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In September 2020, Nepal Police arrested five Chinese nationals who were trying to withdraw cash with cloned debit cards. The accused had hacked the Nepal Electronic Payment System (NEPS), an interface that allows the transaction of money deposited in a bank by using cards issued by other member banks. Similarly, in March 2020, the food-delivery company Foodmandu had a data breach. A Twitter handle named ‘Mr. Mugger’ revealed the data of its 50,000 customers and disclosed links associated with the data. 

Of late even Nepali celebrities have become victims of cyber-attacks. Actor-director Dipashree Niraula is a recent victim. Last month, her Facebook page was hacked and hackers asked her for Rs 10,000 in ransom to let her have it back. (On April 6, the cyber cell of Nepal Police arrested a 14-year-old from Parsa district for the crime.) Another actor Saroj Khanal’s account got hacked at the same time. In this case, the hacker contacted one of Khanal’s close friends, pretending to be Khanal, and tried to get the friend to deposit money into the hacker’s bank account. 

These are not isolated incidents. Cyberattacks such as data breaches, ATM hacks and social media hacks have become common owing to the vulnerabilities and weaknesses in Nepal’s cybersecurity capabilities. The ethical hackers, cybersecurity researchers, and IT experts ApEx talked to said Nepal’s cyber-space was riddled with loopholes. 

Karna Bahadur Shrestha, a faculty in Computers and IT Department at Aryan School of Engineering and Management, feels the state of cybersecurity in Nepal is abysmal. Most Nepali internet-based digital systems are vulnerable as even renowned organizations and companies do much bother about users’ data privacy; nor do most government agencies.   

The main problem is ignorance of potential cyberattacks. There is no vulnerability testing during the development of digital systems. “People are more concerned about operation than security of their systems,” Shrestha says. 

The vulnerability of Nepal’s cyberspace makes it an easy target for hackers, explains Ismam Ansari, an IT professional and computer engineer from Mahottari. The vulnerability owes to poor network monitoring, inadequate security against phishing attacks, and weak authentication management, he explains. “Weak cybersecurity means chances are high that someone will hack into your digital system,” Ansari adds. 

Proportional risks

Likewise, Nirmal Dahal, Head of Security and co-founder at CryptoGen Nepal, an IT security service, has been in the field for over five years. “The progress in IT brings proportional risks.” Dahal says. “The multiplying opportunities and platforms online have also enhanced the risk of cyber-offenses.” 

While almost every organization looks for ways to provide digital services, they are less bothered about making their online systems secure. There are also no strict cyber laws to prevent misuse of data. The few available laws and guidelines do not cover most threats, Dahal explains. 

Nepal is gradually becoming aware of the need for cybersecurity. “In the past, only banks used to perform security assessments. But now other corporate and government sectors have also started such assessments,” he says. 

Akash Basnet, a certified ethical hacker and computer operator at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs says the main culprits are outdated software, lack of knowledge as well as technical expertise. “Many Nepali websites can be easily penetrated as they have zero protection measures,” he says.  

Narey Vai (also known as Narapisach), a 17-year-old security researcher who was arrested earlier this year for leaking data of Vianet users, says the Nepali cyberspace is defenseless. “If you have a mobile phone SIM card or are connected to the internet, your privacy has been exposed,” Narey Vai says. “The financial and government sectors are the most vulnerable.” Annual Vulnerability Assessment and Pen Testing are keys to locating a system’s vulnerabilities, but Nepali companies seldom undertake them, he says. 

Binit Ghimire, another web developer and ethical hacker from Chitwan, says the condition of cybersecurity in Nepal is pitiful, with frequent cyber-attacks such as website defacements, ATM hacks, and data breaches. “I think the security has improved significantly in the government’s digital systems but other government websites are still vulnerable,” he adds. Moreover, in recent years, data breaches of private and non-government companies as well as start-ups have surged. Also, Ghimire points out, the level of awareness about cybersecurity is still rudimentary.  

Loopholes and losses 

Lax cybersecurity hits victims financially by contributing to either direct losses (ATM hacking, unsolicited financial transactions) or indirect losses (loss of trust).

Most cyber-attacks contribute to financial losses, according to Shrestha. One big reason hackers attack a website, app or a digital system is to earn money. “But such attacks can also lead to harassment and sexual abuse,” Shrestha adds.

As we have become more reliant on services that leave digital footprints, the number of cyberattacks has tripled over the last decade, Dahal says. This in turn sullies brand image, and leads to the loss of resources, data, and money. “Financial services have become the most targeted industry,” Dahal says. 

Kushal Ghimire, a lecturer in computer applications at Koshi Saint James College, Itahari, suggests the IT sector incorporates skilled human resources on cybersecurity. “The digital systems should also be regularly updated to meet global standards,” he says. Clear and concise laws regarding cybersecurity and their strict implementation would help too. 

