Submit your Article

The Kathmandu Valley’s weather has been quite unstable lately. Capricious weather patterns, marked by a sudden rainfall and dip in temperature, have led to many people suffering from common cold, cough and fever. Anushka Nepal from ApEx caught up with Dr Subodh Sagar Dhakal, chest and critical care specialist, to know the cause behind these illnesses and the ways to stay healthy amid unpredictable weather. Has the weather anything to do with people falling sick? Weather change is one of the factors. But it’s not just the rain and cold conditions that cause people to catch a cough, cold or viral fever. These illnesses are also common during other times. In fact, the risk is even higher during spring, since the winter inversion layer (inversions trap a dense layer of cold air under a layer of warm air) forms in the Kathmandu Valley. Imagine the valley to be a bowl. The inversion layer acts like a lid and pollution is trapped within that layer. So, more than the change between hot and cold weather, it’s the accumulated pollution we see in Kathmandu that’s causing these health issues. In a way, the rainy days we have been witnessing lately are good. It minimizes air pollution. As for the rapid change in temperature, it’s just that our body might take some time to adapt to the change. But this should not cause much health issues, unless you have weak immunity or have been drenched in rainwater. Some claim that they haven’t fully recovered from the cold for weeks. Everyone believes it’s because of the unstable weather. What do you think is the reason behind this? More than the weather itself, it’s the nature of the virus that prolongs the symptoms. We call that post-viral syndrome. There are two reasons for it: 1) The nature of viruses have changed in the past few years. 2) Lingering side effects of medication might make you feel weak and lethargic, which also comes under post-viral syndrome. A few years back, a viral infection could be cured within seven days. Now, it takes around 14 days. Although you might stop getting a fever, the other effects of this virus will not go away for around four to six weeks, unless you take proper medications. Weather changes only trigger the viral infection. What should we be aware of when it comes to these health issues and medications?  We live in a country where anyone can buy antibiotics. And there are people who get the strongest dose possible and have it if they have any symptoms of cold. We should avoid doing that. You do not need medicines, unless your body shows warning signs like unusual headaches, high fever, lethargicness, etc. Even when you are displaying those signs, the first thing to do is go see a doctor, not have medicines that haven’t been professionally prescribed. If symptoms are mild, taking anti-allergens and steam should be enough. But do not add any kind of mentholated gels or oils (for example, Sancho). That will do more harm than good. Are people with existing respiratory conditions at more risk of developing illnesses due to weather change and pollution? Yes, people with existing respiratory conditions need to be more careful. Pollution in this season has a lot of pollen, which might worsen their health conditions. People with asthma, or anyone who is under heavy medications are at higher risk and in most cases, these individuals easily get infected with pneumonia. It’s the same for people with existing heart and kidney conditions. Pregnant individuals, anyone below five years, and above 65 years of age should also be careful. Also, many people take morning walks as a way of staying healthy. But it’s the morning and evening time when the air pollution is at its worst. It’s best to avoid going out between 5 and 10 in the morning, and after 3 in the evening. But that’s not possible all the time, but you could at least avoid crowds and wear a mask when you are outdoors. What other precautions can we take?  A lot of people neglect the damage air pollution can do to one’s health. The pollution we see in Kathmandu is so harmful that it can even affect our bloodstream. So one should be wearing a mask not just as a Covid-19 precaution, but everytime they are outside. Secondly, avoid visiting hospitals unnecessarily. It’s one of the most infected places you can visit. If someone you love or know is admitted, call or leave a text. If you have a weak immunity, you are at risk of catching an infection. Also, viruses these days have a high transmission rate. You might have also noticed that if one family member gets infected, everyone falls sick within the next seven days. So try maintaining one meter distance from a sick person. And wear a mask whenever you are around a sick person. The best thing to do is get a flu shot, that not many are aware of. It will not prevent you from getting sick, but will help avoid the severity of the infection.

