">roads have opened up Nepal</a>, adventure bikers have been venturing further afield into wilder parts of the country.
“Because trekking routes have been turned into motorable roads, many young people are taking up cycling,” explains Diwaslal Pradhan of the group Pangro.
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Mustang is gaining popularity for cross-country riders, but there are challenging ridge trails right here on the Kathmandu Valley rim, in Chobar, Dakshinkali, Pharping and Godavari.
And as they gain experience, many young Nepalis want to take part in competitive downhill races. “More than 20% of the participants in our last race were youth,” says Shyam Limbu of Grand Himalayan Enduro, adding that the sport is not just fun, but also a healthy, environment-friendly activity.
Grand Himalayan Enduro is now famous worldwide for its challenging terrain and tough competition. Cycle enthusiasts from 21 countries flew to Nepal for the 2019 downhill race earlier this year.
“There are 15-20 international participants who come to Nepal every year just to take part in the race. This year more than half of our participants were foreigners,” explains Limbu. He points out that while Nepalis are increasingly drawn to the risky sport, the proportion of foreigners is increasing as word spreads about Nepal’s challenging terrain.
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Besides Enduro, other international cross-country biking competitions in Nepal include <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/nepali-bikers-in-sri-lanka,1854" target="_blank">Yak Attack</a> and the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/celebrating-the-himalayan-outdoors/" target="_blank">Himalayan Outdoor</a>.
Adventure is risk, and it is this risk that seems to attract downhill racers. The danger does not seem to deter women riders either, whose numbers are increasing through platforms such as the Ladies Mountain League, which introduced women to outdoor sports like swimming, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/rock-climbing-nepal,1579" target="_blank">rock-climbing</a>, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/no-city-for-cyclists/" target="_blank">cycling</a>, hiking and kayaking.
“The platform for women gives access to sports by providing equipment, such as bikes, via a mountain-biking ‘library’, and at the same time women can get training,” says Jenny Lama from Himalayan Single Track, a branch of the Ladies Mountain League that has trained 30-35 women in the past year, three of whom participated in the National Downhill Championship. Others took part in cross-country racing, and some became so addicted to the outdoors they went on to become mountain guides.
Says Sailendra Dongol of the National Cycle Association and co-owner of Pangro: “Just organising races should not be our goal, we need to develop more athletes.”
<h2>Karma's karma</h2>
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Fed up with 12-year-old Karma Sherpa playing video games all day long, his aunt took him for a <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/riding-above-the-haze/" target="_blank">biking</a> trip to Chobar four years ago.
That is all it took to get the young lad hooked to mountain biking. Now 16, Sherpa and his bicycle are inseparable, and besides winning many national races, in December he came second in the under-18 International Chiang Mai Enduro.
“I believe I was a pretty notorious kid,” he admits with a shy smile. “I didn’t like doing homework, so I was out and about in the mountains around Kathmandu in my bike every chance I got.”
The Chiang Mai race was a morale booster for the Nepali teenager, who realised he could compete with the best in the world, and was also inspired by meeting the big names in downhill <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Buzz-race-to-the-top,588" target="_blank">biking</a>.
“The competition was five days after my final exams in Kathmandu, so I could not practice much but the race went well,” Sherpa said, hinting that he could have even come first if he had enough training time.
The boy’s first race was the Kathmandu Mountain Bike Festival, when he was 13. &nbsp;Despite being nervous he finished seventh, then built on the experience winning three of his next six races.
Sherpa credits his trainer and mentor, Shyam Limbu of Grand Himalayan Enduro. “He is my biggest inspiration,” says the racer, explaining how Limbu is a holistic trainer, monitoring his technique, mental maturity, concentration and nutrition.
“He also tells me to be less shy and talk to people more. It is good advice and has allowed me to make many international friends,” adds Sherpa, who also looks up to Nepali bikers Rajesh Magar and Suman Tamang.
Sherpa’s foster parents are very supportive, and took him to Switzerland for bike training. He has been told his performance is much improved after that, thanks also to better gear.