Awareness is, again, the key, according to Ghimire. It is necessary to make people aware of the technology they use regularly. They must learn about security measures and the dire consequences of failing to take precautions.

For Shrestha, the first line of defense is making security a major concern while developing a digital system. Quality inspections are required for government systems that are more vulnerable. He suggests it is about time schools and colleges included cybersecurity as a course of study. 

People, or users, are the weakest links in any network, Dahal adds. You could include every security aspect into your network and yet the smallest of errors could undo all preparations. He says security starts at home. “For example, a simple pep talk at the dinner table on phishing will ensure your parents don’t click suspicious links on social media.”

Basnet agrees that there are loopholes in any digital system. The secret is to find them early. “That’s where ethical hackers come handy. They can find the vulnerabilities and take immediate action,” he says. As most people today use some form of social media, says Dahal, they should be aware of the basic security measures like two-factor authentication. 

Binit Ghimire’s suggestions differ to an extent. “At first, every organization with digital presence must carry out frequent internal security audits, and outsource their audits and penetration testing activities to cybersecurity companies,” he says. Ghimire also highlights the need for employees to protect themselves from “human hacking” which involves luring people into divulging sensitive information. Bug bounty programs can help as well as it encourages unethical hackers to turn white in their quest for rewards. 

Having played lead roles in Nepali superhit movies “Pashupati Prasad” and “Talakjung vs Tulke”, Khagendra Lamichhane, 42, hardly needs an introduction. But there is more to his versatile personality, and it would be a shame, if not injustice, to ignore an equally skilled writer, director, and a theater artist in him.

Lamichhane’s first passion was writing, which still drives him the most. A big part of the success of the movies Talakjung vs Tulke (2014), Pasupati Prasad (2016), Dhanapati (2017), and Damaru ko Dandibiyo (2018) goes to his excellent off-the-beat script-writing.

As a movie director, Lamichhane will soon be meeting audiences with his upcoming “Paani Photo”, after having already directed plays and dramas including “Atal Bahadur Ko Aatanka”, and “Peeda Geet”.

Back in Pokhara in 1999, he got an early opportunity to train under Nepal’s well-known theater artists Anup Baral and Prakash Ghimire. “I learned a lot from them,” Lamichhane tells ApEx. The next year, he came to Kathmandu and joined Rastriya Naachghar as a student of Sunil Pokharel, putting him firmly on the path of show business.

Lamichhane grew up in Syangja district, an average village boy of Nepali hills, and with all the aspirations and frustrations of an angry young man. He went to college in Pokhara where he soon became a part of the local literary circle.

“Back then, I dreamed of becoming a writer,” he recalls. But at the same time, the theater roles he played at the time gave him “immense pleasure”.

He realized early in life the importance of expressing himself in writing. Expressing feelings, especially his dislikes, wasn’t easy for a child who grew up in a traditional society up where doing so would be considered ‘rude’ to elders. Boy Lamichhane thus started writing poems to vent his feelings. “Those were not excellent poems,” he recalls, but good enough to give him peace of mind.

Lamichhane is a keen observer of everyday human affairs and nothing that impacts people’s lives escapes him, and they all give him writing and acting ideas.

Lamichhane regards self-discipline as more important than actual art. “Self-discipline comes with maturity, and discipline improves your acting skills,” he shares. The discipline of stage came handy during his transition to the big screen.

If he has to select among writing, acting, and directing, Lamichhane says he would select writing without second thought. “Writing was a childhood dream that shaped the person that I am today,” he reflects,  adding that he feels satisfied when people call him an aspiring writer.  

“Even the actor and director in me are the product of my love of writing,” he adds.

He feels “excited and inspired” to recall that he came to Kathmandu with the dream of becoming a writer, and considers himself fortunate to have also gotten a chance to be an actor and director, “all because of people’s love.”

Lamichhane is not sure Nepal’s movie culture has overshadowed the local theater scene. No theater artist ever abandons theater, he says, adding it’s not uncommon for theater artists to be film actors and musicians, or vice-versa. “Theater adds to an actor’s maturity and confidence, allowing the person to excel in all art forms.”

Lamichhane says he finds it easy to act and direct based on his own script. But in that case there is the danger of the writer in him “dominating all aspects of film-making”.

Lamichhane’s career has seen some interesting turns. He worked for BBC Media Action as a drama writer, director, and editor for eight years. He had not applied for the job; it was his friend who had done so using his email address. It was also pure chance that he was invited to act in a movie, Manoj Pandit’s Badhshala released in April 2013.

The writer-actor-director doesn’t consider himself a man with long-term plan; he “goes with whatever attracts him the most at any given time.” His success mantra? Put everything into whatever you do. “If you put your heart into what you do, you can touch other people’s hearts as well,” he says.