White tents, yellow lights, potted plants, and a breathtaking view of the Boudhanath Stupa, these are the first few things you will notice when you are at Gotama Rooftop Restaurant in Boudha, Kathmandu, located right above Himalayan Java Coffee. It’s a calm rooftop eatery with minimalistic yet elegant decor.  The color white is the theme of this restaurant. It’s probably one of the reasons why many people want to visit. The color lends a soothing vibe. The yellow lamp that hangs in each tent and pink flowers wrapped around on the railings give a much needed pop of color. But the best part is the view this place offers. It’s even better at night when the stupa is glowing with warm yellow lights around it. If you listen closely, you will hear Buddhist hymns playing from afar. It’s really peaceful.  Most prefer to sit on one of the tables right beside the railing. So these seats are always packed. Luckily, we were able to grab one for ourselves. As we settled in, we were approached by a server. I went through the menu and, at first glance, it looked good. From Italian to Korean and Indian to Nepali, there were several cuisines. No matter whom you go with, there will be something that caters to everyone’s taste.  We started out with some drinks. We had two mocktails and one cocktail. They were exceptionally good. The first one we tried was Blue Ocean, a mocktail. It’s mint lemonade with some blue syrup. It was lip-smackingly good. The other one didn’t have a name. It’s their special mocktail to be added to the menu and we were the first one to try it. The drink was a blend of lemon, watermelon, and carrot. It was an unlikely combination so I was skeptical at first. Surprisingly, it was quite good. The cocktail we tried was called Lemon Drop. It’s a vodka based cocktail in a martini glass. It’s a refreshing drink for hot weather. You could definitely give it a try. A good thing about their drinks is that fresh ingredients are used instead of flavored syrup. But the drawback is most of their cocktails and mocktails use seasonal fruits. So the drink might not be available all year round. For food, we tried Chicken Kimbap, Chicken Biryani and Pork Chop. Out of these, we liked Chicken Kimbap the most. It’s a little different from what you get at a Korean restaurant in terms of taste. But it was good. I didn’t quite like the kimchi they served along with their kimbap since it wasn’t technically kimchi, but rather a pickle with carrots and radishes. The flavor was that of a kimchi but it was missing the core ingredient, cabbage. But if you are to ignore technicalities and just go for the taste, this dish is absolutely delicious.  The Pork Chop wasn’t bad either. Although I don’t particularly like fatty meat, I couldn’t say no to this dish. Even better, this dish was nutritionally well balanced. The pork was placed on top of mashed potatoes and stir fried veggies with pepper. The meat was a little dry for my liking. But all in all, the dish was filling and satisfying.  I had the same issue with Chicken Biryani. Again, the meat was too dry for me. But the flavors were good. There are some people who don’t like dried fruits in their biryani. To those, I wouldn’t recommend this dish. You will get a bit of dried fruit in every bite. This dish comes with some salad, papad and raita on the side. The portion is enough for two people.  More than the food, it’s the view and the vibe this place has to offer that draws in a lot of people. It’s the best place to grab some drinks, relax, and have a good evening with your friends and family. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, it’s almost impossible to find a table. Unfortunately, since the place gets packed quickly, the restaurant doesn’t usually take reservations on these days. The best days to visit Gotama Rooftop Restaurant, I’d say, are on weekdays when the place is usually empty when you will be able to grab yourself a seat with a good view and enjoy the surroundings. Their specials:

• Chicken Biryani 

• Chicken Kimbap

• Pork Chop

If you follow Nepali content on TikTok, you might have heard songs by Arjun Sapkota. The 24-year-old is one of the well-known musicians of the Nepali music industry. As the youngest music composer of Nepal, almost all his songs are inspired by Nepali folk music. Sapkota says he always wanted to become a singer and he had a keen interest in folk music. For the past decade, he has been trying to make this genre of music popular among Nepali youths. Brought up in Nawalparasi, Sapkota grew up listening to folk music. “It was a huge part of my childhood,” he says. “Every one of us would be humming a song while doing chores or during our free time. It kept our house lively,” he adds. It helped that his family members loved folk music. They would hum a tune while doing household chores. His uncle, Yagya Sapkota, is one of the prominent folk singers of Nepal. His father, despite not being a singer by profession, had a good knowledge of folk music too. “He sang when he could, and taught me a lot about folk music,” he says. Sapkota can’t pinpoint exactly when he became interested in folk music but says it was at a young age.  “In school, we were frequently asked what we wanted to be when we grew up and my answer never changed. I knew I wanted to become a singer,” he says. And he never shied away from performing in public. “From singing bhajans with community members to performing at school programs, I never missed any opportunity,” he adds. He often spent days teaching himself about folk music through YouTube, and tried to incorporate those learnings each time he performed. However, his professional journey as a singer started in 2013, when he recorded a song called ‘Ratlai Sathi Jun Chha’, written and composed by his uncle. Although Sapkota was used to singing with a microphone, he says recording at a studio was a completely different experience for him. “I wasn’t scared since singing was my passion. But the experience was quite overwhelming at first,” he says. The response he got for his first song was unexpected. “I didn’t know I would be getting so much positive feedback,” he says. It fueled his drive to become a songwriter and composer. “My work was appreciated and that made me want to work harder and become better,” he says. Six years later, in 2019, he released his first composition called ‘Banki Chari’, which he performed himself. “Now, I write, compose, and sing my songs,” he says. Sapkota says he likes to experiment with his music. “Although folk music is the primary genre I work with, I like to compose the same music using different instruments that’s not normally used in folk music,” he says. Sometimes, his music has a touch of western tunes too. It’s not that Sapkota doesn’t like working on other genres. Time and again, he says, he tries and learns to sing other songs. “I enjoy singing as a whole, and there aren’t any forms of music that I dislike,” he adds, “But I will not stop working on folk music,” he says, and there is a reason for that. It’s only recently that folk music is gaining its popularity among youths. Sapkota wants to work on reviving the youth’s interest in folk music so that the genre will get the platform it deserves among Nepalis and the music industry. Though Sapkota doesn’t think folk music will fade away since it’s got its roots in our culture and tradition, he believes there is definitely a need to give it more attention. “If you think about it, every Nepali festival has some kind of folk music dedicated to it. There will always be people listening to that music and singing those songs,” he says, adding folk music has a lot of scope for growth in Nepal and that he hopes to see more youths interested in the genre so that it gets the platform it deserves. Sapkota confesses he isn’t much of a planner and, for the future, he intends to just go with the flow and do what he is doing. But he will work on his skills and try to become better, he says. “I consider myself lucky to be where I am today. I’ve gotten so much fame at a young age. I don’t want to take it for granted,” he says.

Not all fire can be put out with water. Sometimes water can spread fire instead of putting it out. But many of us aren’t aware of that. Kishor Kumar Bhattarai, a firefighter and former chief of Kathmandu Fire Brigade, the oldest fire engine station located in New Road, Kathmandu, says that not having this knowledge is one of the reasons why manageable fire outbreaks turn deadly. Majority of Nepali households, he says, witness fire outbreaks as a result of electrical short circuit, gas leakage, and grease fire (fire outbreaks on inflammable liquids, like cooking oil). “All of them can be easily managed during the initial stage,” he adds. The method of putting out the fire depends on the source of ignition. For instance, there are cases Bhattarai has encountered in the past where people have tried extinguishing fires that started from electrical short circuits by pouring water. This results in electrocution and the fire spreads to a larger area. Here, the first thing to do would be to turn off the Motor Control Panel (MCP/a device that controls electricity flow in a building) to cut the power supply which, he says, many people don’t know about. “After that, pouring water will calm the fire down in no time,” he adds. For fire from gas leakages, Prakash Pandit, chief of Kathmandu Fire Brigade, says the best method is to wet a blanket and tie it over the cylinder or the point of leakage. Fire breaking out from oil while cooking is also common. In that case, Bhattarai says, the first thing to do is to cover the utensil with a lid. “In both of these methods, our primary goal is to minimize oxygen flow so that fire dies out on its own,” adds Pandit. In both cases, pouring water isn’t recommended. But sometimes, these outbreaks go unnoticed, in which case, it might spread to a larger area. “We call that the developing phase, where those methods might not work,” says Bhattarai. Sometimes pouring sand on the source of fire and fire itself, or patting it down with a rug does the trick. “But that’s not feasible in all situations,” says Pandit. Fire extinguishers come in handy in these situations, which most households in Nepal don’t have. Even if they do, Pandit mentions that there have been incidents where the fire has escalated because people didn’t know how to use fire extinguishers. Besides managing the