From Nepali Times (14 October 2023) How Pokhara and Bhairawa airports can be made to succeed as international portals Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of his visit to Kathmandu in 2019 said that the Chinese people especially want to visit Nepal. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extolled Nepal’s beauty, speaking before Parliament in 2014. The incapacity …
From Nepali Times (30 July 2023) Kanak Mani Dixit in Kavre Newar town has been bypassed by modern influences and can revive its fortunes through tourism The town of Dapcha sits on a ridgeline stretching eastwards from the revered shrine of Namobuddha, its urbanscape left largely intact by inhabitants who have moved out. But as …
From Nepali Times (11 March, 2023) Global geopolitical changes and the rise of China means the West has gone cold on transitional justice and its humanitarian agenda Transitional Justice was a term that was plied by Western governments and international human rights organisations on Nepal, and it was a good thing. After experimentation in South …
From Nepali Times (February 25, 2023) Pokhara’s tourism revival depends on residents and entrepreneurs understanding the treasure they own Pokhara is where so much of Nepal’s tourism prospects rest, with its lakes, proximate Himalaya, indigenous culture, adventure sports, unique geographical setting, and enchanting geology. Residents look to riding Pokhara’s placement and possibilities to achieve prosperity. …
From Nepali Times (October 16, 2022) Satyamohan Joshi, who died on Sunday morning at age 103, was a renaissance man, a polymath and historian whose long research career itself spanned Nepal’s recent history. Among the many subjects he was an expert in, some stand out: Nepal’s devotional temple art, Kathmandu Valley’s syncretic blend of Buddhism …
From Nepali Times (August 7, 2022) Collusion in the coalition to deny justice to Nepal’s conflict victims and let off perpetrators Question (from BB Gurung, Bhoje Village, Lamjung District): “One expects to kill and be killed in a conflict, but I want to know why you slit throats when you take the lives of people.” Answer (by …
From Nepali Times (March 25, 2022) Foreign Minister Wang Yi must use his Kathmandu visit to clear the growing distrust between Beijing and Kathmandu, and seek to better understand Nepal, including its age-old links to Tibet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has hopefully had his team do some diligent homework on Nepal before arriving in …
From Nepali Times (December 31, 2021) Mountaineering was enriched by George Mallory, who was awed by Nepal’s himals that he saw over a high pass from Tibet In July 1921, exploring the northern flanks of Mt Everest, the teacher, essayist and climber George Leigh Mallory came up from Tibet on the West Rongbuk Glacier. He was …
From Nepali Times, (18 Aug, 2021) Kathmandu and Kabul are far apart, but the two countries share some difficult history Even though Nepal and Afghanistan are separated geographically, Nepali and Pashtun warriors have met face-to-face over more than 200 years. While the Pashtun were in their home territory, the Nepalis were fronting for others, and …
From Nepali Times, (7 Nov, 2020) Imperious ambassadors, eager princelings and invasive spy-masters — Kathmandu has seen, and survived, them all When Kathmandu Valley was still known as Swoniga (three cities), back in the medieval Lichhavi-Malla era, the Ganga plains did not send diplomats or spies here, they sent rulers. The Lichhavi arrived from nearby Vaishali, and …