How a pioneering Nepali belly dancer wants to break stereotypes, inspire new talent

Born and raised in Kathmandu, Pinky Sapkota always had an innate sense of connection with dance movements. Trained in Salsa and Bachata at the Salsa Dance Academy, she knew from early on that her passion for dance would be a big part of her life. Later she realised belly dance was her calling.

Fluid movements, isolated structures and intoxicating music are synonymous to belly dancing. Also known as Oriental Dance, Raqs Sharqi and Eastern Dance, this form of storytelling has crossed numerous continents and cultures.

Belly dancing crossed Sapkota’s mind when she was watching the tele. “When I saw Meher Malik on TV for the first time, I felt so proud to be a woman because of the way she represented and celebrated feminism through belly dance. Then I started doing more research about this dance form and I fell in love with this form,” says Sapkota with whom I got an opportunity to talk to about her experience on being one of the pioneering belly dancers in the country.

The art form that Sapkota practises can be traced to Egypt, where women got together and danced for one another. Temple paintings suggest that the dance was practised as early as 1,000 BC in Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece. It is also said the dance originated in India over 5,000 years ago.  It is believed that the temple priestesses performed this dance in order to celebrate and worship fertility. It then reached the Middle-east through Gipsy migrants– ‘Roma’ in Europe, ‘Ghawazee’ in Egypt and the ‘Nawar’ in India. In Europe, Flamenco, one the most famous Gipsy dances shares uncanny similarities with belly dance.

“After I saw Meher perform in 2012 when she was in Nepal for a workshop, I dreamt that one day I will learn from her and dance just like her,” she says.

In 2013 she finally decided to move to India to learn the dance.

She had made her choice even as the message of belly dance, created to celebrate womanhood in a close group during childbirth to relieve labour pain, has been quite manipulated. Artists feel that in recent times, there’s a lot of prejudice towards belly dancing. It is considered to ‘exotic’, and performers promiscuous and ‘sexy’. Many people think it is performed by women for men.

As the identity problem of belly dance spreads, there are a few women who are continuously working to get to the roots of the art form and to spread its mystique around the world. Sapkota wanted to join them.

She agrees that in Nepal, the way people look at belly dance is similar to that in the West.

Many people do not see that it is an empowering form of movement. They don’t see that it strengthens the core of those who practice it, and is also an antidote to body shaming.

When she told her parents she wanted to go to India to learn dancing, her mother was sceptical about sending her away on her own; her father was supportive from the start.

“Both of them knew that when I set my mind to something, I pursue it relentlessly,” she shares. Worried, but confident in her decision, her parents supported Sapkota throughout.

“My parents are the biggest inspiration in my life. They always tell me to follow my dreams. They have brought me up to become independent and strong-minded.”

When she moved to New Delhi to pursue her passion, she enrolled at the Banjara School of dance, the dance institute run by Meher Malik herself. “It was very challenging for me at first.”

She adds, “I didn’t know anyone there and it was difficult to communicate as I couldn’t speak Hindi fluently. However, with time, I started to open up and gained more confidence as I learned the techniques and movements.”

“Now, I feel completely at ease with all the girls, or banjarans that’s what we call ourselves. With them, I feel like home.”

After four years of intensive training, Sapkota finally decided to return home. She wanted to create a foundation for belly dance to help those who wish to pursue it in Nepal, where opportunities are limited.

“I am enthralled to come back and start teaching belly dance in Nepal. I have worked very hard to fulfil my dream and now that everything is happening like I had worked for, it all seems surreal. I really want to educate the people here about belly dancing and erase the misconceptions,” she says.

Sapkota is now working with different dance and fitness studios all over Kathmandu and will soon start classes. Her dream is to spread the love and devotion that belly dance symbolises.

The 24-year-old hopes to inspire more people who dream for themselves and have the courage to act to fulfil those dreams.

Her perseverance and dedication have created a humble and beautiful artist within her.

Petrol bomb hurled on Nepali Congress jeep in Pokhara

Pokhara, May 11

An unidentified gang hurled a petrol bomb on a jeep used by the Nepali Congress in electioneering at the Bijayapur Bridge in Pokhara Lekhanath Metropolitan City of Kaski district on Thursday.

The attack, however, did not incur any loss to the vehicle (Ba 3 Kha 1843), according to police.