outbreak, it’s also necessary to call fire brigades, just in case the fire doesn’t stop spreading. “If one can’t put it out within the developing phase, then the only thing to do is get everyone out to a safer environment and wait for fire trucks to arrive,” he says. But then that poses another problem. Mohan Chaudhary, a Kathmandu-based firefighter, says that reaching the site on time has always been challenging, especially in urban areas. “Fire outbreak is an incident where every second counts, but we lose a lot of time starting from the phone call itself,” he says. Majority of phone calls in case of fire outbreaks go to the police station. Bhattarai says it’s because a lot of people don’t know the toll free number for fire brigades. “We lose around five-six minutes when that happens since police officers take necessary details and only then relay the message to respective fire engine stations,” says Chaudhary. Also, the emergency number isn’t easy to access. When you make a call to it from a cell phone from any part of the country, it goes to the Kathmandu Fire Brigade, says Bhattarai. For Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur, the call goes to the nearest fire station if made from a landline. Once fire brigades are on the move, there’s a risk of being stuck in traffic. “Although police officers are on standby to provide easy passage, sometimes the traffic is way too heavy for them to clear it,” says Chaudhary, adding that, in many instances, this has delayed them from reaching the location as quickly as possible. Finding the right location is another problem. Since Nepal doesn’t have a proper Global Positioning System (GPS), navigating solely depends on how the locals describe the area. “They mention a landmark even when the site is further away from it,” he says. Once they were told the fire outbreak was in Lagan Chowk in New Road but there was no sign of fire when they reached the location. “We asked around and no one knew about it. Turned out, the fire had broken out some distance away from the location we were given,” he adds. This made them wander about for a few crucial minutes. In such cases, Chaudhary says it would be helpful if someone from the community were to come to the given location in order to help them reach the site without losing valuable time. Despite reaching the site on time, Pandit says that sometimes fire brigades are unable to get close to the outbreak due to narrow streets. “Although the Kathmandu Metropolitan City office has started to install fire hydrants on narrow streets to enable water pumps to reach difficult sites, it hasn’t been installed everywhere,” he says. Even if the streets are accessible, sometimes roads are blocked with sand or bricks because of construction. Recently, in April 2023, when fire broke out at a garment factory at Bafal, Kathmandu, Chaudhary says they lost around 10-15 minutes in removing the heap of  sand on the road. “We were informed late and the fire was roaring by the time we got there,” he says. It took them nearly 24 hours to put the fire out. Everything inside the building was burnt to dust and a security guard lost his life. Bhattarai claims there is no knowledge of fire safety in Nepal. Bishnu Prasad Joshi, division head, Disaster Management Division at Kathmandu Metropolitan City office, agrees with him. He says the only way to minimize casualties from fire outbreaks is to make people aware of managing as well as preventing fire from breaking out in the first place. That includes teaching them the importance and use of fire extinguishers. “We have been working on several awareness programs in coordination with various wards, firefighters and organizations,” he says. Joshi believes it has been effective to some extent. He mentions that the locals were able to control a fire outbreak at a cafe in Chappal Karkhana, Kathmandu. “We returned midway after finding out that the fire was under control. This has happened several times in the past,” says Joshi. He adds that they aim to encourage every household to get at least one fire extinguisher in case of emergencies. For now, the metropolitan office has been assisting ward offices with fire extinguishers to be distributed to police stations, organizations, and clubs in their community. “That’s because even if fire trucks are on their way, these authorities can assist locals with outbreaks before firefighters arrive,” he says. Dhruba Bahadur Khadka, spokesperson, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), says that they have prepared a portable fire kit that can reach areas without road access. It includes around 20 tools that can be used depending on the intensity of the outbreak. “The price starts from Rs 100,000 and every ward can and should invest at least that much,” he says. Khadka adds that firefighters in Nepal also need additional training. Chaudhary and Bhattarai agree. The NDRRMA has been working on preparing a new syllabus for firefighters. The idea is to keep them updated about the new technologies that are being used. “We trained some officials using the draft prepared in order to analyze their practical implementation. The syllabus requires some amendments and we are working on that,” he says.