The pandemic confined people to their homes. During the lockdown, the eating-out culture disappeared overnight. Now it is slowly making a comeback. And business is picking up in Korean eateries in Kathmandu as well, primarily thanks to valley locals. More and more Kathmanduites seem to be taking to Korean delicacies. Fancy a bite yourself? Here are five places to choose from.

Gangnam Galbi Restaurant

South Korean national Ilsoo Choi established the Gangnam Galbi Restaurant near the Narayanhiti Palace Museum, Kathmandu, in 2015. Having arrived in Nepal seven years before that, he liked the country enough to stay behind and open a restaurant.

The restaurant mainly offers non-vegetarian items, so it’s basically a place for meat lovers.  Chicken and pork BBQ are among the most popular items, with price ranging from Rs 400 to Rs 3,000. Customers can even make the barbeque themselves. There is parking facility to accommodate six four-wheelers and 20 motorcycles at a time. Among the Korean beverages available here: Soju, a Korean Raksi, and Makgeolli, the Korean Chhaang.

Founder Choi suggests chicken or pork BBQ and Seafood Pajeon, a Korean-style pancake with green onion and seafood. Spices for these food items are brought directly from South Korea.

Sitting arrangement comprises wide and open outdoor spaces with tables and chairs. Price is fixed; there is no discount. Payment methods include cash, credit/debit cards, eSewa and Fonepay. On average, 15 peoples visit the restaurant daily these days; the number was above 40 before the pandemic.

Opening time: 11 AM 

Closing time: 8:30 PM

Contact: 01-4434780 

Hankook Sarang Korean Restaurant

Upon his return from South Korea in 2000, Chij Man Gurung wanted to do something in his own country. In 2002, he started the Hankook Sarang in Pokhara. At the time there were only a handful of restaurants serving Korean food in the tourist city. His other motivation for staring a Korean restaurant is a personal belief that Korean food is more hygienic and healthier than fares from other countries. In 2018, Gurung brought the restaurant to Tangal, Kathmandu,

Pork and chicken items are the most sought-after delicacies at Hankook Sarang. Set menu such as Budae Jjigae (a spicy sausage stew including ham, sausage, spam, baked beans, kimchi and gochujang) and Jeyuk Bokkeym (a stir-fry spicy pork dish) are also popular. Gurung recommends newcomers to Korean cuisine to start with Bibimbap, a mix of rice and vegetables, which is both “healthy and tasty”. 

Food is relatively cheap. “A normal set-dish costing around Rs 1,000 is enough to feed two,” Gurung informs. “I don’t focus not just on food but also try to represent the Korean culture so that our clients can learn about the country,” he says. The restaurant offers no discount.

Gurung used to sell Soju, a Korean beverage, before the pandemic, but no more. Instead, customers get to taste a special Korean chhaang. You can sit on floor cushions or on chairs. For lovers of beautiful landscape, outdoor sitting is also available. You can pay in cash, or by credit or debit cards. On average, over 100 people visit the restaurant daily. Parking is available for 4-wheelers and 2-wheelers.

Opening time: 10 AM 

Closing time: 10 PM

Contact: 01-4421711

Saan Sarang Korean Restaurant

Established around 11 years ago, Saan Sarang Korean Restaurant is located at Boudha, Kathmandu. Ang Yangdu Sherpa, the founder, started the restaurant to complement her family business, a trekking agency. Her clients wanted to taste Korean food, but there wasn’t a Korean eatery in the Boudha area at the time, prompting her to start one. Gradually, she also managed to titillate the taste-buds of locals.

Saan Sarang is a place for family dining, Sherpa says. She recommends customers taste pork BBQ first. “Pork barbeque is a major dish in Korea. Here, customers can make it themselves. A family can spend quality time doing the barbeque on their own,” she says. 

Prices range from Rs 300 to 1,500, with sushi, kimbap, and pancake on the cheaper side and seafood on the more expensive side. Most popular are pork BBQ, grilled fish, and kimbap. Parking is not a problem: outdoor or underground parking are available for 4-wheelers and 2-wheelers. The first floor has tables and chairs for sitting, while the second floor has traditional floor cushions. Available Korean beverages include Soju and Korean chhaang. There is also an outside garden for smoking. 

Payment options are varied: cash, credit card, debit card, FonePay, and eSewa. About 100 people visit the restaurant daily.

Opening time: 9 AM 

Closing time: 10 PM

Contact: 9851076235

Korean Kitchen Picnic

Established in Thamel in 2002 by a Korean photographer and his wife, and later handed over to the current Nepali owners, Korean Kitchen Picnic offers Korean food with genuine Korean taste, informs Sunil Magar, the manager and cashier. Food price ranges from Rs 375 to 1,850. Korean noodle ramen and kimbap are budget dishes, while pork BBQ is the most popular.

Magar recommends pork BBQ for newcomers to Korean food. “Korean restaurants are almost exclusively famous for pork items. That’s why people who love pork must try it Korean-style.”

