Kathmandu’s ‘other’ jazz festival, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/jazzing-up-kathmandu-again">KatJazz</a>, has returned for its seventh iteration this month, blending<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/jazzing-up-the-town-for-the-20th-time"> contemporary music </a>with<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-s-traditional-seismic-resistant-designs"> Nepal’s rich traditions</a>. The music fest which began on 13 April will conclude with a grand celebration on <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/till-next-year-adieu-jazzmandu">International Jazz Day</a> on 30 April. The festival’s mission at its inception in 2017 was to educate, and KatJazz also raises funds for scholarships at the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory (KJC). This year’s line-up features 10 international and <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/first-nepali-to-be-nominated-for-a-grammy-award">Nepali musicians </a>as well as 12 student concerts. There are also masterclasses and workshops that are free and accessible to all. “It is not just a Jazz Festival, it is also a music conservatory festival,” explains Abhisek Bhadra, academic director at KJC and co-organiser of the festival. The 2025 festival is <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/margins/the-sacred-female-singers-of-nepal">celebrating women in music</a>, aligning with the festival’s theme, Taking the Lead. Half of the events will feature and be led by women from across musical backgrounds, including Carole Alston, Once We Knew, and multiple artists from Emerging Voices. Organisers are also highlighting the interpretations of jazz across the world’s communities, with artists representing Spanish music, Thai Jazz, Nepali folk, and more. Co-organiser Mari Fajardo is a vocalist for the five-member Spanish group Ya Si Ver &amp; co which seamlessly blends Spanish folk with jazz. She says: “Folk music has always been a thing to share, the core essence of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/tibetan-music-in-nepals-sacred-valley">folk music </a>everywhere is the same.” Once We Knew, made up of Swiss and Nepali performers formed only in 2023, is developing an understanding of how it can work together as a group. “We are excited to bring our voices and music to Nepal for KatJazz,” says group member Sneha Lama, “This almost feels too good to be true.” The <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/just-jazz-in-kathmandu">jazz scene in Kathmandu</a> has evolved over the last two decades. The other festival Jazzmandu held its 20th festival last year, pioneering and cultivating the taste of jazz in Nepal while also providing a platform for new and home-grown artists. “Jazz is a very generous language, it is one of the few art forms that can connect you to your own roots,” says Bhadra of KJC. <h2>Carole Alston (USA)</h2> Carole Alston, a gospel, blues, and jazz vocalist, has played leading roles in multiple musicals including West Side Story, The Man of LaMancha, and Jesus Christ Superstar. She has taught jazz at the Austrian conservatory in Klagenfurt as well as at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250417120412_fa5e0afb34ca50972afe849c96ae369886c6d8a76ffbc3a1c553fcbe3df9e415.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20250417120412_fa5e0afb34ca50972afe849c96ae369886c6d8a76ffbc3a1c553fcbe3df9e415" data-rendition-name="original" width="2552" height="2560" loading="lazy" alt="Jazz"></figure>  Carole Alston - Voice | Martin Zenker - Bass | Abhisek Bhandra - Piano | | Lucas Fixel - Drums <h2>Once We Knew (Switzerland/Nepal)</h2> Once We Knew was formed by four friends (Maria von Rütte, Alice Auclair, Martina Henriques Dias and Sneha Lama) at Jazzcampus in Basel in 2023. Inspired by groups like American vocal quartet Säje, the friends share a love and fascination for singing and creating harmonies.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250417120412_d29b6e53a2e095397fe5b8da5b78e9b6e364c4b6aaacd00d383ed65313394234.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20250417120412_d29b6e53a2e095397fe5b8da5b78e9b6e364c4b6aaacd00d383ed65313394234" data-rendition-name="original" width="958" height="958" loading="lazy" alt="Jazz"></figure>  Sneha Lama - Voice | Martina Henriques Dias - Voice | Maria von Rütte - Voice | Alice Auclair - Voice | Sébastian Rudhard - Bass | Marcelo Figueiredo - Guitar <h2>Roots Rewired (Nepal)</h2> Roots Rewired is the collaborative effort of two Nepali bands. Rajat Rai has taken inspiration from Reggae, Afro-Beat and West African music, and infused it with Nepali folk, jazz, and West African rhythms. Sonagi Blues blends traditional instruments such as Nagara, Sichya, Bhuchya, Dha, and Sarod with modern ones like Guitar to create a mix of rock and Indian classical music.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250417120412_2e7cd20b99449c4e6d7d64b4e35d8a908aa0b642ce4712efe8d1dbc9dfa344db.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20250417120412_2e7cd20b99449c4e6d7d64b4e35d8a908aa0b642ce4712efe8d1dbc9dfa344db" data-rendition-name="original" width="3872" height="3872" loading="lazy" alt="Jazz"></figure>  Rajat Rai - Voice / Guitar | Chhitij KC - Drums | Pau Roses - Bass | Paul Tynan - Trumpet | Tomas Carrasco - Flute &amp; Saxophone | Abhisek Bhadra - Keyboards <h2>Emerging Voices (Nepal)</h2> With three singers and one instrumentalist, this Nepali group includes Yaju Acharya and Samita Limbu’s blend of folk and classical influences, Kunzanee’s exploration of tradition through contemporary lens, and Nami’s vibrant and personal set of original songs that draw inspiration from jazz, pop, indie, reggae, and more.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250417120416_1dd5f1fe08cdfc1691c53309731ebe29cb53b52555932347e9ffa8249fa9b9cf.jpg" data-media-id="editor_11" data-image-id="20250417120416_1dd5f1fe08cdfc1691c53309731ebe29cb53b52555932347e9ffa8249fa9b9cf" data-rendition-name="original" width="2500" height="2500" loading="lazy" alt="Jazz"></figure>  Yaju Acharya - Voice / Flute | Samita Limbu - Voice | Kunzanee - Voice | Nami - Voice <h2>Ya Si Ver &amp; co (Spain)</h2> Ya Si Ver &amp; co is a collaborative project rooted in the folk traditions of Spain, and reimagines Spanish Folk by combining Spanish Folk with Jazz music, drawing from art forms like Flamenco.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250417120412_ecb4d16861140e11cf2420800972f6e53edda828b63ed1d4bde76cb07e734001.jpg" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="20250417120412_ecb4d16861140e11cf2420800972f6e53edda828b63ed1d4bde76cb07e734001" data-rendition-name="original" width="1890" height="1889" loading="lazy" alt="Jazz"></figure>  María Fajardo - Voice | Nené Álvarez - Voice | Javier Galiana - Piano | Javier Delgado - Upright Bass | Guillermo Martín-Viana - Drums <h2>Fixel Trio ft. Jatziri Gallegos &amp; Siddharth Gautam (Brazil/Mexico/India)</h2> This group captures the spirit of Brazilian culture and celebrates the various communities that have shaped musician Lucas Fixel’s journey. As a part of this year’s KatJazz theme, Taking the Lead, Fixel Trio will be featured with Carole Alston, Once We Knew, and Ya Si Ver &amp; co on a series of concerts to celebrate women in music.