MAY 2011 / Rs. 100 www.ecs.com.np ISSN 1729-2751 Art sincethetimeofArniko /Mud,sweatandmadnessonthemountainThere’ssomethingaboutKiwi

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www.ecs.com.np ARNIKO ARNIKOThe history of Nepali art is one that has seen times, both good and bad. However, its essence has remained preserved by dedicated masters.

SUBSCRIBER COPY 117 AN EVENING WITH MUSIC MUSEUM OF NEPAL TRIALS AND TRAVAILS 64 KIRAN MANANDHAR 74 A group of music enthusiasts have 10 4 ON THE TRAIL The prolific artist goes candid ensured that Nepali history is documented Reaching Everest Base Camp without a guide about artists and art in Nepal. through musical instruments. and porter provides an altogether different high.

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ECS NEPAL APR 2011 www.ecs.com.np

COVER STORY 48 ART SINCE THE TIME OF ARNIKO From the early days of Arniko to present day, it has been a long and colorful journey for Nepali art and artists. By Amar B Shrestha

FEATURES

58 MUD, SWEAT AND MADNESS ON THE MOUNTAIN Age is no bar for a good time and racing up or down a hill is more about conquesing yourself than the track. By Ravi Man Singh

64 AN EVENING WITH KIRAN MNANDHAR An informal evening with Kiran Manandhar, Chancellor of Nepal Academy of Fine Arts turns into a reflective and introspective journey back in time. By Amendra Pokhrel

70 THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT KIWI The kiwi fruit, with its exotic taste and its newbie appeal, is more available now than before. By Nandita Rana

74 PRESERVING MUSIC CONSERVING IDENTITY Music Museum of Nepal has been working for more than a decade in retrieving, conserving and then archiving the cultural and ethnic musical instruments of Nepal. By Anubhuti Paudyal

79 KATHMANDU, KATHMANDU An exhibition by contemporary Nepali photographers brings forth an essential potrayal of every day-Kathmandu.

ON THE COVER Art By Erina Tamrakar, Photo ECS Media Art on canvas by artist Bhai Raja Maharjan. Many thanks to Kasthamandap Art Group for assisting with props for the cover shot.

PHOTOGRAPHY: PIX (The Light Sketch) [email protected]

ECS NEPAL MAY 2011 www.ecs.com.np ECS REGULARS 34 20 EDITORIAL 90 HINDSIGHT 121 SPILLED INK 122 HERITAGE TALE NOTICE BOARD 22 MARKET 24 EVENT 30 IN THE GALLERY 32 SNAP GALLERY LIVING IN NEPAL 34 PLACE: The Allure of the hills

36 PEOPLE: Art vs time ECS Media 38 ON THE SPOT: The power of One 40 FOOD: A delectable treat 42 CULTURE: The future of history 44 LIFESTYLE: Mohkee 40 46 PAGETURNER: A village called self awareness life and times in Spiti valley CRAFT 94 FEATURE: A Tryst with Destiny 96 CRAFT OF THE MONTH: Cane furniture 98 SHOP REVIEW: Kupondole crafts 100 SHOPPING: Small is beautiful TRAVEL 104 FEATURE: Trials and travails on the trail Photo by Lizbeth Lucksom 110 PLACE OF THE MONTH: In a blanket of clouds

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ECS Nepal Magazine, Kupondole, Lalitpur, Nepal (Regd. 113/059-060). Tel: 5011571, 5011639 Website: www.ecs.com.np No. 117 J May 2011

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ECS NEPAL Magazine (ISSN 1729-2751) is published 12 times a year at the address above. All rights reserved in respect of all articles, illustration, photography, etc published in ECS Nepal Magazine. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, who cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions. All editorial inquiries and submissions to ECS Nepal Magazine must be addressed to [email protected] EACH ISSUE: Rs. 100.00 in Nepal, ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION IN NEPAL: Rs 900.00 (For 12 issues). Send all subscription request to ECS NEPAL Magazine, E-mail: [email protected], website: www.ecs.com.np

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48 NEVER TOO LATE There is a popular belief that when also dedicating more time and space to we are “developed” and have no more these cultural events. Photos of festivals problems to solve, the world will have are so much better than politicians giving only three professions left – music, art speeches anyway. and cooking. We all know this and hence The people of the Republic of Nepal it would be great to begin to learn and are quite curious to fi nd out how and master one of the above three options. where the former kings and queens lived, In the meantime you may want to start and occasionally killed each other. We all looking around to see, meet and watch must have noticed there are two long lines the masters of art, music and cooking outside the old Narayanhity Palace. One is go about their business. The problem of for everyone who is trying to get a passport course is that they make it look so easy. to go out of the country and the other is They are very good at what they do and trying to understand the private lives of the yet are not happy because they always people who ruled this country till recently. see room for improvements. Surely there is a link between the two lines. One day I asked Lok Chitrakar what It may not be a straight line, but still they his vision in life was. Without any hesita- are in some way linked. tion he said he wanted to see Nepali art Theater is another aspect of Nepali and the artist reach the same stature as society that is really picking up. There in the 13th century. He feels it has been are performances at different locations going downhill for sometime. The artist almost all year round. The concept of is also not doing well and according to theater is not new to people who for Lok, not receiving the social recognition centuries have watched performers 82 they deserve. Many struggle to make entertain them from the Dabali (raised ends meet and are often enquiring about platforms) which can be seen all over the and looking for other options. valley. Today TV has replaced the need to In recent years, the effort to preserve go out and watch plays and dances; but our globally unique heritage is on the with the kind of power outages we are rise. It seems many prefer to invest in experiencing in Nepal, these spaces may the temples and the stupas that make the fi nd their rightful place again in our daily results very tangible. Looking into the fu- life. As recently as 1990, when we only ture, we do need to give a little more care had state censored electronic and print to preserving our intangible heritage. These media, theater was the only way people do not just include music and art but also could express their true feelings in satire. the skills, techniques, tools and oral tradi- Live music is already here to stay as was tions of the country. The festivals and exhibited by the Bryan Adams show. rituals are doing much better with youth This issue of ECS is going to be just taking new interest and adding the much as enjoyable as any and whatever you are needed energy. A section of the media is doing this month, we hope you make sure there is time and space for the Nepali wwayay. It is never too late to get into art, mumusics and cooking.

Anil Chitrakar Group Editor

Photos: ECS Media [email protected] 74

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MARKET Ceramic craft Healing Hands Dhukuti, retail outlet of the Association painting, ceramics, metal work, for Craft Producers, has been running for embroidery, paper crafts, dyeing, wool 26 years now. The ACP aims to maintain spinning, screen printing, quilting, knitting, a system of management that provides block printing and others. ACP does not regular design, market and technical only provide services to the producers services to low income groups and but also has been bringing out splendid improve their overall standard of living. products in the market. Finds at the store It provides jobs to 1500 producers each include tableware, floor mats, bed covers, of whom makes an earning between Rs pillows, cushion covers and ceramics 5800 and Rs 60000. The ACP store in among others. Kupondole has crafts and handmade For those of us who have a habit of taking Celebrating the annual opening, Dhukuti, products on display and for sale. The medicines for minute pains and using Kupondole, has brought in a completely outlet has products for everyone, from quick relief antidotes without considering new range of ceramic products that are furniture to play toys for children made the side effects, natural ways of curing our unique and beautiful. (Anshu Khadka) from clay, copper, textile, felt and more. health problems without the side effects Contact: ACP, Kathmandu, 4275108, sound like a miracle. ACP provides skill trainings on weaving, 4270721, [email protected] felting, carpentry, leather work, sewing, Hotel Shangri-la brings to you such a place where you can find natural ways to help you. Shangri-la re-launched Time Market the Spa by Healing Hands on March 10, 2011 adding services and new HIM Electronics has opened another outlet methods to give you a relaxing time “Time Factory” at Civil Mall. The new outlet away from your stressful day. The features watches from different brands spa has been providing its services with completely different styles in attractive for a few years now, helping people packages. Time Factory is Timex’s avant- remain healthy. Being healthy is not garde watch store and aims to be a favored merely being free of diseases but being one-stop destination for international watch healthy in all four dimensions of health brands under the Timex umbrella. - curative, rehabilitative, preventive Time Factory features products from Timex and promotive. The spa at the Shangri- Group that has a portfolio of ten brands la fills the gap between the hassles of Established as a Consumer Electronics in various segments from mid-premium our lives and our health. (CE) Distributor in 1988, HIM Electronics to luxury segment: Timex, Opex, Guess, Since not all of us are regular spa Pvt. Ltd. is one of the largest distributors GC, Marc Ecko, Nautica, Salvatore goers and a first visit to the spa can and manufacturers of consumer Ferragamo, Versace and Valentino. be a bit of a daunting experience for electronics in the country. Showcasing Currently, Marc Ecko, Nautica and Timex anyone. Behind the polished doors of internationally renowned brands as brands are on display at the store. With the spa lies a space that is classy and well as domestic ones, the company’s a design centre based outside Milan and inviting. The spa at Shangri-la relieves outstanding success over the years can be manufacturing bases in different countries, your stressed mind, soul and body with largely attributed to high quality products, Timex is present in 100 countries. consumer-oriented services and effective different massages, steam bath and Contact: HIM Electronics, Ganabahal, 4250001 many other services. (Anshu Khadka) marketing strategies. (Anshu Khadka)

Vijay Motors gets into Top Gear Vijay Motors, the Sole Distributor for Subaru customers. The membership Motors introduced the Chevrolet General Motors in Nepal, launched its Top entitles customers to Rs.10000 worth of brand in Nepal in the year 2003 Gear Privilege Card at a gala privilege card services and products at Vijay Motors’ and currently sells eight vehicles launch party on March 18 and 20 March workshop including immediate help for its ranging from compacts, hatchbacks, for its clientele. The Top Gear Privilege Card female customers in the event of a flat tire sedans and MUVs to premium provides Vijay Motor’s clients with exclusive through Vijay Motors’ HOTLINE service. cars and SUVs. The company also privileges/discounts at their establishments. Vijay Motors was established in 1998 acquired the sole distributorship for Top Gear will offer these privileges/ and first started its operations with the the Subaru brand of highly preferred discounts for all Opel, Chevrolet and sale of the Opel vehicles in Nepal. Vijay Japanese Vehicles in 2005.

22 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

NOTICE BOARD EVENT

Chobi Mela comes to Kathmandu It was a rare opportunity to view this selection of works from the festival here in Kathmandu. The works screened on 18th March were presented by Bangladeshi award-winning photographer Munem Wasif. The evening included works by Laurence Leblanc (France), Kosuke Okahara (Japan), Tamas Dezso (Hungary), Karen Knorr (Puerto Rico), Rashid Talukder (Bangladesh), Munem Wasif (Bangladesh) and 8 Contemporary On 18th and 19th of March, 2011 photo. Photographers from Bangladesh including circle presented a selection of works from the Rasel Chowdhury, Wahid Adnan, Anisul recently held Chobi Mela that took place from Hauqe, Tushikur Rahman, Kauser 21 Jan to 3 Feb, 2011 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Haider, Arifur Rahman Munir, Sayed Asif Chobi Mela is an International Festival Mahmud, Tapash Paul of Photography that takes please in The screening on 19th March were Dhaka every two years. This year, the presented by Bangladeshi photographer festival featured artists from 31 countries and photography teacher Tanzim showcasing works based on the festival Wahab. The evening included works theme; ‘Dreams’, 29 print exhibitions, by students from Morten Krogvold’s mobile exhibitions on 10 rickshaw vans, (Norway) Workshop, Bronek Kozka 33 digital presentations, 9 workshops (Australia), David Burnett (USA), Shumon and several portfolio reviews. Serving as Ahmed (Bangladesh), Carlos Cazalis a birthplace of ideas, and a crossover (Mexico), Abdoul Ganiou Dermani (Togo/ meeting point for many artists, Chobi Germany) Sailendra Kharel (Nepal) Mela is an open portal to a mystical world of images showcasing new trends For more information about Chobi Mela please visit in photography and bringing to the fore www.chobimela.org. For more information about the screenings in Kathmandu, please call 9851014930 issues of our troubled world. or email [email protected] ICIMOD Knowledge Forum

Prof. Veerabhadran Ramanathan, Distinguished Professor of Climate and Atmospheric Sciences, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California in San Diego, USA, gave a presentation on ‘The Extreme Vulnerability of the Himalayan- Tibetan Region to Global Warming and Air Pollution’’ at an ICIMOD Knowledge Forum on 22 March 2011. Prof. Ramanathan explained how carbon particles from incomplete burning have contributed to formation of atmospheric brown clouds (ABCs) across the region. Sources include burning of biomass for cooking and heating; vehicle exhaust, especially diesel; factory chimneys; development. Around 60% of black carbon and forest fires. ABCs are contributing emissions can be prevented, this requires to overall warming of the atmosphere, local action. However, temperature melting of the glaciers, reduced sunlight, increase in the Himalayan region will still and increased heavy rainfall with less be higher than the global average. rain overall. In conclusion, he noted that the The global temperature increase can Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau region can’t be limited to 2oCelsius through a wait for world governments to agree to combination of measures: reduce CO2 a binding roadmap. He urged everyone by 50% by 2050; reduce short-lived to think globally, assess regionally, warming agents including black carbon and act locally, and seek integrated by 30% in the next 30 years; and thus solutions through innovations in science, buy about 30 years for developing technology, policy, politics, institutions, transformational technologies for energy and finance. NOTICE BOARD EVENT

Social Tragedy Actor’s Studio, already famous among The actors include talented new faces theatrical circles as a group to watch like Diya Maskey, Aashant Sharma and out for, presented its new production Alok Subedi along with old favorites “Malaami” at Aarohan Gurukul. The like Bijay Lama. With the acclaimed play, hailed as one of the best in Nepali actor Anup Baral showing his versatility literature, was previously showcased by through direction and storytelling, Pratibimba in 2056 B.S. to huge acclaim. the play makes for a compelling ride After more than a decade, playwright surrounding the social tragedy. Sarubhakta has penned the story in a style that relates to today’s society. By talking of The play was performed at the Bal old age loneliness and emotional crisis, the Krishna Sama Theatre at Aaro- play portrays a delineation of a society that han Gurukul from the 11 to 13 is both sad and yet uncomfortably real. March. (Liza Paudel) Power of Poetry Academy Bairagi Kainla sharing one of his poems. “Poetry brings me relief,” the dignified poet said before setting the mood for the program through his short yet compelling poem. The event featured 40 poets reciting poetry in 20 different languages including Maithili, Limbu, Nepal Bhasa, English and Urdu. Each poet shared two poems of their own in their respective languages while some also shared Nepali translations of famous Since 1999, March 21 has been celebrated poems. the world over as World Poetry Day. The day was celebrated here in Nepal by The event was a true revelry of diverse Chomolunga UNESCO Center (CUC) by languages, poetry and the unity organizing ‘Recitals’ – a multidimensional, that this genre of literature allows. multilingual poetry recitation program at It successfully brought to surface Momomagic in Pulchowk. the beauty of each language, the sentiments of the various poets coming The recitations commenced with celebrated from different backgrounds and the litterateur and Vice-Chancellor of the Nepal power of poetry itself. (Yukta Bajracharya) Festival at Patan Omkuli Pasa Pucha, a non-profit organization organized Omkuli Mahotsav 2011 (March 10-13) in an effort to help promote Nepal Tourism Year 2011. The event took place at various places around Patan like Sundhara, Mahabuddha, Okubahal and Thapahiti. The organization had organized a four day- long event focusing on Nepali traditions, culture, arts and crafts and norms. The festival consisted of Charya dance, a business stalls, live performances by handicrafts exhibition, household utensils, Nepali artists like Kutumba, Cobweb and traditional musical instruments, ancient Zenith. The event had numerous food dance masks, and chariot ornaments stalls with traditional Newari cuisine and a of Matseyndranath and a photo Laptya Bhwey - a traditional Newari feast exhibition. Apart from this, there were live served on customary leaf plates. demonstrations of Metal Craft, Thangka “This event was organized to make art, woodcraft and an art workshop by an impression on the public for the contemporary artists. preservation and promotion of the sacred The cultural carnival also hosted cultural and traditional arts in national and traditional Newari food stalls, education international levels,” said Siwali Shakya, and tourism-based stalls, industrial and Joint Secretary, Omkuli Mahotsav. NOTICE BOARD EVENT

Salute To the Late Hero A Thrilling Hunt Helicopter Association International (HAI) The starting line was at Nepal chose Late Captain Sabin Basnyat as the Academy in Kamaladi. As the winner of HAI’s Eurocopter Golden Hour numbers were announced, all the Award for his performance during the participating cars at the Ford City Fishtail/Air Zermatt rescue mission on Mount Chase Version 2.0 set out for a Annapurna on the 29th of April 2010 when thrilling ride. Organized by the JA they made history by successfully carrying (Junior Achievement) forum, one of out the Highest Sling Rescue operation from the six clubs from Kathmandu College 6900m. This award recognizes the efforts of Management (KCM), the event was of those who contribute to and advance the County Convention Center, South the second of its kind, following the use of helicopters in the vital mission of air- Concourse, Orlando, Florida. Mrs. first one in 2008. “We’ve re-launched medical transport. Basnyat also attended the Salute to City Chase after three years,” says Excellence Awards Dinner along with The Eurocopter Golden Hour Award Manish Badetia, KCM student and other distinguished members of the was the perfect tribute to Late Captain Club Coordinator. “This is totally a international helicopter community. Sabin Basnyat’s bravery. The award was college event and employs students’ presented to the captain’s wife, Mrs. Fishtail Air prays for the soul of Late initiative and participation. For this Poonam Basnyat, on the 7th of March Captain Basnyat to rest in peace for event, we’re timing each participant, at the Heli Expo 2011 event at Orange eternity. (Gaurav Thapa) and they will receive a maximum of three and half hours, to complete and Feminist Dalit Organization approximately 15 clues and tasks,” Alliance for Women (FEDO) were also invited to celebrate added Badetia. “Each car has two people: a driver and a navigator. The 100th International Women’s Day Women’s day at AFK. 25 women from minority groups danced for social There are unique tasks for each was celebrated with much enthusiasm participant. The ones completing all at Alliance Française, Tripureshwor. The justice and equality in a dance program coordinated by the Kritika Campaign. their tasks and back to the finish line - day began with a screening of “Women at the Nepal Academy hall premises, Are Heroes”, a documentary film by the Krishna Thing showcased a selection within the shortest duration wins.” French artist JR. The documentary revolves modern pieces and abstract drawings around women who sometimes walk side as a tribute to women while Yann An open participation for the event by side with death and often embrace life, Rollo on the other hand exhibited his addressed cars from any brand, overcoming their fears and tears. collection of photographs depicting and saw a turnout of more than 100 vehicles. With Ford as the title The screening was followed by a visual striking faces of women he met during his pilgrimage from Nepal to Bhutan. sponsor, winners were presented with art performance which was aligned with a Diamond Wrist Watch worth Rs.60, this empowering and important day. Bringing together women and 000 from Shree Ridhi Sidhi Jewellers Heartbeat, an organization working to illustrating their talents and stories, as the 1st prize followed by a Car empower youths through various socially March 8 at AFK was a true celebration Headrest LCD with DVD player worth interlinked activities, brought together of women. (Yukta Bajracharya) Rs.40, 000 from Kundan Auto Deco the art of four women and four men in and a Gift Voucher worth Rs.30, a celebration of colors on the canvas. 000 from VLCC as the third prize. Entitled 8 March, 8 Meters & 8 People, CORRIGENDUM Ladies, were given special credit since the 8-metre long canvas was painted The photograph accompanying the article “Soshu’s the Best Female driver received a with the shadows of women in front of a New World Rhizome”, in the March 2011 issue is Coral Necklace from Shree Ganesh developed, urban backdrop. not that of Indra Raj Subba, aka Soshu, but Sagar Manandhar. Also, in the article “Ritual Handicraft”, Nandini. The closing ceremony, for published in the February 2011 issue, the title of the the event, at the Factory, Thamel, was Various organizations related to women workshop is “Basic sculpture from human to divine”, such as Kritika Campaign, National not “Ritual handicraft”. We regret these errors, even louder with a lot of dancing and and any inconvenience they might have caused our Disabled Women Association (NDWA) readers or the Centre. music. (Nandita Rana)

26 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

The workshop provides the opportunity to participate in intensive writing workshops, embark on mini-excursions around Kathmandu, what’s on watch and discusses films and documentaries, gain exposure to different forms of media and interact with young “experts” who are making a things to do this month living off their passion and creativity. Applications Deadline: 22 April. Send in applications to [email protected] of Statue Making’ at 6 pm while Master Artist Participation fee: Rs. 2,000 (includes fees for and Deepak Joshi will talk on ‘Paubha painting all sessions and materials, transport during and Spirituality’ at 4 pm the next day. excursions, and light snacks during the day.) Free Entry Yoga Trek Opening date: 22 May (Sunday) Closing Date: 29 May (Sunday) FAIR/EXPO 4412508, [email protected], www. Festive Streets socialtours.com Date: May 14 (Saturday) Come join the trip that combines a holistic Time: 10 am to 10 pm traditional look at yoga practice in Nepal with Venue: North Gate, Lazimpat Sannyasi Yogatara (Lisa Gautschi), Director of Isha Institute. Lisa holds a Post Graduate Lazimpat Street is all set to ignite with a Diploma in Applied Yogic, has a Masters degree celebration of art, fashion and food for the second in Transpersonal Psychology with specialization time. The Lazimpat Street Festival is an event in creative expression. In addition to teaching where people of all ages are invited to just enjoy yoga, Lisa works as a yoga therapist, counselor, and have fun. Along with the fun, information stalls freelance writer, and leads yoga retreats and regarding the culture of Nepal will also be set up. spiritual journeys to Nepal, India and Tibet. And to keep the event secure, young volunteers from local clubs, organizations and institutions, The eight day trek starts 17 April from Dhunche and along with Garud Security and the Metropolitan follows through Sing Gompa, Gosainkunda, Ghopte, Police will be available at hand. Kutumsang, Chisopani ending at the eastern village of Sundarijal via the national park and back to Kathmandu. Free Entry Jewels of Newar Art Fee: Rs. 34,500 For the Real Women MISCELLANEOUS Forms Open: 18 April, Forms Close: 16 August Opening Date: 26 April (Tuesday) Summer Scrawls 4244929, [email protected], www. Closing Date: 15 May (Sunday) Starting Date: 1 May (Sunday) nepalesecouncil.com Time: 5:30 pm Ending Date: 15 May (Sunday) The Miss United Nation Nepal Pageant is a Venue: Sidhartha Art Gallery, Baber Mahal Timing (tentative): 10 am to 3 pm competition which aims to inspire and empower Revisited Venue: Sattya Media Arts Collective, Jawalakhel them by giving them an opportunity to showcase 4218048 For registration: www.sattya.org their inner beauty. The event is organized by 9841942595 Bodhitsattva Gallery in collaboration with Nepalese Council Pvt. Ltd. and is scheduled to take Siddhartha Art Gallery presents ‘Jewels Of As summer crawls in, scrawl in with summer! place on 8 November. The organizer calls all Nepali Newar Art’ – an exhibition to be inaugurated by Organized by Vent Magazine and Sattya Media women between the ages of 18-27 to participate in Dr. Dina Bangdel, Associate Professor of Asian Arts Collective, Summer Scrawls is a two-week this event, the winner of which will later take part Art at Virginia Commonwealth University, USA. long collaborative writing project (aimed at in an international pageant – Miss United Nation The exhibition will continue till 15 May. those who’ve just finished their SLC exams) International Pageant. For more information, contact Nepalese Council Pvt. Ltd, New Road. Bodhitsattva Gallery, now in its fourth which will culminate in a handmade literary generation in the business has been cultivating journal produced entirelyy relationships with famous artists and also by participants. Those promoting and encouraging new artists in order enthusiastic about writingng to keep the fine work and artistry alive. At 6 pm and sharing their creativee on 29 April, a talk program ‘In the Legacy: Arniko’ juices with a group of will be facilitated by Dr. Dina Bangdel. On 1 May, dynamic, young writers ccanan artist Udaya Charan Shrestha will be giving a join in an experimentationon speech on ‘The use of oil in Traditional Paubha that uses words and Painting’ at 6 pm. On 8 May, Bijay Ratna Shakya language as tools for selff will talk on ‘Ancient Lost Wax Process Method expression.

