<img title="" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121144/636ce4569c7e80680e0966a4png.png" alt=""/>Namche Bazar, the gateway to Mt Everest, is currently abuzz with climbers and trekkers as they prepare to head towards Base Camp after the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/didnt-visit-nepal-year-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pandemic closed Nepal’s tourism for a year</a>.The narrow stone-paved streets of this township at 3,500m are once more filled with trekkers and climbers from all over the world, spending a day or two acclimatising before they head up the trail.The start of the season has not been very lucky. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepal-is-going-up-in-smoke/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Thick smoke from forest fires</a> have disrupted flights to Lukla, and the haze has blown up to Pheriche at 4,300m, blurring views of Ama Dablam and Everest along the way.Many spend their day hiking up to the Everest View Hotel in Syangboche and back to their lodgings to get used to the altitude.The Khumbu region <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-open-for-trekking-from-17-october/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">opened to international trekkers</a> only in October 2020 after <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/unlimited-flights-to-nepal-from-17-october/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">international flights resumed</a>, but there were few who ventured here till now.<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepals-smoky-mountains/">Nepal's smoky mountains</a>, Nepali TimesTotal <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/survive-revive-thrive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tourist numbers in Nepal dropped</a> from over 1.1 million in 2019 to fewer than 230,000 last year --- and most of them arrived before the lockdown January-March. This year, the last three months have seen only 35,000 tourists.But with the start of the spring climbing season, there has been an uptick in the number of climbers and trekkers to the Khumbu.So far, 167 international climbers have got permits to climb Everest, with 39 climbers on Lhotse and 23 on Nuptse. All of them, as well as high altitude guides and support staff, will be sharing Base Camp on the Khumbu Glacier, which is bustling with activity again as it prepares to host 700 people.Despite the slow start to the season, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/capital-of-sherpaland-gets-a-makeover/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Namche Bazar</a> is emerging from its enforced closure. Sonam Norbu runs a shop for climbers and trekkers in one of the stone-paved alleys of the town."It has been only 20 days since we opened up. Most people here actually closed their shops and went down to Kathmandu during the Covid crisis," he says.<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-tourism-may-take-5-years-to-recover/">Nepal tourism may take 5 years to recover</a>, Nepali TimesBecause of the amenities it provides, Namche is a resting destination for most climbers and trekkers on the Everest Trail. Even as some climbers head up the Khumbu Icefall, other climbers who are booked on the mountains are still arriving.This has been attributed to the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-should-now-allow-visa-on-arrival/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">massive confusion around Nepal’s Covid-19 quarantine and testing rules</a>  Last month, the Ministry of Tourism finally <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/tourist-visas-now-open-for-nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">allowed visa on arrival</a>, and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-relaxes-entry-for-tourists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lifted quarantine restrictions</a> for those who had been vaccinated.Even though the numbers of trekkers is picking up, Namche locals say it is much quieter than previous years. Lodge and restaurant owners here are worried about the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-braces-for-its-2nd-covid-wave/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">second wave</a> as well as the wildfire affecting arrivals.Nepal has been recording its worst-ever pollution levels in history, with the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/wildfires-in-nepal-cause-air-quality-to-plummet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AQI index constantly hitting the 'hazardous' mark </a>for consecutive weeks now.For those like Sonam Norbu, the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-hopes-for-tourism-rebound-in-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">resurgence of tourism</a> is hope of a revival of the region’s paralysed economy.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/survive-2020-revive-in-2021-and-thrive-in-2022/">“Survive 2020, revive in 2021 and thrive in 2022”</a>, Alisha Sijapati

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Despite Covid-19, climbers are back on Everest

