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Not many people get to see the newspapers from the day they were born. When I got the chance to see the edition I wanted, I was both amused and intrigued. 

As I sifted through the hard-bound collection of old newspapers, I found it. The edition of Gorkhapatra did look a little different from papers today. Once I read the headlines, I was hauled into a different time. Some 30,000 houses in the rural east had just got electricity, a bus service was shut down in Rautahat after one of its buses splashed some mud on a pedestrian with the driver being seriously beaten up by villagers, an ordinance regarding animal service was being discussed and Girija Prasad Koirala was the prime minister. 

Even more exciting was stumbling upon a copy from 19 March 1955, with the front page detailing the last rites of the just deceased King Tribhuvan (pictured alongside). How did it feel? Surreal, almost like I had hopped on a time-machine.   

There were rows of Gorkhapatra and The Rising Nepal archived at Gorkhapatra Sansthan. The institution, located at New Road, is the publishing house for these dailies and other widely read magazines like Madhurparka, Muna, and Yuvamanch. 

As I spent time at the archive, leafing through much older editions, it was evident that I was amid a trove of invaluable resources. Bimala Khadka, the head of the archive section, informed me that the library is usually frequented by journalists, researchers, students, and government officials. “The place is usually filled, or at least it was before the pandemic. The pandemic has affected footfall,” she mentions. 

We’re used to viewing colorful, ad-laden articles today, mostly on screens. Navigating Gorkhapatra pages from more than a hundred years ago is in no way comparable. The fonts on these pages aren’t easy to discern, the parlance is archaic, and there aren’t many parallels you can draw to the world around you today. This perplexity is accompanied by the looming reminder that you cannot be too careful turning the pages that have and will outlive you. There are perhaps few to no other resources that reflect the times of the yesteryears like these papers do.  

Gorkhapatra frontpage, 25 April 1941

Ramesh Parajuli, a researcher who frequents the archives to learn more about the past, says, “The older editions are essential to learning about the governments’ decisions and actions.” Since its inception in 1901, the institution has been owned and operated by the government. Being a state-run media house, it has chronicled governmental pursuits. Parajuli says that accessing such news pieces helps in triangulation and verification. 

With such extensive resources at its disposal, Gorkhapatra Corporation is also aiming to diversify its audiences and make its resources more easily accessible by digitizing the archives. This would make accessing information streamlined. Gorkhapatra already has an impressive following online. According to Shiva Kumar Bhattarai, acting general manager of Gorkhapatra Sansthan, the online site currently receives more than 700,000 daily visitors. Having the archives digitized would make information much more easily available. The digitization has been in the works for the last three years and is expected to be completed soon. Until then researchers will have to use physical copies or view microfilms. 

An indispensable legacy

Gorkhapatra is the oldest national daily of Nepal. It was launched as a weekly in 1901 and became a daily 60 years later. It is currently the sixth oldest newspaper in South Asia.

This age is reflected well on the archived papers as time has colored them yellow. I remarked about this and learned that it was not only because of age but also that at one point, to make Gorkhapatra look cleaner, the whiter paper started being used. Catering to as many Nepalis as possible, Gorkhapatra is also printed in Kohalpur and Biratnagar, as compared to just Kathmandu in its early days, with a total circulation of more than 50,000, in addition to its many online visitors. 

According to Gorkhapatra’s acting GM Bhattarai, even though the institution is government-owned, it is always attempting to report credible and factual news that serves the public. “Gorkhapatra is the voice of the public and is trustworthy. We always publish factual and authentic news.” 

In a way, this conveys that there is an awareness of Gorkhapatra’s position as a state-owned media house. 

Researchers like Parajuli are aware of how in the past, the institution’s position has had a bearing in its reporting. Gorkhapatra has been scrutinized and criticized for being the governments’ proponent. For example, Gorkhapatra did not report the execution of the martyrs of Praja Parishad in 1941. Parajuli also mentioned that more recently it has relegated news of the opposition to smaller spaces on the paper. 

Bhattarai's avowal to factual and unbiased reporting should be taken as a sign of hope following these blips in the paper’s past, however, not without a probing eye. The legacy of Gorkhapatra lives not only through its publications and archives but also through many senior Nepali journalists who have at some point in their careers been affiliated with the institution. 

Gorkhapatra’s contribution to Nepali media and history is prolific. Its publications have promoted journalism and literature for more than a century and continue to do so in an age where there’s stiff competition from other, private companies and other forms of media. Its archive is pivotal for research about Nepali social and political history. Gorkhapatra’s legacy is thus, undeniable and one that deserves great acknowledgment. 

