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News of suicides are always followed by reports on how mental health issues need to be addressed—the insinuation being suicide can be prevented if there is greater awareness about anxiety, depression and other such conditions and efforts are made to normalize afflictions of the mind as any other health issue. While that might be true, it’s also important to acknowledge and work on the stressors—violence, discrimination, societal isolation, financial difficulties et al.—that give rise to mental health problems, eventually driving some people to suicide. 

According to Nepal Police data, 7,141 people committed suicide in the fiscal 2020/21, up from 6,252 the year before. The common rationale behind the spike was that the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns took a toll on people’s mental wellbeing. But experts say the pandemic only exacerbated what has been a major public health issue for years. Suicide, they say, has been one of the leading causes of death in Nepal, with the number of cases increasing every year. What’s more, they agree that because of under-reporting the actual number of cases is way higher than what the police records show. 

According to Manju Khatiwada, undersecretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), suicide has thus far been a neglected problem in Nepal. Often, families of those who commit suicide don’t want to accept that maybe there was an underlying problem. It’s something our society wants to brush under the carpet. There aren’t any national level plans and policies to make people aware of mental health issues or to tackle the various factors that ultimately lead to them. 

“It’s high time we studied why people commit suicide and address the root cause. So far, it’s been cloaked as a mental health problem and we all know what a taboo that is in our society,” says Khatiwada. Suicide, she adds, often stems from a violation of basic human rights. In an apathetic society like ours with rigid norms, each individual’s right to a dignified life is perhaps the last thing that occurs to most people while passing sweeping judgements and discriminating others on the basis of caste, sex, economic background and such. Society neither realizes nor cares about the implications of its actions on people’s mental health. 

Under the surface

Parbati Shrestha, project coordinator at Transcultural Psychosocial Organization Nepal, says not much has been done to prevent suicides. The cases that we hear of are just the tip of the iceberg, she says. Scratch the surface and you will find many social issues that could potentially be suicide triggers. She, like Khatiwada, sees the need to discuss and investigate every suicide and find out the cause behind it. Only when there are more discussions on the factors behind suicides will we be able to inch our way into solving the massive problem it is. 

“When someone commits suicide, we blame the person and condemn the act. We don’t look into our actions to see if we had, knowingly or unknowingly, created an unfavorable environment for them,” says Shrestha, adding many societal issues need to be fixed in order to provide people healthy coping mechanisms and be in a place to seek help, if needed. 

The problem, experts agree, is also that people can’t openly talk about what’s bothering them like, for instance, money woes, marital discord, abuse, postpartum depression, etc. They fear being blamed and stigmatized—for not doing enough or being strong enough. The problem festers, says Shrestha, and sometimes people see no way out other than ending their lives.

Nepal Police spokesperson Basanta Bahadur Kunwar says suicide cases shot up during the pandemic. Though the pandemic undoubtedly impacted people’s mental health, we can’t also ignore that there were many hidden issues that surfaced and snowballed out of people’s control. 

Blue Diamond Society’s president and rights activist Pinky Gurung agrees. The LGBTIQA+ community has always struggled with multiple issues—from identity crisis to lack of familial and/or partner support. The pandemic only made them glaringly obvious. That coupled with isolation and uncertainty was traumatic. Many people in the community, who already felt lonely and disrespected, couldn’t bear it any more. So far, 24 people of the community have committed suicide and around 15 more have attempted it since the start of the pandemic. 

“People in our community aren’t loved, even by their own families, and this leads to a lot of hurt. You need to understand that the sadness they feel is a reaction to that pain. Talking to someone or seeking medical help is the last thing on their mind. Frankly though, even if they opened up, does anyone even care?” asks Gurung. 

Studies show the LGBTIQA+ community is at higher risk of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even suicide. The triggers of these mental health conditions are often lack of family support and dignity as well as the ostracization and humiliation they face on a daily basis. Despite the findings of the studies, Gurung laments that nothing has been done to tackle the issue. There is also zero awareness about mental health in the LGBTIQA+ community, she says. 

Integrated approach

Of late, there have been some positive developments though. This is the first time the United Nations has made recommendations to Nepal to look into the causes of suicide and work on them, says undersecretary Khatiwada. It has recommended that Nepal develop and implement a national strategy and action plan for the prevention of suicide. It has also highlighted the need for reliable data collection and addressing the social stigma associated with suicide.

