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APEX continues its dialogue with members of the general public to get a sense of how the Covid-19 lockdown is changing their lives. This week, we talk to nine working professionals to find out how they are adapting in their work. 

Unaware people grave risk

Ashika Maleku Shrestha, 32 

Quality Assurance Officer, HLE Nepal 

I see many people are still unaware about Covid-19 and are not following preventive measures. Thus I will prefer to work from home even if the lockdown is lifted. If I must go to the office, I would make changes such as using online logs instead of thumb logs, ordering online, keeping social distance among colleagues, and using sanitizer or hand wash from time to time. 

Not meeting, calling 

Pankaj Gyawali, 29 

Banker, NIC ASIA 

Though the whole country is under lockdown, as a banking professional, I need to go to my office regularly. But things are not the same anymore. Interaction with customers and other staffers rarely happens now. All conversations are done via the phone. I used to visit branch offices to learn about what they were doing, or if they needed support. Now I make phone calls and suggest they maintain social distance. Even if the lockdown is lifted, there will be significant changes in how we work and provide banking services. 

Internet the way out

Mamata Manandhar, 36

Assistant Manager, ACE Institute of Management

Even if my office opens right away, I would still prefer working from home until the corona crisis is completely over. I work in administration. That means I have to work closely with both students and other faculties, which in turn puts my health at risk. As all students and associates have internet at home, there would be no difficulty in conducting classes or in regular work. However, if I have to go to office, I would try to maintain social distance and take other precautions. 

Hunger deadlier than virus

Hari Prasad Gautam, 45 

Teacher, Swarnim School 

I have to go to work if the school opens. Most people in Nepal cannot survive without work. Hunger will kill more people than the virus. The decisions of my family members, school administration, students and their guardians determine what I do. However, even if I go to work, I would take preventive measures such as maintaining social distance, using masks and hand sanitizers, and taking along homemade tiffin.  

Going only when necessary 

Sneha Tamrakar, 23  

Communication and Documentation Officer, YUWA 

If I have to go to work, I’d be careful about distancing between coworkers, hand washing, food sources, and contact. I would prefer online meetings to physical ones. I would work from home and maybe go to office only when necessary. One thing the lockdown has taught us is that a lot of our work can be done from home. 

Restructuring work 

Jahn Shrestha, 31 

Data Analyst, Dibyajyoti Groups 

I would rather stay and work from home, as my work is not hampered that way. Companies should learn from this crisis that work should be project-based. They should change their HR policies and try innovative ways. Working from home is beneficial for the office as well, as it reduces the burden on them to manage resources. I work in a closed group, which involves a lot of human interaction. If I have go to the office, I will try to restructure my work. 

Honing my skills 

Abhisekh Shakya, 23 

Chef 

In this lockdown, I am home making various dishes and honing my culinary skills. But I have to go back to work after the lockdown. As I am in the hospitality sector, my job is service-oriented. This exposes me to many people. However, due to the pandemic, I must be cautious as this virus spreads quickly. Therefore I will take necessary precautions.

Avoiding public vehicles

Anish Shakha, 24 

Sports Photographer 

My work is out on the field, and I have to be back on the field when the lockdown is lifted. But I will avoid crowded areas. I will take preventive measures before going out, and I will ride my own bike instead of using a public vehicle. I will also make sure I use disposable gloves and masks. Another important thing, every time I get home from work, I will wash my hands and face. Each time, I will also clean my camera and its accessories. 

Productive even during crisis

Radha Shakya, 33 

Senior Loan Assistant, Shree Laligurans Multipurpose Co-operative Ltd 

I’ve been going to office even during the lockdown. I am taking various precautionary measures at work such as wearing masks, washing hands frequently, and using sanitizers. I also maintain social distance with other staffers. I’m glad that even at a time of crisis like this I can work and be productive. 

Given the ever-prolonging lockdown and unknown future of the corona crisis, companies are looking for ways to get their employees to work remotely. Drawing from other countries, some companies had already started the practice of working from home before the country went into a lockdown. APEX talked to a few people who saw the ‘work from home’ culture as either largely good or largely bad.

Largely good

Extra time for reading, meditation

Yogina Shakya, senior talent officer, CloudFactory

I had started working from home a week before the lockdown. I already had two years of experience in this during my master’s studies. So I didn’t have a hard time adjusting.

