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“More than a musician, I think it will be more suitable to call me a musical entertainer,” says 20-years-old Oasis Thapa. To be a musician, he believes, a person has to have adequate theoretical knowledge, which he lacks. “I just know the basics and a little bit of everything,” he says.

Oasis represents a new breed of singer/songwriters in Nepal who’re independently finding their audience through digital platforms. These young musicians who write, record and sometimes even produce their own music, are the nails in the coffin of old-school music companies/record labels that are now on the verge of extinction.

With songs like “Aparichit Bhaavana”, “Juni Vari Lai”, and “Tibra Chahana” gaining in popularity on digital platform, mostly among youngsters, Oasis’ tryst with music began as a teenager almost seven years ago. He took up music just to get some attention at school but as time passed, he started exploring various genres more deeply and was completely mesmerized by what he found.

At the time, the ‘internet talents’ were coming alive in Nepal, and with no serious interest in any other field, Oasis managed to persuade his father to get him a guitar. He started learning the instrument through YouTube and Google.

Facebook would be the first platform for his music in a short while. Since ‘break-up’ songs were really popular at that time, Oasis posted his song called “An Apology to My Ex” on Facebook. The song with an English title was in Nepali. “I was expecting instant fame and appreciation, but it got just 37 likes, and one comment with no words but just two middle-finger emojis,” he recalls. “I must say, I was flabbergasted!”

But that did not deter Oasis. He continued to write, record and release his music, inspired by Rahul Rai from Tribal Rain, Ishan Raj Onta from Elements, and Yabesh Thapa, among others.

The theme for his music is generally sad and melancholic. “I don’t know why but I feel at ease writing sad songs,” he says. “It can be about loss, remorse, break-up and depression. I do write happy songs as well, but with them I am not confident about the quality.”

The self-taught singer/songwriter, who would definitely like to learn music formally if he gets the chance, also records his own materials with whatever equipment he has. As studios are expensive and he could not afford to hire them, Oasis started messing around with recording software and technologies at home.

He taught himself to the point when he was confident enough to produce his own songs, but he had no equipment at the time, not even the basic microphones and audio processors. “So I just recorded the audio with my phone,” he says. “A bunch of trial and errors to get the sound I wanted, and post-production was such a pain. But the job got done.” Oasis still uses the same methods to produce his music.

Oasis continues his musical exploration, writing new songs and producing them from his home. He has already gained a niche but loyal following and it is only a matter of time that he becomes a household name in the country.

We have seen a lot of thunderstorms and wind these past two days or so, and it’s become a bit of the norm. But on the whole Nepal is not really a windy country. Sure there are places where the winds are high; parts of the Karnali Region and Mustang come to mind. I can only go on my personal experience of course. And I suppose it depends where you come from when you think Nepal is a windy country or not. Coming from Scotland I can categorically say Nepal is not windy!

Recently I was reminiscing with my mother about summer days at the beach in Scotland. We lived in two seaside towns so I spent most of my childhood and teenage years by the sea. In my childhood, going overseas for holidays was something only for the rich. We were more likely to spend a week in a cottage in the Lakes Districts (England) or in places like the Isle of Skye (Scotland).  Other days during the long school holidays were spent on the beach. Huddled behind a windbreaker!   

Mum and I laughed at the thought of these, now old-fashioned, but pretty indispensible items for beach life in Scotland. Often made of stripy canvas material, mum recalled hers was beige in color—and might still even be in the garage, these 40 something years on since she moved into that house! What is a windbreaker, you might well ask. A large piece of canvas with poles on each end that were fixed into the sand. We then huddled behind the canvas, out of the wind. Supposedly out of the wind!  

We recalled sand in our sandwiches and sand between my father’s toes. Which he hated and thus was part of the socks with sandals brigade. Not a good look!  Many a summer’s day was spent braced behind the windbreaker, or running screaming into the extremely cold North Sea, and building sand castles in the sand. Mum reminisced that as a newly qualified midwife who worked the night shift, she would go for a swim in the sea after finishing work in the early morning. Now that explains a lot—hardy constitution or what?