Psychiatrist Dr Kanchan Dahal says suicide is complex, that there isn’t one particular reason why people get to the point where death seems like the only answer. But, often, the driving force is some sort of trauma and a sense of helplessness that comes with it. Also, for some, it might be an impulsive decision, while for others, it could be something that was planned for a while. The fact remains that behind every decision lies immense stress—be it physical, mental, or emotional—and the inability to see a way out of it. 

“The pandemic affected people in ways we can’t even begin to imagine. Some were locked at home with their violent spouses. People were worried about whether they would be able to feed their families. There was also the stress of not knowing how to cope with this discomfiting experience,” says Dr Dahal. Many in the low- and middle-income groups lost their jobs, and families that relied on remittance were left without any income. There was extreme food scarcity. What was unfortunate here, adds Dr Dahal, is that the government didn’t come to people’s aid. He believes many suicides could have been prevented had the government come up with a proper plan to mitigate the sufferings of daily-wage earners. 

“I’m not negating the fact that people might need help to deal with mental health illnesses and that there should be more awareness and acceptance of these issues. But we also need to focus on the circumstances that lead to mental health problems,” says Dr Dahal. Another thing that’s needed is sensitive reporting of suicide, without divulging details of cases. Otherwise, suicide is glorified, giving people ideas. 

All said and done, a major responsibility also lies on families to be attuned to the changing moods and behavioral patterns of their loved ones. We also have to emphasize the importance of healthy relationships and learning to control our emotions. NHRC’s Khatiwada stresses the need to change our socialization process, which, in its current state, she adds, is the root of all evil.  

“We need to understand the importance of the live-and-let-live principle, whereby no one is subject to unwarranted stress and shame. Suicide prevention needs an integrated approach where many larger factors must be considered but a good place to start is definitely in our homes,” says Khatiwada. The need of the hour, she adds, is a non-hostile environment where people feel accepted and valued. 

The unanimous opinion was that we live in a very stressful environment that isn’t conducive to growth and sound mental state. The conversation around mental health, though crucial, can only help so much when the social ills that lead to them are sidelined. 

Nepal Police data shows that, in 2020/21, 4,222 men and 2,919 women committed suicide, of whom 764 were minors. The actual figure is at least three times higher, say experts ApEx spoke to. Suicide cases are under-reported, with families and communities trying to hide the fact, mostly because of the societal stigma attached to mental health. We would rather blame the victim for a ‘lapse of judgement’ rather than admit there might have been something simmering beneath the surface. It’s the social equivalent of the ostrich effect.

According to a survey conducted by Danphe Care, a Kathmandu-based healthcare management company, 60 to 70 percent youths suffer from some sort of mental health issue, be it panic attacks, anxiety or depression. Out of this, 10 percent were found to be suicidal. Kabin Maleku, program coordinator at Danphe Care, says a lot of people who suffered from mental health problems after the 2015 earthquakes experienced a relapse during the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns.

While addressing mental health issues is paramount, we also need to pay attention to the various factors that promote anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. The focus also needs to be on creating a favorable environment that curbs mental health disorders.

Padma Prasad Ghimire, chairman of SAMMAN, a non-profit, says issues like poverty, violence, and discrimination have to be tackled on a national level to control and stop suicide. Suicide, he says, has deep social and economic implications and Nepal government must treat it as an emergency. Currently, priority isn’t given to suicide prevention. Alongside normalizing mental health as any other physiological issue, Ghimire sees the necessity of being on problem-solving mode. By that, he means tackling issues that could potentially trigger mental health problems.

The consensus among experts was that a lot of work needs to be done in different areas to even come close to understanding what drives people to commit suicide. That is where we must start, says undersecretary of National Human Rights Commission, Manju Khatiwada, adding, suicide is treated as a social malady and people would rather not discuss it. That in itself, she says, hints at deep-rooted problems that must be urgently addressed.

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A crime as heinous as rape should be punishable by death. That’s the popular opinion in Nepal, made evident by the demands for the reinstatement of capital punishment time and again. Many people seem to believe it’s the only sentence that is befitting of rapists. It would, they insist, as an added bonus, also decrease the incidence of rapes.

But experts ApEx spoke to say if Nepal had the provision of death for rape, it would not only be a regressive step for the judicial system and the society but it would most certainly be misused. In a corrupt system like ours, capital punishment will put more power in the hands of those who are already powerful while victimizing ones who have no political influence and connection. In other words, it will be like sending lambs to slaughter. 

