Dashain - Fr!day

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| ISSUE 191 | RS. 20
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ISSN 2091-1092
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16 october 2013
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The Who’s Who of Tattoo
Anticipation is tingling Nepali skins for the 1st Nepal Inked Tattoo Convention, where you’ll be swept away
by an avalanche of amazing artistry. You could even get inked by the prestigious tattoo groundbreakers of the
world and leave with something extraordinary.
Continued on page 4
getstarted
start off with our picks
The Who’s Who of Tattoo
Sujan G. Amatya
F
rom 18 to 20 October, all
eyes will be on the 1st Nepal
Inked Tattoo Convention.
It’s an event that’s bound to
set conversations and social
media ablaze. So, pack your
essentials, head on towards
Bhrikuti Mandap and get ready
to be submerged in a plethora of
artistic visuals that promises to
freshen, transform and inspire
you through a cornucopia of
creativity, where everyone is
given a front seat to witness the
art of body modification.
“This was two years of effort
in the making,” states Nischal
Bajracharya, co-owner of
Kgarira, while John Maharjan of
Jadstattoo adds, “I cannot wait
for it to begin!” Kgarira.com and
Jadstattoo are co-organizers of
this grand project, claimed to be
the biggest tattoo convention in
South Asia. Alongside Eleven11,
their organizing partner-incrime, these benefactors of
good times have succeeded in
importing first-class goodness
from Ukraine, France, Germany,
Spain, Australia, Poland, United
States, London, Venezuela,
Russia, Bulgaria, Switzerland,
India and Costa Rica.
Big names like Mark Powell,
Piotr Olejnik, Dana Helmuth,
Paulo Cruzes, Emilio Gonzalez,
Piero Bigvoodoo, Niyazi Abi Tau,
Alex Arnautov and Chris Power
will join forces with the top tattoo
artists of Nepal, mixing it up for
the jamboree. With a whopping
73 artists booked, there will be a
variety of portfolios, expertise,
interests and a bunch of amazing
stories to share.
The convention not only
promotes tattoo culture, it
has also marked a definite
and tremendous impact on
Nepal’s tourism by promoting
her culture, traditions and the
strong foundation of her ancient
art. Additionally, the event
strives to create and cultivate
a positive perception of body
modification in the authorities
and the ignorant who fail to
grasp the aesthetics of the art.
The gathering is also a signal
for the government to take more
notice of this booming business
and remind them that tattoo
artists are simply expressing
themselves on an extraordinary
medium that moves and breathes.
It is a wake-up call for everyone
to renew their notion of tattoos
and abandon the archaic beliefs
that associate the art with
only criminals, prisoners and
gangsters. The line-up also
includes venerated female tattoo
artists, an indication of how
much Nepal has advanced.
“Even though the convention
was and is still marred with
difficulties - from finding a proper
venue to the ongoing rumors of
protests and bandhs due to the
elections; hesitant participants
unwilling to travel to Nepal,
intermingled with the stigma
of tattoos - we have succeeded,”
says Bajracharya. The organizers
have found their Eden at Bhrikuti
Mandap and, with such an
impressive artist list and all
that engaging entertainment,
any other team is bound to turn
green with envy.
Day 2 will see the dramatic art
of body suspension. This extreme
form of body modification, where
the performer is hung via hooks
pierced through the skin, will
be executed by Bhuwan Thapa,
Pramod Shilpakar and Dinesh
Maharjan under the supervision
of Emilio Gonzalez. A new style
of realism tattoo is also set to
be introduced this year, while
forums on ‘Machine Tuning’ and
‘Color Tattoo Workshop’ will
be presented by Paolo Cruzes
and Piotr Olejnik respectively.
This will take place alongside
Samundra Shrestha’s brilliant
artwork. The event is also being
covered by Tattoo Burst and
Tattoo Society, the biggest tattoos
magazines in the world. Exotic
jewelry, many of which cannot be
found at retails outlets, will also
be showcased while vintage car
shows, graphic arts competition,
and bike stunts by Monster Bash
are set to thrill everyone.
An undisclosed, secret art
project by ArtLab is slated to
be revealed only at the event.
Many of the country’s top
bands have also been lined up
for your entertainment - Bobin
a.k.a. Himalayan Bob, Manual
Transmission, Psychic Tower,
Tumbleweed, Albratross and
Mukti & Revival for Day One, Ful’
Stop, Bidroh, X-Mantra, Rage
Hybrid, Red Rabbit Commando
and Underside for Day Two, and
Horny Monks, Newaz, Lakhey
and Jindabaad for Day Three.
Tickets can be purchased
through Jadstattoo (Thamel), the
Nepal Inked website and at the
event itself. Passes for the 18th
and 20th will cost Rs 100 while
entry on the 19th, when the most
anticipated events are scheduled
to take place, will cost Rs 200.
Nepal is in for a treat – let’s get
skin deep!
feature
issues that matter
Judgement and Pride
Samyak Moktan
S
“
ome are born great,
some achieve greatness
and some have greatness
thrust upon them.” This famous
Shakespearean quote does not
apply to Shudarson Subedi. He
was not born great, neither did
he have greatness thrust upon
him. Achieving greatness was
never on his agenda either. All
he ever wanted to do in life was
prevent his disability from being
a hindrance and to make the
most of his two viable working
hands using his stark intellect.
He succeeded. Much has been
made about how Subedi was
ridiculed on the Fox News
show ‘The O’Reilly Factor’ for
being unable to understand or
converse in English. Yes, it hurt
the sentiments of scores of
Nepalese living in Nepal and
abroad. It hurt because it was a
classic example of being looked
down upon for not knowing
English. It also highlighted
the dismal mentality of people
who believe that a command of
English is the most important
thing in the world. That,
however, is not true because
English, although termed a
universal language, is known
and spoken only by 375 million
out of approximately 7 billion
people. The importance of
English cannot be understated
but not knowing the language
isn’t a crime either.
It was poor judgment
on Bill O’Reilly’s and Jesse
Watters’ part for trying to
make the show interesting at
the cost of someone’s dignity.
What they didn’t realize was
that they were questioning a
person whose mother tongue
isn’t English and who had no
professed lineage in America.
How was that Subedi’s fault?
You cannot just expect
everyone under the sun to be a
proficient English speaker, can
you? The world is a multilingual arena and it is for this
very reason that international
forums use translators during
conferences.
On a different note, although
O’Reilly and Watters can be
labelled as the definite villains
in the story here, we cannot
direct all our animosity towards
the two. How many of us were
honestly aware of Subedi’s
contributions prior to the show?
Why was it that a large number
of us had never made it a point
to know this man before? Isn’t
it a great irony that it took a
ridiculous program like ‘The
O’Reilly Factor’ to make us
realize the generous efforts of
this eminent Nepali citizen?
Shudarson Subedi hails
from a village called Parbat in
rural Nepal. As he grew up, he
developed a disability due to
polio and has been living with
it ever since. Yet, his handicap
is not the issue but what he has
chosen to do with his life in
spite of it that needs to come
to light. He is the President
of National Federation of
the Disabled Nepal (NFDN)
and was elected to the Ashoka
Fellowship in 2005. He is
All he ever wanted to do in life was
prevent his disability from being a
hindrance and to make the most of
his two viable working hands using his
stark intellect.
also the Chairperson of the
Disabled Human Rights Centre
(DHRC) and the main force
behind making education free
for people with disabilities
in the country. Besides being
a human rights advocate, he
is currently working with
Handicap International
promoting the rights of people
living with disabilities. As it
happens, his tryst with the TV
show presenter Jesse Watters
took place in New York while
he was attending the High
Level Meeting on Disability
and Development (HLMDD) at
the United Nations.
It’s but natural for a person
to be caught off guard when
a camera is jabbed right
at the face, especially so in
foreign lands. Had Watters or
O’Reilly possessed some sense,
they wouldn’t have let this
conversation run, but then again
they are only human. They
chose an eye-catching segment
over rationality, inadvertently
limiting Subedi to being just
‘that guy from Nepal’.
“A person is invited to the
UN not because h/she can speak
English; they are invited because
of their contribution or work
in different fields. I do not know
the meaning of “cuisine” myself
but that does not make me a
lesser person,” opines Sagar
Prasain, who was also chosen
to participate at the UN High
Level Meeting on Disability and
Development and is a program
fellow at Community Solutions
Program under the bureau of
the U.S Department of State.
We must never condone
behaviour that derides and
makes a mockery of others. But,
at the same time, this episode
can also be seen as a lesson: it
could teach us to be aware of
our nation’s true heroes who,
despite odds, have managed
to make lasting impressions.
Subedi is one such hero, it’s
a pity the two native English
speakers failed to realize it. !
blog stop
Please Like This Pic
Supral Raj Joshi
Just the other day I was on Facebook (come to think of it, when is it that I’m
not on Facebook?!) and then pop comes a message on chat,“plz lik dis pic”
followed by a link, from someone that I share no chat history with despite
the fact that they’ve been on my Facebook for years. On clicking the link, I
was redirected to a baby’s pic, which is a good thing, because I like babies. But
it kind of pissed me off on finding out that the picture is part of a contest
called “Cutest Kid”.The kid who gets the most likes on his/her pic is crowned
cutest? That’s just silly. First of all,ALL kids are cute. Finding the cutest is
like saying give me the best tasting sugar cube from a bowl of sugar cubes.