The best thing about working from home is that it saves commute time. And keeps you from the terrible traffic and pollution. Now, you avoid all those and work freely. Who would not feel good about it? You can use that extra time to read or watch something good, or just stretch. It allows me time to meditate or to do a quick cardio. Working from home also means you get homemade healthy meals.

Boosting collaboration

Saurav Thapa Shrestha, general secretary, YUWA

I love working from home, having video calls with my colleagues, and collaborating on different ideas. Many people are working together via different online platforms such as Google products, Slack, Notion, ClickUp, and the like. It helps keep track of productivity and project activities. There are video conferencing tools such as Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet to help maintain good work relations with everyone.

Comfy pajamas and frequent breaks

Manshi Chand, trainee writer, Top Nepal International

What would be better than getting paid during the lockdown? My expenses are zero and I can work when I want to, wearing comfy pajamas and taking a break whenever I want—and I still get the work done. The luxury is unbeatable.

Amazing flexibly

Ishwari Bhattarai, sociologist

People working from home have flexibility. They can avoid long and cumbersome travel to office. I expect Online and virtual communications will replace face-to-face communications if the lockdown is given continuity for the foreseeable future. Rapid expansion of technology will facilitate it. Many middle and upper class people have access to smartphones, laptops, and the internet. People can spend more time with their families as well as work flexibly.

Largely bad

Could increase stress and anxiety

Saurav Thapa Shrestha, general secretary, YUWA

Whether we are employees or employers, ‘work from home’ functions only if there is honesty, discipline, and willingness to work. Without these, you don’t get measurable results.

People need to have self-discipline while working from home, as our minds get diverted easily. Those who have a habit of working from office will initially find it difficult, as they might feel lonely and less confident. This might increase stress and anxiety.

Internet connection a major challenge

Sudip Dhungana, senior HR officer at MAW Earthmovers (JCB Nepal)

As a human resources officer, I need to consider many things. Engaging everyone is challenging. Almost all organizations are closed and businesses have been affected, and HR professionals are concerned about timely payment of staff salaries.

While working from home, team members can easily make excuses like lack of electricity and patchy internet. I think stable internet connection is most important for effectively working from home. But often the connection is slow as many people are spending their time online during the lockdown. Due to poor the connection, I have to buy data packs to complete my work.

Not our culture

Pooja Shrestha, Grande International Hospital

Technology is only in its infancy in Nepal. We have only just been introduced to stuffs like e-banking and online shopping. There is only so much you can get done from home. We need a cultural change as we are more used to working in office, not home. Also, not everyone has the luxury of working from home.

Confined to comfort zone

Manshi Chand, trainee writer, Top Nepal International

Despite the luxury of working from home, I would still like go to an actual office to work. You can never progress by being confined to your comfort zone.

Limits human interaction

Ishwari Bhattarai, sociologist

Virtual interactions have limits. Access to the internet may be concentrated in urban settings. Also, the trend of online shopping would eventually reduce interaction among diverse sets of people. They would be confined to their own networks, which may increase alienation. New kinds of social and psychological problems might emerge as a result.

Nepal moved a step closer to the legalization of marijuana with the registration in the national parliament of the “Marijuana Cultivation Regulation and Management in Nepal” bill. The private bill, tabled by former law minister Sher Bahadur Tamang in the federal lower house on March 2, is aimed at enhancing the country’s economy by exporting marijuana. The rearing and trading of the drug has been illegal in the country since 1973. APEX talked to some senior citizens who were around when marijuana was legal: What do they make of the new legalization debate?

Bimala Rimal Koirala, 65 

I am against legalization. I cannot see my children smoke weed and get high. If machines can handle the whole cultivation and production process, than legalization is fine. But if people are involved, it will negatively affect the society. I saw many foreigners get high when it was legal. They would engage in various inappropriate behaviors that made me uncomfortable. This, I fear, could happen again.

Durga Bhakta Shrestha, 62 

Marijuana is a cash crop. It has various medicinal uses and has been used since ancient times. Yes, some people are misusing it. But with proper rules and regulations in its production and consumption, it can greatly benefit the country’s economy. Foreigners as well as more foreign currency will enter Nepal. I still remember the time of the Hippie culture when Kathmandu had become a darling of foreigners. I think marijuana should be legalized with proper rules and regulations in place.

Hira Kaji Shakya, 68

The consumption of marijuana has various negative health effects. Misuse of marijuana has brought disaster to countless lives, both young and old. Instead of thinking of legalizing and selling it to other countries, our government should further tighten anti-marijuana rules.

