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The concept of being a vege­tarian is not new in Nepal, a Hindu- majority country. Even though Hinduism does not explic­itly forbid meat-eating, the religion recommends ahimsa, or non-vi­olence against all life forms. (As does Buddhism, for that matter). At least of a third of all Hindus are vegetarians, according to various surveys in India. Perhaps a similar proportion of Nepalis refrain from eating meat. But what is new to Nepal is veg­anism, a lifestyle choice in which you consume only a type of veg­etarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products, and all other animal-derived foodstuff. Animal clothing is shunned too.

Saraswati Rashmi Shakya, 24, adopted a vegan diet when she learned about how animals are harassed and abused by humans. “Our education system never taught us about where the milk we consume comes from,” says Shakya. “I found out about it only when I was 20. Imagining a calf deprived of its opportunity to have mother’s milk traumatized me, and I decided to become a vegan.”

Shakya says even if one addition­al person becomes a vegan, over 100 animals a year will be saved from slaughter. “My only regret is that I didn’t turn into a vegan sooner.”

Durga Nath Dahal, a social activ­ist and the director of Nayajiwan Paropakar Samaj, an NGO, has long been fighting for animal rights and spreading the message of vegan­ism. “As a birthplace of Lord Bud­dha, we in Nepal should be try­ing to promote peace rather than violence by killing creatures that cannot stand up for themselves. As sentient beings, humans are supposed to look after them, and adopting a vegan diet helps this cause,” he says.

Others opt for veganism on health grounds. As vegan diets are naturally low in calories, they are effective at promoting weight loss, without having to actively focus on cutting calories. Many people prefer a vegan diet for this reason alone.

Ananda Baskota, 32, has been working out for the past few months to lose weight. “I have been following a vegan diet for past three months and I have already seen a significant change in my weight,” he says. “I’ll eventually go back to my non-vegetarian eat­ing habit, but for now vegan diet is helping me reach my desired health goals faster.”

By contrast, Jagdish Aarohi, 70, has been a vegetarian all his life and turned into a vegan four years ago after he found out about its health benefits.

A vegan diet reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, is par­ticularly effective at reducing blood sugar and helps prevent prostate, breast, and colon cancers. “My health has gotten much better after I turned vegan. I also feel more spiritually fulfilled,” Aarohi says. “It is no less gratifying to know that I save the environment and many animals.”

One common myth about veg­an diets is that they are poor in nutritional value and lack essen­tial vitamins. But that need not be the case. A vegan diet is by no means restrictive. There is a whole range of fruits, pulses, vegetables, legumes, and healthy fats that you can have to get all the needed nutri­tion (See the interview alongside).

As the number of vegans is increasing by the day, specific industries have cropped up to cater to them. Recently, a vegan dairy, Vegan Dairy Nepal, start­ed its services in Teku. It offers a wide range of vegan products like soy yogurt, almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, cheese spread, and vegan rasgulla in lieu of reg­ular dairy products. With grow­ing demand, restaurants have also started including vegan alterna­tives in their menu.

Being a vegan is not as hard and demanding as it used to be O

 Dashain is an occasion for Hin­dus to celebrate power (Shakti) and the triumph of good over evil, marking the legendary killing of demon Mahishasur by Goddess Durga. During the 10 days of Dashain people flock to different temples dedicated to Goddess Durga. Here is a list of six that are especially popular among Kathmandu residents during Dashain. Naxal Bhagwati Temple

The temple of Naxal Bhagwati stands proudly at the center of Naxal as a traditional three-tiered pagoda structure. Dedicated to the ninth incarnation of Goddess Durga, the temple sees a large number devotees during Dashain.

They come especially during ‘Asht­ami’ (eighth day) and ‘Nawami’ (ninth day) to have their wishes fulfilled, which is something the shrine is famous for. Legend has it that when Queen Navasagar in the year 1050 of Kaligat Sambat founded the tem­ple, the priests laid the foundation, saying that anyone performing a rit­ual exactly as prescribed would have their wish fulfilled.

Guhyeshwari Temple

Located about a kilometer east of the Pashupatinath Temple on the banks of Bagmati River, the Guhye­shwari is recognized as a ‘Shakti Peeth’: it is believed that a body part of Sati Devi fell on this site after the grief-stricken Lord Shiva wandered the earth carrying her deceased body. The temple itself was built by King Pratap Malla in the 17th century. During all 10 days of Dashain, Hindu devotees from all around the city visit to worship ‘Shakti’ in this shrine. Fol­lowers believe the goddess radiates a powerful positive energy.

Sankata Temple

Tucked in a quiet neighborhood of Te bahal, alongside the busy New Road, Sankata is believed to be an avatar of Goddess Durga. For all 10 days of Dashain, devotees from all walks of life swarm the temple to worship nine incarnations of God­dess Durga. It is believed that God­dess Sankata, as the name suggests, frees her followers from all kinds of troubles. So apart from Dashain the temple also sees throngs of worship­pers every Saturday and hence it is also known as ‘Sani Sankata’.

