We scour the town for some of the best vintage bikes, and

Every Thursday issue 265 Rs 40
26 March 2015 12 r}q 2071
There’s
Nothing
like Vintage
We scour the town for some of the best vintage
bikes, and listen to each one’s story
!
Newsfeed
k ckstart
A caravan of surprises
To welcome spring,
Embassy Restaurant and
Bar situated at Lazimpat
is ready to host the
much awaited event,
Karavan Kathmandu
Spring 2015 on March
28. The event will
include design pop-up
bazaar “springs up”
in Lazimpat with a
fresh mix of selected
designers and their
unique products that
are skillfully made in
Nepal itself. The event is
set to display the finest
clothings, jewelries,
organic products,
handicrafts and
home decor.
Karavan Kathmandu Spring 2015
Date: 28 March (Saturday)
Time: 1 pm to 5 pm
Venue: Embassy Restaurant and Bar, Lazimpat
Contact: [email protected], facebook.com/karavankathmandu
Dance, Dine, Donate
Giving Reasons to Smile
Here’s an exciting opportunity
for you to build your network
and contribute to a noble
cause. Qatar Airways, Nepal, is
organizing ‘Giving Reasons to
Smile’, a charity event for the
benefit of children whose parents
are incarcerated. According to the organizers,
proceeds from the event, which
includes a gala dinner and a DJ
session, will go towards building
Early Childhood Development
Center’s Butterfly Home, now
under construction.
The center was started by
internationally-lauded social
worker and 2012 CNN Hero of
the Year Pushpa Basnet. “It’s
not fair for these children to live
in prison because they haven’t
done anything wrong. My mission
is to make sure no child grows
up behind prison walls,” says
Basnet. The event will feature
performances by Saksham Band
(visually impaired classical
folk-fusion band) and Circus
Kathmandu (children rescued
from traffickers and streets).
A trailer of the documentary
Waiting for Mamu by Hollywood
director Thomas A Morgon and
a ‘Happy Song’ video featuring
children from Early Childhood
Development Center will be
screened at the event. Similarly,
the floor will be opened for those
who want to dance to the tunes
of DJ RIPS.
•
•
•
Live performances by
Saksham Band (A visually
impaired classical folk
fusion band) and Circus
Kathmandu (Children
rescued from trafficking
and the streets tuned to
contemporary circus to build
their self-esteem and chart
a path out of astigmatism
and poverty).
Trailer of Waiting for Mamu,
a documentary by Hollywood
director Thomas A Morgon
DJ session with DJ RIPS
Happy days are here again
Happy Singh Da Dhaba
Crowne Plaza Kathmandu
-Soaltee is back with its
Happy Singh Da Dhaba food
festival. Savor amazing Indian
delicacies while enjoying the
warm spring evening outdoors.
The sumptuous menu includes
many signature dishes prepared
using ingredients that give you
authentic flavors right from the
highways of India. The venue’s
décor reflects the colorful spirit
of the dhaba culture, and adds
to the magic of the festival.
Here is why you cannot miss
the fest
• Happy Singh Da Dhaba
has the best lip-smacking
highway-style dishes that are
innovative yet traditional.
• The cuisines offer a perfect
blend of traditional food, all of
which have a distinct taste of
their own.
• Different counters like the
Pappe da Thekka, Sanjha
Chulla, Manjeet Da Famous
Shorba, Janta Vaishnav
Dhaba, Lambardara Da
Dhabba, Kakke di Hatti, Gullu
Tea Stall, and Banwari Paan
Shop have been setup.
• You can enjoy authentic
flavors with snapshots of rural
India. Eating out with your
friends, family and business
associates will be a whole
new experience altogether.
• Don’t forget to try the live
tawa kebabs, rotis, paan and
countryside tea. Also a visit
to the dessert section for
phirnee, rabri falooda, jalebi,
ladoo and much more will
delight your sweet tooth.
Date: 20 March – 3 April;
Time: 6:30 pm onwards;
Venue: Garden Terrace, Soaltee
Crowne Plaza; Entry: Rs. 1,700
for adults and Rs. 999 for
children (exclusive of taxes)
Contact: 4273999
TOP 3 Events
The struggle of women
Sambodhi, a powerful
drama
Date: 12-28 March
Time: 5 pm onwards;
Venue: Theater Mall, 7th Floor
Kathmandu Mall
Ticket: Rs.200, Rs.100 (for
students)
Ride into the New Year
11th Hour
Date: 13 April to 14 April
Route: Kathmandu – Kulekhani –
Hetauda – Daman
Entry: Rs 3,000 (2 days, 1 night
package) Contact: Ram: 9813150969; Amir:
9803781581; Nehal: 9841661358
Shivapuri Climb
Duration: 2 to 3 hours to Nangi and 6 to 7 to the summit,
Difficulty level: Easy - Moderate, can be strenuous at some points,
Contact: 4381214/9801024777, [email protected]
POST US: Email event details to [email protected] or
call 5011571/ 5011639/ 5011730/ 5011731 for listings. Listings
are free but inclusion is not guaranteed due to limited space.
Kickstart//Getstarted
8
OUT&ABOUT
ART AND THEATRE
live wire
FOOD
Respite at the
Corner
What are you swigging this weekend?
BBQ Weekends with Beer
Date: 1 March onwards
Time: 6 to 10 pm
Venue: The Terrace Garden, Radisson Hotel
Enjoy the stunning view of Kathmandu with barbecue
and beer at The Terrace Garden, at the Hotel
Radisson. BBQ Weekends with Beer (every Friday and
Saturday evening) is the place to be if you are looking
for a casual atmosphere and some fresh air.
Wanderlust
Journeying for Art
Date: 11 January to 12 April, Contact: 5522307, Entry: Free
Time: 11am to 5pm, Venue: Park Gallery, Pulchowk, Lalitpur
Young artist Dhwoj Gurung
presents his take on plein-air
watercolor and acryclic landscapes
and scenes. Basically, the term
‘plein-air’ is a French expression
which means "in the open air" and
is particularly used to describe
the act of painting outdoors.
Dhwoj’s work resonates with
color and form and his freestyle
appoach balances visual drama
with academic painting.His
images may seem carefree but
the thought and composition that
he has brought forth provides a
unifying framework for his visual
elements. En-route developing a
personal art philosophy, Dhwoj is
currently pursuing the third year
of his BFA at Lalitkala Campus.
Originally from Daraundi, Dhwoj
is an avid traveler and cyclist,
having covered an impressive
tract of ground all over Nepal:
from Nuwakot to the ABC circuit
to Janabahal, he depicts all the
inspiration into his art. This
quarterly exhibition represents a
step in Dhwoj’s journey. More than
25 paintings selected from his
trips will be showcased from 11
January to 12 April as part of Park
Gallery’s fourth quarterly show.
Happy Hours- Buy One ! - Get
One Free !
Time: 4pm to 7pm,
Contact: 4411818 Venue: The Corner Bar,
Radisson Hotel
Enjoy good times at The
Corner Bar and make
the happy hours happier
with the “Buy One, Get
One Free!” offer on
regular spirits, all house
wines, and domestic
liquors. Pull up a seat at
one of Kathmandu’s best
bars and order yourself
the classiest cocktails
or the bartender’s
innovative mixes.
Happy days are here again
Happy Singh Da Dhaba
Date: 20 March - 3 April
Time: 6:30 PM onwards
Venue: All Day Dining, Garden Terrace,
Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Kathmandu
Entry: Rs.1,700 for adults and Rs.999 for
children(exclusive of taxes)
Contact: 4273999
The Happy Singh Da Dhaba food festival is
back with delicacies that satisfy your taste
buds. Taking place at the All day Dining
Restaurant, Garden Terrace, Sun deck area,
the Dhaba cuisines offer snapshots of rural
India. The festival features the best of lipsmacking highway-style culinary delights.
The struggle of
women
Women group art exhibition
Date: 13 March to 30 April, Time: 10 am to 5 pm
Venue: Newa Chhen Art Gallery, Kulimha
Entry: Free, Contact: 5535532
Newa Chhen Art Gallery is organizing a Women Group Art Exhibition.
The Women’s Day event will feature works of renowned artists such
as Sharda Chitrakar, Sarita Dangol, Erina Tamrakar, Puspanjali
Shrerchan and Pramila Bajracharya.
Live performance every
Friday by Mul (band)
Genre: fusion and classical
Attractions: special chef
menu
Time: 6:15pm-9:15pm
Location: Babar Mahal
Revisited
Contact: 01-4259801
AILA LOUNGE AND
RESTAURANT
3rd Chapter (band)
Friday: 20 March
Time: 6:30pm onwards
Location: Kumaripati
Contact: 01-5008681
Moksh
Every Tuesday
Rohit John Chhetri
Time: 7pm onwards
Location: Jhamsikhel
Contact: 5528362
Embassy Restro & Bar
Weekly Schedule
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
and Thursday: Live Piano
performances by Pema Wednesday: Live performance by OM (band) with
BBQ station
Friday: Unplugged music
by Prayaas (band) with BBQ
station
Saturday: Acoustic performance by Dharmendra &
Bittu with BBQ station
Outdoors
Making Lives Better
Lace Up Girls!
Giving Reasons to Smile
Date: 8 April
Time: 6 pm onwards
Venue: Mega Malhar, Crowne Plaza Kathmandu- Soaltee
Entry: Gold (Rs.5,000), Silver (Rs.4,000) -- inclusive of drinks and gala dinner
Contact: 9801020915, Karishma Shah
Qatar Airways Nepal is organizing an event to support the children of Early
Childhood Development Center. Proceeds from the event will go towards
building a home (The Butterfly Home) for the children who are under the aegis
of 2012 CNN Hero of the Year Pushpa Basnet, founder of the center. The event
will feature performances by Saksham Band and Circus Kathmandu; the dance
floor will be open for people who want to enjoy the DJ session. Similarly, a
trailer of Waiting for Mamu, a documentary by Hollywood director Thomas A.