Usha Lamsal, 68 

Exporting marijuana produced in our country will be to our benefit. It will help the country earn foreign currency, and create countless jobs. It should thus be legalized. But there should be strict rules and regulations against its misuse. If they promote indulgence instead of benefits, it will harm the society.

Pancharatna Shahi, 64 

I have never liked people who smoke marijuana. I have seen young boys smoking and getting high near the local river. If the government legalizes it, more innocent boys and girls will be addicted, which will destroy their careers and lives. It should not be made legal. I had seen foreigners smoke weed when it was legal in Nepal. Though they smoked, there was little violence. But times have changed; today’s youth are easily influenced and can be very violent.

Tirtha Maya Maharjan, 76 

Marijuana is said to have medicinal values but I have only ever seen people use it for recreational purpose. But, remember, alcohol harms our body as well, but it is still legal. If marijuana can indeed be used to cure diseases, it should be made legal. But first there should be clear-cut and strict regulations.

Basanta Raj Lamsal, 70 

I have been following the news about the recent parliamentary bill, and I support it. Our economy will flourish if we can sell our organic marijuana across the world. But we should have the right regulation. Certain areas should be designated for cultivation, and only under the supervision of concerned authorities. Inside the country, the buying and selling of marijuana should be limited to a certain age and quantity. With proper rules and regulations in place, legalization of marijuana seems beneficial.

Chandra Devi Shakya, 78 

Young people can still be seen getting high on marijuana, though it is now illegal. If the government legalizes it, marijuana will be still easier to get, and hence promote addiction among the youth. No, it should not be legalized.

Gopal Khadka, 73

There are pros and cons of everything in the world. Marijuana too has its advantages and disadvantages. Various countries like the US and Germany have legalized it. Our government too should develop proper plans and policies on the consumption and production of marijuana. Exporting marijuana will help the economy. The important thing is to keep the public informed about marijuana production and consumption.

Vairabh Kunwar, 71

Marijuana is a valuable crop in the international market. If we can sell it abroad, our farmers will benefit. It could also attract Nepali youths into agriculture. Instead of going abroad they could then do something productive in their own country. The government should acknowledge both positive and negative aspects of marijuana and make its plans and policies accordingly. Done right, this could change the fate of both our farmers and our country. So, on the balance of things, I think the government should legalize it.

With the likely continuation of the nationwide lockdown for the foreseeable future, the education institutions in the country are having a challenging time completing their courses on time. All schools and colleges have now been closed for nearly a month. The Secondary Education Examinations (SEE) and board examinations of XI and XII grades have been postponed.

However, thanks to technology, students and teachers are now able to connect through various online platforms such as Google Classroom, Zoom, and even Facebook. Some private colleges, but not the schools, are already using these tools to run classes online during the Covid-19 lockdown. 

For Nikisha Basnet, a bachelor’s level student of psychology at the Kathmandu-based St. Xavier’s College, the only difference between online and regular classes is that “while you stare at the screen during online classes, you look at the whiteboard during regular classes.”

Resham Krishna Poudel, a teacher of managerial accounting at Lord Buddha Education Foundation, also believes that online classes have made things easier for both students and teachers. He says he now has enough time to prepare for his classes, as he no longer has to spend time commuting to the college. “Class timing can also be adjusted. We can run classes even during the night,” Poudel says. 

Online classes, according to him, are beneficial for students outside Kathmandu. “The expertise of teachers in Kathmandu Valley can be taken to remote areas, and students can learn from the comfort of their houses. They also save on costly rents they would have had to pay in Kathmandu,” he says. 

Yet online classes are not possible without supportive technology; they need multimedia devices and stable net connection. Sadikchya Adhikari, a student of dental surgery at Kantipur Dental College, complains about erratic audio and video quality during her online classes. “Though we can record the video and refer to it again and again, asking questions is not as easy in online classes,” she adds.  

Pukar Shakya is currently giving online classes for SEE appearing students. He says it is difficult to measure individual productivity online. “It’s not possible to engage everyone online. Lack of physical presence makes communication challenging,” Shakya says. He is also concerned that students may get easily distracted as they are free to surf the net during the classes. “Technology and gadgets are not sufficient to run a class effectively. I look forward to continuing online classes anyway.” 