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250417120412_cf0b1e27b1dbe5fb15b54a6e46171be66415c7c2f1c4529ccb5d795ba7eb8a8f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_13" data-image-id="20250417120412_cf0b1e27b1dbe5fb15b54a6e46171be66415c7c2f1c4529ccb5d795ba7eb8a8f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1080" height="1080" loading="lazy" alt="Jazz"></figure>  Lucas Fixel - Drums | Jatziri Gallegos - Voice | Siddhartha Gautam - Guitar <h2></h2> <h2>SCHEDULE</h2> Emerging Voices (Nepal) Friday, 18 April 7PM onwards Rs1,000 Bhumi, Lazimpat Roots Rewired Tuesday, 22 April 7:30PM onwards Rs1,000 Electric Pagoda, Thamel Ya Si Ver &amp; co (Spain) Wednesday, 23 April 7:30PM onwards Rs1,000 La Terrasse, Chundevi Once We Knew (Switzerland/Nepal) Thursday, 24 April 7:30PM onwards Rs1,000 Moksh, Jhamsikhel Carole Alston (USA) Friday, 25 April 7:30PM onwards Rs1,000 Dhokaima Cafe, Patan Dhoka Fixel Trio ft. Jatziri Gallegos &amp; Siddharth Gautam (Brazil/Mexico/India) Saturday, 26 April 3PM onwards Rs500 Yellow House, Sanepa Future Harmonies: KatJazz Festival Finale Wednesday, 30 April 7PM onwards Rs1,500 Eden Amphitheatre, Sanepa

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Jazzy April in Kathmandu

<img width="1024" height="684" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171120/636930319c7e80680e03c0e6jpeg.jpg" alt=""/>When the Jazzmandu music festival was first held in Kathmandu in 2002, very few in Nepal had heard of jazz. The annual festival turns 16 this year, and will once again entertain music lovers between the Dasain and Tihar festivals. This year, six international bands  will be performing in various venues across Kathmandu from 1-6 November: DACH, Nick’s Cousins, Groove Gang, Adrien Brandeis Quintet, Eduardo Mendonca, and Cynthia Abraham.Jazzmandu put Nepal on the world jazz map, and brought jazz to Nepalis. While there were only a handful of jazz musicians 16 years ago, youngsters queue up to learn it at the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory today. Like jazz music elsewhere, Nepali jazz also has a distinctive identity.Read also: <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/jazzing-up-in-kathmandu,3316">Jazz it up 'Mandu</a>, Sahina Shrestha<a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/jazz-comes-to-town,2670">Fuel up on Jazz</a>, Madeline Zutt“Jazz is popular because it  revels in improvisation, it sounds different in each place,” explains Samir Chhetri, one of the festival organisers and member of Cadenza, Nepal’s first jazz band. “In jazz there are no rules and there is much improvisation. It is more like a conversation.”Indeed, Nepali jazz has many elements from traditional and folk Nepali music, from instruments to melodies, making Nepali jazz unique. Meanwhile, Jazzmandu infuses new styles and trends every year into the local jazz scene. It does not just bring in outside musicians, but also showcases Nepal’s best jazz so that it is a two-way exchange. Four Nepali bands will be performing this year: Cadenza which also organises the festival, Abhishek and Maria who teach and perform jazz in Nepal, Project Sarangi that aims to revive traditional Nepali music, and Rabin Lal Shrestha duo for a dash of melodious Eastern Classical.Read also:<a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=19731#.W9KteHszbIV"> Jazzy 10th birthday</a><a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=4306#.W9Ktg3szbIV">All that Jazz</a> <figure><img width="1400" height="844" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171120/636930349c7e80680e03c0e7jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><a href="https://nickscousins.bandcamp.com/">Nick’s Cousins</a> [USA]Nick’s cousins plays Avant-Garde Jazz with a rock punch, aggressive and exploratory, with a strong sense of melody. Their music is mostly written by the saxophone player Matty Harris. They are excited to be in Nepal, to see the homeland of their drummer Kismat Shrestha, and for lots of momos…The essence of jazz: “Jazz is freedom, a musical adventure without boundaries. There are many incredible artists creating new ways to present musical ideas in current times. There is a great variety of experimental music, and we appreciate and learn from everything we hear.<a href="http://www.showbrazil.com/">Eduardo Mendonca</a> [Brazil]Mendonca’s originals are a blend of Brazilian rhythms, but he also plays Brazilian standard tunes, and music from other parts of the world with a Brazilian twang. He hopes to increase his affection and respect for Nepali culture, and to recharge his soul with love and gratitude.The roots of jazz: "Jazz takes me to African-American music as a root. It is the African diaspora flourishing in New Orleans and expanding to the world. It is a bridge that connects people by ignoring divides. Jazz is attention, creativity, movement, and FUN!” <img width="640" height="749" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171120/636930379c7e80680e03c0e8jpeg.jpg" alt=""><img width="640" height="440" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171120/6369303a9c7e80680e03c0e9jpeg.jpg" alt=""><a href="http://davidsix.com/">DACH</a> [Austria]DACH members come from diverse backgrounds: Western Classical, Jazz, Austrian &amp; Ukrainian Folk, Balkan, Indian Classical Music. Their jazz is nourished by European roots. They like to never perform a music the same way twice. They hope to make people smile, cry, and bang their heads to music.What jazz is today: “Jazz is a worldwide phenomenon with innovative people pushing possibilities forward. Sometimes the different scenes do not mix, but it is a (not too) big family that we are proud to be a part of. Sadly, it lacks female players, missing a huge creative potential<a href="https://www.adrienbrandeis.com/">Adrien Brandeis</a> Quintet  [France]Adrien Brandeis started his musical career in 2010 and created his quintet in 2015 revelling in various influences like Cuban, Brazilian, Caribbean, and African music. It is the band’s first time in Nepal, and the members are excited to discover a new culture and incorporate new elements in their playing.What jazz means: “Jazz means liberty, because of the improvisation, and because you can express yourself differently every day, depending your mood. Jazz also means sharing, because it is so interactive between the musician and audience.” <img width="640" height="480" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171120/6369303d9c7e80680e03c0eajpeg.jpg" alt=""><img width="1400" height="606" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171120/636930409c7e80680e03c0ebjpeg.jpg" alt=""><a href="https://thegroovegang.com/">Dave