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A young boy who writes songs on his guitar and plays them while loll­ing about in his living room is encouraged by his mother to record and release his homespun songs. He does. Then, he uploads his music on YouTube and becomes an overnight singing sensation. Well, not overnight. That only happens in the movies. But the metamorphosis of a boy-next-door to a singing celeb­rity in just over two years would be no less dramatic. And this is exactly what hap­pened to him, says 22-year-old Sushant KC.

Interested in singing and song-writing from his child­hood, Sushant, motivated by his mother, released a few songs on YouTube, which eventually led to a 2016 album called “Blue Figments”. A song in the album, “Aama”, caught fire online (it currently has over six million views on YouTube). Sushant then left for Australia for further stud­ies. The year 2017 was quiet as he took time to settle in a for­eign land and he was under­ground the whole time.

It was after he got back to Nepal, when he took up sing­ing and YouTubing again, that his stardom soared. All his releases started becoming instant YouTube hits, most of them crossing the cov­eted “1 million” mark. His songs “Aama”, “Satayera”, “Mayama” and “Muskuray­era” have been trending on social media and has earned him more than 166,000 sub­scribers on YouTube alone.

“I made music just for myself. Never thought it would become so famous,” says Sushant, who is in Nepal till February and has been performing in sold-out shows across the country. “I uploaded a few songs on You­Tube and suddenly, I started getting subscribers by the hundreds and then thousands. Right now, my subscribers are increasing by 1,000 a day.” He beams with pride.

Sushant’s music is heavily influenced by the modern Electronic Dance Music and R&B (rhythm and blues ini­tially but now a mixed genre that combines elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop and electronic). His lyrics are usu­ally based on others’ lives and experiences that he listens to and puts in simple Nepali, which is one reason his songs are so popular among young­sters. Without elaborate and expensive videos needed to support his music, Sushant’s YouTube channel rather has simple lyrics videos that above all highlight his musicality. The time and effort he puts into every creation is another recipe for his success.

Working from a home stu­dio, Sushant writes, arranges, sings and does the mixing and mastering of his own songs, something that otherwise calls for a whole team of profes­sionals. And he is a self-taught musician who learnt to do everything on his own.

“It has basically been trial and error for me so far. I am still learning and after I complete my bachelors [in commerce], I plan to take up music as an academic field,” he says.

Although his musical career has spanned over three years, Sushant is new to the art of performing live and when asked how difficult it is, com­pared to recording in his home studio, he says there is essen­tially no difference. “As I have always been playing guitar and singing, I found the tran­sition to playing live easy,” he says. “I use my guitar and loops for playing live, which I need some getting used to. Otherwise it’s just like singing at home.”

Sushant is flattered that most attendees of his live shows sing along, almost word for word. For him there is no better energy-booster. “Most of my listeners are very young and the follow­ing from my female fans is overwhelming. They recog­nize me even on the streets and public places and come talk to me or to take selfies. This love and support makes me want to continue making music—forever”.

While walking on the sidewalks of the city, many residents of Kathmandu may have come across Chinese President Xi Jinping’s books on governance, neatly translated into Nepali. In all likelihood, they were translated by Current Publication, the translator and publisher of most Chinese books available in the Nepali market. A few other books in Mandarin have also been translated in Nepali. But how many of us know that Nepali literary works are also being translated into Chinese, and that some of them like Laxmi Prasad Devkota’s ‘Muna Madan’, have enjoyed modest success in China?

The goal is to enhance mutual trust and to bring the two peoples closer

Still, the Nepali-book market in China is relatively small. “The Chinese love to read about our society and culture, and if we can select the best publications and translate them properly, China can be a huge market,” says Kiran Gautam, Current Publication’s managing director.

Aneesh Malla, a lecturer of Mandarin at Kathmandu University and the translator and editor of many Current books, reckons Nepali works have excellent potential in China if there is good research into the Chinese market.

Nepal and China want to publish each other’s works, starting with literary ones, says Ganga Prasad Upreti, chancellor of Nepal Academy. Upreti says that Nepal Academy is particular about selecting books to translate and send to China, and hopes that like ‘Muna Madan’, which he says has sold over 100,000 copies in China, other well-translated Nepali books will also be popular in China.

The goal behind these translations, say those involved, is to enhance mutual trust and to bring the two peoples closer.

