A century of evolution of Nepal’s first cycle store
In the early 1920s, young Asta Narayan Manandhar got to ride a bicycle that belonged to a Rana aristocrat, for the very first time. Bicycles were very rare at the time and only a handful of them were seen on the streets of Kathmandu, almost all belonging to the ruling class. In his excitement, Asta Narayan crashed the bicycle and broke his leg.
The accident did not quash Asta Narayan’s enthusiasm for bicycles though. They would definitely sell in Nepal, he thought and began exploring their import. When he learned that he could buy bicycles in Calcutta (now Kolkata), he left immediately, and returned with six units of British-made Hercules bicycles. Hence in 1925 began the “Pancha Narayan Asta Narayan” store on the ground floor of his own home at Ason Kamalachhi, making it the first-ever cycle shop in Nepal.
At around Rs 100 a piece, the bicycles he brought were quite expensive for the time. But Kathmandu’s government officials and merchant class soon took to riding, sparking a bicycle culture in Nepal. As business became brisk and imports more frequent, in 1934 the firm also started selling Raleigh bicycles. And bicycles became a family business for the Manandhars.
Asta Narayan’s son Tirtha Manandhar took over the firm in the 1950s, by which time bicycles had become an important mode of conveyance in the city. There was a major shift in ownership as commoners also started getting bicycles for regular use.
The “Pancha Narayan Asta Narayan” firm saw yet another generation at the helm of the business in the 1970s when Asta’s grandson, Tri Ratna Manandhar, took over the family business. He would see it flourish as in the capital as well as other parts of Nepal.
Tri Ratna, who had a degree in mechanical engineering from Poland, set about changing the business model. He first renamed the firm “Pancha Asta Narayan Cycle” as the previous name was too long. Tri Ratna was collaborating with India’s largest-selling Hero Bicycles and planned on setting up a factory to produce bicycles in Nepal. Unfortunately, his plans had to be shelved when he died in a motorbike accident in 1982. Other members of the family continued the business, but not with the same vision and enthusiasm of Tri Ratna.
Bikes to motorbikes
Then came the 1990s when the change in the political system also brought changes to the country’s socio-economic environment. With rapid infrastructure development and people’s growing need for faster mobility, bicycles gave way to motorbikes, cars, and public vehicles. The demand for bicycles started dwindling and Kathmandu’s streets were soon filled with motor-vehicles instead.
“The business was hit really hard then,” recalls Tirek Manandhar (37), the fourth-generation owner of the original “Pancha Narayan Asta Narayan” store who got into the business from 2000 and shortened the name to “Panc Bikes.” Tirek, also a mechanical engineering graduate from IOE, Pulchowk, was about to leave the country to pursue his career abroad before he decided to give the family business a chance.
“First, I thought of diversifying our imports,” Tirek says. “There are generally seven categories of bicycles and from 1925 to 1990, we were only importing category one, and had just about started importing category two.” The categories, Tirek explains, are city road bikes (Rs 7,000-20,000), hybrid offroad bikes (Rs 12,000-30,000), casual mountain bikes (Rs 25,000-30,000), cross-country bikes (Rs 50,000+), trail bikes (Rs 100,000+), enduro bikes (Rs 250,000+), and downhill bikes (Rs 350,000 and above.)
“Back then, only tourists bought a bike above category two. I started importing category three and four and that changed our market altogether,” Tirek says. From people using bicycles only to commute, the Panc Bikes had penetrated the market for recreational and fitness enthusiasts. Now the demand for casual mountain bikes, cross-country and trail bikes are extremely high, with many users also upgrading to higher categories.
The reformed store not only sold bicycles in wholesale and retail markets, but also started organizing bicycle tours around the city to promote bike culture. Tirek himself is a cycling activist and is associated with many organizations promoting it in Kathmandu. With many international cities now becoming more and more bicycle-friendly, Tirek and his fellow enthusiasts believe a strong bike culture in Kathmandu will greatly reduce the city’s traffic and pollution. Also, if bicycling is promoted all over the country, the country’s dependence on imported fuel will decrease.
Tirek understood changing customer demands and market dynamics, which he addressed by introducing new services besides import and sell. “We now have exchange schemes that let people upgrade their bicycles. They can bring their old bikes to us and go home with a brand new one,” he says. The exchange scheme has attracted a great number of customers already, he informs. Also, commercial banks have started issuing easy loans to purchase bicycles, payable through EMI, which in turn is motivating people to opt for higher-end bicycles.
Not just business
But even as bicycle culture tries to gain a foothold in Kathmandu, lack of infrastructure and policies hinder its growth, Tirek complains. “It’s not only about my business but about people and society as a whole. A city that cycles is healthy. Our government, as well as private organizations, need to address this.” Apart from infrastructure development, organizations can motivate more people to cycle to work by giving them incentives, Tirek suggests.