The past two years have been nothing but an unexpected turn of events for the 25-year-old Sanjan Gautam, also known as Cr7 Horaa, a YouTuber and game streamer from Morang, currently living in Kathmandu. He played PUBG (an online shooter game) for fun but it quickly became a lot more when he began streaming his gaming sessions live on YouTube in 2021. Within three months, his YouTube channel ‘Cr7 Horaa’,P had garnered 100,000 subscribers, breaking records among Nepali game streamers. Now, he has around 9,000-10,000 people viewing his live streams daily.  “I started streaming PUBG because I was bored,” says Gautam. It was during the Covid-19 lockdown when he first came up with the idea of streaming live on YouTube. At that time, Gautam had dropped out of college while pursuing a bachelor’s degree. He had initially planned on going abroad but the pandemic put a damper on his plans. “I spent all my days playing games. Then it occurred to me that I should stream it live,” he says. None of his family members were aware of what he was up to. He would often have disagreements with his mother who wanted him to stop playing games and do something productive. “I was a college drop-out so I understood her concerns,” he says, adding that was why letting them know about him being a streamer wasn’t an option. “I don’t think there are any Nepali households that would support their child when s/he wants to become a game streamer,” he says. He eventually had to tell them but it wasn’t until he began earning quite well from his live streams.  Gautam wasn’t aware that becoming a streamer would make him famous. “I didn’t make any investments, and I didn’t have proper streaming tools,” he says. But in less than two years, Gautam has managed to become one of the PUBG partners because of which his voice will be added to the game itself. “I have now managed to get myself a good computer through which my live streams are even better,” he says.  He starts live streaming his sessions at around nine at night and is done by two in the morning. “I like to get it done by midnight so that I can get some decent sleep but that hasn’t been possible yet,” he says.  “I think people like the way I speak more than how I play the game,” he says. Indeed,  a lot of people on his social media have admired his way of talking and how that has kept them engaged in all of his live streams. This, Gautam adds, puts a certain pressure on him.  “It’s difficult to keep people engaged with your content for a long time,” he says. He mostly streams PUBG and occasionally some other games too. But, he says, just streaming games can easily become mundane for the viewers. “So I like to entertain them [viewers] by talking about different things while I’m live,” he says. So he talks about the current political and social scenarios of Nepal besides picking other random topics where he can be his witty self. “I would like to think I’m a funny guy. I try to bring in some humor in all my content and keep my viewers entertained that way” he says.  Streaming games has also become his source of income which he has put to good use. “When you are earning and earning well you shouldn’t just keep the money for yourself. You need to give it to people who need it,” he says, adding he often organizes charity streams since he started getting requests from people to help them out. “I give every rupee I collect from that day’s livestream to the one for whom I organized the event. And sometimes I give money out of my pocket,” he adds. In the two years he has been into game streaming, Gautam has donated around Rs 150,000. He mostly gives money to those who need immediate medical attention.  In the future, Gautam doesn’t just want to be limited to being a streamer. He also wants to sell his merchandise. “I have already started my merch business and, so far, it’s going well,” he says. He further mentions that he is planning to complete his bachelor’s degree as well. “I don’t know what I’ll study but I want to go to college and get a degree,” he says. That doesn’t mean his life as a streamer is over. “I don’t know for how long PUBG or other games are going to be relevant. But if indeed my reason for fame is the way I  speak then, no matter what, I think I will always have an audience,” he says.