<figure><img width="926" height="648" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be26c9c7e80680e083ea7jpeg.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption>The Everest Trail has been spruced up during the pandemic for a new influx of visitors expected next year. All photos: ANG RITA SHERPA</figcaption></figure>The communities along the Everest Trail have been using the past nine months of the Covid-19 slump in tourism to clean up and upgrade the trekking routes below the world's highest mountains.The Nepal government had declared 2020 Visit Nepal Year with a target of attracting 2 million tourists, and there was a lot of hope here that the increased footfall would bring more income. But the Khumbu region was sealed off at the height of the spring tourist season in March and remained closed for non-Nepalis <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/everest-trail-reopens-but-cautiously/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">till 17 October</a>.Since then trekkers have trickled back, marvelling at how clean and quiet everything is.The reason it is quiet is that there are hardly any visitors along the trails, and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/virus-fear-closes-everest-treks-again/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a coronavirus outbreak</a> in Namche kept even limited visitors away since October. But the reason the Everest region is clean is that local communities have used the crisis to build back better.      <figure><img width="1310" height="529" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be26f9c7e80680e083ea8jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>To be sure, the global pandemic has been a mixed blessing for the Sherpa people who live below Mt Everest. On the downside, the shutdown meant that the region’s economy suffered a direct hit. Many families lost their seasonal source of income from trekkers, many had taken loans to build lodges in anticipation of more trekkers in 2020. For the thousands of porters, kitchen staff, yak and pony caravan owners, and traders it has been an unimaginable disaster. Lukla airfield, which used to get 60 flights a day, was closed after <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/more-stranded-tourists-evacuated-from-nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the last trekkers flew out</a> in March. It only reopened in early October, and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-open-for-trekking-from-17-october/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">foreign trekkers and mountaineers were allowed back from 17 October</a>.The Sagarmatha National Park got more than 60,000 visitors in 2019 – nearly ten times the local population of the region. So far this year, it has got only 4,000, and most of those <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/everest-trek-closed-open-closed-open-again/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">after October has been Nepali tourists</a>. The National Park’s income has been sharply reduced, affecting its conservation work.Sherpas who usually travel to the other parts of the world for work as mountain guides and other jobs have not been able to go this year. Sixty households in Khunde, for instance, have members that used to <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nepali-times-buzz/nepali-sherpas-making-steps-in-norway,1539" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">travel to Norway every summer</a> to work on hiking trails there. The families have been deprived of that income. <figure><img width="623" height="767" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be2729c7e80680e083ea9jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img width="602" height="759" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be2749c7e80680e083eaajpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Another negative side-effect of the lockdown was an increase in poaching. The National Park saw one of its most serious cases in April when <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/7-musk-deer-killed-by-poachers-during-lockdown/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">six rotting bodies of the endangered Himalayan musk deer and a gold eagle were found</a> caught in wire traps. Altogether 54 other traps set by poachers were found and dismantled. There was also an increase in illegal logging.Despite all this, the pandemic has had silver linings. Carbon emissions dipped, there was almost no carbon monoxide in the air for six months. Particulates, sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxide concentrations dropped. Mt Everest was even visible from Kathmandu for the first time in many years.<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/survive-2020-revive-in-2021-and-thrive-in-2022/">“Survive 2020, revive in 2021 and thrive in 2022”</a>, Alisha SijapatiThe peak itself got a much-needed respite from the traffic jams of previous years after the government cancelled all expeditions to the mountain. