When Nirmal (Nims) Purja neared the summit of K2 during the first ever winter ascent of the world’s second tallest peak in Pakistan, he waited for the rest of his all-Nepali team to catch up.&nbsp; Then, with arms around each other’s shoulders, they sang Nepal’s national anthem, muffled through their oxygen masks and recorded it on a selfie stick as they walked together to the top with Nepal’s double triangle fluttering in the wind. In the 2021 Netflix documentary hit 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, Nims starred as himself. He provided hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide a glimpse of the Nepali character: of grit, endurance, sacrifice, and a deep love for his mother and motherland. Despite British nationality, Nims identified himself closely as a Nepali. And as a scandal erupted last month over allegations of his sexual misconduct in high places, it was Nepal’s international image that was also dented. Nims Purja is an ex-British Gurkha Special forces commando who saw action in Afghanistan, and shot to global fame in 2019 after climbing all 14 of the world’s eight thousanders in six months and six days. Now 40, Nims set up the mountaineering company Elite Exped with a VIP clientele that includes the likes of Qatar’s princess Sheikha Asma Al Thani. Nims was about setting the history straight by giving Nepali high altitude guides and porters their due in assisting Western mountaineers attain glory. Nims Purja had literally and figuratively reached the peak of his climbing career when it all came crashing down. On 31 May, The New York Times published an exposé titled For Female Climbers, Dangers Go Beyond Avalanches and Storms, in which Finnish mountaineer Lotta Hintsa and American physician April Leonardo accused Nims of sexual harassment.&nbsp; Nims responded with a 24-hour Instagram story stating he ‘unequivocally denies any wrongdoing’, and accused the Times of leaving out his full statement and critical eyewitness accounts.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024062012064_adffc0ffadb01b6da55cd5eccf1bd70e307f48b98c636e5ddb1032a088ed95a1.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2024062012064_adffc0ffadb01b6da55cd5eccf1bd70e307f48b98c636e5ddb1032a088ed95a1" data-rendition-name="original" width="1440" height="1795" loading="lazy" alt="Nims Purja"> </figure>  The article did include testimonies by Nim’s guides who gave an alibi to the mountaineer, but it was countered by a statement and screenshots of text messages with timestamps by Leonardo and Hintsa, as Leonardo, in the article, replied with a statement but no physical evidence. Hintsa was a prospective employee for Elite Exped and Leonardo was his client on K2. Leonardo told the Times, ‘I’m on this crazy climb. He’s my guide. I don’t want to do anything to put myself in jeopardy.’ Both women detail Nims taking advantage of his position during precarious climbs. Many in the mountaineering community have condemned Nims and expressed support for the women. Some say the allegations are just the tip of the iceberg in a male-dominated field where toxic masculinity is often mistaken for athleticism, and celebrityhood provides immunity against misconduct. “Hats off to the women who have come forward with their stories, and I hope they will encourage others to speak up too,” German mountaineer Billi Bierling who is director of the Himalayan Database told Nepali Times. “Let’s join hands to make sure that the beautiful environment of the mountains will become a safe place for women again.” Nims has had other scrapes. He is accused of not paying proper compensation to three people killed in an oxygen cylinder explosion at a storage facility in Kathmandu in 2022. This year, he was hauled over for illegally flying a helicopter to Camp 2 on Everest. There have also been allegations, which Nims has refuted, that he uses his Nepali passport to avoid paying climbing royalties required for a British citizen. Last month, he created a flutter after claiming that someone was trying to sabotage his expedition by slicing the fixed rope on the summit ridge of Everest. The allegation was refuted, and the government issued a stern press statement saying Nims would be investigated for ‘disseminating misinformation with the intention of getting popularity’. Since The New York Times story came out, Nims Purja has lost most of his sponsors and there are questions about the future of his outfitting company.&nbsp; <h2>More scandals</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240620110656_0291669ebe30dc8e56346afc09cd4bfc6d38b197d2756049ffe272f2f334bd2c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20240620110656_0291669ebe30dc8e56346afc09cd4bfc6d38b197d2756049ffe272f2f334bd2c" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Paul Shah Sandeep Lamichhane"> <figcaption>Paul Shah (left) and Sandeep Lamichhane (right)</figcaption> </figure>  Nims Purja’s case has raised questions about other fit and famous Nepalis like cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane and actor Paul Shah, both of whom have been accused of raping underage women. The Times article coincided with the Patan High Court acquitting Lamichhane, 23, of rape due to ‘lack of evidence’ a month ahead of the T20 World Cup. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) then promptly lifted its ban on Lamichhane but he tried and failed twice to get a US visa. He could not play in the earlier games of the tournament, but made it to the matches in &nbsp;the West Indies this week.&nbsp; Nepali diaspora fans who flew to St Vincent and the Grenadines gleefully welcomed Lamichhane because most regard him as a key player in Team Nepal. The International Cricket Council (ICC) singled out Lamichhane ahead of the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifiers as a player to look out for, and he became the captain of the national team at only 21. He was taken into judiciary custody in October 2022 for the alleged rape of a minor. He called the accusations defamatory. In January 2023, the Patan High Court let him out on bail on condition he would not leave the country. A month later, the Supreme Court lifted the ban and allowed Lamichanne to participate in the UAE Tri-Nation Series. Meanwhile the identity of the girl was leaked, subjecting her and the family to online harassment and threats from fans. Many accused the girl of extortion while others were convinced it was consensual.&nbsp; In December 2023, the Kathmandu District court found Lamichhane guilty of rape, but not the rape of a minor. It felt that Gaushala-26 (code name) lied about her age. The court dismissed school reports showing she was 17, and took her birth certificate stating she was 18 at the time as authentic. In May 2024, Lamichhane’s lawyers appealed at the Patan High Court which overturned the earlier verdict, clearing the way for him to play in the current World Cup. Lamichanne now stands cleared of all charges. His participation in the team, and Nepal’s better than expected performance at the games has overshadowed the debate about his hasty acquittal.&nbsp; Many cheerleaders on social media platforms support Lamichhane and trolled those who say this is a clear case of justice taking a backseat in favour of national glory. Another celebrity to be charged for molestation of a minor and who served time only to be mysteriously acquitted is actor Paul Shah. Much like Lamichanne's supporters, Shah’s fans trolled his accuser. Shah is now back shooting one film after another while co-stars sing praises of him. &nbsp; While MP Rajendra Bajgain called on banning Puja from the country, for tarnishing Nepal's image and making the Himalayas a safe place for women again, the development of Lamichhane and Shah's case show the bleak reality of the preservation of national image at the face of justice.