Morgan will be screened at the event. EVEREST WOMEN RUN- 5K
Date: 16 May
Venue: Starting from Dasarath Stadium
Entry: Rs.300 for early bird registration,
Rs. 500 on race day (fee includes lunch
and t-shirt)
Contact: 9851124453 (Maya Gurung,
Everest Women Trek)
9849580795 (Anuj D. Adhikary, Gnarly)
Everest Women Run, organized by Everest
Women Trek and Gnarly, is a celebration
of womanhood. The run will begin from
Dasharath Stadium and conclude in
Basantpur. There are three categories: 1218 years old, 19-40 years old, and 40+.
Proceeds from the race will be used to
train women trekking guides and mountain
biking guides. This Everest Women Run
is a prelude to a bigger all-women’s race
scheduled for the anniversary of first
ascent of Everest by a woman, Junko Tabei.
Out in Nature
Getting into the
spirit of cricket
First Ever Street Children’s T20 Cricket
Tournament 2015
Date: 12 April
Venue: Hupra Stadium, Hetauda
Entry: Rs.300
For details
Website: www.oursansar.org /
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
oursansarNGO
Time: 6:30pm onwards
Location: Lazimpat
Contact: 4424040
Tamarind Restro and Bar
Every Thursday, Sunday and
Monday
Live piano by Sunil Singh
Saturday: 28 March
Supersonic (band)
Date: 12-28 March
Time: 5 pm onwards
Venue: Theatre Mall,
7th Floor Kathmandu
Mall
Ticket: Rs.200, Rs.100
(for students)
Idea Accel and
Theatre Mall present
‘Sambodhi’, a powerful
drama about sexual
abuse and the
psychological trauma
associated it with.
The play has been
written and directed
by Ram K. A.C, who
is also a member,
artist and program
co-coordinator of
Sarwanam
Theatre group.
MULCHOWK
MISCELLANEOUS
Wednesday: 1 April
OM (band)
Sambodhi, a powerful drama
Women’s Day Calls for Celebration!
9
Time: 7:00pm to 10:00pm Location: Jhamsikhel
Contact: 5522626
Celebrating International Day for
Street Children, which falls on 12
April, Our Sansar announces the first
ever street children’s T20 cricket
tournament in Nepal. Several
teams from children’s homes in
Parsa, Chitwan, and Makwanpur
districts will be taking part in the
tournament. The semi-final and
final games will take place at
Hupra Stadium in Hetauda, with
the final taking place on 12 April
i.e. International Day for Street
Children. Children love sports
and this tournament aims to give
kids, who otherwise would not
have the opportunity, a chance to
compete, to be part of a team, and
to play against their peers. Shakti
Gauchan, a prominent member of
the national cricket team, will be
the ambassador for the event. Many
local companies, schools, groups,
and organizations are set to join in
on the celebrations.
Shivapuri Climb
Duration: 2 to 3 hours to Nangi and 6 to 7
to the summit,
Difficulty level: Easy - Moderate, can be
strenuous at some points,
Contact: 4381214/9801024777, info@
nature-treks.com
Have you ever hiked at Shivapuri National
Park? Take a leisure walk along the
national park trail through Buddhist
monasteries. Shivapuri National Park,
with the sub-tropical forest covered
Shivapuri Peak standing at 2732 m, is
the closest hiking trail to the capital.
Adventure beckons
Tansen Ultra 2015
Date: 28 May to 31 May Venue:
Tansen, Palpa
For more information: www.
gnarlybiking.com/tansen
The hill station of Tansen is gearing up for
some trail action once again! Organized by
Dharohar Adventures and Gnarly, Tansen
Ultra 2015 will have three flagship races:
downhill, ultra trail running, and for first time
in Nepal, urban cross-country. More than 150
athletes (both professionals and amateurs) are
expected to take part in the three-day event.
Ultra Tansen, with ten different categories,
has something in store for everyone.
Jazz Upstairs
Wednesday: 1 April
Cadenza
Time: 7:00pm onwards
Location: Lazimpat
Contact: 4416983
Madhusala
Stories through Photos
Introduction to Storytelling – Spring 2015
Date: 25 March-6 April 2015
Time: 2-6 pm on weekdays and 10-4 pm on Saturdays
Venue: Photo.circle HQ, Jhamsikhel
Fee: Rs. 5,000 plus 13% VAT
This intensive two-week workshop is designed
for photographers who have a technical base in
digital photography, and are work on narratives and
storytelling. Participants will be introduced to a wide
variety of visual styles and languages. They will work
to produce one body of work during the workshop.
email: [email protected]
Every Friday till Wednesday
Uday & Manila Sotang live
with Jeewan Kalapremi and
Nava Ratna (band)
Time: 7:15-11:30 pm
Location: Durbar Marg
Contact: 4223613
Tamas Laya
Wednesday: 1 April
Open Night with Jovan
Friday: 27 March (Naxal)
Accoustix
Time: 7:00-10:00pm
Location: Naxal
Contact: 4414395
MUSIC & PARTIES
Who will be Nepal’s Best Dancer?
Best Dancer Nepal 2015
Date: 3 April, Time: 5pm to 6.30pm
Venue: Russian Center of Science and Culture, Kamalpokhari
Entry: Free provided seats are reserved
Contact: 4015643
Sushila Arts Academy, in collaboration with Zest (Tata Motors) and
Russian Center of Science and Culture, brings to you the Grand
Finale of Best Dancer Nepal 2015. The finale will see a panel of
judges rank the top ten semi-finalists who chosen during the March 7
auditions. Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala will grace the event as
the guest of honor and actress Namrata Shrestha as chief guest.
The jury has Mithila Sharma (renowned performer), Akash Adhikari
(film director) and Hemant Puranik (country manager, Tata Motors). The
event’s exclusive supporter Being Human will provide gift vouchers worth
Rs.8,000 to the top three contestants and vouchers worth Rs.5,000
to the rest of the contestants. Also, all finalists will be awarded with a
Sushila Arts Academy scholarship. Still want more reasons to go to this
event? Alize Biannic, ballet and advanced contemporary dance teacher/
choreographer, will also perform at the event.
Ride into the New Year
11th Hour
Date: 13 April to 14 April
Route: Kathmandu – Kulekhani – Hetauda – Daman
Entry: Rs 3,000 (2 days, 1 night package) Contact:
Ram: 9813150969
Amir: 9803781581
Nehal: 9841661358
Dedicated to promoting unity among motorsport
aficionados, the 11th Hour is a rally organized
by Everest Moto-bikers on the occasion of the
Nepali New Year. It is an event where bikers will
be together for 11 hours. You can get set for some
adventure, games, and an amazing dance party.
The ride is from Kathmandu – Kulekhani – Hetauda
– Daman and will end in Kathmandu. 2
2
1.Medha Koirala
2.Anu khadka and
Evana Manandhar
3.Shreeya Poudyal
4.Nishma Choudhary
5.Durga Gurung
6.Priti Sitaula
7.Sonu Thapa Magar
8.Subarna Cheetri
9.Sadichhya shrestha
10.Nuning Gurung
11.Prashamsa Parajuli
12.Priya Rani Lama
Human emotions in
print
1
2
1.Achyut Wagle
2.Sarita Shakya Pradhan, Bijaya Sagar
Pradhan, Binayak Shah and
Amrit Ratna Shakya 3.Dibya Mani
Rajbhandari 4.Nirmal Raj Kafle
5.Sunil Bahadur Thapa
6.Durgesh Man Singh
3
22 March, Artist Proof Gallery,
Jhamsikhel
1
Chief Guest Ani Choying Dolma inaugurated the
Intaglio Printmaking Exhibition which showcased
works of artistes such as Sashi Maharjan, Ritu
Thapa and Sangita Rana. On display at the
exhibition were works of art portraying the many
aspects of human emotions. Artistes Erina
Tamrakar, Jane Salter and Bidhata KC were
also present. KC mentioned that she was highly
impressed by the artistes and their printmaking
skills as this is a tough form of art.
4
5
4
1
8
7
6
5
Let’s talk partnership
19 MARCH, AIRPORT HOTEL
3
3
European Economic Chamber, Nepal, held its 9th Annual
General Meeting at the Airport Hotel, Kathmandu. A 67-member
General Assembly, under the leadership of Binayak Shah,
chalked out a policy to guide the chamber forward and to work
in partnership with the EU under the theme ‘Nepal Europe:
Partners for Progress’.
5
1.Asha Dangol 2.Sarita Dangol
3.Erina Tamrakar and Ritu Thapa
4.Jenney Ghale 5.Sashi Maharjan
6.Anil Prajapati 7.Sangita Rana
8.Ani Choying
6
8
7
9
Hall of Frame
1
2
4
2
4
3
3
Etiquettes 101
21 March, Hotel Annapurna
Participants of this year’s Miss Nepal were trained in
dining etiquette. They were taught the dos and don’ts
of dining at a five star hotel. The rules, starting from
how to get ready for the event, and how to leave, were
taught by Bertrand Leuba from Switzerland. There
were so many things for them to learn, and the ladies
enjoyed themselves
10
11
SONY’s opens
flagship store
19 March, Kantipath
1
12
1.Katie Koehler, Philippe Belhay
and Alexa L.
2.HE Martine Bassereau & her
husband Jacques
3.Azret V. Botashev & his wife
4.Ineke & Scott
4
Do as the French Do
19 MARCH, HOTEL YAK AND YETI
In partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International
Development, the Chimney Fine Dining Restaurant, Hotel Yak & Yeti,
hosted the ‘Goût de France/Good France’. More than 1,000 chefs from
across five continents were involved to honor French cuisine and its value
sharing. This event paid tribute to the excellence of French cuisine at its
capacity for innovation. Several dignitaries, including French Ambassador
Martine Basserea, were in attendance.
6
Matsumae Masaki, general
manager of Sony, Regional Market
Development Centre, Singapore,
inaugurated SONY Electronic’s
Flagship store in Kantipath,
Kathmandu. The store had been under
construction for some time. It showcases
all SONY products available in
Nepal, and also has a separate
space for buyers to go check out
SONY TVs. The layout of the store
is similar to that of SONY centres
worldwide. Nepa Hima Trade Link Pvt.