Books in translation 

The Xinzhi Bookstore at Kamal­adi, Kathmandu is among a handful of bookstores in Nepal that sell Chinese books. It mostly caters to Chinese nationals living in Nepal and to students and pro­fessionals learning Mandarin. With a huge collection of Chinese books and magazines, the bookstore also has a small section where non-Chi­nese customers can buy Chinese books that have been translated into English or Nepali: the section has a collection of illustrated stories and Chinese folklore translated into sim­ple English and Nepali for beginners, as well as popular Chinese literary works for more advanced readers. On spending some time at the bookstore you learn that plenty of Nepalis are interested in Chinese works that have been translated into Nepali. (The store owners corrobo­rate that.) But would Nepali works of fiction and non-fiction translat­ed into Mandarin sell in China? Given China’s colossal market, could our struggling writers thrive there?

“Definitely,” says Kiran Gautam, Managing Director of Current Publication Pvt Ltd, the translator and publisher of most Chi­nese books available in Nepali trans­lation. “The Chinese love to read about our society and culture, and if we can select the best publications and translate them properly, China can be a huge market,” Gautam says.

Gautam has for past 11 years been taking part in various literary con­ferences and book fairs in China and exploring the possibility of an exchange of publications. Current Publication is a 45-year-old family business that Gautam took charge of in 2012. He has since been publishing translations of Chinese writings and researching the demand for Nepali publications in China.

Dearth of material

“In Nepal, most of what we read is home-produced or imported from India. We have always been very influenced by India but we should not forget China is also our neigh­bor,” Gautam says. Working in col­laboration with Chinese publishing houses, he and his team of transla­tors and scholars started by trans­lating children’s storybooks. They then moved on to more serious pub­lications, including a comprehensive book on the Belt and Road Initiative.

“But the main problem is that we do not have good material to pen­etrate the Chinese market,” says Gautam, who this week received the “International Publishing Cooperation Friendship Award 2018” on behalf of the Current Media and Research Center in Tai’an, Shandong. “Apart from a few Nepali classics, I don’t think the bulk of what we publish would interest Chinese readers.”

Gautam, who also writes and translates, is working on a travel­ogue based on his journeys across China. He says Current Publications is also translating Chinese President Xi Jinping’s writings.

Aneesh Malla, a lecturer of Manda­rin at Kathmandu University and the translator and editor of many of Cur­rent’s publications, reckons Nepali publications have excellent potential in China if there is good research of Chinese market. “During my stay in China as a student, I noticed that most Chinese students had the habit of reading outside their curriculum from an early age. Reading is an inte­gral part of life there,” Malla says. He thinks Nepali books, if translated and promoted well, could tap the huge Chinese market.

Malla is also the director of the “China-Chin Editorial Depart­ment,” established this year by Current Media in collaboration with China’s state-run Foreign Lan­guage Teaching and Research Press, the biggest publication in the coun­try for foreign language translations and printing.

"We have always been very influenced by India but we should not forget China is also our neighbor"

Kiran Gautam Managing Director, Current Publication

Two-way process

“We have been translating Chinese books for the Nepali market and with this new collaboration, we will pub­lish at least five substan­tial writings every year. But this is not enough. We strongly believe this should be a two-way process and we also need to spread our culture and literature in China,” Malla says. He cites the examples of Laxmi Prasad Devkota’s classic “Muna Madan” and Dharma Ratna Yami’s “Reply from Tibet” as successful Nepali publi­cations that have been translated into Mandarin and which were well received in China. “But we can do much more,” says Malla, who is half­way through translating Diamond Sumsher Rana’s epic “Seto Bagh”. He believes the book will create an interest among Chinese readers because of its rich historical content.

Working on “Seto Bagh” with Mal­la is Xing Yun (pen name Indira), a PhD scholar at Tribhuvan University and faculty member at the Center for Nepalese Studies in Beijing Foreign Studies University. Yun has collab­orated with Malla on translations of books like “Fun Reading About China,” and “Chinese Folk Tales” (a series of 10 books). Indira writes and speaks fluent Nepali and is an avid reader of Nepali literature. She names Nepali classics like “Muna Madan”, “Seto Bagh”, “Muluk Bahira”, “Bas­anti”, “Shirish­ko Phool” and modern popular bestsellers such as “Forget Kath­mandu” and “Jack­son Heights” as some of her favorites. “I like reading Nepali literature, but I cannot authoritatively judge Nepali books or authors,” she says. But she believes books like “Seto Bagh” that delve into Nepali culture will be a big hit in China.

Need of our times

“Although it’s fiction, I found the stories of that period fascinating. I’ve also watched a Nepali movie based on the book. The history of Nepal, the Nepali way of living, its religions and rituals, the cultures of different ethnic groups and the Nepali diaspo­ra would interest Chinese readers,” she says. Yun acknowledges the simi­larities in the two neighbors’ cultures and literature, and says although the two peoples have had age-old trade exchanges, literary exchanges are vital too.

Correction: An earlier version of this article showed an incorrected map of China. Sorry.