original

674x448

610x380

500x500

400x266

400x240

400x203

301x200

1250x600

1084x550

thumbnail

viewImage

The rise and fall of Nims Purja

<figure><img width="2560" height="1384" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161156/636d1f249c7e80680e0af44cjpeg.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption>Still from The Summit of the Gods.</figcaption></figure>For those who have never climbed a mountain before, it may be difficult to understand the allure. After all, mountaineering is the furthest thing from easy. Climbing vertically often in appalling weather, while paying expedition expenses, traversing mountains of red tape for permits, while all along risking one’s life is not everyone’s cup of tea. So why do they keep doing it?Two films that premiered on Netflix this month may provide some of the answers.Directed by Torquil Jones, 14 peaks: Nothing is Impossible starring Nirmal (NimsDai) Purja, and his climbing partners Mingma David Sherpa, Lakpa Dendi Sherpa, Geljen Sherpa and Gesman Tamang opens with Purja telling viewers to dream big.“Doesn’t matter where you come from, you can show the world, nothing is impossible,” he says as a drone camera shows him on Ama Dablam's vertical rock face.The documentary chronicles Purja and his team’s attempt to summit the world’s 14 peaks over 8000m in just seven months. The previous world record was 7 years 310 days, set by South Korean mountaineer Kim Chang-Ho.“I was told that my project was impossible. So, I decided to name it Project Possible,” Purja tells viewers. This was not just for himself, not just for Nepal, but to show what human beings can do. But a point made over and over again in the film is that Nepali guides and porters who helped western expeditions never got the credit they deserved in the past. “They are ghosts,” he says, and he is out to change that once and for all. <img width="640" height="399" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161156/636d1f279c7e80680e0af44djpeg.jpg" alt="">A newcomer to the mountaineering scene who first set foot on the mountains only in 2012. There are obstacles, but in October 2019 after summitting Xixapangma, the last of the 14 peaks, he proves that it is<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nims-purja-does-it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> indeed possible</a>.14 Peaks is a story of teamwork, ambition, determination, perseverance, and patience. But what stands out is the generosity of spirit.More than once, Purja's team rescue climbers stranded high up in the mountains. In Annapurna, he and his teammates go back up to rescue a climber after an exhausting climb, in Kanchenjunga he helps a climber who has run out of oxygen, and even when he develops HACE (high altitude cerebral edema), he manages to help a climber come down to Camp 4.“In military I have never left anyone behind I wasn’t gonna do that on the mountains,” he says.On <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepalis-on-k2-make-the-impossible-possible/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">K2</a>, when the group reaches base camp, the climbers are ready to abandon their expeditions after three deadly avalanches. The Nepalis lighten the mood, dance to Resham Firiri and Purja rallies everyone to give it one more try while he fixes rope to the top.Purja’s optimism isn’t for everyone. “You are a great boy, and it is lovely propaganda, but you don’t change the mountain,” says one climber during Purja’s motivational speech at base camp.Like <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/alpine-style-in-the-himalaya/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Purja’s book</a>, the documentary has a macho tone, and at times one wishes he would tone it down a bit. The star of the film is Purja’s wife Suchi, who is disarming while explaining his drive, her own fears but also the constant support she provides him.https://youtu.be/8QH5hBOoz08Purja’s tender side shows in the scenes with his ailing mother, Purna Kumari Purja. Days after being discharged from the hospital, she gets on a helicopter to meet her son after he climbs his 14th eight-thousander. Later, at Kathmandu Airport, Purja tells reporters how a Western climber doing what he did would have got “ten times more publicity”.At 101 minute documentary has stayed in the Top 5 on Netflix for weeks, and touches on a lot of things: the financial burden of accomplishing such a monumental task, the physical and mental challenges of climbing, personal relationships, philosophical questions on mortality, power of social media in today’s age and navigating the bureaucracy.The documentary also attempts to address the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nims-purja-fans-react-to-criticism-of-climb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">criticism</a> Purja faced for using bottled oxygen, with many ‘purists’ saying that disqualified his feat. Surprisingly, it is <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/what-next-for-reinhold-messner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reinhold Messner</a> who himself climbed the 14 peaks without oxygen, but taking 16 years to do it, who defends Purja: “He was doing it this way otherwise it is not possible in such a short time.”Read Also:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/what-next-for-reinhold-messner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">What next for Reinhald Messner?