Ltd is the authorized distributor of SONY
in Nepal.
1.Matsume Masaki 2.Justin Wong
3.Rajesh Tuladhar 4.Rosalind Ng
Kickstart// Week that Was
12
WeekTHAT
WAS
13
Bazaar
Samsung’s A-plus offer
Huawei announces
EMI scheme
Bienvenue Á Goût De
France
Call Mobility, the sole
distributor of Huawei in Nepal,
has announced an EMI scheme
for customers who wish to buy
its Honor 6 phone. The scheme
has been made available
through Calll Mobility’s partner
banks Siddhartha, Global IME
and Nabil. Honor 6, priced
at Rs.34,999 comes with 3
GB of RAM and a 1.7 Ghz
Octacore processer powered
by Huawei’s own Kirin 920
chipset. The phone boasts
a long standby battery life,
thanks to the power saving
technology it uses. It also has
a 5” Full HD Corning Gorilla
glass screen and 13 MP rear
and 5 MP front cameras.
The Old House, 19 March
Café Horizon, Hotel Himalaya , 20 March
Well, the festivity never ends at Hotel Himalaya. The Cafe Horizon
at the hotel welcomed guests with live barbeque. On the menu were
tenderloin, fish, chicken and pork. For the vegetarians, the cafe
prepared grilled seasonal vegetables, including jacket potato, the
highlight of the menu. Wish you were there? Not to worry. The event
will be organized every Friday at the same place, but with a different
menu. Entry is Rs.1,399 (taxes extra), and you get a small bottle of
Carlsberg beer and a glass of InVino Wine.
An Evening of French
Alliance Francaise of Kathmandu, 20 March
The Alliance Francaise of
Kathmandu(AFK) celebrated
International Francophone Day
on Friday with Francophone
Night, an evening filled with
music and entertainment.
Guests at the event were
offered food from different
French- speaking countries.
Performances by Joint Family
Internationale and French
language students kept the
audience entertained. The other
highlights of the event were
the play Ekai Dyang ko Mula,
performed by students, and a
photo stall put up by Photo.
Circle. The day also marked
the end of a week-long French
language classes at AFK. The
evening was hosted by Ophelie
Belin, director of AFK.
Chef Bishwa Raj Dahal and
his team prepared a six-course
extravaganza of French-inspired
cuisine using the freshest of local
ingredients. The menu included
local trout ceviche, crunchy egg,
pan fried local trout, beetroot
ostrich, a local artisanal cheese
platter, and chocolate praline
pistachio cake.
Musical Waves
Kirtipur, 21 March
On 21st March, Ember eyes, a new age rock band launched
its debut album, Prashnottar. The band’s music influenced
by progressive rock to grunge has blended this genre with
drum beat patterns, riffs and soothing textures as well as
harmonies. The band members of Ember eyes are Amod
Silwal, Sanjay Singh Hamal, Surendra Koirala and Tshewang
Hyonjan Tamang. They are planning to go on a musical tour
around the country. Nepathya rocks Bangalore
RR Institute, Bangalore, 22 March
Folk-rock band Nepathya performed their foot tapping songs
to a huge crowd at the RR Institute in Bangalore. Majority of
the people in the audience were Nepali students from various
colleges in and around the city. Nepathya’s affiliation with
‘Education for Peace’ began in 2002, and since then the
band have been performing at educational institutions, raising
awareness, and funds, for peace in schools across Nepal. The
crowd went into frenzy as the band played Resham, Taalko
pani, Udayo railaile, Jomsomai bazzar ma, Chekyo chekyo, Yo
zindagani, Jogale huncha bheta and other popular numbers.
Gobble till you Wobble
Hajmola in new
flavor
Hajmola has launched its
new flavor ‘Lapsi’. Also
known as Nepali Hog Plum,
Lapsi is Nepal’s favorite
fruit with its distinct sweet
and sour taste. Hajmola has
incorporated this unique
taste into their range of
digestives. Hajmola Lapsi
is available in three tab
sachets at Rs.1 and 120
tablet bottle at Rs.40.
D.A.O. Lalitpur Regd. No.77-066/67
ECS Media Pvt. Ltd, Kupondole, Lalitpur, Nepal. 5011571.
No. 265,
257, 26
5ththFEBruary
March 2015
2015
Bhrikuti Mandap, 22 March
Where else would you get to taste 15 varieties of momo
and sauce? At the 13th Momo Mania you could! On the
sunny Saturday, revelers enjoyed delicious momos,
refreshing drinks, and energetic performances by DJ
Niral, Everest Crew, and Joint Family Internationale.
Living up to their tradition of experimenting with
momo, this edition of Momo Mania featured spinach,
tofu, paneer, yomari, sisnu, sabji, fish, chicken, pork,
khuwa, and gudpak momos, besides the usual chicken
and fish ones. The event was hosted by RJs Alok Thapa
and Navaneeta Amatya. There are rumors that a beer
fest is in the offing. We can barely wait!
One more place to buy Suzuki
Evolution Automobile, the authorized dealer of VG
Automobiles, Suzuki two-wheelers in Nepal, has opened
a showroom in Babarmahal. The company says the new
outlet was opened in view of the increasing popularity
and demand of the brand. Nikunj Agrawal, managing
director of VG Automobiles and DM Shrestha, chairman of
Evolution Automobile Pvt. Ltd were present at the event.
The Smarter
Publisher: ECS MEDIA Pvt. Ltd.
Editor: Sunil Raj Shrestha
Director, Editorial & Marketing: Nripendra Karmacharya
Sr. Manager, Editorial & Marketing: SUDEEP SHAKYA
Editorial Manager:
Managers:Sanjit
Utsav Bhakta
Shakya,Pradhananga
Sanjit Bhakta Pradhananga
Legal Advisor: Hira Regmi
Spreading Smiles
Hotel Annapurna, 18 March
The garden side area of
Annapurna Hotel was filled
with sunshine and smiles
of kids who were being
treated to a special lunch.
The lunch was a part of
the hotel’s partnership with
Smile Nepal, an organization
that works for the welfare of
street kids. Hotel Annapurna
has been providing a
wholesome meal to 40 street
children every year for the
past three years. In addition
to the lunch, Smile Nepal
distributed certificates
of appreciation to people
involved in organizing the
event. Rehabilitated children
of Smile Nepal also shared
their stories and thanked the
people behind the event.
Color Separation & Printed at:
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Live Barbeque Night at Hotel Himalaya
The Old House was one of two
restaurants in Nepal selected to
participate in the unique French
culinary experience ‘Goût de
France/ Good France’. In 1912,
the legendary French Chef
Auguste Escoffier began a project
called ‘les Dîners d’Épicure’ with
restaurants around the world
serving the same menu on a given
day. The project ‘Goût de France’,
launched by the French Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, followed the
same spirit by inviting chefs
and restaurants from around the
world to submit a French menu
to be served worldwide on 19
March. This follows the inclusion
of the ‘French Gastronomic Meal’
on the UNESCO list of intangible
cultural heritage. A total of 1,000
chefs from 1,300 restaurants on
five continents were selected by a
committee of international chefs,
led by top chef Alain Ducasse.
When you buy a Samsung slim phone (Galaxy A3 or
A5) you now get a 32 GB Transcend memory card for
free, as part of an introductory offer. The Galaxy A5
and Galaxy A3 are Samsung’s slimmest phones and
come with a full metal unibody 6.7mm and 6.9mm
thin. Ever been put off by the quality of your selfies?
Then these phones will give you better photos with
their 5MP front camera. The other features that
stand out are seamless multi tasking and faster
browsing experiences. The Samsung Galaxy A5 is
priced at Rs.38,900 and the A3 at Rs.31,500.
Two more mid-rangers
Samsung has launched two mid-segment compact
smartphones in Nepal. The two phones Samsung
Galaxy E7 (Rs.32,500) and E5 (Rs.27,500). The phones
are powered with Super AMOLED display and are
equipped with 5MP from camera. Worried about having
to charge your phone constantly? These phones have
Ultra-Power Saving mode to help save battery juice.
Get your summer kicks
Reebok and Lee have an exclusive sale at their showroom
in Kumaripati and KL Tower. The ‘Buy 1 get 1 Free’ offer is
available on sport shoes and apparel, and is valid for only
three weeks. You may even get discounts of up to 60 per
cent on those products. Hurry up!
Partylines
Entertainment//Partylines
14
Chitter - chatter Heard at Events
“When it comes to security live
in your intuition.”
“Before I got involved with
KAT Centre, I was an artist.
I thought I could do both the
jobs at the same time but
I couldn’t. Looking at the
artists, I feel motivated and
plan to get back to it again.”
Vikrant Raj Pandey, instructor at the Miss Nepal 2015
Paritran Self Defense Workshop.
“I hardly go out these days but
when I was asked to be part this
exhibition, I just couldn’t say no.
I feel overwhelmed looking at
women artists excel in their
career, and I love how each of
them have given a personal
touch to their work.”
Artist, Jan Salter commenting on
works of art on display at the Intaglio
Printmaking Exhibition.
Issue265 | 26 March
enterta nment
For Women in and
at the Concert
March 8 is significant for music aficionados in Nepal.
It marks Women in Concert, and rightly so.
Text by Akriti Shilpakar
A
Singer, Ani Choying Dolma, after
inaugurating the Intaglio Printmaking
Exhibition.
Read
Every Thursday
4HE3MARTER%NTERTAINMENT7EEKLY
bhaya Subba Weise, the front
person of Abhaya and the Steam
Injuns, turned around to three
men profusely smoking under
a tree at the quaint garden of
Dechenling Garden Restaurant and
Bar in Thamel quite close to where we
were seated. Assertively, yet politely,
she asked them to take their business
to another spot. Weise is a headstrong, no-nonsense woman, and the
driving force behind the success of
Women in Concert.