Kopila Tamang, 25, from Jhor Mah­ankal of Tokha municipality on the northern fringe of Kathmandu wakes up at 4 am at least three times a week. Before the break of dawn, she embarks on a short trip to Balaju for business. But before that, she visits a few houses in her Tamang village to collect the produce from women of her family and the larger community to sell in the local market. With a 20-liter jerry-can filled with home-made liquor, Tamang takes public transport to Balaju where her customers, usually owners of small eateries and drinking shacks, await her. They get from her the newly-designated contraband: the famous Nepali rakshi.

Women from her community have been in the business of producing and selling homemade alcoholic beverages for decades. Many families depend on it for their livelihood. But this could all change with the government preparing to impose strict rules against the con­sumption, production and selling of alcohol. Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has announced a crackdown on home-brewed and distilled liquor made for commercial purpose and police have been confiscating and destroying thou­sands of liters of home-made liquor all over the country.

Tamang and the women of her com­munity are also irked by police checks that have increased in frequency of late. As they carry their jerry-cans, they are frequently questioned before they reach Balaju and other designated places of sales. “I don’t know why the govern­ment wants to crack down on traditional liquor makers like us who use everything organic to make drinks we have been consuming for centuries,” Tamang says. “They should instead focus on big dis­tilleries which use chemicals and which are thus more harmful.” She talks of the women of her community who are harassed by police for carrying liquor in public transport and feels that it is unfair on part of the government to deprive them of their traditional income source.

One 20-liter jerry-can of rakshi costs Tamang Rs 1,300 in Jhor, which she sells for Rs 2,000. That is around Rs 600 of daily profit after the deduction of transport cost. The money she earns goes to the education of her children, says Tamang, who also has a day job as a nanny.

Tamang represents potentially thou­sands of women around the country who are involved in the traditional trade of distilling and brewing liquors out of millet, rice and other grains to support their families. When asked of the impor­tance of rakshi in the Tamang culture, she exclaims with a surprise, “Aamai! What are you talking about? We need rakhsi on all occasions, from birth till death. It is not considered bad in our culture and is used in religious ceremonies as well as for medicinal purposes.”

“Governments, laws, regulations, policing and disciplinary actions are part of modern society. But the existence of human beings predates everything,” says Sujin Lohorung Rai, a lecturer in anthropology at Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus. In bringing the new regulations, “the government has failed to address the human diversity, multi-cultural existence and plurality that has been present in the country since historic times.”

Hailing from an indigenous community of eastern Nepal, Rai believes that the government is neglecting the fact that alcohol, especially home-made alcohol, is a part of life and culture of many indig­enous communities. Giving an example of the Lohorung Rai culture, Rai says alcohol, or “hopthiwa” in local dialect, is essential for any “rite of passage”, from birth to death.

“People have wrong notion that cer­tain communities use alcohol only to get drunk, make merry and create nuisance. That is not true,” says Rai. “They see peo­ple fighting after alcohol consumption but they do not see people sorting out their differences, making new friends, building relationships and bonding over alcohol.” To give it benefit of doubt, the government may have brought the new alcohol regulations with the best of intent. But it would have been wise to first consult the communities that are most likely to be affected.

Established in 1964, Nebico Biscuit Pvt Ltd is one of the first biscuit and confectionary manufacturers in Nepal. Now it is one of the very few companies in Nepal to complete 50 years of suc­cessful operations. Today, Nebico’s products are house­hold names. Gandhi Chhetri, general manager of Nebico, who joined the company a year ago after working for many national and international FMCG brands, talked to Sunny Mahat of APEX about Nebico’s future plans.

What do you think is the secret to the company’s longevity?

Consistency is the key. We have been manufacturing top-quality products without any deterioration in our quality. But we have also not seen expected growth in the market. The main products of Nebico—Glu­cose, Thin Arrowroot and Coconut biscuits—are established and well known. There is another biscuit called “Khaja” which we have been manufacturing for the past 50 years. There are generations of people who recognize Nebico as a brand. But we have not been able to cater to younger consumers.

What is stopping you?

We’ve had a problem with Research & Development as well as with technology. We have failed to innovate in order to cater to the young crowd. The choices of the youngsters are evolving and we have not been able to attract them with new products. But our strat­egy is changing. We are launch­ing new products aimed at young consumers and are also develop­ing products for health conscious consumers, while also retaining existing consumers.

What has been the company’s biggest opportunities and chal­lenges during its long run?

Let me start with the chal­lenges. We as a company feel sandwiched. Multi-national com­panies from India, China and abroad are coming up with high quality products. On the other hand, local Nepali products have lower prices. We are fighting in the middle. We cannot go down on prices because we have to be profit­able. At the same time, we have not been able to climb up due to lack in R&D and innovation.