</a>, Kunda DixitMost of the film’s climbing footage is taken by Purja and his team. Director Torquil Jones juxtaposes these with fresh interviews from the team, Purja’s family and other mountaineers, and animations (which could have been better quality) for some near-death experiences.Watching 14 Peaks is like watching a shōnen anime, with an underdog protagonist who has the odds stacked against him. Like every hero, Purja has a dream. For Naruto it was becoming a hokage, for Luffy it is becoming the Pirate King, and for Nimsdai Purja, it is climbing all the eight thousanders in record time.With 14 climbs and their back stories, there was not enough time dedicated to specific mountains, team mates, or the specific challenges on each mountain. But for a genre that often focuses on individual feats, 14 Peaks goes beyond to show how far mountaineering has come from the days of the first industrial scale expeditions on the world’s tallest mountains.https://youtu.be/AwDVv6pDBx8While 14 Peaks profiles a climber attaining an impossible goal, claiming glory for himself and his country, the animated French film The Summit of the Gods is quietly meditative. This is based on Jiro Taniguchi’s manga adaptation of Baku Yukemura’s 1998 novel and does not delve into the heroics of climbing, focusing instead on the obsession with it.Working as a photographer for a magazine, Fukamachi Makoto (Damien Boisseau) heads up to Mt Everest to take pictures of a Japanese expedition, which aborts the climb and he is left without pictures for his story.In Kathmandu, while on the phone with his editor, a man tries to sell him a camera that he says belonged to George Mallory, the British climber who disappeared on Everest in 1924.The mystery of whether Mallory and his climbing partner Andrew Irvine reached the top, almost three decades before <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/hillary-centenary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sir Edmund Hillary</a> and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/was-tenzing-a-tibetan-nepali-or-indian-it-does-not-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tenzing Norgay</a> haunts the climbing world to this day. Many believe that the camera, a Vest Pocket Kodak, which is still missing today holds the answer.Back to the film: Fukamachi thinking it to be fake, does not pay much attention. But when he catches a glimpse of a man he believes to be Habu Joji (Eric Herson-Macarel), he suspects that it may be Mallory's. Habu is a famous, but fictitious, Japanese climber who disappeared years previously.Fukamachi sets to track down Habu. The film flashes back Habu’s childhood, his days in a climbing club and his perilous climbs. While Habu’s endeavors are awe inspiring, he is clearly human. His shares of victories come with losses. <img width="800" height="431" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161156/636d1f2a9c7e80680e0af44ejpeg.jpg" alt="">Fukamachi is as obsessed as his subject, and when Fukamachi finally gets to photograph Habu on Everest, both display powerful tenacity to push the limits.Director Patrick Imbert captures five volumes worth of story in just 90 minutes. The 2D animation departs from the textured layers of the original manga and is reminiscent of the works of Studio Ghibli, with simple character animations and simply stylized photorealistic backgrounds.It is the climbing scenes where the film truly shines. There is no dialogue, just struggle to breathe, the missteps, the trembling taut ropes, and the roar of wind. There are the movement of hands, eyes, and gestures in the dialogue scenes. This is animation at its immersive best.Imbert and his animation team capture the mountains in all their raw wild power, and the audacity of those who dare try to scale them.  Amine Bouhafa’s score complements the story and animates the adventure.This is a French film about a Japanese climber using Japanese cartoon techniques for a film set in Nepal, so it is surprising Netflix does not have a Japanese dub version with subtitles to give it more authenticity.The Summit of the Gods, is not a happy movie, that much we can say. It does not gloss over the sacrifice and suffering to glamourise the adventure. 14 Peaks on the other hand, glorifies climbing. But both films show us what it is like to be a human attempting something super-human.Read Also:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nims-purja-does-it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nims Purja does it</a><a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nims-purja-fans-react-to-criticism-of-climb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nims Purja fans react to criticism</a>