Secondly, Facebook like contests are stupid.
As far I can remember, it all began with a few teenagers wanting to get
attention on a page called “Mr. and Mrs. Facebook. (Thank the lord above, the
page doesn’t exist anymore).The pic with the most likes would be crowned
the winner and subsequently would be the profile picture for the page.There
was nothing wrong with that, until, of course, it became a competition among
like-hungry savages! Soon after businesses were employing this cost effective
form of marketing, and innocent inboxes were filled with requests for likes.
(Ever heard of the term ‘spam’?) Before you know it friendships were on the
line for likes. Stupid much?
The thing about Facebook like contests is that most popular person generally
wins, which seems fair enough. But when it is supposed to be a genuine
contest, say a singing competition, would the number of likes really be the best
judgement? That goes for any internet based contest.When we were voting
for that “Hero of the year” contest, organized by a news channel based in the
US, did we even bother going through the profiles of the other 9 competitors?
So, was our vote really based on fair judgement? Think about it for a while
maybe.As for now, if you are a parent and have uploaded your child’s picture
for the contest, then consider this, your child cannot spell ‘competition’, should
s/he really be in one?
people
the buzz-makers
Portrayers of Reality
Documentaries help to catch reality in their reels.They entertain, inform and change lives.This is what led to the creation of
Film Southasia – the need to capture the lives of South Asians on film. Fr!day caught up with two Nepali directors whose
films were screened at the festival this year.
Samyam Shrestha
Documentaries are effective because they exhibit society’s reality to general eyes.
My inspiration in this field is my experience witnessing poverty, gender discrimination, etc,
all of which led to my involvement in this field and made me realize that I am needed here.
I have made three documentary films and several TV documentaries in more than a
decade in the field.
I have studied Environmental Engineering and have done M.Phil. in
Visual Anthropology and Film Making.
My favorite movies of all time are Forest of Bliss (by Robert
Gardner) and Tokyo Story (by Yasujirō Ozu).
I hate discrimination in society and when the system
I’m working on doesn’t work.
After Dashain, I am planning to go to Baglung
to document the life of people there and also
intend to follow the characters of Playing with
Naan.
Dipesh Kharel is a director whose film Playing
with Naan was screened at FSA this year. He
currently lives in Japan with his wife Asami Saito,
who also co-directed the movie.
Playing with Nan is a graphics documentary film based on reality – on how a
young Nepali boy decides to go to Japan paying US$ 20,000, why and how he
goes there, what happens to his family back in Nepal and to him in Japan, amid
all the cultural, social and language barriers.
Documentaries are effective because they are not made-up but are reality. They
capture life as it happens.
Film Southasia is special because the festival shows films with real
cinematic technology in a commercial movie theater. In addition, the
festival has panel discussions that help you understand the larger South
Asian perspective.
My greatest inspiration is the life I’ve lived so far, unknowingly and
unconsciously enjoying everything society has given me, which has
made me realize that it’s time to give back by documenting its
unique heritage.
The one thing that gives me happiness is to not have goals or
objectives. If you have a goal, you need to pursue it and, in that
process, you’ll suffer.
I hate it when I depend on others in a commitment and they
don’t deliver.
Alok Tuladhar is a film maker and co-founder of Impact
Productions. His documentary The Story of a Yomari was screened
at this year’s FSA. He says that he lives a normal predictable life and
wants to contribute in some way to enhance and promote our society
internationally.
The Story of Yomari is a small attempt to explain why it’s
important to explain the hidden symbolism that’s prevalent
in the art, culture, religion, architecture and rituals of our
society. If they’re documented properly, it’s more likely that
future generations will accept this heritage.
events
TOP 3
make the most of the city
With events to the left and right, Fr!day makes it a little bit easier for you to
choose events to check out this week and the next. Here are our top three picks:
1. Autumn Festival
what’s on
Celebrate the magnificence of the autumn season in this painting exhibition
by Nepal Art Council to mark its Golden Jubilee. Paintings from various
veteran Nepali artists are on display.
things to do
2. This is Our House
sun. mon . tue . wed . thu
. fri
This event brings to you good music, good people and good times, and all
these for the love of house music, with the beats by Carpe Diem and DJ
Niral.
.sat
1011 12
1314 15 16
Music and Parties
This is Our House
Date: 10 October (Thursday)
Time: 5:00 pm onwards
Venue: The Factory, Thamel
With the festive season kicking off,
The Factory presents This is Our
House (the house experience)
with Shyrun (Australia). Setting the
groove for the evening is Carpe
Diem and Resident DJ Niral. Just
good music, good people and good
times, and the love of house music!
Ticket: Rs. 500 (with drink)
High Vibes Rap Wars
Date: 12 October (Saturday)
Time: 1:00 pm onwards
Venue: KFC Bastolathar, Kathmandu
9806740878, 9804114295,
9804103440
Mad Fool’s Entertainment, a
group of youngsters representing
Pokhara, is organizing the High
Vibes Rap Wars in Kathmandu,
mainly for the interaction and
communication between rappers
of the two cities. If you want to
witness the cunningness of a rap
battle or take part in one yourself,
contact the above numbers.
Miscellaneous
Autumn Festival
Date: 10 October (Thursday)
Venue: Nepal Art Council,
Babarmahal
To celebrate the magnificence of
autumn and to mark the Golden
Jubilee of the Nepal Art Council,
the NAC has organized a painting
exhibition. Illustrations by veteran
artists including Asha Dangol,
Bhairaj Maharjan, Binod Pradhan,
3. Asian Barbecue and Mountain
Documentaries
Erina Tamrakar and Pramila
Bajracharya are on display. Started
from 1 October, the exhibition will
end on 10 October.
Chakati Guff at Gallery
M-Cube
Date: 10 October (Thursday)
Time: 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Venue: Gallery Mcube, Mitra Marg,
Lalitpur
9851170110
Those who enjoy having a oneo-one with artist get a great
opportunity in this event. In this
event, Chakati Guff ,organized
by M-Cube gallery a well known
personnel is selected to give a talk.
This time the audience can enjoy
a talk and presentation by Kim
Wol-sik an artist from South Korea.
He will be giving a presentation on
the topic “Progress, Community and
Performativity”. They only have a
selected number of chakati available,
so, hurry up and reserve a chakati.
Email them at kala@gallerymcube.
com, or call or send an SMS to
reserve your chakati.
Entrance: Free
Dandiya Dhoom 2013
Date: 10 October (Thursday)
Time: 6:00 pm onwards
Venue: Army Officer’s Club,
Bhadrakali
9801114455, 9801218300
Eros Event is organizing “Dandiya
Dhoom 2013” which brings you
the excitement of Dandiya, the
famous Gujrati folk dance. Popular
throughout India, the dance is a
special feature of the Navratri
festival. You’ll love immersing
yourself in this colorful Gujarati
tradition.
Asian Barbecue
and Mountain
Documentaries
Date: 11 October (Friday)
Time: 6:00 pm onwards
Venue: The Terrace Garden,
Radisson New Wing
4411818 Ext. 1312
The Terrace Garden located at
the new wing of Hotel Radisson
is hosting an Asian barbecue and
Mountain Documentaries series
every Friday as an attempt to
satisfy the true taste of barbecue
with a variety of barbecue sauces,
soups, salads and roast vegetables.
Along with the sumptuous
charred meat, the guests can
Enjoy your evening with the sumptuous charred meat and acclaimed national
and international mountain documentaries in this event, which is an attempt
to satisfy the true taste of barbecue along with a variety of barbecue sauces,
soups, salads and roast vegetables.
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.
Price: Rs. 1,499 per person
Barbecue Brunch at Gokarna
Date: 12 October (Saturday)
Time: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Venue: Gokarna Forest Resort,
Rajnikunj Gokarna
4451212
also enjoy acclaimed national
and international mountain
documentaries which will be
screened via a projector. Grilled
pork ribs, barbecued chicken
and fish filet are but a few of
the varieties prepared for your
consumption.
Rs. 1,500 per person (with a
complimentary drink)
Happiness Happens
Date: 11 October (Friday) and 12
October (Saturday)
Time: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Venue: Fusion Restro and Bar,
Jhamsikhel
5009076
Enjoy Continental, Chinese, Nepali,
Newari and Indian food in a new
modified version with all time
favorite songs played live by Lucky
Sitaula and his band every Friday
and Saturday.
Starry Night BBQ
Date: 11 October (Friday)
Time: 7:00 pm onwards
Venue: Shambala Garden Cafe,
Hotel Shangri-La
4412999 Ext. 7520/7515
Have fun with delicious food and
musical treats at Starry Night BBQ
every Friday at Hotel Shangri-La.
Along with the taste of barbeque, the
lively performance by pop icon Ciney
Gurung will enrich the atmosphere.
This Saturday, head over to
Gokarna with your family for some
barbeque, or just take a dip in the
pool. Those interested in golf can
make use of the free coaching to
help you start with the sport. Also
hit 10 golf balls at the practice
range. The play area next to the
poolside garden is perfect for kids.