Nepalis love having Thakali khana. It’s our comfort food. But some restaurant’s thakali khana sets are just not good enough to leave you with that blissful feeling. Good thing that’s not the case when it comes to Cafe De Tukche Thakali in Lazimpat, Kathmandu. The place is located near the main street and I was happy to see that it was neither dusty nor noisy. Don’t get me wrong, they’re usually packed. Yet, the noise is minimal.  The restaurant is spacious. As soon as we entered, we could see that it’s spread over two floors, with separate smoking and non-smoking zones. However, I wasn’t quite happy with the seats they provided. While some of the seating areas had chairs, some had couches. The couches were a problem as it was quite difficult to eat while sitting in soft, sagging cushions that didn’t give your back much support. So, during your visit, I suggest you opt for a table with chairs.  Without a doubt, our order was Chicken Thakali Khana Set. It included chicken gravy, rice, spinach, radish pickle, chutney, vegetables, deep-fried bitter gourd, papad, salad, daal, and curd. Usually, I’m quite skeptical about the chicken gravy at  any restaurant. I don’t think it will be good. Sometimes, I have been in situations where I hardly had any good chicken pieces. But here, I was quite happy. The chicken was tender, and the gravy was delicious. Although they used a lot of spices, it was well-balanced.  I was a bit disappointed with their vegetable gravy though. It lacked flavor and the dish actually didn’t go well with the rest of the food. Also, I found the spinach to be a little undercooked but I think that will depend on how you like your spinach. In my case, I like it a bit overcooked. If you want something different, you can also try mutton, veg, or fish thakali set.  For folks who are looking to avoid rice, Tukche Thakali also has several options for Thakali Dhido Set. I personally prefer rice but do give it a shot if you are looking to try something new.  Not everyone prefers to start their meal with a Khana Set. For them, Tukche also offers several appetizers, both veg and non-veg. Some of my favorites were Alu Timur (potato fried with sichuan pepper), Mustang Alu, Sukuti Sadeko, and Kanchembo (buckwheat finger-chips). You can also order other items from the menu that you think will go well along with your thakali khana set.  We suggest Khutti Ko Achaar. It’s a mutton-leg served in bite size pieces, with a little bit of gravy at the bottom. The flavors were on point and I would highly recommend it. Sometimes, there is always an odd one in the group who wants to have something different and not a khana set. Fortunately, Tukche has got them covered. Not only do they serve delicious Thakali Khana Set but they also have a variety of options for other main courses. For those who enjoy a glass of drink on the side, the restaurant also has a bar. There you will find anything from cold drinks to cocktails. From what I saw, most people there preferred to have a bottle of beer. If it were me, I would go for a cocktail. It looked delicious.  Like I said before, the place is usually packed. But surprisingly, their service is quick, especially if you order a Thakali Khana Set, since that’s what’s ordered the most. Our meal was ready within 10 minutes after we placed the order. The servers are quite friendly too. They were always around in case we wanted to add more food. They were polite and the entire hospitality of the restaurant was quite admirable. Best of all, it was clean.  Their specials:

• Thakali Khana Set 

• Thakali Dhido Set

• Khutti Ko Achaar

