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

original

674x448

610x380

500x500

400x266

400x240

400x203

301x200

1250x600

1084x550

thumbnail

viewImage

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 …

Fenerbahçe Beko won the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague finals in Abu Dhabi, held 23-25 May, defeating Monaco 81-70 in the final. Olympiacos, who defeated Panathinaikos 97-93, finished the series in third place. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the final match, Nigel Hayes-Davis from Fenerbahçe Beko, received a prize of 1,000,000 Miles&amp;Smiles from Turkish Airlines’ Chief Commercial Officer Ahmet Olmuştur. The carrier has been the title sponsor of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, a top tier tournament, since 2010.

Turkish Basketball

In the black and white photograph, General Wangdu smiles broadly in front of the dusty cactus garden in Kathmandu’s Annapurna Hotel. With an ill-fitting jacket and shaggy hair he looks benign enough, but this was the last leader of the Tibetan freedom fighters who led the resistance against the Chinese from their remote mountain hideouts in <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/comings-and-goings-in-mustang">Mustang</a>. Five months later, Wangdu was dead. Snapped in March 1974, I had only recently arrived in Nepal. How did I meet this legendary fighter? Possibly with his devoted camp follower, Lynne Klapecki, and probably in the Om Restaurant near Freak Street which was the preferred <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/hippie-trail-nostalgia-in-kathmandu">hippie hang-out</a>. Om Lobsang and his brother Yeshe were <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/page/earthquake-brings-back-memories-of-camps-for-tibetan-refugees">refugees from East Tibet </a>whose cafe offered a friendly welcome and<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/momo-loco"> the best momos</a> - they became my in-laws after I married their eldest brother Tenzin, but that was a decade later.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025052403054_4573b34282b0f5395c007243d6bef12c7ba76bfd520419e994cdcea048d795a1.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="2025052403054_4573b34282b0f5395c007243d6bef12c7ba76bfd520419e994cdcea048d795a1" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1583" loading="lazy" alt="The last days of the Khampa NT"> <figcaption>Photo: LISA CHOEGYAL</figcaption> </figure>  Wangdu’s English was enthusiastically rudimentary, but even riding around town with him on the back of an aging <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/kathmandu-s-new-motorbike-museum">motorbike</a>, he was a commanding presence. Always flanked by armed outriders, impressive scars marked his forearms and a pistol hung from the cord around his neck. A charismatic guerrilla leader, Wangdu was celebrated by his followers for his tough commitment and respected for his measured pragmatism. He seemed so young to have shouldered such a responsibility of command, leading hundreds of hardened <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/50-years-after-the%20raid-into-Tibet,1012#google_vignette">Khampa combatants </a>through what had been a particularly <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/heavy-snowfall-over-nepal-himalaya">brutal winter in Mustang</a>, the last bastion to hold out against the Chinese invasion of their Tibetan homeland.&nbsp; The freedom fighters of Tibet, known as the Chushi-Gangdruk, had emerged to resist the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/territorialism">Chinese takeover</a> of Tibet during the 1950s. Estimated to be 80,000-strong at the time of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/what-or-who-after-the-dalai-lama">the Dalai Lama</a>’s final escape to India in 1959, the sheer number of Chinese deployed into Tibet eventually forced the Chushi-Gangdruk to retreat to Mustang, From this high Himalayan stronghold, they continued cross-border raids on the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) throughout the 1960s.