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It can’t be denied that we rely all too much on imported goods, whether it be for clothes, perfumes, makeup items, bags, shoes, or toys. Many people ApEx spoke to confessed that they shopped when they traveled and that they don’t find what they need in the local markets in Nepal. They say the choice is between cheap Chinese products that don’t last more than a month and exorbitantly priced branded items that actually cost a fraction of the retail price on the brand’s website or at outlets in India and abroad.

But there are local businesses that actually sell good stuff. And their number is increasing by the day. We have rounded up some local brands and businesses that you can check out the next time you are shopping. We, at ApEx, believe this can help boost the local economy as well as entice entrepreneurs to come up with innovative ideas and products in the long run. But that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on the quality as these made in Nepal products have been made with care and caution and are some of the best you will ever come across.

Abir

Next time you want to shop for clothes, check out Abir near Pimbahal, Lalitpur. It’s a sustainable clothing brand. All the fabrics—bamboo, cotton, linen, hemp, and their blends—are made in Nepal. In winter, they used wool that was sourced from Nepal. Bini Bajracharya, co-owner of Abir, says they take pride in the fact that their clothes have minimal impact on the planet. The business is run by a small team of 10 to 12 people and they design clothes for both men and women. Recently, they have also started incorporating crochet in their designs, making their pieces unique and interesting. We spoke to some of their customers and they all agreed that Abir’s clothes are comfortable, don’t fade or shrink, and are designed to look great on all body types.

Maya Handicrafts Jewelry

This could be your go-to stop for dainty and stunning pieces of jewelry that you can wear every day. Maya Handicrafts has two physical outlets—one in Sanepa, Lalitpur and the other in Lazimpat, Kathmandu. But you can also browse through their collection on Instagram and order from there as well. However, we recommend visiting the stores to see their pieces up close. You will notice that they are simple and stylish and have been made really well. They have silver jewelry, gold-plated ones, and even some gold and diamond pieces. The prices are reasonable and they have quite a good collection. Their bangles and bracelets are especially made for daily wear. Maya Handicrafts is also a business with a conscience. They help charities and causes whenever they can. In the past, they donated two percent of their sales to Astitwa Nepal to help victims of acid and burn violence.

Nepal Knotcraft Center

If you want to buy home decor items and other little accessories like purses, pouches, and bags, look no further than Nepal Knotcraft Center. They have an outlet in Kupondole and their products are also available in Thames at Ekadeshma Collective. The company was founded in 1984 to create jobs for women and empower them. When it started out, it had three employees. Now, there are hundreds of women from all over Nepal working for the company. Most of the products are made from natural fibers and recycled wood. If you want placemats, rugs, and other home decor pieces like baskets, bowls, wall hanging etc, Nepal Knotcraft Center has a lovely selection of them all.

Jamarko

Founded by a sister duo and now run by their daughters, Jamarko is a paper recycling company that was started in 2001. They make various recycled paper and lotta paper products. They have notebooks, boxes, pencils, wrapping paper, frames, gift bags, and many other items. The designs are appealing and the products, despite being handmade, have a factory-finish to them. The company collects paper waste from various sources and recycles them to make beautiful products that can be used at home. Kritica Lacoul, executive director at Jamarko, says their short term goal is to minimize paper waste whereas their long term goal is to conserve our natural resources and reduce consumption. Buy from Jamarko for a guilt-free shopping indulgence. Another good thing is that their products aren’t pricey at all.

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You don’t have to buy expensive perfumes anymore. These handcrafted blends of essential oils smell great and are really long lasting. There are many variations available for both men and women and the fragrances range from mild to strong. The base of these roll-on perfumes are solvents and not alcohol and that ensures the smells stay for long. The proprietor says he wants to make good quality perfumes that are inexpensive but of good quality. The company also sells essential oils and diffusers as well as hand creams that aren’t greasy and are, again, long lasting. The company has a kiosk in Chhaya Center, Thamel as well as puts up stalls at the Saturday market at Labim Mall, Pulchowk, and the Le Sherpa Farmer’s Market on Saturday.

Colm Tóibín is an Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, journalist, playwright, and poet. He has written 11 novels. I had previously read two books by Colm Tóibín, ‘Brooklyn’ and ‘Nora Webster',  and I had loved them both. Brooklyn was a special read. I loved the protagonist and the setting was calming. The story wasn’t sad or happy. It was a mix of both, just like things usually are in real life. What I loved about the story was that relatability, of nothing being overly dramatic or downplayed for the sake of fiction. 