Korean beverages are not available these days, but there are plenty of Nepali alternatives to choose from. There is shared parking for both 2 and 4-wheelers.

Of its four rooms, two are Korean-style sitting rooms while two have chair-and-table arrangement. The restaurant doesn’t offer any discount. Apart from cash, customers can pay by credit or debit cards apart from cash. 

What makes Korean Kitchen Picnic different? “The taste of our food,” says Magar. “Our clients who have already visited Korea can attest that the food here has authentic Korean taste.” The owners also run an import and export business, and source all ingredients from South Korea.

Around 100-200 people visit the restaurant every day.

Opening time: 10:30 AM 

Closing time: 8:30 PM 

Contact: 01-4542420 

Shuimter Korean Restaurant 

Started in 2002 but later closed and reopened three and half years ago, Shuimter Korean Restaurant in Thamel offers you delicious Korean foods at an affordable price. The owner, Bijaya Yonzon, learned about Korean food while working in Korea. Pork BBQ and chicken BBQ are the two most popular items here. “A person visiting the Shuimter Korean Restaurant spends Rs 900 on average,” Yonzon says. “Although the restaurant is a little space-constrained, the food here is delicious. I cook them myself.”

Earlier, Yonzon used to sell Soju and Korean chhaang. Soju is not available these days. Customers can either sit on the floor or make themselves comfortable on tables and chairs. The restaurant has no outdoor space and you can pay only in cash. “The most important aspect of the restaurant is tasty food,” Yonzon believes. On average, the restaurant sees 12 visitors a day. Yonzon recommends pork and chicken items.

The downside of being located in the congested Thamel is lack of parking. Prices are fixed.

Opening time: 8 AM                                    

Closing time: 10 PM

Contact: 9843095723

“Whether an experiment is a success, is not the question. The question is whether an artist is ready to experiment. Keep experimenting, that’s the mantra for real artists,” says Nawaraj Parajuli, a popular contemporary Nepali poet. After successfully establishing the trend of Kavita concerts—reciting poems to music— Parajuli recently came up with a musical poetry “Eklai”, which has already garnered 260k views on YouTube. Eklai differs from his previous recitals as it has an additional element: beats. The poem, taken from his upcoming book “Ghar”, steals the show with its delicious combo of music, beats, and a phenomenal video in which he has acted. 

This exceptional poet will soon host a television show “Forever with Nawaraj Parajuli” on Galaxy 4K TV, with poetry at its center, although the show, according to him, will also celebrate other art forms.  

Having completed his Master’s Degree in English in 2014, he now has a fortnightly column in Nepali-language portal Shilapatra besides continuing to write poems and hold Kavita concerts. 

Born in 1987 in Jalthal, eastern Jhapa to Hari Prasad Parajuli and Laxmi Devi Parajuli, he entered the Kathmandu Valley in order to pursue a master's degree. He says the valley brought out the poet in him and he started searching for new ways to demonstrate his creations.

His foray into poetry can be explained by his childhood love for arts of all kind. “I have always been a huge fan of arts,” he tells us. Reciting poems was an act that touched his soul even as a young boy. He remembers, “My father used to read poems from a book called Guna Ratnamala to me every night.” Parajuli for his part started by writing Gazals.

Manu Manjil’s poetry recital in Kathmandu’s Gurukul Theater in 2014 was a huge inspiration. “I told myself I would like to do something like that,” he recalls. 

For a theater lover fascinated by acting, it was hard to confine his work within his notebook pages. It was then that he decided to fuse poetry with music, his other love.

At the same time, Parajuli chanced upon Samyak Maharjan, a flutist. When the two combined their skills, the audience would be left speechless. That was five years ago. In terms of popularity, his first real breakthrough came in 2017 during the launch of his book Sagarmatha Ko Gahirai. Parajuli had spent many sleepless nights preparing for the big recital, and it paid off. He now started getting invited abroad. Today, he has already performed in 20 countries. The book Sagarmatha Ko Gahirai, which had 36 poems, also bagged Khemkala-Harikala Lamichhane Foundation’s Padmashreee Award. 

For Parajuli, his “short and sweet journey is filled with a myriad of memories” that he wishes to “live in forever”. An inspiration for many youths, Parajuli’s fans say his poems can heal wounds and energize people, while also giving them invaluable life lessons.

Famously, Nawaraj Dhakal, an audience member when he was performing in Lamjung five years ago, had submitted his three-hour exam paper in an hour just to watch him live. Later, Dhakal and his friends asked Parajuli to perform at their college. Parajuli doesn’t do these shows for free, as he aims to establish poetry as a profession. But he made an exception that one time.

Another time, while returning from India’s Varanasi, he had stopped at Butwal to eat chatpate by the roadside. Before leaving, the shop owner, who was a bit older than him, asked, “Are you the guy who performed the Aama poem?” Parajuli says the joy he then felt on being recognized for his poems was beyond words.   