As for the opportunities, we have strong goodwill and brand recogni­tion all over the country. Our dis­tribution network is also probably the strongest in the industry with an all-Nepal supply chain. Besides that, we have a good range of products and our re-sellers/trad­ers and consumers are satisfied with our quality.

Our employees are also our big strength. We have peo­ple who have spent their lives working with us with utmost dedication, and have become part of one big fam­ily. Where else in Nepal would you find employees with such low turnover? Some of them have been working with us for past 35 years.

Since Nepal is an open market, how difficult is it to compete with imported products?

We don’t consider European prod­ucts our competition because they are very expensive and have only a niche market. The Indian products are our main competitors but we do not get into price wars with them. There are Indian products with sim­ilar prices but we have the advantage of having more content, i.e. more net weight. Suppose if they are selling a packet of biscuit for Rs 10 with 100 gms of content, we will have the same price but the content will be 120 gms. This is a big factor behind purchase decisions, especially in rural areas.

What are the immediate Nebico’s plans for market expansion?

Nebico is a 55-year-old company and we reached a turnover of around Rs 1 billion last fiscal. But this is not enough for a company of our stature. We need to bring adolescents and the youth into our basket and we are definitely looking into increasing our presence in this market.

We are also launching some high range products to compete with imported goods. Also, we are thinking of expanding the business to North East India (Seven Sisters States), because we know they have a huge market for Nepali products. We are already negotiating with importers there.

Imposing the kind of restrictions on sale, consumption and adver­tisement of alcoholic beverag­es that the government is mulling will have many ramifications, some good, some bad, and some, as of now, unforeseeable. Restaurants and resorts will suffer. With Nepal on its way to becoming a ‘dry state’, tourism could take a hit. The coun­try could struggle to bring in any­where close to the two million tour­ists it wants to welcome by 2020. But some provisions of the pro­posed regulations—like restricting the sale of alcohol to those under 18 and prohibiting sales near schools and colleges—are good, and thus welcome. There could be other positives of stricter alcohol rules. Domestic violence could go down, as could some other crimes.

With Nepal on its way to becoming a ‘dry state’, tourism could take a hit

Our first ‘APEX series’ hopes to provide some answers to the many questions about the new alcohol reg­ulations that you may have. In this and the next four editions of APEX we explore all the different ways more restrictive alcohol rules could impact the society. We believe this is an important issue that needs to be thoroughly examined before we jump to hasty conclusions.

In this first issue we focus on its likely impact on tourism and econ­omy. To make their point, restaura­teurs we talked to pointed out how prohibition in the US back in the 1920s had backfired, encouraging bootlegging and binge drinking. Event managers reckoned the grow­ing international image of Nepal as a ‘party destination’ could suffer. Meanwhile, according to economist Biswo Poudel, such a “nonsensical” regulation brought without home­work is “bound to fail”. If anything, it will encourage smuggling and bootlegging, he also predicts.

But you, the readers, are the final arbiters. Read our series and judge for yourself.

Proposed alcohol ban could hit economy hard

“There should have been more homework on a policy that will directly affect the lives and livelihoods of the country’s 30 million people,” Economist Biswo Poudel

After a futile attempt in September to ban porn, the communist government is now mulling a new executive order—on control, production, sale, distribution and advertising of alcohol. Ram Krishna Subedi, spokesperson for the Home Ministry, confirmed that the cabinet was considering new alcohol regulations but he refused to divulge anything more.

Regulating alcohol may have its supporters, as it could potentially reduce the number of crimes, including gender-based violence, just like the government hopes. But there could also be many unwanted consequences. For one, the fledgling tourism industry could suffer.

The new executive order will prevent restaurants, bars and hotels from serving alcoholic beverages after 10 pm. With outdoor consumption also banned, drinking in gardens, terraces, rooftops and patios will also be a no-no. Further, someone who has had a drink will not be allowed to use public transport. (Driving under the influence is already banned.)

That is not all. The executive order will keep licensed manufacturers of alcoholic beverages from sponsoring sports, concerts and any other public event, while advertising their products in media outlets or through hoarding boards, flyers, posters and pamphlets will also be prohibited. Liquor stores will be able to sell only between 4 pm to 9 pm, and only two liquor stores will be allowed in each ward of municipality, sub-metropolitan city and metropolitan city. Likewise, rural municipalities will be allowed to have only one liquor store each. 

Inventing a taboo

The Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal and the Hotel Association of Nepal, two umbrella bodies, are under no illusion that tourism will take a big hit. Issuing separate statements they said new regulations will put paid to the government target of bringing two million tourists during ‘Visit Nepal 2020’. Nor are those involved in promotion of Nepali tourism abroad sanguine.

