An idea overly successful: The story of Tebahal’s umbrella street

Tea talks are a staple of Nepali culture. Group of people gathered at stalls sipping warm tea and discussing the daily struggles of life. This is what the traders of Tebahal were doing a couple of weeks ago. Worried about the fall in business since the lockdown in March, the local retailers wanted a way to attract people and hopefully business. This is when Ashish Man Singh suggested that they turn the alley into an umbrella street. Singh had seen such streets in other countries and proposed the...

New coronavirus mutant poses risk to Nepal: Experts

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal issued circulars to all international airlines on Tuesday asking them to not board any passengers originating from or transiting through the United Kingdom (UK) on planes coming to Nepal. The authority stated in the circular that the decision was taken in light of the new strain of the coronavirus spreading in the UK. The strain, named VUI – 202012/01, is considered to be 70 per cent more infectious than the common strain of the virus and has prompted the...

Buskers raise fund to help street kids

Social welfare does not require full-time devotion or immense financial capabilities. It only requires passion. One needs to utilise their skills. It’s okay if they cannot help hundreds of people. Helping the few neediest ones is what counts. This is the message that 27-year-old Sunil Panta, 32-year-old Prabin Bikram Silwal and their small team want to convey through busking. The Oxford English Dictionary defines busking as the activity of playing music in the street or other public places for...

In time of COVID-19, walking on rooftops is safer

Four years ago, a health check-up revealed that Pratibha Awale had high cholesterol. This scared the 53-year-old resident of Jorpati, Kathmandu and on the advice of her friends, she took up morning walks. Since then, Awale had been getting up every day at the crack of dawn and walking for an hour to an hour and a half around her locality until March 24. With the imposition of the nationwide lockdown, she was no longer able to walk outside. So, she started walking on her terrace. “I felt that if...

Wedding season gives a boost to airlines companies

Yamuna Shilakar went to Bharatpur, Chitwan last week to attend a friend’s wedding. Because of the threat of COVID-19, she decided to go by air and hence booked a ticket with Buddha Air. She was surprised when she reached the airport. “Almost everyone seemed to be flying to attend a wedding. Many were even dressed in Daura Suruwal and saris like they would join a Janti procession immediately after getting off the plane,” she said. Madan Jha was also equally astonished during his flight from...

Central Zoo to reopen from today

The Central Zoo is reopening from Thursday after a gap of more than eight months. Nepal’s only zoo, located in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, was shut down on March 20 after the government prohibited gatherings of more than 25 people. Since then, it has remained closed to visitors. But it is once again opening its doors from tomorrow with a standard operating procedure in place. “The procedure has been prepared in accordance with the government’s safety protocol and is designed to protect the health...

Nepal's tourism witnesses gradual signs of recovery

The year 2020 was supposed to be a grand one for tourism in Nepal. The government had declared the ‘Visit Nepal Year’ aiming to attract two million tourists and tourism-dependent businesses were excited about its outcome. Unfortunately, what it had was losses, closures and hardships. According to figures with the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), tourist arrivals dropped by more than 77 per cent in the first 10 months of 2020 as compared to 2019. Last year, 966,023 tourists had arrived in Nepal from...

Virus strains in Nepal & India similar: Study

The genetic strains of the coronavirus spreading in Nepal is similar to that of the virus spreading in India, a gene sequencing study by Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) has found. In the first of its kind study in the country, NHRC collected 15 samples from the National Public Health Laboratory in Teku, Nepal Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital in Madhyapur Thimi and Dhulikhel Hospital in Dhulikhel from June 26 to August 10.

Religious significance of Ekadashi

Many Hindus across the country observed Haribodhani Ekadashi and Tulsi (basil plant) wedding on Thursday. According to astrologer Bheem Joshi, Haribodhani Ekadashi is the day Lord Bishnu wakes up from his four-month-long slumber to preside over the religious rites across the universe. Harishayani Ekadashi, ‘Hari’ being a name for Bishnu and ‘Shayan’ meaning sleeping, is the day Bishnu goes to sleep and Haribodhani Ekadashi is the day he wakes up. Haribodhani Ekadashi is one of 24 Ekadashis...

Lockdown venture: From income loss to self-employment

When the government imposed the nationwide lockdown on March 24, Divya Jyoti Kharel had the rug pulled from under her feet. A biology teacher at a high school in Kathmandu, Kharel knew that as long as the lockdown lasted, she would not receive her salary and this gravely worried her. “I was genuinely terrified. Everything turned dark,” Kharel recalled her feeling in the initial days of the corona-induced shutdown. “I kept hoping and praying for the lockdown to end soon.” The first two months...