Police have suspected that Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’-led CPN Maoist, which has been carrying out anti-election activities across the nation, might have hurled the bomb.

However, no one has been arrested so far, according to DSP Khadga Bahadur Khatri, spokesperson at the District Police Office.

Meanwhile, police have beefed up security arrangements in the city after the attack whereas the search for the suspects is on.

Participating in elections to give nation an outlet: Upendra Yadav

Kathmandu, May 12

Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav said his party decided to take part in local level elections in order to give an outlet to the nation.

After leaders of the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal criticised the FSF-N for taking part in the polls without the having the constitution amended, Yadav said the elections would be necessary also to institutionalise achievements of various agitations.

The Federal Alliance had removed Yadav from the bloc’s leadership after his party joined the elections.

But, Yadav today said, “Taking part in elections is going to public. It is also a form of struggle.”

Meanwhile, Yadav hoped that Parliament would endorse the revise constitution amendment bill to address demands of the Federal Alliance as promised and the main opposition CPN-UML would also lend support for it.

New state minister Chaudhary sworn in

Kathmandu, May 12

Newly appointed State Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Janak Raj Chaudhary has taken the oath of office and secrecy from Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at Singhadarbar on Friday.

Earlier this week, the Nepal Democratic Forum leader was appointed the state minister along with two other leaders of his party.

The two other state ministers have already taken the oath.

Various ministers were present on the occasion.

Waling, May 12

An explosive was found at the house of Nepali Congress mayoral candidate in Galyang Municipality of Syangja district, Lal Gopal Aryal, on Friday morning.

The bomb was found at the veranda of Aryal’s house, according to Police Inspector Ram Prasad Pandey.

The family had informed police after finding the explosive wrapped in a plastic. A Nepal Army team defused the bomb later.

The incident has terrorised the locals.

RSS

President leaves for Thailand, Sri Lanka

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Kathmandu, May 12

President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Friday left for Bangkok of Thailand for an official visit. She will go to Sri Lanka before returning home next week.

The President will attend a special ceremony organised on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti in Kandy of Sri Lanka as the chief guest.

Minister for General Administration Keshav Kumar Budhathoki has accompanied the President on the visit.

Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Sepaker Onsari Gharti, deputy prime ministers and ministers among others saw the President off at the Tribhuvan International Airport this morning.

While in Bangkok, the President will pay homage to Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in October last year. In Sri Lanka, she will call on her counterpart Maithripala Sirisena before returning home on May 16.

Smart licence distribution: Supreme Court continues stay order

Kathmandu, May 12

The Supreme Court on Friday has decided to continue an interim order issued against providing personal details of Nepali citizens to any foreign company.

The order keeps the government plan to distribute smart driving licence in a limbo.

A division bench of Justice duo Kedar Prasad Chalise and Hari Krishna Karki decided to give continuity to the April 23 order till the final verdict into the case.

The Court on April 23 had ordered the government “to put the task on hold as such activities may leave serious information including personal details of the citizens in the hands of foreign companies and may affect the security sensitiveness.”

However, the government has been claiming that personal details are not being handed over to any foreign company for licence distribution.

Currently, an Indian company, Madras Security Printers, has been managing the server of smart driving licences for Nepal.

Election playlist: Parties tune to music to woo voters

Kathmandu, May 11

As the first phase of local level elections is just three days away, parties are wrapping up their electioneering on Thursday night.

As in previous elections, parties organised mass meetings, marched rallies and did door-to-door campaigns to woo their voters this time as well. In addition to these traditional tools, they also took to a new strategy this time: the parties officially produced songs and music videos and circulated them with voters via social media.

Of course, the parties would use music in previous polls as well, but they would seldom invest thousands of rupees to create music videos and market them on YouTube. They would just employ local artists to perform in their mass meetings and events.

This time, the parties have used these songs to publicise achievements of the governments led by them over different parties and make promises for developments. They have also criticised opponents in the songs.

Petrol bomb hurled on Nepali Congress jeep in Pokhara

Pokhara, May 11

An unidentified gang hurled a petrol bomb on a jeep used by the Nepali Congress in electioneering at the Bijayapur Bridge in Pokhara Lekhanath Metropolitan City of Kaski district on Thursday.

The attack, however, did not incur any loss to the vehicle (Ba 3 Kha 1843), according to police.