“On the one hand we want tourists to come here and spend money. On the other, the government comes up with plans like these which will directly affect the hospitality businesses and the tourism industry,” says Sarad Pradhan, a media consultant for Nepal Tourism Board, the government tourism promotion body. “For most foreigners, alcohol is a part of their daily life. Making alcohol a social taboo will certainly deter them from coming.”

Pradhan welcomes proposals to set a minimum age limit for drinking and prohibiting entry of underage customers into pubs and bars. He also supports a ban on selling alcohol in close proximity of schools, hospitals and heritage sites. “But the kind of blanket ban that seems to be in the works is uncalled for and regressive,” Pradhan says.

“If tourists are not allowed to drink and locals start drinking at home, many businesses will suffer. Countless jobs will be lost. The government tax receipt will dwindle,” Pradhan adds. In the last fiscal, alcohol manufacturers had paid around Rs 400 million in excise duties alone.

“This is most restrictive and unreasonable,” says Pravin Jung Rayamajhi, a restaurateur who is currently running the De la Soul bar in Thamel.  “Look what happened in the US during the prohibition of the 1920s. Bootlegging, moonshining and binge drinking went up. People will always find a way around and the government will not be able to control them,” he says. Like Pradhan, Rayamajhi too believes restrictions will force many establishments in tourist hubs like Thamel to close, leaving countless folks unemployed.

License to binge?

Another restaurateur, Ranjan Ojha, who runs the Social Café in Gairidhara and is the founder of Nepal School of Entrepreneurship, questions the logic behind the regulations. “So how will people socialize? How will the government teach its citizens to be responsible drinkers, after imposing so many restrictions and actually encouraging them to break rules?” he questions. Ojha suggests that instead of introducing unscientific, restrictive measures on alcohol control, more could be achieved by raising awareness on the health effects of excessive alcohol consumption.

“Tourists come here in their leisure time because Nepal is a fun country. The government wants places like Thamel and Durbarmarg to open for 24 hours and then it puts up so many restrictions. Does it want to spread the message that people can binge-drink between 5 pm to 10 pm?” Ojha questions.

Big event companies are also dismayed. “The new rule will definitely hamper events, nightlife and hence tourism on a large scale,” says Ritesh Marwadi, an event organizer who specializes in hosting the performances of international artists. 

He says that as almost all the events that involve international celebrities are sponsored by alcohol companies, without them, organizing international-standard events will be impossible. “This will also hamper the development of Nepal as a party destination for tourists who like to come because partying here is relatively cheap,” he says. 

The international artistes who visit Nepal also promote the country abroad, he adds, and Kathmandu’s nightlife is already a big tourist attraction. “Government efforts should rather be directed at creating a safe and secure environment for locals and tourists alike to enjoy themselves,” Marwadi advises.

Senior economist Biswo Poudel calls the regulation “nonsensical” and predicts that it is “bound for failure” as it has been brought without any homework. “There should have been more homework on a policy that will directly affect the lives and livelihoods of the country’s 30 million people,” Poudel says. “This executive order will increase smuggling and bootlegging and negatively impact tourism and the economy.”

Just like the porn ban pushed people into the darker reaches of the web, which are impossible to regulate, such poorly-researched restriction on alcohol, while it may do some good, could also have all kinds of wanted and unforeseen consequences.

(The second part of this series that will be published next week will be on the government's rationale behind the proposed alcohol regulations)

To confine Kanta Dab Dab to a restrictive genre like “fusion” or “classical” or any other broad term would be to undermine the vast talent of this trio of versatile musicians. For Kanta Dab Dab’s music encapsulates no less than the tradition, culture and musicality of the livelihood of the Kathmandu valley.

Sunit Kansakar on sitar, Rizu Tuladhar on bass and Nikhil Tuladhar on drums/percussions, all in their early 40s now, are childhood friends. With over two decades of acquaintance and playing together, their friendship has in time blossomed into strong kinship, which shows in their music. Kanta Dab Dab performs and sounds like a single unit—a magical jukebox playing unique sounds.  

The name and the eponymous debut album of the band (released in 2016) “Kanta Dab Dab” is rooted in the mystical and mythical Newari traditions its members grew up in. The band is named after a character called “Kanta Dab Dab” that emerges during Newari jatras (festivals). The mythological character, dressed in red, never speaks but it is the sound that it makes with its instruments that fascinates everyone, and hence he is named after the sound.