The stories, in both Brooklyn and Nora Webster, were nicely crafted and written, the characters were simple yet fascinating, and the author’s writing was almost conversational and smooth. I would read anything Tóibín wrote, which is why I was eager to read ‘Long Island’ when I heard it was coming out. I was even more excited when I found out that it was actually a sequel to Brooklyn. 

Set in the 1950s in Ireland, Brooklyn follows Eilis Lacey after she returns to her hometown Enniscorthy in southeast Ireland for a funeral. She has secretly gotten married in America but still has a fling of sorts with a local named Jim Farrell. But Brooklyn wasn’t a story of deception or infidelity. It was about a woman trying to find herself in a world where her identity is always associated with someone else. 

Long Island follows Eilis almost 20 years later, in the 1970s. Once again, she’s chosen to return to her hometown to attend her mother’s 80th birthday and finds herself confronted by unresolved issues and ghosts of the past. This time she’s home because her husband cheated on her and she’s lost her footing and feels unsettled. She meets Jim, the man she had once had an affair with, and they sort of rekindle their romance. However, Jim was all set to get married to Nancy, who at one time used to be Eilis’s best friend, right before Eilis returned to Ireland. 

The plot might sound morose and even annoying to some. A few colleagues I was talking to said they would never want to read something that almost justified cheating and polygamous relationships. But Long Island, though dark and brooding, is an exploration of the complexities of marriage, being a woman, and fitting in. The story is narrated by Nancy, Eilis, and Jim and as you take turns getting into the character’s shoes and head, you begin to understand their motivations and see things from different perspectives. 

You don’t have to have read Brooklyn to read Long Island. Both of these books work really well as standalone novels. But together they are a masterclass in good writing and storytelling. Of late, I’ve been enjoying stories that don’t wrap up neatly in the end, allowing me to draw my own conclusions. Long Island’s ending is also open to interpretation. This isn’t a spoiler because you get a sense of how it’s going to end all throughout the novel. You know someone or the other will be hurt and that people aren’t going to always get what they want. The joy of the novel is in getting to know its characters, the main ones as well as the minor ones, as the author has written them with love, care, and a good sprinkling of humor.

Long Island

Colm Tóibín 

Published: 2024

Publisher: Picador

Pages: 287, Paperback

Nepal has raised the issue of new air routes with India yet again.

During a recent meeting with the visiting Ministry of External Affairs Additional Secretary, Munu Mahawar, in Kathmandu, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Azu Rana Deuba raised the issue of new air routes that Nepal has been demanding for a long time. 

Nepal has been in discussions with India for over a decade regarding new air entry routes. The government has been negotiating with the Indian government to utilize the airspace of Bhairahawa, Mahendranagar, Nepalgunj and Janakpur for air route access. However, Nepal has not yet secured air routes from these locations.

Gyanendra Bhul, the information officer at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), said that Nepal has presented all proposals to India regarding new routes. “Nepal has raised the issue of new air routes in all bilateral meetings - from the Prime Minister level to the ministerial level. While Nepal has presented its case, the Indian side has not yet reached a decision,” he added.

Due to India’s inability to provide a conclusive decision on new routes, the government’s plan to bring aircraft into Nepal using the airspace of Bhairahawa, Mahendranagar, Nepalgunj and Janakpur has been stalled.

Nepal had formally requested India to allow air access through Janakpur, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj and Mahendranagar during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kathmandu in 2014. In May 2023, talks were held in New Delhi between officials from Nepal's Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, and the Airports Authority of India, but no conclusion was reached.

According to CAAN, if India provides new air entry routes as requested by Nepal, it would save flight costs and time, and also resolve the issue of air traffic congestion. Currently, 90 percent of international flights enter Nepal through Simara, while flights from China enter through the Makalu region in Sankhuwasabha district and flights from Bhutan enter through Mechi. The air routes for exiting Nepal include Simara, Biratnagar, Janakpur, Mahendranagar and Bhairahawa.

Nepal has been facing several challenges such as air traffic congestion, disrupted flight schedules, and the need to hold aircraft in the air for extended periods due to the reliance on a single route. CAAN has been saying that if additional routes are made available, managing air traffic would become easier. If India agrees to at least allow the Bhairahawa and Nepalgunj routes, the distance for flights entering Nepal would be significantly reduced, CAAN officials say.

Currently, aircraft coming to Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa from Gulf countries enter the Nepali airspace from Simara and fly westward to Bhairahawa as they are not allowed to enter the country from the west. Experts say new international airports in Bhairahawa and Pokhara will be unfeasible if aircraft are not allowed to enter from the west.