What attracts people to his poetry? He isn’t sure but he doesn’t want to know either. “When something is beautiful, you don’t always know the reason. And that’s okay,” he says. According to some people, Parajuli adds, his poems are more punchy when accompanied by music. 

Musical poetry and Kavita concerts, for Parajuli, are attempts to add to art’s beauty. “Anything beautiful is important. That’s why musical poetry and Kavita concerts are important as well. I don’t want to prove anything. I just want this beauty to come through.”

For some people, his way of exploring poetry can be confusing. He is often asked if he is a rapper or a singer, and these questions leave him dumbfounded.

“This is creation. This is art,” he tells them.

Parajuli sees more and more youths getting into poetry—and it makes him immensely happy. He believes something magical is unfolding and he cannot wait to witness it.

Bugs have forever vexed humans. Even in the digital world, they exist everywhere—in mobile applications, on websites, and on internet platforms. All netizens have probably encountered some form of these ‘bugs’ at least once, even when randomly scrolling Facebook or Twitter. But many are unaware that reporting valid bugs to developers may lead them to a bounty!

A bug bounty program is an opportunity to earn money by exploring apps and websites and reporting any found bugs or vulnerabilities to the developers.

Many Nepali youths under the age of 25 have gotten these bounties from various companies, and they are being recognized at national and international levels. Saugat Pokharel, 22, from Kathmandu, who is currently studying physics at the Amrit Science Campus, received his first bounty of $2,000 from Facebook two years ago. He discovered a bug while messaging from his Facebook page “Students of Nepal,” reported it immediately, and was rewarded. At the time, Pokharel did not know he would get paid for just reporting a bug.

Saugat Pokharel

He now has tools and basic coding skills to help hone his hunting skills. “I have been rewarded by different companies, perhaps 16-17 times in all,” he says. So far, Pokharel’s single-highest bounty has been $13,000 that he got from Instagram for reporting exposed users’ date of birth and email address, jeopardizing their privacy.

Binit Ghimire, 20, a second-year Bachelor in Computer Engineering student from Chitwan, received his first bounty of $750 from Facebook in November 2018, just after around 3-4 months of starting bug hunting. By now, over 70 companies and organizations have thanked Ghimire for helping them secure their digital assets and systems through bug hunting. “In the process, I have earned over $10,000,” he says.

Binit Ghimire

Even teenagers are stepping into the field. Sudip Shah, 18, a grade 12 student from Pokhara who started hunting during the 2020 lockdowns, got a bounty of $500 on his first valid submission for a bug related to information disclosure. He had found an unusual error whereby users could see the names of the Facebook page’s admins, and reported it to Facebook Safety Center. “Before that, I had submitted over 50 reports to Facebook and over 30-40 reports to other bug bounty programs,” he says.

Shah was inspired by his first reward and started looking for security loopholes on different platforms. He even got into Facebook’s Hall of Fame (where Facebook lists and thanks people for a responsible disclosure) in August 2020. Shah has till date made around 10 valid submissions to Facebook alone.

Sudip Shah

Hacker to hunter

Ajay Gautam, 22, from Kupondole, Lalitpur, is a tech enthusiast who started wi-fi hacking from his childhood. When the news of bug bounty programs started circulating on social media, Gautam, who now has a Bachelor's degree in computing and is working at Nassec, a cybersecurity firm, felt it might be his cup of tea. He started in 2016.

Ajay Gautam

“I was number 23 on Facebook’s Hall of Fame 2020. Besides Facebook, I have also worked as a bug hunter for different private companies from Australia, Singapore, and other counties,” he says. Gautam has gotten the highest single bounty of $5,500 for tracking a vulnerability in Instagram messaging.

Prava Basnet, 24, a management student from Kathmandu, recently got $3,000 from Facebook for finding bugs in Facebook and Instagram. One bug made Instagram share stories with Facebook without the users’ consent. The next one she discovered was a bug related to linked accounts on Facebook and Instagram, which in turn increased chances of the accounts being hacked.

Prava Basnet

A post about Saugat Pokharel on the Facebook group 'Routine of Nepal Banda' caught her eye six months ago. Curious, she did a little Google research and found that such bugs could be reported even by someone without technical skills—and she could get better at it with practice. That was for her the start of a career.

A common misconception about bug bounty hunting is that it requires strong knowledge in coding and programming. Of course, that could be helpful, but it’s not a prerequisite. The level of skills you need depends on the type of bugs you are hunting, say those ApEx talked to. Most say they are into bug hunting as freelancers.  

Sometimes, companies launch hunting programs for registered hunters on platforms like Bugcrowd. When somebody reports a valid bug, the company issues a bounty. Facebook has its bug bounty program called the Whitehat where users can report security bugs. Twitter users can report possible vulnerability to its security team through HackerOne, a bug hunting platform.  Chances of finding bugs are high whenever a website or app launches new features. Not all the reports bug hunters send are valid though.