Ticket price: Rs. 1,999 (net for adults,
includes a bottle of beer or a glass
of Invenio wine), Rs. 1,299 (net for
children of height above one meter, it
includes a soft drink and juice)
Bubbly Brunch
Date: 12 October (Saturday)
Time: 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
Venue: Shambala Garden and Club,
Sundhara
4412999 Ext. 7520/7515
Rejoice, and have a fun time this
weekend at Bubbly Brunch, where
you can enjoy shawarma and pasta
at a very reasonable price every
Saturday at Shambala Garden and
Club.
Price: Rs. 1,100 per person
(includes a glass of Sparkling Wine)
Celebrating Dashain at
Borderlands
Opening date: 12 October
(Saturday)
Closing date: 14 October (Monday)
Venue: Borderland Resort, Arniko
Highway
4700866,4701295
Do something a bit different this
Dashain. Instead of sitting in front
of the T.V watching mindless shows,
take a trip to Boderlands and enjoy
their two day package. This special
package is for two nights and three
days. 7:30 am on 12 October make
sure you are at Sorakhutte since
D.A.O. Lalitpur Regd. No.77-066/67
ECS Media Pvt. Ltd, Kupondole, Lalitpur, Nepal. 5011571.
No. 191 16 October 2013
Publisher: ECS MEDIA Pvt. Ltd.
Editor: Sunil Raj Shrestha
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Disclaimer
Details of the event listings are accurate as per information
received before the date the weekly goes for printing. Fr!day is
not responsible for any changes.
Columnists are entitled to their own views and opinions.
They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of
ECS Media and the organizaton cannot be held liable for the
same. Readers are encouraged to write to us at editorial@
fridayweekly.com.np
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Sr. Manager, Editorial & Marketing: Neeraz Koirala
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events
Boderlands has arranged for a pickup. At the resort you can enjoy all
the activities they have to offer from
hiking to Gati village or rafting you
can pick and choose how you want
to spend your time. During your stay
at the resort you can enjoy musical
entertainment and BBQ every night.
You will also get a change to enjoy
the Dashain festival at a local village
and experience how Dashain is
celebrated outside Kathmandu valley.
Fees: Rs. 5500 (exclusive of 13% VAT)
Farmer’s Market
Date : 12 October (Saturday)
Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Venue: 1905 Restaurant and Bar,
Kantipat, Kathamdu
4225272
Craving for some organic fresh
fruits and veggies? Then be sure to
drop by at 1905 Restaurant and bar
where they have a Farmers Market
every Saturday. They sell variety of
good quality products which are
locally produced by the local farmers,
bakers, local cheese makers ( in fact
you can find chèvre and Greek style
feta here) or local entrepreneurs.
Come to 1905 for some shopping
this Saturday and after your shopping
sit back with friends and family and
enjoy a nice breakfast or lunch.
are doing that be sure to book a
place for your family.
Fees: Rs. 1,600 (exclusive of tax)
Art & Exhibition
Creator Creatures Created
Closing date: 13 October ( Sunday)
Time: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Venue: Siddhartha Art Gallery, Baber
Mahal Revisited, Kathmandu
4218048, 4438979
Italian artist, architect and designer
Tarshito’s paintings will be exhibited in
Siddhartha Art Gallery till 13 October.
This art exhibition is being organized in
collaboration with the Italian Embassy
Cultural Center. Creator l Creatures
l Created will feature mixed media
artwork.This exhibition will not be
opened for quite sometime now so
make sure you visit it at least once.The
exhibition will be opened from 12:00
pm to 4:00 pm on Saturdays.
Entrance: Free
Enjoy your Sundays at Hyatt
Date: 13 October (Sunday)
Time: 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm
Venue: The Café, Hyatt Regency,
Kathmandu
4491234
Take a break from home cooked
meals this Sunday and enjoy a
brunch and swim at Hyatt. Relish
the scrumptious meal after an
exhausting complementary swim.
Choose between a wide variety
of cold buffets or an interactive
hot buffet. The menu changes each
week so call ahead to find out
what’s being offered, and while you
Movies at QFX
Gravity
Genre: Drama, Science Fiction,Thriller
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Cast: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney,
Ed Harris
War Chhod Na Yaar
Genre: Comedy
Director: Faraz Haider
Cast: Sharman Joshi, Soha Ali Khan, Javed
Jaaferi
Not only is the movie a satirical take on
the conditions of the armed forces of two
countries engaged in war, but it also tries to
shed some light on some of the so-called
reasons behind one of such unwanted wars.
A medical engineer and an astronaut
work together to survive after an
accident leaves them adrift in space.
Runner Runner
Genre: Drama
Director: Brad Furman
Cast: Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake,
Gemma Arterton
When a poor college student who cracks an
online poker game goes bust, he arranges a
face-to-face with the man he thinks cheated
him, a sly offshore entrepreneur.
Jewels of Newar
Closing date: 19 October (
Saturday)
Time: 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Venue: Chaitya Court, Hyatt
Regency, Kathmandu
4491234
The exhibition Jewels of Newar
is back at Chaitya Court for the
second time this year. Paubhas
and sculptures of Newari God
and Goddesses were displayed in
this exhibition. The Paubhas in this
exhibitions are more artistic than the
ones in the market with some even
having 3D effect. The artwork in this
exhibition is for sale and five percent
from the sales will be given to a local
orphanage - Buddhist Child Home.
Entrance: Free
Issue 191 | 16 October 2013
Open House Exhibition
Closing date: 20 October (
Sunday)
Time: 10:00 am to 7:30 pm
Venue: Gallery M-Cube Chakupat,
Lalitpur
9851170110
Just because Dashain is near does
not mean that everyone is in
Dashain mood; leaving nowhere
for you to go and enjoy some
time off. Gallery M-Cube is
holding an open house exhibition
where you can enjoy all forms
of art- paintings, sculptures
or installations art. The artists
who have their work on display
are Arpita Shakya, Bidhata KC,
Bindu Gurung, Gopal Kalapremi
Shrestha, Manish Lal Shrestha,
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Sankar Son Shrestha, Sushma
Shakya. In your free time- or after
making some free time try and visit
this gallery and check-out the art
work that’s being displayed. Who
knows you might get inspired and
make the next Mona Lisa.
Disclaimer:
Fr!day does not endorse any event
printed, mentioned or listed in the
publication. Event participants are
advised to cross-refer to sources
for validation.
Turn to page 19 for details on
live performances around town.
hallofframe
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Latest Toyota RAV-4 & Hilux Unveiled
3 October, Soaltee Crowne Plaza
Revealing two new models of Toyota’s premium cars, RAV-4 and Hilux,
United Traders Syndicate organized a press meet where reputed
businessmen, including those involved in the automobile business, were
invited. Showcasing two units of the cars at the venue, the company
announced the availability of their variants.
1. Sahara KC and Sandhya Shrestha 2. Budhaditya Mukherjee
3. Shekhar Golcha 4. Sudhir Rai and Dhurba Shrestha 5. Dinesh Uprethi
6. Suraj Vaidya 7. Ritu Singh Vaidya
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‘Saundarya’ Indeed
4 October, ICC, Bal Mandir
The Indian Cultural Centre
managed to organize yet another
vibrant programme that highlighted
not just the vast culture of India
but also the talents of budding
fashion designers from Nepal and
India. The evening began with a
classical music performance by
the students of ICC, followed by a
tabla ensemble and Bharatnatyam
dance. Students from Kendriya
Vidhyalay also gave a short yoga
demonstration. Madam Daljeet, a
guest designer at the IEC, College
of Art and Fashion, showcased
her Festive wear collection while Subekshya Bhadel presented her Fall
Winter Collection. The event titled ‘Saundarya’ was indeed a beautiful
mixture of music, dance and fabulous clothes.
1. Nilu Khadka 2. Kriti Khanal 3. Deepshikha Shrestha 4. Rasna Shrestha and
Swarnim Rai 5. Krishna Shrestha 6. Annapurna Sharma 7. Akansha Lama
Film Southasia 2013
3 October, QFX Kumari Hall
The ninth edition of South Asia’s first and biggest documentary
and non-fictional film festival, Film Southasia (FSA), was held from 3
to 6 October.This year, the biennial festival showcased 55 movies
representing the people, lifestyle and issues of South Asia and the
diaspora.The festival had received 382 entries in total, 34 of which
were in the competition judged by the jury of Sadanand Menon,
Shahidul Alam and Sapana Shakya.Algorithms by Ian McDonald was
awarded the Best Film.
1. Nayantara Kakshapati 2. Abhay K 3. Sapana Shakya
4. Binod Paudel 5. Asami Saito 6. Dipesh Kharel
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Launch of Commencal Bikes
2 October, Moksh Live Restaurant and Bar
A new range of Commencal Bikes was launched in
an event organized by Epic Mountain Bikes at Moksh.
There were a total of 11 new bicycles out of which 9
were for adults and 2 for kids. The event, sponsored
by Carlsberg, was attended by personalities from
different walks of life. An announcement during
the function stated that customers could get loans
with 0% interest rates from Laxmi Bank in order to
purchase the bicycles.
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1. Birendra Thapa and Bikash Malla 2. Tangi Rebour
and Atish Amayta 3. Samir Aryal 4. Mani Lama, Tenzin
Gurung and Hriday Pradhan
Global Shapers’ Kathmandu Hub Launched
2 October, Hotel Annapurna
The World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community is a thriving worldwide
network of young individuals who are exceptional in their roles in their
communities and who, in their own capacities, have already made contributions to
their society.