Mohna Ansari, lawyer, human rights advocate and former commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), says death penalty isn’t the solution to rapes. In a country where people are still struggling to have their basic rights met and gender disparity is all too rampant, there is simply no awareness of crimes and their repercussions. “We have to focus on building a society with strong morals and values. It’s going to take time but that’s the only way to prevent rapes and other gender-based violence,” she says.

Manju Khatiwada, undersecretary at NHRC, says rape is a result of patriarchy—a social conditioning that makes boys revel in their superiority from very early on. Unless we are able to change that environment with awareness, education and financial independence of women, the situation isn’t likely to improve. “Raping a woman is often an assertion of power and dominance. When men feel superior to women simply because they are men, it gives them the liberty to do as they please,” she says.

In Tara Kaushal’s book ‘Why Men Rape’, an 18-year-old boy in Uttar Pradesh, India, says most women are ‘kaam chalau’, to only be used for sex. The boy, Dipu Raja Yadav, was involved in a gang rape. In the course of being interviewed for the book, he tells Kaushal, “Krishna had 108 gopis, but for Radha he was the only one. A boy can never be shamed even if he goes around with ten girls. He will also be praised for it.”

At the root of violence and rape lie this use-and-throw attitude and men’s utter lack of respect for women, say experts, adding fear of punishment won’t change that. Who, really, is thinking of the consequences when you are driven by a logic that has been passed on for generations?

However, rape is an extreme violation of human rights. But more often than not, what follows rape is just as traumatic, if not more—for the victims and their families because of the social stigma that comes with it. A woman’s dignity is solely associated with her virginity. Our patriarchal society doesn’t concern itself with the fact that in a sexual act there are two parties involved. Ergo, women who are raped are blamed, shamed, and ostracized.

She must have done something to give him ideas, why was she out so late at night?, have you seen the way she dresses?, she had many boyfriends, etc.—there are so many inane reasons the society comes up with to excuse the perpetrators’ behavior. Rapists often know they will get away with a slap on their wrists. It’s this mindset that tries to pin the blame on the woman and a system that protects the perpetrator that further promote violence.

Also, for capital punishment to work, you have to be able to determine, beyond a shadow of doubt, that the accused is guilty. Consider the state of our investigating bodies and the government. Negligence in evidence collection, poor investigation, and political protection of perpetrators are the major hindrances in ensuring justice.

Khatiwada adds that rape cases aren’t handled sensitively in Nepal. There is often a lot of police mediation for out-of-court settlements. All too often, victims are threatened and coerced into keeping quiet or taking back their statements. According to parliamentarian Pushpa Bhusal, innocent people could end up being implicated and persecuted. If they were to be sentenced to death, it would be an irrevocable loss. The alternative, she says, could be life imprisonment. 

Advocate Raunaq Singh Adhikari says cruelty is never the answer. Our legal system, he says, is retributive and reformative. Criminals too must be given a chance to change. By implementing the death penalty, which Nepal abolished in 1947 (becoming the first country in South Asia to do so), we are taking away the basic right to life as guaranteed by the constitution of Nepal and negating all the progress we have made so far. 

Adhikari also adds there is no evidence of any kind to support the claims made by those clamoring for capital punishment—that death penalty will deter rapists. Take India, where six months after four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape-and-murder case were hung to death in March 2020, a 19-year-old Dalit woman was gang-raped by four men in the Harthras district in Uttar Pradesh. Government report suggests one rape is reported every 16 minutes.

It isn’t the severity of the punishment but the guarantee that punishment will be dished out and done so on time that can deter rape, say experts. The problem is that rapists or criminals think they can get away with a crime. Our legal and justice systems aren’t strong enough. They don’t instill faith in the victim or fear in the accused.

“Our law has loopholes. We need to fix that. For starters, we could do away with the one-year statute of limitation on lodging an FIR for rape. That way, perpetrators will always fear punishment even if they have managed to cajole or threaten the victim to initially not report the crime,” says undersecretary Khatiwada.

Instead of death penalty, what’s needed is a strict implementation of the criminal code that came into effect in August 2018, which increased maximum imprisonment to 25 years from the earlier 15 years. Experts’ opinion is unanimous: The investigative agencies should be held accountable and anyone protecting criminals should also be prosecuted. An eye for an eye, which is what a death sentence is, shouldn’t be the basis of any progressive society. No matter how barbaric the crime, the reaction to it always needs to be civilized.