Police have suspected that Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’-led CPN Maoist, which has been carrying out anti-election activities across the nation, might have hurled the bomb.

However, no one has been arrested so far, according to DSP Khadga Bahadur Khatri, spokesperson at the District Police Office.

Meanwhile, police have beefed up security arrangements in the city after the attack whereas the search for the suspects is on.

Ruling parties trying to rig polls, accuses Oli

Kathmandu, May 10

CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has accused ruling parties of trying to rig local level elections.

Addressing a function in Kathmandu today, Oli said the government made significant decisions one after another in order to influence voters going against the election code of conduct.

He was of the view that the Election Commission should dare to make the government comply with the poll code.

Oli said police were also not able to play a fair role in the run-up to the elections.

The former prime minister claimed that his party was for a political understanding among major parties and national unity.

Won’t interfere in government change between elections: Election Commission

Kathmandu, May 10

Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav says the constitutional body will not interfere in the purported change of government after the first phase and before the second phase of local level elections.

Speaking at a function in Kathmandu today, Yadav said the Commission’s constitutional mandate does not allow it to do anything about the government change.

Yadav was responding to arguments that the election code of conduct would bar parties from forming a new government before the conclusion of both phases of elections.

“If we interfere in the government formation,” Yadav said, “We may deviate from our main task of holding elections.”

Meanwhile, Yadav clarified that the government could announce new budget plan for the next fiscal year on May 29 as set by the constitution, but it should not include new programmes to influence voters of second phase of elections which will be held on June 14.

Biplav ‘prime threat’ to Kathmandu polls: Police

Kathmandu, May 10

Chief of the Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, SSP Chhabilal Joshi, has said the “prime threat” to local level elections in Kathmandu district is the CPN Maoist party, led by Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’.

“He [Biplav] has announced to foil the elections and some subsequent activities have been on the surface,” Joshi told Onlinekhabar, “The group planted some suspicious objects at a ward office in Patan yesterday.”

“They can plant bombs, or can create bomb hoaxes. Possibilities of hit and run are also present.”

However, police have already identified people associated with the party and have kept a close eye on them, he claimed.

Other challenges to the elections in Kathmandu are some Hindu and royalist extremist groups who have been carrying out various activities in the name of Shahi Sena, Shiva Sena, Rastrabadi Nagarik and Purano Shakti, Joshi informed, adding, “But, their influence is not much strong. Nevertheless, we cannot ignore.”

Meanwhile, the police official said police had been identifying and arresting gangsters who could affect security arrangements for local level elections.

Police would not bow down to political pressure to release them, he said, “Their political affiliation is not our concern. Our concern is their activities.”

He assured that Kathmandu voters could cast their votes in a peaceful and fearless environment.

HUAWEI GR5 2017: INITIAL IMPRESSIONS AND HANDS ON REVIEW

Huawei GR5 2017 aka the Huawei Honor 6x is one of the hottest mid-range smartphones of 2017. It has all the elements and features one would expect from a mid-range smartphone in 2017 and more. Even in Nepal the phone seems to be doing very well and has already won a place in the pockets of many people here. But is the hype worth it? Is it the best smartphone under Rs 30,000 in Nepal? Well, let us make our first steps in finding out.

I have been using the Huawei GR5 2017 for 3-4 days now and I have mixed feelings about the phone. Don’t get me wrong, it is not a bad phone by any means but it could have been better. The major strength and selling point of the device lies in its design and in-hand feeling. The phone packs an aluminum build which gives it a premium look and feels. That might be true for the unknown consumer, but I found the build of the phone severely weaker than the other competitors. To make matter worst Jerry Rig Everything, an American Youtuber did a bend test of this phone which further proved my findings.That aside, I really like the looks of the phone and appreciate the thinness as it makes wielding this large phone much easier.

The GR5 2017 packs a 5.5-inch Full-HD IPS display with a pixel density of 403PPI. The display on this phone is very good and I enjoyed streaming media on it. It also has great viewing angles and true to life color reproduction. Under the hood, the phone rocks an in-house octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 655 processor along with the Mali-T830MP2 GPU. The processor is backed up by 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The memory can be further expanded via a Micro-SD card up to 256GB. Performance wise, I didn’t face any problems and was easily able to perform day to day task. Gaming on this device also has been a pleasurable experience as I was able to play high-end titles like Nova 3, Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt 8 without any visible frame drops and lags.