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and Urban Culture, an on-going project, had not such levels of professionalism. Geniuses in the city brought together artists from all walks A documentary regarding urbanization of life including musicians, performers, was also shown. Art installations by painters, urban planners, theatre artists Collective I, Paranoid Identity, Rest Room, and architects to, objectively, initiate an Urbanization and Urbanization Elapse open dialogue regarding the Kathmandu were also displayed energizing the already city. “They are going to express their vigorous crowd with their artful genius. relationship with the city and show us The project was launched by Interactive the effect of urbanization,” said Kushal Mapping and Archive Project (IMAP) which Regmi, one of the notable organizers. aims to digitize art, theatre and the culture Creating an exotic fusion of creativity, of Kathmandu valley. The organization has the evening was put afire with music, art so far succeeded in obtaining 160 profiles and theatre. “I came here as an observer of key institutions and preferred artists, and this contemporary art mixed with including descriptions of artists, institutions, traditional work is amazing; the fusion photographs, catalogues, reviews, video is great!” said Santa Hitang, an art interviews and other related materials. teacher at Rato Bangala School. Well- Fellowships were offered to scholars known bands like Maya and Albatross working in the fields of contemporary spellbound the audience with their theatre and art as well as traditional forms performances and theatre groups like such as Mithila, Paubha, and Punjya arts

ECS Media Sarwanam and Aarohan Gurukul, set and also to scholars studying architectural A coming together of artists from all the audience, that encompassed old and socio-cultural aspects of the genres made for an explosive show on and young, nodding with appreciation. city. Housed at the Social Science Baha, the evening of 23 March, at the Nepal Art Observing the hair-raising performance, the organization is supported by the Ford Council. Artists in the City- Urbanization Daxika Bhandari exclaimed that she Foundation. (Chhoksum W. P. Bista) Jewels of Newari Art What is Newar Art? “No other people “Jewels of Newari Art” aims to shed some on earth, Watson, has produced such much-needed light on Contemporary Newar intricate beauty in as small a space as Art and Newar artists. The exhibition will the Valley of Kathmandu. One trenchant take place from April 26 – May 15. The observer has described it best as a kind exhibition will feature a select collection from of coral reef, built up laboriously over Bodhisattva Gallery located at Baber Mahal the centuries by unrecorded artisans. As Revisited along with at the Siddhartha Art a human achievement, it ranks with the Gallery, with support from ECS Media. creations of Persia and Italy.” An exhibition of Newari Paubha art and This fictional exchange between Sherlock statues of the highest quality, the artwork Holmes and Dr Watson, from author is from the personal collection of Purna Ted Riccardi’s The Oriental Casebook of Man Shakya of the Bodhisattva Gallery. Sherlock Holmes, 2003 best describes Visitors will get a rare opportunity to view the predicament of these unrecorded artwork by artists ranging from renowned artisans who worked so laboriously over senior artists to young, highly talented the centuries. For these were the Newar artisans. The exhibition also makes for a artists of Nepal, the original inhabitants of great opportunity for interested people the Kathmandu Valley. Newari art and the to learn a great deal about Newar art, artist’s have received little acclaim and understand its importance and buy some

acknowledgement. ECS Media of the artwork.

30 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

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Celebrating the success of ECS Fr!day and Living

Photos by ECS Media

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LIVINGPLACE | PEOPLE | ON THE SPOTIN | FOOD | CULTURE |NEPAL LIFESTYLE | PAGETURNER

PLACE The Allure of the Hills Fikkal, with its tea estates, brilliant greenery and tranquility is one of the most visited destinations of eastern Nepal, liked by national as well as international tourists alike. By ANUBHUTI PAUDYAL ECS Media

hen it comes to nature, located too, some 700 kilometers away those from the Tarai. While Nepali and Nepal is the answer. For from Kathmandu by road, making for Indian tourists prefer the Pashupatinagar years now, Nepal has a scenic 18-hour drive. There are bus exit, other tourists prefer Kakkarbhitta, been the destination for services available from Kathmandu and Jhapa, which is not very far from Fikkal Wnature lovers. The exotic locations, fl ights from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur either. In addition to the beautiful land- breath-taking views of the mountains, or Biratnagar from where one can take a scape, it falls near Mechi highway, which lakes large enough to resemble the sea, pleasant bus ride on winding roads that makes it an integral part of business in majestic mountains, gorges, glaciers lead to Fikkal and Ilam past it. The pic- eastern Nepal. and lush green hills have come to rep- turesque beauty of the place is something The best part about Nepal is its cul- resent Nepal today. Though there are that can only be experienced. The whole tural and geographical diversity. Fikkal many locations that are a treat to the of Illam district is home to tea estates. is a perfect example of the combination human senses, there are a few that one What makes Fikkal special however, is its of the two. For those who have had will immediately recall when thinking convenient location, unique culture and enough of the hustle and bustle of city of Nepal. One such place is located in the endless beauty of its tea gardens. One life, it could be just the destination for the far eastern hills of Nepal in Illam can also partake in recreational activities a rejuvenating time. One of the major District – Fikkal. such as picnics, sightseeing and short reasons behind Nepal being an ultimate Regarded as one of the most scenic treks. The gentle slopes and fresh air tourist destination is its ability to offer places in eastern Nepal, Fikkal is located ensure that you enjoy the tranquil beauty amazing experiences to everyone. Be it close to the Indo-Nepal border and is of the place. wildlife or culture, everyone has some- home to large tea estates, some of them Fikkal is linked with India via Pash- thing to see or experience. Nepal is the a hundred years old. Sloped tea gardens upatinagar on the Indo-Nepal border right destination for unique natural and stretch as far as one’s eyes can see. Fikkal and is regarded as the exit gateway to historical heritage as well. For those who is populated with Mongolian faces mostly India from Nepal’s eastern border. It is want to sit down and enjoy nature for and their unique culture makes for some also a business hub where goods from its freshness, greenery, scenic beauty and amazing food. It is rather conveniently the mountainous regions of Nepal meet tranquility - Fikkal beckons. ■

34 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

LIVING IN NEPAL PEOPLE Art Vs Time Lok Chitrakar is one of the country’s foremost Paubha painters, a respected name amongst the thinning number of artists working to preserve this ancient art form. By UTSAV SHAKYA

other artist. Patience is an essential virtue for a paubha artist though; the art form seems to have little regard for time as we measure it. Artists work long hours and completing an elaborate paubha could rob years of an artist’s life. In his calm voice, as he has likely ex- plained the same to many of his appren- tices and students, he tries and defi nes the paubha yet again. “The word paubha is derived from two Sanskrit words – Pattra or fl at and Bhattaraka or deity. So literally speaking, it is a depiction of the divine in a fl at form.” Artistically though, it may be understood as an expression of ancient texts in the form of a painting. “It is imperative that a paubha painter know the canons that guide the art form. A painting that depicts a similar scene without following these canons is not considered a paubha,” adds Chitrakar. Obtaining this knowledge takes plenty of time and the rewards are not necessarily in the form of fi nancial gain; reason perhaps for a decline in more people taking it up. Chitrakar however, is one of those who have dedicated his life to it. Grow- ing up, he was surrounded by art; the Chitrakars are a caste of Nepali people who have customarily painted for a liv- ing. However, he admits being oblivious to the meaning of these paintings until later on in life when after the demise of his father, he took it up more seri- ously. From then until now, it has been a fulfi lling journey for Chitrakar who counts his solo exhibition of paubha paintings in Japan as a benchmark in a long, illustrious career.

ECS Media His success he says is relative. In his words, the state of art in a country is an ituated in a quiet, residential As an icebreaker, Chitrakar shifts some indicator of the country’s progress. Even lane, a stone’s throw away from things in his studio and turns around a though a change in people’s perspective Patan Dhoka, the modest two- huge six-foot canvas to display what he is about traditional art seems to be under- storey that houses Simrik Ate- currently working on – an awe-inspiring going a revolution, Chitrakar does not lier,S a school for Newar art has an air paubha of Buddhist deity Chintamani recommend people looking for fi nancial of seclusion and purity about it. This Lokesvara. Trying to explain an art form stability to take up paubha painting. “It is is Paubha painter Lok Chitrakar’s abode one has been a disciple of for 37 long useless to tally the time and effort spent and the simple, functional space refl ects years – Chitrakar started painting at the on a painting with the price we get. Time the artist’s personality beautifully. age of 12 – would perhaps have irked any just does not fi gure in the equation.” ■

36 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

LIVING IN NEPAL ON THE SPOT The Power of One Without any formal training in architecture, Jitendra Shrestha, a self-taught art appreciator, is designing and building his way towards what he hopes will be a more cultured, social environment. Utsav Shakya catches up with the jovial personality.

EOPLE CALL YOU A CULTURE EXPERT. I am most excited WHAT EXACTLY IS IT THAT YOU DO? about opening a TheP concept of culture has microbrewery in evolved so much in urban Nepal that it is hard if not Chyasal in Patan. impossible to defi ne its pres- ent status. We follow a centu- The building will ries-old model of culture and be designed in traditions that are not com- patible with modern times. traditional style and We pay no heed to this and continue to center our lives will consist of a venue on age-old traditions blindly. for social gatherings For instance, an institution like the Newar guthi that and apartments could have such an important and central role in present to rent out to like- day Nepal has chosen to minded people. stand back, trapped in a time capsule. It still preaches can- ons of a lifestyle that defi ne Newars as superior to others up my neighborhood. This did not and encourages the Newar start out as a social initiative but as community to stay away from a selfi sh need. Similarly, I started people of other castes. This to build a house for myself and is not our culture. I do appre- incorporated things that I liked. ciate our heritage of art and People liked it and this is what got ECS Media culture and think it is up to me managing similar projects. the common Nepali man to preserve it. and rundown bhattis? These are things This is all that I claim to be doing. we should take pride in and not hide; I WHAT PROJECTS DO YOU HAVE don’t agree with this attitude. This has LINED UP? WHAT DON’T YOU AGREE WITH to change. I am most excited about opening a ABOUT OUR CULTURE TODAY? microbrewery in Chyasal in Patan. The way I see it, our culture has been HOW DID YOU GET STARTED WITH The building will be designed in stuck where it was 400 years back. Take RENOVATING HOMES? traditional style and will consist the typical Nepali kitchen as an example; I don’t have any formal training in archi- of a venue for social gatherings an area that should be the most social tecture. It is sad that the architects we and apartments to rent out to like- area in the house reduced to a place do have often lack an appreciation of art minded people. I want to promote where food is prepared. We hide it from and confi ne their interest to the basics. Newar aela as a worthy alternative our guests and we seldom share recipes. My interest in architecture was born out to foreign liquor and make the bar, a Take our fi ne homemade liquor – aela. of my need to live the way I wanted to. more social area and not just a place Why has a drink that the Nepalese had I was not going to run away from here where people get drunk. I am also the knowledge to prepare such a drink just because things were bad in Nepal. working on a house which is going such a long time ago, been reduced to I want a clean environment so I started to incorporate a lot of reclaimed being served only in Newar functions the Friends of Heritage project to clean wood in its design. ■

38 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

LIVING IN NEPAL FOOD

A Delectable Treat A unique dish prepared in very few Nepali households, Kinema is uncommon and unknown amongst people of most communities. Sapid insights into the country’s ethnic food culture help you better understand the Nepali way of life. Text & Photo By LIZBETH LUCKSOM

eeks before my planned Apart from its greyish color, its sticky ing it in a pressure cooker until soft the trip to Nepal, I decided texture is its main characteristic. The following day. Packed in banana leaves to take a short tour of word kinema, might sound foreign and wrapped in additional layers of our local market or Haat to us but it is apparently derived from thick cloth to insulate it, the container is bazaarW in Kalimpong, a small town in the local Limbu dialect. Kinambaa, where then stored in a warm room for several district of Darjeeling. Every Wednesday ki means ‘fermented’ and namba means days. Once the soybean forms a sticky and Saturday, fresh homegrown fruits ‘fl avour’. Before the unifi cation of Nepal texture with a typical ammoniacal odour, and vegetables arrive from surrounding in the 17th century, the Limbu people the kinema is ready to be prepared as a villages. Mesmerized by the hustle and belonged to the independent kingdom dish. Different communities follow dif- bustle of the villagers, I watched them of Limbhuwan, present-day district ferent methods as far as its preparation bring in their colourful produce and the of Therathum, Taplejung, Panchthar, is concerned and some communities town folk as they made quick purchases Dhankuta and Ilam, during which they might even have a different name for while scrutinizing the quality. Amidst started the production and consump- it. Nevertheless, it has the same unique this somewhat psychedelic sight, I tion of this fermented food in Nepal. fl avour. caught a glimpse of small, neatly packed, However, no historical documents are Trying this dish is a must if you hap- green colored bundles, tied loosely by available that support its actual origin. pen to travel to the eastern districts of a piece of straw. I quickly assumed it Over a period of time and mainly due Nepal someday or for that matter the was ‘kinema’ wrapped in a banana leaf to various geographical factors, making Darjeeling Hills, Sikkim or even the because that is how it is commonly sold. and eating kinema spread to Rai, Man- North-eastern region of India. Try and I am not aware of any kinema process- ger, Gurung, and Tamang communities, visit a local family and share this special ing factory or unit but for all I know not to forget ethnic communities like the dish which goes very well with a bowl it is a much sought after local delicacy Lepcha and Bhutia community. of hot steamed rice, with a salad mix and a means of income for many rural I was overjoyed to witness my cousins to balance the diet. I would personally households. actually preparing kinema, a while ago recommend the infamous dallay khorsaani Now for those of you who are still here in Nepal. They do not buy kinema (hot red round chilly) found in the Dar- wondering what it actually is, Kinema is in the market like most of us but prepare jeeling hills & Sikkim along with kinema a unique fl avoursome delicacy prepared it at home by soaking the dark brown to have that wholesome experience by fermenting the whole soybean. coated seeds of soybean overnight, boil- while you are at it. ■

40 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

LIVING IN NEPAL CULTURE

The Future of History Eight artists come together to try and understand the future of art . By:PRATIK RIMAL ECS Media

ight artists attempted to analyze ably diverted to a point where culture painting -Roots of Coincidence, which and interpret a state of mind and modernity do not meet,” said Saroj depicts a red dressing table with many shaped by harmonization of Bajracharya, Project Coordinator. linked and disparate paths. Pointing to the Rato Matsyendranath Jatra his painting, he explains that in order Ewith modern times in a collaborative art CAN MODERNITY AND HISTORY to achieve simplicity, “We only need project entitled, “Future of History,” at MEET? to look at the object, the red dressing Park Gallery in Pulchowk. One of the themes that the artists ex- table. Once the object is clear, we need Through the 50 paintings, they at- plored in the exhibition was whether to fi nd the simplest route that leads to tempted to search the point of integra- modernity and history could meet. the object.” tion between ancient culture and mod- Unlike common beliefs, modern life ern lifestyle. Ambar Gurung, chief guest and ancient culture are not disparate, CHANGING FORMS, ONE BELIEF at the inauguration program on March Bajracharya argues. “They have their Rato Matsyendranath’s chariot is created 13, lauded the artists for their attempt. roots in culture itself. It is only degrees every year to commence the festival and “Culture distinguishes us from other of variation that causes distortion and is dismantled later to indicate its comple- living beings, and we cannot live without transformation,” adds Bajracharya who tion. It is because of this that we do not it. It is something we must respect and painted the Roots of Coincidence piece. have a single idol of Matsyendranath. recognize,” Gurung said in his short Since the roots are the same, Malla be- Despite this, “The belief towards the inaugural speech. lieves that these two can meet - solely deity remains as powerful a force,” adds with culture as the circumstance. Malla. This feeling has been expressed WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF HISTORY? well in Sheelasha Rajbhandari’s painting, Mukesh Malla, Research Coordinator SIMPLICITY IN MODERNITY “24 Changing Skins and One Evolving of the team fears that the future of our Although technological advancements Soul”. In it, Rajbhandari has created 24 history would be doomed if today’s so- have helped ease our lives, it has also different images of the deity as seen by ciety fails to continue age-old customs added more chaos to it. Harmonization 24 different perspectives. and traditions. He says that the present and simplicity can be achieved The exhibition that supported by Park is due to the past, and the future-in turn nonetheless says Bajracharya adding, “In Gallery concluded on March 26. The team will be a result of our present. “We all order to reach simplicity, we fi rst need comprised of painters Mukesh Malla, Go- have our roots, and they defi ne what we to see the object of focus—simplify pal Kalapremi Shrestha, Saroj Bajracharya, do and don’t. It therefore is important and understand it. Only then, can we Manish Lal Shrestha, Hitman Gurung, to preserve our history,” Malla said. If work to reach the state of simplicity.” Sundar Lama, Sheelasha Rajbhandari and Malla’s words hold true, “We’re prob- He conveys the same feeling in his theatre artist Ashesh Malla. ■

42 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np 10 am to 6 pm RAMALAYA Closed Saturday

1114, PANIPOKHARI HILL LAZIMPAT, KATHMANDU Furniture, Decor Accessories, Tableware, Candles, Gifts, 4006590 | 4006589 [email protected] Bridal Wish List & Styling Services www.rde.com.np LIVING IN NEPAL LIFESTYLE Mohkee A simple head accessory worn while performing certain rituals proves yet again, how the simplest detail of Nepali life is full of meaning. By UTSAV SHAKYA

here is a lot about Nepali search on the topic and the subsequently her lifetime. The second marriage is to culture and its various rites poor state of its preservation. Naturally, the sun god or Surya. Only the third and rituals that those foreign people would be unaware of the mean- is to an actual human! The tradition to the land and its customs ings of the little things they do during ensures that the girl is never widowed. mightT deem as strange and impractical. various festivals. However, if one were Janku is another tradition where upon They will not be completely wrong in to get slightly more inquisitive and ask reaching the age of 77 years, seven thinking this. While the practicality of around about such traditions, pockets of months and seven weeks, an elderly these traditions is a subjective matter, people who know about this still exist, person gets the status of a living god or many of the rituals are a bit strange. shedding light on these charming little goddess. The second janku takes place Many times, people might not even everyday mysteries. when the person reaches 88 years, eight know the signifi cance of the rituals they Bel Bibaha is the custom of marrying months and eight weeks of age. are performing. Many people grow up a young girl to a bel fruit. Although it is The Mohkee is a traditional Newari watching their traditions in practice and largely symbolic, with the fruit repre- ornament - if you consider a painting it becomes such a part of their daily lives senting an immortal husband, it is an on paper one, worn by young girls or that it is as exotic to them as washing important rite of passage for a young elderly women during bel bibaha or one’s face in the morning. Hindu girl. The bel bibaha is in fact janku. An accessory to be worn on This has happened to some parts of one of three types of marriages which the head, its front side is arranged Nepali culture due to an absence of re- a Hindu girl will probably experience in on a girl’s forehead so that the most prominent motifs on it, the Ashtaman- gala are clearly visible. Ashtamangala comes from two Sanskrit words – ashta meaning eight and mangala meaning Bel Bibaha auspicious. Together they represent is the custom eight auspicious Buddhist symbols. These symbols are revered and held of marrying with great respect by its followers, with meanings that have signifi cance a young girl to every Buddhist. These symbols to a bel fruit. are - the Endless Knot, the Golden Fish, the Lotus, the Om Mani Padme Although Hum, the Parasol, the Swastika, the Triratna and the Varada Mudra. The it is largely symbols are especially important in symbolic, countries that practice the Theravada sect of Buddhism such as Sri Lanka with the fruit and Thailand. Over time, the different cultures of the various areas it spread representing to added to the symbolism continually an immortal and made it richer. The symbols represent eight of the husband, it is teachings of the Buddha. This makes it quite clear, as to why this design is an important on the mohkee in the fi rst place. In rite of passage marriage and when being designated a living goddess, these teachings of for a young the Buddha are to act as guidelines. ECS Media Another mystery solved, in the series Hindu girl. of such that makes up Nepali life. ■