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025052403054_8a4a935ba25ae79dc3a63bb5c14626927020e5ec098093c45ccb9a5982e009fd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="2025052403054_8a4a935ba25ae79dc3a63bb5c14626927020e5ec098093c45ccb9a5982e009fd" data-rendition-name="original" width="1114" height="676" loading="lazy" alt="The last days of the Khampa NT"> <figcaption>Guerrillas known as the Chushi-Gangdruk emerged to resist the Chinese annexation of Tibet during the 1950s. Photo courtesy: MIKEL DUNHAM</figcaption> </figure>  Their Kathmandu base was a small discreet lodge in a back lane near Rani Pokhari. Sipping sweet tea from a blue mug with a chipped lid, I sat bemused in a corner of the Mustang Hotel room whilst Wangdu and his cohorts received a battered brown suitcase from their CIA connection, a tousle-haired American in a leather jacket. Heaved onto the dingy bedspread that covered the thin mattress, it was clicked open to reveal piles of neatly stacked dollar bills.&nbsp; I cannot think why Wangdu allowed me to witness this handover but I was clearly no threat, a newly arrived world traveller with no understanding of the stakes nor any Nepali or <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/tibetan-music-in-nepals-sacred-valley">Tibetan language</a>. Despite armed guards in the corridor,Wangdu radiated confidence and bravado, and there was a practiced familiarity to the tense transaction. This deadly dance for many years had been funded by the Americans, tolerated by <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-kingdom-within-a-republic">Mustang’s residents</a>, and permitted by King Mahendra and the Nepali authorities who it suited to turn a blind eye.&nbsp; But Mahendra died in 1972, and times were changing. Richard Nixon’s ping-pong diplomacy thawed the cold war and signalled a fresh entente with China. Nepal’s yet-to-be-crowned <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/if-birendra-was-alive-nepal-could-still-be-a-monarchy">King Birendra </a>was under pressure to curb the irritating incursions against the PLA launched from the Nepali territory of Mustang. Keen to appease his northern neighbour, on several occasions the King summoned Wangdu for peace talks but, despite increasingly overwhelming odds, Wangdu refused to surrender.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025052403054_a8efd5cfb92cd997bd7cb74296a936fef46e2f7428f9cd642b03f1ac4ea11ecb.jpg" data-media-id="editor_14" data-image-id="2025052403054_a8efd5cfb92cd997bd7cb74296a936fef46e2f7428f9cd642b03f1ac4ea11ecb" data-rendition-name="original" width="1055" height="885" loading="lazy" alt="The last days of the Khampa NT"> <figcaption>General Wangdu flanked by two Tibetan resistance fighters in Mustang in the 1970s. Photo courtesy: MIKEL DUNHAM</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025052403054_75969125a745847a2ef82b6fe8b9106c0b21a116d85b8efdf5d2ee89a347bb31.jpg" data-media-id="editor_15" data-image-id="2025052403054_75969125a745847a2ef82b6fe8b9106c0b21a116d85b8efdf5d2ee89a347bb31" data-rendition-name="original" width="1044" height="792" loading="lazy" alt="The last days of the Khampa NT"> <figcaption>King Birendra with General Wangdu (right in dark glasses) taken in 1974 possibly in Mustang after one of their few attempts at negotiation. Photo courtesy: RAJRNDRA KUNWAR</figcaption> </figure>  While I naively rode pillion around Kathmandu in the spring sunshine, Wangdu was in the midst of what turned out to be his final round of negotiations with the Nepal government. Refusing to cease hostilities with the Chinese, Wangdu must have suspected the cost of his decision, making his cheerful smile in the photograph all the more poignant and brave. It was only much later that I appreciated the significance of the moment. Wangdu had been sent to replace the first resistance leader in Mustang, Baba Gen Yeshe, a much derided corrupt character who stole money meant for his troops and exploited fleeing refugees by seizing their treasures. Baba Gen Yeshe never forgave Wangdu,and sought revenge in May 1974 by betraying him and his commanders to the Nepal authorities. Renewed Chinese incursions from the north, active PLA collusion with the Nepali forces under the new King, and treachery from within the Chushi-Gangdrukranks combined to seal their fate.