Nepali companies unaware

Though many Nepalis are into it, most Nepali companies still don’t have good bug bounty programs and thus Nepali hunters mostly report to international companies.

Even globally, bug hunting is a new concept, coming into practice in earnest only after the start of Bugcrowd in 2011, according to Pokharel. Bug hunting could be a serious career option for many if more Nepali companies offered such bounties.

For Ghimire, bug bounty hunting in Nepal is still in a primitive phase. One reason is that Nepali hunters mostly focus on Facebook and Instagram. Perhaps they are easier platforms to find bugs, Ghimire adds. “Nepali companies should also start giving bug bounties to help secure their systems,” he suggests.

According to Shah, many Nepali companies are unaware that they can control data leakage and discover other cyber vulnerabilities on their websites through a bug hunting program. Even when such programs are launched locally, payments are meagre. “They need to do more, even for their own sake,” Shah recommends.

Chiyawala

Located in Tinkune, Chiyawala was established two years ago. But the outlet’s origin can be traced back to 1956, says Ganesh Dev Pandey, its founder and a famous Nepali film director to boot. That was the year his grandfather started selling tea in Kalikot district. After that, Ganesh’s father earned his living in Butwal bazaar by doing the same business. And now, Ganesh has taken up the family mantle.

Chiyawala employees seven people, including himself. The outlet has around 200-250 daily visitors spending Rs 20,000-25,000 a day, Pandey informs. Himself a tea lover, Pandey got acquainted with various flavors and types of tea while roaming the streets of India.

The best-seller at Chiyawala is ‘Ghanashyam tea’—a semi-sweet strong tea—named after Ganesh’s father. “We have ten different varieties of milk tea, which I created myself, but no coffee at all,” Pandey says. There’s also a tea flavor dedicated to his grandmother—a sour-and-sweet mix. Besides tea, the outlet sells cookies and magic buns, which Pandey borrowed from his mother. “In our childhood, my mother would make a bun by adding milk cream in bread. I have modified the same formula for my business,” he says. Why do people come to his place? “Tea is an addiction,” he replies.

But that is not all. Every equipment, chair and drinking table is made from reusable material. The tea tables are old TV sets and the whole shop was crafted out of a shipping container. Luring customers with creative ideas is Pandey’s business mantra.

Contact: 9801015192

Tandoori ChiyaHolic

Established around 20 days ago, Tandoori ChiyaHolic at Mid Baneshwor hosts around 140 visitors a day, who spent around Rs 10,000. Jeevan Khadka and Govinda Saud, the two founders, work there along with three other family members. After losing their jobs during the lockdown and failing to find new ones, they started looking for new opportunities. “We found the Indian concept of Tandoori Chiya (tea) appealing, and thought of starting something similar,” Khadka informs. 

A typical customer drinks more than a cup of Tandoori tea at a sitting, according to Khadka. At Tandoori ChiyaHolic, people don’t seek options but repeat the same tea. Though the shop offers coffee as well, under a percentage of its customers ask for coffee. People don’t consume tea because they are hungry or thirsty but because they want to spend time gossiping, says Khadka. 

Tandoori tea’s specialty is the clay flavor—clay’s smell and taste. Unlike normal tea, Tandoori tea is made in clay cups. A big clay cup is heated in the oven until red-hot. Then hot tea is poured into the red cup. Finally, the tea is transferred to and served in other smaller clay cups. The piping-hot tea absorbs the flavor of clay to make for a distinct taste.

Contact: 9862818173

Dariwala Chiya

Opened on 19 November 2019 and located at Mid Baneshwor, the small establishment of Dariwala Chiya is famous among youths. The place witnesses a daily average of 100 customers who spend around Rs 4,000, informs Pradeep Rawal, the owner. The Covid-19 pandemic hit the shop hard and forced it to shift to a new and temporary establishment in which they currently run. Before the pandemic, business used to be as high as Rs 10,000 a day. 

The inspiration for the place was Mama’s Tea at Basantapur, where Rawal was a regular visitor. “It was the perfect example of how you could make decent money even with a lowish investment,” he adds. Why Dariwala Chiya? Well, let’s just say Rawal is fond of beards of all kind. Dariwala Chiya does not include coffee options as “coffee can never match tea”. 

You can order hot lemon tea, black tea and milk tea. The focus, says Rawal, has always been on creating a distinct taste for Dariwala Chiya. Tea ingredients thus vary, according to seasons. For example, during the winter, a special mix of cloves, black paper and cardamom maybe added to your cuppa, he informs. Tea is the only item available at his outlet. 