44 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

LIVING IN NEPAL PAGETURNER

A Village Called Self-Awareness Life and Times in Spiti Valley By Benti Banach Reviewed by NEALE BATES

hen the author of A Vil- certainly determine how he would be his students, and about what he learned lage Called Self-Awareness perceived and accepted (or not) by his about them and their community and taught school at the Spiti young charges. He had come to Spiti to himself in the process. A lot, it turns out. Children’s Home School teach English and explore the practice There are also several pages of photos, Munsel-Ling,W in the north Indian Hima- and meaning of Tibetan Buddhism, in many showing of his friendly students, layas a few years ago, he kept detailed an exotic place that he has described smiling and being silly or somber and notes on his experience. Notes about simply as a “curve in the Himalayas.” being serious at their prayers at the start all aspects of teaching English to the And the fi rst thing the students want to of each school day. Tibetan Buddhist children of the dis- know is what sport is ‘best’? Of course Spiti Valley comes over in this book trict of Spiti. Notes about daily life in he liked sports, but what did he know as a fascinating yet diffi cult place for his host village of Rangrik. Notes on about cricket? And what did cricket have a European seeker after the Dharma his attraction to the Dharma - Tibetan to do with classrooms full of wide-eyed to live and teach. It is a long way from Buddhism. Notes on the town drunks, boys and girls learning English? anywhere else, he fi nds out. “The name public health, pedagogical philosophy, It turns out that this Dutch school- Spiti,” he writes, “is often explained as monastery monks and former monks, teacher, adrift as a stranger in the high Hi- ‘land of the middle’, a country between fellow teachers, and the personalities malayas, didn’t know much about cricket, India and Tibet, or the country between and prospects of his many students, even less about The Netherlands’ national the two mediaeval Tibetan kingdoms of many of whom shared the same name. cricket team. But his students did, and the Ladakh and Guge, in West-Tibet.” In the “Seventeen of my hundred and eleven which-sport-is-best theme occurs several end, however, he concludes that it is dif- pupils are called Tenzin. How am I times through the book. It is a motif fi cult to know precisely what that means: supposed to tell the difference between against which he paints a remarkably rich “Tibetan scholars accept the name as be- them?” he asks. Notes on the arrival and and poignant picture of life in Spiti, day ing innate and impossible to deduce.” In departure of myriad visitors, and about by day, season by season, crisis to crisis, some ways (like the sports question) the his stone cold room on winter mornings, festival to festival, game by game. It is a meaning of life in Spiti and of Banach’s and the food he ate, and the virtues of book as much about discovering the ups own richly detailed experiences there are meditation. Notes on weddings, murder and downs of life in a remarkable little equally diffi cult to deduce. However, he and death rituals, on runny-noses and on community near the roof of the world as has written a great story about how he dirty faces, and on that aspect of life so it is about discovering oneself. In the end, lived it, day by day. important to virtually all schoolboys in he concludes: “If I have fallen short in Benti Banach’s A Village Called Self- South Asia: sports. improving their English, I perhaps have Awareness is a remarkable memoir. One of the fi rst questions his stu- had a small infl uence on their preference dents asked him on Day One was “Do of sports.” Vajra Publications (Vajra Bookstore), Jyatha/ you like cricket, sir?” Benti Banach was The book has 20 chapters covering Thamel, Kathmandu; 256pp., illustrated; NRs.800. The reviewer is an occasional contribu- at a disadvantage. It was obvious that a great deal about life in Spiti, with wit tor to ECS NEPAL magazine. He can be contacted how he answered the question would and insight. It is all about what he taught at [email protected]

46 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

ART SINCE THE TIME OF ARNIKO

From the early days of Arniko to the present art scene, it has been a long and colorful journey for Nepali art and artists; the artists being as colorful and moody as the art they create. By AMAR B SHRESTHA

n 1260, the great Mongolian Emperor Kublai Khan decreed to Lama Phags-pa, his spiritual teacher, to build a golden stupa in Lhasa in honor of a previous teacher, Chos-rje pa Sakya. Phags-pa, in turn, requested King Jaya Bhim Dev Malla of Nepal to send a skilled architect to supervise the work. Arniko, then just 16 years old led a group of 80 artisans and carried out his work so well that the Emperor asked Phags-pa to summon the young architect. Kublai Khan wanting to test him further, Iasked Arniko to repair a copper statue of a Sung emperor that was had been considered ‘beyond repair’. When fi nished, the statue looked so perfect that even the most skilled of the court artists were impressed. Arniko went on to build many other masterpieces in China, among which, the most renowned is the White Pagoda of Miaoying Temple in Beijing. Built in eight years (1271-79), the stupa, better known as White Dagoba, was later declared a historical treasure. According to historians, Arniko’s other notable works included nine Buddhist monasteries, two Confucian shrines and one Taoist palace as well as the Archway of Yungtang - the design of which exactly adopts a Nepalese style.

48 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np ECS Media

A larger than life sculpture of Arniko in artist Manuj Babu Mishra’s garden.

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 49 MICHELANGELO OR LEONARDO DA the premise that Arniko is the greatest of date back only to the 17th century. A VINCI? all Nepalese architects and artists, dead or stone image of Yaksha Bodhisattva found Besides architecture, Arniko was equally alive. He was responsible for spreading at Hadigaon, (now in the National Mu- adept at painting and sculpture. His por- Nepalese art and architecture not only to seum) dates back to the fi rst century. traits of a series of Chinese emperors China (including Tibet) and Mongolia but Most ancient Nepalese sculptures were admired by everyone. Pleased with also to places like Indonesia. The “World were created by artists from the Newar Arniko’s work, the Emperor conferred Expo Park of Shanghai” at Expo 2010 community of Kathmandu Valley. Their on him the title of Liang Guo Gong Shanghai had a “Nepal Arniko Center” in style infl uenced Chinese (and Tibetan) art (Duke) and made him a minister in his the Highlight 1 section of the Nepal Pa- too and Nepali artists were often invited court. He was also rewarded with 15000 vilion. one of the more popular sections to work on decorating their shrines. acres of farm land near Beijing, 1000 at the expo, it was visited by hundreds of As far as wooden sculptures are con- serfs, and 100 heads of cattle. Arniko is thousands of visitors. cerned, they were mostly architectural works among the very few foreigners, whose (windows, door surrounds, struts, toranas, biography is included in imperial China’s ART BEFORE ARNIKO etc). According to experts, although the history books. Arniko died in 1306 in While Arniko gave international expo- Nepalese style borrowed heavily from the China at the age of sixty-two. sure to Nepalese art, it is also true that art of Gupta and later, of Pala - both Indian, Arniko’s real name was Balabahu. The art, especially stone carving, was already Nepalese artists later developed a distinctive Chinese called him Arniko (ara: woman; fl ourishing in the country long before style of their own – deities with languid eyes niko: face like), because he had delicate him. According to the late Lain Singh and wider faces than that of Indian models, feminine features. Another meaning could Bangdel, the history of Nepalese stone stylized curves and beautiful proportions. be Aa Ni Ka: or respectable brother from sculpture goes back at least 2000 years Traditional Nepalese art (and architecture) Nepal. Going by history, few will dispute whereas works in wood and terra cotta remained more or less the same over the

Arniko’s real name was Balabahu. The Chinese called him Arniko, because he had delicate feminine features.

Artist Durga Baral ECS Media

50 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np centuries. It particularly fl ourished during evant at this point. “But the irony of history Tej Bahadur Chitrakar, Chandra Man the reign of the Malla dynasty (1200-1769) is such that when there was relative calm in 1957 Maskey and Lain Singh Bangdel are in Kathmandu Valley when successive rul- and King Mahendra instituted the Royal Nepal some names that have to be mentioned ers outdid each other in creating wonderful Academy as the upholder and custodian of Art, when talking about Nepal’s later art works of art and architecture. In due time, Culture and Literature of the country, someone history, as have to be names like Uttam contemporary art too began to makes its who had never stepped inside the country earlier Nepali, Batsa Gopal Vaidya, Krishna mark in Nepal, heralding the arrival of a long was chosen to ‘represent art’ of Nepal. For sure, Manandhar, Indra Pradhan, Vijay Thapa, list of modern artists on the scene. Lain Singh Bangdel – the new member - was Thakur Prasad Mainali, Durga Baral and born, brought up, and was working in a place Rama Nanda Joshi. The last mentioned, THE PIONEERS other than Nepal. All the local rightful claimants besides being an excellent water colorist, Perhaps an excerpt from the book, ‘Tej (aspirants) for the post then, who had struggled also established Park Gallery, Nepal’s Bahadur Chitrakar – Icon of a Transition’ so long and so hard to lay the very genesis of the fi rst modern art gallery. (2004) by Madan Chitrakar, would be rel- Western style of painting in Nepal and were responsible for the achievements so far, including Tej THE PRESENT SCENARIO Bahadur Chitrakar, were ignominiously ignored. At present, art has become somewhat of Only King Mahendra knew the reasons. And a run of the mill affair, especially in Kath- above all, without prejudice it should be read in mandu, with art events being the order of the context that in 1924 when Lain Singh was the day or, to put it another way, a trend. Art still a toddler, Tej Bahadur and Chandra Man schools are producing artists by the dozen MaskeyM were painting portraits from life in the every second year and old timers are hav- Government School of Arts, Calcutta – the same ing a diffi cult time keeping pace with new institution Bangdel himself got enrolled into some and more youthful energy. The majority twenty years later.” of artists practice the art of painting with

ECS Media

Artist Manuj Babu Mishra

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 51 few devoting themselves to installations and the quintessential eccentric. He has now lived painting horses, I am now painting other sculpture. In fact, sculpture is more of a pre- indoors for almost 10 years in his abode called subjects”. This was a surprise as Shashi rogative of artisans who toil day in and day the ‘Hermitage’. “I go to sleep between 6:30 to Shah’s name has always been related to out in the narrow lanes of cities like Patan 7:00 pm. I wake up at 2:00 am,” he discloses. paintings of horses; not just ordinary ones, to produce stone and metal icons of various What does he do at that hour? “I sketch, paint, but large, muscular and magnifi cently un- deities for use in temples and monasteries. write!” he says. His sketches are mesmerizing. bridled animals. Perhaps it was the artist’s In villages like Bungamati also, woodcarvers They are clearly the works of a master. He uses way of expressing his own free spirit. The chip away determinedly to create decorative sharpened bamboo tips dipped in ink to draw 71-year-old artist is presently the head of wooden items like toranas and peacock his sketches. As for his paintings, they are row- Srijana College of Fine Arts in Lazimpat. windows. But an attempt to understand the dily extravagant in nature. “The basic concept He says, “Even in a country like Nepal Nepalese art world as it exists today through of my work regardless of the media I use is the with its innumerous diffi culties I have man- brief sketches of a selection of artists and result of and a reaction to, the churnings of aged to achieve a lot as an artist.” Much their works makes for interesting exercise. my mind”, he declares. Many, if not all of his of the artist’s life has been devoted to the By no means complete, the list is representa- works have wide (and wild) eyed - some very depiction of horses. He admits, “Horses tive of the country’s contemporary art world much devilish - faces of the artist himself. He dominate my paintings. A white horse is as it stands today. says, “Art for me is inner expression to vacate the symbol of Vishnu, others are also sym- the load on the mind.” bolic - some are evil, horrifying, manic and THE HERMIT devastating while others are good. I hope Manuj Babu Mishra, 75, is an artist and littera- HORSE WHISPERER they all seduce the viewers’ imagination.” teur who is held in the highest esteem nation- In an interview a couple of years back, He opines, “Everybody has a different ally and internationally. However, he is also he had disclosed, “After 15-20 years of style and a painting must immediately be

Artist Shahi Shah ECS Media

52 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np recognized as a particular artist’s. This is success in itself.” THE GOLDEN AGE OF MASTERFUL STROKES NEPALI ART AND ARCHITECTUREL His works are easily distinguishable; the distinction primarily due to the endowment After the fall of the Licchavis (300 – 1200 economic reforms. In general, Malla rulers AD) came the Malla period (1200-1769 AD) transformed their capitals into what might of concise broad strokes throughout his during which the foundation of the city of be called open-air museums of arts and paintings. “Shades of cubism, yes, that is Kantipur (latter day Kathmandu) was laid. architecture. Almost all the fine examples what some people have noticed in my works,” The early Malla rule started with Ari Malla of art and architecture, the graceful admits Shyam Lal Shrestha. Initially a water- in the 12th century and over the next two pagodas in the shape of temples, palaces, colorist, he later went on to explore more cre- centuries grew into a large empire before and houses; the prevailing customs of the disintegrating into small principalities. various castes and the many festivals cycling ative possibilities. The 65-year-old artist takes Jayasthiti Malla, with whom the later Malla round the year are the products of Malla pride in that he got to learn under the tutelage period commences, reigned towards the end period. They are still a living phenomenon of the late Lain Singh Bangdel and especially of the 14th century. Although his rule was and influence the life of the people with the happy with what the former Chancellor of rather short, his place among the rulers in same impulse as it used to do more than the Royal Nepal Academy had to say about the valley is eminent for numerous social and four hundred years ago. one of his exhibitions, ‘Expression’ (2000), Excerpted from: www.infonepal.com.np/mallas.htm “…Once a powerful and successful water color artist…he exhibited his water colors with a mastery of fl ow, strokes, technique and charm…he has changed his style since and has now developed more on his semi abstract figurative works.” His canvases, though oriented towards the abstract, are still to a layman, comparatively easy to fathom but he does admit, “I have still some way to travel before I can claim to be profi cient in abstract art”.

SOULFULLY YOURS Shashikala Tiwari, 61, doyenne of Nepal’s art world, is as unpretentious as they come, and as down to earth. ‘Merging With Nature’, completed in 1988, is one of her personal favorites. It shows a lovingly proportioned woman, clad in a white - out in the open being buffeted by the powerful gusts of a strong wind. It is a painting that is soulfully sensu- ous in content. Her atelier in Bishal Nagar, Kathmandu, is located within surroundings brimming with greenery. This environment no doubt must have played a part in inspiring her to paint a whole series of canvases titled ‘Fallen Leaves’, ‘Flowers’, ‘Harvest Leaves’ and ‘Monsoon’. In 2002, her ‘Sunnya Man Ka Stabdha Aankha Haru’ - a tribute to the late King Birendra and his family - had a col- lection of lovingly done depictions about the royal tragedy. Her poetic talent was evident in the lyrical eulogy penned on the brochure which led to Sangeeta Thapa, Curator of Artist Lok Chitrakar ECS Media

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 53 Artist from left to right: Bijay Thapa, Asha Dangol, Shyam Lal Shrestha, Shanta Kumar Rai, Erina Tamrakar, Uttam Nepali, Kiran Manandhar, Sashi Kala Tiwari, Bhai Raja Maharjan, Binod Pradhan, Krishna Manandhar, Narendra Shrestha And Manish Lal Shrestha

ECS Media

Siddhartha Art Gallery, stating, “…she is when I become exhausted.” Kiran has THE PERFECTIONIST also an accomplished poetess. It is precisely spent considerable time in France where “All paubha paintings are religious in nature this synthesis of literature and art that gives he is a Fellow of Cite’ International des but not necessarily based only on Bud- Shashikala’s paintings a distinct lyrical style”. Arts, Paris, France, and a member of the dhism,” says Lok Chitrakar. However, if Association des Arts Plastiques, Draveil, one were to look around his studio, Simrik THE EXPERIMENTAL France. About his style, a critic has ob- Atelier in Lalitpur, one would see mostly EXPRESSIONIST served, “Kiran paints very fast. He starts Buddhism inspired paubha paintings. Arguably, Kiran Manandhar, 54, is the with the abstract forms but later discovers Because of the time consuming nature of most popular contemporary artist in the in them, the faces, fi gures, animals and his craft, it is understandable that the artist country today. Currently he is the Chan- birds through the swift strokes of the manages to fi nish but four or fi ve paubhas cellor (the fi rst one in fact) of the recently brush. He scatters or fl ings colours on to a year. Explaining his art, Chitrakar says, established Nepal Fine Art Academy. He the canvas in order to explore the physical “Paubha actually comes from two words, is a modern artist, an ‘expressionist’, and qualities of colour”. He prefers not to mix ‘Pau’ and ‘Bha’ derived from the Newari a vigorous one at that. He declares, “I colours on the palette, believing that this term Patra Bhattarak, which means, ‘depic- go mad when I am working. I paint with will dilute the strength of colours. Expect- tion of god in fl at form’”. He adds, “One brushes, hands and feet. When I am work- edly, his favorite colors are passionate has to be very disciplined to success in this ing, nothing else exists for me. I stop only reds, strong blues and bold blacks. fi eld. Concentration is essential otherwise

54 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np Concentration is essential otherwise one cannot achieve the high levels of perfection required in paubha art.

one cannot achieve the high levels of perfection required in paubha art”. This EVOLUTION OF CONTEMPORARY discipline and concentration, combined with his immense talent, has made Lok ART IN NEPAL Chitrakar into one of the fi nest of paubha Nepalese art is usually associated with family portraits, scenes of royal hunts and artists in the country. thangkas (paubhas) and religious bronze landscape in the “European Court Style” for and silver sculptures. Nepal is also famous their anglophile Rana patrons. Bhajuman RACING AGAINST TIME for her architecture and temple squares and Chitrakar was the first Chitrakar to paint in an unrivaled tradition in metalwork and the European style. During the Rana regime, Son of the legendary artist Tej Baha- woodcarvings. In order to understand how only a few artists (Chandra Man Maskey, Tej dur Chitrakar, Madan Chitrakar is very contemporary art evolved in Nepal, one has Bahadur Chitrakar and later Kesab Duwadi) much at the centre of today’s Nepalese to look into Nepali history. Many experts have went to India for formal artistic training. Several art world. As an art writer, he is one of concluded that the move towards contemporary self-taught artists like Manohar Man Poon, Bal the few giving impetus to Nepalese art art began with the Rana Prime Minister, Krishna Sama and Amar Chitrakar painted in Jung Bahadur’s visit to England in the early the western style for their patrons. In the early through the medium of words that are nineteenth century. A small group of traditional 1950s, Lain Singh Bangdel became the first knowledgeable and discerning. In 1999, Chitrakar artists (temple artists) were selected Nepali ever to receive formal artistic training at on the verge of reaching the golden me- and specifically commissioned to paint royal the Ecole National des Beaux Artist in Paris. dian in his life, and after having worked Excerpted from: www.siddharthaartgallery.com

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 55 in a cushy job for almost 20 years, he “An artist may be very accomplished, quit. He says this is because, “Realization but it is creativity which uplifts art to a struck me that I was nearing 50 and that I had precious little productive time in transcendent level.” which to attain my goals in the fi elds of painting and art literature, both of which I regard as my fi rst calling.” He refers to this point in his life as his ‘second coming’ and aptly, his style too underwent a metamor- phosis. Where, once he expressed his pain at society’s ignorance in not recognizing the great legacy of Kathmandu’s heritage by exhibiting works like ‘The Vanishing Heritage’, his later works are more light- hearted and celebratory in nature.

THE SHAHS OF CONTEMPORARY ART ‘Shanti Yagya’ at the Siddhartha Art Gallery held in April 2006, was one of the most successful exhibitions held there. This was when the then 41-year-old Umashankar Shah revealed his proclivity for newer styles rather than only those credited to him so far. His better half Seema is an accomplished artist in her own right, and her successes have been no less. Her ‘Explorations of The Magical Realm’ exhibition in 2003 was hugely successful. She now has a reputation as one of the fi nest printmakers in Nepal. It must be noted that transitions are never easy. As Seema says, “Initially, I used to paint only trees and jungles. Even when I wanted to change my theme, the shapes of my fa- vorite subjects would somehow creep into the picture.” Her husband agrees, “I have been fortunate to have a smooth transition.” Gigantic prayer wheels, portrayed with re- markable realism and a glowing translucence are indeed very different from the neatly crowded night cityscapes that Umashankar is famous for.