“I am not happy with Women’s Day
because it is a reminder that women
are still a marginalized group in our
patriarchal society,” she says. But the
annual musical event, with which
she has been associated since the
beginning, was not born out of her
disdain. In fact, it wasn’t until 2013
that she chose 8 March for the concert.
In actuality, what we know today
as ‘Women in Concert’ was called
‘Women in Rock’ in 2001.
Backstage
“I was performing at Rox Bar Hyatt
with my then temporary band Red
Skywalkers when it occurred to me
that there were very few women
singers who dared come out in the
open and sing in public,” shares
Weise. She realized that the girls were
reluctant to do so, not only because of
the social pressures, but also because
they had no idea how to go about
it. So, the entire concept was to give
women musicians a platform they
were looking for but couldn’t find, and
a moral boost that they needed but
couldn’t get.
Sadly, the 2001 Royal Massacre
brought to a stop all the planning that
was in full swing for what could have
been the first Women in Concert. The
cancellation that year was followed
by delays, and soon more important
things happened in Weise’s life -- the
birth of her band Abhaya and the
Steam Injuns being one of them.
But just like the Phoenix rising
from ashes, Women in Concert found
its way back after a few years when
Weise, along with Vidhea Shrestha,
Sapna Thapa, Palmo Khampa,
Rachana Gurung and Sherry Thapa,
joined forces to organize the pilot of
Women in Concert.
The Journey
The first Women in Concert, and
many more that followed, was held in
the confines of a five-star hotel, and
the event was limited to a handful of
elites. The same ritual continued until
2013 when Weise took the rights to
Women in Concert as the previous
working committee could not give
time to continue the hard work.
Weise shares, “Women in Concert
in 2013 was designed to be a sort of a
musical, where we played the music of
various genre, from Jazz to rock and
pop.” She admits that had to yell at
the participants during training, and
even the rehearsals. But she had her
reasons, and her reasons were right.
“I wanted the event to be nothing
short of excellent.” All the participants
were chosen through an audition -- all
of them were looking for a place in
the Nepali music scene. When the
event ended, many of the girls were
contacted by bands looking for female
vocalists. Many got their first breaks
in the live music scene, and slowly but
steadily the mold of male-dominated
live music events cracked.
When the event was all done (for
that year), the experience got Weise
thinking. Women in Concert had not
just been a platform for the aspiring
and the talented, but it had also
empowered them. It was then that she
decided to take the voice of women
empowerment, from the easy access of
the ‘champagne group’ to where it was
needed the most – the masses.
Abhaya and Nirbhaya
To make the annual event accessible,
and to give it stability, Weise and her
friends decided to form Nirbhaya
Manch. Weise affirms that ‘40 per cent
of the NGO’s name’ has to do with the
December 2012 Delhi Rape Case. Her
wrath and disgust towards the incident
could be heard in her tone -- every
head in the restaurant turn towards
us when she said, “What happened to
that girl in that bus in Delhi happened
to all of us.”
She blames the patriarchal mindset
rooted deep in our culture, and the allforgiving, all-loving nature of women
for the endless cycle of violence.
The foundation made looking
for funds for Women in Concert
possible. The first to answer her calls
was Binaya Dil Lama from UNICEF.
In 2014, the first of the ‘Women in
Concert’ took place at Lainchaur,
and it featured aspiring female artists
alongside household names like Ani
Chhoying Dolma, Nalina Chitrakar,
Kunti Moktan, Samriddhi Rai, Ciney
Gurung, Nattu Shah and more. The
event was funded by UN agencies:
UNICEF, UN Women and UNFPA.
“We decided that Nirbhaya Manch
would create an event at a mass scale
on 8 March every year to introduce
new female artistes, and to give voice
to the women who face injustices in
Nepal,” says Weise. The foundation’s
long-term goal is to assist female
musicians with their start-up projects.
Getting Better by the Year
Supported by The Embassy of
Switzerland in Nepal, Women in
Concert 2015 took place at Basantapur
Durbar Square. This year, the concert
focused on women and their bands,
and that’s why there were men than
women on stage -- the event was
bombarded with criticism for this.
To this she says, “We wanted
to thank the many men in our
lives who have defied our very
narrow-minded society that
scoffs on men who appear to
be supporting women.” As
a woman front person, she
has heard snide remarks
whispered about her band
members just because they
respect her as their front
woman. “It’s a depressing
society indeed that expects
their women folk to always be
treated with disdain by their
men folk.”
The bands that participated
this year included Aasti,
Kramasha Nepal, Stigmata, Lumbini
Blues, Ritu and The Pirates, and
Deeksha and Artha. The concert
also featured three participants from
Kalimpong and Gangtok -- Lhamu
Tshering, Leezum and Rebecca. Apart from the big concert in
Kathmandu, the WIC team went to
Butwal and Pokhara for auditions,
and met inspirational and ‘insanely
talented’ artistes. “I want to go to
the hinterlands of Nepal and give
musically-gifted women a chance, a
stage,” says Weise with much gusto.
What you Missed
Amid all the scrutiny and critique that
the event received this year, what you
probably missed was that each woman
on stage performed an original
composition. Remembering her first
composition – “an attempt to defy
a misogynist who thought women
could not write better songs” -- Weise
revealed that the reason she wants the
performers to compose a song on their
own is to make them vocal. “Women
in Concert does not give prizes. We
don’t promise to make them stars.
What we give them is a stage,” stresses
Weise. LOOKOUT
16
Belleza Kloths
price range
Heavily embellished aqua saree
The soft aqua hue definitely brings out
your inner goddess. Its sheer netted
blouse embellished with rich and vivid
stones is definitely the cherry on top
bringing sexy back.
Rs.6,000 - Rs.65,000
10% off
Price range - Rs.20,000 - 25,000.
Aakarshan, Kupondole.
Contact: 5547784
Dress up
to the nines
Wedding parties are the best time to flaunt the
innate fashionista in you. The bride and groom
have all the right reasons to be the focal point on
their big day, but so do you!. Also those elaborate
photo sessions cannot be missed, hence, you
ought to look drop-dead gorgeous for the d-day.
Text by Rebecca Shrestha
Red jacket lehenga,
Belleza Kloths
As the name suggests, the
glorious red lehenga comes
with a heavily embroidered
sleeved jacket. The sheer
netted outer is flanked
with sequin work and
accentuates those curves.
Orange sari with gold
sequined blouse
Its coral hue, matched with the
revealing gold sequined blouse
will definitely steal the show. The
sequin detailing goes well with
the splendid orange of the sari.
Belleza Kloths, Durbar Marg.
Contact: 4264944
Collar-neck kurtha, Belleza Kloths
The particular royal blue shade of the collar-neck
kurtha will definitely sound sirens. The sleeveless
embroidered kurtha with impeccable mirror
work around the neckline, paired with the right
accessories, will glamorize your whole ensemble.
Wedding season takeaways from
Fashion Week
Flaunt your creativity by making the most out of
what you already have in your wardrobe
Text by Anuja Kapri
Invitation cards are starting to pile up
on your front door. This can only mean
that the wedding season is already in
full swing. Every time I have an event
to attend, the first thing I think of are
my outfits.
Luckily, Fashion Week arrived
just in time to inspire our wardrobe
this wedding season. One of my
favorite parts of a Fashion Week is a
trying to figure out the inspiration
behind different collections. This year,
I particularly enjoyed Satya Paul’s
new sari prints, which were no doubt
inspired by tropical forests.
Asymmetrical Hemlines were a
top priority for most designers. Not
only does it give your outfit an edgy
look, but also makes your outfit
stand out. If you are in the mood of
experimenting, revisit older items
in your wardrobe and turn them
into exciting new designs by simply
changing the hemline, and adding
some new embroidery. If you need a
second opinion, head over to the ladies
at Pravasshree at Durbarg Marg.
Speaking of trendy looks, it was
clear that every designer at the
Fashion Week has tried to play with
draping styles. Sometimes when you
have multiple events scheduled for
the same day, it is easier to just switch
a few items such as the duputta, in
between wedding parties, to achieve a
completely different look in the same
outfit.
This works especially well with
salwar suits. You can try some different
draping styles, change accessories
and switch up your hairstyle, and
there you go, a whole new look. As
expected, metallic summer hues were
found in abundance. Preppy pastels
such as pinks and plums were colorblocked with stronger, brighter colors.
We also saw a lot of bold prints and
mixed patterns trending. Similarly,
kaleidoscopic prints turned heads in
every direction. Geometric shapes with
floral patterns inside them were an
interesting abstract concept.
In order to make the most out
of your existing outfits, and create
interesting patterns together, you can
try mixing and matching your lehenga
tops and bottoms. Investing in a new
duputta to match the new combination
will take your new outfit to another
level. Make use of all of your wedding
invites and let this season be an outlet
for you to express creatively!
LOOKOUT
18
JewellerY 101
1
Price on Request
2
3
4
Shree Om Jewellers, Contact: 4228136
1
Pendant set with earrings
3
This water drop pendant and matching
earrings are blended predominantly
with gold and precious stones. If you’ve
had enough of the shiny yellow metal,
this pendant with drooped pearls will
surely suffice your crucial needs.
2
Rani haar
This heavy raani haar is basically a
gem in its own. This classic piece with
identical earrings can never go wrong;
delicately encrusted with precious
stones they define elegance and poise.
Gold bangles
Gold bangles are the most versatile
pieces of jewelry. They can be worn
in a casual-toned down way, and
also be blended to further boost
your immaculate traditional wear.
4
Meenakari haar and bangle
This traditional Meenakari necklace
is brilliantly encrusted with
precious stones and comes with
basic peacock designs. This gold
bangle skillfully stays true to its
Meenkari roots.
Entertainment//Cover Story
20
There’s
Nothing like
Vintage
We scour the town for some of the best vintage
bikes, and listen to each one’s story
Text by Abishek Mishra
L
ife these days is
full of choices. You
have to constantly
make one, then
another and
another. From the
shoes you want to the perfume you
wear, it is all making the right choice
-- what works for one may not work
for another.