Twenty years ago, home science was an optional subject in the SLC syllabus. In my all-girls school, however, it was compulsory. We were taught to cook, sew petticoats and baby dresses, and knit socks and sweaters. Some of us wanted to study accounts while others wished for computer classes. But our principal insisted on home science because [in the future, when you were married and had children] “would you rush to the tailors’ and ask her to sew on a loose button on your husband’s shirt as he got ready for work?”

I’m married to a man who irons our clothes, cleans the bathroom and peels water-soaked almonds for breakfast in the morning and does many other chores that are traditionally and perhaps still considered a ‘woman’s job’. I’ve been berated by quite a few relatives for ‘allowing’ my husband to do these things around the house. I’ve also explicitly been told I’m not a ‘good’ wife. My house-help suggests that maybe she or I should set the table for lunch instead of dai. She rushes with the placemats if he hasn’t gotten around to it already. Men shouldn’t do these things, she tells me.

“The moment you are born, you are slotted into these boxes that determine what you can and can’t do, and how you should and shouldn’t be based on your gender. Our social setting and programming promote disparity from very early on,” says human rights activist Sabitra Dhakal.  

And indeed, women have always been conditioned to be a certain way and to live their lives in accordance to someone else’s—as a daughter, a wife, and a mother. Their roles in relation to others take precedence over who they are as individuals. Dhakal says women have a society-assigned identity. Society, she says, has long determined what is and isn’t accepted of women and a slight deviation is enough to warrant name calling and slut shaming.

Take for instance all the uproar over Priyanka Karki’s Instagram post where she is seen happily flaunting her baby bump. From calling her photos obscene to blaming her for polluting young minds, there’s no line that’s not been crossed. Thankfully, and more power to her, the actor says none of it has affected her. But what right did we have to violate her personal space in the first place? In a society where the neighbors will openly ask a newly-married couple when they are planning to have a baby, why is it unacceptable for a woman to want to document the various stages of it?

Durga Karki, advocate and author of the book Kumari Prasnaharu, says women have to face multiple barriers and limitations in life. The same conditions, she adds, don’t extend to men. Our culture today that controls, questions and ridicules women at every turn, is a result of years of unfairness and dominance. It’s going to take a lot of work, on a national level, for this to change, she adds.

The discourse on social media, on equality and empowerment, are important but it has to lead to actual laws and rights in favor of women if we are to ever hope for our societal structure to change. Conversations, though important, can only do so much, says Karki who believes our political climate and space also need to be welcoming of women in power. The government should lead by example and be liberal in its ideology of women and their rights.

But our society’s attitude towards women boils down to lack of respect and the unwillingness to give women any personal space, says journalist Anjali Subedi. This society, she says, also has a strict code of conduct for women and anything outside of it is unfathomable and unacceptable.

Worse, women aren’t women’s biggest cheerleaders. It’s the lack of a circle of support that makes it difficult for women to break free from the hegemony of men. Dhakal adds many are often quick to make statements like “I’m not that kind of a woman” while talking about themselves, which undermines women in general.

Rumi Rajbhandari, founder of Astitwa, a non-profit that works to rehabilitate victims of burn violence, says strong and independent women are still not appreciated. It can’t stomach a Priyanka Karki. It prefers its women meek and subservient. Anything else is an anomaly that needs to be put in place. This, she adds, is because the basis of a patriarchal society is oppression and women who don’t allow for it—who speak up, who go against the rules—are seen as threats.

Advocate Grishma Bista says women need to be more vocal and express themselves, unburdened by what the society might think or say. A mind-your-own-business attitude is what women need to have, she says. However, that’s easier said than done.

Rajbhandari says it’s only possible if and when women get strong family support. The problem right now, says Rajbhandari, is that women are told to keep quiet, let things go and not to ascertain their rights in order to maintain peace at home. The cost of this compromise is often women’s mental wellbeing, dignity and sense of self. But, let’s be honest here, when have we ever cared?  

“My mother always blames me for any misunderstanding between me and my husband. She tells me I must have done something wrong,” says Rajbhandari. This kind of mindset that puts men on a pedestal is what gives them more power and makes women vulnerable to all kinds of hardships and violence—physical, mental, and emotional.

My parents have been my biggest support system and I find that it gives me the confidence to stand up for myself. The knowledge that I’m not alone, that I might be contradicted in private but will be vehemently supported in public empowers me more than anything else. For a woman to grow and thrive, I believe, there must be people rallying behind her no matter what.

“If not family, then the support could come in the form of other women. A major setback in our society is that all too often women drag women down. I call them the gatekeepers of patriarchy. That needs to stop,” concludes Dhakal. 