The band takes pride in the fact that it is respected around the world solely for its music

So how does Kanta Dab Dab compose music? “Nikhil is our power house,” Sunit says. “He comes up with unique rhythms and beats inspired by ethnic Newari music, upon which we improvise and create our music.” But it is not only rhythm and beats, Nikhil adds. “Our music is the soul of the environment we grew up in. We are influenced by our cultures, traditions and the colorful livelihood of the Kathmandu Valley.”

Traditional Newari dhime groups practicing in their neighborhoods, the sounds of the various jatras, the stories and folklores in their communities—they all inspire Kanta Dab Dab. “Our music is an interpretation of the themes we take from our lives and the surroundings,” Rizu adds.

Explaining Kanta Dab Dab’s music to someone new is rather difficult. (Hence we took a video of them performing live to compliment this article). On paper, Kanta Dab Dab’s music is a methodical juxtaposition of ethnic Newari folk music and classical music of the South Asia fused with the Western influences of blues, funk, rock, jazz and Latin music. Sans vocals, their songs are not confined to words but still, each tells a story, interpreted in their own way by a vigilant listener. Seeing the band perform live is like watching an ancient conjurer hypnotize his audiences with mesmerizing tricks, one after the other. “Anyone who’s a dreamer and can dream when listening to music will love our music,” says Rizu. Adds Nikhil, “We once had someone from the audience come and tell us that our music intoxicated him. A comment we took as a compliment.”

But what the band does not take as a compliment happened once on their Japan tour. “A Japanese man came and talked to us after the show and told us that although he had seen many musicians from Nepal, he was surprised to find someone who can have a rational conversation and this level of skills with their instrument,” Rizu recalls. “Although it was meant as a compliment, we felt embarrassed. What kind of people represent Nepali music in the international community?” 

The band’s complaint is about the Nepali cultural troupes associated with various political parties who go as representatives of to Nepali music. Kanta Dab Dab has toured extensively in Europe and has also had performed in Uzbekistan and Japan. In Kathmandu and Pokhara, Kanta Dab Dab draw huge crowds, comprised of locals and expats alike, to its shows. 

The band takes pride in the fact that it is given respect and gratitude at international venues not because it is representing a poor third-world country but solely because of its music. “The West has by now seen numerous artists play the sitar or the tabala,” says Nikhil. “But our sound is completely new to them. They appreciate us for our music and not just because we play Eastern instruments or classical music.”

After the success of their nine-track debut album, the band is working on its new one. “There are challenges and it is not as easy as it sounds,” Sunit says. “Personally, I am trying to find new ways to break the sitar’s limitations. I cannot give the same sound to all songs without making them monotonous. So I am exploring with tones and technology for the new album.”

Rizu also feels challenged by the fact that his electric bass is the most modern instrument in the band. He uses a five-string bass to compensate for the instrument’s limited range. “But I found my originality playing bass with Kanta Dab Dab and we are determined to overcome these limitations to create new music,” he says.

Years of listening, learning, teaching, practicing, rehearsing and playing has seasoned the members of Kanta Dab Dab into the dexterous musicians they now are. With their commitment to making music, we can expect more original, organic compositions from them.

 After more than 100 days of detention, multiple bail pleas and worldwide pressure from media and humanitarian agencies, senior Bangladeshi photographer, teacher and social activist Shahidul Alam was released on November 15. The veteran photojournal­ist had been arrested on August 5 following an interview with Al Jazeera in which he had criticized the government’s violent response to popular protests against poor road safety. This touched a nerve in Nepal as well, where Alam has helped many aspiring photojour­nalists to get proper training and establish themselves.

Earlier, Alam had been refused bail five times. Now that he is free, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam says his office would lodge an appeal with the Supreme Court seeking a stay order on the bail, according to media reports.

The award-winning photojour­nalist, whose photographs have appeared in The New York Times and National Geographic, had been accused of violating Section 57 of Bangladesh’s Information and Com­munication Technology Act. Section 57 has in recent times been widely criticized for restricting freedom of expression and for leading to scores of arrests. The case against him is still under investigation and if convicted, the 63-year-old Alam, who also has a PhD in chemistry from University of London, could face between seven and 14 years in prison, a prospect that makes his supporters in Nepal shudder.

Not just in Nepal. International organizations like the Lucie Foun­dation, Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters Without Borders, and Index on Censorship, to name a few, had each issued strong statements against his arrest. As had Nobel Lau­reates Amartya Sen and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

The 102 days of his detention was also a somber occasion for Nepali photojournalists, who had marked the first 100 days by photo­graphing themselves with his card­board cutouts. November 15 was thus a day to rejoice. But they also know that Alam’s battle for justice is far from over.