The Kathmandu Hub of the Global Shapers, which includes 13 individuals from
various lines of work, was launched with a cosy event at the Hotel Annapurna.To
mark the inauguration, hub members presented their projects to an audience that
included dignitaries, ambassadors and various members of civil society.
1. Pushpa Basnet 2. Shivanth Pande 3. Prabhakar S. Rana 4. Dawa Steven
Sherpa 5. Ashmi Rana 6. Umang SJB Rana
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Saving Children with Kutumba
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4 October, Patan Museum
Under Save The Children’s “Every One” campaign, a fundraising
concert was organized at the premises of Patan Museum
featuring the folk ensemble Kutumba.Tickets were priced at Rs.
500 and proceeds would go to building a modern birthing center
at Sharmali VDC in Baitadi District.The fundraiser coincided with
the release of Kutumba’s 6th album titled ‘Karmath’.The Every
Glittering Gitanjali’s
Grand Launch
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4 October, Capital Mall
The 101st multi-brand flagship retail chain
of Gitanjali Jewels had its grand opening
on 4 October. To mark the occasion, an
exhibition of fine jewelry will be held
till 12 October. Actress Nisha Adhikari
inaugurated the showroom while the chief
guest for the event was Managing Director
of Gitanjali Jewels, Santosh Srivastava. “Saya
ko Saubhagya,” a consumer promotion
that enables customers to receive upto
100% cash back on items bought between
4 and 12 October, was also launched
at the function. Also included will be a
surprise gift with every purchase.
1. Santosh Srivastav 2. Nisha Adhikari
3. Prasun Jalan 4. Anand Rumta
One campaign has been partering with Kutumba
for the last three years to raise the issue of child
mortality and neo natal deaths.
1. Madan Krishna Shrestha 2. Hari Bansha
Acharya 3. Siddhartha Maharjan 4. Kiran Nepali
5. Raju Maharjan
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events
make the most of the city
mark your calendar
events in the next few weeks
1
weeks to go
Nepal Inked – A Tattoo and
Lifestyle Convention
Opening Date: 18 October
(Friday)
Closing Date: 20 October
(Sunday)
Time: 10:00 am to 7:00pm
Venue: Bhrikuti Mandap
Party Transylvania
Date: 31 October (Thursday); Time: 6:00 pm onwards;Venue: Moods Studio Lounge,
Tripureshwor; Contact: 9803801302
Party Transylvania is a Halloween party mingled with a lot of surprises
throughout the night. Invitees will be welcomed with a traditional
Halloween drink, supposed to be the water of fire. Dracula will be your
escort and a belly dance performance shall keep the party alive. The main
attraction of the event is a bottle of wine which shall be claimed by the
last man standing on the dance floor. It is a theme party based on the
movie Hotel Transylvania. (Ashmita Rijal)
cities around the world. It’s an open
ride and anyone can participate with
their bicycle, tricycle, rickshaw or
any other non-motorized mode of
transportation.
Ticket Price: Rs. 500
nsider’s Tip
Buddha Lama
Chairman, Platform 977
FThere will be a Halloween costume competition. So,
dress as scary as you can and grab the coveted prized.
F Howling at the moon during midnight contest shall win you exciting
prizes so start practicing now.
F Door prizes like QFX movie tickets and Zipline ride packages are
also available.
FThe winner of Manhunt International Nepal, Anoop Bikram Shahi is
the host of the party. He will be dressed as Dracula.
Music and Parties
Jazzmandu Kathmandu Jazz
Festival 2013
Opening date: 24 October
(Thursday)
Closing date: 30 October
(Wednesday)
Venue:Various
The biggest jazz festival in Nepal,
Jazzmandu 2013 is happening this
October! The week-long festival will
kick off with KJC, Jhamsikhel hosting
the “Jazz for the Next Generation
Music Competition” on 24
October, with the top three finalists
performing for the crowd. Similarly,
25 October will have “Valley Jams”
at various venues across the city.
“Jazz Bazaar” will take place on
26 October at Gokarna Forest
Resort with Nepali, classical and
varied sounds of jazz music amidst
nature. 29 October will have “Red
Hot Latin Jazz” at Hotel Summit,
Kupondole, featuring authentic AfroCuban sounds of the Caribbean.
“Jazzmandu Master Class” will
take place on 29 October at KJC,
while October 29 will have “Jazz
at Patan” at Dhokaima Cafe, Patan,
with Cadenza and Friends. Finally, 30
October will see Alliance Francaise
de Katmandou, Tripureshwor
hosting the festival finale. For
more information, log on to www.
jazzmandu.org
Halloween | The Haunted
House
Date: 26 October (Saturday)
Time: 4:00 pm onwards
Venue: International Club, Sanepa
This Halloween, Insane Ent brings
the apocalypse on International
Club. All party devils are invited to
celebrate one of the most insane
Halloween parties ever in the
city. The venue will be completely
turned into a haunted house which
shall be decorated with a skull gate
entrance with a cave, skeletons,
etc. Don’t shy away from the scary
photo booth, face paint and drinks.
Mongolian Heart Live in
Concert 2013
Date: 8 Novemeber (Friday)
Time: 2:30 pm onwards
Venue: Nepal Academy Hall,
Kamaladi
9841229587, 9813304018
With the theme of “music for
peace, education and development”,
Raju Lama with Mongolian Heart
will be performing at Nepal
Academy Hall this November.
Raised funds will go towards school
improvement programs in Baruwa-1,
Sindhupalchowk district. Join the
event to support the cause!
Silence Festival 2013
Date: 9 November (Saturday)
Time: To be confirmed
Venue: Fun Park, Bhrikuti Mandap,
Kathmandu
After bringing legends like Vader,
Textures and Freak Kitchen to
Nepal, Silence Entertainment comes
up with yet another edition of
Silence Festival. This year’s concert
is going to feature the Polish
blackened death metal legends
Behemoth as headliners. Other
WATCH ECS HOME
ON HIMALAYA TELEVISION
This Sunday, October 13 at 7:30 PM and 11:30 PM
This Monday, October 14 at 9:30 AM
www.youtube.com/ecsmediatv
In such a short time, tattoos
have become a trend here in
Kathmandu.You get to see many
tattoo parlors in Thamel where
people go to get inked almost every
day.This tattoo convention is being
held in mid-October where many
tattoo inns will be collaborating
with each other and it will be a
convention you will not want to
miss. So if you want to get inked at
this huge gathering of Kathmandu’s
famous tattoo artists then this is
the place to be. Be sure to mark
your calendar for this event.
popular bands like Ugrakarma,
Underside, Jugaa, Newaz, Zygnema
(India), Derrick and And We Came
will also be performing. If you are
a metal fan, this is the event you
should be most excited about!
Co-operation for Differently
Ables’ Live Concert 2013
Date: 17 December (Monday)
Time: 10:00 am onwards
Venue: St. Xavier’s School, Jawalakhel
9841977919, 9841515682,
9843561924
Alpha Music and Jaya Sambho
Entertainment are organizing a
rock concert with the motive of
helping Aadibasi Janajati Aapanga
Sangh (co-operation for differentlyables). Mantra, Sabin Rai & Electrix,
Cobweb, Prism, Sugam Pokhrel,
Samsarachakra, along with a host
of other bands will be entertaining
the crowd. The concert will also be
full of other fun and entertainment
activities.
Miscellaneous
Critical Mass Cycle Rally
Date: 25 October (Friday)
Time: 5:30 pm onwards
Venue: New Road gate
Critical Mass Kathmandu takes
place every last Friday of the English
month. It is a monthly cycling event
that usually occurs on the last
Friday of every month in over 300
Inter Nation Dance Show: East
to West
Date: 1 Novemeber (Friday)
Time: 5:00 pm onwards
Venue: St. Xavier’s School,
Jawalakhel, Lalitpur
Tewa, in association with with JJ
Sultans and Sushila Arts Academy, is
organizing a fund-raiser called Inter
Nation Dance Show. This one of a
kind event features the dance styles
of Flamenco (Spain), Charya (Nepal)
and Bharatnatyam (India). Come
and support the cause of women
empowerment, peace, justice and
arts, while you enjoy an evening
filled with sound, movements, music
and emotions.
Ticket: Rs. 500
LA Food and Music Festival
Season 2
Opening date: 29 November
(Friday)
Closing date: 30 November
(Saturday)
Time: 10:00 am onwards
Venue: Little Angels’ College
Compound, Hattiban
9801188130, 9849379879
Do you think food and music make
a good combination? The students
of LACM Bachelor in Hospitality
and Tourism Management (BHTM)
are organizing the second edition
of LA Food and Music Festival. This
is an event where you can listen to
some amazing music while pleasing
your belly with some delicious
dishes.You may even get a chance to
win exciting gifts. The event will also
include face painting, B-boying, food
eating competitions, food carving,
zip lining and many more exciting
activities.