“Regular classes are preferable to online classes as teaching calls for a particular environment,” in the view of Rahul Shrestha, who is pursuing a master's degree in Professional Accounting at Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia. “Lying on your bed with pajamas is not the best way to learn. There are also many other things at home to disturb your study,” Shrestha says. Yet he thinks having online classes is still a much better idea than having no classes at all and discontinuing regular study.  

Meanwhile, the government and public colleges have been unable to conduct online classes.

“In Nepal, those who can afford hefty fees go to private colleges whereas the ones who cannot go to government colleges,” says educationist Devendra Upreti. “Those in private colleges have the advantage of getting their lectures online. But government colleges do not have the infrastructure to run online classes.” 

Even our universities are not well equipped and teachers not ready for an online learning environment, Upreti adds. 

Sadly, the corona pandemic threatens to further widen the gap between the quality of education offered by private and public education institutions.

If you go online right now, you are likely to see at least one photo challenge in your news feed. The lockdown has dragged plenty of people online, where they are challenging each other to post all kinds of photos on their social media. From ‘sari’ challenge of the ladies to ‘daura suruwal’ challenge of the gentlemen, people have found all kinds of ways to kill time.

During the first week of the lockdown, people dug out their friends’ old photos on Facebook and commented on them. This became a viral trend. People enjoyed seeing old pictures of friends and families with funny poses. “My timeline was filled with news of coronavirus and death of people. I wanted something happier on my timeline. Things got going when I commented on my friend’s old pictures and they in turn commented on mine,” says Sumikchya Shakya, a 19-year-old student. 

After this, photo challenges stormed the social media. Sari and Bakkhu challenges were the first ones to hit Facebook. Instead of criticizing, people made fun of each other. “Let’s grow together. With all the negativity going around, let’s do something positive,” went a common refrain for the challenge.

“I find these challenges productive as I get to connect with my old school buddies. It has been harsh days for all of us. But with these challenges on social media, it became a way to escape the frightful situation,” says Mandira Vaidya Shrestha, 32, team manager at HLE Nepal.

Offline Thinker, a community platform for readers and writers, has come up with seven-day home photography challenge to make self-quarantine more meaningful. Here, you challenge your friends to click and post seven photos on seven different themes. They nominate a new friend every day. Susan Chaudhary, co-founder of Offline Thinker, says: “The seven-day home photography challenge is getting positive response. It is impactful as well. We are also coming up with more writing, reading, and gaming challenges. We encourage everyone to better utilize their time and energy.” 

There is also a new challenge for photographers named Quarantine Days. The goal is to fill news feed with positive photos. One starts by uploading a photo with no caption. Sohel Maharjan, a photographer, says: “A friend passed on this challenge to me. I liked the idea as my own newsfeed was filled with horrific pandemic news. I too have nominated my friends for this challenge. The goal is to spread positivity.”

“These types of challenges help with stress management. Due to lockdown, we have lots of free time. We have time to go through our old photo albums as well as to connect with our friends and relatives through social media,” says psychologist Gopal Dhakal.

Perhaps the idea of people looking to keep themselves happy through these indulgences may seem inappropriate as thousands of people continue to die around the world from the novel coronavirus. But as Dhakal suggests, these innocuous social media challenge help people cope with their stress. After all, the last thing the country needs right now is legions of people coming down with new mental health problems. 

Sajjan Sapkota, 24 

Initially, I slept for the whole afternoon and wake up in an unknown planet and an unknown time zone. So I decided to look around my house, searching for some productive work: had had enough of Yesko kaam khani sutni matrai ho (“all he does is eat and sleep”) from my parents. That made me think of painting my stairs. It took me two days, top to bottom. I then sandpapered the rust out of all iron stuff around the house. Then I started to remodel my room. I felt good, to be honest. I was able to do something for the house. I have been taking online classes from my university in Germany in the evenings.

Aastha Sthapit, 21

I’m binge watching TV series most of the time (‘The Big Bang Theory’, ‘How I Met Your Mother’, and ‘Doctor House’). My brother and I are cooking food, learning stuff from YouTube channels. We made donuts, pasta, pancakes, banana cakes, and butter chicken. We are also playing indoor games like carom-board, ludo, etc. Just the fact that the virus is coming closer home, kinda scares me.

Bibha Shakya, 22

I’m spending my time watching movies and series. I also watched Ramayan on YouTube. Though I am a reader, I don’t find e-books effective, as reading on the screen kinda takes the essence away.

Shristi Adhikari, 22

Doing a bit of work. We are doing international online meetings, exchanging information on what is happening in each country. By the way, I am now also reading Chetan Bhagat’s Three Mistakes of My life.