As a young adult I moved to Edinburgh—the epitome of a windy city. Coming out of the house in the morning only to have to go back in to put on a more fitting skirt as the wind had just blown the original loose fit one over my head was not unusual. Nor was standing on the Waverly Bridge waiting for the night bus home in a full blow gale. Gale in other countries perhaps, but a just a breeze in Scotland.

Dotted along the horizons in Scotland are wind turbines, or windmills. These generate an incredible amount of power to run Scottish homes. I had always thought it possible to install these windmills in certain part of Nepal. There are companies who are looking on this, along with solar and other sustainable energy, such as Wind Power Nepal. The founder of this company is someone I met many years ago when this was just an idea running in the back of his head. 

Interestingly, founder Kushal Gurung has a Masters in Carbon Management from the University of Edinburgh—so yes, he used to live in that windy city too!  He is working on the exact opposite of what my mother was doing. While she was deflecting the wind with her windbreaker, Gurung is capturing it for a sustainable future. And right now more than ever, we need sustainable and environmental-friendly mindsets and plans.  

Due to the Covid-19 lockdown, going to your local gym or sports club may not be an option right now. Nor is it easy to arrange for these facilities in our homes. But to do yoga, you need only a mat and a little willpower. Yoga is a proven technique of maintaining health and vigor, and one that we inherit from our ancient saints. It is the next best thing after ‘Namaste’ that the Indian Subcontinent has offered the world to beat the corona scare. 

As most people are locked up in their houses, they are worried about their health. Limited physical movement weakens the body, and makes it susceptible to attack by pathogens and chronic diseases. And the high stress during the pandemic is sure to affect your mental health. In such a scenario, yoga could be an effective tool to maintain good physical and mental health, according to Dr. Hari Prasad Pokharel, senior physician, yoga and naturopathy.

Yoga includes practices of asana (physical postures) and pranayama (breathing management). These practices are highly beneficial for strengthening the life force. “The body’s mechanism of developing antibodies and fighting diseases are strengthened through the life force or jeevani shakti,” says Pokharel. 

By the activation of this energy through the yogic practices of body and breath, we can fight not only parasite germs but also other adverse life conditions, Pokharel asserts. 

“We have plenty of time in our hands right now. We can develop our hobbies and be creative. We can also consolidate our yoga practice, if we already know it,” Pokharel adds. “If you haven’t done any yoga postures yet, you can make use of YouTube channels run by experts.”

Among the practices of breathing, Kapalbhati is an extremely good exercise for now. It strengthens both your prana energy and detoxifies your body. But one needs to be careful in starting pranayama, and should do it only under expert guidance, Pokharel cautions.

“This is a time of high stress and little physical activity. It is very important that we keep our bodies moving,” says Amrita Ghimire, chairperson of Kathmandu-based Amrita Yoga Foundation. “We should, at the least, do some joint exercises, and then start practicing simple pranayama. They help keep our bodies fit and flexible.”

To fight the Covid-19 pandemic, pranayama could be a useful tool as it develops immunity, says Ghimire. “Kapalbhati is very helpful. But people with hypertension should take precaution. You can do right nostril breathing instead. Diabetics can do left nostril breathing. You can also do Bhramari chanting, Om chanting or Nadisodhan, which are all harmless.”

Any yogic exercise that makes you sweat is helpful in boosting immunity, says Anil Ranjit, a private yoga instructor based in Kathmandu, adding that Surya Namaskar and Virbhadra Asana are particularly good. But yoga has a more important aspect, according to him. “It has to do with your spirituality. It increases your willpower. If you have a strong willpower, your ability to fight diseases will increase manifold. Then good health comes as a by-product.” 

EXPERT ADVICE

To keep the mind and body fit during the lockdown, here is some expert advice for beginners:

Body:

1. Start with Sukshma Vyayama (joint movements). Start from toes and gradually move up to the neck, moving each joint. 

2. Do a few rounds of basic Surya Namaskar

3. As you build body flexibility, move to simple asanas. These may include few postures lying on your stomach and back, such as Uttanapada asana, Nabhi Darshan asana, Nauka asana, Bhujanga asana, Salava asana, and Yana asana. 