LET’S PLAY WITH CLAY “Come on, why don’t you try out your hand here? Let’s play with clay,” is what Gopal Kalapremi Shrestha said to me once during a visit his Gokem Art Ceramic Studio in Maharajgunj. He says he sculpted his fi rst statue when he was just eight years old. At age 17, he decided to turn professional. “I also paint and work with stone,” he says. ECS Media

56 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np “But you can call me a clay specialist.” His level.” Her own works (many of which are he calls ‘Artivity’, some examples of which love and enthusiasm for the art is evident installations) strive to reach such heights. were fi rst on display during the international from his statement, “Clay is life. Clay can ‘Women and Sensuality’ in 1998, meant to workshops and exhibition held in 2006 by be moulded as per the artist’s desire.” The “express the feminine perspective towards Sutra Art Centre in Patan Durbar Square. He sculptor has been awarded many prizes in women’s sexuality’, had some oils that cre- had then used common vendor pushcarts as his long and creative journey including the ated quite a stir - a profusion of blood red mediums through which to display his work. Arniko Art Award and Gold Medal in 2000. depicting depths of stark womanhood. He says, “I want to trigger public interest He labels his fi gures as ‘modern sculptures’ Another work that created waves was an in- in art by involving the public themselves in and that is quite fi tting, because Kalapremi stallation titled ‘Shakti Sworup - Menstrual the activity of creating art.” He teaches at is hailed as a contemporary sculptor. Blood’ which arose from the artist’s quest the Centre of Art and Design, Kathmandu to “understand, express and visualize the University, and regards teaching to be both a THE NEO IMPRESSIONISTS OF strong emotions stirred by fl owing blood, great responsibility as well as a challenge. KASTHAMANDAP along with the fears associated with it”. In 1994, under the leadership of Prashant ARNIKO LIVES! Shrestha, an accomplished artist at 26, eight DRIVEN Dharma Raj Shakya says that working in artists came together under the umbrella of Manish Lal Shrestha’s slight stature belies stone is one of the hardest of artistic pro- ‘Kasthamandap Art Group’ (KAG). On his considerable status in the Nepalese fessions. But that hasn’t stopped him from March 30, 1999, when he was just 31 years art world. Still young, at 32, he is enviably sculpting thousands of pieces including the old, Prashant passed away suddenly. As one successful. He continues to remain driven. two famous nine feet-high lions in Basan- sits with the present members of ‘Kastha- ‘Sound of Intimacy II’, ‘Sound of Hope’, tapur Durbar Swuare’s Hanuman Dhoka, mandap’ in their studio in Kupondole, one ‘Sound of Existence’, ‘Sound of Existence’ which people refer to as the ‘Dharma Raj hears his name mentioned often, and with and ‘Sound of Silence’, are a few of his suc- Lions’. A statue in his own likeness stands tall reverence. One can see that Prashant’s spirit cessful exhibitions. “‘Sound of Hope’ was a in the White Stupa Temple in Beijing, China. lives on and will continue to do so. Today, turning point in my life,” he reveals. In this, How did he mange this? Well, it so happened KAG is a name to be reckoned and its the large canvases had almost a quilt-like ap- that when Chinese authorities were searching original seven founder members have made pearance, the effect due to numerous pieces for a model on whom to base the making a name for themselves. Asha Dangol, Bhairaj of coarse handloom painted in various of Arniko’s statue, they came to know that Maharjan, Binod Pradhan, Erina Tamrakar, hues, and some with bells, sewn together. Dharma Raj Shakya of Patan was, besides Pradip Bajracharya, Pramila Bajracharya and He says, “This exhibition taught me that being a talented sculptor himself, amazingly Sunila Bajracharya, all in their thirties, make artistic creativity can be conveyed through similar in appearance to the legendary master. up KAG, and each has had a fair measure of many means.” Manish is a staunch admirer “So, that was how I got to have a statue of success, some, as is natural, more than the of Georg Baselitz, whose most famous myself built in China!” jokes the doe-eyed others. In general, the group admits to being work - the 200cm x 162cm ‘Head is a Pot’ Dharma Raj. Among the many awards he has infl uenced by the Impressionists. However, - enthralls the young artist. “I revel in its sim- accumulated, the Arniko Youth Art Award in each has managed to carve out a unique plicity,” he declares. Simplicity is something 2002 holds special meaning. “Maybe because identity of his/her own. Manish himself is striving to achieve which it is named after Arniko,” he admits. is evident from many of his later works What goes round comes around and MOLTEN LAVA where one will fi nd few colors and even the wheel, as they say, appears to have Ashmina Ranjit’s ‘Hair Warp-Travel large sized canvases bereft of much detail come full circle! With so many talented through Strands of Universe’ exhibition at except the minimum, conceptualized. artists at work, art in Nepal is thriving, NAFA Art Gallery in 2000 was a memo- that’s for sure. ■ rable one. In addition to charcoal sketches THE VISUAL INTERPRETER of strands of intertwined hair as crowning Sujan Chitrakar, in his early 30s, is one of glories, also on display were installations in the more gifted artists of the times. On Parts of this feature have been excerpted from the form of huge red braids of accouter- this, there seems to be a general consensus the writer’s forthcoming book titled, “Informally ments to do with ethnic hair-dos of Nepal. Yours – Artists and Architects of Nepal – Volume among his colleagues and peers. The reason I” (publisher: Pilgrims Publishing, Varanasi). Amar Ranjit is an artist who is bold enough to he is so highly regarded owes itself to his B Shrestha is also author of “The Dark Mermaid”, make a distinction between skill and cre- innovativeness, to validate which he says: “I an inspirational story of a young Nepali girl’s ativity in fellow artists. She says, “An artist valiant efforts to succeed despite difficult odds. It is prefer to be called a ‘Visual Interpreter’ ”. His available at Pilgrims and other leading bookshops may be very accomplished, but it is cre- desire to increase art appreciation among the in Kathmandu and on most online bookstores ativity which uplifts art to a transcendent general public resulted in the creation of what including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Borders.

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 57 58 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np Mud, Sweat and Madness on the Mountain Age is no bar for a good time and racing up or down a hill can prove to be more about knowing your own strengths than just about the speed and the track. Text & Photos By RAVI MAN SINGH

hat on earth was I do- consuming desire to push on and to win. ing on that godforsaken As a rookie, with only 9 months into my racetrack? I wondered, cycling career, I had never thought in my sweating my guts out wildest dreams that I would participate Wat 56 years of age. Thick, slimy mud in a championship race, let alone win. I showered down on me, my lungs felt had signed up for the race on a whim like they would burst from the puffi ng and to my surprise, had won my fi rst and panting and my knees were near ever, cycling championship. ready to buckle from the strain. My bike The fi rst MTB Madness Mountain whined in fi erce protest. Along with Bike Championship cross-country race the madness and self-doubt however, was organized by Kathmandu Bike Sta- came moments of hope and ecstasy, grit tion. A recently opened mountain bike and courage, joy and jubilation and the shop in Pani Pokhari, it is run by the

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 59 enterprising duo of Prayas Tamang and Then the rains started. My plans to slimy, narrow path that fell away towards Buddha Lama. Slated for August 28, visit the track were frustrated by the a stream, rode up a tricky hillside that 2010, the race was divided into six cat- monsoon. The sun eventually showed had seen a recent slide (we had to haul egories: Juniors (under 18 years), Women its face and I ventured out on the track. our bikes between big boulders here), (open), Elite (19-30 yrs.), Veterans (30- I had company— fellow bikers, Khas- making our way carefully across a nar- 40), Masters (40-50) and Grand Masters ing, 23 and Sulav, 13—both would-be row bridge before racing downhill on (above 50 yrs). contestants for the race. We were quite a wide track riddled with fi ssures and the motley crew. potholes to rejoin a dirt road at a bridge IN TWO MINDS The race venue was Budhanilkantha over the Bishnumati River. The dirt Still uncertain about my participation, the - a burgeoning uptown bazaar popular road then climbed up—a formidable offi cial form for the race languished on a for the historic shrine of the reclining uphill ride (I christened it the Jyanmara table in my living room for several days. sapphire Bishnu. The start and fi nish ukalo - “the killing incline”). The slimy “No rush,” I said to myself. First off, I point was the Budhanilkantha School. road ran across paddy fi elds lined with lacked the confi dence. To bolster my mo- The official track began on a wide, a cluster of houses, until it met a paved rale, I talked with Rupesh who runs Epic paved road (pitted though with watery road that converged on to the starting Adventures, an upscale bike shop located pot-holes), led across a mild incline and point. This made one lap (5.5km) of the in Jhamsikhel, Lalitpur. Besides selling left the main road (to the Shivapuri Na- race. Sulav, Khasing and I did only one branded bikes, the store also conducts tional Park) to turn towards a dirt track (a lap for the day, which was enough to give cross-country tours and expeditions thrilling down-hill ride) before dropping us quite a scare. On one of the slippery for local and foreign mountain biking sharply to the left towards a foot trail mud slopes, Khasing lost control and buffs. “Why you must! Even if it means that cut across paddy fi elds and solitary hurtled down in a heap into the paddy just participating,” said Rupesh sound- mud houses. From there we traversed a fi eld. Then, I slithered down—against ing positive. “Plus, the race includes a category that fi ts you like a glove.” His words were comforting. “Maybe I should The slimy road ran across paddy fields lined give it a thought,” I mused. I submitted the form the next day. with a cluster of houses, until it met a paved Exactly three weeks remained for road that converged on to the starting point. training and inspection of the racetrack.

60 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np my better judgment—did an “endo” FIRST MTB MADNESS MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPION- fl ip (a bicycle accident in which the rider SHIP: AN OVERVIEW is thrown forward over the handlebars), and landed head fi rst into the sludge. Sulav chose to walk his bike. The cross-country (XC) race was Kathmandu climbing and descending) were met with. Bike Station’s maiden venture into racing. The THE BIG DAY owners, Prayas Tamang and Buddha Lama The cross-country MTB race, with 103 bik- made it a point to organize the race conform- The big day fi nally arrived. Sulav and I ers in six categories, comprised 7 Women, were competing, but Khasing opted out ing to UCI (International Cycling Union) 16 juniors, 41 Elite, 25 Veterans, 12 Mas- general rules. Race disciplines, age category, ters, and 2 Grandmasters. The race results as he had problems with his bike. I had and course requirements (like gravel paths, were as follows: not slept well the night before. When forest tracks, fields, significant amounts of I arrived at the race venue, the site was already abuzz with feverish activity. Category Laps Distance Timing Elite (19-30yrs) 5 27.5 km ------Every single biker, men and women 1st) Ajaya Pandit Chhetri wore colorful jerseys and slacks with (Reigning National Champ) … … 1:42:16 snazzy crash helmets to match. Word 2nd) Narayan Gopal Maharjan … … 1:48:07 got around that the two-time national rd 3 ) Padam Sabenhang … … 1:50:00 champion Ajay Pandit was competing. The prize money included Rs. 25,000.00, Rs. 15,000.00 and Rs. 10, 000.00 respectively for I had no idea who was who. To me the top three elites. Awards for the top three winners in other categories included trophies, however, every biker looked cool and certificates, t-shirts, and mountain-flight tickets. intimidating, especially the tall, brawny “kuire” (foreigner) bikers, some of Women (Open) 3 16.5 km ... 1st) Freya Mills (Australian national) ...... 1:31:14 whom looked as if they could be in 2nd) Indira Rana ...... 2:13:08 my age group. 3rd) Sandhya Kumari ...... 2:17:10 The race was to start at 9am, but the Juniors (12-18 yrs) ...... weather did not look promising at all. 1st) Aayaman Tamang There was no sun and a dull overcast (Reigning National Champ) ...... 1:15:02 2nd) Lelish Maharjan ...... 1:16:05 sky made a downpour look imminent. 3rd) Sulav Shrestha ...... 1:43:25 However, the race was set in stone, rain Veterans (31-40 yrs) 5 27.5 km or shine. The event attracted hordes 1st) Chandra Bahadur Chhetri ...... 2:01:54 of curious onlookers. Locals thronged 2nd) John Cuthdertson(Australian) ...... 2:27:01 the streets, loads of bicycle buffs, fans 3rd) Kishor Sahi ...... 2:27:01 Masters (41-50 yrs) 5 … and cheerful families and friends milled 1st) Laxmi Bahadur Maharjan ...... 2:29:56 around, while media persons scurried 2nd) Jeff Basler(American) ...... 2:46:38 around fl aunting their cameras. 3rd) Michael Rosenberg (German) ...... 2:54:21 Every rider had a number tag fas- Grand Masters 3 16.5 km tened on the handlebars, and another 1st) Ravi Man Singh ...... 2:11:50 pinned up on the back of the jersey, different colors to correspond with the The event was organized in aid of Early To sum it up, the race event was a resounding categories. The excitement mounted Childhood Development Centre (ECDC) success by any international standard. For the with every passing minute as the rid- as charity for educational scholarships for organizers, it was no small feat, though. In ers were called to the line. The line-up prison children. Kathmandu Bike Station the face of overwhelming odds--the incessant and Makita Industrial Power Tools (spon- rains, difficult terrain, and the landslip that was impressive and overwhelming: a sor) jointly handed over a cheque for Rs. washed away the dirt road at one location- hundred riders. By the time the race 51,000.00 to ECDC before an impressive -only days before the race—the organizers started, I was a nervous wreck. line-up of foster kids. The event was super- spared no effort to pull the event through into vised by Race Director Mr. Rakesh Shrestha a grand success. Kathmandu Bike Station THE KICK-OFF and Chief Marshal Mr. Rupesh Man truly deserves a mention. With the whistlt going off, the race Shrestha and was chaired by the President started amidst loud cheering and clap- of Nepal Cycling Association, Mr. Chhimi The author can be contacted at Gurung. [email protected]. ping. The elites occupied the front row followed by the juniors and women.

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 61 The veterans, masters and the grand along a wooded stretch, I stopped and MUD BATHS masters fi lled the rear. We tore down stared in disbelief. The wide dirt road As it turned out, the mud slide was the road, my adrenaline hopping mad. I that stood there only two days ago had muddier because of the rains from the no longer felt edgy. vanished to a landslide. In its place previous night. I got off and carefully I did fi ne as I pedaled furiously up was a narrow path, just wide enough steered my bike down the slope. Sud- the first incline. Bikers swished past for a bike cutting between massive denly, a biker slid past me, skidded, tried me, but I left some behind too. I was boulders. to keep steady and then fl ipped over. I jubilant, and my confi dence soared on Cheers and clapping went up from winced as the poor chap landed head the fi rst downhill. I considered myself waiting volunteers and fans as the race fi rst into the mud, his bike on top. Later fairly good and fast on that particular marshal directed the bikers towards the after the race, I learned that just about off-road track, which I had done several sharp left curve, down a narrow single all the bikers had fallen off their bikes times. My computer read the speed at track. It was time for me to brave the on that slope. something like 32 kilometers-per-hour. dirty and slippery-as-hell trail. Con- Breathless and muddied I continued “Not bad,” I said to myself. The bends fi dent, I plowed through the mud, a on. Only half-way up the steep Jyanmara were tricky, rather treacherous with loose knowing smirk on my face that the Ukalo, I was gasping for air. A couple of gravel and sheer drops. I feared for the steep, slimy slide, where I had taken a bikers sped past me as if it were a normal bikers’ safety; a fall could be very danger- fall earlier, approached. I slipped a little weekend ride for them. I got off, as ex- ous. “Swoosh!” a biker blazed passed me ahead and the next thing I knew, I was pected, but comforted myself that I was and disappeared around a bend. Maybe I a couple of feet down into the bushes. not the only one. Others followed suit. I was not so fast, after all. Then, spinning Luckily, I emerged unscathed. spotted a lady-biker sitting by the track.

62 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np “Hey, what’s wrong?” I gasped. “I’ve After the slow haul up, the straight stretch at been falling all the time,” she sounded almost tearful. “Come on, you can do first seemed like a piece of cake, but then, the it. Get up and get going,” I said, trying to cheer her up. As I cleared the top, I unthinkable happened. My front wheel sank looked over my shoulder. She was on her deep into the rutted track, made me pitch way up. Almost on the verge of giving up the race, she later took third place. forward and I was off my bike and in the mud. After the slow haul up, the straight stretch at fi rst seemed like a piece of cake, but then, the unthinkable hap- around the corner, hardly 100 meters the finish line made me delirious. pened. My front wheel sank deep into away. I pedaled hard, a sudden burst of “Yes!” I almost yelled. the rutted track, made me pitch forward energy revive me. Amidst loud, rousing and I was off my bike and in the mud. cheers, I breezed through the fi nish I DID IT After remounting my bike, I soon line, completing the fi rst lap. I pedaled After a glass of water my limbs sud- found a sealed road where a group of furiously past but could not miss a smil- denly felt stronger. With a last gasp, volunteers (the feed station) clapped ing face, waving wildly at me from the I tore off down the remaining dis- and cheered as some stretched out their crowd—my wife, Radhika. I wondered tance, legs pumping like crazy, as if hands to offer us water-filled plastic how Sulav was doing. there was no tomorrow. Fifty yards, cups. After that, the fi nish line just lay Lap two was uneventful for me, but thirty, twenty, ten and fi ve; I cruised not for everyone. I went past a duo through the fi nish line as the waiting furiously pumping up a tire. The going spectators erupted into a rapturous was getting progressively tougher and applause. Even before I stopped, I slower for me. Even the fi rst incline saw smiling faces and eager hands had me almost wheezing. It must be thrust towards me. “Congratulations, age, I reminded myself. Trodden over you’ve won!” all of them exclaimed. I relentlessly by the racers, the muddy could not believe my ears, a moment trail had become messier. The mud- frozen in time. Then, Sulav turned caked chain and drive-trains grated and up grinning from ear to ear. My little rasped and every thrust on the pedal partner had clinched the third place seemed an ordeal. The only welcome in the juniors’ category. Way before sight was the cheering and clapping the prize ceremony, word came that bunch, who worked wonders to raise the top ranked Ajaya Pandit had won my failing spirit. again. In the women’s category, a for- eigner took fi rst place but her strong HERCULEAN TASK contender (also a foreigner), who had The last lap was seemingly unending. outraced her in the fi rst lap took a fall, By the time I cleared the punishing and had to be rushed to the hospital. Jyanmara incline, I was a total wreck. Many riders had pulled out of the Fatigue was getting the better of me. At race; some had lapped out while oth- one stage, I nearly felt like abandoning ers because of minor injuries. Quite a the race, but pride came in my way. Dy- few bikes had broken down. Ayaman ing for a drink, I tried to reach for my Tamang, the national junior champ, bottle and found that I had dropped my swept to victory and the Grandmas- water bottle. “Hang on in there…this is ters’ title, which I won, had only three the last lap,” I kept mumbling to myself, contestants: one had pulled out at the almost in a stupor. Then, much to my last moment, and the other did not relief, I spotted the waiting crowd with complete the race. As it turned out, fl ailing hands who held water bottles it was almost an uncontested victory and cups. The sudden realization that for me. What of it? I still became a I had only 100 meters between me and champ, didn’t I? ■

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 63 The Chancellor of Nepal Academy of Fine Arts believes it is the country’s youth that will take Nepali art to new heights.

64 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np An Evening with KIRAN MANANDHAR An informal evening with Kiran Manandhar, Chancellor of Nepal Academy of Fine Arts turns into a refl ective and introspective journey back in time. By AMENDRA POKHREL

or any Nepali painter, or an ers and society, but fi nally emerged artist for that matter, Kiran victorious against all odds. That is Manandhar, the Chancellor of because he himself, was never at odds Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, with what he wanted in life. He had set Fis at the pinnacle of his career, head- a course for himself and developed a ing the most prestigious body in the conviction right from his childhood Nepali art scene. that would not let him waver from Had he not become a famous this path. painter he would have become, well, a “I can still feel the blood rush to less famous painter. In his own words: the palm of my hand when I think “Even someone who would paint ban- of my mathematics teacher,” says ners.” Manandhar fell in love very early Manandhar. “I was naughty and on on in life with his implements: pencils top of that I was very poor in the and eraser as a child and brushes and subject.” After the teacher would teach colors as he grew up. something, he’d be asked about what

ECS Media The story of his life is nothing he has just learnt. “I’d then hold up my short of a melodrama in which he notepad in which, instead of the sum, struggled with family members, teach- I’d have sketched the teacher’s fi gure,

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 65 ART & NATURE Natural instincts can be a major guiding force if we stay true to our nature. Especially, to an artist, nature is like a teacher. I cannot paint with- out sound. I catch the rhythm and carry on with the work. Every day I scatter some grains around the house and many pigeons and sparrows throng the house. I work as I listen to the sound of their chirpings. Painting is like gardening. Just as a gardener maintains the beauty of his garden by throwing out weeds and unnecessary plants, a painter should be able to discard superfl uous thoughts and elements. For my colors, I seek out old houses built using bajra – the alter- nate building material used before cement was introduced to Nepal. The bajra crumbling out of decrepit buildings is dirt for most, for me it is color. I also go to rivers to fi nd stones that have acquired a unique green color because of the river. I think we have to experiment with these things.