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/saving-gokyo-from-itself/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Popular destinations like Gokyo Lake</a> got a chance to revitalise itself from the pressure of tourism. Nepali mountain guides and porters, who did not get any clients in 2020, were instead engaged by local communities in repairing and upgrading trails and bridges and cleaning up. Complaints by visitors from previous years about the poor state of trails, trash management, lack of signage, etc were addressed.   <figure><img width="892" height="421" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be2769c7e80680e083eabjpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>An example of work accomplished during the lockdown is the response of Khumjung which made some dangerous sections of the Everest Trail safer, as damaged bridges were maintained. Most volunteered for the work under the principle of ‘for the villagers, by the villagers, to the villagers’, in the firm belief that that ‘every problem provides an opportunity’.Some who have returned from similar work in Norway and elsewhere put their new skills to good use in rehabilitating the trails using local materials.The youth of Khunde, Khumjung, Thame, and Namche were self-motivated to make a great effort to conserve and preserve the cultural heritage of their people and respect the gift of their ancestors. Overgrown mani walls and chaitya along the trails have been repainted and cleaned up. <figure><img width="578" height="742" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be2789c7e80680e083eacjpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img width="677" height="740" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be27a9c7e80680e083eadjpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>For the first time, many Sherpa children who would otherwise have been in school in Kathmandu were at home and could observe important rituals like the Dumji festival in June and Mani Rimdu this month.The women's group in Khumjung had used the lockdown period to clean their neighbourhoods and put in place a waste management system that has set an example for other communities in Nepal.Ang Rita Sherpa is Chair of <a href="https://thepartnersnepal.org/team/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Partners Nepal.</a>

Everest Trail repaired during pandemic

<img width="1700" height="1034" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bda809c7e80680e080270jpeg.jpg" alt=""/>Nepal’s Sherpa community is mourning the passing at age 86 of their revered and beloved high lama, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=9270#.X4Wewy8RoWp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id%3D9270%23.X4Wewy8RoWp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602681124750000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHMXgB-HDm9CxXcwC9JPWZ31pyjaw">Nawang Tenzin Zangbu, the Rimpoche of Tengboche</a>, a monastery at the lap of Mt Everest.The Rimpoche presided over the monastery at Tengboche at 3,780m which is set amidst a stunning backdrop of Ama Dablam, and blessed hundreds of passing mountaineering expeditions to the world’s highest mountains. The monk had descended to Namche Bazar last week “because it was getting chilly up there”, and died quietly on Friday night, relatives said. People of the Solukhumbu district, some from as far away as Phaplu, streamed all weekend to pay their last respects to the Rimpoche at the monastery above Namche Bazar where his body lay amidst burning incense and chant of mantras.  <img width="720" height="480" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bda839c7e80680e080271jpeg.jpg" alt="">On Monday, the monk’s body was draped in yellow cloth and carried by Buddhist lamas, devotees and relatives along the trail to Tengboche, where as per Sherpa tradition, his body will lie for six more weeks.“We are very saddened by his demise, the entire Khumbu valley is in mourning now,” said Tashi Lhamu Sherpa, the deputy chair of the Pasang Lhamu rural municipality.  “It is a big loss for our Sherpa community and the entire region.”She added, “Let’s hope that his reincarnation will be found soon.”After six weeks, the lamas of Tengboche will decide whether the body should be cremated, or buried with a small stupa to be built over it.Final last rites will be performed on the 49th day when thousands of Sherpas from Khumbu, and beyond are expected to climb up to Tengboche monastery for the funeral. <img width="526" height="526" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bda869c7e80680e080272jpeg.jpg" alt="">Nawang Tenzin Zangbu was born in Namche Bazar in 1935, on exactly the same day as the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama. He was identified as the <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=9268#.X4WEHGgzY2w" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id%3D9268%23.X4WEHGgzY2w&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602681124750000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHgxFYNKTL7hqMsNxaD9PwgrHUPxw">reincarnation of Lama Gulu</a>, a revered monk in Nyingmapa lineage of Vajrayana Buddhism.After spending many years at Rungbuk Monastery on the other side of Mt Everest in Tibet, studying Nyingmapa Buddhism and its customs, rituals, practices and values, among