The things that are our favorites
follow us all our lives, and when a
pivotal moment comes (probably
when you turn 18) all tastes you
have imbibed so far is expressed
through what bike you buy.
In Nepal, one of the most crucial
moments in the life of a youngster
is when you get your first bike. Will
it be a cruiser, a sports bike or a
vintage one? It all boils down to this
choice, and the journey begins. You
explore more options, you turn a
man (or a woman -- a lot of ladies
rock the beast these days), you see
more bikes, and you find what you
like.
Nepalis have been attracted
towards vintage bikes for decades
now. We see bikes from the yester
years, sometimes on parking lots
and other times at our friends’
homes, and are mesmerized by their
look. Those of us who are a little
more into bikes, even want to know
about the specs of the machine. We
have preserved them, wanted to own
them and seen them passed down
from our one generation to the next. We have had the utmost pleasure
of growing up with classic bikes,
and riding one is like a dream come
true for the most of us. What is it
about them that appeals to us? Is it
the archetypal design or is it how
it feels riding one? Maybe it’s an
amalgamation of all these things,
plus sentiments that just cannot be
described.
Honda CB200
This one is a bike we have
seen around town, and
it never fails to surprise
me how with its looks.
Manufactured between
1973-1979, this road
bike shall never cease
to turn heads. It makes
us appreciate more the
Japanese ingenuity, and
how their designs from all
that time ago is still a big
hit across the world (not
just in Nepal, believe me).
Sanjeet Tuladhar owns
this one. “This is my dad’s
bike. He got in the early
80s. I had not ridden it and
it was not road-worthy
for a good number of
years. I got it tuned up
and modified at Hills to
Himalayas and ride it
today. I grew up seeing this
bike, and am proud to ride
the CB200.”
Japanese ingenuity at its
best. And I say this because
the best part of the bike
is the 200cc engine that
is tailor-made for a long
distance highway ride. So
for those rides across Nepal
that we take from time to
time, the CB200 is a great
choice
What they have done
at Hills to Himalayas
is modify the original
carburetor to give it better
conditioning.
22
Honda Benly S110
Yamaha Chappy
With all these heavy duty bikes
marauding our list, it’s time we
give some love to the light ones.
Here’s the Yamaha Chappy. This
scooter is like a moped decked
up for proper riding. Yamaha
Chappys were introduced as
Honda released its small trail
bikes. They were produced in
the 1970s and early 80s. The
most common models are the
LB50 (50cc model) and the
LB80 (72cc model). The LB50s
usually had pedals installed into
the swingarm, while the LB80s
did not have a pedal system.
Their design was mostly for
efficiency -- the raised seat
gave it dimensions different
from any other scooter out
there, even in 2015.
This Chappy was brought here
in the mid 1980s for a female
staff by Nepal Bank Ltd. The
80 cc engine model includes
two-stage two-speed automatic
transmission. There are four
speeds to select from. What
they have done is restored its
original design. This has given
it a distinct identity.
Kawasaki Z200
When you talk of classic and how
people instantly fall in love with bikes
that have that old school feel, one bike
that comes to mind is the Kawasaki
Z200. A beautiful specimen, for one it
brings to the fore the best that a classic
Japanese has to offer, and for the other
the 200cc bike has all that one needs
from a retro bike. It doesn’t just take
it to the next level, it takes you back a
long way. The bike’s easy steering is
really the pre-cursor to the present day
cruisers that followed have inherited
the legacy of this rugged machine.
If you ask me, it is pretty apparent
that the most unique element of
Z200 is the quality of its chasis. This
is what gives the bike a retro and a
vintage look, and makes it popular.
“The bike we have was imported
from Japan, and we aren’t looking
to modify this bike as the present
condition has a vintage look to
its factory manufacture,” says the
owner. “It is this look that makes
us want it and any change to it
superficially will only go against its
appeal.”
You will see the words ‘classic’ and
‘vintage’ thrown around in this
article – believe me it’s all for good
reason. For someone like yours truly
who has waited on the sidewalk
to let the traffic pass, seeing a Honda
Benly S110 makes me want to leave
everything and follow it. The element
at play here is simple; it’s classic to
the core. The Benly S110 has it all – a
themed body and an engine that is
placed just right. The bike in blue is
the one at Hills to Himalayas.
Pramod Singh is the proud owner
of this model. “I have always had the
desire to own a bike like this. What
I wanted was a trail bike, but it was
hard to buy. I got this bike from a
friend’s grandfather in 2013. Looking
at the bill book, I can say that it’s 33
years old. The main advantage of
having such a bike is that it is easy for
you to navigate the busy streets here.”
Another fine import from Japan. I
would say that the unique thing about
the S110 is build of its engine. It has
a four-stroke engine that gives lot of
mileage
A slight modification done at Hills
to Himalayas has the seat slightly
altered to make it more comfortable.
Entertainment//Drinks
24
A World of Wine in Kathmandu
“A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou.” --Omar Khayyam
Text by Evangeline Neve
W
ine has been part of
human history for
thousands of years.
Though the exact date
when wine-making
began is not certain, there is plenty
of historical evidence that suggests it
has been with us for ages, and winedrinking was certainly in full swing by
the time of the Egyptian Pharaohs.
Wine was especially important to
the Greeks and Romans, and as the
Roman Empire spread, they grew
vineyards in countries they conquered,
thus promoting wine in places that
had traditionally only produced beer.
In addition to drinking, wine was also
used as a marinade for meat, then
prone to spoilage, and for medicinal
purposes.
Different groups of people have
different ways of classifying wine, but
generally speaking, European wines are
named after the area they are produced
in — some examples are Burgundy,
Chianti, Bordeaux and Champagne.
Wines from outside Europe are often
named after the type of grape used.
Another common classification of
wine puts wines under two categories:
Old World Wines and New World
Wines. Again, the Old World ones
come from traditional wine-producing
countries of Europe. The New World
ones are from places relatively new to
wine such as Australia, the US, South
Africa, Chile, and so on.
While France and Italy are two
of the better known wine producing
countries, it’s important not to limit
yourself to these — there are so many
great wines from so many places, and
you never know when you will discover
a hidden gem. One of the best white
wines I have ever had was at a tiny
restaurant in Switzerland. It was made
from grapes grown on the slopes rolling
down from where we sat. It was so
local that it didn’t even have a label, but
it was so fresh and delicious that I’ve
never forgotten it.
When it comes to wine, there is so
much in life. It’s important to try new
things and to expand your palate to
discover what you like. And unlike
some other forms of alcohol, wine in
moderation, is believed to be good
for health, possibly helping you keep
cardiovascular diseases at bay. Wine is
also a large part of the cuisine in many
countries, and an essential ingredient
in many classic recipes such as Coq
au Vin, risotto, fondue, and all sorts of
pasta.
Most wines are sold in glass bottles,
traditionally sealed with a cork, though
It’s important to try
new things and to
expand your palate
to discover what you
like. And unlike some
other forms of alcohol,
wine in moderation,
is believed to be
good for health,
possibly helping you
keep cardiovascular
diseases at bay.
bottlers now use synthetic corks and
screwtops too. Also ‘box wine’ is
available more and more: while in the
past this might have been considered
inferior wine, box wines of good quality
are now being produced. If you are
hosting a large group of people, they
offer great value for money.
In Nepal, Greenline Pvt. Ltd. has
been promoting wine culture by
importing and spreading awareness
about wine. The business was started
by the Agrawal family 27 years ago;
currently they import about 90 per
cent of the wine that is sold in Nepal,
sourced from pretty much every wineproducing country in the world.
Varun Thapa, Greenline’s Mixologist
and Brand Development Manager, says
market for wine is growing: “Nepalis
are traveling, getting more experience
with wine and developing a better taste
for it. People used to only prefer sweet
wines, but now tastes are changing.”
Greenline is actively involved
in promoting wine culture by
sponsoring wine tasting events and
sit down-dinners at hotels such as
the Hyatt Regency and Yak & Yeti.
These occasions are a heaven for
wine lovers as they get to experience
special food pairings and taste wine
and cheese. Recent events have
featured cheese such as Tomme de
Savoie, Camembert, Reblochon, Saint
Marcellin and Belkot. French wines at
these events have included the fantastic
Dom Perignon 2003 Champagne,
Minervois Chatelain Fricandeau Cuvee
Prestige 2013 Rouge, Collin Bourisset
Chablis 2009 Blanc, and Les Gauries
Bordeaux Rose. Windy Peak Shiraz
2013 Roue and Windy Peak Sauvignon
Blanc Semilllon 2012 represented
Australia and Ventisquero Carmenere
Reserve 2012 Rouge and Ventisquero
Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2013 from
Chile were the show-stoppers. If you’re
new to the world of wine, attending
one of the wine and food pairing
sessions such as the ones organized by
Greenline would be a good way to get
you started.
People often wonder how to choose
what wine to drink and with what dish.
In the old days, people adhered quite
strictly to the rule of serving red wine
with red meat and cheese and white
wine with fish and poultry. While this
can still be considered a good rule of
thumb, in recent years, restaurants,
sommeliers and diners themselves have
gotten a great deal more creative, with
unique and unexpected pairings that
can be a revelation.
Nowadays people are more
imaginative, and even if you have
enjoyed a particular wine with a certain
dish before, there is no reason why
another might not be equally delicious.
It does take time to build up experience
and confidence in pairing wine with
food. So it’s always a good idea to
ask the head waiter or sommelier for
recommendations if you’re eating out,
or to consult the staff at an experienced
shop from where you’re buying wine.
And if you find a wine or food-wine
combination that you really enjoy,
make a note of it. Over time, as your
experience grows, you will come to
more clearly understand how and why
certain flavor profiles go well together.
It’s also important to remember that
even the same wine can vary greatly
depending on the year of bottling,
with so many factors such as rain and
sunshine affecting the quality of the
grape harvest, and consequently the
profile of the wine. If you want to gain deeper
knowledge, there are plenty of good
books available, and information is
also available online. Don’t be afraid
to experiment, and if in doubt, a good
sparkling wine is always a great way
to start a meal. Set the mood and the
palate for whatever is to come. Enjoy!