ART & SOCIETY As I see, there are three main reasons why our art has not fl ourished. One, we were not free as a society for a long time. Two, our society until re- cently, considered painters as typists,

ECS Media who could only write invitation cards for weddings. Three, it has only been resembling a cartoon,” he says. “What school and head towards the jungle,” six months since an institution dedi- would you expect? It was sketched by he says without a hint of guilt but with cated to promote art – the Lalit Kala the wobbly hands of a kid.” a certain glee. Of course he had a rea- Academy – has been established. When Kiran returned home from son to be glad, for it was his mischief The situation is slightly better now school, his father admonished him for that brought him closer to the nature and all of us should work to develop not being serious towards studies. His that inspired him and to people who Nepali art. However, we should not parents seldom let him sketch at home would lay the ground work for his follow what international artists are and snatched away his colors, papers or calling. doing blindly. Instead, we should brushes if they ever found him fi ddling When ECS met Kiran Manandhar develop refl ects our society and our with them. However, he continued to one recent evening, he spoke whole- culture. Modernization does not mean sketch at the then under-construction, artedly about Nepal’s art scene, the following what the world is doing. water-garden in Balaju and in Nagarjun problems besieging it and what he, as a There was Impressionism, Ex- forest with material provided by his chancellor of Nepal Academy of Fine pressionism and Cubism in the West, friends. “I’d mark myself present at Arts, is doing to make things better. so why can’t we develop something

66 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np like, say ‘Mandalism’. A mandala captures ing the value of art. This support on top they have to be able to sacrifi ce. Forget an entire universe including the creator, of getting great prices for their work is about money and continue practicing the preserver and the destroyer. Again, conducive for the development of an until you attain perfection. Practice is other cultures within our society like Rais art scene. important because whatever we learn and Tharus and Maithili people they have gathers dust just like a mirror, no matter their own expressions for any artist to ART & YOUTH how many times you clean it. take his cue and from which to develop More than anything else, I vouch for the As an art student in Benaras, I had a separate art form. younger generation because they have days when I went hungry, was beaten When I worked on the theme of a the potential to change things and to by the police for sleeping at the railway new mandala, I used different colours take it forward. I tell this generation three station and had to sketch for money at in place of traditional ones. Many senior things: that during the learning phase the station as my family stopped sending artists rebuked the work but the logic was to take inspiration from our tradi- tions and to create art that is relevant to As a gardener maintains the beauty of present time. If we confi ne ourselves to following what has already been done, his garden by throwing out weeds and how can we belong to the present? We unnecessary plants, a painter should be able have to rethink and challenge our social values when time requires us to do so. It to discard superfluous thoughts and elements. is a kind of sacrifi ce.

INTERNATIONAL ART SCENE There are fi ve most developed places in terms of their art market and successful artists —New York, Paris, Germany, To- kyo and India. Even if we look at India, we have a great many things to learn. If you talk about India and Europe, the government has made it mandatory for people to set aside 3 percent of con- struction costs for investment in the arts. They might invest on paintings, install a statue, help in the publication of a book or buy huge photographs. This lends a lot of support to the art community. They spend millions in construction and even if artists benefi t by three percent of the investments, it is quite signifi cant. Through this academy, (Nepal Academy of Fine Arts) we are trying to convince the government to have similar provi- sions in the new constitution. If you notice the construction of houses today, even the simpler ones cost around 60 lakhs and then there are houses that cost more than a crore. It’s not like the people are poor here either; it is just that they are not art-conscious.

In India and other places, artists can ECS Media mortgage their work to get loans. They are much ahead in terms of understand-

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 67 ECS Media

money after they learnt that I was study- An artist cannot go far individually. the art of a country. Knowing this is ing art instead of engineering. You have The investment in material and publicity important. to sacrifi ce. There is a struggle in every is so huge that they have to go through We cannot ignore the earning aspect of an work, but sacrifi ce brings maturity to it. an institution. Another problem is that artist. It is also a profession and to expect an Secondly, young and aspiring artists we do not have a standard mechanism artist to work without caring about money or must maintain good relations with senior for evaluating art. The prices, set ar- basic facilities is wrong. Artists have families artists to know the hows and the whys. bitrarily, tend to vary. Exploitation of too and they have to survive as well. They should also research about the art artists and buyers has great scope here, Take the case of the great painter Van market and about artists, both national as there is a dearth of art critics and art Gough whose paintings sells for millions and international, to keep abreast of dealers. Art critics have to be indepen- these days. He never saw wealth in his what is happening, and should read up dent entities – people who are dedicated life; it was a sacrifi ce. A restaurant once on art too. to studying and understanding art so famously threw away his paintings and the that they can assign proper value to an artist himself. Today, the same restaurant INSTITUTIONALIZING ART artist’s work. Proper valuation is im- charges 25 Euros for a coffee that costs The program I am trying to introduce portant for an artwork to be accepted 6 Euros because of a painting by Van is to make better arrangements for art- internationally. In international markets, Gough protected by bulletproof glass ist residence for foreign artists, publish the buyers take art as investments, as as- hangs on a nearby wall. a bulletin or an art magazine and forge sets - not just as a decorative item - and However, you cannot expect an artist alliances with foreign art institutions expect the price to go up. In European to receive remuneration for his work after including those in the SAARC region countries, the price of a piece goes up his death. If an artist has accomplished to expand market exposure of our art. by 15 percent annually. However, if something today, he should be paid today All this will help Nepali artists to be you sell an artwork for $ 50,000 to one itself. Does Van Gough know that the a part of an international fraternity person and for $10,000 to another, it world worships him for his works? Such of artists. This will help promote an will be a great loss to a buyer. Ultimately, a great artist had to die an unhappy man. exchange of ideas. it will set a negative impression about That does not seem right, does it? „

68 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

There’s Something about

KiwiThe kiwi fruit, with its exotic taste and its newbie appeal, is more available now than before, with its cultivation proving to be good business. By NANDITA RANA ECS Media

70 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np he winds of change are fi nally fl ower bearing male plants. He examines blowing over the Nepalese fruit the stems and says, “These tendrils need market. Ten years back from trimming, or else the normal growth of now, exotic varieties of fruit were the fruit will be inhibited.” Visiting Lama Talmost impossible to fi nd. We are bom- in late November is not at all a bad idea, barded with a plethora of seasonal de- although October would have been bet- lights, but only a few varieties of common ter. “Kiwi season in Nepal is best around fruits make it to the market. Thanks to late September and October, or Dashain the assistance from various international time,” opines Lama. What seems like a organisations however, horticulture in healthy fruitage to me with more than Nepal is picking up interestingly and 150 golden, ripening ones is not much local farmers are experimenting more according to Lama. “Kiwis are yielded till now than ever. No wonder, the privilege the month of Magh (equivalent to early to nibble on some juicy, locally grown, February in the English calendar), and exotic fruits as afternoon munchies, is this is the little that’s left of the fruits now rather possible. One of the fruits for this season.” He picks some from gaining heavy momentum in Nepalese the ripe bunch for us. A kg of kiwi de- horticulture is the Kiwi. pending on its variety, can cost anywhere The kiwi was until recently, limited from NRs 300 to 500. “October is a to certain private households with its very busy season,” adds Lama. “I mostly cultivation confi ned to few a acres of have families, especially expats placing land assisted by Japanese organizations huge orders for the fruit, and also some - JICA and JAITI Nepal. “I remember renowned hotels.” planting one of the fi rst Kiwi saplings in His backyard garden of course Budhanilkantha (a town to the far north would not justify the economics of of Kathmandu) – at the residence of one supply for the huge, increasing demand of Nepal’s former Prime Ministers. It of the fruit. Lama’s kiwi cultivation must be in the 1980s, some thirty years therefore, spans an area of more than back,” recalls Karma Wanchuk Lama, 45 hectares of land in Sailung, Ra- the unoffi cial, local Kiwi expert. His mechhap district (87km northeast from expertise springs from a passion for the Kathmandu), which is also Lama’s fruit and from his profession as a farmer homeland, and in Taskar, Makwanpur of more than four decades. (132 km from Kathmandu). Other No wonder, the Lama’s backyard in his Maharajgunj individual farms are located in areas privilege to nibble residence is a delightful change to the of Bajrabarahi, Lalitpur with approxi- urban landscape that surrounds it. It mately 300 kiwi plantations in the area on some juicy, brought back memories of the orchard alone. The farm in Taskar, Makwanpur at my grandfather’s place, where my has a current yield of approximately locally grown, exotic brother and I would often play ‘fruit 1300 kg per season, which is twice the fruits as afternoon fi ghts’ - throwing tiny, budding apricots yield of the starting years. The farm or guavas at each other or teasing our in Ramechhap, which is still in the munchies, is now pet dog with them. For Lama, who has initial phase for commercial produc- been a horticulturist for over 40 years, tion, however, yields around 500 kg rather possible. One his backyard is where he tends to some of the fruit per season. “Commercial of the fruits gaining exotic varieties (in the Nepalese context) cultivation is a slow growing business,” of fruits and vegetables, mostly brought adds Lama. “A young plant takes up to heavy momentum in from Japan and China. He leads us to three years to mature and needs a lot a Kiwi vine where a bunch of slightly of tending during this period. It needs Nepalese horticulture golden, oval fruits hang and shows us the appropriate temperature and water is the Kiwi. male and female plant. Only the female conditions, and is best suited in places plants bear fruits when pollinated by more than 1400m above sea level.”

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 71 “As a trainee farmer, it was a great learning opportunity and has made a huge impact ECS Media in my profession.”

Commercial kiwi cultivation is spread exotic sweet and citrusy fl avour, which sects that might harm his kiwi plants. A over an extensive area no doubt. How- even Lama has tried to manufacture. medicinal replica of the scent of the ever, an hour of sunlight per day is “When I fi rst started out, nobody was female fl ies is used to attract the male adequate for growth. “Land that faces willing to experiment with kiwi farming,” insects, which is then trapped inside a south-west is best for the plant,” says says Lama, who was already acquainted container. “I learnt this technique from one of Lama’s associate. As far as ex- with the fruit and its commercial sig- one of the Japanese kiwi doctors,” added tra nutrition is concerned, Lama uses nifi cance after working almost 12 years Lama. Tending to the young sapling, organic animal dung for manure, which in Bhutan. “As a trainee farmer, it was Lama laments over the present state according to him is essential up to the a great learning opportunity and has of horticulture in Nepal. “The lack of second year of the plantation, and not made a huge impact in my profession.” expertise and technical assistance has very essential afterwards. A mature plant A certifi ed horticulturist, after returning taken a heavy toll on farmers. As long as can yield about 100 -150 kg of the fruit to Nepal, he attended training programs we don’t have expert supervision, a large after fi ve to six years. from JICA Nepal and has supervised scale production of kiwi is almost impos- Intercropping is another viable fea- the cultivation of different varieties of sible.” He further stresses that, “The ture that commercial kiwi cultivation apples, grapes, plums, apricots and kiwis. development of the fruit’s cultivation provides and Lama so far has been Lama suggests that the Hayward variet- seen in Nepal, so far has been limited enjoying mustard and ginger in his farm ies are the best in Nepal among others to individual initiatives, especially of the in Ramechhap along with kiwi. “Tea can including Bruno and Alison. Meanwhile, farmers and they have been tending to it also be intercropped in the kiwi vine,” he is willing to try out new ones including manually mostly, without much technical adds Lama. “It is a wonderful citrus fruit the Koshin variety, which is indeed an support.” with high contents of vitamin C. It is also exclusive kiwi cultivar and cost him NRs. For all the efforts that Karma a great taste enhancer.” Form his own 50,000 for a male and female sapling. Wanchuk Lama has rendered into ki- personal experience, he adds, “If you In his garden, Lama tends to these wifruit cultivation, he wishes nothing cook any curry with the fruit, the result two new additions with utmost con- more than its recognition in the domestic is just fabulous. You could add only a few sideration. Amidst the assortment of market. “As exclusive as the kiwi fruit slices of the fruit while cooking, espe- Chinese spinach, Japanese fi g, Japanese is, with its high vitamin content and cially meat curry, and you can see how it apple, Japanese yam and Macadami nuts, multiple health benefi ts, all I want is for improves the taste tremendously.” Juice his kiwi plants receive equal attention. people to have access to the fruit locally as well as wine produced from the fruit’s His garden is in fact wholly organic, and and enjoy its richness like any other fruit pulp is equally nutritious - a blend of he uses a special container to trap the in- in the market.” ■

72 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

Preserving Music, Conserving Identity The Music Museum of Nepal has been working for more than a decade in retrieving, conserving and then archiving the cultural and ethnic musical instruments of Nepal with the hope of preserving them for the future generation. By ANUBHUTI PAUDYAL ECS Media

Tin tare Sarangi (Three stringed Sarangi)

74 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np The premises of the museum provide a journey through the history of the many ethnic communities of Nepal. ECS Media

y The trolley bus stand at no knowledge at all about music at all. The process of collecting the Tripureshwor might not have However, all of them have one thing in instruments requires extensive knowledge much use these days after the common - an ardent desire to work on about the community. Some of these service stopped, but a yellow retrieving and conserving cultural and instruments are hundreds of years old boardB nearby atop a wooden, traditional ethnic musical instruments of Nepal. and hold great signifi cance in the lives of building does have its signifi cance. Music people of the community. To them, these Museum of Nepal was established in NEPAL AS A HOME TO INSTRUMENTS instruments are a way of life, an integral 1995 A.D by Ram Prasad Kandel as a The members of the Music Museum of part of themselves. Many of their stories tribute to his Guru Swami A dananda Nepal make it a point to visit places all revolve around these instruments and the Saraswati. It was a mere collection of over Nepal in search of musical instru- instruments do not just speak about the musical instruments from different ments. One might regard the process present. “If people fi nd many Sankhas cultures throughout Nepal before it was simple, but in truth, it requires intensive in a particular place during excavation registered as a museum in 1997 A.D. knowledge of the culture, geography and then the place must have been under “I am not a musician, nor do I sing. history of the places they visit. “So far, Vaishnavs. Musical instruments can tell I do not know why I promised my guru we have travelled to 45 districts and have us about the history of the place and vice to work in the fi eld of conservation of come across 602 musical instruments. I versa,” says Kandel. He adds, “The search musical instruments of Nepal, but I am pretty sure there are more than 1000 cannot be confi ned to a single place, it did. And I have spent the last 15 years instruments in Nepal,” shares Kandel. has to be diverse. Some instruments are building this museum,” shared Kandel. Nepal is known for its diversity in culture used hundreds of kilometers apart in A committee runs the museum and and castes and there are different instru- two different places by different groups provides monetary assistance to take ments for different occasions belonging of people. Music is not something you care of the museum’s expenses. Fifty-six to a single caste or culture. One can can concentrate in a certain area. The members from diverse cultural back- imagine the diversity and number of search for musical instruments is a tedious grounds work here. Some of them have instruments from around the country. process and requires patient experts.”

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 75 RICH CULTURE, RICH MUSIC Today Music Museum of Nepal is home to 350 different musical instruments. The wooden building holds within itself cul- tures and castes representing Nepal from a micro level. The instruments include popular ones like the Sarangi and the Vina with some rare ones like the Piwachha - a Newari instrument from Kathmandu, which is in the state of extinction, because people do not play it anymore. Jor Basuri, from the Sunuwar caste of eastern Nepal and the Tin Taare Sarangi from the Terai are some of the other instruments. The in- struments are categorized into nine groups based on how they are played and on their appearance. Some have strings, some are hollow and some need fi ngers while others simply need sticks to produce sound. Different occasions see the instru- ments being played. While Tharu men use a particular instrument to coax women into marrying them, traditional healers have instruments they use to heal ailments or perform rituals as common as marriage and as random as stopping hailstones. Music is truly and rightfully, used for different occasions across Nepal for purposes that are sometimes common and at times extraordinary. Murchunga, Nyahung, Bhokkar and Ghando are some other popular instruments in the museum. For those who have some knowledge on music, the museum can be extremely entertaining and for those who do not know about Nepali music, the experience is enlightening. Along with a variety of in- struments, the place provides a collection of unique instruments too. There is the largest sarangi - a 7 foot 3 inch-structure and also the smallest one at 7 inches. Both structures are the largest and the smallest Piwacha sarangi that can be played. ECS Media

REALITY STRIKES While Tharu men use a particular instrument While music can be entertaining, the to coax women into marrying them, process of working on retrieving musical instruments and archiving them can be traditional healers have instruments they use challenging. Ram Prashad Kandel and his friends have worked right from collecting to heal ailments. and building the musical instruments to

76 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np Music is not something that is physical for it to remain with us forever. It needs to be protected and ECS Media preserved. Kangling Jor Murali establishing the museum, without any Nepalese music. “Music is a huge industry proudly instructs these students and hopes signifi cant support from outside the com- in the world today. Our youngsters are more that someday they will represent Nepalese mittee. “We have tried getting support attracted towards saxophones and guitars music in the international arena. from the government and international rather than our traditional instruments. I “We do not study our culture. We agencies. However, we are not musicians, belive that if people were to work diligently, do not keep records. Music is not ethnomusicologists or recognized public there are better prospects of success with something that is physical for it to fi gures. Therefore, it is probably diffi cult traditional instruments. What is the point in remain with us forever. It needs to be for agencies to trust us. We work with standing behind ten guitar players and playing protected and preserved. Our musical donations from committee members. We when you can stand ahead of three Sarangi instruments aren’t being played because contribute and then work on preserving players and be appreciated?” asks Kandel. slowly people have forgotten their im- the musical instruments. We initiate a pro- The incident in Liverpool supports portance and are moving towards other gram and then work to complete it. The his claim. Music is universal. Tradi- cultures. If this continues, we will surely thing is, when you initiate something good, tional music is rare and therefore has have nothing left; no music, no instru- somehow it ends well. So far, we have had greater chances of being appreciated. ments” says Kandel. While the museum our hiccups but somehow our programs Tourists visit Nepal for its diversity, be is the largest collection of traditional have been successful,” shares Kandel. it geographical or cultural. If we can musical instruments of Nepal, it the promote our music, then along the way, government has not recognized it as a MUSIC AND TOURISM we would be more appreciated for what national treasure. Except some students People call music a global language. It is we have to offer. The diversity in music and a few musical enthusiasts, most the heart of any song too. Kandel shares in Nepal is immense but much needs do not even recognize it as a national his experience about a performance in to be done before it spreads across the heritage. However, the place has a lot Liverpool where Nepalese musicians had globe representing Nepal as Mount to offer. It could provide immense participated. In one of the performances Everest does. knowledge on the culture of Nepal. It by popular Nepali Madal player Prem Dev In addition to collecting and preserving presents unique musical instruments Joshi, the audience was moved to tears. He the instruments, Music Museum of Nepal spread wide and far from Kathmandu was surrounded by people and appreciated gives lessons to the interested students on and throughout Nepal. It could provide for his music. This somehow proves the fact playing these instruments. While there are lessons to those interested in traditional that music is not something that recognizes many youngsters today interested in guitar music. For those who do not fall under boundaries. Music Museum of Nepal is not and violin lessons, the number of those any of these categories, it could provide just preserving Nepalese music and culture, interested in Panche Baaja or Murchunga knowledge on music and of music, but is also working on creating an identity for is sadly low. However, the organization everyone’s a fan. „

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VISUAL STORYTELLING

Photo by: Sajana Shrestha Photo by: Pujan Harsha Bajracharya kathmandu, kathmandu. An Exhibition by contemporary Nepali photographers Photo by: Sachindra Rajbansi Photo by: Shristi Rajbhandari

Photo by: Priti Sherchan Photo by: Prasiit Sthapit

athmandu, oh Kathmandu! with clichés, that they vanish behind a erman’s representation of Benares was. How does one tell your wall of imagery so hopelessly stereotyped Ackerman’s work is now a haunting yet story without stereotyping that it is impenetrable.” Christian Caujolle beautiful book titled ‘End Time City’, and producing one cliché (Agence VU) said this about Benares in which he presents what he calls his after another? before seeing American photographer “raw, heart-felt, visceral engagement” K“That is how it is with certain places Michael Ackerman’s work on the much- with Benares. and subjects, which have been photo- photographed city. Caujolle was however, Twenty emerging Nepali photog- graphed so much and are so cluttered struck by how unique and powerful Ack- raphers recently participated in a four-

80 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np VISUAL STORYTELLING

Photo by: Pujan Harsha Bajracharya

Photo by: Pujan Harsha Bajracharya Photo by: Prasiit Sthapit

week photography program during visual styles and aesthetics in photogra- which they attempted to document phy, with special emphasis on building people and places familiar to them with visual narratives. The work that was a similar raw, heart-felt approach. They produced - intimate and insightful endeavored to look beyond what they stories of everyday life in Kathmandu - saw; to show beyond the obvious. was exhibited from 7-13 April at Nepal The course was organized by photo. Art Council. The images you view in circle and aimed to introduce participat- the pages that follow, are a selection of Photo by: Sajana Shrestha ing photographers to a wide range of the works that were exhibited. „ Photo by: Shristi Rajbhandari

Photo by: Prasiit Sthapit

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 81 PLEASING THE DESTROYER OF THE UNIVERSE Text By UTSAV SHAKYA, Photos By HARI MAHARJAN

82 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np PICTURE PERFECT

he legend of Maha Shiva Ratri is the hunter continuing to pluck and throw described by a story of a hunter who leaves on the ground and the deer pleading had to wait for weeks to fi nd prey for their lives with excuses. Unknown to to satiate his hunger. Eventually, the him, the leaves fall on the Shiva linga under Thunter comes across a small stream where he the tree, accidentally pleasing Lord Shiva. knows deer come to drink in the evenings. As The following morning, Lord Shiva evening falls, the hunter climbs a Bel tree, inci- appears in front of the hunter, blessing dentally a particular favorite with Lord Shiva him with wisdom. The hunter, humbled and on the base of which rests a Shiva linga. by this gesture gives up meat and vows to In order to attract deer towards the spend his life doing good deeds. Inspired tree, the hunter plucks leaves from the tree by this mythic tale devotees of Lord Shiva and throws them on the ground. A deer fast on this day in hopes that they too will fi nally appears but upon seeing the hunter, please Lord Shiva. Today, Shiva Ratri at- explains how its family would worry if it tracts scores of Hindu devotees from all did not return home. Although hungry, over the region, keeping the mythololgy the hunter takes pity on the deer and lets alive and contributing signifi cantly to the it go. Similar scenes are repeated all night, country’s tourism sector.