Feusi &amp; Groove Gang</a> [Switzerland]Groove gang plays a mixture of Jazz, Funk, Soul and World Music. For its members, jazz has many faces which can reach out to people who do not care about stylistic definitions. They look forward to seeing different angles of life in Nepal, and to give lots of love and music for their heart.The legacy of jazz: “Jazz was created more than one hundred years ago and still lives in our hearts and souls. In history, it was always a great source of inspiration for a conscious crowd. Today Jazz is even more important, as an alternative to superficial mainstream. Jazz is alive!”Rabin Lal Shrestha DuoVeteran classical musician Rabin Lal Shrestha will be playing the tabla, and will be joined by Jeevan Ale on the flute. Shrestha has been a constant feature of Jazzmandu since its inception, and this time, a couple of other classical musicians are joining him as well.Classical music in Nepal: “There is the impression that classical music is not very popular. However, there is always a constant stream of students who want to learn. In Jazzmandu, classical, jazz, folk, all come together, and the audience appreciates the variety.” <img width="640" height="894" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171120/636930449c7e80680e03c0ecjpeg.jpg" alt=""><img width="640" height="806" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171120/636930479c7e80680e03c0edjpeg.jpg" alt=""><a href="https://www.cynthiaabraham.com/">Cynthia Abraham</a> [France]Cynthia Abraham will be playing with Matthias Pascaud. They both play jazz along with other music like soul, rock, electro, etc. They are attracted to jazz’s freedom, and its common repertoire that allows you to play with anyone that speaks the same language.Strength of jazz:  “Jazz is a very demanding music but offers a multitude of possibilities. Modern jazz allows a mix between 'traditional' jazz and other styles, creating endless possibilities. It is a mixture of styles, but also sounds: instrumentation, sound texture, electronic machines, etc.”<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ProjectSarangi/">Project Sarangi</a>Project Sarangi is on a mission to revive traditional Nepali instruments by giving classes on traditional instruments and experimenting with these instruments in their compositions. Ten musicians with sarangis will perform a fusion of western and eastern music at Jazzmandu.Folk instruments: "Appreciation for folk music should be inculcated from a young age, so we reach out to schoolchildren. Nepali instruments need to be preserved, and for that they need to expand beyond traditional music. We need to experiment and transform them." <img width="640" height="426" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171120/636930499c7e80680e03c0eejpeg.jpg" alt=""><img width="1400" height="429" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171120/6369304c9c7e80680e03c0efjpeg.jpg" alt=""><a href="http://cadenzacollective.com/">Cadenza Collective</a>The band that started Jazzmandu brought world class jazz to Nepal, while helping elevate a new generation of jazz musicians to world standards. The band recently released its sixth album Back to the Roots, representing how far jazz has come in Nepal.Jazz in Nepal: “Back when we started playing jazz in Kathmandu’s first jazz club Jazz Upstairs, other bands were only playing rock and metal, or doing covers. Jazz Upstairs was small but our dreams were big. Here we are today, still going strong 16 years later!"Abhishek and MariaAbhishek Bhadra and Maria Sajardo teach at the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory. Jazz for them is not just a genre, but an entire language with its own vast academic and intellectual history that you can apply anywhere. They will be playing original compositions at Jazzmandu.Why jazz?: "Jazz is very versatile, which is the reason for its growing attraction in Nepal. After learning jazz, people apply it in rock music and other areas. Today there are more opportunities to perform jazz in many festivals, and event companies and hotels ask for it." <img width="640" height="493" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171120/6369304e9c7e80680e03c0f0jpeg.jpg" alt=""><h2>JAZZMANDU 2018</h2> CONCERT FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS 12-1:30 PM, 1 November Alliance Francaise, Jhamsikhel Entry by invitation onlyJazzmandu kicks off with a free concert playing great music for young minds. The Concert for School Students continues Jazzmandu's long tradition of promoting music education and cross-cultural understanding. Interested schools and individual students can request invitations by writing to info@jazzmandu.org. Seating is limited. Gates open at 11.30 am, please be seated by 11.50 am.GROOVIN AT UPSTAIRS 7-9 PM, 1 November Jazz Upstairs, Lazimpat Ticket: Rs 600Cadenza Collective gather new and old friends for an explosive jam at the heart of Jazz in Nepal, Jazz Upstairs. Gates open at 6 pm. A ticket does not guarantee a seat.VALLEY JAMS 7-9 PM, 2 November Moksh, Jhamsikhel Jazz Upstairs, Lazimpat House of Music, Thamel Manny’s Eatery and Tapas Bar, Jawalakhel Ticket: Rs 600Gates open at 6 pm and close at 7 pm. Seating is limited.JAZZ BAZAAR 2:30-10 PM, 3 November Gokarna Forest Resort Ticket: Rs 1,400Get away from the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu and be surrounded by the lush, serene Gokarna Forest Resort to enjoy a marathon of jazz and traditional Nepali folk and classical music. Gates open at 1.30 pm and close at 7 pm. Seating is limited. A ticket does not guarantee a seat. No outside food or beverages allowed. No pets allowed.Free shuttle buses to Gokarna will depart every hour from 1 pm to 4 pm from outside Hotel Marco Polo in Kamal Pokhari, and will stop for pick-ups outside the Hyatt Regency gate in Boudha. Return shuttles will be available between 10 pm and 11 pm, with drop-offs at Boudha and Kamal Pokhari. Seats are limited.Anyone arriving by bicycle will receive a 25% discount on a ticket.SOUNDS OF LATIN JAZZ 7-9 PM, 4 November Dhokaima Cafe, Patan Ticket: Rs 1,600Experience the vibrant sounds of Brazilian rhythms and Latin jazz in the relaxed ambience of the Yala Maya courtyard. Gates open at 6 pm and close at 8 pm. Seating is limited.JAZZMANDU MASTERCLASSES 11 AM - 1:30 PM, 5 November Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory, Jhamsikhel  – Vocal &amp; Instrumental Workshops FREE ENTRY (limited seating)The Jazzmandu master classes are an opportunity for music students &amp; jazz enthusiasts to interact with visiting musicians, share their experience and stories and learn techniques and tips on various instruments and vocals. Seating is limited and not guaranteed.JAZZ AT THE TEMPLE HOUSE 6:30 - 8:30 PM, 5 November Kantipur Temple House (Jyatha, Thamel) Ticket: Rs 1,600An evening of Nepali classical music fused with Jazz in a rich and soulful ambience. International musicians share their musical ideas and energies with Nepal’s top classical musicians and Cadenza Collective.Gates open at 5.30 pm and close at 7pm. Please be seated by 5.45 pm. Seating is limited. A ticket does not guarantee a seat.JAZZMANDU FINALE 5:30 - 10 PM, 6 November Hotel Yak &amp; Yeti, Durbar Marg Ticket: Rs 1,400The Finale BIG JAM when musicians from different bands come together on one stage to light up the festivities creating a high-energy, improvised musical treat.Gates open at 4.30 pm and close at 8pm. Seating is limited.