Around mid-May this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States eased its mask-wearing guidelines. Those who were fully vaccinated didn’t have to wear masks anymore when in company of other fully-vaccinated people. Most Nepalis, living in Nepal, took off their masks after receiving the second dose of vaccine because “America said you could”.

But medical and public health experts ApEx spoke to unanimously insist that Nepalis must wear masks and wear them properly—not under the chin, below the nose, or dangling by their ear—at least until 70 percent of the population is vaccinated. Currently, the rate stands at less than four and nine percent for double and single dose vaccination respectively. Wearing a mask, thus, isn’t an option. It’s mandatory.

What we also need to understand is that America, where masks aren’t compulsory in outdoor settings, has high vaccination rates and their vaccines have higher efficacy—Pfizer (95 percent) and Moderna (94.1 percent)—than the ones we have received in Nepal (Covishield at 70 percent, VeroCell at 50 to 79 percent and Johnson & Johnson at 66.3 percent).

Dr Binjwala Shrestha of the Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), says we can’t be careless because Covid-19 cases are on the rise. The figures of daily new infections we hear of are a result of undertesting and underreporting. The data also doesn’t include the results of rapid antigen tests, many of which are positive. The actual figure is much higher, says Dr Shrestha, and you never know who is infected. Masks, she adds, remain the first-line of defense against this deadly virus.

The coronavirus, according to dental surgeon Dr Neil Pande, is 600 times smaller than the width of a hair strand, which makes it highly transmissible. Dr Pande, from the start of the pandemic, has been trying to raise awareness on the importance of proper masking and ventilation to control the spread. Unfortunately, no one is listening and people, he says, are appallingly careless, more so now that the lockdown has been eased and gatherings and celebrations seem to be in full swing.

“The most basic thing we can do is wear a mask, even if and especially if you are vaccinated because you could still be transmitting the virus,” says Dr Pande. Many people seem to have the very concept of vaccine wrong. They think being vaccinated means you are shielded against the virus. But the virus can enter your system and you can infect other people. What it won’t be able to do is replicate and lead to disease and its potential complications. 

Vaccination no excuse

But that doesn’t mean vaccinated people are safe. Not yet, say experts. Dr Bidesh Bista, pulmonologist, Civil Service Hospital of Nepal, says there have been cases of vaccinated individuals getting infected and developing pneumonia. The common perception that if you have been vaccinated, you won’t have severe complications even if you are infected isn’t necessarily true. There have been many cases, worldwide, of people dying of covid complications even after receiving both the vaccine doses.

Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesperson, Ministry of Health and Population, says we can break the chain of infection and be safe only if everybody takes the required precautions. Nepalis, he says, seem to be in a hurry to take off their masks when in fact, now, more than ever, is when everyone needs to be vigilant.

“People look at what’s happening in America, they saw packed Euro Cup stadiums and think they are safe here as well, that the coronavirus threat has been mitigated. That’s not true,” says Dr Adhikari. Our circumstances, he says, are different. We have our own conditions and limitations and our actions should reflect that.

Dr Navindra Raj Bista, assistant professor, Anesthesia and Critical Care, TUTH agrees with Dr Adhikari and adds that our social culture puts us at grave risk. As horrifying as it may sound, our society has never been keen on hygiene. Regular hand washing isn’t an ingrained habit and consciously doing so takes effort—that not a lot of people are inclined to make. Spitting on the sidewalk from steps of stores and while walking and on the road out of buses and cars is also common. The condition of our public transport too ensures close contact among people, making virus transmission easy and likely.

With so much stacked against us, it would be a sin not to do the least we can to keep ourselves safe. Dr Shrestha believes we are committing a social crime of sorts every time we choose to go out without a mask or lower it because “our ears hurt”. Various studies have shown that masks can reduce the risk of infection by 95 percent (when everyone is masked and practicing social distancing measures). 

‘Vaccines are here’

On the streets of Pulchowk and Sanepa in Lalitpur, ApEx questioned several people who weren’t wearing a mask. With mocking smiles and often rolling their eyes, they asked why they should wear one when “the vaccines are already here”. Other responses were “Are masks of any use?”, “You are wearing one, why should I?”, and “We don’t think we have to anymore.”

Some, like Dr Shrestha said, claimed their ears hurt and that masks were suffocating. Others said they simply didn’t feel like wearing one. The people questioned had either not received the second dose of the vaccine or hadn’t been vaccinated at all. When requested for a quick photo, accompanied by the whipping out of a cell phone, every one of them pulled up their masks or fished one out of their pockets.