Who hasn’t heard the names of Chekhov, Mendeleev or Pushkin? They are the treasures of not just Russia but the entire world. Here in Nepal, their names still adorn textbooks and their works are discussed among academic circles and literary enthusiasts. Yet keeping the Russian culture alive in Nepal is no small task. The Russian Center of Science and Culture located at Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu, which is run with the help of the Russian Embassy, is nonetheless making a good fist of it. It has been conducting various events to preserve and promote Russian culture. 

Recently I visited the center. As I entered its gate, I could see a life-size representation of the Periodic Table next to a statue of Mendeleev. A little farther I could see another statue, this one of Pushkin, adjacent to the main building. Then as I entered the building, I came across a sprawling hallway with a few displays: the famous Russian Matryoshka dolls, and intricately designed tea cups and saucers. The walls were decorated with old black and white pictures of famous Russian personalities. The central balcony hoisted the old Russian flag. I felt a rush as I had only read about them or seen them in movies. 

I met Sushil Sigdel who has been working at the center as the head of Russian language courses. Sigdel told me how the center has been active since 1979 in cementing ties between Russian and Nepali cultures. The center is an information hub for people to learn about Russian science, history and culture. Pointing towards the Periodic Table at the gate, Sigdel said that it was installed to commemorate the UN’s Year of the Periodic Table. “In addition, every month we bring in school students to demonstrate chemical experiments.” 

It also conducts various events on the birthdays of famous Russian authors, scientists and notable figures with programs such as poem recitations, musical shows and theater productions. On July 20 this year, it marked the 110th birth anniversary of Andrei Gromyko by hosting a photo exhibition titled “Outstanding Diplomat and Public Figure”. Moreover, one of its partners, Shailee Theater, stages plays and programs every few months. Recently, they organized a show at Bal Mandir and provided gifts to the children. 

One of the center’s most popular facilities is its language classes for people eager to learn Russian. According to Sigdel, the center offers language courses at three levels: Elementary, Basic and Advanced. All three courses are 60 credit hours each and run for around two months. The costs are Rs 5,650, Rs 6,150 and Rs 6,500 respectively. All students get a certificate after sitting through an examination. 

Sigdel informed me that almost 40 percent of the students taking this course are planning to pursue higher education in Russia. Another 40 percent of the students are prospective tour guides and tourism operators. The rest are enthusiasts who are learning the language simply as a hobby. 

In addition to this, the Russian Culture Center also helps students study in Russia by providing information about universities and offering scholarships. Sigdel says that it still sends students to Russia on full scholarships every year. All in all, the center is making many efforts to keep Russian culture alive in Nepal. 

It is now becoming the norm to fly abroad for higher education, but not often do we see foreign students in Nepali colleges. Raquel Maria Lorenzana Hesdorf, 29, is an exception. A native of Denmark, she is studying at Global Hospitality of Tourism and Hospitality Education (GATE) at Mandikhatar, Kathmandu.

Currently in the third year of her higher diploma program in hotel and restaurant management at GATE, Raquel seems to have fully embraced Nepal. She speaks with fondness about the land she now calls her second home. “It was just highways and moving trucks there for me, here I see everything, the landscape, the houses of the rich and poor and everything,” she compares the view from her balcony here in Kathmandu to what she saw from the balcony of her home back in Denmark. She tells me how endearing Nepal is to her and she credits this to the resilience and affability of the Nepali people.

“When I first came here, my Nepali friends showed me around and I could see the monuments in ruins because of the earthquake. The fact that my friends were worried that I wouldn’t like the crumbling temples and houses showed how much they cared.”

Raquel acknowledges the bad bits of Kathmandu: the pervasive dust, the inconvenient transport system. “But I also know things are slowly developing here. Even in the past two years, I have seen many improvements like things becoming more modern and that has certainly helped me adapt better.”

I ask her why she chose Nepal. Her eyes twinkle and she reminisces about how she grew up. “Denmark hosted quite a few refugees and for a time I was the only white girl in the neighborhood. I liked being around so many cultures and so choosing Nepal, a place with so many cultures, made sense.”

After completing high school, Raquel worked for a few years in sales and realized in her mid-20s that she was more suited for hospitality. She also had an epiphany that it was time to make her childhood dream of studying abroad come true. “I didn’t want to go to Spain or France because I wouldn’t be experiencing something truly new there.” Having convinced her parents, she came to Kathmandu.