Downhill racing is dangerous, and even at 13 Karma was already battle-scarred. He broke his collar bone while training in Switzerland and proudly shows us an x-ray of his shoulder on the cracked screen of his smart phone.
“I have broken my collar bone in the exact same place twice. I also broke this mobile screen in one practice,” he adds smiling.
The teen biker’s ultimate goal is to participate in and win the Red Bull Hardline, one of the toughest downhill mountain bike races in the world. He says: “One victory is not enough, I need to win more.”
Reeti KC

Downhill all the way

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101136/636a230c9c7e80680e0417c5jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1498" height="1000"/><figcaption>Photos: JUKSON</figcaption></figure>On 1 February <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/wonderful-waling/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Waling in Syangja District</a> will be the venue of the first annual world class mountain biking championship. The 100km International Open Mountain Biking Marathon to be held every year 60km south of Pokhara, and will be one of the toughest one day MTB events in the world.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/wonderful-waling/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wonderful Waling</a>, Shashwat  AcharyaThe mountain biking adventure has a total ascent of 4,000m which has to be covered within just 10 hours. Located in the mid-mountains of Nepal with a stunning backdrop of the Himalaya in the Andhi Khola valley, the trail offers a run through a culturally diverse area.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/riding-above-the-haze/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Riding above the haze</a>, Tyler McMahon<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/no-city-for-cyclists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No city for cyclists</a>, Sewa Bhattarai<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101136/636a230f9c7e80680e0417c6jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1498" height="1000">The first Waling 100 offers one of the highest prize money in the MTB racing world with the title prize of Rs500,000 and a historic opportunity for the Title Winner to name the trail. The female biker who comes first will get Rs300,000.The race is being organised by the Wonder Waling initiative with Waling Municipality and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and and will have 25 foreign and 150 Nepali start in Waling Bazar, and will travel through Mirdi, Jagat Bhanjyang, Dumre Bhanjyang and back to Waling.“Waling and Syangja are rich in natural and cultural diversity, we want to combine the two and promote the district as a prime tourism destination,” says <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/Connecting-dots/radical-decentralisation-nepal,921" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dinkar Nepal</a> of Wonderful Waling.Read also: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/Connecting-dots/breath-of-fresh-air-syangja-local-elections,955" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Breath of fresh air in Syangja</a>, Dinkar Nepal

Bicycling in Waling

Nepal’s only international aviation gateway, at Kathmandu airport, will cut night-time operation hours to allow construction of taxiways, and airlines have been told to curtail flights. This is expected to lead to more than normal chaos during the height of peak autumn and spring tourist seasons at an airport that is congested even at the best of times. The airport will close from 10PM to 8AM from 8 November-31 March 2025. The taxiways will now connect to the thresholds at both ends of the runway, making the airport more efficient in handling higher frequencies of landings and takeoffs. The parallel taxiway extension will allow international flights to land every 4 minutes instead of the current every 7 minutes. At present planes have to wait to land until a plane taking off backtracks along the runway.&nbsp; Kathmandu is Nepal’s only airport with international operations, and it has only one runway that is only one way in from the south over the mountains. With the taxiway improvement, the airport will be able to handle 42 aircraft landings and takeoffs per hour — double the current capacity.&nbsp; The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has been trying to entice international airlines to also start flying to and from the other two international airports at Pokhara and Bhairawa (Lumbini) by slashing landing and handling charges. But so far only Nepal Airlines operates a weekly flight to Bhairawa from Kuala Lumpur.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241018161016_046569e53d1d66cd445cc66c697c0ef724810aec9f54bdf827481e3cd6b80c32.