others, he returned to Tengboche Monastery in 1956. Ang Tshering Sherpa, who was born in Khumjung and is a former president of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), says: “Sherpas all over the world are mourning his death and performing puja in our houses and monasteries praying for his soul.”Besides being a Rimpoche, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=9268#.X4WfVS8RoWp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id%3D9268%23.X4WfVS8RoWp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602681124750000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHjk7fLtxJFz6btt5g-hJq44UVfrw">Nawang Tenzin Zangbu also earned international reputation</a> and respect for his life-long devotion to protecting the cultural and natural environment of the Sagarmatha National Park below Mt Everest, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. <figure><img width="343" height="531" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bda889c7e80680e080273jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Nawang Tenzin Zangbu after returning to Tengboche from Tibet in 1957.</figcaption></figure>Tshering Phenzo Sherpa, a son of the Rimpoche’s childhood mate Kanchha Sherpa, the only surviving member of Tenzing and Hillary’s 1953 Everest expedition team, told Nepali Times: “His prayers for peace and well-being of all living beings has reached every household and every corner of the Khumbu region.”The Rimpoche also led several tree plantation initiatives in and around Tengboche monastery to improve the greenery of Sagarmatha National Park. One of the most visible signs of his efforts are <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/more-trekkers-more-trees/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/more-trekkers-more-trees/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602681124750000&amp;usg=AFQjCNH0rEeqiXIsABzQHGA4vicmw7UN5A">the thick forests</a> where there used to the denuded slopes three decades ago.It was under his initiative that the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/everest-garbage-caravan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/everest-garbage-caravan/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602681124750000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGWMr-rLs94-QbW1ZuQXFa3ujoE2A">Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee</a> was set up in 1991, cleaning up the trekking trails and bringing down <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/expeditions-brings-down-11-tons-of-mt-everest-trash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/expeditions-brings-down-11-tons-of-mt-everest-trash/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602681124750000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFOPFp48XSZD1SOAP7BhN0OiqH9tQ">garbage from the slopes of Mt Everest</a>. The Rimpoche was a special guest at the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) International Conference, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=8968#.X4WJ2GgzY2w" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id%3D8968%23.X4WJ2GgzY2w&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602681124750000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFiu8Pjsihowt__nh_qcTyOlFXYRA">held for the first time in Nepal,</a> in November 2000.Read also: <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=9270#.X4WD_2gzY2w" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id%3D9270%23.X4WD_2gzY2w&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602681124750000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHVL2kBuNQeC_0IxkAWEW6fCb_Mzw">The Tengboche</a> Rimpoche

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Nepal’s Sherpas mourn Tengboche abbott

“Let's have another cup of tea,” <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/ujwal-thapa-s-light-shines-on-n0tfurod">Ujwal Thapa</a> of the alternative Bibeksheel Nepali party told the young activist Pukar Bam ten years ago. The two had 12 cups of tea that day, discussing ways to get Nepal out of its political deadend. Thapa contested the Constituent Assembly election in 2013 as an independent from Kathmandu, and formed Bibeksheel Nepali to galvanise youth impatient for change, fielding candidates in the first federal election in 2017.&nbsp; Ujwal Thapa was a political guru who was way ahead of his time, and his protégés were among the RSP’s winning candidates in last week’s election. Pukar Bam was a core member of Bibeksheel Nepali until its dissolution, and won the Kathmandu-4 seat this time. Other former Bibeksheel members who won the election from the RSP in Kathmandu include Ranju Neupane from Kathmandu-1, Sasmit Pokharel from Kathmandu-5, and Biraj Bhakta Shrestha in Kathmandu-8. As votes were counted and the results from Kathmandu began to come in, the candidates paid fulsome tribute to Ujwal Thapa’s mentorship and in inspiring idealistic youth to become a part of an alternative political force.