Sahina Shrestha

On-screen mountains

<img width="960" height="960" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110815110/636a61af9c7e80680e056ee7jpeg.jpg" alt=""/>Fans of Nirmal Purja, who this week completed his goal of climbing all the world’s 14 highest mountains in a record-shattering 6 months, have reacted strongly to those belittling his feat.Purja climbed Mt Xixapangma (8,027m) in China on Monday, his last eight thousander in a record-shattering 190 days. The last record was by Korean climber Kim Chang-ho, who took nearly 8 years to perform the same feat. He was killed in an avalanche in Gurja Himal in Nepal last year.Yet some mountaineering experts and climbers have downplayed the achievement, saying he used supplemental oxygen above 7,500m on all his climbs, had a team to fix ropes, and also that he did not give members of his team enough credit.<a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/now-im-eating-humble-pie-admits-british-peak-record-holder-kenton-cool-xfrbqjxw3" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/now-im-eating-humble-pie-admits-british-peak-record-holder-kenton-cool-xfrbqjxw3&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572622041568000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFn3YKc9nWj9MhH_6mx6-GTBD6dsQ">The Times</a> newspaper quoted Chris Bonington, the noted British climber famous for the first ascent in 1975 of the southwest face of Mt Everest, as saying: ‘What he has done is quite extraordinary, but it isn’t mountaineering. Real mountaineering is exploratory – finding new routes up to big peaks … I don’t see this as a major event.’ <figure><img width="960" height="959" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110815110/636a61b29c7e80680e056ee8jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Nims Purja and two team members on the summit of Mt Xixapangma (8,027m) on 28 October, after shattering the world record to climb 14 of the world's highest peaks in 6 months. Photo: Nims Purja / Facebook</figcaption></figure>The German mountaineer Ralf Dujmovits told an <a href="https://www.adventure-journal.com/2019/10/climber-nims-purja-didnt-break-anyones-record-he-smashed-a-barrier/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.adventure-journal.com/2019/10/climber-nims-purja-didnt-break-anyones-record-he-smashed-a-barrier/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572622041568000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF7e2WNXOdCTn3gjJBVur2xO8scJw">adventure magazine</a>: ‘It is completely ignored that Nirmal Purja is using bottled oxygen. It’s a performance that looks spectacular, but is not spectacular.’The first Briton to climb Mt Everest without oxygen, Stephen Venables, also told <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/now-im-eating-humble-pie-admits-british-peak-record-holder-kenton-cool-xfrbqjxw3" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/now-im-eating-humble-pie-admits-british-peak-record-holder-kenton-cool-xfrbqjxw3&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572622041568000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFn3YKc9nWj9MhH_6mx6-GTBD6dsQ">the paper</a>: ‘The fact that he used supplementary oxygen detracts from the feat. I know he also used fixed ropes. It isn’t exactly alpinism as I understand it ... It will certainly make it into the Guinness Book of Records, but in the history of mountaineering it will only be a footnote.’The unkindest cut of all came from Amit Chowdhuary, the head of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation in New Delhi, who called the climbs ‘mindless sensationalism’. He told The Times: ‘We don’t support this kind of gimmick. If you have 20 people supporting you, of course you can achieve this. But you are putting so many people’s lives at risk, including your own. What for? We want people to climb safely.’Reacting <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009545858803" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id%3D100009545858803&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572622041568000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGFfQuyqEVnUYYCuDiwiirsCm9nRg">in a Facebook post</a>, retired general from British Army, Sam Cowan wrote: ‘The quoted reaction from some of “mountaineering’s old guard” is no real surprise but the remarks of the vice-president of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation are particularly crass – and wrong!’ <figure><img width="960" height="630" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110815110/636a61b49c7e80680e056ee9jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Hindi paper Dainik Bhaskar</figcaption></figure>The Dainik Bhaskar, a Hindi newspaper in India chose to headline that Purja was educated in India, and highlighted the fact that his family had taken him to India when he was five and he got his early schooling there. Critics have said that Korean climber Kim Chang-ho deserves more acclaim because he climbed all 14 peaks without bottled oxygen, even though he took 7 years and 11 months to complete all the climbs.There was sharp and swift reaction in social media from Nims Purja’s fans who said the criticism of his feat reeked of ‘colonialism’, and that ‘westerners could not bear to see Nepalis succeed’. Others said that Nepalis were now setting the bar in Himalayan mountaineering, and were ‘finally getting the recognition they deserve’. Another post said that Nepal’s mountain guides and porters had never got the credit for putting western on the tops of the world’s highest mountains., and Purja’s feat had changed that forever.However, there has also been much praise for Purja’s climbs from other Western climbers and mountaineering journals. In a report titled ‘Climber Nims Purja Didn’t Break Anyone’s Record—He Smashed a Barrier’, the <a href="https://www.adventure-journal.com/2019/10/climber-nims-purja-didnt-break-anyones-record-he-smashed-a-barrier/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adventure Journal wrote this week</a>:  ‘It was a barrier-breaking testament to human potential, and a powerful demonstration of teamwork.’Tyrolean Reinhld Messener, 75, who first climbed Mt Everest without oxygen and went on to climb all 14 eight thousanders over a period of 16 years, said Purja’s climbs a ‘unique mountaineering achievement’.   <img width="960" height="960" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110815110/636a61b79c7e80680e056eeajpeg.jpg" alt="">Purja has been consistently thanking his team of guides from Nepal saying his feat would not have been possible without them. Members of his team themselves broke climbing records left and right: 30-year-old Mingma David Sherpa climbed nine peaks above 8,000m with Purja this year. Another team member Gesman Tamang summited seven of the world highest mountains with Purja this spring.In a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NimsPurja/?epa=SEARCH_BOX" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/NimsPurja/?epa%3DSEARCH_BOX&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572622041568000&amp;usg=AFQjCNECQ__1000V0UR3g1NEjTyJbTAhSw">Facebook post on Thursday</a>, Purja wrote: ‘United we conquer ! Here is to The A-team: Mingma David Sherpa , Gesman Tamang, Galjen Sherpa, Lakpa Dendi Sherpa and Halung Dorchi Sherpa. The journey of 14/7 has tested us all the way though at many levels. Together we have been through so much, we climbed not only as a team but as brothers with one sole goal to make the impossible possible pushing the human limitations to next level. Now, the BROTHERHOOD that we share between us is even STRONGER!’ Writing in Purja’s support, many social media posts said his team was not given enough credit for rescuing stranded mountaineers on Annapurna and Kangchenjunga, even if it meant it would slow down their expeditions. Purja’s team made heroic rescues in April and May at high altitude in poor weather.Reacting in <a href="http://thetimes.co.uk/article/now-im-eating-humble-pie-admits-british-peak-record-holder-kenton-cool-xfrbqjxw3" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://thetimes.co.uk/article/now-im-eating-humble-pie-admits-british-peak-record-holder-kenton-cool-xfrbqjxw3&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572622041568000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHKvn1dk2g9oImkpw9WLepZkBJ_Kg">The Times</a> this week, British multiple Everest summiteers Kenton Cool said: ‘I’m eating a lot of humble pie because what Purja has done is super, super-impressive. I’m the first to say I didn’t think he was going to do it. His ambition was so high, I thought he needed a dollop of realism.’ This week <a href="https://www.markhorrell.com/blog/2019/nirmal-purjas-ascent-of-all-fourteen-8000m-peaks-why-is-it-controversial/?fbclid=IwAR2y3I8mCV5RhEYybUfTEH7bX4Hv23Gx4ePfay8lJq_lmIXZUiHPrOEO5kw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Horell wrote in his blog</a>: 'These men are being churlish, surely – why do they have such a problem with what Nirmal Purja did?'