Entertainment//Drinks
26
For a better
wine experience
An initiative aims to raise the bar higher for the
hospitality industry in Nepal
Text by Anuja Kapri
I
n spite of the budding wine culture
in Kathmandu, we are still only
offered mass-marketed wine. It
is difficult to find boutique wines
of high quality. A major issue is the
prominent lack of knowledge and wine
ethics among establishments.
There has been little interest among
restaurant and bar owners to dig deeper
and educate themselves on what they are
serving.
The decision has been left entirely on
the customer. This can be overwhelming
to most clients, as they are without
the proper understanding of food
and wine pairings. This results in an
unmemorable and inadequate encounter
for the customer.
Vespa wines and KGH Group are
collaborating to improve this mediocre
customer wine experience. Vespa is
a wine distributor which hand picks
wines from Italy and France before
introducing them in Nepal. They work
with renowned European wineries such
as Bruno Paillard and Gaja. They recently come together to train
and educate their employees about the
wine industry. Vespa representatives
spent a day training the staff on
numerous hospitality aspects such
as how to serve wine, how to control
temperature and how to recommend
wine to the customers based on their
taste and preferences.
The employees were also schooled
on different types of wines and how
they are produced. They were later able
to showcase their new skills at a wine
tasting at Park Village Hotel later. Vespa
representatives plan to re-train the staff
and work on refreshing and expanding
their knowledge, every six months or so.
With initiatives such as this latest
collaboration with Vespa Wines, KGH
Group, an already established pioneer in
the Nepali hospitality industry, aims to
raise the bar higher.
Together they hope to take the Nepali
hospitality and beverage industry to the
next level though introduction of quality
wines and appropriately educated
staff. To get a taste of this partnership,
head over to any KGH hotel and let
the quality of Vespa and experience
provided by KGH speak for itself.
Entertainment//Food
French Gastronomy in Kathmandu
Text by by Evangeline Neve
On 19 March, we joined thousands
of diners from around the world for
a unique gastronomical event. No,
we were not at a massive banquet—
rather we were part of a group
spread over dozens of countries
and over 1,300 restaurants,
celebrating French cuisine. In 1912,
the legendary French Chef Auguste
Escoffier began a project called ‘les
Dîners d’Épicure’, with restaurants
serving the same menu on the same
day in cities across the world to the
largest possible number of people.
The project ‘Goût de France/
Good France’ follows the spirit of
this event by inviting chefs and
restaurants around the world to
submit a French menu to be served
worldwide on 19 March.
The Chimney at the Yak & Yeti was
one of the restaurants selected from
Nepal.
At The Chimney, we joined other
local and international diners,
including the French Ambassador
Martine Basserea, in enjoying a six-
By this time we were full and happy, but there was still room
for the cheese plate, always my favourite part of a meal
course menu that showcased the
French technique, brought to us by
Executive Chef Krishna Kaji Basnet
and Pastry Chef Pratap Dhaubhadel,
under the direction of the General
Manager Philippe Belhay, whose
extensive experience includes
working with Michelin starred chefs.
After a lovely amuse-bouche, we
moved on to a starter of marinated
cold salmon with a lemon vodka
jelly, and then a hot starter -- a
rich and flavourful cheese soufflé.
The meal continued with grilled
trout, followed by an Australian
beef fillet—tender, delicious and
amazingly cooked.
By this time we were full and
happy, but there was still room for
the cheese plate, always my favourite
part of a meal—a great selection of
both French and Nepali cheese. And
for dissert, a strawberry millefeuille
with a chocolate tower, and more
delicious chocolates to finish off
everything.
Each course was accompanied
by a selection of fine wines
carefully chosen by Amit Agrawal
from Greenline Center. From the
amazing champagne we started
off the meal with, through to
the final glass, each wine choice
highlighted and enhanced the
delicious dishes we were served,
making it an experience to be
savored for the oenophile as well
as the gourmand.
The atmosphere was festive
and relaxed, with tri-color
balloons representing the French
flag flying around, and great live
jazz playing in the background.
All in all, it was an amazing
experience of fine dining and
great service, accomplished with
great flair. Certainly an evening
to remember!
Entertainment//Gateaway
28
Romantic’s Lament
Jomsom startles those who arrive with hopes of finding a Shangri-La by serving up a slice of Thamel.
Text by Kapil Bisht
T
he runway of the airport in
Jomsom is probably the only
one in the world where you
would want to linger after
getting off the plane. The
reason for that is Mt Nilgiri (north),
which is so close that it seems to
almost rise from the edge of the
runway. The mountain’s presence
at such close quarters gives the
impression that you have arrived in
some otherworldly place.
That notion of landing in the
Shangri-La is abruptly shattered once
you leave the airport. As you leave the
airport’s spectacular setting through
a rusty iron gate, your next step is on
Jomsom’s main street. From ATMs,
lodges selling fresh coffee and yak
steaks to bakeries, and restaurants
advertising pizzas on their notice
boards, it looks like Thamel beat you
to Jomsom.
Whatever image of Jomsom
you carried with you gets quickly
covered with sights that you thought,
as a hopeless romantic, you had
left behind. To me, the crunching
sound that motorbikes and jeeps
made as they went by on the gravelly
main street felt like the sound of
my expectations of Jomsom being
crushed. For I had thought that
For I had thought
that Jomsom
would be a wild,
windswept village,
its houses made
of stone and
earth, with horses
galloping through
its streets.
Jomsom would be a wild,
windswept village, its houses
made of stone and earth, with
horses galloping through its
streets. As if to console me, a
solitary yak trundled by.
One thing that hasn’t changed
– and probably won’t in the
foreseeable future – in Jomsom
is the notorious winds that blow
through it. Like in most other
places in the upper Kali Gandaki
Valley, the winds are punctual,
beginning around eleven
(although the popular song
Jomsomai Bazar Ma told us it
begins at twelve) every morning,
stirring up clouds of dust. The
winds help create a temporary
backwater feel over the place, since
planes do not come to Jomsom after
nine due to the hazardous winds.
Nature takes over Jomsom, and
dust is blown into eyes and noses, a
reminder that changing landscapes
are a daily occurrence here:
lamenting the loss of old-style houses
to concrete hotels becomes silly in
a place where entire hills have been
continually changed for millennia.
Strong gales of tourism eroded
How to Get There
There are daily flights from Pokhara to
Jomsom. A road also connects Pokhara
to Jomsom. Buses and 4WD jeeps ply
the route, beginning from Beni. Jomsom
is around nine hours by road from Beni.
Trekking is still the most popular way to
get to Jomsom. It takes around four to six
days, depending on your walking abilities,
to trek from Beni to Jomsom.
Where to Stay
There are several hotels in Jomsom that
offer clean and comfortable rooms at low
prices. Hotel Tilicho is one of them. If
money is not an issue, and if you want to
stay in a place with a bit of history, Om’s
Home is the best choice. It was here that
the Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan
and Danny Denzongpa stayed while
shooting for the film Khuda Gawah. The
other luxurious place in town (Internet and
sauna) is Alka Marco Polo Hotel.
Jomsom—or, to be more correct,
Jomsom adapted to the needs of
the tourists. The place is about
convenience, not culture. It panders
to tourists; treasuring the old is not
its thing. And as distasteful as this
fact is, nobody would complain about
the hotels and restaurants when they
are seated with a mug of coffee in one
of these places and Nilgiri is visible
from the dining room window, its
snows glistening in the moonlight.
Where to Eat
Most hotels offer a multitude of
cuisines, including Nepali, Indian,
Continental and Chinese. Tilicho has
arguably the best dal bhat in town. For
desserts and breads, visit the bakery at
the northern end of the main street.
Must Haves
The skin is under attack in Jomsom
from the combined effects of dryness,
cold, and the high-altitude sun. Carry
a good sunscreen lotion. Protection for
the eye is indispensible given the daily
dust storms. Hats (for day) and woolen
caps (for night) are needed. If you
are trekking, take trekking poles; they
will make walking on the undulating
and crumbly trails easier. The trek to
Jomsom is birding on the go; carry
binoculars to make the most of the
birds inhabiting the forests through
which the trail passes.
30
While You Are in Jomsom
Mustang Eco Museum
The museum is located in Jomsom’s
western end. It houses numerous
articles showcasing Mustang’s natural
resources and culture. The highlights
of the display are the herbal medicines
and a reconstructed Buddhist chapel.
Annapurna Conservation Area
Project (ACAP) office
The ACAP office has all the information
on the region’s flora and fauna. The
office is also worth visiting for its
display of photos of wild animals and
birds taken in the conservation area.
Jomsom’s Past
Jomsom may have been lost to time, but a glimpse of what it might have looked like
before concrete arrived is available in Thini village. Situated on a bluff across the
Kali Gandaki from Jomsom, Thini is the archetypal Thakali village of many walls,
rammed earth houses, and wood piles lining the roof. And it has the most sublime
of backgrounds in the Nilgiri massif. In Thini, don’t miss the chance to see the
Thini Gompa, originally a Bon monastery.
Dumba Lake
This lovely lake is an
hour-and-a-half’s walk
from Thini. The lake
is sacred to the local
communities. The
lake’s turquoise waters
contrast with the arid
mountains around it to
create a mesmerizing
place. It is worth a
trip if you are staying
in Jomsom or a detour
if you are passing
through the village.
Kali Gandaki
Promenade
Walk to Marpha
Walking north out of
Jomsom brings you
to the banks of the
Kali Gandaki. You can
hike further upriver
for the wonderful rock
formations. You can also
scour the river banks
for saligram, ammonite
fossils revered by Hindus
for its association with
the god Vishnu.
Special Things to Remember
You need to pay a fee to enter ACAP,
which you can do either in Kathmandu
(Nepal Tourism Board’s head office)
or in Jomsom itself. (There are tales
of trekkers being “fined” and asked to
pay double the amount of entry fee for
not buying the permits in Kathmandu.