4. As you master simple asanas, you can move to advanced ones. 

Breath:

1. Kapalbhati (boosts prana energy and detoxifies body)

2. Bhramari pranayam

3. Om chanting

Mind:

1. Breathing awareness (Anapana)

2. Positive, healthy affirmations

(As suggested by Dr. Hari Prasad Pokharel, Chairman, Yoga and Naturopathy Subject Committee, Nepal Sanskrit University) 

ONLINE YOGA 

Along with the start of the practices of lockdowns and social distancing, yoga teachers have started offering online yoga classes. Here are a few of the good ones available in Nepal.

1. Nepal Yoga Home (https://nepalyogahome.com/) 

Location: Goldhunga, near Nagarjun Jungle, Kathmandu

Classes offered: Personal yoga practice, children yoga, reflexology, yoga teacher’s training

Online platform: Nepal Yoga Home software 

Phone: (977) 9851167373 (Prakash Acharya)

Email: [email protected]

2. Yogmandu Yoga and Retreat (https://yogmandu.com/)

Location: Miteri Marg, Mid Baneshwor, Kathmandu

Classes offered: Personal yoga practice; tailor-made sessions for corporate houses, schools and colleges; yoga teacher’s training 

Online platform: Zoom Cloud

Phone: (977) 9810263277 (WhatsApp)

Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

3. Anil Ranjit

Location: Private yoga instructor

Classes offered: Private/corporate yoga sessions

Online platform: Zoom Cloud, Google Hangouts 

Phone: (977) 9848819325

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: facebook.com/anilran 

4. Amrita Yoga Foundation (http://amritayogafoundation.com/) 

Location: Jyatha, Thamel, Kathmandu

Classes offered: Therapeutic yoga, personal practice, corporate sessions, yoga teacher’s training 

Online platform: Zoom Cloud, Skype

Phone: (977) 9818282850/9851065554

Email: [email protected]

5. Kanchan Yoga (https://www.kanchanyoga.com/) 

Location: Chaksibari, Thamel, Kathmandu

Classes offered: Private/corporate yoga sessions 

Online platform: Zoom Cloud

Phone: (977) 9818148030 (Kanchan Singh Thagunna)

Email: [email protected]

6. Shilu Shrestha

Location: Private yoga instructor 

Classes offered: Private yoga sessions

Online platform: Zoom Cloud, Facebook Event

Email: [email protected] 

Facebook: facebook.com/lilsunsyn

Something you’ve done often during the lockdown?

I have been reading and spending time with my family members. I realized I’d been so busy that I hadn’t seen my family members up close in a long time.

A movie/series you would suggest for the lockdown?

All Nepali movies on my list: “Ujeli,” “Numafung,” “Mukundo,” “Maitighar,” “Basudev.”

Have you read anything lately? Would you suggest it?

I’d definitely suggest “Sumnima” and “Babu, Aama ra Chora,” both by BP Koirala. 

 Best music to listen to during the lockdown? 

Parvathy Baul, Nina Simone, Narayan Gopal, Kumar Sanu.  

How do you work out during the lockdown?

 I do yoga with my family 

How long do you think the lockdown will last?

I don’t know. Maybe a day before till it’s called off?

What is the first thing you’ll do when the lockdown is over? 

I want to visit a temple. It’s been long since I’ve met God in His abode.

If not at home, where would you preferably be locked down? 

As an actor maybe in a mental hospital since it would be an opportunity to observe different characters (laughs). But as a normal human being, maybe a Vipassana center. 

If you were to be locked down with a Nepali celebrity for 21 days, who would it be?

Madhav Prasad Ghimire. I’d make him kheer because I know he loves it and then he could recite poems to me.

One dish you wouldn’t mind eating everyday during the lockdown?

Dal Bhat!