In the camera department, the GR5 packs a rear dual camera layout with a combination of 12MP and 2MP sensors. The secondary camera of this phone is a monochrome sensor, unlike some dual camera which is used for zooming capabilities. The phone also packs a robust camera app with a slew of features including an SLR mode. The camera is one area I am gravely disappointed about the phone. The photos taken in good lighting condition comes out to be excellent with high sharpness, contrast, and clarity. But dim the lights a bit down and the images become washed out with a high amount of noise and grain. Same goes for the 8MP front camera of the phone. I really had high hopes from the camera on this phone and expected it to perform similarly. Maybe this is just a software issue which I hope Huawei will fix with their future updates.

 

And speaking of software, the phone runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Huawei’s own custom skin, Emotion UI 4.1 overlayed on top of it. The UI brings a lot of useful features like split-screen multitasking, a theme store and probably my favorite the magazine unlock. But personally, I am not that fond of Huawei’s custom skin, at least not the one found one the Huawei GR5 2017. I really don’t like the way the quick toggles and notification shade have been organized in this phone. I would have loved the software if it had been running the UI found in Huawei’s very own Mate 9.

Moving on, the phone also has a fingerprint scanner which is conveniently placed at the rear just below the dual cameras. It works very well as I was easily able to unlock the phone. I also liked how the scanner could be used to bring down the quick toggles panel. Other sensors include an accelerometer, proximity, compass, and gyroscope. Connectivity wise, the phone has WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and USB Type-B. The phone also is 4G capable and supports dual sim cards but only at the expense of the micro-sd card. And finally powering the device all up is a 3340mAh non-user removable battery. I am satisfied with the battery life as I was easily able to get through the day on a single charge. There is also a power saving mode and a ultra-power saving mode if I needed to save some battery.

Overall, the Huawei GR5 2017 has great things to offer for just Rs 29,999 but makes some compromises in the key areas. The camera performance is one area I couldn’t overlook and I am gravely disappointed with it. Hopefully, Huawei fixes the issue with a future update. So should you buy this phone? Is it the best phone under Rs 30,000 in Nepal? Well, this is just our initial impressions and I would hold that thought until our full review. A lot may change over the course of time so I would urge you guys to wait for our full in-depth review on the phone.

The biggest trend at CAN CommTech this year is IPTV. But is it time to make the switch just yet?

Internet service providers in the Valley are betting big this year on IPTV services. Almost all major ISPs (Internet Service Provider) now provide television channels along with internet as part of their service package.

At CAN Commtech 2016, Vianet and Worldlink announced the launch of IPTV services in association with NITV Streamz Pvt. Ltd, the company behind the app ‘Nettv’, which has years of experience in delivering television channels over the internet.

Customers of both the ISPs can now get high definition channels along with internet.

Likewise, Broadlink had launched its own IPTV service under the brand ‘Broadtv’. Other ISPs like Subisu and Websurfer also provide television as part of their services, although they depend on an existing coaxial cable network for the delivery.

Consumers have waited for IPTV for a long time in Nepal. Multiple ISPs expressed interest in launching the service even before 2014 when several companies registered to operate the service in the country. Now that such a service is finally ready for prime time, ISPs hope to attract customers with exclusive features made possible by the new technology.

What is IPTV?

The fiber or coaxial cables which deliver broadband internet to your home still has a lot of bandwidth left. ISPs use the remainder of the bandwidth in their existing wired network to distribute broadcast television to the users. Simply put, users who subscribe to IPTV (Internet Protocol television) services will be able to receive television channels along with internet.

Unlike traditional broadcast medium like satellite, cable and terrestrial broadcast, ISPs route the video data through local servers.The service is different from OTT (Over the top) services like Netflix which are essentially an extension of television.

How much does IPTV cost and how reliable is it?To avail IPTV service, a set top must be installed at the user’s end. Vianet, Broadlink and Worldlink require users to be subscribed to their internet plans to avail the service. In addition, a monthly fee is charged for subscription.

Since the service is bundled with internet plans, the data used while streaming is not counted towards user’s monthly quota. Moreover, live tv and VOD (Video on Demand) videos are stored on a local server so that consistency in quality is maintained. This theoretically means users of other ISPs can also avail the service if their ISP allows unlimited local streaming.