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20241018161016_046569e53d1d66cd445cc66c697c0ef724810aec9f54bdf827481e3cd6b80c32" data-rendition-name="original" width="2356" height="1134" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu airport expansion"> <figcaption>Kathmandu Airport Expansion plan with extension of taxiways to the thresholds of runways 02 and 20 that will limit airport operations from 8 November 2024 - 31 March 2025. Areas in blue are existing structures, including the international terminal which in future will be the domestic airport, and the new international terminal near the north end of the runway,</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241018121028_6e17cc2ee87c1b02d78cb54905825b7aa15299b7a00f5eddb01a59579ab85c1a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241018121028_6e17cc2ee87c1b02d78cb54905825b7aa15299b7a00f5eddb01a59579ab85c1a" data-rendition-name="original" width="1353" height="1328" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu airport NT"> </figure>  CAAN has reportedly told international airlines to cut their flight frequency to Kathmandu citing the shorter operation hours and has told budget airlines to shift some of their flights to Pokhara or Bhairawa, or face cuts. Many airlines currently operate regular flights to and from Kathmandu between 10PM and 8AM: Air Arabia to Sharjah, Fly Dubai to Dubai, Jazeera Airways to Kuwait, Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong, Singapore Airlines, several Nepal Airlines flights, and one of four daily flights by Qatar Airways to Doha. Jazeera Airways, FlyDubai, and Thai AirAsia have applied and got permission from CAAN to begin regular flights to Bhairawa’s Gautam Buddha International Airport. Starting 9 November, FlyDubai will start making a stopover in Bhairawa before flying on to Kathmandu. Immigration, customs and security are all fully functional in Bhairawa. In Kathmandu, the next phase of the airport upgrade includes converting the current international terminal for domestic operations, the construction of a new international terminal where the domestic departure area is now, as well as moving the hangars and the Nepal Army Air Wing to the eastern side of the runway. The apron area will also double its parking space for widebody jets. This is part of a Airport Capacity Enhancement Project that was initially funded through a $80 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the entire masterplan is expected to cost $800 million. This project is the latest upgrade to Nepal’s only international airport since it saw its first flight in 1949. The current international and domestic terminals are too small to handle the current annual traffic volume of 8.5 million passengers a year that is growing at 20% a year.

Kathmandu airport to cut flight hours

As Kathmandu becomes more congested and polluted, and with remote online work becoming the norm, many professional Nepalis are planning to retire in Pokhara, or move there.&nbsp; With its stunning mountain panorama, balmy winters and proximity to a profusion of wilderness areas, builders are responding to this demand with new townhouses, housing development and apartments. One such block of flats is the 10-storey <a href="https://sungavaapartment.com/">Sungava Apartment</a> located at Phulbari above the Seti River, near the point where it flows into and under Pokhara. The imposing structure near Manipal Hospital is almost complete, and on a recent visit the site was strewn with huge boulders unearthed while digging the foundation.&nbsp; The Seti brought down these boulders during a gigantic flood that geologists estimate happened 800 years ago when a chunk of Annapurna IV broke off and ploughed into the glacier below. Today, Sungava (means ‘orchid’) sits safely on a high terrace, 100m above the blue-green Seti and commands a view of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Machapuchre, Annapurna III and IV.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102411104_5f8fc736c86ea3c08d7bef43bb727081d3cc1a2caa55ae2b441717e6044de7e9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2024102411104_5f8fc736c86ea3c08d7bef43bb727081d3cc1a2caa55ae2b441717e6044de7e9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2016" height="1512" loading="lazy" alt="High living below the Himalaya NT"> </figure>  The soil here is conglomerate that has solidified like concrete, and the boulders were extracted by heavy earthmovers. It is intriguing to think that these metamorphic rocks as big as cars, rounded by glacial grinding, were once a part of a much higher Annapurna IV. Even for those with little interest in geology, Sungava is an ideal place to contemplate the tectonic forces that pushed these peaks into the sky to be sculpted into delicate shapes by wind, snow, earthquake and avalanche over millions of years. The view of the Himalayan panorama from Sungava’s many balconies are breathtaking when not obscured by clouds, or the haze that drifts in from