Although she seems confident now, she tells us how she came unprepared. She experienced many cultural shocks. She realized that there were moments people here treated her differently because she’s white. “I remember going to a friend’s house. There, her family members treated me like I was very special and I realized it wasn’t the same with my other friends. You do not do that. Maybe it stems from the caste system but you treat my friends the same way you treat me.”

She also mentions how it is tough for her to negotiate rates with cab drivers. In another bewildering story, she recalls how, once, a driver thought she worked at GATE and asked her help for his daughter’s admission. She also tells us of a relationship here gone astray due to cultural differences between her and her Nepali boyfriend. “The advice I would give to international students coming here is to understand that the norms will not be the same here.”

In these times, she often received solace from other international students at her college. She credits them for helping her get acquainted to life in Nepal. “I have friends here who help me navigate my way around the city and have fun every day.” When not busy working at Aloft Hotel in Thamel, Raquel likes to go around town and explore.

Nepal has left an indelible mark on Raquel and she says Nepal is definitely a part of her future. She intends to return to Nepal later and give back in whatever way possible. But she is not the one to stay put. She likes change every once
in a while.

Heaps of unmanaged garbage on the streets of Kathmandu isn’t an unusual sight. Unsus­tainable methods of consumption and disposal ensure we throw out a lot. Two entrepreneurs, Sajal Basyal and Saumya Joshi, wanted to do something about it. So when they opened a restaurant and food deliv­ery service called Tufan Express this January, they also decided to address the problem of unmanaged waste and litter as part of their Cor­porate Social Responsibility. They struck upon an ingenious idea: they would use dokos, the traditional Nepali load-carrying baskets made of bamboo, as dustbins.

According to Basyal, it bothered the duo a lot that the area they oper­ated in, Manbhawan, had far too few waste bins. They thus decided to experiment with a novel way of litter-control: hang empty dokos on some utility poles with their own money. So far, they have had a pos­itive response. They find people making good use of the dokos, which are mostly full, whereas the amount of litter on the road nearby seems to have decreased. “We did it to make our city more livable,” says Basyal. While it’s all for a good cause, Basyal also admits to challenges: “One of our biggest inconveniences are municipal workers not collecting garbage from dokos, despite sev­eral requests.” The entrepreneur­ial duo reckons that the workers are perhaps deterred by the hassle of untying and tying the dokos to the poles. They thus plan to insert garbage bags in the dokos which the municipal workers can easily take out.

Another problem is that Basyal and Joshi are perpetually short of funds. They currently purchase dokos for Rs 220 apiece, out of their own pocket. To realize their dream of expanding the doko ser­vice throughout the city, they are looking for outside donors and sponsors. In return, they plan to put up the names of sponsoring brands on the banners attached to the dokos.

While using dokos as bins does the environment a world of good, it is also a win for our culture. Good going, guys

The evening of July 20, Saturday, was unlike most other languid weekends I have had recently. When given a chance to attend Sabin Rai and The Pharaoh’s show at Moksh, I jumped at the offer. Organized by Kripa Drishya Digital in association with Highlander Vodka, this concert was the second installment in the series.  

The opening act was a local band “Sketches” with their acoustic set. The combo of a few Nepali songs with Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” well and truly warmed up the crowd. They were enjoyable throughout. Their rendition of the headliners’ song “Timi Nai Hau” in particular resonated with the swaying crowd.

Then walked in the main band to a warm applause. As the show went on, it was apparent why they have such an appeal. To call Sabin Rai with that unmistakable swag of his, eccentric, would be an understatement. The power of his voice more than commands your attention. More than that, the man is a machine on stage, backed every step of the way by the solid musicianship of The Pharaoh. It all made for an unforgettable experience. What the main act delivered on the night was more than what the expectant crowd had expected.

It was my first time watching them live. But for some reason I didn’t feel that way. The camaraderie in the room was surreal (could be the drinks provided by Highlander, but come on!). Rai’s bits of inside info—like how he wrote the flirty number “Nilo Chhata” on seeing a couple under a blue umbrella on a rainy day—and his classic melancholic and mournful numbers like “Samjhana Haru Lai Angaldai” worked the expected magic on the entranced audience.

In fact, this is exactly the vision animating these “Ghar Ma” sessions. Says Ashish Syangden, one of the organizers, “We want to provide an intimate setting for core fans and music lovers to enjoy and appreciate the artists’ music.” 