&nbsp; Today, as RSP members of Parliament, they are no longer an alternative, but a part of Nepal’s new mainstream politics. Thapa returned to Nepal after finishing his undergraduate computer science degree in the US at the peak of the Maoist insurgency. His foray into politics began when he traveled to Nepal’s western mountains to train communities in mediation. After the war, he started a computer design company for young entrepreneurs entering the workforce. But he became frustrated with the inability of the second Constituent Assembly to promulgate the Constitution, and the power struggle between political parties played out in the streets that led to frequent shutdowns paralysing the country.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260313120348_d18647d53a3b2927328067c35b2e3e6eecf9aefe13f23384e73a2c17211cd9cb.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20260313120348_d18647d53a3b2927328067c35b2e3e6eecf9aefe13f23384e73a2c17211cd9cb" data-rendition-name="original" width="823" height="682" loading="lazy" alt="The RSP's activist DNA"> <figcaption>Thapa with Pukar Bam, who was elected to Parliament last week from Kathmandu-4. Photo: PUKAR BAM / FACEBOOK</figcaption> </figure>  PROTEST TO POLITICS Ujwal Thapa had had enough, and rallied people from across walks of life, leading peaceful, silent demonstrations proclaiming 'नेपाल खुल्ला छ' against prolonged, violent strikes. Citizens fed up with the main political parties organised to defy the shutdowns. Thapa’s activism and vision for a new Nepal drew disenchanted and previously apathetic youth into politics and to join the Bibeksheel Nepali Party in 2013.&nbsp; Thapa was the pioneer of alternative politics in Nepal, and was leading a youth force long before the GenZ became synonymous with Nepal’s September Storm. He mentored and guided social activists who are today influential youth leaders engaged in non-traditional politics. “Ujwal Thapa, with his entrepreneurial spirit, wanted to address people’s pain-points, and believed that activism was the starting point to alternative politics,” explains <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/nepal-loses-rare-purpose-driven-leader">Ashutosh Tiwari</a>, former member of Bibeksheel Sajha party. “He sought to build confidence, motivate, and build a community for young people, which drew a lot of people into Bibeksheel.” He adds: “ And while people might say that Bibeksheel never got big, that was never its point. Its function was to be an early talent incubator, which is what it did as evident by the result of this election.” Thapa died in 2021 of complications related to Covid-19, and Bibeksheel had two mergers with Rabindra Mishra’s Sajha Party before being permanently dissolved in 2021. But many of its idealistic members joined Rabi Lamichhane’s RSP, formed just four months before the 2022 federal election. Such was the groundswell of support for change that the RSP became the fourth-largest in Parliament. In 2017, Ranju Neupane (then Ranju Darshana) was the youngest mayoral candidate for Kathmandu at age 21, and contested the federal election in 2022. Pukar Bam himself lost the 2022 election in Kathmandu-1 as an independent.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260313120348_6302a9b534f57191d9a2cb2c31b31449873c6cc27d375344a248dd90847921dd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20260313120348_6302a9b534f57191d9a2cb2c31b31449873c6cc27d375344a248dd90847921dd" data-rendition-name="original" width="1729" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="The RSP's activist DNA"> <figcaption>Photo: SOCIAL MEDIA</figcaption> </figure>  Sashmit Pokharel also ran an unsuccessful campaign as an independent candidate in Kathmandu during the 2022 provincial election. Later, he was a member of the City Planning Commission under Balendra Shah when he was elected mayor of Kathmandu in 2022.&nbsp; Last week, the RSP swept the election with a supermajority of 182 seats in Parliament. Voters placed their trust in the party and its leaders to steer Nepal in a new direction after the youth unrest in September.&nbsp; In many ways, Nepal’s youth have decided, just as Ujwal Thapa once did, that enough is enough with corruption, malgovernance, nepotism and dynastic politics.&nbsp; In the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/the-man-who-shook-our-minds">documentary</a> about his life, Dimag Ghochne Manche, released earlier this year, some RSP nominees who previously worked with and were mentored by Thapa spoke of the impact he had on their lives, career, and activism. Among them is Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, former minister of Youth and Sports who is now a second time RSP parliamentarian. “I tell everybody that if it hadn’t been for Ujwal Dai, I would not have gotten into politics,” he says in the film.&nbsp; It would be unfair to attribute all the success of the hard-fought campaigns entirely to Ujwal Thapa’s protégés and former coworkers.&nbsp; But his ethos and vision for Nepal was what inspired them, and will in the coming years be reflected in national politics through the young idealists he mentored. Says Ashutosh Tiwari: “There are many Bibeksheels outside of RSP in constant and open communication with their old friends who have been elected. They will be keeping the lawmakers in check so that they do no stray too far from the values that they grew up with.”