Globally, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced people to maintain social distance and avoid public vehicles, as well as to exercise for greater immunity, resulting in a rocketing demand for bicycles. The same is true in Nepal, Tirek explains. “Many people have bought bicycles in this period to exercise, for recreational purposes, and to avoid public transport,” he says. “We are already in short supply, especially of categories three and four bikes. Our suppliers have put us on a waiting list of six to seven months.”
Despite the surge in demand, Tirek fears this might be a temporary phenomenon. “When full traffic resumes, the roads will be too crowded and people might have other things to do. But I sincerely hope that more and more people take up cycling, be it for commuting or recreation,” he says. He adds that the growth of his business is inextricably tied to the growth of a healthy Nepali society.
Behind the scenes of Nepali online businesses
For a while now, you have been toying with an idea. You are tempted to develop it into an online business. Everybody seems to be doing it. Why can’t you too? After all, what have you got to lose? Unlike a brick and mortar business, you don’t need to invest a lot and can start small. Yet, in your heart of hearts, you know you might never take the plunge.
Would you be more daring if you knew how an idea could snowball into a profitable online business? If those already doing it shared their tricks of the trade?
Phoebe Bhattarai, founder of Organic Originals which produces natural beauty products, says you shouldn’t hesitate to ask for help, should you feel the need for it. When Bhattarai launched her company in 2019, she confesses she took on too much and quickly got overwhelmed.
“It’s not unusual for you to try and do everything yourself when you start an online business. But there are so many aspects to it that you won’t be able to manage alone,” she says.
Bhattarai says she would have given up had some of her friends not pitched in to help—one of them, Ayush Pant, is currently a partner in the company. Today, Organic Originals is a four-member team: two work in product manufacture, one looks after the company’s social media, and there’s a designated person for delivery. This has made work a whole lot easier and efficient.
Now, Bhattarai can focus on expanding her clientele.
“Initially, there were some misunderstandings with some of our clients. I realized it was largely because, without direct contact, we weren’t able to communicate with them properly,” she says.
Delays are also sometimes inevitable as it’s difficult to procure ingredients needed to make a product. There are issues with the packaging system as well since Organic Originals outsources the bottles and boxes final products come in.
“What’s imperative is you are able to iron out these glitches by communicating with your clients and suppliers,” says Bhattarai.
Customer satisfaction the top priority
Darpan Neupane, founder of the online bookstore Bookmandu, says online businesses can thrive only if your customers believe you can give them good service. Timely delivery is one key indicator of good service.
While delivery within Kathmandu isn’t a problem, Neupane laments poor postal services often hamper their business outside the valley. Lack of payment options mean people opt for cash on delivery, which isn’t always feasible when you offer nationwide services.
To counter this problem, Bookmandu is working on its own website as well as an Android app with order tracking system. Neupane believes this will increase the credibility of his company and people will be willing to make online payments while placing orders.
Customer satisfaction seems to be a priority among many online business operators. A small market and tough competition make it immensely difficult for online businesses to flourish. Much depends on word of mouth and for that, it’s important that every customer is happy.
This is why Tapashya Dhakal, owner of The Brand Goodies that makes customized gift boxes according to your needs and budget, likes to play it safe and only collaborates with companies providing top-notch quality items.
“That’s the reason why we currently have limited options. We want to ensure that you are getting your money’s worth,” she says.
Rupesh Kumar Jha, MD, Groomin, a designer mask company, agrees that a lot of attention needs to go into maintaining the quality of your products and services to gain customers’ trust. You also have to be willing to cater to their changing demands.
“There will be problems. Business is hard work. But you have to devise clever solutions and work your way through the problems,” says Jha. Groomin was launched during the nationwide lockdown in May 2020, and Jha says business has been good despite the fact that it’s currently not possible to promote Covid-19-related items on Facebook and Instagram.
It’s fairly easy to start an online business in the age of Instagram. You have a product or service to offer? Simply upload some photos and get the word out there. The allure of shopping online has also increased due to the pandemic that has most of us trying to minimize contact. Also, online shopping is convenient, and who doesn’t love getting what they want with minimal effort?
Be ready to sweat it out
But if your business is to gain a foothold in the market, you have to be ready to put in some serious work, says Lasata Bajracharya. She, along with Sayuj Shrestha, runs Kharayo, maker of phone cases and accessories.
“There are many opportunities in online business, especially in Nepal where it’s just starting to gain momentum. But how well your business does depend on the effort you put in and the value your company adds in people’s lives,” she says.