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Free at last

The support for detained Bangla­deshi photojournalist Shahid­ul Alam was strong in Nepal. Photojournalists, media personnel and activists here thus joined the online #FreeShahidulAlam cam­paign with gusto. His supporters in Nepal even picketed outside the Bangladesh Embassy in Kathmandu and from the day of his detention, they had been organizing various other forms of protests. On October 26, Alam was awarded the Photo Kathmandu Award of Excellence during a month-long photography exhibition. Alam has been visiting Nepal since the mid-1990s and many profession­al photojournalists consider him an important figure. “Shahidul da has played a pivotal role in nurturing photojournalism in Nepal since its early days,” says senior photojour­nalist Bikas Rauniyar, recalling his first interaction with Alam in the mid-1990s. “We were just starting then, had no formal education or training and no resources whatsoev­er. That is when we met him.”

At the meeting Alam informed the assembled photojournalists, including Rauniyar, who had only just started in his career, about a free photography course in Dhaka. “So Raj Bhai Suwal, who is now a renowned photographer in Nepal, and I, accepted the offer and went to Dhaka for the three-week training.”

In their own reckoning the train­ing did the duo a world of good. Lat­er, Alam would provide many other Nepali photojournalists opportuni­ties to work with international pho­tographers and learn from them. Rauniyar recalls a time after the formation of the National Forum of Photo Journalists when the media personnel in Nepal wanted to orga­nize a World Press Photo event. The WPP exhibition would be expen­sive. “Since Shahidul da was the first jury member in WPP from our region, he got the fees waived for us,” Rauniyar says. “Thus we suc­cessfully organized the three-week exhibition in 2002 and many local photographers got a chance to learn vital skills.”

Personally, Rauniyar finds Alam warm, friendly, genuine and empa­thetic. “He is like an elder brother,” he says. “Thus I address him as Sha­hidul da.” On Alam’s detention, Rau­niyar is of the view that he was only exercising his freedom of speech, his constitutional right. “The Article 57 levied on him was a draconian and undemocratic clause,” Rauniyar says. “They misused the article to arrest him.”

Another photojournalist Sailendra Kharel remembers Alam as someone with an honest smile, warm hug and charismatic personality. “I first met him during the Ladai Ma Janta photo exhibition that was held at the Nepal Art Council in 2006,” he recalls. “I would meet him again in 2009 in Dhaka at Chobi Mela V, a photo exhi­bition he founded in 1999.” Kharel’s photos on Nepal’s conflict was the only solo exhibit from Nepal at the Dhaka event, in what proved to be a huge boost to his fledgling career in photography.

When asked if the photojournal­ists in Nepal get to exercise more freedom than those in other coun­tries in the region, Kharel replies, “I started my career in 2005 when the country was under the grip of a civil war. I had to report from Nepalgunj and other conflict-hit areas. Those were tough times. But Nepal has progressed a lot in terms of press freedom,” he adds. In the case of Alam, Kharel felt that justice would soon be done because the world was watching and “People are not idiots.”

While his photos have been acclaimed the world over, Alam is also popular as an educator. He set up the Drik Picture Library in 1989 and Pathshala South Asian Insti­tute of Photography (later Pathshala South Asian Media Institute) in 1998, both in Dhaka, from which hun­dreds of students have graduated.

“Dr Alam is a visiting faculty in our college and our college also has a partnership on photography, media and communication training with his institutions,” says Man­ju Mishra, Chairperson of College of Journalism and Mass Com­munication (CJMC). “I am really impressed by Alam’s dynamic, inno­vative and creative personality,” says Mishra, who was also a part of the ‘Free Shahidul Alam’ movement in Nepal.

“Dozens of Nepali photographers have studied at Alam’s Pathshala and he has played a key role in the development of photojournalism in Nepal,” says Nayan Tara Gurung Kakshapati, the founding director of photo.circle and someone who has nurtured countless photographers in Nepal. “I met him around 10 years ago, before we started photo.circle. He has been encouraging from the start. Nepali photographers have not only studied at his institutions but also gotten internships and paid positions in international media through him,” she says.

Alam, she says, includes Nepal in almost every international proj­ect and has arranged for student exchange programs for Nepali pho­tographers in Norwegian and Aus­tralian universities. It helps that “Alam is open and accessible to all budding photographers.”

From protesting on social media to hitting the streets, Nepali photo­journalists were one in their support of Shahidul Alam. But the Bangla­deshi government under the ruling Awami League was unmoved for long. Alam’s release comes with­in a week of Bangladesh’s Minis­ter for Cultural Affairs, Asaduz­zaman Noor, speaking at the Dhaka Lit Fest, assuring that the contro­versial imprisonment would be “resolved soon”. For his countless supporters in Nepal and around the world that day could not have come soon enough.