across the southern border. On most days, just watching the towering pyramid of Machapuchre (Tamu name: कतासुँ क्लिको) play hide and seek with the clouds is mesmerising. There are rocks aplenty at Phulbari, and it is probably the flowers that grew along the flat terraces e that gave the place its flowery name. The boulders will hopefully be turned into a rock garden while landscaping. An nearby restaurant complex is making the best use of the stones in its design, using flat rocks as outdoor benches and tables. Sungava was designed by the husband-wife architect team of Deepak Sherchan and Jyoti Joshi of <a href="https://thedarkmermaidamarbshrestha.blogspot.com/2013/12/creative-builders-collaborative-cbc.html">Creative Builders Collaborative (CBC)</a>, which also built Heritage Plaza, Indreni Apartment and numerous other projects in Nepal. Sadbhavana retains CBC’s trademark Newari-style masonry and here it borrows from the orange brickwork of the old town of Pokhara, integrating it with modern design elements. A few of those heritage houses are still standing in Ganesh Tole and Ram Krishna Tole in Pokhara’s old quarter.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102411108_5eb64a4885961b6d30781cefeb1e8a313da313ac5227c7a66b60f0c7d48d6fab.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2024102411108_5eb64a4885961b6d30781cefeb1e8a313da313ac5227c7a66b60f0c7d48d6fab" data-rendition-name="original" width="1362" height="595" loading="lazy" alt="High living below the Himalaya NT"> </figure>  About 400m from the apartment past a bend on the river, and down below three tiers of terraces in the canyon is a suspension bridge. Below it, the Seti is still swollen with post-monsoon flow as it tumbles away in a hurry to head down south.&nbsp; Back at the apartment, it is quiet, far away from the hubbub of Lakeside a 15 minute drive away, and in the lap of greenery. There are 52 units at Sungava and it already has a close-knit prospective community of professionals, including doctors, publishers, engineers, and businesspeople from the renewable energy and IT sectors.&nbsp; Some residents say they opted for a second home in Pokhara to make it a ‘base camp’ to explore the Annapurnas with its many hiking trails made newly accessible with new roads. With the NRN citizenship law, overseas Nepalis can now also buy the flats. &nbsp; The floor plans include options for north and south-facing 3-bedroom apartments with verandas, and the facility has underground parking has EV charging, heated pool, sauna and gym. There are still some unsold apartments with panoramic views of the mountains and one can imagine oneself at the kitchen with its huge window, humming a ditty while preparing breakfast: “खाना पकाउँ हिमाल हेरेर...”

High living below the Himalaya

When the United Nations held its Summit of the Future at its headquarters in New York in September, many world leaders, including Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Oli, highlighted the effect of climate breakdown in increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters. What did not get as much attention was the long term impact of the climate crisis on food production. In fact, heat stress, weather extremes and the consequences on rain-fed agriculture is already being felt worldwide, undermining the chances of the <a href="https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/">UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</a> being met by 2030.&nbsp; The SDG’s 17 targets commit countries like Nepal to reduce poverty and inequality, end malnutrition, protect the natural environment, and ensure that citizens all enjoy health, justice and prosperity without leaving anyone behind.&nbsp; However, besides the impact of climate breakdown on agricultural production, in Nepal the area under cultivation is impacted by urban expansion, falling productivity and the need for expensive inputs like fertiliser and pesticides.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_626413c5baf4dae407ac9579231b41daeb51510aa636b75aeb7489d94cca6a62.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241019041052_626413c5baf4dae407ac9579231b41daeb51510aa636b75aeb7489d94cca6a62" data-rendition-name="original" width="999" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Kathmandu's urban sprawl is eating into its fertile cultivable lands. Photo: TAYLOR MASON</figcaption> </figure>  Now, a new study led by Nepali researcher Prajal Pradhan at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands looks at how urban agriculture may offer a solution to falling food production and meeting SDG targets. The researchers evaluated 1,450 publications exploring the contributions of urban agriculture with both positive and negative effects, and published their findings in the journal Cells Report Sustainability. Urban agriculture can help achieve 17 SDGs, positively influencing 81 targets. However, it could also undermine 51 goals.