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025052403054_e0987a7c90d76431b0d7d5e6115ebfe3dbda7ab939e5941e079c18d722e884c0.jpg" data-media-id="editor_16" data-image-id="2025052403054_e0987a7c90d76431b0d7d5e6115ebfe3dbda7ab939e5941e079c18d722e884c0" data-rendition-name="original" width="1400" height="769" loading="lazy" alt="The last days of the Khampa NT"> <figcaption>British television journalists George Patterson and Adrian Cowell embedded themselves with Khampa guerrillas and accompanied them from Tsum Valley on a cross border raid on a Chinese Army convoy in 1964. Photo: ESSAYS ON NEPAL / SAM COWAN</figcaption> </figure>  Mikel Dunham, renowned author of Buddha’s Warriors, writes: ‘It is possible that Wangdu was waiting for some cue from the Dalai Lama’s government-in-exile in Dharamsala, India. It is equally possible – during that last, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/the-human-cost-of-nepal-s-yarsa-gold-rush?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR31-Cqw8oyIwMPzf_35e4Skr0ululJvLf3_vDkzHn-AYG2h8uPw2rqqErg_aem_tGVn5coY1-jA7fze_xqhew">desolate winter </a>– that he made the decision to go out in glory rather than admit defeat. Over the last fifteen years, Wangdu had experienced Tibet’s organized resistance being squeezed and shoved around by every conceivable outside force.&nbsp; First they had been pushed out of their own country by the PLA; then they had been refused sanction while on <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/borderlines/nepal-india-trans-boundary-bonds?fbclid=IwAR0PpJ5zUEbwdug3g_U3ar6FUugngRY0S8Tl2v_7wqzrsHmXWcXsKjvL4t4">Indian soil</a>; then they were abandoned by the Americans because, apparently, Nixon wanted to make friends with Wangdu’s mortal enemies, the communists; then they had been betrayed by the vampiric Baba Gen Yeshe – a Tibetan and, even worse, a fellow Khampa; and now, finally Wangdu’s army was being evicted by the Nepalis. One thing was certain: Wangdu was a warrior. To imagine Wangdu simply giving up and settling down in the pacific squalor of a <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/elderly-left-in-bhutan-refugee-camp">refugee camp </a>was unthinkable.’  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025052403054_8fc1ffef4ae751628b90ae781b66e11e51e4fdde2787207c9042efbee345ce49.jpg" data-media-id="editor_20" data-image-id="2025052403054_8fc1ffef4ae751628b90ae781b66e11e51e4fdde2787207c9042efbee345ce49" data-rendition-name="original" width="500" height="746" loading="lazy" alt="The last days of the Khampa NT"> <figcaption>The much derided Baba Gen Yeshe, the first Tibetan resistance leader in Mustang, who betrayed Wangdu for personal gain. Photo courtesy: MIKEL DUNHAM</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025052403054_b1d833cdb00d3ac4416b844d8730475cd88c238caaaf8da69889a584eea229a3.jpg" data-media-id="editor_21" data-image-id="2025052403054_b1d833cdb00d3ac4416b844d8730475cd88c238caaaf8da69889a584eea229a3" data-rendition-name="original" width="500" height="656" loading="lazy" alt="The last days of the Khampa NT"> <figcaption>Aditya SJB Rana of the Royal Nepal Army whose team ambushed Wangdu and his cohorts at the top of Tinker Pass in Darchula, West Nepal. Photo courtesy: GAUTAM SJB RANA</figcaption> </figure>  By August 1974 the game was up. Wangdu and six of his exhausted party were killed on their horses by <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=7270">the Royal Nepal Army</a> on the brink of escape. The officer in charge, Aditya SJB Rana, cleverly predicted their route into India after they failed to silence a police radio in Yari. A carefully laid ambush trapped them near the summit of the Tinker Pass in Darchula,at 5,000 meters the highest military operation of its time. Wangdu’s body was helicoptered to Kathmandu, and a big show made of the royal Nepal victory.&nbsp; The Tibetan armed insurgency against China had reached its end.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250524030520_3ff9c6fc85a65bc9a2c3afe9736d9f5f9413de752e790a5d9dca0981ea94f9b4.jpg" data-media-id="editor_23" data-image-id="20250524030520_3ff9c6fc85a65bc9a2c3afe9736d9f5f9413de752e790a5d9dca0981ea94f9b4" data-rendition-name="original" width="1136" height="702" loading="lazy" alt="The last days of the Khampa NT"> </figure>