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www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 89 CARAVAN TO NEPAL 1960s STYLE PART 2 “The dream of crossing Asia wasn’t particular new. Marco Polo pioneered the way in 1271.... His book described many ‘large and very noble cities... precious stones and pearls in abundance... delightful gardens... and the fi nest fruit’.” (McGregor Smith, Jr.) (McGregor Smith, Jr.) By DON MESSERSCHMIDT

n 1963, during the cold season, of facets, like jewel. Red mud terraces the pagoda centuries ago and spread a caravan of 47 travel trail- were rubies. Where small ponds held the design to Burma, China and ers, with 105 men, women and water they were sapphires or glistening Japan. children from America, arrived diamonds, or bright emeralds where We were parked in the Stadium and inI Kathmandu over the Rajpath. For the new rice plants sprouted.” on our fi rst day there a laundryman in their drive into the country, King When the caravanners reached Kath- an old panel truck visited us. His ten- Mahendra kindly ordered the transpo- mandu they parked the trailers safely year-old son, who spoke English, told ration authorities to close the road. It inside the National Stadium, then set out us his father owned the most modern would have been too diffi cult for the to see the city, including a Hindu cere- laundry in Nepal. Together they fi lled group to negotiate the hairpin curves mony at the palace. In this conclusion to up the truck, which the boy promised if they’d had to contend with other their sojourn they see the city, and have would return in two days. Four days traffi c. strange encounters with a local laundry later, the night before we were to leave The story of the trip was published and fading electricity (even then!)... Katmandu, Ralph Cramer, laundry in the (now rare) book entitled ‘After Enjoy the tour. DM chairman for the caravan, notifi ed you, Marco Polo!’ by McGregor Smith police our laundry had been stolen. Jr. In it Smith characterized the amaz- That night Michael Chatterjee, an Indi- ing adventure as “a radical departure EMBROIDERED an immigrant to Nepal, came to our res- from the packaged nothing-can-go- UNDERWEAR—NEPALESE cue. We had met him at church. He was a wrong tour to anywhere.” STYLE self-styled missionary and headmaster of Last month we published part of A CONTINUATION OF “Mike’s Happy Free School.” He rented Chapter 10: ‘Embroidered Under- CHAPTER 10 OF ‘THANK an old, unused stable where he lived, and wear—Nepalese style’ in which Smith YOU, MARCO POLO! he conducted his happy free school out- begins by describing the beauty of the BY MCGREGOR SMITH, JR. side in the yard. To earn money, he taught hills: “When we looked down into the Near the National Stadium we visited boxing to the national police. fi rst deep, hidden valley the mountain- some of the oldest pagodas in the When he heard our laundry was side appeared to be cut into thousands world. Nepalese architects invented missing he went to work on the case

90 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np SHOPPING

Wood Carving Frames Sizes on Request Wood Carving Industries (Pvt.) Ltd. Patan Industrial Easte GPO Box: 1264, Ktm., Nepal Tel.: 977-1-5521447, 5523768, Fax: 977-1-5527730 Email: [email protected] www.woodcarving.com.np HINDSIGHT

like a detective. The laundry chairman marked so much laundry before. Two Another trailer broke off a wheel described the truck, the man and the caravanners had their clothes identi- when it hit a rock that had fallen on boy. Mike laughed and told us not to cally marked with four purple X’s. the highway near one of the high pass- worry. Our missing clothes were in the There were also extra green triangles es. Since it had dual axles, the trailer best laundry in Nepal, he assured us. and three sets of red X’s. continued on three wheels to a parking He and I drove in my truck as close as At one a.m. we arrived back at area where Versteegh could set up his we could to the laundry. We parked on camp with my truck loaded with portable machine shop to weld the a wide avenue with modern street- neat packages of laundry. We weren’t spindle that had broken. We had one lights and walked past a police station sure whose laundry was whose. The more close call which came, luckily, down a muddy alley towards a long laundryman, who accompanied us, was after a long descent and on a relatively shadowy shed. Ice was forming in the still fi guring out bills. I paid mine as straight stretch of road. A trailer sud- puddles as we approached the yellow quickly as possible and climbed into denly dropped to the asphalt, dragged lights glowing through the windows. my warm trailer. The windows were only by a pair of leveling bars used The corrugated iron shed housed a frosted, but I could follow the route to prevent sway. The ball, which had row of wooden tables. An electric wire of the laundryman as he knocked been welded to the hitch, snapped off. dangled from the ceiling over each on trailer doors, followed by noisy When Versteegh examined it he found table. A light bulb and an iron were transactions. The commotion was still the steel ball had disintegrated from attached to each wire. Three men, going on when I fi nally fell asleep, metal fatigue.... shivering in thin white coats, ironed exhausted and near hysteria. Jackie said After leaving Nepal, the laundry in front of tall mounds of laundered I was laughing. I kept remembering the chairman called a caravan meeting clothes. The owner of the shop rushed orange lights at the laundry getting dim to swap laundry. Almost everybody to shake hands and tell Mike he was and the look on the faces of the press- brought something to exchange - glad we had come. Mike interpreted ers as their irons started to cool. By socks, pajamas, bedsheets or whatever, his story. His truck driver had disap- morning most caravanners had discov- all with their colorful adornments. The rude shock of the mix-up had worn As the lights began to grow dim..., the off and we could laugh about it. For a long time to come, whenever we saw pressers looked glumly from the lights to their the threads sewn so carefully into our irons. The laundryman seemed to hold his clothes, we thought about the laundry- man of Kathmandu. breath. Then, slowly, the light bulbs regained From Nepal the Caravanners drove their ruddy orange complexion south through India, across West Asia and up into Eastern and West- peared. His own driver’s license was ered they had someone else’s yellow X’s ern Europe. Eventually they and suspended, so he was afraid to drive or green triangles. Ralph Cramer made their rigs went home to America by past the police station to our camp. As an announcement over the PA system steamship across the Atlantic. It he talked excitedly, the lights began to requesting everyone to keep calm. was a fascinating year-long ad- grow dim. “We’ll get the laundry mess venture by travel trailer round the “Too bad! The voltage is drop- straightened out,” he declared “as world. DM ping,” Mike said. soon as we get back to India.” The pressers looked glumly from Getting back to India entailed the lights to their irons. The laundry- crossing the Rajpath again. A small This story is excerpted from ‘Thank You, man seemed to hold his breath. Then, landslide had covered a hundred-foot Marco Polo: The Story of the First Around- slowly, the light bulbs regained their section of the road we had come over. the-World Trailer Caravan’ by McGregor Smith, Jr. (USA 1966). The photos are ruddy orange complexion. Workmen cleared a narrow channel from the book, unless otherwise identified. “I’m afraid some of the clothes are for us to drive through. My trailer The book is long out-of-print and rare. A mixed up,” Mike said apologetically . slipped sideways on the loose rock and few copies are available on the Internet for Each piece of laundry had been wedged against a boulder. The result- between $95 and $375.00. marked by sewing on a colored ing dent was my fi rst battle scar of “mark.” Every sock, piece of under- the trip. I couldn’t back or go forward Don Messerschmidt is a contributing editor to ECS Nepal magazine, an anthropologist wear, shirt ... everything was marked without gouging the rock deeper into and historian, and a fan of Airstream with triangles or X’s sewn with purple, the aluminum. the workmen rushed trailers. He can be contacted at don. red, yellow or green thread. The man to help, lifting one side of the trailer [email protected]. doing the sewing, Mike said, had never while others rooted out the boulder.

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FEATURECRAFTS | CRAFT OF THE MONTH | SHOP REVIEW | SHOPPING

FEATURE ECS Media A Tryst with Destiny When Tibetan rugs made an entry into the global scene, attention shifted from the word refugees to rugs and for many years, the industry enjoyed the fruits of its own labor. The year – 2011, some 50 years later they still live in a country they cannot call their own as they struggle with destiny to keep their heritage alive. By SUNITA GURUNG

y After the Chinese invasion of had fl ed with just the clothes they wore Late Toni Hagen, a Swiss geologist Tibet, almost 80,000 thousand and a few belongings, they brought with and a humanitarian who dedicated Tibetans followed H. H. the them their most valued possession - years of his life to Nepal, played an in- Dalai Lama and fl ed to India, their knowledge of making rugs. Post strumental role in persuading the Swiss BBhutan and Nepal. Those who sought the exodus, essential commodities were government to begin humanitarian assis- asylum in Nepal found refuge here and provided and only a few skilled Tibetan tance and development aid. Among his were allotted some land within the city carpet weavers could use their expertise most celebrated works, his book ‘Build- area for rehabilitation. Although most by weaving at home. ing Bridges to the Third World’ has an

94 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np entire chapter based on the chronology Majority of the carpet weavers are Tibetan highland sheep - is considered of this historical incident. Thus in the Tibetan women within the age group one of the best qualities of wool in the year 1960, the International Committee of 25 to 55 years. This centre, which world. The Tibetan highland sheep for Red Cross & Swiss Association for had seen much better days as a hub of live at high altitudes and develop Technical Assistance (SATA) now called commercial and social activity, still has its wool that is elastic and strong, with Swiss Development Co-operation (SDC) mystical charm intact. Busy women fi ll high lanolin content producing a “soft jointly established the Jawalakhel Handi- the weathered hall, working energetically hand”. Second, Tibetan rugs are made craft Center with the kind co-operation on the looms. As each weaver sits down with the unique Tibetan knot, which of the then Government of Nepal. This with a graphic illustration in hand, end- increases the density per knot over led to the birth of an industry that was less balls of colorful yarns and a cotton the traditional knot used in all other destined to thrive for many years and to base on the loom, the process is nothing countries. The combination of these self suffi ce the inhabitants. short of magic being re-created. While two factors results in durable rugs that Credit goes to the Swiss Agency for their nimble fi ngers dance on the aging are both soft and fl exible, providing Technical Assistance (SATA) for their looms to give life to the illustration with optimum warmth. contribution in the development of wool, Buddhist prayers seem to fl oat in Now, after more than seven years, the carpet industry in Nepal through the air, adding a serene touch to the scene. only one or two businesses can assure fi nancial & technical support to the Ti- Each committed movement gives way to Bevan of full-time supply. He remarks betan refugees’ re-settlement programs. a superbly crafted work striking a perfect poignantly, “The present status quo Launched as a source of livelihood for balance of art and a tradition worthy of paints a rather dismal picture. The the Tibetan refugees, marketing in the the attention it created when it took the carpet industry like most other indus- beginning was limited to tourists. Their world by storm. This ancient traditional tries is plagued with unions demand- efforts to make a mark in the interna- craft, which originated as a nomadic ing money and encouraging weavers tional market fi nally paid off in the year artisanship has seemingly traversed in a to join them. Their main demand of 1964 when the fi rst commercial ship- time machine to give the world a fantastic regular wages rather than payment ment left for Switzerland. It did not take display of graphical perfection. per product is a possibility only with long to transform itself into a nationally Struck by this ingenuity, Mr. Charles bigger companies. This has forced recognized commercial commodity and Bevan often used to buy carpets during many companies to downsize and to remains the most important export product from Nepal even today. By the mid 1970s, rugs made by Tibetans As each weaver sits down with a graphic living as refugees in Nepal were being illustration in hand, endless balls of colorful yarns exported to Europe in small quantities. In the 1980s, the export of these rugs and a cotton base on the loom, it falls nothing to Europe boomed with Germany as the largest importer. An industry had short of magic recreated. As each weaver sits evolved, fashioning an integral part of down with a graphic illustration in hand, the Nepalese economy. While there has been much debate about the political and social issues sur- his offi cial tours to FAO, Nepal in 1986/7. outsource their work to weavers in rounding these skilled artisans, there is When he realized that the costs and returns their own homes. Most do not think no denying that their cultural heritage made it a good business prospect, he started the industry will collapse completely, helped the Nepalese economy a great a company called Rugs by Design with two but it will remain small and focus on deal and can continue to do so. Mr Chimi other partners. He says, “In Nepal there are higher density rugs (80 & 100 knot). Dorjee, Manager of JHC has this to say very few industries with export possibilities Weavers make a better income from - “Initially carpet weaving evolved as the and rugs are one of the major ones. When such rugs, which have a better market primary means of support for Tibetan I started my business in 2003, the Maoist in the U.S. But sadly this will mean refugees in Nepal. They provided direct troubles had just started and it was not that even fewer jobs being provided by fi nancial assistance to Tibetan refugee alarming. I recall visiting a carpet factory the industry and less income for the families. Today, we have been able to once around 2004/5 to be told that they country.” Undated data suggests that set up clinics where medical treatment is employed 400 weavers. There were some there are just about 200 factories of a available, schools for their children, age minor problems with rumors about the total 900 remain. care facilities for the elderly and we have use of child labor, but the prospects looked However, the art is still alive in provided housing and employment too. good. We considered our main problem as the many weavers who still hold this It is unfortunate that due to the political fi nding buyers in England.” knowledge close to their hearts. As situation of the country and the global Finding buyers however proved to be one of the few things that they could recession, export stands at just 30% of the easier part. Tibetan rugs are unique inherit from their motherland, it is what it used to be. Instead of bulk ex- from others and the cultural history of invaluable to them. With the right ports, we have to rely on tourists alone. its weavers added to its appeal. There support from concerned parties, the Under such circumstances, it feels more are two ways in which these rugs differ Tibetan rug industry is something that like walking down a precarious path with from other normal carpets. First, the has the potential to change lives and very little source of encouragement.” traditional weaving material - wool from preserve an exotic art form. „

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 95 CRAFT CRAFT OF THE MONTH

Cane Furniture Its durability, affordability and designs that weave the modern with the traditional, have created a positive buzz around cane furniture. Text & Photo By EUNICE CHAN

ithin the last few decades, there has been an increase in popularity in cane furniture in Nepal. WToday, it is common to own at least one piece of cane furniture. It could be stools, tables, chairs, bookshelves, Established clothes rack or chests. Recently, the in 2004, trend has moved to smaller household items such as floor mats, baskets, Fiberweave lampshades, cushion covers and even bags. The usage of cane to make Cane Furniture products is now so popular that can and situated at related plant materials are used to make miniature models and toys. Walking Kupondole has along the streets of Kathmandu, seeing men pushing a trolley full of colorful been supplying footstools and shop fronts displaying products are a wide variety of cane furniture are common sights. handcrafted by Established in 2004, Fiberweave Cane Furniture situated at Kupondole women from has been supplying good quality Kathmandu who cane furniture to locals, expatriates and hoteliers ever since. Aiming to receive empower women, Fiberweave products are handcrafted by women from Kathmandu who receive prior training The cane used for Fiberweave’s and rapidly gaining popularity among of at least four to fi ve months. products are mainly from Indonesia. locals and expatriates. They are also light, Do you know the difference between Indonesian cane is preferred over Indian convenient to use and cost much less than cane and bamboo? Consumers are often cane because of its higher quality. They wooden furniture. Cane is considered confused between the two. According are processed to avoid pests and then environment-friendly too because it is a to Rajesh Shrestha from Fiberweave, shaped before they are exported to vine-like plant that grows along the trunk cane has solid poles while bamboo has Nepal for production. The cane poles of a tree. While it takes decades for a tree hollow stems. Cane can be bent into or cores are used for the main structure to mature before it can be felled for its any shape while bamboo is quite stiff. of the furniture and other by-products wood, cane can be grown and harvested Rattan is another commonly name such as peels are used for weaving and within a short period of one to two years used for cane. Normally, cane can binding. As locally grown cane is smaller and in turn. This helps us to preserve our be found in tropical countries where in diameter, they are mostly used for the forests and the ecosystem. Furthermore, there is plenty of sun and precipitation. binding and weaving part. although cane is a highly fl exible material, Indonesia is currently supplying 90% Cane furniture belongs to a class of it is extremely durable and requires of the world’s demand for cane. its own. It is elegant and eco-friendly minimal maintenance. „

96 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np THE ONLY LIFESTYLE NEWSPAPER

Pre-release edition on stand now CRAFT SHOP REVIEW Kupondole Crafts The Kupondole lane exudes a different ambience with all its handicraft shops. Some of the most popular and widely known handicraft showrooms are located in Kupondole. Each of these shops are full of a myriad of different handicraft items – from those created from felt through moulds to those gently shaped on spinning wheels. By YUKTA BAJRACHARYA

CLAY CREATIVE Ceramic Products from Mahaguthi

Ancient Egyptian Mythology has it that the deity Khnum spun the first humans out of the potter’s wheel. In today’s hi-tech world, this might not be plausible but the fact that the potter’s wheel has been able to spin and shape wonderful creations (no less than humans themselves) is a fact. If you go by the notion of “seeing is believing”, then take a look at our ceramic picks from Mahaguthi – the popular fair trade enterprise which boasts of a diverse range of A-one quality ceramic products.

Its showroom in Kupondole holds more than 500 varieties of ceramic products ranging from egg-stands to beer mugs and cutlery sets. These ceramic wares have been designed by designers from Mahaguthi and are made by local producers mainly from Janakpur, Dang and Thimi. The products and product-making techniques also result from the various producer-based workshops organized by Mahaguthi.

The primary advantage of these ceramic products is that they are pro- duced locally. The fact that this occupation allows producers to sustain themselves ensures that the heritage attached with pottery and ceramic lives on as a feasible occupational option. Also, shares Sameer Chhetri of Mahaguthi, “We allow customization. As per the wishes of our cus- tomers, we can design unique products that will not be available in other places.”

The prices of these products range from Rs. 45 to Rs. 1200 depending on the product. These simple, earthy colored and elaborately decorated items are available at Mahaguthi. CONTACT: 5521607

FEEL THE FELT Felt products from Dhukuti You cannot help but notice the variety of felt-made goodies that are placed in the various corners of the Dhukuti showroom at Kupondole. Felt products carry a charm of their own and the plus point of buying them at Dhukuti, is that they offer an impressive collection of felt products. Felt accessories such as key-rings, finger-puppets, bags, decorations as well as wear-ables such as caps and bed-room shoes are available in cheerful colors and designs. Items for household usage can also be found.

Felt is the oldest form of fabric known to mankind. It can be made using various unique processes. The products from Dhu- kuti however, are made by producers using a technique called “wet felting” instead of the industrial chemical processes widely popular to produce felt. Wet felting involves the use of friction and soapy water to matt and condense the natural wool fibers. The material is then pressed to create the desired product. CONTACT: 5535107

98 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np BEAD IT Bead accessories from Sana Hastakala

Bright little beads stringed and shaped as accessories for your body – find them aplenty at Sana Hastakala, Kupondole. Whereas the beads are imported from countries like Czechslovakia and India, the products are hand-made and designed in our own home grounds. The showroom showcases 45 to 50 different types of bead products which are made by a group called Kunj Artistic Bead Works based in Thankot. While the items are mostly designed by Kunjana Mishra of Kunj Artistic Bead Works, some are also made according to the designs given by the customers.

The beaded items available vary from simple string bangles to innovative brooches, rings, hair-ties and sophisticated necklaces. All the items are priced above Rs. 100 CONTACT: 5522628

LOKHTA LOVE Lokhta paper products from various outlets

Lokhta paper is created from the shrub of the Lokhta plant, which is found only in the high altitudes of Nepal. The bark of this indigenous Lokta plant is harvested, chopped, soaked, cooked, pulped, hammered and dried to create the Lokhta pa- per. Lokhta paper has been prepared in this age-old technique of traditional Nepalese artistry for many years now. This paper is unique in many ways. Hand-made and hand-dyed, Lokhta paper is impervious to germs and non-perishable in water. Additionally the paper is made from renewable sources and is environmentally friendly. It can be recycled easily.

Lokhta paper has made its way into daily lives and is quite common in households today. It is used, for example, by government officials to write valuable legal documents and by craftsmen to make masks. The monks of Tibet have always used it to print their manuscripts and write down their pious texts.

The paper can also be manipulated creatively to produce products such notebooks, photo frames, letter pads, cards, photo albums, lamps and decorating items. Lokhta paper can be found in plain monotone colors as well as with intricate designs and symbols. Products made from Lokhta can be found in most shops selling hand-made paper products in areas such as Thamel, Basantapur and Lalitpur. More specifically, the fol- lowing shops house an impressive collection of Lokhta products: Mahaguthi: 5533197 Sana Hastakala: 5522628 Association for craft Producers: 4275108

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 99 CRAFT SHOPPING SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL Applying modern designs and contemporary methods, Nepali artists are experimenting increasingly with traditional materials.