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-vanishing-land">The vanishing land</a>, Taylor Mason “Urban agriculture offers immense potential for sustainable development, but realising this potential depends crucially on adopting practices that minimise its adverse effects while maximising its benefits,” Pradhan explains. Urban agriculture can substantially enhance urban food security, provide employment to the urban poor, serve as ground water recharge in built-up areas, and preserve open spaces that can serve as safe havens during disasters like earthquakes. However, it also presents problems like the potential health risks from contamination and the need for expensive inputs. &nbsp; “Urban agriculture plays a definitive role in advancing the SDGs, but achieving this requires tailored, context-specific solutions that address the unique challenges of different regions,” says Yuanchao Hu of Wuhan University in China and who is a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. “But it needs equitable access and rigorous management of environmental risks.”&nbsp; Rapid urbanisation is eating into Nepal’s most fertile agricultural land, which means farming in remaining open spaces inside cities can be a viable alternative, especially as food prices rise.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_7b7c9413086226fbdc630d45acf772cfa1ced77a8970b9056ec5ec7e5226fdf8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241019041052_7b7c9413086226fbdc630d45acf772cfa1ced77a8970b9056ec5ec7e5226fdf8" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="999" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>A vegetable patch in between new houses in Thimi. Photo: TAYLOR MASON</figcaption> </figure>  “The conversion of Nepal’s most fertile land into cities is a severe problem,” Pradhan told Nepali Times. “Crop cultivation, horticulture, agroforestry, beekeeping, livestock rearing, or aquaculture can all be farming activities within and around cities.”&nbsp; The study makes recommendations for sustainable practices that build on the positive aspects of urban agriculture while mitigating the downsides, thereby promoting more resilient cities in future. Research shows that urban agriculture has been helping many countries attain SDG targets by enhancing food security and biodiversity while helping education and preservation of open spaces.&nbsp; Indeed, many farmers from the hinterland who have settled in Kathmandu Valley or other urban areas of the country have been practicing urban agriculture, leasing neighbourhood patches or cultivating roof gardens both out of necessity because of inflation and falling income to grow their own food, and also as a fulfilling hobby. Saurav Dhakal, a sustainability advocate with Story Cycle and now research fellow at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand, says there are socio-economic and environmental benefits of urban agriculture. “It provides benefits to all urban dwellers, regardless of their income status,” says Dhakal, “families get fresh food, and there are many other benefits like water retention, heat regulation and biodiversity. These are all public goods, so special government incentives may be needed.” It is not unusual to see vegetable patches and even paddy fields within inner city Kathmandu where an older generation of farmers are using available fertile land and <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/rooftop-gardens-kathmandu,1415">roof gardens to produce fresh, nutritious food </a>to reduce their dependence on food items that have to be bought after being trucked in from large distances.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024101905100_1291ce98dbbb8caed8702ac4b1d469b3e13016d7ecaaf3bfd5f91c974d3c0c77.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="2024101905100_1291ce98dbbb8caed8702ac4b1d469b3e13016d7ecaaf3bfd5f91c974d3c0c77" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="999" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>An older generation of farmers are using any available fertile land to continue farming but it is getting more and more difficult. Photo: TAYLOR MASON </figcaption> </figure>  Nepal’s urban population grew rapidly from only 3.6% in 1991 to 25% today. There is large outmigration from the mountains to peri-urban areas of the Tarai, to Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara, with many young men then moving abroad for work. Kathmandu Valley’s population has swelled to nearly 3 million, and is growing at 6.5% a year. Dilip Shrestha, 71, used to work for Nepal Food Corporation, so he knew firsthand about inflation, shortages and vegetables with pesticide residue. So, when he designed his new house in Kathmandu, he built a spacious roof where he grows cucumber, ginger, garlic, coriander, onions, tomatoes, chili, beans, okra, pumpkin and lettuce. His family eats healthier, and he has reduced dependence on the market.