The Last Days of the Khampa

Starting 17 September Turkish Airlines will fly daily to Seville, one of Spain’s major tourist draws. This is Turkish’s sixth destination in Spain after Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Malaga, and Bilbao. Seville is in the Andalusia region on Spain’s south coast with a rich Moor history. There are approximately 30,000 Nepalis living in Spain.&nbsp;

Turkish to Seville

The newly-formed Himalayan Art Council is set to launch Nepal’s National Art Protection Platform that seeks to preserve <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/the-history-of-heritage">Nepal’s unique cultural heritage </a>using<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/artificial-censorship"> AI-powered tools</a>. The Council seeks to safeguard <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/nepali-art-going-places">Nepali art works</a> from neglect, theft and counterfeiting as well as preserve existing artwork and celebrate living masters by giving them a cultural space to continue the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/sacred-survival">sacred art traditions</a>. "We are introducing a new digital platform designed to preserve, verify and elevate <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/nepals-new-generation-of-alternative-artists">Nepal’s art for generations to come,</a>” says a statement from the Council, adding that the digital platform will use AI told for authentication and blockchain to keep track of works of art. Artists can now be protected by <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/ayo-ai?fbclid=IwAR1uwmTVq4gUB70ljfRezjzukD9ArWXPuMnUikopeQ8PoiZMjicToPSwhKE&amp;=1">AI tools</a> that detect forgeries, identify their work even when unsigned, and ensure they receive proper recognition and credit. The archives will be searchable with translated inscription and interactive guides. Says curator Meena Lama: “AI and blockchains are tools that give us the power to detect fakes and identify unsigned paintings and track every piece. With these tools we can restore trust, secure authorship and give artists the dignity they deserve.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250514170544_2ab58f6313c0458f75114a692b0016bd9efb3b59d5f8f07f0da72e1e37b82f53.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20250514170544_2ab58f6313c0458f75114a692b0016bd9efb3b59d5f8f07f0da72e1e37b82f53" data-rendition-name="original" width="1300" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Artwork at the Traditional Art Exhibition at Patan Museum."> <figcaption>Artwork at the Traditional Art Exhibition at Patan Museum.</figcaption> </figure>  The Council is also holding an exhibition of Nepali cultural masterpieces with 50 historical <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Buzz-the-art,671">thangka and paubha </a>by past masters and <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/between-the-sacred-and-everyday">contemporary works by current artists</a>. This curated collection is a living tribute to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/when-yaks-go-so-does-culture">Himalayan culture</a> with economic depictions of deities, mandala and sacred narratives. The exhibition at <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/a-portal-into-patan-s-past-and-present">Patan Museum</a> also provides an opportunity to meet painters and custodians of art and culture. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/golden-deities">Golden deities</a>, Sewa Bhattarai ‘The exhibition is only the first step in a long journey to ensure that Nepali art is no just seen but fully understood, <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Narratives-of-Faith-and-Memory-Remembering-the-Lost-Sculptures-of-Kathmandu-exhibition,987">protected and remembered</a>,’ the Council says. Artist Kailash K Shrestha of Artudio has spent decades promoting thankha and paubha traditions because of their beauty and devotional meaning. But he also says artists are underpaid, exploited and ignored. He adds, “AI and blockchain are not just buzzwords, they are powerful tools that can protect Nepal’s artists from fraud, verify authenticity and build a permanent record of provenance.” Traditional Art Exhibition Till 17 May Patan Museum

music-in-nepal

Jazzy April in Kathmandu

Kathmandu, and all that jazz …

Turkish Basketball

The Last Days of the Khampa

Turkish to Seville

Digital protection for Nepal’s art