So it’s better to play safe and get the
permits in Kathmandu.) Foreigners
also need to buy the Trekking
Information Management System
(TIMS) permit from the Trekking
Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN)
office in Kathmandu.
If you tire of Jomsom’s arid
surroundings and soulless
architecture, walk down
half an hour to the narrow
streets, apple orchards and
traditional-style houses
of Marpha. The road is
out of sight and vehicles
plying it out of earshot in
this quaintest of Thakali
villages. You can spend
your time here visiting the
village monastery or gorging
on delicious apple pies.
Things Not to Miss
Besides warm clothes, you can also
fight off Jomsom’s cold with a glass or
two of the famous Marpha apple brandy.
Other apple products – dried apple and
apple pie – are also worth trying.
Entertainment//Timeoff
32
Go on,
get happy!
Get teleported to a highway in north India, and
enjoy Happy Singh’s hospitality
Text by Evangeline Neve
B
efore you even get there you
see the signs—milestones
announcing ‘Happy Singh Da
Dhaba’. Following them up
the lane to the Crowne Plaza
Kathmandu-Soaltee and through the
lobby filled with tourists and staff, it
seems like any other hotel. But when
you step out onto the sundeck of the
Garden Terrace, you are immediately
teleported into another world: a multi
stalled dhaba straight off a highway in
north India.
From vintage Hindi movie posters,
to the pile of tyres resting by an old
motorcycle alongside the paan stall,
and the traditional khatiya dhaba
seating —no effort has been spared to
transform this bit of Kathmandu into a
corner of the Punjab. As night falls, the
lights twinkle and the music begins to
play, and the illusion is complete.
But of course all of this wonderful
atmosphere and décor is only the
frame that highlights the wonderful
picture — the food. In this, too, a
great amount of effort has gone into
recreating everything as authentically
as possible. Tandoor ovens have been
built and cooking stalls of all sorts set
up—not haphazardly, but with enough
realism to make you believe they
are permanent fixtures.
Even the serving
counters have been built with brick,
and much of the food was served in
large covered clay dishes. It all looked
amazing.
The first Happy Singh Da Dhaba
was held in 2003, and has been
recreated most years since; this time
around new dishes and flavors have
been added, and three menus are
served on a rotating basis. So if you are
huge fan, you can come again and again
(and again). There was a large family
group that was doing just that. They
had also eaten there the previous night.
You will certainly not be bored.
But even just on this one evening,
there was not a chance of boredom.
In fact, the food was so varied and
abundant that it wasn’t possible to even
try everything that was on offer, though
I did my best to sample as many dishes
as possible.
We began our meal with a chicken
kebab, small fish dipped in a spiced
batter and fried whole, and another
kebab of paneer and vegetables. These
were part of the first wave of snacks,
but they were probably the dishes I
enjoyed the most.
The
Chef Yuba Raj Pokhrel is
an expert in Indian cuisine,
and he and his team truly
outdid themselves on the
food, and the friendly,
competent staff — many
of whom were dressed in
traditional Punjabi outfits
— are close to hand ready
to meet your every need. It
was a wonderful evening.
chicken kebabs were succulent and
served with my favorite mint chutney.
And those little deep-fried fish were so
crunchy and delicious I just couldn’t get
enough of them, and ate more than I
could count!
I love a good soup, so I had to try
both of the choices, Gosht Kalonji
Shorba and Chena Badami Shorba. My
favorite was the second one, a deeply
flavorful vegetarian soup with slivers of
almond throughout. Nuts in soup is a
new taste for me, and it was an amazing
one.
By this time, I was full, but there
was still so much more to try — I had
no room to sample all the choices,
but of what I did try, Macchali Kofta
Sarsdunda Tadka—an amazing fish
meatball of sorts — was a real standout,
and one of my favourite dishes of the
night. The mutton offal was spicy
and tasty, and there were some great
vegetable dishes—I especially enjoyed
the aubergine, spinach, and cauliflower
dishes.
To accompany everything, several
stalls were preparing rotis, parathas,
and bhature, a puffed up deep fried
puri —all fresh and piping hot, the best
way to eat them. It was interesting to
see how all of us around the table had
chosen different ones; we all got our
preferred choice.
Everything
I tried was
cooked
amazingly well, and it was not too
spicy, but for me really the highlight
of the event was the scope and variety.
Here in Kathmandu, we can often get
used to the same sort of Indian fare, but
here the choice was such that it wasn’t
even possible to sample it all.
Also to accompany the meal was a
selection of drinks to choose from—a
lassi delicately flavored with nuts and
cardamom seeds, a buttermilk drink, a
drink of pomegranate and rose petals,
and of course the masala chai, made
with spices freshly pounded on the spot
using a pestle and mortar. Alcoholic
drinks are also available for a surcharge,
but all the above drinks were included
in the menu.
I didn’t think I had any room for
dissert, and was only going to sample a
little fruit salad, but after watching the
jalebi master at work, I had to try one. I
also took a little dish of Jaffrane Phirni,
a pudding made of rice soaked and
blended before being cooked. It was so
good I had to eat every bite—I usually
find Indian sweets too sugary for my
taste, but this wasn’t at all, just creamy
and comforting, like something you’d
want for breakfast on a chilly morning.
The Happy Singh Da Dhaba
experience is running at the Crowne
Plaza Kathmandu -Soaltee from
20 March- 3 April from 6.30 pm to
10.45 pm. Entry: Rs.1,700 for adults
and Rs.999 (taxes extra) for children
under 12. For large groups, making a
reservation is recommended.
Contact: 4273999
Entertainment//New Launch
34
New smartphones that
keeps you in the Ark
Him Electronics recently introduced Ark
smartphones in the market, Ark is a premium brand
set to deliver technologically superior products.
Fr!day caught up with Saurav Karanjeet, Marketing
Communication Manager of Him Electronics.
here in Nepal, hence it is a Nepali
Brand. We like to call it a brand that
is truly Nepali to its core.
so far.
Our basic entry-level smartphone
is the Ark Storm K35+ which is
priced at Rs. 6,090. Similarly in the
economic segment, Ark Storm K40
is priced at Rs. 8,190. Our mid-range
phones starts with Ark Icon R40+
at Rs. 9,690 and Ark Icon R45 at Rs.
11, 490. Our premium offering Ark
Edge A5HD is priced at Rs. 14,490.
2. How many models does Ark
smartphone have? What is the
starting price?
Ark smartphones come in three
categories. Ark Edge is premium, Ark
Icon is mid-range and Ark Storm in
economic. Five different models of
Ark: Ark Edge A5HD, Ark Icon R45,
Ark Icon R40+, Ark Storm K40 and
Ark Strom K35+ have been launched
3. Why do you think the
smartphones will appeal to
Nepali customers?
Ark aspires to deliver
technologically superior products
with latest features. The phones are
well-suited for the Nepali market
and offer an unbeatable value
compared to other phones available
in the market with similar specs.
As told to Alisha Sijapati
1. Ark smartphone is the
first brand made for Nepal,
what can Nepali customers
expect from the brand?
Ark is a brand that is made
for Nepal (it is targeted at the
Nepali market). Marketed
by Him Electronics, under
Golchha Organization, Ark
has an amazing range of
smartphones. The brand ‘Ark’,
including its architecture,
nomenclature, design, graphics
and software was developed
Entertainment//Blogspot
Star-struck in Kathmandu
What is it that attracts us towards celebrities and makes
us want to have a ‘piece’ of them?
Text by ECS Blogger
Last week the entire city was abuzz
for one reason. World renowned
author and creator of the Harry
Potter series JK Rowling was here in
Kathmandu. As I read ‘unconfirmed’
news about her arrival, I imagined
Kathmandu’s potterheads going crazy
to just catch a glimpse on her.
Then the phone calls started
coming in. “Is it true? Do you know
where she’s staying?” I got calls from
my friends, family, former colleagues,
and Facebook friends with whom I
had never had the chance to speak.
A journalist friend on my Facebook
wrote, “My daughter said there was
no use of me being a journalist if my
dad could not even arrange a meeting
with JK Rowling when she’s in town.”
It so turned out that the man called
every possible source whose number
he had to at least find out where the
author and her husband were staying,
but in vain.
Then the news broke out on social
media that she was going to attend
a British Gurkha event at a hotel in
Bouddha. If you passed by Bouddha
that day, you must have seen
thousands (ok I am exaggerating a
little here, at least a few dozen) potter
heads with placards saying things
like ‘Rowling is our queen’, ‘We love
Harry’ and so on.
A journalist I talked to even
managed to coax a participant of the
British Gurkha Ball to sneak her into
the program. But she was eventually
caught and thrown out. She did not
even get a chance to catch a glimpse
of her. “I was taking out my camera to
take photos when one of the security
personnel caught me and threw me
out. While all this was happening,
I missed her by a few seconds,” she
said.
Just a few weeks ago, the same
craze was with the Bollywood actor
Shah Rukh Khan. Although we knew
that he was going to attend a program
in Kathmandu, people wanted to
know how they could meet him and
take a ‘selfie’ with him. People went
to the extreme of taking a taking a
‘selfie’ with SRK hundreds of meteres
away. (lol)
In the last few months, our city
has hosted some of the big names in
popular culture. Brandon Stanton,
the Humans of New York guy, the
two Khans Amir and Shah Rukh, pop
queen Selena Gomez, beauty queen
Susmita Sen all have come to town,
for different purposes, and flooded
the local media.
I sometimes wonder why people
are so crazy about celebrities. They
are also humans and they also have
their private lives. If they do not want
to talk to the media or acknowledge
their fans, it is their loss, not our’s.
“How can you say that? Celebrities
are celebrities. Agreed that they are
also humans, but they are special
humans,” says a potterhead friend
who wouldn’t listen to what I had
to say. “Celebrities have the power
to influence, and they can use their
influence for a good cause,” she says.
For example, don’t you think
Rowling’s coming to Nepal to attend
a British Gurkha event made the
children of the Gurkhas feel proud
and respected? Don’t you think
Stanton’s photos of monkeys at
Pashupatinath made people from
all over the world want to come to
Pashupatinath? She went on.