Nims Purja fans react to criticism of climb

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110815110/636a61899c7e80680e056edajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1368" height="2048"/><figcaption>Photo: NIMAL PURJA/TWITTER</figcaption></figure>Nepal’s Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja has performed an extraordinary and unprecedented feat of climbing all the world’s 14th highest mountains within a seven month period by scaling his last peak, Mt Xixapangma in China on Tuesday. The only reason he could not complete the exploit earlier was because of visa delays, and rescuing stranded climbers along the way.The former Gurkha Special Forces Commando in the British Navy set out on his quest in April 2019, and climbed all the world’s peaks above 8,000m – including Mt Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Makalu in Nepal this spring before moving on to K2 in the Karakoram in Pakistan.Read also: <a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/nirmal-purja-on-his-viral-everest-photo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nirmal Purja on is viral Everest photo</a>Mt Xixapangma (8.027m) was his last and 14th peak, but for that he had to overcome a hurdle perhaps more difficult than the climb itself: securing a Chinese visa to visit the restricted region of Tibet. It was a nail-biting finish before he finally got the permit two weeks ago and set off for the mountain which is only 70km north of Kathmandu.His feat has been described as the greatest achievement in mountaineering history for endurance and stamina – he has done in 7 months what the previous record holder, Korean climber Kim Chang-ho, took eight years to climb.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110815110/636a618d9c7e80680e056edbjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="956" height="1508">Purja, 36, crowdfunded his climbs through Project Possible and is also raising money for charities, including for the welfare of Gurkha veterans and their families and the group <a href="https://www.chorachori.org.uk/nims/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.chorachori.org.uk/nims/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572407182084000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFVY6bvsX7SEaJbxlhGlmtJcWIRCg">Chora Chori</a> which runs a <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nurturing-rescued-children-with-nature/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nurturing-rescued-children-with-nature/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572407182084000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFdqMUagDNuUWLfRbQHhH28ScZwQg">shelter for trafficked children in Kathmandu</a>.Most people had not heard about Nims Purja’s audacious attempt to climb all the world’s highest peaks in record time until his famous photograph of the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/overkill-on-everest/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/overkill-on-everest/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572407182084000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHP7Gc_amobTsuIlu6qG5xNOlWZEA">‘traffic jam’</a> on Mt Everest this spring went viral on the Internet.In an <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/nirmal-purja-on-his-viral-everest-photo/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/nirmal-purja-on-his-viral-everest-photo/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572407182084000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEShbPtKTq2qAoAkOGzeQVrTNX87w">interview with Nepali Times</a> after his Everest climb and before heading off to Pakistan in April, Purja said:  “Yes, the traffic jam happened because all climbers wanted to get to the top at the same time. The crowd must be managed. For example, we climbed Annapurna in April. Maybe Everest climbing season can be opened up earlier too. Nature is for everyone, and climbing mountains shouldn’t be reserved for the rich.” (Read full interview below)Besides climbing all those mountains, Purja also managed to carry out some high altitude rescues of stranded climbers on Annapurna and Kanchenjunga this spring.Originally from Myagdi district in Nepal, Purja joined the British Army Special Forces in 2003, the first Gurkha to do so. But climbing mountains was more important to him than a well-paying job, so he quit in March 2019 to begin his climbs.He climbed Annapurna I (23 April), Dhaulagiri (12 May) Kanchenjunga (16 May) both Everest and Lhotse (23 May) and Makalu (25 May). Climbing those 6 peaks within 31 days