Saraswati Timalsina, 59, is one of the many women tasked with cleaning the Aryaghat at Pashupati. She lives inside the Pashupati area, and is employed by the Pashupati Area Development Fund. Now, she says, her work is comparatively easier. After years on the job, she can work her way around the challenges. The past, however, is a different story Born in Gaur, Rautahat, Timalsina came to Kathmandu at the age of 17. She eloped with her husband, hoping to make a living in a city. She was 30-years-old when she took the job of a cleaner at Pashupati. She was pregnant at the time, but to make a living, she had no other options besides taking the job. Her husband, on the other hand, was a security guard at the Pashupati Area Development Fund. “Since we both worked there, we were given a residence inside the Pashupati area,” she says. On her first day working in Aryaghat, Timalsina recalls being terrified of the dead bodies. “My job took me near every dead body that arrived, and going back to doing the same work every day was not easy,” she says, although now she’s used to it. Besides, seeing people crying over their loved ones wasn’t easy for her either. Now, she says, she’s able to handle herself better. But back then, she would tear up along with the others. “It was the fear of dead bodies as well as the sound of sobbing that overwhelmed me,” she adds. Besides cleaning, she also sold garlands on the steps near the healing center of Pashupati (Ghate Baidhya). “My pregnancy was difficult. Even sitting and standing were huge challenges. Sometimes people would buy my garlands just out of pity,” she says. With her husband busy for most of the day, it was just her at the stall, with no one to help her. “I had to take care of myself as well as the baby,” she says. Also, the work, for her, was not as comfortable as it is now. Back then, the Pashupati area wasn’t as clean as it is now, she says. There were bushes everywhere, littering was common, and on top of that, none of the cleaners were provided with either gloves or masks. “I have had to clean human feces with my bare hands,” she says. Her situation got tougher once she gave birth. “I had to go back to work, but I had no one to look after my child, and my husband had to work too,” says Timalsina. She recalls tying up her son in one corner of the room and locking him from outside when she left for work early in the morning. She checked in on him from time-to-time but there wasn’t anything else she could do. “No mother wants to leave her child like that. It would break my heart to see him tied up like that,” she says. Work aside, she didn’t have time to spend with her child even on weekends, as she was responsible for all the household works. “I used to leave my son, a toddler, on the floor, while I washed clothes in the Bagmati river,” she says. “It was risky. He could fall. But I thought having him around would be better than leaving him alone,” she adds. Things got a little better for both of them once her son started school. Everything was going well, until she lost her husband in 2005, when her son was 12-years-old. At the same time, she was fired from her job, and she lost her in-laws too. “I was jobless for six months. I had to stop selling garlands too,” she says. After several protests, she finally got her job back and became a permanent employee at the Pashupati Area Development Fund. But emotionally, it was tough for her to go back to Aryaghat, as it reminded her of the time she lost her husband. “I used to tear up in the middle of my work but then I told myself to be strong for the sake of my son,” she says. Now, Timalsina says, working at Aryaghat doesn’t bother her as much as it did before. “I have spent a lot of time here and I have taught myself to handle my emotions well,” she says. “But when I see parents weeping over their children’s dead bodies, I can’t help but cry. Having had three miscarriages, I can empathize,” she says. Timalsina has a year left before she retires. Her son has moved out, lives in Kathmandu, and has a family of his own. She plans to leave Pashupati and go live with her son. “I want to spend time with my grandchildren, go on walks, and do things I never got to do. I think I have worked long enough. I deserve some rest,” she says.