In addition to getting to witness your favorite artists up close, Syangden explains, the sessions are also meant to give fans a chance to interact with the artists. In this session at Moksh as well there fans who asked the singer questions between songs. One of them was: “What is your most embarrassing moment?” He was suffering from a diarrhea during a show in Hong Kong, replied Rai, and having gone to the restroom once too often, he didn’t realize his zipper was open while he came back to the stage. Luckily, he was wearing a black underwear!

Rai’s replies were entertaining, prompting laughter and cheers. Needless to say, such intimacy is a rarity in music concerts. This felt more like a show in your own backyard.

In fact, that was how the idea for this series came about, when some of Syangden’s friends organized music sessions in their own homes with food and drinks. Thus “Ghar Ma” was born.

The first “Ghar Ma” session featured Rohit John Chhetri. There is one show every month, with a total of 12 shows. The fans of Nepali music have a chance to win tickets to this magical event. Check out Kripa Drishya Digital’s Facebook page for more information, and their YouTube page for videos from the sessions.

For both melophiles and dabblers in music, picking up the right instrument is pivotal to their musical journey. With quite a few music stores in the valley, it can be tough to pick the place to get the right instrument. No one wants their choice to be compromised, either in quality or affordability. We pick a few stores with a wide range of options, to suit both your tastes and pocket-sizes.

Harmonium Musicals

Location: Khichapokhari, Contact: 01-4244364

At Harmonium Musicals, you can find a multitude of instruments. Various kinds of acoustic and electric guitars, amplifiers, drum sets (both electronic and acoustic), cymbals, effects and keyboards are available. A basic Indian guitar will cost you between Rs 4,500 and Rs 6,000 while Chinese ones fetch for between Rs 7,000 and Rs 20,000. Likewise, serious guitarists can also choose from international brands. The store is an authorized dealer for LTD Guitars from ESP Guitars. If you want an amplifier too, you can pick one from the popular UK brand, Orange Amps (of which the store also is an authorized dealer). For cool effects, get pedals from Boss.

Besides this, the store has you covered with drum kits from Sabian and Pearl. If fiddling with keys is your thing, you can try out keyboards from Roland. And if you’re planning to hop on the ukulele train, the store has ukuleles from brands such as Deviser starting from Rs 3,500.

Bass & Treble

Location: Naxal, Contact: 01-4425932

This Naxal-based store is an official dealer for the global behemoth Yamaha and houses its widely-loved pianos, keyboards, and guitars. The price range of the keys starts at Rs 15,000 and goes all the way up to Rs 300,000. In addition, the store has instruments from brands like Ortega, Bang & Olufsen and D’Addario. Acoustic guitars are available starting from Rs 15,000 to Rs 90,000. In terms of electric guitars, the high end models range around Rs 100,000. Moreover, here you can find products that cater to your production needs. Professional mixing consoles from Yamaha range from Rs 25,500 to Rs 65,000.

Treasure Music Store

Location: Shantinagar, Contact: 9803155980

Treasure Music Store sells guitars from popular brands such as Fender and Ibanez. If you’re looking to start out in guitar you can buy beginner guitars from Rs 5,000 onwards. Or if you want niche brands, this is also the place to go. You get pedals from Mono and Line 6 for around Rs 90,000. Another rare find here is the 7-string guitar, which will cost you over Rs 100,000. You can also find accessories for your instruments. The store has many international brands, but you might want to check out their own, “Manaslu Guitars”, which is soon being launched. This is designed here in Nepal and assembled in China.

Guitar Shop

Location: Chhetrapati, Contact: 01-4215687

The perfect place for international brands, Nepali brands and locally sourced instruments. The shop is the authorized seller of international brands such as Ernie Ball, Samick, Blackstar, and Aria, which are imported from the US and Indonesia. Also sold are guitars from its own brand called “Mantra Guitars”, with its price ranging from Rs 5,500 to Rs 80,000. If you’re also looking for amplifiers, you have plenty of options from the UK brand Blackstar.

Or what if you have a penchant for Nepali music and are looking to purchase a local instrument? Guitar Shop has various Nepali instruments made by families who have been in the business for generations. You can choose between madals, sarangis and ghungroos that are priced around Rs 4,500, Rs 6,000 and Rs 1,200 respectively.

Planet Music Store

Location: Shankhamul, Contact: 01-4780242

For musicians looking for guitars from brands like Epiphone, Ibanez, Fender and Gibson, Planet Music Store has acoustic and electric options in both genuine and copy models. Acoustic guitars start at Rs 5,000 while electric guitars start at Rs 28,000.