It basically boils down to people’s attitude, says Dr Shrestha. The ones who are vaccinated think they are safe and are reckless. The fact that they could still transmit the virus and endanger the lives of those around them isn’t of much concern to them. Lack of awareness isn’t the problem here. Rather, it’s the absence of integrity and accountability. Educated people and those belonging to the upper echelons of the society too have a couldn’t-care-less mindset.

Even those who are wearing masks are doing it all wrong. From loosely fitted masks and just covering the mouth to using disposable masks for days and stuffing them in our pockets, we simply aren’t taking it as seriously as we ought to.

Dr Pande stresses the need to wear a properly fitted mask—one that feels snug around the chin and nose, to ensure it is clean, and not to pull it down to the chin and then back up again. Dr Adhikari says a lot of people are wearing the same surgical mask for days on end when a disposable mask should only be worn for four to five hours and then replaced. Dr Bista adds the focus should be on wearing a mask the right way.

Imminent third wave

Experts agree that the best option is a tightly fitted surgical mask but a three-layered cloth mask works as well. N95 masks, they say, are good but not necessary and neither is doubling up if your mask fits well.

“The whole idea of wearing a cloth mask over a surgical mask is so that air doesn’t leak out and you aren’t taking in unfiltered air,” says Dr Bista. A properly worn mask, he adds, won’t fog your glasses either. If that’s been happening then you aren’t putting the mask on correctly. Dr Pande, on the other hand, shares a trick to check if your mask is protective as it should be: Simply hold it up to sunlight. If light filters through, the mask isn’t good enough.

Experts believe the pre-pandemic lifestyle we seem to be following now makes a third wave imminent in Nepal. We have all witnessed the medical catastrophe Covid-19 can bring about—the second wave had us running from hospital to hospital in search of an ICU bed and buying oxygen cylinders in the black market—and the scenario is likely to repeat unless we change our ways. A good place to start would be wearing a mask and doing so properly, irrespective of our vaccination status.

“My ears hurt”, “It fogs my glasses” and “I can’t breathe”—These are the three most common excuses Nepalis give for not wearing a mask. “I’m fully-vaccinated” makes it to the top five, though this isn’t as common an answer considering that less than four percent of the total population has received the second dose so far.

Only one or two out of every 10 people on the street are seen wearing a mask properly. By properly we mean not strapped on the chin, with the top of the mask on the upper lip, or dangling from an ear. We counted, on the sidewalk in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, in front of St Xavier’s School, on the stretch between Hotel Himalaya and Nabil Bank in Kupondole, Lalitpur, and the the road that leads to Dillibazaar from Maitidevi, Kathmandu.

Evidence suggests wearing a mask or a face covering can reduce the risk of transmitting coronavirus. Experts say that people still have to wear a mask, whether or not they have been vaccinated because we still fall in a high-risk zone with over 27,000 active cases and daily new infections rising steadily. Nepal reported 1,223 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, 1,642 on Monday, and 2,202 s on Tuesday.

According to WHO representative to Nepal Dr Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav, Covid-19 vaccines have proven to be safe, effective and life-saving. But like all vaccines, they do not fully protect everyone vaccinated. “We do not yet know how well they can prevent people from transmitting the virus to others,” he adds.

Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population, says many people are either layering mask upon mask or using the same surgical mask for days. A tightly fitted surgical mask or a cotton one with three layers will suffice, he adds. But it’s absolutely crucial to wear one.

However, mask-wearing isn’t a replacement for other measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19. It works best in combination with measures like handwashing, staying at least six-feet apart from other people, and ventilation of indoor spaces.

 “We urge everyone to continue to strictly adhere to public, health and social measures including the use of masks, physical distancing and proper hand and respiratory hygiene,” says Dr Pandav.

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The show must go on, says theater artist Bijay Baral. It’s with this mindset that Mandala Theater in Anamnagar, Kathmandu, has been holding acting classes and workshops as well as producing plays after the lifting of the initial lockdown last year.

Theater, Baral says, is an important part of the society—it helps put things in perspective and it can be therapeutic, for actors and audiences alike. Covid-19 might have stopped people from heading to theaters but artists are still optimistic about its future.

Ghimire Yubaraj, artistic director, Shilpee Theater, Battisputali, says it’s definitely a challenging time but art, he says, is always evolving and theater too must adapt and change. Ghimire believes the pandemic led to a much-needed discourse on theater’s use and exploration of the digital space. Artists and theater groups now need to expand on that idea to be a part of people’s lives in a way that doesn’t necessitate their physical presence.