DHUKUTI MAHAGUTHI Animal design solder bag MAHAGUTHI Bamboo Mug Price: Rs 730 Bamboo Cup Plate set Price: 135 Price: 135

MAHAGUTHI Batik Photoframe Price: Rs 130

MAHAGUTHI Case roll S MAHGUTHI Price: Rs 250 Batik visiting card holder Price: Rs 130

DHUKUTI Pencil kits Price: Rs 297

MAHAGUTHI Clay Spiral ower vase L Price: Rs 150

NEPAL KNOTCRAFT CENTRE Sinka Lamp Shade Square Code: 7875, Price: Rs 1200

NEPAL KNOTCRAFT CENTRE Square Basket with handle Code: 7879, Price: Rs 190

100 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np MAHAGUTHI Diamond Shape Mug NEPAL KNOTCRAFT CENTRE Price: Rs 120 Hexagon Tray Code:7884, Price: Rs 325

DHUKUTI Finger pocket DHUKUTI Price: Rs 127 Finger pocket Price: Rs 127

MAHAGUTHI Buddha eye Aeroma pot Price: Rs 155

DHUKUTI Pencil holder Price: Rs 166

MAHAGUTHI Batik Note Book L Price: Rs 250

DHUKUTI Cindrella shoes Price as per size

NEPAL KNOTCRAFT CENTRE Dolls Furniture Code: 7882, Price: Rs 250

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 101

SHOPPING

A

B

D

C

A Pillow Case Set of 2 Code: BLP118, Rs.614

B Duvet Cover Shopping Bag Code: BLD194, Rs.1443 Code: BGS759, Rs.376

C Stripe Cushion Cover Code: CCI232, Rs.672

D Painted table Code: CPT269, Rs.4477

Kit Bag Code: BGK176, Rs.175

Yellow Mat Vase-L Code: CLC966, Rs.7000 Yellow Mat Vase-M Laptop Bag Purse Code: CLC969, Rs.3500 Code: BGS754, Rs.560 Code: BGP323, Rs.114

Copper Circle Bowl-L Round Planter Code: MLS154, Rs.1257 Code: MLX441, Rs.7487 Copper Circle Bowl-M Round Planter Code: MLS152, Rs.919 Code: MLX442, Rs.5124 Round Planter Copper Circle Bowl-S Code: MLX443, Rs.3514 Code: MLS153, Rs.488 Cheese chopping board Code: GLB101, Rs.304

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 103 www.ecs.com.np

TRAVELFEATURE | PLACE OF THE MONTH

FEATURE Trials and Travails on the Trail Against all odds and assumptions, a trek to Everest Base Camp without a porter or a guide is possible and makes for quite an adventure.

Text & Photos by LEAH OLSON

104 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np TRAVEL FEATURE

ink froth. Pink, mucous-y froth Jiri - a neat little bazaar town where, before coming out of my nose and the Lukla airport existed, most Everest mouth. Froth that will eventu- expeditions began. From there, the route ally fi ll my lungs and drown me. took us on a thrilling roller coaster ride of PThe thought goes through my head as I steep ascents and descents, over snowy lay on my bed, head bent over the side, passes, through the green middle hills and retching out my last three meals into a rhododendron forests. To add another plastic bag. dimension to the challenge, we decided I am nested under three layers of blan- to travel the route without a porter or a kets in a typical boxy teahouse room in guide. To meet the needs of two voracious Dingboche, just two stops away from Ever- appetites, our backpacks brim with snacks est Base Camp. However, an unfortunate and supplementary meals, which equates concurrence of events means that now, to very hefty loads. After the fi rst day, a instead of picturing my triumphant arrival at six-hour walk from Jiri to Shivalaya, with a Base Camp, I am envisioning my un-timely 20-kilo bag harnessed to my back, I wonder death from HAPE (High Altitude Pulmo- at the feasibility of traveling all the way into nary Edema) due to altitude sickness. the high Himalayas with this load. I splay I arrived in good spirits in Dingboche out on my bed in Shivalaya feeling the ache (4,530 meters) only fi ve hours before the of muscles in my shoulders and legs that I sickness struck. After dropping our bags did not know existed. at the Moon Light Lodge, my trekking As the days wear on, to Bhandar then partner, Eric and I walk up and down the Sete then Junbeshi and then Nunthala, town’s main path. We chat with fellow the aches dissipate and my bag begins to trekkers about the delights of Snickers feel lighter as I strap it on each morning. and inspect teahouses (all seemingly Fueled by powdered milk tea and dal bhat, named some derivative of Himalayan Eric and I power on and feel stronger by Hotel, Sherpa Lodge or Everest View). the day. On the ninth day of the trek, we We return to the Moon Light for dinner trudge into Namche Bazar, the gateway and huddle around the stove, fueled by that separates the rolling foothills from the dried yak dung, which chokes the air with real mountains. At the edge of Namche, sickly sweet smoke. I gulp down a few a sullen guard stops us to note down our momos, then excuse myself as I start to names, nationality and passport numbers. feel the blood drain from my face. Back “No guide?” he asks, scanning up and down in the room, I curl into a miserable ball the trail. “No guide,” I reply. and delve back into the book I picked The fact that we are traveling with up at Namche Bazar - Into Thin Air, neither a porter nor a guide makes us a by Jon Krakauer. A quintessential Mt. bit of an oddity on this well-worn trail. Everest climbing book, it recounts the Most other trekkers look at our bags tragic 1996 spring climbing season. It and at us incredulously, with a hint of just so happens that I’m at the part where pity when we say we are doing the trail Ngawang Topche, a Sherpa for one of alone. However, thus far, problems the expeditions, gets HAPE. I was taking fi nding the route have been few and far great pleasure in this Everest account, in between. One errant turn took us on a especially passing through all the villages not-unpleasant path through shockingly and by the peaks described in the book, green rice terraces near Bupsa and a but now, reading about Ngawang’s plight second on a heart-pounding hike up a makes me feel even more sick. near-vertical hill before Lukla. Although The journey to Everest Base Camp, Eric and I are attempting this trek with no one of Nepal’s most well trodden treks, local assistance, we are never truly alone. started on a much higher note. Twelve days The trail is in some places more like a road earlier, Eric and I began our walk out of than a path; a winding channel coursing

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 105 TRAVEL FEATURE

106 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np As the days wear on, to Bhandar then Sete then Junbeshi and then Nunthala, the aches dissipate and my bag begins to feel lighter as I strap it on each morning. Fueled by powdered milk tea and dal bhat, Eric and I power on and feel stronger by the day.

A picturesque scene of Namche Bazar after heavy snow fall.

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 107 with caravans of mules and yaks, as well as promontory ridge that leads us through the air here is thin as rice paper and walking bandy-legged human porters. Whenever one-house village of Dughla to our day’s continues to be laborious. But, after an the weight of my bag becomes too much, destination, Lobuche. I silently give thanks hour of making my way through loose I consider the lives of these porters. They that my visions of death-by-HAPE never rocks, patches of ice and grey boulders, carry loads perhaps double or triple the materialized and muster my waning strength the milky blue glacier on top of which weight of my own every single day. This under my backpack. Wispy-haired yaks dot Everest Base Camp sits comes into view. is their life; no doubt a challenging way the otherwise barren landscape. The bells It feels like another planet, maybe the to make a living. I think of them when around their necks ring as they eat, lending moon. We wind our way down to Base sitting in tea houses along the route, for a mystic feeling to the otherwise silent sur- Camp, which at this early time of year is everything in the towns above Namche roundings. The bent hook of Ama Dablam nothing but an empty rock fi eld on top was carried there on the back of a porter: becomes smaller behind us as the giant faces of the Khumbu glacier. Even though plywood, tin roofi ng, vegetables, toilet of Pumori and Lhotse materialize. there are no tents and no expedition bowls, milk powder, rice and more. Eric and I, two ants in this monstrous team members to chat up, it is still spec- It is not the assistance of a guide that I landscape, labor up the rocky slopes tacular. The cracking of ice below our covet, but the higher we go and the thinner to Gorak Shep, the fi nal collection of feet breaks the heavy silence. the air gets, it is the help of a porter that lodges before Base Camp. I think about Surrounded by black crags, we know sometimes makes me envious of other trek- the mountaineering legends that walked we have made it. The memory of kers. Until Namche Bazaar, I felt myself get- these glacial paths before us: Sir Edmund struggles, missteps and sickness dis- ting stronger under the load of my pack, but Hilary, Tenzing Norgay, George Leigh sipates into the magnifi cence. Eric and as the altitude increases, I become winded Mallory and Reinhold Messner. It seems I congratulate each other for making it and fraught with exhaustion on minor hills. we are in the presence of greatness, but with no porter and no guide, which just But along with the increased diffi culty, with the greatest is still to come - the black a few days earlier seemed a plan of little every conquered hill and at the end of every crag of Mt. Everest. We dump our bags sense. Knowing that we made it here all day, the sense of accomplishment becomes in Gorak Shep and continue to Base by ourselves, using our own strength, we sweeter. Thankfully the bout of sickness Camp. After walking with my own bag could not be happier. Sucking in a breath in Dingboche was simply an episode of for sixteen days, I think the fi nal leg to of thin air, a wave of satisfaction settles food poisoning, not symptoms of altitude Base Camp will be an easy journey with- over me. This contentment, surrounded sickness, so after a day of recovery I strap out the added burden. Unfortunately, I by silence and mountains, makes every on my backpack and weakly trudge up a am wrong. Even without the bag, the step and every breath worth it. „

108 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

TRAVEL PLACE OF THE MONTH In a blanket of clouds Nagthali consists of terrain that is unfrequented, isolated, and mostly shrouded in clouds; none of them reason enough from trekking through the area. Text & Photos by AMIT SHRESTHA

f there is one thing that pulls me enlightening ones of the lot - one of them dodendron trees. One is forgiven for back to sublimity, it is the grand being a hefty stride to Nagthali. getting lost in the dense forest with vir- immensity of the mountains, the Let me present the facts fi rst – the tually non-existent trails. I fi nd myself width and breadth of the Himalayas longitudes and the latitudes. Nagthali divided in various occasions, not being andI the freedom of imagination that lies in uninhabited terrain on a hilltop able to choose a path or sometimes, it strolls about me when I am struck by in Langtang region that stages a close is all onto me to sculpt one. No matter the lightening speed of unaccounted view of the Langtang, Kerung, and which path you choose to wander on, senses. Technically speaking, there are Ganesh Himal. A place unidentifi ed by all of them lead to a huge pointed rock spaces within and with out each of us GPS might be diffi cult locating. It falls at the hilltop visible throughout the that sow the seeds of beauty in every just outside the less known Tamang forest. Brindang, a small settlement, is notch of our being. Beauty is inherent Heritage Trail; the closest I can come to based a little far below the rock. for human nature, and the quest is only associating Nagthali with its surround- It is early morning, and the sun- logically exuberant. In that very quest, ings. However, if one intends to fi nd it, light penetrates and glows through I fi nd myself straying in and around the it can be found. the dews on leaves as if each dew- mountains, exhausting my limits, just to When one is on the Tamang Heritage drop holds a sun within itself. After fi nd that little space to plant impressions Trail, Tamang villages are obviously the a couple of hours of huffs and puffs of beauty as I experience them. yolk of the journey. But to depart onto on the climb, Brindang is a pleasur- Following onto that addiction, if that lesser known desolate lands is a luxury able pause for sun basking and sweat word does any justice to my reverence, I on its own – be it to face the solitude, drying. This small settlement boasts a embark on unplanned journeys. Some are or to fi nd oneself nurtured by pristine community of six houses, all cluttered pure accidents, and others simply the result nature, or just to explore the depths of one after another. As with traditional of poor map-reading abilities. However, our consciousness. Whatever the motive, Tamang settlement, each house is only there are very few, if any, ‘lost track’ jour- service is rendered. a room big and shelters 6-8 members neys that I have regretted. In fact, some of From Tatopani, the trail ascends in a family. After being in Gatlang for them have been the most rewarding and through a deep, damp forest of old rho- a couple of days, I am pushed back After the harvest, the farmers suggest me to visit Before come out of the cocoon of thoughts swimming in my head, I realize the village’s old gompa, atop a hill. I was never I am already above the clouds at 3300 m. I grin with swathes of mirth, either good at facts or history in high school. In fact, because the eagles are no longer hover- dates and numbers caused me hallucinating ing like helicopters or because I can see a broken spectrum of my own shadow dreams of mustard flowers baking in the sun. cast upon the clouds below. I cannot decide. Maybe it is not necessary. I am quintessentially looking at the orchestra of nature, and listening to a symphony to seriously reconsider my defi nition of with seven rotations of the wheel. What carried through the clouds. Nagthali space per capita. the farmers did not mention however, arises at hindsight and true to its rumors Each family owns a piece of farm was the view from beyond the gompa. It – it inhabits four lodges, all serving to – growing maize, rice and seasonal veg- is as if the viewpoint projects a “mini” meet your basic needs of shelter, food, etation. On that very occasion, I come view of what Nagthali does. The tease and discharge. However, the water ser- across farmers harvesting maize and factor is herewith me to stay for another vice may be questionable – either frozen cannot resist the temptation of giving couple of hours before I collapse in the or muddy – depending on which time them a hand. The songs of harvest, laps of Nagthali. of the year one arrives. But is that the the air fl uttering away its chorus, mud The terrain becomes vacant of life fi rst thing I am concerned with when on my hands and wet feet – all remind forms except trees and shrubs. The I am fl ooded with the embrace of the me that life sometimes, is made out of effort needed to walk to Nagthali from mountains, so close so that I could hear episodes so short and momentous, that Brindang is easily dismissed, because my own heartbeat echoing in absolute we forget to think of life itself and live the self disappears, and the ego evacu- silence of the evening? Not the least. within it. Such moments are invariably ates among the cloak of clouds fl oating I stand in awe, paralyzed at the mag- the ones that leave the deepest impres- with you. All the while, the imposing nifi cence of Mother Nature. No visual sions in our minds and hearts. I shared Langtang II (6561 m) mirrors the scale expression or photograph will do any little more than a few smiles and some of dominion it casts upon the deep justice to the feeling of being there – drinking water with the farmers. But I valleys and gorges. With all my senses above the thick, white cloak of clouds realize those smiles are more strongly active, the only living souls I come and the soft evening sunlight lighting the held in the soft corners of my mind than across are two eagles struggling hard tips of the snow-capped mountains. The any spoken words since morning. to make their fl ight above the clouds. radiance is refl ected in my soul, and I lay After the harvest, the farmers suggest Not surprisingly, they may be just as bare for the cold wind to penetrate each me to visit the village’s old gompa, atop a amused as myself to see a moving cell of my being, and wash out any stains hill. I was never good at facts or history object, and to their glee, a potential of impurity. There is so much beauty in high school. In fact, dates and num- meal. While they continue to hover in this land. It is there for us to fi nd if bers caused me hallucinating dreams of above me, I react to my temptation of we know of the secrets that lead to it. mustard fl owers baking in the sun. The taking a few photos of them. But the I feel like I found a piece of the secret gompa offered me just that – broken pounding altitude heartbeats convince and it fi lls in the void, just as an artist scriptures, dampened architecture, and my muscles to move on with the climb, fi lls in colors in his canvas to project his a big prayer wheel. I offer my respects and I succumb to the decision. imagination of beauty. „

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 111 ECS COURSES In order to improverove the skills and knowledge of your hohouseholdusehold staff, ECSECS offers the following courses this month.h. Please let us know ifif you are interested in enrollingenrolling your staffstaff forfor these courses. Contactact ECS 442.6439,442 6439 98510.07.90098510 07 900 or [email protected]@ecs com np ttoo bobookok a pplace.lace

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES SPECIAL COOKING Many excellent staff are registered with us, including cooks, guards, gardeners, maids and drivers. Our list FOR HOUSEHOLD STAFF is constantly updated. Interviews are carried at our office to help resolve language problems between ECS cooking course is an opportunity for your maid our clients and the staff. If you are looking for efficient and reliable staff, please come and or cook to improve his/her cooking skills. At the discuss your requirements with us and don’t forget to register your staff with us before you leave. end of this course, participants will be able to work INTERVIEW FEE: Rs. 1,500 PLACEMENT FEE: Rs. 2,500 as a cook independently and can even organize a small party. The course content includes information on different food items for practical cooking and BASIC ENGLISH will also make them aware about kitchen hygiene. LANGUAGE We teach them how to prepare Indian, Chinese and FOR HOUSEHOLD STAFF continental items, as well as basic Western cook- Our English class for household staff enables ing techniques like simmer, sauté, etc. We will also them to communicate with you in simple English. discuss how to organize a kitchen, to prepare menus, Language structures are taught along with cutting techniques, steps for serving food during small vocabulary that is related to household matters and big parties. We will also teach them how to keep (for daily use). Oral communication skills will be food and the kitchen hygienically clean. This course emphasized in this course rather than reading helps them improve their skills so your staff will not and writing skills. This is a one month course, 5 only serve you better while you are here, but they will days week, one hour a day. FEE: Rs. 4,000 find it easier to find a job when you leave. Duration NEPALI of course: 6 weeks, five days a week and two hours LANGUAGE NEPALI a day. VENUE: Maharajgunj FEE: Rs.15,000 CLASS FOR LANGUAGE CD CHINESE COOKING FOREIGNERS The revised ECS Nepali language CD is now FOR HOUSEHOLD STAFF ECS Services has been supporting available. It gives you the chance not only to lis- Participants will be able to bake the following items. foreigners to learn the Nepali ten but also to practice your Nepali along with 1. Kungpao chicken 2. Fried prawns in chilly sauce Language (speaking, reading and the CD. We feel that this improved CD will help 3. Carrot cake with Orange glaze 4. Wonton soup writing) for many years. If you would you learn the Nepali language more effectively. 5. Spring roll with sweet and sour sauce A booklet comes with the CD. PRICE: Rs. 999 like to learn or improve your Nepali DATE: 29 May 2011 TIME: 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm (including booklet) vocabulary, please call us. Group or VENUE: Maharajgunj FEE: Rs. 1,200 individual classes are available. FOOD HANDLING & HYGIENE BASIC ENGLISH FOR HOUSEHOLD STAFF INDIAN COOKING COURSE READING & WRITING ECS is organizing food handling and hygiene course for FOR HOUSEHOLD STAFF FOR HOUSEHOLD STAFF your household staff. If you are unsure whether your staff Participants will be able to cook the following items. Our clients and their staff often face prob- is aware about hygiene then this is the ideal course. 1. Butter Naan lems when not communicating face to face. This hands-on class includes daily hygiene, impor- 2. Pumpkin Pudding If your staff could read and write memos or tance of hand washing and preparation of fruits and 3. Methiko Parautha notes, things could be easier for you. We vegetables. We will teach them the proper way of 4. Kerako Raita present this reading and writing course that cleaning - tables, windows, kitchen floor and bath- 5. Bhatora will enable your household staff to read room. We will also teach them how to take care of a DATE: 26 June 2011, notes/memos, write simple sentences, and refrigerator. We will discuss how illness is spread and TIME: 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm, take telephone messages. This will also help why the corner and behind the door is important to VENUE: Maharajgunj, your staff to get employed after you leave. clean. We intend this course to help your staff to clean FEE: Rs. 1,200 This is a two months course, 5 days a week, the house properly. Two days course, 1p.m. to 5p.m. one hour a day. FEE: Rs. 7,000 VENUE: Maharajgunj FEE: Rs. 2,500

Maharajgunj, Kathmandu ECS Services offers staff employment services (cooks, watchmen, Phone:442.6439/98510.07.900 gardeners, housemaids and drivers); courses for household [email protected] staff (cooking and health); Nepali language for expatriates and Of ce Hour: English language for household staff. We hope that these services 11:00am to 3:00pm provided by ECS help make your life more comfortable. (Monday through Friday)

Restaurant & Bars NANGLO BAKERY CAFÉ BAKERY CAFÉ NEW C: Mo mo Chicken Rs 130 Margeritta Pizza Rs 165 BANESHWOR Chicken Burger Rs145 Tel: 4488528 BAKERY CAFÉ BOUD- Grilled fish Chicken sizzler Rs 250 DHA with rice Rs 250 Chicken mo mo Rs 120 Nepali lunch set Rs 240 Taglatella at sungi Rs 190 Club sandwich Rs 225 BAKERY CAFÉ Bandel tareko / TINDHARA BAKERY CAFÉ sandeko Rs 205 Fpaghetti alla PULCHOCK bolognes Rs 190 Tel: 5010110 BAKERY CAFÉ TEKU Masala dosa Rs 105 Buffet set lunch Rs 310 Tel: 4265987 Mutton Mo mo Rs 160 Chicken barbeque Rs 195