was itself a record. Then he went on to climb <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanga_Parbat" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanga_Parbat&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572407182084000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHOt2G52Nj7DNiAY0MM_uIbqSOKTQ">Nanga Parbat</a> (6 July), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasherbrum_I" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasherbrum_I&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572407182084000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEI7RPrz0lxybeSuHZkOfci9LVReA">Gasherbrum I</a> (15 July), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasherbrum_II" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasherbrum_II&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572407182084000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHc_5TaGKoovKPzy0kq4olkJASerA">Gasherbrum II</a> (18 July), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572407182084000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEPjIVFpnQV7dIN6YflRO7C4-LzCg">K2</a> (24 July) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad_Peak" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad_Peak&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1572407182084000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGcEYSLO4M_WgnFOW9BJ3RQrNAJ1w">Broad Peak</a>(26 July). He came back in the autumn to climb Manaslu (23 September) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cho_Oyu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cho Oyu </a>(27 September).<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110815110/636a618f9c7e80680e056edcjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2048" height="1536"><figcaption>Nims Purja is greeted at Kathmandu airport by British Ambassador Richard Morris after climbing Mt Xixapangma in China, his 14th eight thousander. Photo: RICHARD MORRIS/TWITTER</figcaption></figure>Nepali Times: What is your objective in climbing 14 mountains above 8,000m in 7 months?Nims Purja: I want to show human capacity, I am not climbing to set any records. My competition is only with myself. I was born in a small village in Myagdi. I want to prove that no matter what your background, you can do things considered impossible if you have the right thinking.My second objective is to raise awareness of the impacts of climate change. In 2014, me and my team had melted the snow at Ama Dablam base camp to cook food. Last year there was no snow there. Thirdly, I want to help promote tourism in Nepal, contribute to the success of Visit Nepal year 2020, and be engaged in social work.It is a very ambitious task.In 2017, I did not feel tired even after I climbed Everest, Makalu and Lhotse in 5 days. I ended up walking for 18 hours after the helicopter could not come to Makalu base camp due to bad weather. That was when I thought that I could do something more on the mountains for charity.Why Project Possible?I wanted to show that anything is possible with positive thoughts and proper management. My life experiences have also taught me that anything is possible with patience and determination.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110815110/636a61929c7e80680e056eddjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="960"><figcaption>Nims Purja on 26 October before beginning his climb of Xixapangma in China, the last of the 14 highest mountains in the world that the climber from Nepal climbed in under 7 months. Photo: PROJECT POSSIBLE</figcaption></figure>What kind of reactions have you been getting to the campaign?Even respected mountaineers have told me that it is not possible to scale 14 mountains in 7 months. But I have now done six in 31 days. When we started climbing Annapurna, we had doubts. But then it got easier.Your photo of the traffic jam on Everest led to negative comments about climbing management in Nepal.Yes, the traffic jam happened because all climbers wanted to get to the top at the same time. The crowd must be managed. For example, we climbed Annapurna in April. Maybe Everest climbing season can be opened up earlier too. Nature is for everyone, and climbing mountains shouldn’t be reserved for the rich.

Nims Purja does it

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

Kathmandu airport to cut flight hours

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

High living below the Himalaya

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

Back to the land in the cities

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