RSP’s activist DNA

The series Nepal Made profiles Nepali products and the people who make them possible While premium beauty product outlets were closing during the Covid-19 pandemic, two young women gambled on setting up a new skin and haircare brand with natural ingredients mostly sourced from Nepal and suited for the Nepali complexion. Arushree Sharma Khatiwada and Megha Agarwal were batchmates in school before they left for studies abroad, returning to set up Avani Nepal after year-long rigorous research into ayurveda-based cosmetic products. Avani in Sanskrit means ‘earth’, and as the name suggests it is committed to bringing all natural, pure and authentic range of beauty solutions.&nbsp; “We found a gap in the Nepali market demand for cosmetics, which is why we decided on a brand sourced from all-natural Himalayan herbs that are not used or explored properly,” says co-founder Khatiwada.&nbsp; Nepal is a treasure trove for medicinal plants and those with therapeutic properties. After all, legend has it that Hanuman flew right across the subcontinent from Sri Lanka to the Himalaya to find a rare medicinal plant to save the life of Lord Ram, who was wounded in battle. When he could not find the specific plant, he tore off a whole mountain and brought it down. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/looking-good-by-doing-good">Looking good by doing good</a>, Sudiksha Tuladhar  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260314120356_32323fd084540236fe4edb3b98286c131d67c73310279c8038510da1e1ae1bc0.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20260314120356_32323fd084540236fe4edb3b98286c131d67c73310279c8038510da1e1ae1bc0" data-rendition-name="original" width="3024" height="2012" loading="lazy" alt="Avani"> </figure>  Medicinal plants in Nepal range from yarsagumba to jatamasi and 500 other species traditionally used in the Ayurveda as well as now in the wellness industry. Avani is also trying to experiment hibiscus, Himalayan honey and other plants to eventually launch an export drive. Running a business in Nepal is no easy task, especially for small scale locally crafted products but in a few years, Avani has ammased loyal customer base and have many repeat customers. “While it was tricky initially, we were determined to launch our products with the best quality ingredients and in an affordable price range,” says Khatiwada. Following a worldwide trend and emulating the method used by Korean cosmetic brands, Avani has deployed celebrities and influencers to increase its outreach through tikTok , Facebook and YouTube. &nbsp;Actresses Barsha Shiwakoti and Shilpa Maskey and makeup artists like Lemi have reviewed their products favourably. Sutainability is a big part of the brand, and Avani uses glass bottles, cardboard boxes, paper bags for all its products. Plastic use is cut to a minimum, and where used is recycled.&nbsp; “Many people think that sustainable brands are expensive, we want to bust that myth,” Khatiwada told us. “We focus on being eco-friendly using ethically sourced materials that are paraben, silicon, and cruelty free.”&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/proud-to-wear-dolpo">Proud to wear DOLPO</a>, Vishad Raj Onta  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260314120356_da0d7d4082a9aa51c96ecbcb8a2e7a5bc60e27de202fb339a522036aa3f50b49.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20260314120356_da0d7d4082a9aa51c96ecbcb8a2e7a5bc60e27de202fb339a522036aa3f50b49" data-rendition-name="original" width="1048" height="1280" loading="lazy" alt="Avani"> </figure>  Avani has expanded its business to get a toehold in Nepal’s tourism and wellness industry, and the products are carried by spas in leading hotels and resorts in Kathmandu and Pokhara such as the Terraces, Marriott, and Kavya resort, and is in talk with the Hideaway Resort in Pokhara.&nbsp; The skin and haircare brand that initially started with 10 products has since expanded its line to 60 with goods placed in more than 100 stores across Kathmandu. Plans are in the works to expand to India, China and in Japan partnering with Okada. Avani Nepal’s founders say that they support empowerment through employment and training opportunities for women at the company. Khatiwada herself has been engaged with organisations such as Nepal Women Chamber of Commerce, and Nepal Youth Entrepreneur Forum. Additional support from the government such as the provision of lower excise duties has helped but guidance for export and other business regulations is as crucial. Such an environment would also foster opportunities for the youth who are otherwise moving away for jobs or study abroad. “While everyone is trying to go abroad, opportunities can be created here in Nepal itself, with adequate support from the government,” says Khatiwada. “In the meantime, we are eyeing for long term benefits. We are trying to create a legacy for cosmetic brands in Nepal.” Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/java-in-the-himalaya-y1ilc21h">Java in the Himalaya</a>, Vishad Raj Onta

Redefining the criteria for beauty