Kathmandu, and all that jazz …

Architecture can be a powerful agent of change, shaping not just spaces but the way people live, connect, and experience the world.&nbsp; For Nepal, which is <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/natures-fragile-gift-to-nepal">gifted by nature</a> and rich in <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/ambassador-fund-cultural-preservation-nepal,2092">cultural heritage</a>, &nbsp;reviving rural architecture with modern amenities could hold the key to more <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/what-sustainable-tourism-means-in-practice">sustainable tourism </a>that benefits local people more. “<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/bayalpata-hospital-in-nepal-wins-global-design-award">Design and architecture</a> are amazing tools to create a unique experience for visitors,” says Spanish architect Tomeu Esteva of Esteva i Esteva Architecture Studio. “Difficult destinations have beautiful hotels with design and comfort.” Esteva was in Kathmandu with his colleagues at an event organised by the Spanish Honorary Consulate at Dwarika’s Hotel last week to showcase buildings which Nepali architects can adapt with local material and design inputs.&nbsp; Rural architecture holds a unique significance: it is more than a shelter and must reflect <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/inking-an-idenity">local identity, culture</a> and <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/saving-humla-from-heritage-loss">heritage</a>. An area’s natural and cultural harmony can be upset by <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/protecting-protected-areas-from-infrastructure?fbclid=IwAR1wK0MDFlFST_2EYb3f54LS4-fPt6rYfLG1DJ1JaQsU3w8-ezyXIxGOqzk">poorly planned development</a>, speakers at the event said, but the environment can be improved and revitalised by well-integrated structures.&nbsp; Another Spanish architect, Belen Moneo, has designed hotels at elevations of 3,700m in her home country Spain that supply natural spring water spas. “<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/lost-in-reconstruction">Creativity in construction</a> must be encouraged. Rural architecture always shows possibilities of what we can do better,” Moneo explains, adding that designs must enhance <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/the-healing-power-of-nature">the beauty of nature</a> and give a natural feel at a time when steel, glass and cement dominate <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/rebuilding-kathmandu-after-the-1934-quake">urban design</a>.&nbsp; This is why the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/weaving-nature-into-craft">use of natural products</a> such as bamboo, local timber, straw and rammed earth are in demand from customers who want a fresh eco-friendly look encouraged in construction of rural architectural structures. The demand for boutique hotels has increased world over, with &nbsp;more and more tourists favouring aesthetics, experience and comfort over price. While creativity is an important part of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/architecture-for-mountains">construction and architecture</a>, incentives to build and use <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Building,370">rural construction materials</a> still remain minimal, and Moneo emphasises the significance of design and execution.&nbsp; Esteva helped design the Vana Retreat in Dehradun that kept the natural environment in focus, with the structure giving an elaborate aesthetic experience to visitors. Another example is Hotel Las Mercedes in the Dominican Republic which was designed and constructed by Moneo and the company she co-founded Moneo Brock, respecting and revaluing the traditional architecture of the area. Hotels providing such experience could attract tourists and revenue. The Spanish ambassador to Nepal Juan Antonio March Pujol said, “The role of architecture and architects in developing tourism is crucial, not only in urban areas but rural settings as well.”&nbsp; The concept of rural boutique hotels gained traction in Spain during the 1990s, particularly in regions like Majorca with economic and environmental sustainability as the main focus. In Nepal <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/12-full-opinion/guiding-nepal-s-tourism-industry">the tourism industry</a> directly employs about 1 million people, and makes up about 8% of the country’s GDP. In Nepal, the stone homes of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/reviving-himalayan-vulture-and-culture">Mustang and Manang</a>, bamboo and mud structures of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-tarai-s-shrinking-forests">the Tarai</a>, and the Kathmandu Valley’s terra cotta tile skylines, graceful temples, and tranquil bahal courtyards are all examples of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-s-traditional-seismic-resistant-designs">Nepal’s traditional architecture</a>.&nbsp; Nepali architect Sarosh Pradhan has been working for the past eight years on the Brakka Village project in Manang Valley north of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/municipalities-want-to-manage-annapurna">the Annapurnas</a>. Other examples of this kind of rural architecture for high-end tourism are the Shinta Mani Hotel in Mustang and Khumbu Lodge below <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/mt-everest-pvt-ltd">Mt Everest</a>. Says Pradhan, “There are places in Nepal that radiate purity and embrace simplicity. Creating projects in such settings require deep reflection and thoughtful planning.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250421030444_a07a23f6b60fa89c0f35b9dc1aaf19937da4881e6bfb2e1858f3c27dff91729f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_19" data-image-id="20250421030444_a07a23f6b60fa89c0f35b9dc1aaf19937da4881e6bfb2e1858f3c27dff91729f" data-rendition-name="original" width="4608" height="2184" loading="lazy" alt="A new architecture for Nepal's tourism"> </figure>  Rural architecture is not easy, and sometimes more expensive. Inflation, energy efficiency, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/those-who-stay">the climate crisis</a>, and <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/cost-of-living-in-a-big-city">increased costs of living</a> pose obstacles to sustainable rural architecture. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/forgotten-international-starchitects-in-nepal">Forgotten international starchitects in Nepal</a>, Anne Feenstra and Varun S Bapu Esteva says faith and trust between client and architect is necessary for any project to be successful. He adds that architects must practice being humble, the process of designing always involves learning and not imposing their ideas on clients. Nepal is uniquely positioned for the growth of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/hiking-up-the-benefits-of-tourism">rural tourism</a> because of its stunning countryside as well as its internationally renowned traditions in holistic wellness. Creating infrastructure that is small, thoughtfully planned and that respects both tradition and contemporary hospitality standards is crucial. “Projects in Nepal can be made cost effective by using materials from houses that have been brought down,” says Esteva. “Pilot projects involving <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/local-government-by-the-people-for-the-people-of-the-people">local people </a>and simple designing also helps the process.” <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/vacant-homes-become-homestays-in-nepal">The growth of homestays in Nepal</a> is a step in the right direction, but they are still a bit too rustic for the international traveller who also wants comfort and is willing to pay extra for it. Upgrading the facilities in homestays and ensuring that the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/an-archive-of-nepali-heritage">architectural heritage</a> of the locality is preserved using locally sourced building material could allow owners to charge more. Says Sangita Shrestha of Dwarika’s Hotel, “Our effort is to build upon rural architecture by empowering local communities and using what is available locally. We can fine tune and encourage indigenous design and training.” The vision goes beyond just boosting the economy, it is about building a future where tourism helps villages grow in a healthy and lasting way. Instead of using up resources, it gives back to the land and the people. It supports local communities by<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/staying-in-nepal-to-create-jobs"> creating jobs</a>, improving infrastructure, and protecting natural beauty. When done right, tourism can be a tool for <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/progress-and-or-preservation">preserving culture and nature</a>, not harming them. Architects must therefore see their work as more than just designing buildings, they also need to care deeply about people and places, especially in rural areas that can benefit the most.&nbsp; With global interest in sustainable and off-the-beaten-path travel increasing, Nepal stands at the cusp of a <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/missing-out-on-nepal-s-tourism-potential">tourism transformation</a> that values community-driven, eco-conscious hospitality. A mix of modern ideas and traditional knowledge could transform rural tourism in Nepal. Says Shrestha, “Young architects should spend time with <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/latest/the-unsung-heroes-of-conservation">local and indigenous communities</a>, listen to their stories, and learn from their <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/life-and-livelihood-in-remote-nepal">ways of living</a>. These communities have deep knowledge about the land, materials, and climate. If this wisdom is used in new designs, it can help create tourism spaces that truly benefit everyone.” &nbsp;

A new architecture for Nepal's tourism

Extract from an addendum to Nepal's Two Wars, Chapter 2 in the updated edition of Essays on Nepal: Past and Present by Sam Cowan, a retired British Army general with a long association with the Gurkhas. The book was first published in 2018, and republished earlier this month by FinePrint exclusively on Amazon. The addendum details a one-to-one conversation the author had in the <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=8884">Royal Palace </a>with the <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=8371">King Gyanendra</a> in November 2002 just after he had taken his initial steps on the road that ultimately led to <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=14681">the abolition of the monarchy</a> in Nepal in 2008. In the early evening of September 16, 2002, in my role as Colonel Commandant of the Brigade of Gurkhas, I had my second and last official audience with King Gyanendra to give him an update on the Brigade’s activities over the previous 12 months. I had some 6 or 7 such audiences with <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/preserving-king-birendra-s-family-home">King Birendra</a>.&nbsp; These were official affairs with the British ambassador of the day present, along with key <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=12233">palace officials</a> and a representative from Nepal's Foreign Ministry. The two monarchs were very different in character and temperament, but both treated me with the utmost civility and made the audiences as relaxed and easy for me as possible.&nbsp; It is, however, worth recording that when the official business had been covered, King Birendra, with a twinkle in his eye, often ended by asking, “Now General, what’s the gossip in London?” The second audience with <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=8026">King Gyanendra </a>was my last official act in uniform. We came back to Kathmandu in the first week of November (after treks) to stay for a few nights with our Defence Attaché before heading back to the UK. Waiting for me was a message from the Palace saying that King Gyanendra would like to meet me informally: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=6933">no uniform</a> and no ambassador.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250421080420_f9046f9882d4481781d14f2b64f18c7fbbea62562e1d74e3465de6d01fb43750.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20250421080420_f9046f9882d4481781d14f2b64f18c7fbbea62562e1d74e3465de6d01fb43750" data-rendition-name="original" width="1750" height="2406" loading="lazy" alt="Gyanendra crowned page 1"> <figcaption>Nepali Times Special Edition of 6-14 June 2001 with enthronement of Gyanendra. </figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250421080424_21333d6ae21828eb47fe3f849438d215fe2804460d47bb2896ef4aee4e895ad2.