&nbsp; The co-author of the Cell Reports Sustainability journal article, Daya Raj Subedi who is a PhD candidate at Beijing Forestry University, says urban agriculture also promotes inclusion and psycho-social wellbeing.&nbsp; He says, “A crucial finding of the study is the identification of opportunities and challenges associated with urban agriculture, it can promote sustainable transformation of society.” In Banepa, 55-year-old Bijaya Manandhar in her lifetime has watched the fertile farms of her neighbourhood that used to supply vegetables to Kathmandu, now completely built up with no open space left. The pandemic lockdown prompted her to turn to the family’s <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/rooftop-agriculture-on-the-roof-of-the-world">ancestral livelihood by growing food</a> not on terrace farms, but on the roof terrace. Manandhar is now a part of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/rooftop-agriculture-on-the-roof-of-the-world%5C%5C">कौसी खेती र करेसाबारी क्रान्ती</a> (Rooftop Farming and Garden Revolution) which has an online membership of 52,000, and awards annual prizes to women who excel in urban agriculture.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_7257f5def8f823f35a799fa6f6825e153f2ffa406ac11325d4fe74049b79e96d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20241019041052_7257f5def8f823f35a799fa6f6825e153f2ffa406ac11325d4fe74049b79e96d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="736" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Rooftop farming is gaining popularity as a form of urban agriculture. </figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_beff1a4494ce896dd8fd383ee1f518e5448bcf7ea8bb138255391c7bcb9769ed.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20241019041052_beff1a4494ce896dd8fd383ee1f518e5448bcf7ea8bb138255391c7bcb9769ed" data-rendition-name="original" width="4000" height="3000" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> </figure>  Pradhan says the challenge now is to upscale such examples of successful urban agricultural practices so they support Neal’s efforts to meet SDG targets. He adds, “Crop cultivation around cities can be protected by land use plans and regulations. Promoting community-based agriculture, including rooftop gardens, requires community engagement and public-private partnerships across the food value chain.”&nbsp; Such support would accelerate the popularity of existing rooftop farming and community gardens in Kathmandu Valley, or kitchen garden initiatives in Pokhara, and building on traditional farming practices that are preserved and integrated into urban settings like in Bhaktapur and Banepa. In Lalitpur, the Women Entrepreneurship Facilitation Center promotes urban farming enhancing both sustainability and empowerment.&nbsp; Another co-author of the report, Yuanchao Hu from China says followup research of the team will aim to identify good practices in local urban agriculture practices. He adds, “There are examples of urban agriculture that optimise sustainability, ensuring that it remains a viable solution for cities globally while countries try to meet SDG targets.” Prajal Pradhan, Daya Raj Subedi, Kshitij Dahal, Yuanchao Hu, Prakriti Gurung, Sijal Pokharel, Sagar Kafle, Biplav Khatri, Sudeeksha Basyal, Monika Gurung, and Aruna Joshi. Urban Agriculture matters for sustainable development. Cell Reports Sustainability, 1:100217, 2024. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crsus.2024.100217] Prajal Pradhan (<a href="mailto:p.pradhan@rug.nl">p.pradhan@rug.nl</a>) This article 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.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240630110640_30c3782f9c09219bf1c249b51483a3cfb7a53a06d117d2aebd23ca7080d12758.jpg" data-media-id="editor_14" data-image-id="20240630110640_30c3782f9c09219bf1c249b51483a3cfb7a53a06d117d2aebd23ca7080d12758" data-rendition-name="original" width="680" height="103" loading="lazy" alt="SDG logo"> </figure>

Back to the land in the cities

The 700-year-old Lakshmi Narasingha temple in Bhaktapur houses a rare half-lion and half-human incarnation of Lord Vishnu carrying the Goddess Lakshmi. The temple was destroyed in the 1934 mega earthquake that killed 10,000 people and destroyed many monuments in Kathmandu Valley. It was rebuilt by a German project in the 1980s, but as a single-storey structure instead of its original two-tier pagoda design.&nbsp; With new findings from in-depth research, Bhaktapur municipality began re-restoring the temple in 2021, preserving its original architecture.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_2fae38cce543ad7b1f6de632feb3e212e08ed1acedd747830e949d7b8e878f18.