Christmas Festival 2013
Opening date: 21 December
(Thursday)
Closing date: 22 December (Friday)
Venue: St. Xavier’s School, Jawalakhel
This December, House of
Rajkarnicar brings you Christmas
Festival 2013, a first of its size and
content. The event is organized
to cater to the Nepali Christian
community as well as the expatriate
NEW WOLF IN TOWN - SB 250 Ni
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faction in Nepal. The festival will
provide a market for gifts, with eatouts and entertainment for families
and friends during the holidays. But
most importantly, it will be the place
for, not only Christians, but also the
wider populace in general to get
together as one. Crafts, arts, gifts,
clothing, jewelry, toys, Christmas
tree ornaments, gift wrappers,
food, beverages, bakeries, travel
services, restaurants and cafes will
be exhibited during the festival. In
addition, there will also be a number
of other activities, including a music
concert, ethnicity exhibitions,
Christmas Carol contest, Santa live
for children, amusement park, food
festival featuring Christmas bakes,
etc.
Art and Theater
Short Film Competition
Date: 19 November (Tuesday)
Venue: St. Xavier’s College, Maitighar
In celebration of St. Xavier’s
College’s Silver Jubilee, the
Department of English is planning
to organize a short film festival. The
sole aim of this celebration is to put
the talent and creativity of young
and eager minds in the limelight.
Experience a flair for living at
Hotel Annapurna's newly opened
Premier Club Rooms and
Lounge, offering contemporary
sophistication and flawless attention.
Call for reservations at 4221711
ext. 4202/4203 or email us at
[email protected]
Turn to page 19 for details on
live performances around town.
Disclaimer:
Fr!day does not endorse any
event printed, mentioned or
listed in the publication. Event
participants are advised to crossrefer to sources for validation.
events
Issue 191 | 16 October 2013
15
the week that was
event reviews of the
past week
International Day of
Older Persons
Nija Maharjan
Lalitpur, 1 October
Marking the ‘International Day
of Older Persons’, Bihani Social
Venture, in conjunction with
Chomolungma UNESCO Centre,
organized an interactive session
themed “The future we want: what
older persons are saying”. Held at
Namlo Gardens Restaurant, the
event started at 5:30 pm where both
elders and youth gathered to share
their stories.
President of Chomolungma
UNESCO Centre, Hari Bangsha
Kirat was the main speaker for the
evening but every respected senior
was given a voice. “I am retired but
not tired,” quipped Prem Subba in
his introduction. The idea behind the
event was to understand the views
of elders so that a better tomorrow
could be designed for them. The
session, which was scheduled to
conclude at 7:00 pm, stretched a few
extra minutes. The evening came to a
close with a hearty dinner.
Celebrating Int’l Girl
Child Day
Prabal Man Dhaubadhel
Lalitpur, 3 October
With “Innovating for Girl’s
Education” as its theme, Kathmandu
Cycle City 2020, along with Plan
Nepal, organised a bicycle parade
on the occasion of International
Girl Child Day on 3 October. Over
200 young women participated in
the rally.
“It is a general misconception
that cycling as a means of commute,
or even leisure, is primordially
practiced by the male gender but
on the occasion of the International
Day for Girl Child, we want to send
on stand
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out a message that even women
participate actively in cycling,” said
Aparna Singh, Campaigner, Cycle
City Network Nepal who was
also the coordinator of the parade.
School children and teenagers
participated in the rally that started
at 8 a.m on a rain stricken Monday
from Basantapur Square and
ended at Patan Durbar Square, a
10-kilometre stretch that crossed
Amannagar, New Baneshwor,
Maitighar and Kupondole.
At the closing stages of the
event, participants painted a mural
of a burning flame. Additionally,
oil lamps were lit as a symbol of
girl empowerment. Jerseys for
the parade were also presented
to those taking part while the
organizers managed bicycles and
refreshments for all of the preregistered participants.
POSCash Cash
Payment Introduced
Samyam Shrestha
Kathmandu, 3 October
INFICare, a software company has
introduced POSCash cash payment
solutions to allow withdraw cash
from POS devices and through
MobilePOS from the authorized
POSCash’s Merchant for the firstof-its-kind initiative in the country.
POSCash has collaborated with SCT
to facilitate the customers of SCT
network’s banks to withdraw cash on
real time basis as an ATM services. All
the communication with POS device
and issuer bank will be in ISO Card
Security standard.To use this service,
SCT card holder customer should
visit POSCash’s appointed merchant
along with SCT card and pin number
with photo valid ID card.
Fictional Fossils
Shreesha Nankhwa
Kathmandu, 7 October
After the success of his first book
“Mokshanta: Kathmandu Fever”
back in 2011, Kumar Nagarkoti’s
second book “Fossil” was
launched at Nepalaya on Monday
amidst an intimate gathering of
book lovers. The shy author, who
prefers to call himself a “fiction
designer,” along with his long time
friend and book editor Abhishek
and journalist cum novelist
Narayan Wagle, entertained the
audience with their light banter
and stories of Nagarkoti’s quirky
habits while reminiscing about
his initial days as a writer. The
program ended with some snacks
and a book signing by the author
himself.
musique
turn it on
The Dashain Dhun
The ever popular Malashree Dhun or the Malashree
melody marks the biggest festival of Nepal
Bijaya Adhikari
E
ven if you don’t refer to
the patro, the clear blue
skies signalling the end
of the monsoon, the colourful
butter-papered kites painting
the sky in multiple hues,
the excitement on people’s
faces and the shopping rush
says it all: Dashain, Nepal’s
biggest festival, is knocking.
Enhancing the festive mood
is the Malashree Dhun, one
of the most popular tunes
in Nepal and a song
synonymous with Nepali
culture—the famous
‘Dashain Dhun’.
Tracing the history
of the Malashree Dhun
is rather difficult, with
origins that are open to
question. The song is
considered to be part of
the Mangal Dhun, tunes
that are played during
ceremonies. However, the
fact that Mangal Dhuns
are of Gandharva origin
leads the story to even
murkier territory. Since
Malashree is believed
to be a Mangal Dhun,
it should be filed under
Gandharva music,
but connoisseurs and
sociologists have
speculated that this
melody could have
emerged from
within the Newar
community of Kathmandu
Valley. Then again, with
Newar culture having little
to do with the Gandharvas,
the genesis of the tune
remains as enigmatic as
ever. A single fact, however,
remains. Although the melody
belongs to the Shringar Rass
(a sect of celebration), it can
certainly not be classified
under Indian classical music.
The Malashree Dhun has
an unmistakable Nepali
flavour to it. Referring to the
internet can be misleading,
as most sites theorize that it
originated in Northern India,
but this can be adjudged a
fallacy.
The Malashree Dhun
marks the Phulpati
celebration of Dashain.
During Phulpati, the day
paddy is brought in for
storage, it is played as an
offering to Lord Indra, the
bringer of rains. Seeing that
Mangal translates to ‘wellbeing’, the Malashree Dhun
is played for the safety of the
harvest.
Although Radio Nepal
had regularly transmitted the
Dhun since the 1970s, it was
only after Nepal Television
came into existence in 1984
that it received widespread
exposure, thanks to the
visuals of Dashain festivities
that accompanied the tune. It
was on the tenth day of the
festival, when the ceremonial
tika is put on people’s
forehead, that the song was
broadcast by the media. The
melody – commonly referred
to as the ‘Dashain Dhun’ – has
been an integral part of the
festival ever since.
Classical musicians Sur
Sudha accentuated the tune
in the early 1990s. Since
there are no copyright laws
protecting the Malashree
Dhun, the melody received a
makeover. After Sur Sudha’s
elaborate composition, its
popularity steadily increased.
There’s absolutely no escaping
the Dhun during the festival
season now. Strains of it can
be heard everywhere – from
festive greetings to corporate
advertisements. Those struck
hard by Dashain fever even
use it as their ringtones. But
once the festivities are done,
so is the tune.
Many may not even
be aware of the song’s
proper name but it’s a
detail that hardly matters.
For the Nepali populace,
the Malashree Dhun is a
way of getting into the
festive mood. Playing the
music at home means that
Dashain celebrations are well
underway. The origins of the
melody hardly matter then.
Malashree Dhun can be
downloaded freely from the
internet. Many versions of it
can be heard on YouTube. !
Mano-a-Mano with Shreeti Pradhan
Shreeti Pradhan is a talented
young musician, music teacher
and a social activist. Having
involved with the neo-folk band
called Night, she is currently
pursuing her career as a solo
artist and is also involved with a
few other projects.
When did you start your musical journey?
I started singing from a very young age. I think I was 8 years old when I
first sang in Radio Nepal. My mother was a newsreader there, so I could
occasionally visit the place.Then I started singing for advertisements as well,
for example this ad with Johnson and Johnson. It was in 2001 when I started
to perform gigs.
How would you define your music?
Genre-wise, I don't try to confine my music to a specific type. It's
assimilation of all my influences including jazz, pop,Western classical, folk, etc.
For me, my music is both a reflection of my personal space and influences
from around. It is a movement that allows me to uncover my own self.
You are also involved with Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory (KJC).
What else do you do?
Yes, I am Western vocal teacher in KJC. I had started teaching there in 2009.
I also teach in British School and Sushila Arts Academy, and am involved in
Nepal Music Educators Society as the Program Coordinator. Beside music, I
am involved in the organization called Mankind for Animals, which works for
stray dogs (I have adopted eight stray dogs till date).