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20250421080424_21333d6ae21828eb47fe3f849438d215fe2804460d47bb2896ef4aee4e895ad2" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1857" loading="lazy" alt="Royal massacre"> <figcaption>Nepali Times 22-29 June 2001 covering the royal massacre after which Gyanendra became king. </figcaption> </figure>  Although I had no idea what the purpose of the meeting might be, events in Kathmandu since I last saw the king put me on edge. On October 4, 2002, Gyanendra had dismissed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, allegedly for failing to hold <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/what-goes-on-in-nepal-s-elections">elections</a>. He had put in place a new prime minister and a cabinet personally selected by him. When I heard the news on my travels, the people I met were generally supportive of the king’s actions. There was a general view that something had to be done, the country was going nowhere, and the king deserved his chance, not least to solve<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/latest/14-years-after-conflict-no-closure-in-nepal"> the Maoist </a>problem. Back in Kathmandu, views were not so sanguine. The chosen prime minister, Lokendra Bahadur Chand, was a relic from <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/mob-movement-and-mayhem">the Panchayat period</a> whose party had failed to win a single seat in the last elections held in 1999. Some of the chosen cabinet ministers had, to put it mildly, dubious reputations, and others had no record of proven competence in any field. There was a fear that the king’s real motive in dismissing <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/deubas-denouement">Deuba</a> was to start to reverse the democratic gains made since 1990. I informed <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/nepal-britain-mark-centenary-of-1923-treaty">the British ambassador</a> about the invitation. He was strongly against accepting it, which was probably the clinching reason for my decision to do the polite thing and accept it. On the evening of November 7, 2002, I presented myself at the royal palace, alone and in civilian attire.&nbsp; As in the past, the Military Secretary, Major General Vivek Shah, met and escorted me into the presence of the monarch. This time, however, he was politely asked to leave the room and shut the door behind him. King Gyanendra greeted me warmly and invited me to sit down.&nbsp; Read also:<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/the-ghost-of-monarchy-returns-to-haunt-nepal"> The ghost of monarchy returns to haunt Nepal</a>, Shristi Karki  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250421080424_e382af945d0ad2a04ae41fabe5393f793dd10f54cb1220f111c7c9e7423eb558.jpg" data-media-id="editor_15" data-image-id="20250421080424_e382af945d0ad2a04ae41fabe5393f793dd10f54cb1220f111c7c9e7423eb558" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="993" loading="lazy" alt="Gyanendra coup"> <figcaption>Nepali Times 4-10 February 2005 after king Gyanendra's coup imposed media censorship. anendra became king. </figcaption> </figure>  I had wondered, and to be truthful, had worried, not just about the purpose of the meeting, but about how the conversation might start and develop. I reduced my resolve to two points: be polite but speak candidly. The latter resolve was quickly put to the test with the king’s opening words: “Sam, [in previous meetings it had been ‘General’, you walk the highways and byways of this land more than most, tell me what the common man is thinking?” &nbsp;“Your Majesty, I have no idea what they are thinking, but they are waiting.” “Waiting?” “Yes, Your Majesty, they are waiting to see whether what you did some weeks ago in appointing your own prime minister and cabinet ministers is going to make any difference to their lives or whether it is just going to be more Kathmandu hot air.” “Everything is going to be difficult and is going to take time, a lot of time.” “Your Majesty, time is the one thing you don’t have. You must act quickly and decisively to take advantage of the opportunity you have created. Everyone knows that you have appointed these new ministers. Why don’t you get them in here one by one and tell them that they have three months to deliver a programme in their area of responsibility that is going to make a difference to people’s lives? Most will fail to do so. Sack them! It will be a powerful signal of your strong intent to deliver real change.” I can express the opening of our conversation in this way because just about every word is still etched in my mind. The king’s response to my last quoted words was to challenge me to give an example of something that could be delivered quickly. I can give a verbatim record of what I said in response to this unexpected challenge: “Health posts, Your Majesty, there is no shortage of them throughout the country as building them has been one of the sources of local corruption, but very few have any medicine to issue at present or have skilled people to assess and meet medical needs. Your Majesty, children are dying for lack of a few pills. Given the right priority, over a period, say of six months, every health post could be fully stocked with medicine and manned with trained people. This is something I could help to lead for you as I know it would have strong international backing. At last, people would know that you mean business.” As I warmed to the theme, I could see no sign of the king having any enthusiasm for the idea, and I quickly disengaged as it dawned on me, as it had clearly dawned on the king, that the reason for the deficiencies in health posts was to prevent any Maoist combatant from gaining access to any <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/tech-away/nepal-s-health-tech-industry-is-here-to-stay">medical support</a>, and if this meant people suffering, so be it. The subject of the Maoist insurgency inevitably came up, and I took the opportunity to elaborate on what is written in the final four paragraphs of the article above. I advised King Gyanendra that, self-evidently, since there were three parties in the conflict—him, the Maoists, and the political parties—it was imperative that he form an alliance with one of them, preferably the political parties; otherwise, he would find himself isolated, as the other two parties would inevitably, at some stage, form their own alliance. However, it quickly became apparent that the king’s mind was on a totally different track. On the Maoists, he told me that he had channels open to them, but he was scathing about the political party leaders. He made it clear that they would be waiting for a very long time before he gave any power back to them, and that is a polite way of expressing the actual words he used, but “crawling through the door” is a phrase which has stuck in my mind.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250421080424_5403455ff6168f0d202a96cb53edea69136d74d59b989cfcc7cc4a1d57672cb5.jpg" data-media-id="editor_17" data-image-id="20250421080424_5403455ff6168f0d202a96cb53edea69136d74d59b989cfcc7cc4a1d57672cb5" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="1317" loading="lazy" alt="fall of monarchy"> <figcaption>Nepali Times 28 April-3 May 2005 with cover image by Ajay Joshi of jubilant protesters after street demonstrations sidelined king Gyanendra, paving the way for a ceasfire and restoration of democracy. </figcaption> </figure>  As the conversation developed, it became ever clearer that King Gyanendra had decided to go in alone, relying on the misleading assurances he was constantly receiving from <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=14954">the army</a>, and no doubt his close advisers, that the Maoists could and would be quickly defeated militarily, and taken out of the equation. This would obviate the need for him to do any deal with the political parties.