Jan 30, Bhaktapur

It is 7:30 in the morning. The sky is partly cloudy, but Kathmandu’s temperature is gradually rising as January nears its end. A man sits in the teashop, reading the Gorkhapatra national daily. He is eager to share a piece of news about a startup conference organized by the Nepali Congress at its headquarters in Sanepa. He sees it as a positive initiative by Nepal’s largest political party but criticizes the government’s failure to create a favorable environment for startups to flourish. While some startups are thriving, he says, others have stagnated due to a lack of market access and skilled workforce. The man, who does not identify himself, appears well-informed about the challenges startups face, including legal hurdles. However, the other patrons in the teashop show little interest in discussing the topic.

Soon, another man enters and abruptly shifts the conversation to politics. He brings up news that former President Bidya Devi Bhandari is preparing to re-enter active politics. A politically conscious man in the teashop immediately responds, mentioning that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has sent a clear message discouraging her return. This remark sparks interest among the tea drinkers. One of them asks, “How do you know Oli sent her a message?” The man cites a recent statement by CPN-UML General Secretary Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, who publicly remarked that it would be inappropriate for Bhandari to rejoin active politics. He speculates that Oli may have instructed Gyawali to make the statement. Of the seven people in the teashop, five agree that former presidents and vice presidents should not re-enter politics.

Another person adds that former Vice-president Nanda Kishor Pun is also preparing to return and has attended party meetings, but Maoist Center Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal is hesitant to offer him a position. The discussion then shifts to the internal dynamics of the UML. One man claims that there is dissatisfaction within the party but that no one dares to speak up, leading some to push for Bhandari’s return. He notes that Gokul Banskota was the first UML leader to invite Bhandari to a party program in Kavre last year, but a rift has since developed between him and Oli. Others in the teashop mention Bhandari’s recent visits to Biratnagar and Pokhara, where she engaged extensively with party leaders and cadres.

The conversation naturally drifts toward international affairs, particularly American politics. Some express strong opinions about former US President Donald Trump’s decision to pause US aid through USAID. One person argues that halting aid is beneficial, as it will reduce Nepal’s dependency and force the government to take more responsibility. He adds that those employed in USAID projects may be unsettled by the decision. Another person interjects, criticizing the misuse of USAID funds, pointing to extravagant expenditures on five-star hotels and other unnecessary areas. The discussion then becomes disorganized, with various people sharing their views on illegal immigration. Someone remarks, “People have spent over Rs 10m to get to the US through traffickers. If they are deported, it will be a devastating blow to their families.” Another voice chimes in, stating, “Countries will never prosper through foreign grants.” Notably, there is little discussion about Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane—a stark contrast to the frequent debates about him in past weeks.

As the morning progresses, the teashop empties. I wait, hoping for new perspectives. Eventually, a man in his sixties enters, orders milk tea, and begins discussing the durability of the current government. He recalls predictions that the Oli government wouldn’t last long but points out the cordial relationship between Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba. He claims that the two leaders recently met and agreed to keep the coalition intact. “I think Prachanda’s efforts to topple this government will fail,” he states confidently. I ask, “So you believe this coalition will last?” He responds, “Khai, malai chai testai lagcha” (“Well, that’s what I think”). He then speculates that efforts are underway to unite all communist forces under Bhandari’s leadership and suggests that even Maoist Chairman Dahal has agreed to the plan. However, he suddenly grows uneasy, shifts the topic, and confesses, “Forget politics—I am suffering from multiple health issues. Who cares about us? I have a lot of money, but I’m not happy. Both my sons are abroad. They want me to join them in Australia, but I don’t want to leave. Who will take care of us here?”

Then, unexpectedly, he asks about my profession. This is the first time someone has questioned me directly since I started my teashop column. I answer honestly: “I am a journalist.” This marks the beginning of my uneasy moment. He launches into a tirade about journalism, accusing reporters of being irresponsible and spreading misinformation. “Tell me, why are all journalists against Rabi Lamichhane?” he demands. I try to explain the difference between journalistic and non-journalistic content, cautioning against misinformation and disinformation, but he remains unconvinced. Seeing that my argument is going nowhere, I steer the conversation toward Trump. This successfully diverts his focus, and he asserts, “Nepali people should understand that every politician prioritizes their own country’s interests, and that’s exactly what Trump is doing.”

He offers me a cup of tea, but I decline, having already had two. When I ask about his profession, he reveals that he once worked for a private company and now owns two houses—one in Kathmandu and another in Bhaktapur. Before I leave, he circles back to his criticism of the media, making unverified accusations against certain outlets. I choose to remain silent.

As I left the teashop, a question lingered in my mind: Why do people distrust mainstream media, yet readily consume unverified content elsewhere? Is it a lack of awareness, or are there genuine flaws in journalism today? I had no ready answer.