Any last words to our fans out there?
Everyone goes through phases, and everyone grows with time. Follow your
heart and discover yourself! That is what I did, and that would work with
you too. (Samyam Shrestha)
musique
Issue 191 | 16 October 2013
17
The Loudest Concert:
In the Loudest City
The Dashrath Stadium, which recently witnessed a
full house during the 10th SAFF Games, saw another
20000+ crowd in the finale of Tuborg Stage - Let’s
Get Loud.
Prayush Lal Shrestha
RVL Radio
CHARTS
NEPALI CHART
1
BISTARAI - ROHIT JOHN CHETTRI
2
HERDA RAMRO MACHHAPUCHHRE - DHARMENDRA SEWAN
3
SUNDAR - NIMA RUMBA
4
TIMI BATAI SURU - DJ K-WORLD FT. SABIN RAI
5
KA BATA - GENESIS OF PINK
6
JHUTHO MAYA - THE EDGE
7
ASAAR - BIPUL CHHETRI
8
PAURAKHI - LOCHAN RIJAL
9
MAYA HO KI HOINA - NATTU SHAH
10 KINA RISAUCHHAU - SUBANI MOKTAN
ENGLISH CHART
10
Top
1
ROAR - KATY PERRY
2
WAKE UP UP - AVICII
3
TRUE LOVE - PINK FT. LILY ALLEN
4
WHO YOU LOVE - JOHN MAYER FT. KATY PERRY
5
APPLAUSE - LADY GAGA
6
BURN - ELLIE GOULDING
7
WE CAN’T STOP - MILEY CYRUS
8
WRECKING BALL - MILEY CYRUS
9
DO OR DIE - THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS
10 BERZERK - EMINEM
facebook.com/rvlradio
www.rvlradio.com
@rvlradio
O
n 5 October, Tuborg Stage
– Let’s Get Loud, hyped
as Nepal’s ‘Biggest and
Loudest Concert Ever’, brought
a massive number of people to
Dashrath Stadium on a cold and
rainy Saturday afternoon, leading
to a huge traffic jam in the streets
of Tripureshwor outside. The
lineup featured top Nepali rock
and pop artists such as 1974
AD, Sabin Rai & The Elektrix,
Mukti & Revival, Robin & The
New Revolution, The Shadows,
Abhaya And The Steam Injuns
and Nima Rumba & The Legend.
Despite how it ended, the concert
proved to be a massive hit leaving
the crowd asking for more.
The free show kicked off at
3:00 pm with Sabin Rai & the
Elektrix performing songs like
Guransako Fed and Kalo Kalo
Raat Ko, to name just a few. They
managed to get the crowd on the
dampened ground of the stadium
all worked up.
Next up was the ever popular
Mukti and Revival with their
unageing blues rock, followed
by The Shadows with their hits
Prakriti and Ma Buddha Hu.
Fronted by one of the very
few female rockstars in Nepal,
Abhaya and the Steam Injuns
stepped on stage after The
Shadows were done. Their
set was dedicated to migrant
workers living abroad under
harsh conditions.
It was then time for Robin
& the New Revolution, always a
hit with the crowd largely due
to Robin Tamang’s lively stage
banter. They began with a cover
of Arun Thapa’s, Jati Maya Laye
Pani, which pleased the audience.
It was but a small taste of what
was to come.
The concert, unfortunately,
had to be cut short before the
rest of the bands could take the
stage. A rowdy crowd ensured
that Nima Rumba & The
Legend, and the much awaited
1974 AD, could not perform.
“The main reason for the
tour was to promote our national
bands while adding a patriotic
feel at the same time. It was also
for the promotion of Tuborg – a
brand that has always had a huge
association with music,” said
Subhashkar Raj Rajkarnikar,
Director of Red Parrot, the
event management company.
Tuborg Stage – Let’s Get
Loud, which started about two
months ago, travelled to various
cities of the country helping
to promote local musicians as
well as featuring established
artists. The tour crossed through
cities like Butwal, Nepalgunj,
Narayanghat, Dharan and
Pokhara before concluding in
Kathmandu.
All the performers wished
their fans a prosperous future
ahead of the festive season and
emphasized on social issues such
as equality, peace and stability of
the country. !
kathmandu
never a dull moment
Dipankha Yatra
The festival took place in 1967, then in 2005 and now, after
a hiatus of 8 years, Kathmandu will witness it again this year.
None but the gods know for certain when Dipankha Yatra
will be held next.
Nija Maharjan
G
randparents probably told their grandchildren stories about Dipankha Yatra;
about how they completed the miles long procession back in the 60s. In 2005,
when the rare and auspicious Ashwin Shukla Purnima fell on the same day as
Rewatipar Ashwini Nachhyatra, Harsha Yog and Sankranti, Dipankha Yatra took
place after a gap of 38 years. This generation must be a lucky one for we won’t have
to wait that long. We will be witnessing the rare event again on the 18th of October.
Origin
The tradition of Dipankha Yatra started during the Malla period. Legend has
it that the procession was initiated to tone down the tension over the issue of
conversion that had started to arise between the Hindus and the Buddhists of the
valley. Therefore, participation by devotees from all religions, whether they be
Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Muslim or Christian, signifies peace and religious tolerance.
Myth
Locals (of ? Nagbahal?) believe that in ages past, the Golden Temple used
to regularly observe rituals involving the bull god Ratna. At the end of the
day, an extravagant feast would be automatically ready. A curious priest later
figured out that the secret behind the free feast was the bull god himself. For
unknown reasons, he stole the idol and secretly placed it somewhere near the
Pashupatinath temple. Predictably, there was no feast the next day. Strangely, the
bull god too, after disappearing from Pashupatinath, had found his way back to
Patan and settled at Nagbahal. Today, Dipankha Yatra follows the route that was
supposedly taken by the deity.
Offerings
Devotees basically offer small bull idols fashioned out of stone powder, copper
or brass to the gods. Everything required for the offerings can be bought at
the traditional stalls in Mangalbazar. You will need 141 of them as that’s the
number of deities you’ll be visiting along the route.
Even if your legs betray you from completing the procession, you must get to
Batukbhairab at Lagankhel to conclude the yatra by receiving sagun from your
family. Don’t forget to get a copy of the route map at the starting point.
What’s in it for you?
First, legend has it that each step of yours is worth a tola of gold when valued in
terms of dharma. The yatra involves a lot of steps.
Second, being that it’s a once in a lifetime experience, you can brag about it for years
to come. You could be one of those grandparents sharing stories about the festival.
Golden Tips
• Get a good night’s sleep
• Reach Nagbahal, the starting point, by as early as 4 in the morning
• Eat a heavy breakfast
• Carry chocolate bars and energy drinks
• Wear comfortable clothes and, more importantly, comfortable shoes
• Drink plenty of water throughout the walk
• Resist taking that all too tempting rest. Once you get your legs to relax, resuming
the hike can be nigh impossible
Get Yourself Registered
Like the festival itself, the registration process too is rather interesting. There
are no forms to be filled here. Instead, this is what you do: a day before the yatra
(i.e. 17 October, Thursday), be at Nagbahal and offer “kisli”, a clay bowl filled
with rice, nuts and coin, to neel thu, the blue bull idol resting in the garden of
Nagbahal chowk. The number of kislis offered the previous day verifies the
number of devotees participating in the yatra.
Route
Dipankha Yatra starts from Nagbahal and moves on to Mangal Bazaar - Tangal - Bungamati
- Khokana - Jal Vinayak - Chovar - Teku - Tankeswar - Maru - Sitapaila - Ichangu Narayan Swayambhu - Chhetrapati - Thamel - Naxal - Chabahil - Boudha
After resting in Boudha, the procession resumes the next morning and ends at Lagankhel.
WATCH ECS LIFE
ON HIMALAYA TELEVISION
Quick make up
for this dashain
This Saturday, october 12, at 7:30 PM
This Sunday, october 13, at 1:30 AM and 9:30 AM
www.youtube.com/ecsmediatv
entertainment
let the good times begin
Taking Cricket Up
The state of cricket has seen its share of up and
downs. From winning the U-19 World Cup to
ending up in Division 6, it has been a corker of a
ride. We talk to a man who has seen it all and is
now looking to usher in a new age.
Abhishek Mishra
A
mir Akhtar has certainly
been hand in glove
with cricket in Nepal.
Representing Nepal at all
levels at one time, and now
as the National Consultant
to the Cricket Association
of Nepal (CAN), he has set
his sights on getting Nepali
cricket to new heights. A
celebrated cricketer
in his own right,
Akhtar is the only
Nepali to captain a UK
University (University of
Bedfordshire) and be included
in the development squad
of a famous English county
team like Surrey. It has been a
whirlwind time on the field for
Akhtar indeed.
First of all, let’s speak a
little about your career,
how fulfilling has it been
representing your nation on
the field?
It has certainly been a privilege
and I have always looked to do
my best. Even now that I’m off
the field and working behind
corporate desks, I still have the
innate desire to keep pushing
new horizons for our players
and the game of cricket in
Nepal.
Now as the National
Consultant, what is it that
you wish to shape cricket in
Nepal as?
