Pandemic’s Toll on Mental Health

Although we cannot say anything definitively right now, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be declining in Nepal. The number of daily cases has fallen below 50 within the nation. More than five daily cases have been recorded in the country for a few weeks now. The government has also lifted all of the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus and our society seems to be slowly but steadily recovering. But sadly, this does not apply to everyone. While the physical signs of the outbreak...

Legends Of Naradevi

This week has been mostly about Naradevi for the people of Kathmandu. Its 19-character dance was performed after a dozen years on Thursday; four days after they were taken around the city in a special musical procession.

Archiving manuscripts is an arduous affair

When we think of heritage, the first things that pop up in our mind may be that of old buildings, temples, artefacts or perhaps festivals and celebrations. Rarely does paper fall within our perception of what heritage is. It is not grand, it is not monumental, it does not stand before the world making a strident statement. Paper is meek, subtle and silent but it is still an important heritage – a document heritage. “Buildings are important but isn’t it equally important to know how they...

Naradevi Dance: Performed for the protection of state but lacking state support

It was March 19, Saturday, 11 in the morning and the entire locality of Nyatapacho, Kathmandu Metropolitan City–18, was alive with music. Drums were beating, cymbals exploding and bells ringing.

Readability Research

Print media is not dead, at least not yet. A significant chunk of our population still gets their news and analysis from newspapers and magazines. People may learn about an event from various sources but it’s not news until it gets published in the paper. So, let us not write off the place of print from Nepali society.

NTB sets sight on domestic tourism

When people think of tourists and tourism, they think of foreigners arriving from distant countries – and for a long time, at least in the case of Nepal, that was what it mostly was. However, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions in international movement, foreign tourism all but stopped. That knocked the wind of Nepal’s tourism-based businesses and led to the displacement of many from this field. That is why the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has started focusing on promoting...

People plan to make Holi grand after two years of break

It's Holi Thursday. And a day later in Terai. It has been a long wait for Mahesh Luitel but Holi has finally arrived. The 26-year-old engineer has been looking forward to celebrating the festival for months and now, it is here. “This year is going to be wild,” said Luitel, a resident of Kalopul, Kathmandu. “We are going to make up for the past two years,” he said, unfurling a pure white shirt he plans to wear for the festival. “Let smearing begin!” Luitel exclaimed.

KMC, DoA at loggerheads over structures at world heritage site

Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is once again at loggerheads with the Department of Archaeology (DoA) and heritage conservation activists. The metropolitan that had initially sought to concretise Rani Pokhari, is apparently concretising Kamal Pokhari, tried to demolish the historic Bag Durbar (its office building) and did little to preserve the centuries-old pond that Chhaya Centre covered and built or oppose the use of cement during the reconstruction of the Swayambhunath Stupa, is now allegedly...

Voting During Pandemic

Nepal is going to the polls on May 13 this year to elect its local governments. A glorious practice in institutionalising the federal system of governance adopted by the Nepali state, these elections are crucial in ensuring and promoting grassroots democracy in the country. But, unfortunately, this celebration of civil rights and liberties is going to be held under the repulsive shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Worrying Scenario

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is a tragedy by all accounts. It is a needless war that is killing hundreds and displacing hundreds of thousands. But it has been exceptionally heart-wrenching; it seems, to Europeans and Americans because, by their own admission, Caucasians are suffering the brutality that had so far only been the fate of millions of “others.” “They seem so like us,” wrote Daniel Hannan in The Telegraph in the United Kingdom. “Ukrainians are not obviously refugees trying to...