There are multiple pages on social media for anything you could possibly want. From food, clothes, and household items to books, beauty products and accessories, you want something, rest assured it’s available online. So, if you are an online business, how do you stay on top of the game?
Animal rights activist Anish Tuladhar, co-founder of Sarabakesvegan, which makes customized vegan cakes, says it’s important to be clear about what you are trying to accomplish while launching an online business. If you are doing it to promote a cause—as are Tuladhar and his business partner, Saraswati Rashmi Shakya—you will have a certain approach. If profit is your goal, then you will have to be rigorous about promoting and marketing your products or services.
“Either way, you will have to put in a lot of effort to develop your brand,” he says.
Bajracharya vouches for this too. She spends a lot of time on social media trying to interact with and engage her customers and thus give her brand the visibility it needs even when Kharayo has no new products to promote.
“I noticed that if there was no activity on the company social media page for a few days, we often lost a few followers,” she says, adding it’s crucial to hold on to your customers’ attention while running an online business.
Buying online, and paying for it
There are many other challenges an online business operator faces. Every day brings a new set of problems. A major issue in Nepal is definitely payment-related, as the concept of online transactions hasn’t fully set in. Most people are uncomfortable with the idea of paying for something before receiving it while others don’t want to share bank-card details.
Dhakal mentions that this limits a brands’ customer base and hampers its international prospects. She feels the government should devise ways to make online payments easy, accessible, and secure. This, she says, could facilitate import/export and, in turn, boost the economy.
She further adds that the government should also look into easing the registration process of online businesses and making clear regulations regarding the same.
Another issue is that people still aren’t used to online shopping. Many prefer to see and hold something before deciding whether to buy it. Even Dhakal who runs an online business says she isn’t sold on the idea of shopping for clothes over the internet. She would rather try on a piece of clothing than just see its specifications before making a purchase.
“Here, I feel, it boils down to the quality of your service. People are more likely to give you a chance if you can provide satisfaction guarantees or have an exchange or money-back policy,” says Bajracharya.
The overhead cost is low, you have the freedom to work on your own terms, and you can experiment and take risks without fearing harsh repercussions while running an online business. The pros definitely outweigh the cons, agree online business owners APEX spoke to. Success isn’t guaranteed but you won’t incur huge financial losses either.
However, Bhattarai recommends you get an office space so that work isn’t on your mind 24/7. You can get up, have a nice breakfast, and go to work. When you come back home, you can relax and recharge. That way, she says, you ensure a work-life balance that’s necessary for a healthy, ideating, creative, and problem-solving mind.
“You don’t want to be surrounded by boxes and piles of stuff from the moment you wake up or be thinking about work all the time. So, I feel, a separate workspace is a must. But this is a personal choice. You do what works for you,” she concludes.
Quick questions with Namrata Sapkota
What would you change about yourself, if you could?
The fact that I am very emotional. I really need to change that.
One Nepali film from the past that you’d have loved to be a part of?
“Sano Sansar”.
Music videos or TVCs?
Music videos
What really makes you angry?
Lies
What motivates you to work hard?
My work motivates me a lot. It keeps me focused.
If you had to eat one meal every day, for the rest of your life, what would it be?
‘Roti’ and ‘chiya’
Are you sunrise, daylight, twilight, or nighttime? Why?
Sunrise. Because sunrise gives you a new beginning and makes you feel warm.
Who from the Nepali film industry inspires you the most?
Gauri Malla, Karishma Manandhar, Jal Shah, and Saranga Shrestha. All respected seniors.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from a failure?
All my failures so far have taught me to be more patient. The work I keep doing matters more than my failures.
What’s keeping you sane?
Waking up at 10:00 am, indulging in a delicious, calorie-heavy lunch and then lounging in bed the entire day used to be fun on the weekends—when we had had a hectic week and deserved some TLC. (No) Thanks to the Covid-19 restrictions, that Saturday ritual which we once coveted is an everyday affair and it’s driving us crazy.
Confined to our homes, stressing out about whether we (and our work) will survive this pandemic, and feeling pretty useless is a global phenomenon right now. If life could be described by a book title, ‘Bleak House’ by Charles Dickens would be it.
But enough of this lackadaisical life. It’s time to reclaim our Carpe Diem attitude—the one that the pandemic is holding hostage.
According to Girley Agrawal, head, CG Education, the first and foremost way of doing that is by accepting your circumstances. That way, she says, you will be better equipped to stay happy and balanced.
“When you can’t change things, you have to tweak your outlook and focus on the positive. It’s all about your mindset,” she says. The mother of two says she tries to stay upbeat for the sake of her children. She simply doesn’t have the luxury of wallowing.