&nbsp; Thus, the way would be clear for him to establish a version of his father’s Panchayat system, under a constitution that would be granted to the people by him, their sovereign, as his father and brother had done in 1962 and 1990. As in those constitutions, ultimate power would have remained in the sovereign’s hands. This proposed direction of travel was very clear from what the king said to me. In sum, King Gyanendra was motivated by a desire to emulate his immediate predecessors by granting his people a constitution that would restore his father’s Panchayat system in a modern form and give him a central role in decision-making. What was particularly dispiriting was that beyond this single objective he had no plan worthy of the name, nor demonstrably did he have the people with the skills to implement an appropriate plan even if one had existed. Crucially and depressingly, there was little or no indication from the king that he realised that such a course of action could put Nepal’s monarchy into serious jeopardy, as indeed proved to be the case. <h2>King Twice</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250420110436_315d519fe3d68d2406ebe1480fed54720fbf21b8907a4da5cde751fdc623d445.jpg" data-media-id="editor_19" data-image-id="20250420110436_315d519fe3d68d2406ebe1480fed54720fbf21b8907a4da5cde751fdc623d445" data-rendition-name="original" width="1302" height="632" loading="lazy" alt="“Tell me what the common man is thinking!”"> </figure>  <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=8371">Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah has been king twice</a>. In 1950 he was enthroned briefly as a child king (left, above) by the Rana Prime Minister Mohan Shumsher when his grandfather, King Tribhuvan, fled to exile in India. In 2001 he was crowned king again after the massacre in the royal palace in which his brother King Birendra and nine other members of his family were killed by Crown Prince Dipendra.&nbsp; During his second reign, Gyanendra gradually asserted power by sacking Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in 2002, and then taking full control after the 1 February 2005 coup. He was sidelined after the ceasefire in April 2006, and became a commoner after the Constituent Assembly finally <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/from-nepali-press/Ftnp-abolishing,624">abolished the monarchy in 2008</a>. In the past year, Gyanendra has tried to exploit public dissatisfaction with the political parties to restore the monarchy.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250421080432_26ef4a4b0e3cee9fdc6794446702efe16550d293904b4f6dd46fe35d4d10c788.jpg" data-media-id="editor_22" data-image-id="20250421080432_26ef4a4b0e3cee9fdc6794446702efe16550d293904b4f6dd46fe35d4d10c788" data-rendition-name="original" width="1136" height="702" loading="lazy" alt="Essays on Nepal by Sam Cowen"> </figure>

“Tell me what the common man is thinking!”

“It's Kathmandu.” Just as the family was sitting down for one of its extended lunches, that jubilant cry was from François Driard’s grandfather announcing the next posting for his diplomat parents.&nbsp; Driard (pictured) was 18 in the summer of 1996,<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/suburban-tales/chasing-a-nomad"> a bit of a hippie</a> already, and his life was about to change forever with the magical word “<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/time-capsule-of-kathmandu">Kathmandu</a>”. “I was awed with that information from my grandfather, nothing else mattered … In France <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/tales-of-courage-and-suffering-cx95f89e">in the 1990s</a>, Kathmandu had a mythical aura,” Driard recalls. He came to Kathmandu for Christmas that year to visit his stepfather, the French Ambassador Michel Lummaux. It was to be the first of many visits during school holidays, before he decided to permanently settle down in Nepal. “Kathmandu, and Nepal, were very different then, it was magical, I liked the nature, the people, civilisation, temples, trees,” says Driard, who explored the country sitting on the top of buses. “Visitors talk about the crazy <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/cost-of-living-in-a-big-city">urbanisation</a>, traffic jams today, and all that is true. But Kathmandu has not <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/loss-of-soul-and-soil">lost its soul</a>.” After his stepfather’s tenure in Nepal ended, Driard worked as a business reporter for international publications but decided he did not want to be anyone’s employee anymore. In 2007 he landed in Kathmandu with €20,000 in savings to invest.&nbsp; He knew a few crucial things about himself: he liked food and nature, which is very much tied up with his upbringing--full of lively conversations during lunch and dinner at the family table between <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepals-yak-cheese-is-on-world-map">abundant cheese, wine and cigars</a>. So he decided it would be cheese, and registered Himalayan French Cheese and went to the French Alps for a month to learn how to make Tomme de Savoie. “<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/the-story-of-langtang-cheese">Cheese making is such an ancient craft </a>and so I thought I won’t need much money or studying which I hated and indeed, if you have a tamako bhado and fire you are set,” explains Driard. But Nepal’s temperature and humidity were not ideal, even at higher altitudes. The first customers for his cheese were the Hyatt Regency and Nina and Hager. But he needed to create a market for cheese in a country which only knew hard churpi in the north and soft paneer in the south. He started selling his cheeses at the Summit Hotel weekend market, expanding to his own 1905 Farmer’s Market which later moved to Le Sherpa in Maharajganj, where it is now, and also a market at Labim Mall in Pulchok. He had cow dairies in Nuwakot and Dhulikhel, and finally a yak cheese unit at 3,379m in Ramechhap. It was the yak blue cheese from here that went on to win a Gold Medal in France, putting Nepal’s French cheese on the world map. “People come and try our cheese at the market, they ask questions. There is a lot of education to be done about cheese,” adds Driard, who also has three cheese shops in the Valley. Driard now makes 25 types of cheese. The products are being noticed and every year he has French students coming to Nepal to learn the art of yak cheese making. “In France, one family or company makes one kind of cheese for generations. In that I’m very unique as a cheese artisan,” he says. “The students come in to learn but I tell them to also teach us something too, add another cheese to my collection.” Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/langtang-after-10-years">Langtang after 10 years</a>, Sonia Awale Being a foodie, Driard is now also dabbling in meat with his own charcuterie at Meatini with bacon, ham, sausage and pâtés. All of this is now served at his Emilio’s Pizza, a leafy hideaway in Lazimpat. His South Side in Moksh is probably the smallest wine bar in the world. “I call the process sublime,” says Driard of his ventures, which have grown organically. “You need the same temperature and humidity of 12°C and 80% for cheese, meat and wine.” Emilio’s speciality is the eight-cheese pizza (which has eight types of cheeses), and a pizza with bhutan topping (not the country but fried intestines and organs Nepali-style). He has opened a small branch at Courtyard in Pokhara.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250426070456_bacae302c040dc18eeecdeafda72ddf06a6d2cec138ea9be7e45fe94cdf8b5b3.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20250426070456_bacae302c040dc18eeecdeafda72ddf06a6d2cec138ea9be7e45fe94cdf8b5b3" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1125" loading="lazy" alt="8 cheese pizza"> <figcaption>Eight-cheese pizza</figcaption> </figure>  With two artisanal cheese units, two farmers’ markets, a <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-meat-of-the-story">meat processing unit</a>, a bakery, and wine bar he now envisions a vineyard so he can add Nepali wine to his repertoire. Another future plan is to start up an agri-tourism business where customers can drink, eat and work in peace. In the past 20 years in Nepal, Driard has not always succeeded in his ventures but this hasn’t curbed his enthusiasm. He is learning as he goes, and like an old wine, Nepal is growing on him. Its slowness suits his French art de vivre with eating slowly outdoors, having conversation, importing less.&nbsp; “I have proven that with even a little money you can do a lot of things in Nepal,” adds Driard. “In the West, they easily invest half a million euros on a cheese factory, I invested 10 times less.”&nbsp;

Fromage, vin et charcuterie Népalais

Bhuthan भुठान starts with Bishnu Bahadur KC played by <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/dhuwa-smoke-telefilm,2671">Hari Bansha Acharya</a> on a call, requesting to speak to the visa officer. By this point, he had <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-should-now-allow-visa-on-arrival">applied for a visa </a>to Bhutan 10 times, but was denied each time. KC was a <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-s-women-excel-in-sports-in-2024-z9ramyct">national football player </a>in Bhutan in 1988 before he and other Nepali-speaking Lhotsampa people were forced out of the country in the 1990s as part of the Druk regime’s ‘One Nation One People’ campaign. Over 100,000 Bhutanese Nepalis were forced out, driven across India and dumped in Nepal where they lived in seven<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/elderly-left-in-bhutan-refugee-camp"> refugee camps</a> supervised by the United Nations and other charities until they were resettled in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and some European countries starting in 2007. In the fictional movie with the satirical English title The World’s Happiest Man, KC has resettled in the state of Ohio in the US but wishes to visit his home country once before he dies. Between flashbacks, we learn KC has died without having fulfilled his wish. &nbsp; The drama then focuses on KC’s two families from two marriages as they debate whether to cremate him as per <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/from-nepali-press/muslim-hindu,2996">Hindu rites </a>or give him a Christian burial. A mediator played by Hollywood actor Bruce Dern urges them to take a firm decision before it is too long.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250430140420_b398a08091b866da2b0b8f6c1e6e26781609749aba896bfd2c68a10a519295c3.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20250430140420_b398a08091b866da2b0b8f6c1e6e26781609749aba896bfd2c68a10a519295c3" data-rendition-name="original" width="945" height="945" loading="lazy" alt="Bhutan, the movie"> </figure>  There are drawn out scenes of KC being baptised and when he is confronted by his first wife from Darjeeling played by Anuradha Majumdar, he says he changed his religion in the hope that he will be <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/bhutan-s-refugees-between-hope-and-despair">allowed back in Bhutan</a>.&nbsp; We find out KC has a second wife, a Christian Nepali played by Puja Chand. Dayahang Rai as the younger son doesn’t have much screen time to flex his acting chops. &nbsp; Acharya competently portrays a man that is equal parts haunted by the memories of and longing for his home country. KC’s pain and loss is acute when he is teaching football to Gungun but between mid-scene, he freezes, perhaps lost in memories of being in Bhutan’s national team. &nbsp; In another scene, KC recalls his mother singing a lullaby in Dzongkha. He also has a box filled with medals, photographs and a football which he deflates with a knife in a powerful depiction of his <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/searching-for-a-homeland-away-from-home?fb_comment_id=1506516030025634">complicated emotions about his homeland</a>. KC keeps checking his mailbox in the hopes that his <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=4977">visa application</a> has been accepted. He says in Nepali: “If a tree that has already struck roots in one place is shifted to another, it will not survive.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250430140420_4a9c27410326489576c04dedf40016bda3825e8f9663317f54fbfec4cbda6d34.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20250430140420_4a9c27410326489576c04dedf40016bda3825e8f9663317f54fbfec4cbda6d34" data-rendition-name="original" width="1422" height="2048" loading="lazy" alt="Bhutan, the movie"> </figure>  Dern’s character says that the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/nepal-s-transitional-justice-and-the-west-s-recalibration">western world</a> has become “lonely in pursuit of happiness”, another reference to Bhutan’s obsession with its Gross National Happiness index. Scenes shift quickly throughout making the story difficult to follow at times. The use of symbolism is a trite overdone. Nonetheless, भुठान is a nuanced depiction of raw pain and agony of losing one’s homeland. But one cannot help but leave the theatre feeling deflated. KC dies without having visited <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/small-bhutan-dreams-big">Bhutan</a>, but perhaps he does in his afterlife. It is up to the audience to create its own ending to this sad story of exile. भुठान Mad Monkey Films, 2025 Directed by Binod Paudel 102 minutes In cinemas in Nepal