Kristina Maharjan, 20

I am spending my time working at home, cooking, and cleaning. I’ve been doing graphic designing as well as learning makeup. Also, I watched various movies and series like ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘The Great Gatsby’. In addition to the movie, I am also reading F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

Suraj Adhikari, 15

This lockdown has been really beneficial for me as I get more time to focus on my music. I’ve been writing lyrics and composing music and raw beats. I wrote poems at first but as my friends suggested I should rap, I’ve been plan on building a career on it. Though my parents don’t like it much, I’ve been learning to make beats and music from YouTube tutorials. And I help my parents with household chores.

Sushan Shrestha, 21

This lockdown has given me the opportunity to spend quality time with my family. We are recollecting old memories. I see old photos of my parents and my own when I was younger. We play indoor games like ludo, carom-board, etc and eagerly waiting for new season of ‘Money Heist’. This lockdown has given me ample time to prepare for my board exams as well.

Sajja Singh, 23

If you own a box of colors that you had bought months ago and that is now resting in the corner of your table, then it is time to unbox it! You can paint a section of your room or even a single pillar, which I have done during the lockdown. Apart from painting I am also taking a mental note of how I feel during the lockdown. This lockdown makes me feel blessed just to be alive. I am grateful to the ones risking their lives to save ours. I am also spending time with my family and beloved plants.

Priyanshu Shah, 21

Since Day One of the lockdown, I have been doing 3-4 hours of physical workout. This has helped me stay energetic for the whole day. I also watch a movie a day. I have already seen ‘Jumanji’, ‘Venom’, ‘Dr Dolittle’, ‘Knives Out’ etc. I am going through the Handbook of Exercises for Actors by Stanislavski.

Ujjwal Duwal, 19

My sister just got back from India due to the pandemic. I am having a good time with her. As an engineering student, I had to focus a lot on my studies. I couldn’t spend time with my family but now I can. One of my friends suggested watching ‘The Twilight Saga’. I am doing so, and I plan to watch more movies and series.

Where do you go to party? To clubs, bars, or restaurants? What if you could groove and jive on a bus crisscrossing the national capital with your favorite people on board? Enter a pair of Party Buses, brought to you by the Real Economic Sustainable Society Nepal (RESS Nepal) Private Limited.Launched on 10 January, 2020, the party bus offers a completely new con­cept of partying. Right now, it offers three kinds of services: Hop-on Party Ride, Airport Pick and Drop, and Pri­vate Events. In the first option, you may hop on and get a luxury ride of up to three hours within the KTM city on the completely customized party bus. Choose between the 6pm-9pm or 9:30 pm-12:30 am slots for the Rs 1,000 ride (including a complimentary drink). (Durations and prices vary for ‘Airport Pick’ and ‘Drop and Private Events’ options.)

“When we are learning so many new things from the outside world, why not also learn to party in a new way?” asks Ashok Sharma, Founder and Director of Party Bus Nepal. “We introduced party buses to Nepal mainly to chal­lenge our old partying culture.”

With up to 36 passengers on board, the bus provides multiple facilities for party lovers. It comes with hi-fi sound, A/C, led-light shows that cover the floor, ceiling and bar, on-board snacks and warm food, mobile charging ports, luxury leather seating, ice-cold coolers fully, as well as a fully equipped bar. There are also a smoking zone, sen-sorinstalled sanitary systems, emer-gency exits, and on board surveillance camera. Anyone can book the bus for various private events such as visa party, birth-day party, event transfers, hotel guest special party and bachelorette party. “An increasing number of people are interested in the Hop On party Ride. The overall response has been over-whelming too. There are already many repeat customers,” claims Sharma. Says Yogendra Lamichhane, one of those customers, “Party bus was a unique party experience. I found it very interesting that the bus is fully sound-proof. There is no sound from the outside, nor does any internal noise escape the bus.” Devendra Subedi, another custom-er, says he also thoroughly enjoyed the experience. But he also has some advice: “The bus is a little too big for the narrow roads of Kathmandu. Per-haps they could also avoid potholed roads.” Sharma the bus operator says that the company is constantly adapting based on customer feedback and is soon coming up with parties with many more themes. Inviting, isn’t it?