Why make the switch?

While the launch of DTH (direct to home) service like DishHome and the digitisation of cable tv may have lessened the appeal of IPTV services; the latter still provides incentives for customers to make the switch.

With crispier image and sound, interactive features like program guide and PVR (personal video recording services) now a common viewing experience, ISPs are betting on the IPTV’s biggest feature ‘Time Shift’ to sell such services.

With ‘Time Shift’, a portion of live tv is recorded and stored in the cloud so that viewers can select a program from the program guide to watch a program broadcast before. How much of live tv is stored in the servers vary according to the providers. While Broadlink stores 24 hours worth of broadcast television for all of the channels available, Vianet and Worldlink record and store a week worth of programming.

Gamechanger?

IPTV essentially changes the linear nature of broadcast television. While local cable providers (with set top box) and DishHome allow users to record and watch select programs later, IPTV stores everything broadcast in the last 24 hours to 7 days.

In addition, Vianet and Worldlink provides VOD (Video On Demand) services. Users can watch curated movies and tv shows under different genre. Moreover, video compression is generally lowe in IPTV than satellite services like DishHome, resulting in better video quality when it comes to watching HD channels.

OPPO smartphones now available in Nepal

World-renowned OPPO smartphones are now available in Nepal. The brand, described as the world’s fourth largest, was launched in Nepal amid a programme on Monday.

OPPO’s three models F1s, A-37 and Neo-7 is now available in the market, says the company, which has appointed Telecell as its authorised retailer for the country.

OPPO shipped 22.6 million smartphones in the April-June quarter, a 136.6 percent increase from a year ago, data from research company International Data Corporation (IDC) shows. Based on the latest IDC numbers, OPPO held a global market share of 6.6 percent at the end of the second quarter, making it the fourth-largest smartphone vendor in the world, ahead of famed brands Xiaomi, and Lenovo, which owns Motorola.

The company attributes its products’ quality, design, marketing strategy and price for its success in the global market. OPPO comes to Nepal after making its presence felt in countries such as Indonesia and Bangladesh and India, where its F1s, A 37 and A 33 models have been popular.

Nepal’s first disabled-friendly buses to hit Kathmandu roads soon

A five-decade old cooperative public transportation organisation running services in Kathmandu is soon to launch a fleet of first disabled-friendly buses in Nepal’s capital.

According to Sajha Yatayat, which was revived in government participation four years ago, 15 of the 30 new EURO III buses being added to the fleet have arrived from Maharashtra, India, where they were assembled.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City invested shares worth 100 million rupees for procuring these buses. The new buses have two doors. Through the rear door, wheelchair users can easily embark on and disembark from these buses. Each of the 40-seater buses have 25 straps. The buses have TV sets and CCTV cameras installed.

Sajha is yet to receive route permits for the buses.

For Eastern Region, Nepal Oil Corporation starts importing 120 KL petrol from Siliguri

Nepal Oil Corporation has started importing petrol from Siliguri of India, in a bid to ease petrol supply in Nepal’s Eastern Region.

Now on, NOC will bring in 120 kilolitre petrol daily from Siliguri.

Dinesh Yadav, eastern regional chief of the state-run oil monopoly, said the idea is to make petrol easily available to customers in the region.

Now on, there will be no shortage of petrol in the East, Yadav said, adding: NOC is ready to make petrol available as per the customers’ demand.

Before this, NOC used to bring in 120 KL of petrol for the East through Indian Oil 

Corporation’s Barauni Refinery, which was not enough to meet the region’s demand. Now, the region will get daily supply of 240 KL petrol — 120 KL each from Barauni and Siliguri — which is more than its daily petrol requirement. From Barauni, NOC brings in 35 tankers of diesel, apart from importing kerosene as per the need.

Meanwhile, NOC’s Eastern Regional Office said the construction of a parking facility for oil tankers is in final stage. The oil monopoly aims to address traffic problems by building a parking lot on the office premises itself.

Shivalaya NC Construction Service JV, Kavre is building the facility at the cost of Rs 48 lakh.

The parking lot will be ready within a month and its operation will start shortly after that. The facility can accommodate 200 tankers at one go. The office also plans to fence the park and also set up a security post there.