For drummers, you can choose between acoustic and electric kits. Genuine acoustic kits from Tama, Premier and Ludwig are available from Rs 75,000 onwards, whereas copies will cost you upwards of Rs 35,000. If you opt for electronic kits, you have models from Roland that will set you back by at least Rs 72,000. Higher end models will cost you about Rs 100,000.

You also have a wide range of amplifiers from Peavey and Vox and home studio arrangements from Scarlet Focusrite whose 2i2 bundle will cost you Rs 31,000.

Passing by the idyllic Nag­pokhari pond amidst Naxal’s hustle and bustle, you notice a bunch of boxing athletes and enthusiasts work­ing out diligently every dawn and dusk. They are members of Naxal Boxing Club, whose training reminds you of scenes from ‘Rocky’ and ‘Million Dol­lar Baby’ that made some of us want to throw a punch or two. One day, I carefully observed them going through their routines, and it capti­vated me. They were contin­uously completing rounds which would not be easy for an average person, even without the sweltering heat. Soon they shifted gears and did their jumps between the cones lined up around them. Someone who looked like their coach then blew his whistle to signal a break.

Starting young

I approached coach Raj Krishna Maharjan to ask him about the athletes’ workout. He went into detail about how the routine consisted of a mix of intensive boxing exercises and a 25-minute jog around the pond. By then, the ath­letes had started their run. Maharjan firmly told a kid, who did not even look 10, to quicken his pace. I asked him if the child was old enough to be there.

“These kids are preparing for future tournaments. This is how most people start and we help them throughout,” said Maharjan, who also started young at the club. He mentioned how the club was known as Naxal Yuwa Man­dal and Boxing Club since its inception in the mid-70s by late Garud Dhwaj Shahi, in what was one of only four pri­vate boxing clubs at the time. A structural change led to it being registered as Naxal Box­ing Club around six years ago.

Maharjan, 42, says he is giv­ing back to the club, in what is his seventh year as a coach. He recalled the days he competed in tournaments and won med­als. He proudly mentioned that some of the current mem­bers have already started pre­paring for junior champion­ships. He pointed to Sushma Tamang, a 17-year-old athlete who is waiting for her 12th grade results and has been with the club for the past three years. When I asked Tamang how she found out about the club, she told me she lived nearby and used to see peo­ple practicing. Her interest shot up when her elder sis­ter went abroad through the club and won medals. Tamang exuded confidence and said she was looking forward to the upcoming local youth competitions.

While athletes like Tamang are working towards a career in boxing, there is no shortage of people who have joined the club just to have some fun and stay fit. Nabin Dhakal, a 19-year-old engineering stu­dent is one such example. He chose it over modern gyms and training centers because of its open space and afford­able fees. “I even tried out the club at Dashrath Rangas­ala. But because of the recon­struction going on there, the sessions were irregular. Here, I do not have to worry about that,” he said.

Beyond the physical

While the trainees learn much about boxing, I couldn’t help but notice the bond they had forged with each other and with the coaches. Pres­ident Navin Tandukar, who also coaches the morning ses­sions, says the club instills a sense of responsibility in its members. “They will all be contributing to society in one way or another. Some have already gone on to represent our nation abroad, while oth­ers are serving the country by joining its security services,” said Tandukar.

Like Maharjan, Tandukar also used to be a member of the club and represented it in various tournaments. Now they have both decided to dedicate themselves to the club. Sushma Tamang aspires to do the same at some point in the future. “The club has taught me how to be fearless and believe in myself. I want to contribute to it later, how­ever I can,” she stressed.

The club is run mostly on donations and contributions. Both Tandukar and Maharjan said how they, along with a few other senior members, have been paying for the club’s expenses from their own pockets. “We understand that everyone interested may not be able to afford it. While we ask people who can afford the Rs 1,000 membership fee to pay up, we also try to accom­modate those who aren’t as well off,” said Maharjan.

The coaches have been for­going their salaries, and with the benefactors, have instead been providing gloves and bandages to the athletes who cannot afford them.

A culture of its own

The Naxal Boxing Club has withstood the waves of modernization and built an illustrious legacy, becoming an inseparable part of Nag­pokhari and of Naxal at large. Even without extravagant box­ing equipment or carefully regimented diet plans, its ath­letes are able to give stiff com­petition to those with such privileges. The secret seems to be the collective dedication of the athletes, coaches and well-wishers who have kept the boxing culture alive and thriving.