Shova Bhagwati Temple

This is another temple dedicated to Goddess Durga located on the banks of a river. The pagoda-style temple with three-tiered roof has statues of various incarnations of Goddess Durga in its complex at Chamati by the Bishnumati River. Devotees visit the temple on all 10 days of Dashain. On the ninth day, ‘Nawami’, there is a tradition of performing five ani­mal sacrifices (water buffalos, goats, ducks, hens and mountain goats), also known as ‘panchabali’, at Shova Bhagwati. Believed to be the god­dess of perfection, Shova Bhagwati is revered as a powerful energy that can grant people's wishes. It is a particu­lar favorite of married women.

Shree Bhadrakali Temple

Located on the east side of Tud­hikhel near Shahid Gate, the tem­ple is dedicated to Goddess Kali, an angry manifestation of Goddess Durga. The temple sees a significant number of devotees during Dashain, as the goddess is a representative of strength and power. People pay tribute to the goddess as it is widely believed that, when she is pleased, the goddess can fulfil their wishes. Bhadrakali is also the patron deity of Nepal Army.

Taleju Bhawani Temple

The Taleju Bhawani Temple, one of the most distinguished structures in Kathmandu Durbar Square, is dedicated to Goddess Taleju, anoth­er wrathful incarnation of Goddess Durga, who was also the patron deity of the erstwhile Malla kings. The temple has a special place in Dashain celebrations in Kathmandu as the devotees are allowed to visit the tem­ple only one day of the year: the ninth day of Dashain or ‘Nawami’. So every year from 5 pm to 7 pm on this day devotees patiently queue to pay their respect to and get the blessing of the goddess. Kumari, the living goddess who is believed to be the human form of Goddess Taleju, also visits the tem­ple on this day.

They huddle by the front door, with big bags on their backs and cracking jokes, as they get ready to rush on their bikes. They are preparing to deliver food loaded onto their large bags, often unaware of the barrage of difficulties that await them. This is the view at the Naxal central office of Foodmandu, an online food delivery service, at 5 pm on a recent evening.

The recent surge in online activity means that deliverymen—and right now they are all men—are more occupied than ever. But the work lives of these people, who deliver everything from cooked pizzas to raw potatoes, have gotten little attention.

The life of a deliveryman is by no means easy, especially with the unpredictable weather, terrible traffic and bad mapping of Kathmandu. And some customers can be downright nasty.

Ramesh Lama, who works at Foodmandu from 5 pm to 9 pm, constantly deals with these issues and yet he has learned to enjoy them as challenges to be overcome. “Figuring out the right location is half the battle won,” he says. “Often, the location may not be accessible on a vehicle, or it may be a confusing road, or worst, the customer may have changed the location and not updated.”

Unpredictable traffic and foul air of Kathmandu are other daily difficulties. Om Prakash Karki, who works for Daraz Nepal, an online retailer, says traffic sometimes delays deliveries. “Even though everyone is aware of these challenges, both our employers as well as our customers hold us responsible if we cannot sometimes deliver on time,” he says.

Talking about the customers, the experience of dealing with them can be immensely gratifying to very unpleasant.

Abishek Suwal, who also works for Daraz Nepal, speaks of the gratification that comes with feeling valued and respected, when a customer recognizes their effort. But, says Sagun Thapa, another deliveryman associated with Foodmandu, “At times customers treat us condescendingly. They try to demean our jobs and mock our financial status.”

“Some customers treat us as if we are their household helpers or somehow inferior to them,” he says.

There are also instances when customers have argued with Thapa for a little change. “One time, the bill was Rs 3,113, and the customer refused to pay Rs 13. It is sad that we have to squabble over the billed amount.”

These deliverymen like to have a smile on their face, even as they are aware that every new assignment is a new challenge. According to those this correspondent talked to, all they seek from their customers is a little respect for their work, for “no work is big or small”. 

 Around 300 bikers and pillion riders, all dressed and deked out, gathered at the Tangalwood premises on September 29 for The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride’s Nepal edition. A global event to combat the stereotype of men on motorcycles, and to connect the global motor­cycle communities, the ride which started in 2012 is now helping raise funds for men’s mental health programs and for prostate cancer research through its new official charity partner—The Movember Foundation.

Founded in Sydney, Australia by Mark Hawwa, The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride this year was conducted a day later on Sept 30 in over 650 cities worldwide. Taking part were 120,000 distinguished gentlefolk donning their dapper clothes and riding their vintage motorcycles.

The Nepal chapter of the DGR was hosted jointly by Tangalwood Events and RS Moto and saw men and women, both locals as well as expats, take part with great zeal.