Nepali woman entrepreneur’s lesson: Patience pays, panic does not

Six years ago, Hari Maya Lama Moktan of Daduwa-1, Ramechhap decided to focus her energy on turning her traditional farm to a commercial one that grew fruits and herbs.

It had taken her 44 years (that’s how old she is) to understand that traditional farming would never get her money enough to take good care of her family’s needs.

She had to do something different, and after going around looking for new ideas, she decided that fruits and herbs were the future of farming. As with any innovation in villages, her’s was met with skepticism from her neighbours and villagers. “They said I was wasting time and effort on the project, and that it would not yield anything,” remembers Moktan.

At first, they seemed to be right.

But Moktan knew that her patience and perseverance would see her through. Her farm was not close to the road, and labourers were not easy to hire. The neighbours took notice of this, and continued discouraging her. “I had no other option but to pay up to Rs. 250 to labourers for a day’s work, that too at a time when the rate was just around Rs. 50-60.”

“The second problem was getting the seeds and the saplings from the market, and ferrying my produce to the market,” she recounts.

Both the issues were beyond her control. So she decided to focus on things that she could control, and patiently wait for it to change.

Undeterred, she took the risk of starting a nursery on her four ropani land, and grew various types of fruits on 8 more ropanis of rented land. “Given the lack of infrastructure, I had to utilise the local resources,” she says.

It was only a matter of time before her labour started bearing fruit. “My annual income is more than Rs. 400 thousand. When I was able to show that fruits could bring in more income, many villagers started getting interested. Now, majority of the villagers have their own nursery and have started growing fruits.”

“Things have changed now. It’s easier to do business. The roads have improved, there is sufficient workers. My husband too helps me in each and every aspect of the business. I’m happy with my work,” she states.

Her farm now gives full-time employment to four youths from her village. During the busy seasons, she hires more workers on daily wage basis.

At present, her main market is Manthali Bazaar of Ramechhap. She plans to expand her business by increasing her land holdings, says Moktan, one of the top 10 contenders for the Daayitwa Enterprise Challenge 2015/16.

Author is associated with Daayitwa.

Plum jobs awaiting Nepali workers in Lithuania?

The government of Nepal is mulling over issuing permits to manpower agencies to send Nepali workers to Lithuania. This comes after the agencies approached the government pointing that they have received demands for Nepali workers from different industries in the European country.

Manpower agencies claim to have received 1,200 quotas for skilled and semi-skilled workers from different sectors in Lithuania.

According to a source at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, manpower agencies have received 1,200 quotas for skilled and semi-skilled workers from different sectors in Lithuania like construction, industrial and service sectors.

Govinda Mani Bhurtel, spokesperson for the labour ministry, said: We have written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asking the latter to inquire about that country’s economic, legal and social situation.

He told Onlinekhabar: We have sought answers to questions like – What is the situation of human rights in Lithuania? How do they behave with migrant workers? And what is the pay scale? Is the labour law migrant worker friendly or not?

Bhurtel said: We will grant permission for sending workers to Lithuania if we find the situation to be satisfactory.

If the demand letter from Lithuania is any indication, even a labourer can earn at least 1,300 Euro (around 1.5 lakh rupees) in that country every month. This is far more than what a worker gets in Gulf countries.

If the foreign ministry gives a positive response, the labour ministry will grant permission for sending workers to Lithuania through a Cabinet decision.

Number of spring climbers on ‘lower’ peaks of Nepal marks sharp fall

The spring of 2017 recorded a significant increase in the number of climbers on the Mount Everest. However, “lower” mountains of Nepal witnessed very few climbers attracted to them.

The Department of Tourism says the number of climbers on lower mountains, ranging from the height of 6,500 metres to 8,000 metres, is very lower this year than that of spring 2016.

For example, 39 mountaineers representing four teams had climbed the Tukuche Peak last spring. This year, only four persons have received the permit for the 6,920-metre high mountain.

The number of climbers on Saribung dropped from 36 to 12. While 43 mountaineers had conquered the Thapa Peak last spring, the number of people applying for the expedition here this year is nil.

The Ama Dablam is perhaps an exception. While 26 climbers had reached the peak at the height of 6,812 metres last year, the number is just one less this year.

There are 20 such “lower” mountains in Nepal whereas the number of eight-thousanders is eight.

Expeditions on the lower mountains serve as trials for mountaineers wishing to climb higher ones, according to the DoT Spokesperson Durga Datta Dhakal.