I think she does not get it. I am
saying that we should treat celebrities
as humans, and not glorify them,
agreed that they have the power to
influence, but we should also base
our fandom in the real world. I still
want to know, though, what attracts
us to celebs?
Think//Music
36
A Tale of Two
Gypsies
Fifteen years ago, guitarist Hari Maharjan started
playing Gypsy Jazz music after he met Frenchman
Daniel Givone during his first visit to Nepal. Under
Daniel’s mentorship, Maharjan came to know more
about musicians like Django Reinhardt and later
organized the first Gypsy Jazz Festival in the country.
Text by Girish Subedi
T
Hari’s story as a musician is a
bit different from that of Daniel’s.
He is regarded as one of the wellknown guitarist in the local scene,
and has played and toured with big
acts such as Nepathya, Karma and
Trikaal. Likewise, he has composed,
arranged and performed guitar tracks
in numerous songs for solo singers
amongst whom some are big names
in the industry such as Lochan Rizal.
He was also a music teacher at Nepal
Sangeet Vidyalaya for many years. But
when he met Daniel, his life too took
an unwavering turn.
As of today, Maharjan has two solo
albums (officially known as ‘The Hari
Maharjan Project’) under his belt.
Likewise he will be featuring Givone’s
music in his upcoming album later
this year. “Till date, I continue to learn
more of this genre from Daniel my
mentor,” says Hari. Daniel believes that the music
style that Hari has introduced in the
local market is the beginning of a new
trend in the music scene. “I think this
style of music will someday become
a well known form of music in Nepal
and even young musicians would
be able to play it with agility,” adds
Givone.
When I raise the question of the
music’s impact on the new generation,
Hari says his students these days have
become more active in learning from
the Internet and producing their
own compositions based on different
genres. He also believes that the
Gypsy Jazz Festival, which recently
concluded, has helped the audience
get a good grasp of what this form of
music is all about. “Eventually it will
open up new avenues for his students
to be able to make a career in the
same field in the upcoming days,” he
says.
“Moreover, it is a good medium
to promote our local music too.”
During his solo performances,
Maharjan mostly collaborates with
Photo Courtesy: Arun Gurung
he location is Chatamari Chen:
a restaurant with a Newari
traditional name on Freak
Street. I am on a table in one
corner of the eatery with Hari
Maharjan, Daniel Givone and his
wife. As our conversation begins,
what Gypsy Jazz is begins to dawn on
me, the same way it did on Maharjan
years ago.
“I started playing Gypsy Jazz
when I was fifteen. I was inspired
by my father, who used to play the
accordion,” says Daniel. For him it
was dominantly ‘The Jimi Hendrix
Experience’ during his teens until
his father introduced him to Django
Reinhardt’s masterpieces. As Givone
started taking more interests in the
virtuoso’s compositions, his life
changed dramatically; he was on his
way to establish himself as a Gypsy
Jazz musician.
During his first visit to Nepal,
Daniel had played alongside Hari
for the first time. Upon seeing Hari’s
genuine enthusiasm for this form of
music, Daniel accepted Hari, who
would later on establish himself as one
of the foremost Gypsy Jazz veterans in
the country, as his only student.
Now after fifteen years, Hari has
already been credited for the success
of two Gypsy Jazz Festivals in Nepal
– both of which would not have been
possible without Hari’s devotion
towards the new genre of music
he had picked up from the French
musician.
When Daniel came to Nepal two
years after his meeting with Hari, he
was very much impressed with what
Hari was doing in the local scene. He
found that Hari had honed the music
style after teaching himself the music
using CDs that Givone had sent to
him from France. “His improvement
over the years in this genre continues
to surprise me. He even has students
who can play the same genre with
agility,” says Daniel.
“I think this style of music will someday become a
well known form of music in Nepal and even young
musicians would be able to play it with agility,”­‑ Givone
band members of Kutumba, who
represent the ethnic folk music
of Kathmandu valley with their
traditional instruments. He also
incorporates some Newari melodies
in his compositions at times and
diligently manages to sync them with
Gypsy Jazz.
“This is the beauty of this genre. In
fact, any form of music can be played
with Gypsy Jazz music keeping the
theme intact at the same time.”
When asked about the Gypsy
Jazz Festival, Hari recalls, “While
performing as a Gypsy Jazz musician
for the local audience, I felt the need
to let them get more acquainted with
the genre. So I decided to call up
some of my musician friends from
abroad and introduce the well-known
Gypsy Jazz Festival series in Nepal.
Gypsy Jazz has been an essential part
of Western culture for hundreds of
years,” he adds.
Daniel explains that in a typical
Gypsy Jazz festival the audience stays
till the wee hours and dances to the
music. “There are of course a lot of
people who turn up with their family
members, but this does not stop
the youngsters from joining in!” he
says. Likewise he praises the new age
virtuosos back in France who play
numerous gypsy jazz patterns even
during their teens.
“I guess the festivals have left a very
good impact on the Nepali audience
this time as we were also able to
showcase some of the series outside
the valley in Pokhara,” says Hari.
The lineup for this year’s festival was:
Xavier Moillen-Switzerland, Samuel
Pont-France, Nicholas Fardel and Greg
Pittet-Switzerland and Kutumba-Nepal
along with Hari and Daniel.
I would agree with Hari as I myself
could notice the audience enjoying
every bit of the musical program at
New Orleans Restaurant in Thamel
this month.
Both Hari and Daniel hope that
the upcoming Gypsy Jazz festivals
will be held in more venues than in
its previous years, and will attract
more audience at the same time. As
for now, the two gypsy jazz musicians
are pulling all their strings for their
performance in France next month.
Think//Miss Nepal 2015
38
From girlhood to womanhood
Miss Nepal is not just a yearly beauty pageant. It is an opportunity for girls
to discover the women in them; they are being groomed for life
Text by Anubhuti Poudyal
by Sakil Kunwar to skin care
training by Dermatologist Sonia
Gupta, these women are learning
the ropes. Similarly, fashion and
dressing sessions teach them
elegance, and etiquette lessons
prepare them for formal social
gatherings – things you need at the
international arena.
Miss Nepal is more than
appearing accomplished; it is
actually being one. And hence they
learn to do it through choreography
and soft skills enhancement
sessions by Rachana Singh Gurung.
“We love the choreography session.
Rachana Ma’am teaches us ways to
present ourselves in best possible
way,” shares Nuning Limbu,
Contestant Number 19. The women
learn additional skills like posing
for photographs from Photographer
Raj Bhai. The entire purpose of
these activities is to hone the skills
these women already have. It is
to make them a better version of
themselves and show them the
path of self improvement that will
probably last a lifetime.
U
ntil recently, we looked at
Miss Nepal as just another
event that takes place every
year. But with the likes of
Ishani Shrestha, Malvika
Subba, Malina Joshi and
Shristi Shrestha leaving a mark
with their glamour and intellect,
we are excited to see who will
represent Nepal in different beauty
pageants across the world.
It would be an understatement
to call Miss Nepal a big yearly
beauty contest. Miss Nepal
teaches responsibility and value
to its contestants. It grooms their
individuality and makes sure the
country is prepared to receive, not
just 19 media personalities, but 19
vivacious and intelligent women
ready to take that step into the
world, with candor and grace that
is sure to stay with them for life.
With the finale just around the
corner, we wonder about the lives
of the 19 contestants. Clichés like
‘life-changing experience’ and ‘oncein-a-lifetime opportunity’ have been
used to describe the experience.
But I believe we have to move a step
further and see what the pageant
means, to the 19, in terms of growth
and personal development.
Grooming for Life
It would be unfair to call the entire
experience life-changing, and we’d
be underestimating the abilities
of these girls, before and after the
event, if we call this an experience
of a lifetime. However, it definitely
is an important event in their lives
where they see themselves change,
quite drastically, from the person
they were to the person they are
capable of becoming.
Contestant Number 18,
Shreeya Poudyal, quotes their
choreographer Rachana Singh
Gurung, “Everyone is born a girl
but you have to groom yourself to
become a woman.” These women
in their twenties are only learning
their way in life. This experience,
an amalgamation of glamour, social
service and intellect, will help
them realize their weak and strong
points, and in the process, know
themselves better.
“It is about going out of your
comfort zone and reaching out
to the society. It is a platform
for you to re-create yourself in
the process of giving back to the
community. We’ve had hearttouching experiences just as
much as moments where we
gained knowledge,” shares Evana
Manandhar, Contestant Number 14.
Priti Sitoula, Miss Nepal 2013,
is one of the people overseeing the
grooming process this year. She
calls it an opportunity for herself to
help these women turn into better
versions of themselves. “These
women are young. We are helping
them groom into the woman they
can be -- confident and complete.
We are not just grooming them for
the pageant. We are grooming them
for the real world,” shares Priti.
Shine to Perfection
To hone the overall personality
of these contestants, the fourweek grooming session has been
designed to teach the women a
combination of things they could
come across in their lives.
For physical appearance, they
engage in physical activities every
morning – this is new to many.
From make-up and hair sessions
Beauty with Purpose
The Miss World pageant that we
are eyeing, celebrates women as
a part of society. It aims to honor
that one individual who has the
biggest potential to work in issues
of utmost global significance. So,
it’s not about giving the title to the
‘most beautiful’ or even the ‘most
presentable’ woman. We have to
move a step further.
“We call it Beauty with Purpose.
We engage them in social and
current affairs of the world because
Miss Nepal aims to make them
an important part of the society.
We take them to the field because
they cannot connect to the issue
unless they see it for themselves.
From visits to old age homes to
interactions with burn victims, they
learn the realities of the society
they’re a part of,” shares Sitoula.
And in the process, they learn to be
very much a part of the society.
“The social aspect of Miss Nepal
is what makes it attractive. We
are getting all these experiences
and exposure. It is good for young
people like us. It helps create a
responsible citizen out of the
contestants, and more than that
it brings out the best in me. It has
helped me realize who I am,” smiles
Shreeya Poudyal.