In recent times, Shilpee Theater has showcased two plays virtually. This is their way of providing their team of artists a platform to cope with the pandemic, keep them enthused and try to emerge from the crisis. Mandala Theater too has been putting up plays online. While some are recordings of old plays, there are several new acts too.

Play: Marriage Proposal, Director: Nabraj Budhathoki 

However, most theater artists ApEx spoke to weren’t solid on the idea of showcasing plays online. They believed it could be a temporary arrangement but not a viable long-term solution. The most common argument was that the charm of theater is in its live audience and without an audience to react to what is happening, stage performances are pointless.

Over at International Center for Social Theater (ICST), Nepal, Gopal Aryal confesses that he doesn’t see much scope and future of theater unless the pandemic is over. He isn’t enthusiastic about virtual performances, claiming that by changing the basic module of theater we run the risk of robbing it of its essence.

Saraswati Adhikari, program coordinator at Shailee Theater in Ratopul, feels theater is all about close contact and observation. The emotion, sound, and light feel different when you are watching a live play. The effect just isn’t the same when it’s recorded.

The upside of going online, however, is that there is greater reach, she says. Shailee Theater held poetry recitals and essay competitions online as well as participated in a virtual Children’s Theater Festival last year. Their audience consisted of people across the nation—those who wouldn’t have been able to make it to the theater to watch the performances. The feedback they received was mixed but the majority of the viewers said they wished they had been able to attend the programs in person.

Play: Marriage Proposal, Director: Nabraj Budhathoki

The revival of theaters is at least two years away, agree artists and, during that time, theaters must find a way to stay in people’s minds and survive. That is exactly what Ghimire is intent on doing. He plans to put up four online shows a day of the play ‘No Exit’ starting a few weeks from now. Only this time around, he is also exploring options to monetize it.

“I think theater’s success in the digital sphere depends on how well we are able to execute it,” says Ghimire. He adds that many are worried that the nuances of theater will be lost on a virtual medium. Better equipment and fine-tuning of various technological aspects will largely take care of that issue. But there’s no denying that for theater to grow that option must be explored. Ghimire believes it had to be done sooner or later and that the pandemic only expedited the matter.

This isn’t the first time theaters in Nepal are dealing with such problems and having to assess their situation and modus operandi. After the 2015 earthquakes, the theater industry took a big hit. Fearful of closed spaces, it was only after two years that there was a steady trickle of people and theater artists could finally heave a sigh of relief.

Things seem to be headed the same way this time too, say artists. With a virus that is getting stronger with each round, it’s going to be a while before people are remotely comfortable with the idea of being in close proximity to others, even after being fully vaccinated, which, in itself, might take some time.

Nabaraj Budhathoki, chairman of Shailee Theater, says they were just four plays old when they had to shut the doors, albeit temporarily. Now, as they are looking to open up and work on previous scripts and projects, he realizes they will have to follow an entirely different system, at least for a while, accepting that the very nature of theater and its audience has changed. For one, the plays they now produce will have to be a lot shorter than before, he says.

“We are planning to come up with new plays every three months but the shows will be small-scale, meaning short, and with limited people in the audience. We’re toying with ideas at the moment,” says Budhathoki.

Play: Seto Kapal

Theater Village Nepal, on the other hand, has no plans of reopening soon. Assistant artistic director Dilip Ranabhat says unless there is mass vaccination across the country and the threat to public health is mitigated, theaters cannot function properly. The team at Theater Village Nepal has held multiple meetings to discuss possibilities but they have been unable to come up with feasible solutions.

Not only does Ranabhat think online shows don’t hold much appeal, he also doesn’t see theater flourishing that way as many people they cater to don’t have access to the internet. Even those who have access to the internet, he says, have problems with it. He thinks there are far too many glitches to remove to take the theater online successfully.

Deepmala Pariyar, group coordinator at ICST-Nepal, differs. She says something is better than nothing and that, right now, anything that allows theater to produce good content and artists to perform shouldn’t be disregarded.

Much like other forms of art, theater is cathartic and artists, Pariyar says, need that outlet more than ever before. She adds theaters can also make situational dramas that can help viewers make sense of what’s happening and address mental health issues many people are facing today.

Theater artist Pashupati Rai says many involved in the field are doing whatever they can to keep the spirit of theater alive. But they could have fared better had the government paid a little more attention. Theater, she says, has always been neglected but now is the time to use it for information dissemination and awareness.