Sandeep Lamichhane, the former captain of Nepal’s national cricket team, was accused of rape and the case has been under investigation for the past seven months. He was in police custody after being arrested on 11 Sep 2022 before getting released on a bail of Rs 2m on 12 Jan 2023. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) lifted his suspension and the Supreme Court lifted the travel ban imposed on the 22-year-old, permitting him to play games abroad, despite the final verdict not being out yet. Decisions like these that lets the accused walk free, activists say, normalize sexual assault and rape. “It almost seems like survivors are being asked to remain silent,” says Sabitra Dhakal, human rights activist. She believes that the decision of CAN as well as the Supreme Court is highly influenced by the celebrity status of Lamichhane. “People with a certain level of power and position are given a clean chit. There’s nothing new in that. It’s the same in this case,” she adds. Sociologist Pranab Kharel agrees with Dhakal. He doesn’t approve of the idea of releasing Lamichhane on bail. An accused can be held under custody before the verdict if there is substantial evidence that he might be a perpetrator. “In this case, he [Lamichhane] has agreed to have been in the same room as the accuser and the case he is fighting is to prove that she isn’t a minor rather than deny the allegations,” adds Dhakal. The fact that he was granted bail, Kharel adds, only proves that public support and celebrity status are enough to tweak the law in his favor. However, Saroj Krishna Ghimire, Lamichhane’s lawyer, disagrees that Lamichhane is being treated with any kind of privilege, adding that the court’s decision shouldn’t be questioned. “In the eyes of the law, you are innocent until proven guilty. My client has the right to continue his work while abiding by the restrictions placed by the Supreme Court on his release,” he says. But rights activists don’t agree. The implication of the bans being lifted, Kharel says, is even worse. “People won’t be fearful of the law. They will think they can get away with anything and that will allow them to act on their impulses,” he says. Furthermore, Kharel believes that this incident has also endorsed vigilantism when it comes to fans supporting celebrities. “People will do anything for their idols as they are blind to their faults,” he adds. A lot of people, especially his fans, have supported Lamichhane without a moment’s hesitation. Hima Bista, human rights activist, mentions that the public has presented Lamichhane with a certain level of impunity, considering him to be a national treasure, even though the court’s verdict is still pending. “We could clearly see that when he [Lamichhane] was welcomed with garlands and cheers while getting out of custody in bail,” she says. Besides supporting Lamichhane, many have also resorted to publicly humiliating anyone supporting the survivor on social media platforms. “They give foul names and I have even found some people who got rape threats for supporting the survivor,” says Bista. This, she believes, is the result of people’s lack of faith in and fear of the law. “Many people are now afraid of publicly supporting the survivor,” she adds. She further mentions that this has also contributed to the normalization of abuse, be it in person or through social media. “A lot of people would rather ignore these comments than take actions because of the legal hassle they need to go through,” says Bista. She believes this only increases the confidence of people to do more harm, forcing our society to fall into the vicious cycle of abuse. Not just the supporters, but the survivor herself is being defamed on social media. “That’s the case when the identity of the accuser is still confidential. I cannot imagine what she might have to face if the identity is made public,” she says. The psychosocial impact from this, on any survivor, can be adverse, says Sandesh Dhakal, lecturer of psychology at Tribhuvan University. “If we only talk about this case, the survivor is reliving the trauma, and Lamichhane being given the privilege to travel abroad as well as be a part of the national team will only make her hopeless,” he says. Secondly, he mentions that the survivor might also develop psychological issues, fueling insecurity as well as making it difficult for her to lead a normal life. “This case also indirectly impacts anyone who is willing to speak up regarding the abuses they’ve faced as they will fear being criticized publicly on social media, or not getting the justice they deserve,” he says. This, he says, can also be seen among the public. “We learn what we see, and the current situation is only teaching us to put celebrities on the pedestal, while demeaning survivors and women at the same time,” he adds, “Without a doubt, there will be people who will blindly stick to this belief without evaluating the situation.” Kharel further mentions that people are uncomfortable talking about sexual assault. They normally want to turn a blind eye to it. “They would rather consider him to be the nation’s asset rather than a sexual predator. I believe CAN is trying to do the same because they could have easily waited until the verdict was out to make a decision on his suspension,” he says. “This not only demotivates survivors from speaking up, but also gives people the confidence that they can get away with anything as long as they enjoy a certain level of power or have the right connections,” adds Bista. CAN, on the other hand, disagrees. “We have abided by the decision made by the Supreme Court. There are certain restrictions imposed on him which he has followed so far,” says Durga Raj Pathak, acting secretary. Pathak adds that everybody needs to be given the benefit of doubt. He further mentions that it’s CAN’s responsibility to protect their athletes. “We are his guardian so we can’t abandon him before the verdict is out. Also, it’s hard to come by players like Lamichhane. CAN’s purpose is to improve and strengthen Nepal’s cricket team as well and that’s what we are focusing on,” he says, adding that the rest will depend on the Supreme Court’s decision.