 “It started in 2012,” says 30-year-old Sunil Pahadi, a bass play­er who is currently living and working in Yinchuan city of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China. “We were playing as ‘The Critics’ at a bar in Thamel when a Chinese man appeared and told us he liked our music. His English was limited so the conversation didn’t go anywhere.” The band members had forgotten about the meeting when the same person appeared again after a few days, this time with a British friend. “The British guy became the mediator and through him we learnt that the Chinese man was the boss of a famous Chinese chain of restaurants which featured live music. He offered us jobs as musicians but we were rather skeptical. We gave a half-hearted response but he continued to follow up through emails, even from China. The company finally sent us formal job offers. We then got our visas, took the ‘no objection’ letter from the Labor Ministry and landed in China in 2013.”

The process was not easy though, Pahadi says. Getting the approval of the Department of Foreign Employ­ment (under the Labor Ministry) was tricky as China rarely issued working visas for Nepalis, and cer­tainly not to musicians. But Pahadi says the initial struggle has proven to be “well worth it”.

Working in China as musicians is a lot easier than doing so in Nepal, the China-based Nepali musicians we talked to tell us. On an average, a Nepali musician’s monthly earnings starts at around 5,000 RMB (roughly Rs 90,000), far more than what they make playing in Kathmandu’s pubs. All traveling expenses are covered by the sponsoring Chinese pubs, which also provide free accommo­dation and meals to the musicians.

“The standard of life is high while the cost of living is low. So we get to save as much as we like,” says Bishesh Bhandari, 29, who went to China in 2014. Initially hired as a bass player, Bhandari sings and plays guitars with his Nepali band­mates, also in Yinchuan city. Before leaving for China, Bhandari had spent 10 years playing in the pub circuit in Thamel, barely making a living out of it. “But right now I am saving and sending home decent money. Although the work is not as fun as in Kathmandu, it is easy. Life is chilled in China,” says Bhan­dari, who is currently traveling on vacation, travelling different cities in China.

Saroj Bardewa, a 28-year-old keyboard player, corroborates Bhandari’s words. Bardewa has been in China for two years. After working with Nepali musicians for a year, he joined a multinational ensemble which performs at a pop­ular bar in Shenzhen city of Guang­dong province. “The guys here are having a lot of fun,” he says. “Some have taken Chinese wives while oth­ers have Chinese girlfriends. I might soon get married to my Chinese girlfriend as well.”

Foreigners in China enjoy special hospitality, Bardewa claims, and it is this hospitality coupled with decent pay that is luring talented musicians away from Nepal. In fact, China is a home to musicians from all over the world, Bardewa says. “There are Nepali musicians who’re making up to Rs 250,000 a month in other cities,” he adds. “The bigger the city, the more the pay”. Accord­ing to him, generally, local Chinese musicians are the highest paid, fol­lowed by the ‘white faces’ (read: Europeans and Americans)—and they get to perform in all the big cities. The remuneration for the Nepali musicians, who are mostly based in smaller cities, is compara­bly lower, yet still respectable. “It has gotten progressively easier for Nepali musicians to work in China as most of those who have come from Nepal have been able to impress their Chinese bosses with their hard work and ability. Nepali musicians have thus come to be highly valued,” Bardewa says.

In the reckoning of Pahadi, the bass player, about 30-35 Nepali musicians are currently working in China, mainly in and around Yinch­uan city. “Our biggest competitors here are the Filipinos who preceded us and are somewhat more profes­sional. But we’re also getting there.”

In terms of music, Nepali musi­cians perform contemporary English songs and also play backing music for Chinese singers. The work­ing hours are usually 9 to 12 every night, with breaks in between. They get two off days a week, in addi­tion to 20-30 days of annual leave. No wonder so many Nepali musi­cians have made their way north, including popular names like Somea Baraili from “Jaalma” fame. Among the more recent ones to do so is 26-year-old Preety Manandhar, a popular name in Kathmandu’s live music scene.

“I came here only a few months ago,” she says. “I was selected directly by a Chinese bar owner who saw me perform live in Kath­mandu and invited me to come play in China.” Manandhar says she makes around 6000-7000 RMB (Rs 100,000-118,000) a month and is content with her life in Yinchuan city. “It is easy here,” she says. “I get to sing what I like, to work with amazing musicians. Moreover, it is completely safe to work as female singers here.”

The musicians working in China are proud that their skills, underrat­ed in their own country, are being appreciated and amply rewarded abroad. Some see this as a long-term career move while others see it as a stepping stone to a more successful career in music.

“This is so much better than going to the Gulf for employment,” says Bardewa, who has already worked as a salesman in Dubai before his China stint. “I now work in a big company that has over 500 bars around China. It’s like plying in the Chinese version of the Hard Rock Café”.