Contact: 9845997285

Chiya Ghar

Chiya Ghar has outlets in Pepsicola, Kumaripati, and Bhimsengola and a franchise in Putalisadak. Chiya Ghar, Bhimsengola was established around four years ago and now has 14 staff, informs Arjun Limbu, the supervisor. “Around 1,000 customers visit a day, contributing to an average income of Rs 40,000-50,000,” says Limbu. 

Most customers come to Chiya Ghar for the Matka tea. Next most popular option is Masala Milk tea, which is spicy, the taste of cardamoms and cloves.

Tea is made by using regular utensils but served in clay cups. The serving in clay cups give the tea a distinct earthy aroma.

Contact: 9801970715

Bamboo Tea at Bamboo Biryani

With a daily visitor-count of 150, most come to Bamboo Biryani, Ratopul for its famous Bamboo Tea. Though the place specializes in biryani, Bamboo Tea is its bestseller. Momos are the other famous offering.

Milan Regmi and Bibash Kafle were running ‘Mati House’ where they sold cooked items in clay utensils. “If we can cook in clay, we thought, why don’t we do so in bamboo?” Regmi says. “Only after a lot of effort and practice have we perfected cooking in bamboo,” Regmi explains. 

There has been no shortage of curious visitors who want to have a sip. Bamboo tea cools fast and so you drink it fast. The tea smells like a young bamboo shoot. The preparation time for bamboo tea is 30 minutes; the tea, you see, has to boil inside the bamboo.

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To check the spread of Covid-19, cinema halls across the country were asked to shut down on 19 March 2020. Following the directive, the movie theaters in Kathmandu valley—the hub of the country’s cinema business—were closed for around 10 months.

They have now been allowed to reopen by adopting standard safety and hygiene measures and at 50 percent capacity to ensure social distancing. Sushil Manandhar, a manager at QFX, a cinema chain in Nepal, says reopening is the result of continuous protests and pressure. “Otherwise, the neglected entertainment sector and especially the cinema halls would still have been closed,” he says. 

After the government green signal, halls in the valley reopened on 25 December 2020, hoping to soon get back on track. But that has not been the case; making any kind of profit is still a distant dream.

The estimated total loss for Q’s Cinemas housed in Rising Mall, Durbarmarg, from the lockdown stands at Rs 40 million, informs Sumit Mainali, its Managing Director. Resumption of services has only added to the cost. “Our operational costs have increased while the number of audiences has drastically decreased,” he rues.

Manandhar of QFX puts the chain’s monthly loss following the reopening at around Rs. 20 million as the number of visitors per hall has dropped from 40,000 to 1,000-1,500. “The income is hardly enough to pay our electricity bills, let alone staff salary,” he says. 

Likewise, Dipesh Sharma, CEO at Big Movies at City Center, Kamalpokhari, says the multiplex now sees around 50-100 customers daily on average. The figure used to be 15 times more (1,500 to 2,000) before the lockdown.

FCube Cinemas, Chabahil, fares no better. Ramhari Koirala, HR manager, says they are unable to even pay monthly salary, which comes to around 1 million for a staff of 47. “We need around 20 audiences per show to break even but currently even getting 10-15 people a show is a struggle.”

One Cinemas, located at Eyeplex Mall, New Baneshwor had started operation in October 2019, six months before the lockdown. It faced the loss of around Rs 1 million a month during the lockdown period, according to Umesh Giri, manager. Reopening has been no relief as monthly operational expenses have ballooned to Rs 2 million.

“We are operating at a loss just to keep our presence in the market,” adds Giri. Most other multiplexes and cinema halls are doing the same.

Especially the stand-alone cinema halls are struggling to bear the added burden. Sohit Manandhar, owner at Asta Narayan Pictures at Bypass, Kathmandu, informs that his theater had to be shut down only 2-3 weeks after reopening given the lack of audience interest.

“The expenses were unbearable and there is also no new exciting movie on the pipeline,” Manandhar says.

So, how are other cinema halls running without movies? They are either showing old releases or extending show times of a handful of new releases. 

“No new movie means no audience and no audience means loss. Then, what is the meaning of all those safety guidelines?” Mainali asks. He says many Nepali producers have delayed the release of their movies because of the decline in the number of visitors. 

Big Movies had, on the occasion of Valentine Day, re-released old hits such as Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi and Sano Sansar.

Santosh Kumar Thapa, a Kathmandu-based film journalist at Koribati.com and Koribati TV, also cites the paucity of new movies as the reason for poor cinema-going. “Only the release of big-banner movies will help improve the condition,” he says.  

Big releases can bring in audiences, according to Manandhar of QFX. “I am eagerly awaiting releases such as Lappan Chhappan 2.”

Cinema halls in Nepal are dependent on Indian movies. Nepali and Hindi big movies are not being releasing for at least another month and until then visitor numbers are bound to be small, adds Koirala. Moreover, in his view, Nepali movies are reluctant to release at 50 percent occupancy. “India is allowing 100 percent occupancy. Why not Nepal?” he questions.