Despite the financial pressure, with determined coaches like Maharjan and Tandukar and promising ath­letes like Sushma Tamang, the club seems poised to remain viable and to continue fill­ing the Nagpokhari air with the noise of staccato thuds of punches for a long time to come O

 The month of June is inter­nationally recognized as the LGBT Pride Month. The month-long celebrations are aimed at fighting for equal rights, increasing social visi­bility, and celebrating sexual and gender diversity. June was selected as the Pride Month to commemorate the Stone­wall riots of 28 June, 1969, following a police raid in Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City. These riots would became an impetus for Pride marches.

In Nepal, no such declaration of Pride Month has been made and queer events have only recently started garnering social attention. Nepal nonetheless has a vibrant queer community. Culturally, cross-dressing and transgender people have always existed in Nepal. Transgender women (called ‘metis’ in Nepali) were traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits at wedding ceremonies or at childbirth. Among the Gurungs, there is a tradition of men dressing up as women and performing the maaruni dance. 

In 2007 Nepal government legalized homosexuality, cross-dressing and began allowing a third gender option on documents. And yet, twelve years on, discussion on gender and sexual diver­sity is not only scarce but also prejudiced.

In order to change this state of affairs, a few organizations host rallies for LGBT aware­ness and social inclusion. The Blue Diamond Society (BDS) first organized the Gaijatra International Pride Parade in Nepal for Nepali LGBT community in 2010. Held in Kathmandu, it also saw par­ticipation from various coun­tries and was led by Sunil Babu Pant, the first openly gay member of the Nepali parliament.

Bhakti Shah, an LGBT activ­ist with the BDS, says, “This march is aimed at providing a comfortable climate for any LGBT individual to open up, dress any way they like and to celebrate themselves.” The rally has also attracted some criticism because it is observed on Gaijatra, the day people from the Newar com­munity remember the dead by having young boys dress up as cows. This mingling of the religious and the ‘profane’ has sometimes resulted in open conflict.

As a result of this criticism, other organizations have started hosting their pride marches at other times of the year. For instance, a Queer MOGAI Pride Parade is held in Nepal on 5 May—MOGAI stands for Marginalized Ori­entation (sexual/romantic), Gender alignments (identity/ expressions) and Intersex bodily variations. Another pride parade was organized by Mitini Nepal alongside the international One Billion Ris­ing campaign in Kathmandu on 14 February this year. In addition, this year the Queer Youth Group organized a Queer/MOGAI/LBTI women pride to encourage women from diverse sexual orien­tations, as well as intersex and transgender women to come out.

The Blue Diamond Society’s Shah wants the government to formulate and implement inclusive policies that give equal rights to the marginal­ized LGBT community.

After homosexuality was decriminalized in Nepal in 2007, the 2015 constitution was also praised for its inclu­siveness and LGBT-friend­liness. Article 12 states that people have the right to citi­zenship with their preferred gender. Article 18 prohibits any discrimination based on sex, gender or sexual orien­tation. It also makes provi­sions for special protections provided by law and gen­der neutral terms instead of previously used ‘male’ or ‘female’. The constitution allows gender and sexual minorities the right to access public services.

However, as Shah points out, the new Nepali Civil Code that came into effect in August 2018 identifies marriage only between opposite sexes. In addition, it states that no one should marry or help someone marry with a lie or lies based on the ambiguity of sexual organs or lack thereof. Many activists have spoken against this and deemed the code unconstitutional.

The laws are also not accommodating to non-cis­gender people as it might be to cisgender people (whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex). Activist Rukshana Kapali, a transgender woman, was denied admission into Tribhuvan University for her Masters’ degree. Kapali had different names in her School Leaving Certificate and +2 certificates, which were prepared before and after her coming out respectively. Shortly, the hashtag ‘#Trans­ExclusionistTU’ was trending on Twitter.

Such difficulties of queer people is exactly why Kapali stresses the need for Pride celebrations. “Pride makes us visible. While it is a moment for queer people to have fun, it is also an opportunity for our voices to be heard. At least people get to know that we exist. ”

Social acceptance is still problematic. Kapali says most people of the older genera­tion find it hard to understand queer identities. Even among the younger generation, she says, bullying of queer peo­ple is rampant. “However, I am hopeful that things will change with increased visi­bility, social awareness and advocacy for queer accep­tance and equality.”