&nbsp;With a near two-thirds majority, the RSP has a chance that no other party in Nepal has ever had--to reboot how Nepal is run. Winning an election with such an overwhelming majority was one thing, but running an effficient government will be a whole new ball game. From the start, it will not be easy because the country is running straight into a major economic crisis due to the West Asia war.&nbsp; With 125 first-past-the-post direct wins and 57 proportional representation seats — over 47% of the total 10.7 million valid votes — the RSP has 182 seats in Parliament. The Nepali Congress (NC) is a distant second with 38 seats, while the UML is trailing with 25. Three more made it to the national party list: Nepali Communist Party (17), the royalist RPP (5) and the new entry Shram Sanskriti Party (7) led by former Dharan mayor Harka Sampang. Shram Sanskriti’s performance is also a clear indicator that identity politics is still a potent force. The RSP with its majority can now form a stable government for the next five years, but there are issues that may surface with the choice of Cabinet members and other appointments. PM candidate Balendra Shah and party chair Rabi Lamichhane both have big egos and are ambitious, and Nepal cannot afford rumours of a split be a self-fulfilling prophecy. There is precedent. The last two-thirds government under the Communist Party of Nepal formed after the alliance of UML and Maoist Centre in 2022 collapsed following a power struggle between two cop comrades K P Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal. History in Nepal has a habit of repeating itself. No elected government in Nepal has ever completed a full five-year term, so the RSP has a chance to rewrite history. Besides egos and the West Asia crisis, the party has other challenges: legacy parties rule local governments and the National Assembly. The RSP’s rejection of provincial elections and federalism in 2022 did not seem to have affected its votes in the Madhes, but local governments at the periphery will be trying their level best to make it difficult for the centre. The RSP’s strategy should be not to alienate the old parties, but try to win them over and collaborate to build bases outside of major urban centres.&nbsp; Some think Balendra Shah’s aloof and uncommunicative nature could hide an authoritarian streak. And Rabi Lamichhane has been scathing about media exposes of his alleged wrongdoings. Despite this, the RSP's strategy should be to avoid alienating civil society any more than necessary.&nbsp; The media’s role in a democracy is to play the adversarial check-and-balance role, especially when one party is so dominant. However, the press must give up its corrosive, cynical coverage that almost hopes the RSP will fail from day one -- especially since social media offers no help on that score. There are so many things wrong with Nepal that even at the best of times, and even with a supermajority government, it would be impossible to solve them all overnight. But voters are an impatient lot, and they expect a lot pronto.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260313080320_388d87c728fce65393a7042b4e649fe73af559b3459c45d8aff7f320acbd62dd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20260313080320_388d87c728fce65393a7042b4e649fe73af559b3459c45d8aff7f320acbd62dd" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1033" loading="lazy" alt="Page 1 map"> </figure>  Effective governance takes time, and the RSP must be given the chance even if it fails to make course-corrections. Shah and Lamichhane, on the other hand, must show restraint and prove their critics wrong. Instead of posting inflammatory content on their social media feeds and deploying cyber militias to troll critics into silence, they could try developing a thicker skin. The RSP could work on a clear strategy and plan of action to get this country back on its feet. The party's rise was built on emotion, not ideology. But every party needs ideals, just saying it is against corruption is not enough. Its stance on federalism, secularism, inclusion, need to be clarified. The RSP's lofty promise to bring young Nepalis home will be easier said than done. What will they return to? How can we make this worthwhile? And how do we provide jobs for the other 500,000 Nepali youth who enter the job market every year?&nbsp; Nepal will need liberal policies regarding domestic investment and FDI to reform manufacturing, industry, tourism and infrastructure to ensure jobs at home, while also working toward achieving the 7% annual growth rate projected by the RSP.&nbsp; Rabi Lamichhane has introduced the term 'development diplomacy’ to steer the country away from traditional geopolitics toward economic partnerships with India, China, and other international partners. But the environmental cost of mega projects must also be taken into account in the rush to development.&nbsp; The RSP’s anti-corruption drive, implementing a high-level commission to investigate assets acquired since 1990, must also include judicial reform. Meanwhile, quality health services and education must be affordable and accessible.&nbsp; Cleaning up the bureaucracy will be critical. Electoral reform including election spending and out-of-country voting must be a priority from the get go. It is a long to-do list. But for the very first time, the Nepali people are genuinely excited about their new leaders and the promised transformation. Not another Switzerland or Singapore, people just want better development, more efficient service delivery, meaningful jobs at home and an accountable government.&nbsp; That should not be too much to ask. Sonia Awale

As clear as a bell

The Asian Development Bank approved a $40M soft loan for Nepal’s Digital Transformation Project. The project aims to develop a citizen service portal, improve the national social registry, establish a government-wide data exchange platform, digitise 11 high-impact government services, and strengthen cybersecurity. The World Bank had previously approved a $50M loan for the same project.&nbsp;