To make a quick recovery, there is no option to reverting to full occupancy, adds Giri of One Cinemas.

Manandhar of Asta Narayan Pictures says if new movies start coming it could take around two years to recoup the Covid-time losses. QFX expects to break even after one and half years of full operation.

Giri, on the other hand, is unsure about recovery. But he does think that with the arrival of vaccines, Covid fear has considerable lessened and hence audiences will return.

Yogesh Khatiwada, an IT expert from Balkot and a regular movie-goer, has not visited cinema halls since he watched ‘Aama’ before the lockdown. He says he will go if there is a good movie on show. “For instance, I am now waiting for the release of KGF 2,” says Khatiwada. 

If you have been to Naxal chowk, which is also known as Bhagawati Bahal, you must have seen a pagoda-style temple situated right at the four-way junction.

This is the temple of Goddess Naxal Bhagawati, one of the four Bhagawati sisters. The three other sisters are Shova Bhagawati (whose temple is located at Chamati, bank of Bishnumati river), Nala Bhagawati (Nala Village, Kavre), and Palanchowk Bhagawati (Panchkhal, Kavre). All these temples house an idol of Goddess Bhagawati.

The history of these temples can be traced back to the fifth century AD and the reign of Lichchhavis. According to a legend, Mandev, a famous Lichchhavi ruler, decided to meditate at a monastery in Sankhu, leaving the responsibility of administration to his mother Nawa Sagar. The religious mother found it to be an opportune moment to establish the four Bhagawatis.

Apparently, Nawa Sagar got the craftsmen to first build Palanchowk Bhagawati with their right hands. Then, so that they could not replicate its design, she had their right hands chopped off. The artists then built Nala Bhagawati with their left hands. After this, their left hands were cut off too, and they then built Naxal Bhagawati with their right legs and, finally, when even their right legs were severed from their bodies, they built the Shova Bhagawati with their left legs.

Since its inauguration a Karmacharya priest has always presided over the Naxal Bhagawati. Following the demise nine years ago of their father, also a former priest, 40-year-old Dinesh Karmacharya has been working there as a priest alongside his brother Rabindra.

Unlike the vedic rites performed at most other temples, the pooja performed by Karmacharyas at Naxal Bhagawati follows the tantric method of worship. This method of praying and appeasing Goddess Bhagawati has been passed down generations in the Karmacharya family since the fifth century.

Devotees throng to Naxal Bhagawati during the Navaratri period of the annual Dashain festival. According to Hindu scriptures, Goddess Bhagawati came to be known as Goddess Durga after defeating demons in a fierce battle. “During Navaratri, which marks the victory of the Goddess Durga over demons, a special pooja is performed here in the presence of big crowds,” says Karmacharya. 

Similarly, Ghode Jatra and Chaite Dashain are other two popular occasions when devotees visit Naxal Bhagawati temple.

Kunti Subedi, 45, who has been taking care of the temple for past 17 years, informs that in normal course the temple is more crowded on Saturdays. But the tantric pooja is performed every day, and devotees sacrifice different animals to please the goddess and fulfil their wishes.

It is also believed that doing pooja and worship at Naxal Bhagawati protects you from bad spirits.

The temple premises also houses the Shree Naxal Bhagawati Bhajan Mandal, a musical group. Established in 1991, the group conducts bhajans on special occasions.

Also inside the same premises are a small temple of Lord Shiva, another one of Radha Krishna, and a third one built with idols brought from Rajasthan, India.

According to Dinesh Karmacharaya, the priest, the number of devotees at the temple has dwindled in recent times.

Prakash Pokharel, 54, a Baluwatar resident, has been regularly visiting the temple on his way to office, for over 20 years. He says worshipping Goddess Bhagawati keeps him on the right track. Pokharel says he has also noticed the number of devotees at the temple shrinking. “Two decades ago, people had strong religious beliefs but now their faith is not as strong which is perhaps why fewer people visit this place now,” he says.  

Sabina Shrestha, 24, currently lives in Basundhara, Kathmandu, and visits the temple whenever she passes Naxal. Shrestha says although she is relatively young religious faith is still important for her.

Taking care of this religious and cultural site is the Naxal Bhagawati Samudayik Sadan, a 13-member committee appointed every three years. Says Ashok Rajkarnikar, its president, the group's main responsibility is to renovate and repair what is damaged inside temple premises and to maintain overall cleanliness.

But how does the committee put together the needed expenses? “We rent out two shutters and a hall inside temple premises for different occasions and ceremonies,” replies Rajkarnikar. “The collected funds are used for temple preservation and other expenses.”

The 2015 earthquakes had slightly damaged the temple. But it has now been fully renovated and strengthened.

The temple opens at 6 am and closes at 7 pm. It is also closed from 2-5 pm.