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20241017131016_2fae38cce543ad7b1f6de632feb3e212e08ed1acedd747830e949d7b8e878f18" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “Our temples and heritage sites hold deep meaning. It is disheartening to witness how often they lose their original elements, whether by design or accident,” explains Kumar Chawal of the Consumer Committee of Bhaktapur. “There is a need to preserve our architecture and protect its historical value for future generations. Otherwise, we risk losing a vital part of our identity.” The Laksmi Narsingha restoration is similar to the Bhai Dega temple in Patan Darbar Square which also collapsed in 1934, but was rebuilt with a Moghul-style dome by the Rana government at the time. Only two months before the 2015 earthquake, heritage conservationists had started to rebuild Bhai Dega as the original three-tier based on early photographs. But priorities shifted when four other temples in the square were brought down by the 7.8M earthquake on 25 April 2015.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_697ea707d9ad163be5de5f2efbf5b70d3cab771adcc22f0fae6bf937c6cb0130.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241017131016_697ea707d9ad163be5de5f2efbf5b70d3cab771adcc22f0fae6bf937c6cb0130" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  This showed how damage to monuments in Kathmandu Valley spanned from one earthquake to the next. Bhai Dega restoration remains half-complete to this day because money for its restoration ran out.&nbsp; Whereas Bhai Dega restoration was done by the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust with grants from western embassies and international foundations, in Bhaktapur it is the municipality itself that allocated the Rs30.7 million needed to restore the Lakshmi Narasingha temple. The expected date of completion is early 2025. The municipality and local communities are focusing on two main aspects: preserving the past and promoting localisation. The restoration team has designed a blueprint for the temple by using historical photographs and insights from older generations.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_182882fdc393c99e70d1d0490319e415229563666c4934e3a582426ebf00ca30.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241017131016_182882fdc393c99e70d1d0490319e415229563666c4934e3a582426ebf00ca30" data-rendition-name="original" width="1200" height="560" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “At first, the Lakshmi Narasingha temple had only one entrance, but during the demolition process, we uncovered the foundations of four doors. Now, we are restoring all of them. This is an example of how our ancient structures have changed over time, often without our knowledge,” says Chawal. “Constructing temples is not like building houses. They carry historical and spiritual values, which is why they hold a special place in our hearts,” he adds. By replicating ancient design elements and rebuilding the temple as accurately as possible to its original form, the team has stayed true to Bhaktapur’s soul. But the restoration also revived ancient techniques that were in danger of being forgotten, generating employment for woodcarvers, masons, and contractors. The community of Bhaktapur’s Gahiti neighbourhood near the famous Nyatapola Temple has also set aside specific days for locals to volunteer in the reconstruction work. This has encouraged young people to take pride in ownership of their heritage. Families have also supported the effort by donating funds for bells, the temple pinnacle, and other structural features to the temple.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_db850ec0c084cdbe54f65bee92dad2ad8122d20fd60ec87ec086fbb9d2f72bd6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241017131016_db850ec0c084cdbe54f65bee92dad2ad8122d20fd60ec87ec086fbb9d2f72bd6" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “I feel at peace knowing I have contributed my sweat to restoring this temple,” said one volunteer. “It is our duty to preserve our temples and heritage. The Nyatapola area will look magical once this temple is completed.” Community mobilisation is a long-standing tradition in Bhaktapur. In the past, locals have actively participated in the restoration of other temples in the city, such as Bhairav and Nyatapola fostering a strong sense of ownership. This collective engagement has not only been crucial in preserving the city's historical monuments but also in strengthening the bond between local communities and their heritage, says officials at the municipality. While securing funding is essential, and the municipality showed it values heritage conservation, the Lakshmi Narasingha restoration is proof that active involvement and sense of responsibility of the local community is as important, if not more. Local involvement also means that the monuments will be cared for into the future, When locals take ownership of these efforts, the restored monuments are not only protected in the present but are also cared for in the future.