A strong advocate of not working long, erratic hours while working from home, Girley says walks, playing badminton and cooking help her destress and lend some structure and purpose to her days.
Bijay Gajmer, freelance multimedia journalist, says you must remind yourself, time and again, that this situation won’t last and try to make the most of it. Bijay keeps himself occupied with the many online courses he has signed up for on Udemy and Coursera. He is also learning data visualization on his own to enhance his resume.
“There really couldn’t be a better time to pick up new skills,” he says.
Anjali Subedi, journalist, Nepal Republic Media, echoes Girley’s sentiments when she says a lot depends on how you view the situation.
“If you have a positive outlook, you can use this time to your advantage. If not, then things can get distressing,” says Anjali who, in her own words, has always been a happy-go-lucky person.
“The second phase of the lockdown was initially difficult. But I reminded myself that this will pass. Now, I’m trying to do things that fill me with a sense of peace,” she adds. To start with, Anjali intends to take up gardening as she finds it extremely therapeutic. She also has music playing in the background whenever she’s pottering around the house.
Little things, and less social media
Idealistic theories aside, for many it seems the key to staying sane as we battle the pandemic lies in the little things. A cup of extra sweet black tea in the morning, trying out a new recipe every other day, rereading old favorites, origami, nightly Stephen King horror movie sessions; it’s the little things that can add a much-needed spark to your days.
Saniaa Shah, founder, Studio Aakar, has found comfort in repetitive activities during these anxiety-inducing times. Whether it is doing yoga first thing in the morning, making breakfast, playing boardgames with her family, going for an evening walk, or watching movies, a daily routine is what gives her life a semblance of normalcy.
“The key thing is to approach this ‘covidified life’ with an attitude of being purposeful about finding joy in the ordinary,” she says.
Saniaa also thinks that in this situation, we are ‘better together’—that those who are able to enjoy companionship, whether of family members, siblings, or spouses, are able to cope better. In case you don't have that, WhatsApp video calls and Zoom happy hours, she says, can go a long way.
On the downside, trying to stay connected has led to people turning to their screens more than ever. Mental health experts, around the world, are of the opinion that spending too much time on social media can lead to depression, anxiety, and trauma.
Grishma Bista, lawyer and fitness instructor, has a simple fix for that. She doesn’t have social media apps on her phone and uses her laptop to log on to Facebook and Instagram. This, she says, curbs unnecessary scrolling and content consumption.
For her, it’s imperative to avoid rumors, speculations and unnecessary information that can fuel anxiety. Instead, she focuses on positive affirmations, which she listens to while cooking or cleaning her room.
Routine, rituals, and short-terms goals
The consensus seems to be that a basic routine is necessary to tackle the pandemic-induced productivity slump in our lives. Some people confessed that while they had initially become complacent like a cow on Kathmandu roads, they soon felt the need to get their life back on track.
Though not having a strict schedule felt liberating when Nepal first went into lockdown on 24 March 2020, most people APEX talked to said that the newfound freedom didn’t make them happy for long. What it did instead was instill a sense of hopelessness and lack of purpose.
According to Umanga Jung Parakram Shah, psychotherapist, Nepal Academy of Psychology, feeling down is normal in these trying times. Acknowledge it, he says. Share how you feel with others. What that can do is give you a new perspective, make you realize you aren’t in this alone, and thus fill you with hope.
“We underestimate the power of social connections. But there’s no denying that human beings are gregarious by nature and thrive in a community,” says psychotherapist Shah adding that the biggest challenge of the Covid-19 restrictions, for many, has been limiting social contact.
With social distancing being the need of the hour, we might not be able to catch up with friends and family as we once did. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t do virtual group activities on a regular basis. And this is especially important for older members of your family who are more prone to the effects of isolation, says the psychotherapist.
Besides that, he also emphasizes the importance of sticking to a routine and keeping yourself engaged. This can fuel your self-worth and make you feel like you aren’t stagnating.
“I would also recommend focusing on short term goals for the moment. Learn a new skill. Sign up for a course. Challenge yourself to do something you previously couldn’t, say a split or juggling,” he says.
Girley makes it a point to learn something new every day. After many failed attempts, she is an expert at making momos now. Bijay is adamant about using this time to hone his craft. Anjali finally has the time to catch up on pending tasks at home. She always wanted to take some time off work to do that. Saniaa goes the extra mile—baking stunning cheesecakes and dressing up in cotton dhotis during the weekend—to keep herself (and her family) entertained. Grishma meditates. It helps her let go of negative emotions.
It appears that finding what works to keep you mentally agile and happy and being a little proactive about how you spend your days can help you power through the pandemic. And for all those times when nothing seems to work, there is always a rejuvenating cup of tea or a nice, long nap.