Well, cricket has evolved
over the years everywhere
else. Cricket is moreso like
entertainment in today’s times
than anything. As the National
Consultant, I am working in
tandem with CAN to build a
credible and substantial PR
structure with embassies in
order to promote the game and
get further involvement. We
are looking to change the fact
that we have had no official
pact with any cricketing
nation.
One of the most exciting
prospects we have is the
amicable official relationship
we are pursuing with the Board
of Cricket Control in India
(BCCI). India is a juggernaut
in this field and clearly the
most financially successful
cricketing nation in the world.
We need to take advantage of
this geographically opportune
situation and create a symbiotic
relationship between both our
boards.
And how is it that you are
looking to achieve the said
task? What benefits do you
see for the cricketers in Nepal
with this tie-up?
A delegation from CAN,
including myself, met the
President of the Delhi Cricket
Board and Vice President
of BCCI, Arun Jaitley, last
month. We were privileged to
be invited to the Parliament
of India for the meeting and it
was a very focused visit aimed
at strengthing our ties. It was
the first official visit by CAN
officials with members of the
BCCI and, since then, we have
looked forward to commencing a
structure of mutual visits from
there on. The first and foremost
benefit is for our players
to get proper mainstream
exposure. Earlier, it was quite
unofficial and the media hadn’t
covered it to the extent that
could be deemed beneficiary.
We are creating a structure
of streamlining formal ties
with which the calibre of our
nation’s cricketers can be duly
recognized.
We are probably, along with
Afghanistan, the strongest
non-test playing nation. That is
down to the talent pool present
in our squads. We are ranked
5th in Asia and 21st in the
world when it comes to cricket
rankings. With the BCCI, we
are looking to give our players
a spotlight by playing more
regularly in international
grounds and against top state
teams of India which will only
raise our bar. Also, this does
give the player an opportunity
to really shine and stand out on
the radars of sponsors and even
IPL teams.
How do you see the IPL
involvement progressing?
It is one of my goals for sure.
It is clear as day that IPL
is a very lucrative prospect.
The players involved are paid
handsomely and can earn a very
comfortable living from their
passion. So why not our players
as well? Since we are this close
to India, we should reap the
benefits and look for special
amenities that stem from our
prosperous relations. I have had
the 3 E plan for the Nepalese
cricket players; Employment,
Endorsement and Education.
All must go hand in hand.
The players should, first and
foremost, be given the proper
chance to show what they have.
And for that we must open all
avenues for them including a
chance to be a part of an IPL
team. Endorsement should
also be on their list of sources
of incomes. We give them the
platforms, then it is up to them
to shine. The advertisers will
surely follow the cream. Lastly,
education. Players should be
given the right counsel to
pursue degrees as well so that
their careers are well rounded
and they have all options in life
available.
In all of this, even the
opportunity of having players
being taken in reserve squads
of IPL teams will be a step in
the right direction. Perhaps we
can have quotas for our players
as well? It is all in the works
and we look to bring it to
fruition sooner than later.
It has been a long haul for
cricket all these years, how
do you see the current squad
and how far has it come?
At the moment we are under
a great captain and a great
coach. The present scenario
is quite encouraging, to say
the least, and it is only taking
cricket up. We have clawed up
from being demoted to Divison
6 and are now at Division 2
and that in itself in a great
task. We did hit somewhat of
a rough patch from 2005 to
2008 I guess, but since 2010
it all has been good for us. It
is a testament to the crop of
players we have at the moment.
They have proven themselves
to be resilient , effective and
it is really them who open the
windows of opportunities.
We are exercising cricketing
diplomacy to further the cause
of course, but, at the end of
the day, it is the players who
make it happen with their
performances on the field.
The promotion of cricket in
Nepal and the promotion of
the cricket of Nepal overseas
has been our vision. We are
certainly headed in the right
direction and I look to do
my part as well in aiding the
cricket here. While we may
have some way to go, the next
few years are definitely an
exciting time to be a Nepali
cricket fan. !
timeoff
eat, drink, party – live
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Dulcifying the festivities
Dashain and Tihar is upon us. It’s time to make merry and satisfy our sweet tooth. Delectable sweets, or mithai,
are found dime a dozen at most shops. Here’s a look at a few.
Gita Limbu
W
hat exactly is it about
sweets that are so
binding? It may be a bit
of a stretch to say that sweets
can bring people together, but
there probably is some truth
in that. Sweets, in the form
of desserts, are served at all
festivities, gatherings and quick
meetings with friends and
family. There’s also no denying
the lure of a lusciously sugary
Indian mithai.
(milk solids).
1. Kaju Barfi
Similar to fudge, kaju barfi
is barfi that has cashew nuts.
Decorated with edible silver
foil, kaju barfi is a treat for any
occasion.
6. Sugar-free Sandesh
Usually made with milk cream
and sugar, sandesh gained
popularity when chhana (a
cheese indigenous to India
extracted by curdling milk)
was used in making the sweet.
This is the sugar-free version.
2. Peda
This sweet usually consists of
khua, sugar and flavorings like
pistachio nuts, cardamom seeds
and saffron.
3. Kheer Kadamba
A two-layered sweet – the
core consists of dry rasgulla
and an outer casing of kheer
4. Kalakand
A variation of barfi, kalakand
is made with chhana
(homemade cottage cheese)
and kneaded finely. Making
kalakand is often a tedious
process.
5.Sugar-free Peda
Peda for those seeking a sugarfree alternative.
7. Chocolate Barfi
A jazzed-up version of the
classic Indian sweet.
8. Besan Ladoo
Besan ladoos are rich sweets
made from gently roasting
besan (gram/chickpea) flour.
9. Moti Pak
Also incorporating gram
flour, moti pak is made with
a generous amount of ghee
and sugar.
10. Bunia Ladoo
Also called Boondi ke ladoo,
bunia ladoo is the most classic
and simple of ladoos using
gram flour (besan).
11. Kala Jamun
As the name implies, kala
jamun is a darker variety
(almost to a black consistency)
of jamun. Sugar is added to
the dough so when the dough
balls are fried, the sugar
begins caramelizing, creating
the dark shell.
12. Raj Bhog
Translated to ‘food for the
kings’ (Raj means king and
bhog means food), round
cheese balls (chhena) are
stuffed with pistachio and
milk solids, then cooked in
sugar syrup flavored with
rose water and saffron.
13. Khoya Barfi
Made with a rich, creamy khoya
and sweetened and flavored
with nuts.
14. Cham Cham
Often coming in a variety of
colors and coated with coconut
flakes, cham chams are made
with flour, cream, sugar, saffron
and lemon juice.
for Rs.800++ whereas a
kilogram of sweets costs Rs.
1600++. The offer starts from
October 25 to November 5.
Sweets are made to order at
Hotel Annapurna, 4221711.
The Cake Shop offers Kaju Barfi
(Rs.100) and Peda, Kalakand,
Sugar-free Sandesh, Rasmalai
and Sugar-free Rasgulla for Rs.75
each. Each piece is nett priced.
A 500 g box of sweets retails
Spice lovers
Those who adore spicy palate, China Garden at Soaltee
Crowne Plaza will be hosting a Szechuan food promotion from
October 1 to October 19. The experience is a full four-course
meal which includes a complimentary glass of Carlsberg beer
(330ml) or a glass of Invenio wine.
Szechuan cuisine is known for its rich and bold flavors; the
pungent spiciness resulting from the liberal use of garlic and
the unique Sichuan pepper. The Jumbo Prawn Szechuan, Hoi
Sin Pepper Aromatic Duck, Dragon Prawn with Szechuan Crab
Meat Sauce, Balchao Glazed Fish Ginger, Celery and Burnt
Chilly Spare Ribs, Stir Fried Chilly Vegetables and Smoked
Chilli Vegetables are just a few of the dishes sure to fire up
your appetite.
China Garden, 4273999; Ext.6540
Advertisement
food promotion
Temptation on a Plate
As the seasons change, Hyatt launches its new
menu items celebrating the seasonal harvests
with fresh flavors to try out. You’ll be spoilt for
choice. I know I was.
Gita Limbu
H
yatt launched new menu
items at its two specialty
restaurants – Rox
Restaurant & Bar (Southern
European cuisine) and The
Café (Continental, Indian and
Nepalese). For those unaware,
the hotel uses seasonal produce
from their in-house garden and
the menu incorporates these
vegetables into the dishes.
For Rox Restaurant, there’s
the Panko Crab Cake Benedict,
Caesar Salad, Mousse-filled
Tortellini, Prawn Bisque
Risotto, Parmesan Chicken
Escalope and Tagine of Lamb
Shank.
The Panko Crab Cake
Benedict with fresh arugula
and hollandaise sauce is a
refreshing breakfast-for-dinner.
The imported crab meat is
finely minced and battered
with panko (breadcrumbs).
Together with the creamy
and slightly tart sauce, the
dish tastes delicious because
crab can never go wrong with
lemon and butter.
The Caesar salad comes
deconstructed as organic
lettuce, maple glazed bacon
and soft-boiled eggs. While
it’s a bit of a hassle eating
salad this way, you get to play
around with the textures of
the dish. It’s sweet, salty and
sticky because of its maple
syrup glaze - checks all the
right buttons for me.
The tortellini is filled with a
mousse consisting of asparagus,
ricotta and beetroot, topped
with a sage butter emulsion.