“Early in the morning, my friend was riding a bike near the Swayambhu cemetery. Suddenly he felt someone was behind him. He got terrified… Then he felt as if someone was putting their arms around him. But when he looked behind, he saw no one. After this event, he was sick for a few weeks.”This is a statement in ‘Ghost Confessions in Nepal’, a Facebook page. The page anonymously posts stories of people who claim to have seen ‘ghosts in real life’. Unknown to many, it has 18,600 followers.

Anup KC, the page admin­istrator, used to run another Facebook page, ‘Confession of Nepali Teenagers’, to give ado­lescents a platform to express their feelings anonymously. But when some people started taking about paranormal activities they had had, he decided to start the ghost confession page as well. “I was inspired by the Indian ghost confes­sion pages and decided to start one for Nepal,” he says. The page has been inactive for a while as KC has been unable to give it much time. But you can still read confessions posted there.

Aayusha Shrestha, an ardent fol­lower of the Nepali ghost Facebook page, believes ghosts exist in real life. She recalls an unpleasant encounter: “I was in grade 9. It was midnight and I was sleeping peacefully. I turned to the other side and, to my surprise, I saw a lady with a long and dark frizzy hair staring at me.”

“I thought I was dreaming and slowly rolled back to the other side. But I couldn’t sleep. I looked back and saw the lady was still staring at me. I froze and couldn’t even scream,” she adds. She is not alone to confess to such paranormal expe­rience. “My mother believes in the supernatural as well. So when I told her, she took it seriously. But my father and brother made fun of it.”

Shrestha says she has spotted no ghost in the house after her mother performed some rituals.

Santosh Kumar Shrestha, who is now 57, has a con­fession of his own. “This incident hap­pened when I was 41. I was returning to my flat in Paknajol after com­pleting my night shift. I heard somebody say Eh Manusya, Eh Manusya (‘O human, O human’) from behind me. At the same time, dogs started barking loud. A cold shiver ran down my bones and without looking back, I ran to my flat,” he confesses.

“If there is god, then there is ghost,” he says. “Lord Shiva’s big­gest devotees are ghosts and spir­its. There are supernatural forces in every religion, not only Hindu­ism. In Christianity, there are Satan and devil. In Islam, there is Jinn. I believe in the existence of super­natural powers that human the mind can’t comprehend.”

Astrologer Basudev Adhikari says that although people say they want scientific proof of ghost’s existence, this supernatural power can actually be felt. “But not every human being can feel it,” he adds.

“It is mentioned in eastern phi­losophy that those who meet untimely death and whose desires are unfulfilled wan­der as ghosts,” Adhikari asserts. “They exhib­it negative energy. To avoid them, we have to fol­low the rules of nature.”

Sulav Raj Upreti, a psychologist and lecturer at St. Xavi­er’s College in Kathman­du, rubbishes such claims. “The ghosts people ‘see’ are no more than illu­sions. Such illusion may arise from psy­chological problems,” he says.

It could also be a case of kind of placebo effect. “There are people who worship various gods to protect themselves from ghosts. This develops self-confidence and they feel protected from ghosts,” Upreti says.

There is a type of mental disor­der—schizophrenia—where one has symptoms like hallucination, delu­sion, and catatonic behavior. “When people say they see something that others cannot, it could be some a psychological problem like schizo­phrenia,” he says.

One may seek psychosocial ther­apy and counseling, and even psy­chiatric help in such cases, Upreti advises.

Likewise, psychologist Gopal Dhakal blames person’s upbringing. He says parents have a big role in implanting fear in the child’s mind. “Since our childhood, we are fed with ideas of ghosts and spirits. These go deep in our minds and we start feeling the ghosts exist for real,” he says.

In psychology, the intense fear of ghosts is called phasmophobia. One of Dhakal’s patients had such a prob­lem. A village girl felt someone was strangling her from behind when she was in jungle or alone in secluded places. Later, she started having nightmares. Her family took her to local witch doctors—dhamis and jhakris—who made matters worse. “They told her that a ghost was tak­ing over her body. Little did they know that she was suffering from panic disorder, a type of anxiety,” Dhakal says. “She got well only after multiple sessions of counselling and psychotherapy.”

Most famously, the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) in the US offered a million dol­lars to anyone who could demon­strate a supernatural or para­normal phenomenon. Since 1964, over a thousand people took up the challenge. Not one of them suc­ceeded, before the challenge was terminated in 2015.

Never mind. Those who have ‘spotted’ ghosts will continue to swear on their life to having a paranormal experience. Those who haven’t will continue to mock them