CHINESE CUISINE Potato Cush Bara with Paneer Chatpata Rs. THE GHANGRI CAFÉ Peanut sauce –Rs 145 225 Pulchwok Lalitpur Murgh Boti Kabab JAPANESE AND KOREAN Tel: 5528703 Rs. 410 CUISINE Chicken Sumai Mo:Mo KOTO RESTAURANT Rs.70 TFC BlueBird Food Court OR2K Burrito-350 Durbar Marg Cordeu Blue Mutton Rs.150 Radisson Hotel Tel: 4228833, Thamel Spicy whole Fish-700 Sakeyaki Rs. 290 Lazimpat, Tel: 4411818 Ext. no. 4476 Tel: 4422097 Donburi Rs. 310 CAFÉ DU TEMPLE Congi Lamb Rs. 600 Newari Samay Mint Lemonade Rs. 70 NEPALI AND Tempura Rs. 260 Patan Durbar Square Seasame With Chicken Rs.175 Stuffed Vegetable NEWARI CUISINE Tel: 5527127 Chicken Rs 500 Nepali Thali Rs. 190 Combination Rs. 290 BHUMI RESTRO EZER BOOK CAFÉ Spaghetti Bolognese Rs.175 Fillet Mignon Rs. 550 With Buff Rs.150 OR2K Combo LOUNGE Sanepa Temple Special Chicken Platter Rs. 310 Lazimpat Tel: 5546578 Rs. 225 CAFÉ OLLA COURTYARD Beautiful Antipasti Tel: 4412193 Katsu Don Rs. 260 Nepali Style Grilled RESTAURANT & BAR RESTAURANT Platter Rs. 180 Mix Bara: Rs.90 Cutlet Rs. 260 Fish Rs. 250 Kantipath, Jamal Kamaladi Mix Chatamari: Rs.90 Bulgogi Rs. 250 Tel:4232673 Tel: 4253056 STATION BBQ Choyela : Rs.100 ITALIAN RESTAURANT Golden Fried Roasted Chicken Rs.195 Jhamsikhel 552208 FRENCH CUISINE OLIVE GARDEN Prawn: Rs.320 Chicken Steak Rs.190 Shredded pork with BAITHAK COURTYARD Radisson Hotel, Lazimpat Sea Food Mix Pizza Rs.220 spring onion-500 Babar Mahal Revisited RESTAURANT Tel: 441818 Pizza: Rs.200 Pork Chop-450 BabarMahal Kamaladi Italian Cuisine Shring Chicken: Rs.125 RICE & BOWL Tel: 4253056 Gourmet Trout Rs. 800 RESTAURANT Signature Cuisines Dinner 6:30pm onwards THE FACTORY Tripureswor Roasted Chicken Rs. 295 ++ HYATT REGENCY RESTAURANT & BAR Tel: 4251678 Grilled Fish Rs. 280++ FIRE AND ICE Thamel Hakka Prawn Rs.550 Chicken Steak Rs. 270++ KATHMANDU Pizzeria Tel: 4701185, Jambo Prawn Special Taragaon, Boudha, Tel: 4491234 Half & Half Pizza Rs. 350++ Thamel, 4701187 sauce Rs.950 Spagetti With Black Olive & ROX RESTAURANT THE CAFE Tel: 4250210 Chilled Gazpacho Melting Chocolate: Pepper Steak: Crapers Rs. 240++ Rs.150 Pizza’s Spaghetti JALAN JALAN NRs 750 NRs 800 Ice Creams Cottage Cheese Steak Tel: 5544872 DELICES DE FRANCE Smoked Trout & Salmon Arabic Chicken Shishta- w/Ratatouille Rs.320 Keweb Cut Chicken Cutlet: NRs 690 wouk: RESTAURANT BODERLINE CAFÉ Fried ice-cream Rs.220 Rs.390 Prawn and Salmon Risotto: NRs 800 Thamel AND BAR Jalan Praion & Bacon NRs 1050 Japanese Pork Chop: Tel.4260326 United World Trade Centre CHEZ CAROLINE Rs.550 Skewers: NRs 1150-1450 NRs 800 Chicken Sandeko Tripureshor, Tel: 4117010 RESTAURANT Pork House Stake Rs.490 Salad: Rs 290/- Chicken Ala Kiev Rs. 180 Mediterranean and Salmon with cream & Garlic Chicken W/ Chips French food WALTER’S Wine Sauce: Rs 760/- Rs. 170 Baber Mahal Revisited RESTAURANT AND Mediterranean BBQ Chicken Pizza Rs. 220 Tel: 4263070 / BAR Platter: Rs 580 4264187 (Continental Gourmet ) THAI CUISINE Soup of the day Rps BabarMahal Revisited CONTINENTAL CUISINE YING YANG 205 Tel: 4253337 CHAPTER 9 RESTAURANT Pepper steak, french Frilled Salmon Pulchowk Thamel, 4701510 fries, salad Rps.700 With Cumin Rs. 850 Tel: 5525979 Prawn Tempura-Rs 595 Lemon tart Rps. 225 Sea Food Woo Rs. 100 - Rs. 150 Chicken Satay- Rs 385 Platter Rs. 950 CAFÉ DE PATAN Creper A La Goat THIRD EYE RESTAURANT Patan Mangalbazar Cheese Rs. 550 Thamel, 4260289 Tel: 5537599 Wrapped Prawn- Rs 595

114 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np EATING OUT

FOOD BAZAAR Thamel, Kathmandu SOALTEE CROWNE PLAZA Newari Khaja (Non veg)- Tahachal, Kathmandu, Nepal Rs.120, Beef Sizzler- Rs.200 Chicken Tikka Kabab- INDIAN Pizzas Rs.395 Red label Rs. 450 per peg Rs.250 Kakori Chocolate surprise Rs.395 Beer Rs. 350 Tel: 4273999 Extn: 6555 Black Label CAFÉ GARDEN COURT RES- Kakori Seekh Rs. 750 Rs. 1000 per peg Garden terrace Raan E Awadh Rs. 1575 TAURANT AND BAR Tel: 4273999 Ext. 6152 CHINESE Doodhiya Paneer Rs. 575 Tukuchamarga Gairidhara, Prawn and Salmon Fanta- China Garden Lehsoni Methi Kathmandu 4429207 sia Rs.1295 Tel: 4273999 Ext. 6159 Chilgoza Rs. 775 Chicken Houro as one of the Chicken Chutney Corn Cream Rs. 400 ITALIAN Roll Rs. 550 Gin Chicken Rs. 575 speciality Alfresco Grilled Churrasco Steak Chicken Lung Fung Soup Rainbow Trout Tel: 4273999 Ext. 6123 Rs. 695 Rs. 275 Norwegian Salmon Bhujure Rs. 595 Soya Wine Chilli Pomfret HIMALAYAN JAVA Rs. 1195 Rs. 1050 Thamel, Contact:4253956 BAR Australian Lamb Cutlet Sapo Chicken Rs. 600 Mixed Pizza: Rs. 285 Rodi Bar Rs.1195 Honey Pork Ribs Rs. 575 Chicken Pasta: Rs. 180 Tel: 4273999 Ext. 6224 Chicken Fajita: Rs. 160

JATRA Tel: 4267346 Signature Cuisines Chicken Wings with Hot Thamel, Tel: 4700043 Feast Of Rana Maharaja Hot & Crispy Chicken (Large Garlic Sauce Rs 350 Sukuti Ko Achar Rs. 110 Normal Menu Rs. 1040 Bucket) Rs. 949 ++ Sandwich Steak & Royal Menu Rs. 1430 Hot Wings (Large Bucket) BRONCO BILLY Cheese Rs. 360 Delux Menu Rs. 1595 Rs. 949++ RESTAURANT & BAR Tenderloin Steak Rs. 220 Zinger Meal Rs. 269++ Harihar bhawan,Pulchowk UTSAV Veggie Feast Meal Rs. Tel: 5526212 K-TOO BEER Durbarmarg 219++ Chicken Quesidillas Rs. 300 Thamel, Tel: 4430170 Krushers Rs. 99 ++ Beef Chimichanga Rs. 350 Tel No:4250440 Samay Baji Rs. 450 Chicken Tacas Rs. 350 Steaks365-955, Mexican Chicken Bara Rs. 260 MIKE’S BREAKFAST Mexican Steak Rs. 500 Chicken Fagita 440, Chicken Chatamari Rs. 310 Naxal, Tel: 4424303 Grilled Salmon Rs. 700 Apple Momo 220 Country Breakfast Rs. CAFÉ & BAKERY 435++ BOURBON ROOM KILROYS OF KATH- Bu Keba The Organic Mikes Special Breakfast Rs. RESTRO BAR MANDU Village 330++ Durbarmarg, Thapathali Bakhundole, Lalitpur Breakfast burrito Rs. 345++ Tel: 4441703 Tel No:4250440 5524368 Special Waffle Rs. 345++ Nachos Grande Rs. 400 Garlic + Ginger Sauteed Buck wheat Pan Cake0- Rs Suevos Rancheros Rs. Grilled Pork Chops Rs. 400 Prawns 280 330++ Hot and Spicy Pizza Rs. 320 Mediterrain Platter- Rs 480 PICASSO “ARTISTE DE LA THIRD EYE BAKERY CINNAMON GRILL CUISINE” CAFÉ CHEENO Thamel, 4701510 LOUNGE Jawalakhel, 5009076 Krishna Galli Mango Mous Rs. 240 Jhamshikhel BBQ Pork –Rs 800++ Tel: 2210423 Almond Cake Rs. 170 Tel: 5521339 Pork Chopm With Mullled Paneer Skewer Rs.475 Chicken Rag Out Rs. 350 Red Wine Rs 750++ Salmon Fillet Rs.875 Grilled Pork Chop Rs. 425 Fish and Chips Rs. 475 VINTAGE CAFÉ & PUB Grilled Chicken Parmesan TEHZEEB RESTAURANT Chicken Burger Rs. 250 Durbarmarg, Tel: 4254831 Rs. 380 Durbar Marg Home made Veg/Non-Veg Vintage Platter Rs. 400 Tel: 4233037 lasagna Rs. 275/350 Wins Rs. 250 DEGGA RESTO LOUNGE Shawmi Kebab Rs. 275 Vintage Steak Rs. 350 Kumaripati, 5008679 Shahi Panner Rs. 225 COFFEE SHOP Crispy Corn Rs. 200 Mutton Fokso Tareko-Rs 90 Biryani Aap Ki Durbar Marg Chicken Sandeko Rs. 250 Chicken Egg Bara- Rs 110 Pasand Rs. 275 Tel: 4221711 Masala BAR AND LOUNGES THE EVEREST HOTEL Dosa Rs. 175 ABSOLUTE BAR EATEMPUS THE EATING EATEMPUS THE EATING New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Tel: 01 4780100 Chicken MoMo Rs. 250 Hotel Narayani Complex, LOUNGE AND BAR LOUNGE AND BAR NON VEGETERIAN Chicken Kathi Pulchowk Anamnagar, 4221037 Anamnagar, 4221037 1. Lobster in mushroom & wine sauce 2150 Roll Rs. 250 Tel: 5521408 All kinds of BBQ- Indian All kinds of BBQ- Indian 2. Crispy fried salt & pepper duck 995 Bandel Tareko Rs. 300.00 Continental and Nepali Continental and Nepali 3. Squid honey chilli 675 DHOKAIMA CAFE Chicken Chowela Rs. ET Hot Wings and Mo: Mo ET Hot Wings and Mo: Mo 4. Crab hot garlic 695 Patan Dhoka 300.00 5. Makeral Beijing style 695 THE CORNER BAR 5522113 Fresh Garden Greeen Salad THE CORNER BAR 6. Peking whole roast duck 2950 Grilled Australian Steak Rs. 100.00 Radisson Hotel Radisson Hotel 7. Roast duck with sweet crispy skin 995 Rs.1099 Lazimpat Tel: 4411818 Lazimpat Tel: 4411818 8. Tai pai chicken 725 9. Whole trout in double flavor 1100 Grilled Shilake Mushroom ATTIC BAR THE AMBIENCE RESTAU- THE AMBIENCE RESTAU- 10. Steamy sizzler steak with mushroom sauce 725 Rs. 359 Tejbhawan, Lazimpat 11. Crispy fried Szechuan Fish 625 RANT & BAR RANT & BAR Blackened Norwegean 4442615 12. Multy flavoured Shredded chicken 725 Salmon Rs. 999 Bacon Potato Roll- Rs 200 Patan Durbar Square, Man- Patan Durbar Square, Man- Chicken Fricassee Rs. 399 galbazar, Tel: 5538980 galbazar, Tel: 5538980 VEGETERIAN Newari Set- Rs. 250 Newari Set- Rs. 250 1. Vietnami spring roll 525 KFC RESTAURANT Roast Chicken- Rs.185 Roast Chicken- Rs.185 2. Buddha delights 525 Durbarmarg, Tel: Nepali Thali (veg)- Rs. 225 Nepali Thali (veg)- Rs. 225 3. Fried southwest flower 525 4226287 The details provided in the listings are tentative and are subject to change

www.ecs.com.np M A Y 2011 115

CLASSIFIED Sukunda AD INDEX

AIRLINES Yeti Airlines (35) 4464878 Thai Air (31)

AUTOMOBILES Vijay Motors (17) 4433205

BREWERY/CIGARETTE Global Trading United Concern (5) 4242855 Gorkha Brewery (21) 4444445 Universal Suppliers (124)

CLOTHINGS Gift Shop (27) 4011701 Graphic Station (116) 5547400 North Face (3) 4445101 Rich & Royal (46)

FURNITURES Alternative Furniture (2) 4371789 Bira Furniture (37) 5524118 S.B. Furniture (09) 5004047 Shree Furniture (118) 4378038 Wood Craft (69) 5554705 Furniture Gallery (15) 5549161

GIFTS /HANDICRAFT AND GALLERY Cashmere House (26) 4230975 Crafted in Kathmandu (93) 4289003 Fewa Pashmina (25) 5547940 Himalayan Cashmere (39) 4427209 Indigo Gallery (120) 4442437 Javana (118) 4215894 Kalinta Gift Manufacturing (116) 4442437 Nepal Pashmina Industries (33) 4273292 Tara Oriental (13) 4436315 Umrao (23) 1010734 Wood Carving Industries (91) 5521447 Dhukuti (103) 4275108

HEALTH CLUB/SPA Tranquility Spa (24) 4420424 Chaitanya Spa (118) 5547774 Healthy Hands (47) 4412999

HOTEL, RESTAURANTS AND CAFÉS Absolute Bar (120) 5521408 Café De Temple (114) 5527127 Chhahari Retreat (116) 4438276 Everest Hotel (115) 4780100 Hotel Country Villa (119) 4700305 Hotel Radisson (6) 4411818 Hotel Shanker (19) 4410151 The Castle Resort (116) 061-461926 Irish Pub (117) 4416027 Mirable Resort (41) 4002557

ISP / WEB DESIGNER / GADGETS ITNTI (69) 4439987 Subisu (12) Sulux Center (4) 4222539 Swiss International (7) Thamel.com (30) 4417000 World Link (45) 5523050

SERVICES De-luxe Radio Service (41) 5527701 Helicopter (11) Karobar (114) Ncell (123) Republica (78) UWTC (113) Xerox (118) 4245150 Petals (117) 4436342 Nine Nepal (43) 4466655 Kantipur (09) Mandala House Apartment (115) Nirvana Art Gallery (115) TOURS & TRAVELS Alternative Nepal (117) 4700170 Alpine Explore Nepal (26) 4700175 Asian Heritage (118) 4268638 Borderlands (47) 4700894

SPSPILLED INK

Rejection, my ‘Darling,’ in broad strokes ByBy DON MMESSERSCHMIDT

recently submitted a poem to a contest based on votes In return he called me “darling” again, then while laughing from readers. Then I sent an email asking friends and in my face he turned spiteful: “It is not so much easy darling... to acquaintances to read it and vote (or not) on the contest write a trash, plagiarize from net, and trying to do publicity for getting website. some awards is not modernity... fi rst read yourself..your interest...your ‘On The Road Past Thrumsing La, Bhutan’s Wild Mountain I mind...your intuition...your inner reality... then only at your old age come Spirits’ refl ects my impressions about nature, mountain spirits, to me and say that u are in the process of becoming a poet... there i shall and “foggies” encountered while riding across Bhutan with agree with u.Not now.” Dochen, my friend and driver. It starts like this: Accusing me of plagiarism is the ultimate put down, a very ‘many, many foggies’ says my driver, grinning blunt weapon. (Who is this guy!) as we enter soup-thick cloud along the bluff What’s needed instead is sincere advice and constructive below the pass called Thrumsing La commentary. Show me where and how to make imiprovements Dochen has that way of speaking English, or explain techniques that might enhance the creative laughingly outcome. so jovially therapeutic And I must ask: Can poetry be taught? Did Byron, Ten- he sets the tone for what’s an otherwise long rough mountain ride across nyson, Shakespeare, Devkota, or Robert Frost take lessons? Bhutan And what, precisely, is a poem, to be so critical of one? up-down-around the twisting road . . . “...no one ever has come up with a satisfactory defi nition of Some voters posted complimentary remarks: “Wonderful!” poetry, just as no one can defi ne music or art,” writes Frances z“I appreciate the wealth of life and place you develop with this poem” Mayes in The Discovery of Poetry. “Those who want to z“Oh, thank you for taking me on that winding ride through bright and proclaim what is or isn’t poetry have thankless work cut out for varied vistas, and allowing me to experience the joyful Dochen and sacred themselves. No umbrella is wide enough to cover the myriad encounter of the ‘foggies’” and z“In reading your poem I could feel and versions, subjects, and forms,” she says. “If a poem interests sense what you saw with your eyes. Very beautifully done...” Thank you, better to just go along with Walt Whitman’s assertion, you, kind readers! ‘...What I assume you shall assume,/For every atom belonging to me, Then an email came from a critical reader, a stranger, as good belongs to you’.” rejecting the poem outright in rather broad strokes. Now mind And the moral is? - Several. But none advises quitting. you, not everyone may like the poem, but severely negative Writers and other creative artists must have thick skins and criticism is exceptional. “Darling,” he began, then went straight be prepared for rejection (every writer’s soulmate). It’s easy to to the point (with bad grammar, syntax, spelling and spacing, trash a poem, and though diffi cult it is far more helpful (and and many ellipses...): “Its useless.It posses not any poetic qualities. positive) to suggest ways to improve it. My critic’s only good [...] Common sense and common rules are missing... To vote and win is advice is his very last, a recommendation to one and all: “Keep not what a true poet practice. ” on trying to write.” “I am a poetry teacher and my students compose better than these,” he Don Messerschmidt is a contributing editor to ECS Nepal magazine. He can wrote. “Only emotion and feelings donot make poetry. There has to be a be contacted at [email protected]. You can read the entire poem about balance of intellect, playfulness, careful use of assonance and alliteration, Bhutan (and judge for yourself) on his blog ‘Himalayan Snows’ at dmesser- pun, stress,.[...].Better luck next time.” schmidt.blogspot.com. Then vote for it at writelink.co.uk/springfever/entryDetail.php?id=114. I replied: “better than these’ is highly subjective. Every poet has his or You can see Frances Mayes’ book, The Discovery of Poetry (2001) at her own muse, style, quality, emotion, result. It is a lot like viewing modern www.HarcourtBooks.com. As ‘A Field Guide to Reading and Writing Poems’ it art. Some like it, but someone else thinks it trash. It is all subjective...” is an excellent primer. HERITAGE TALE

FAST TRACK By ANIL CHITRAKAR

alk of building a fast track road from the terai into The present state of the roads renders it impossible for goods to be conveyed Kathmandu has been going on for ever, it seems. In into Nepaul except upon men’s backs; and as the traffi c would be considerable 1850 Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana made the his- in various articles of commerce, the prosperity and wealth of the country would toric trip to England and then on the way back stopped be incalculably increased by an improvement in the means of transit….” inT Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The son of the then Chief Justice of This was published in 1852. This time i.e. 2011 the private Ceylon, Laurence Oliphant accompanied the Nepali entourage sector wants to take the lead and is partnering with over 21 on the way back to Kathmandu. Laurence wrote a detailed Village Development Committees that are enroute to build the account of the journey including the portion that is still talked four lane fast track that will take an hour to get us to Hetauda. about as the “future fast track” to Kathmandu. The book, A The distance between the two cities is only 37 kilometers as Journey to Kathmandu with the Camp of Jung Bahadoor by Laurence the crow fl ies, but the road design is going to be around 50 Oliphant, was fi rst published in London in 1852. kilometers with a long tunnel near Bhimphedi. The promot- His observations in the 1850s may help us understand the ers also tell us that the area in between has possibilities for reason why we still have to go west from Kathmandu for 110 satellite settlements that will help ease some of the pressure kilometers before turning south, and then east again to get to off Kathmandu. Hetauda; or take the winding 133 kilometers long Tribhuvan As USAID celebrates 60 years in Nepal, it way well be Rajpath to this day instead of the “fast track”. There is a sec- worth noting that the two cities were linked by a ropeway for tion in the book where Laurence describes the 18 miles section many decades. The ropeway is one of many infrastructures of the road between Hetauda and Bhimphedi which he felt the US tax payer has gifted to Nepal over the last six decades. “….might be much improved by a little engineering”. You can see the remains of it at Teku next to the remains of He goes on to write, “The present policy of the Nepaul govern- the German funded waste management plant. ment is to keep the roads by which their country is approached in as Nepal has remained a sovereign country throughout history impassable a state as possible, vainly imagining that in case of war, the and this is a defi nite non-negotiable. We do however need badness of the roads would offer an insuperable obstacle to our progress to get the people out of poverty and help each of them to and compel us to relinquish any attempt to penetrate to Kathmandu. This realize their full potential. We need to take advantage of the delusion ought to have been dispelled by the occupation of Muckwanpore economic boom in our neighborhood while ensuring we do by Sir David Ochterlony; not that it is a contingency they need take much not lose out on any of our values. The trade between India trouble to provide against, since it would never be worth our while to do and China has exceeded fi fty billion dollars. We need to be more than take possession of the Terai. part of this new economy. „

122 M A Y 2011 www.ecs.com.np

MAY 2011 / Rs. 100 www.ecs.com.np ISSN 1729-2751 Art sincethetimeofArniko /Mud,sweatandmadnessonthemountainThere’ssomethingaboutKiwi

Art since the time of ww.ecs.com.np MAY 2011

www.ecs.com.np ARNIKO ARNIKOThe history of Nepali art is one that has seen times, both good and bad. However, its essence has remained preserved by dedicated masters.

SUBSCRIBER COPY 117 AN EVENING WITH MUSIC MUSEUM OF NEPAL TRIALS AND TRAVAILS 64 KIRAN MANANDHAR 74 A group of music enthusiasts have 10 4 ON THE TRAIL The prolific artist goes candid ensured that Nepali history is documented Reaching Everest Base Camp without a guide about artists and art in Nepal. through musical instruments. and porter provides an altogether different high.