“Of late, those eying the Everest have been practising on lower mountains of their own countries,” he informs.

Earlier, Australians and Americans used to think that Nepali mountains were different from peaks of their nations, he explains, but now they have already concluded from studies that they are similar.

In addition, higher mountains attract more climbers in spring whereas the lower ones are favoured in winter, he shares.

The spring season is more appropriate to climb higher mountains than winter.

Dahal informs the trend is same in past five to six years.

Number of spring climbers on ‘lower’ peaks of Nepal marks sharp fall

The spring of 2017 recorded a significant increase in the number of climbers on the Mount Everest. However, “lower” mountains of Nepal witnessed very few climbers attracted to them.

The Department of Tourism says the number of climbers on lower mountains, ranging from the height of 6,500 metres to 8,000 metres, is very lower this year than that of spring 2016.

For example, 39 mountaineers representing four teams had climbed the Tukuche Peak last spring. This year, only four persons have received the permit for the 6,920-metre high mountain.

The number of climbers on Saribung dropped from 36 to 12. While 43 mountaineers had conquered the Thapa Peak last spring, the number of people applying for the expedition here this year is nil.

The Ama Dablam is perhaps an exception. While 26 climbers had reached the peak at the height of 6,812 metres last year, the number is just one less this year.

There are 20 such “lower” mountains in Nepal whereas the number of eight-thousanders is eight.

Expeditions on the lower mountains serve as trials for mountaineers wishing to climb higher ones, according to the DoT Spokesperson Durga Datta Dhakal.

“Of late, those eying the Everest have been practising on lower mountains of their own countries,” he informs.

Earlier, Australians and Americans used to think that Nepali mountains were different from peaks of their nations, he explains, but now they have already concluded from studies that they are similar.

In addition, higher mountains attract more climbers in spring whereas the lower ones are favoured in winter, he shares.

The spring season is more appropriate to climb higher mountains than winter.

Dahal informs the trend is same in past five to six years.

Ncell gets govt nod to operate 4G services

Ncell, one of the two leading mobile carriers in the country, has received a government permit to operate 4G services.

The company, which has Axiata, Malaysia as its majority stakeholder, can now launch 4G from June 1, Nepal Telecom Authority spokesperson Min Prasad Aryal informed.

This comes a few days after the authority’s board meeting approved the company’s roll-out plan in which Ncell had said it will launch 4G within a month after acquiring the necessary permits.

The company will now use its 1800 Mhz frequency to operate 4G services. The company has also been allowed to use the 800 and 900 Mhz frequency to provide hi-speed internet facilities to its costumers.

The new mountain flight: It begins right from the heart of the Himalayas

Whenever we think of a ‘mountain flight’ in Nepal, we think of hopping on to a passenger plane at the Tribhuvan International Airport and watching the Himalayas from the comfort of your window. The pilot allows you to come into the cockpit one-by-one and you get to take photos of the highest peaks of the world in their full glory.

But there’s another way now to experience a ‘mountain flight’. Though a bit more expensive than the traditional flights, the new flight will take you closer to the mountains as well as the people who inhabit one of the remotest settlements in the world.

The adventure begins as you head to Namche, the gateway to Everest, either on foot or by flight. If you are pressed for time, you might want to fly to Lukla, but you would miss out on all the adventure a trek to Lukla entails. The ascent to Lukla is one of the most famous treks in the world, and it is one of the best ways to explore the diversity Nepal has on offer.

After setting off from Lukla on foot, you stay the night at Monjo and on the second day, you acclimatise at the picturesque Namche village. Against a clear starry night, the village comes to life as locals and tourists alike, gaze at the sky in amazement.

Until the third day of the trip, you get to see the mountains from a distance only. But that soon changes as you board a helicopter to embark on an experience of a lifetime.

During the course of the helicopter ride, you are in the cockpit for the entire duration of the flight. According to Ishwari Paudel, the Managing Director of Himalayan Guides Nepal, the company that offers the ‘new mountain flight’ package, you can see the Gokyo Lake, Mt Amadablam and other peaks during the ride. Everest remains the star attraction of the experience.

Just like the traditional mountain flights, you land in Kathmandu; there’s no need to trek all the way from Lukla or Namche to Kathmandu. This is another added advantage of the experience, says Paudel.