The beets lend a sweet flavor to
the otherwise earthy aromatic
sauce. Risotto is a recent
favorite of mine. I find myself
craving it for lunch and dinner.
The prawn bisque risotto with
shaved parmesan is smooth and
cream enriched with a luxurious
seafood essence.
Escalope, it turns out, is
flattened boneless meat thinned
out, that are battered before
being fried. The parmesan
coating offers a satisfying
crumb while the meat stays
tender. Lastly, the tagine of
Australian lamb shank with
carrots, potato, onion and
apricot is mouth-wateringly
comforting. The tender lamb
literally melts in your mouth
and the thick, aromatic sauce is
elevated with a hint of sweet
apricot.
Then there’s the offering
of the Nepali thali set, clay
oven chicken tikka sandwich
and Tawa Machi from The
Café. The non-veg thali set is
a smorgasbord of flavors that
we know and love. The plate
looks intimidatingly large as
it has appetizers, main courses
and dessert so it’s best if you
share it but, then again, no
one is holding you back from
enjoying the meal yourself.
Dessert arrives - chocolate
cannoli, mango panna cotta
and tiramisu. The chocolate
cannoli shell is crunchy and
light flavored so it doesn’t
empower the chocolate filling
that’s good enough to eat on
its own. The panna cotta is
sensuous. There’s simply no
other way to decribe it. It’s like
rich custard with the mango
flavour shining through. The
tiramisu isn’t exactly new but
it’s a revamped version of the
hotel’s signature dessert.
For a month, I’ve found
myself facing a burgeoning
waistline and it’s taken a
whole lot of tears and sweat
to come back to my optimal
weight (this involved cutting
down on calories and plenty of
exercise). Tasting what both
Rox Restaurant and The Café
have put up for the next four
months, I’ve realized that I’ll
have to deal with images of the
tantalizing offerings tormenting
me in moments of desperate
hunger. There’s also the fact
that I live a 45-minute drive
away. There will be certainly
be lots of wrestling with my
indecisiveness about whether the
food is worth the drive. !
bazaar
markets & launches
Pernod Ricard Launches Blenders
Pride in Nepal
Pernod Ricard has recently launched one of its most
successful premium whiskies, Seagram’s Blender’s Pride,
in Nepal.With this launch, Pernod Ricard continues
to build on its impressive portfolio of brands in the
country.
Speaking about the brand at the launch, Raja Banerji,
General Manager, Marketing said, “With the launch
of Blenders Pride in Nepal, we are confident of
usurping a favorable position by offering an upscale
brand that has redefined the industry benchmarks
in quality and marketing innovation.”
Seagram’s Blenders Pride is available in 750 ml,
375ml and 180ml bottles with tamper-proof guala &
mono carton closure on all the packs.
Winner of
Liril Fresh face
Announced
Out of the thousands of
eager participants from
various parts of the country,
Ayushma Shrestha, a resident
of Kathmandu, became Nepal’s
first Liril Fresh Face based on
the final round points given by
the judges and votes received
from the public. Shrestha won a
holiday package to Thailand and
a Rs. 20,000 cash prize along
with the title.
During the selection of the top
five girls, many special training
and counseling programs were
conducted by a panel of judges Raj Bhai Suwal, Prasant Tamrakar
and Subexa Bhadel. Each of the
top five contestants were handed
a Rs. 20, 000 cash prize.
Standard Chartered
Bank Awards
Scholarships
In line with its focus on youth
and education, Standard
Chartered Bank Nepal has
found a very good opportunity
through VISCOSS – Nepal
(Village School-College Students
Scholarship Project – Nepal),
to reach the village schools and
support the deserving students
of Shree Mahendra Shanti
High School, Balkot, Bhaktapur.
The bank has been providing
scholarships to 15 deserving
students of the school since
2002. They awarded scholarships
to meritorious students this year
as well.
The CEO of Standard Chartered
Bank, Joseph Silvanus, gave away
the scholarships at a function
organized at the school. The
District Education Officer,
Shankar B. Gautam, who was
also present on the occasion,
gave away various prizes to
students during the function.
Samsung Launches
Galaxy Note 3 +
Gear
International Marketing Service
(IMS), the sole authorized
distributor of Samsung mobile
phones in Nepal, launched
the latest update to the Note
product line, “Galaxy Note 3 +
Gear” on 4 October. The new
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 delivers
a larger and better screen for
the best viewing experience
and more powerful multitasking,
and introduces significant S Pen
improvements. With a 32 GB
internal storage, along with an
additional microSD card slot, the
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is fixed
priced at Rs. 91,500 while the
Galaxy Gear is fixed priced at Rs.
46,500.
Tara Air adds new
Dornier Do228
Aircraft
Tara Air, a domestic airline added
a Dornier Do228 aircraft to its
fleet on 5 October and started
its service from 7 October.
Purchased from an airline in the
Philippines, the 18-seater Dornier
Do228-212 is a short take off and
landing (STOL) capable aircraft,
ideal for operating in short, high
altitude runways such as Lukla
and Jomsom.
“The aircraft has been
specifically purchased to support
the country’s trekking industry
and to provide transportation
and food supply to rural areas of
Nepal where we have been the
only airline flying on a regular
basis,” said Roshan Regmi,
Marketing Manager of Tara Air.
Qatar Airways
Launches
Companion Fares
Qatar Airways has launched
its companion fares - ‘buy one
Business Class ticket and get
the second one free’ scheme
for its passengers in Nepal
travelling to any of its 130
destinations worldwide via
Doha.
Passengers can fly between 10
October 2013 and 31 March
2014. An additional 25% bonus
Qmiles can also be received
while booking the tickets. The
sales period is from 7 October
to 6 November 2013.
highspirits
for the love of drinking
Cause It’s That Good
If only we had more home based Chyang to have
and be merry, the beer industry would certainly
not be the same.
Abhishek Mishra
C
hyang is sometimes, quite
rudimentarily, referred
to as ‘local beer’. It’s
not. It’s way better. True,
nothing hits the spot on a
scorching summer’s day like
a cool can of your favorite
lager but the taste and the
downright deliciousness of
a bowl of Chyang begs to
differ. Hopping around town
and doing some investigating
makes the drink that much
better.
We start with probably the
most popular joints - spots
people have been to with their
friends and made it back before
the Ma Pa Se even had a clue.
Sa: Sa: (Kirtipur)
The place and the whole setup
is just brilliant. You sit down,
order the best Newari food
and Chyang, which comes in a
proper pitcher and bowl, and
all the while a splendid view
of the outskirts of the city
and hills is spread out before
you. It’s a great way to spend
a Saturday.
Lahana (Kirtipur)
Equally ramailo is Lahana,
again stationed overlooking
the green hills. Highly
recommended for those who
have not yet sampled the brew
and the view is a piping plate
of Choila along with your
Chyang. As ridiculously spicy
as it may be, you won’t be able
to put it away.
A quick heads up to all
those heading out to Kirtipur.
The Ma Pa Se checking starts
real early and the traffic cops
(I kid you not) hide in the
bushes ready to pounce. So be
responsible and have a sober
driver, or risk a hole in your
license. If you have one, that is.
Gulalcha (New Road)
This is where the Chyang gets
interesting. A Chyang shop
that you have to scour the area
for to get a hold of. Things
are always so much better
when you put an effort into
it and finding this Nemo of a
shop is just that. You might
receive some raised eyebrows
when asking around, but keep
at it and you’ll receive some
quality brew. Your one and
only hint: the search starts in
a galli opposite Peanut’s.
Honacha (Patan)
Probably the most popular
hangout/junction/restaurant
in Patan, Honacha is known
mostly for its scrumptious
Newari cuisine. They also
have some nicely made raksi
and Chyang. The cramped
rooftop seats above have seen
many a good time.
??? (Bhaktapur)
Again, major hunting
involved here. With all the
asking around you’ll have
to do, you’d think it was
contraband that you were
seeking. To make things
slightly easier, head to
Nyatapole temple and take a
right. Then, start inquiring
with the locals. They will
listen, smile and show you
the way. The place itself is
just a bhatti really and many
may not be encouraged by its
aesthetic value or even the
crowd there, but the Chyang
is quite good and definitely
one that needs to be tried.
Now, as much fun as
all of this can be, there is
something that needs to be
said about safety, hygiene
and the amount of trust
you can have for the local
establishments. Not long ago,
our TV screens were plastered
with stories about how they
use tires and whatnot for the
fermentation. A good friend at
Bir Hospital warned me, and
I need to share this with you,
that at least two people come
in every day with alcohol
poisoning. It is not all that
amusing for those stricken by
the insatiable need to down
drinks even with financial
constraints. Some people say
that’s when they need it the
most. A slippery slope is what
it is.
But despite all my
recommendations, my
personal favourite Chyang
experience was at a friend’s
place. The amazing homemade
Chyang I had there still has
no equal. With no retail
purpose, the drink was made
with such precision that the
end product was delicious.
Utterly delicious. Not only
was there hard work behind
it, but the flavour and savour
were given top priority. And
man, did it hit hard. It was a
very blissful high. It felt like
happiness flowing through my
veins. So if ever you have a
friend who makes Chyang at
home, keep him close.
Or marry him or her.
Cause it’s that good. !