Play: Bhusko Aago, Director: Nabraj Budhathoki

Ghimire, on the other hand, says the government only looks for financial gains and thus doesn’t invest in arts, which aren’t always profitable. But arts, he believes, are even more important during crises. Apart from their emotional benefit, they can help document history too. Unfortunately, there is no acknowledgement of that. Government’s involvement is definitely needed for theater’s survival and development, adds Ghimire, but that doesn’t mean the industry won’t do everything in its capacity to thrive on its own.  

A boy called me a whore. He couldn’t have been older than 15. The reason: I brushed against the side-mirror of the scooter he was riding pillion on while crossing a road peppered with potholes, and the rider had to swerve a little. The teen, with a mask strapped below his chin, gesticulated wildly and even turned back to glare at me from some distance away.

The sad thing is these kinds of incidents are quite common. It doesn’t take much for people to lose their cool and start spewing obscenities. Consumed by an underlying rage, we have never been a tolerant lot. A banal, inconsequential thing can send us over the edge. Worse, those in power have always brandished their authority by raising their voices.

I remember a traffic police yelling at my dad in Durbarmarg, Kathmandu. We had just stopped to get some ice-cream and had parked the car by the road for five minutes. I was barely seven and thought the man would harm my dad—the way he kept repeating the same thing over and over—“Will you give me your license or should I puncture the tires?”—was menacing. I still think about that incident every time I see policemen argue with the public, which is all too often. They rarely ever speak properly, grunting and huffing unnecessarily. The public, in return, doesn’t relent easily either.

The outpouring of aggression seems to get worse by the day. Political discourses drip with sarcasm and rage. Social issues have extremists fighting nasty battles complete with name-calling and rape/death threats. The online debates (if you can call them that) and comments on the Rupa Sunar-Saraswati Pradhan controversy will make you want to scoop your eyeballs out and give them a vigorous scrub. Oh, the blasphemy.

Neuroscientist R Douglas Fields, in his book ‘Why We Snap’, says we are more prone to lose it when it’s a matter of life, family, honor, our freedom, territory, resources or social justice. Stressful situations, he writes, can initiate an automatic rage response. Thanks to our evolutionary past, he adds, under the right circumstances, anyone can lash out violently. The neural circuits that helped our ancestors protect themselves and survive recognize and respond to dangers in our current environment as well.

Anger, historically, might have been necessary for survival but today, I feel, it’s more an assertion of power and our inability to accept even an iota of responsibility in any wrong. Articles on anger management and how it affects our bodies claim people are busier and thus strapped for time which predisposes them to anger when things don’t go their way. But does anger serve a purpose? Or do we worsen our situations by reacting like lunatics? Are harsh words necessary to convey a message?

I, for one, stop listening when someone’s voice goes above a certain decibel. I’m sure that’s true for most of us. Tell me something in a controlled tone and I’m receptive to what you are saying. Say the same thing, in a higher pitch and throw in a few gestures, eye roll, headshake, and the like, and, in my head, I’ve made you out to be a dumb, illogical person and switched off my senses.

That doesn’t mean I don’t fight anger with anger. But over time, I’m learning to control my emotions because all arguing with an angry person does is get me riled up. It’s a disruptive force. As clichéd as it sounds, deep breaths help. As does picturing myself with a puffy red face and saucer-sized eyes. I have used that technique a gazillion times to calm down.

My father once said being angry is like having poison and hoping the other person will die. The line might have been copied from somewhere but he was also speaking from experience. These days, he prefers to keep quiet and listen rather than retaliate in anger and further upset himself. Let it go, seems to be his mantra. It’s a stark contrast to a man whose self-righteousness never let him back down from an argument.

Apparently, research backs his claims too (though it for sure wasn’t what was on his mind when he had his Buddha moment). Studies have shown that anger can cause physiological changes that affect blood pressure, heart rate and digestion. Chronic anger has even been linked to heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems.

The problem with us these days is we are rarely, if ever, trying to make a point. The focus is largely on proving the other person wrong or belittling them. Paul Bloom, in the book ‘Against Empathy’, says we feel empathy most for those who are similar to us and not at all for those who are different, distant, or anonymous. Perhaps it’s a lack of empathy that’s the source of all the anger that fuel conflicts these days. When the Covid-19 pandemic has made it obvious that life can be fickle, gone at the blink of an eye, aren’t we better off being a little more compassionate and a lot less angry?