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Photos Anil Ranjit and Mahendra Khadka

The iconic Ghantaghar near Ratnapark. (2:00 am)
 

An elderly man takes a nap on his rickshaw at Ason Chowk. (2:43 am)

A rickshaw driver peddles towards his destination at Ason Chowk. (2:41 am)

A Friday night celebration at a local bar in Thamel. Both locals and tourists seem to enjoy the music and fun that Thamel offers. (2:00 am)

A local restaurant serves mo:mo on the streets in Thamel. (2:11 am)

Revelers line up in New Road on early Saturday morning to enter the Sankata Temple. (2:53 am)

A group of young people enjoy a night out in the streets of Thamel. (2:30 am)

A Thamel street sees a massive traffic jam at wee hours because of haphazard parking and a huge number of visitors. (2:24 am)

Empty Sundhara. (2:21am)

An overhead bridge view of the Ratnapark-Bhadrakali road which is usually full of pedestrians and vehicles in the day. (2:03 am)

A flock of birds rest near the Foreign Affairs Ministry building, Kantipath. (2:41 am)

The waiting section of the emergency ward at the Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj. (We were not allowed to photograph the patients.) (2:10 am)
 

The waiting section of the emergency ward at the Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj. (We were not allowed to photograph the patients.) (2:10 am)

A deserted look of the otherwise jam-packed New Road gate. (2:28 am)

Last year my summary of the Christmas bazaars around town was so popular I thought to do it again this year. So here you go. The best places, many of them featuring fair-trade and ethical producers, to do your shopping. As more and more of these markets and bazaars are popping up so please excuse me if your event is not here.  

Ecole Française International de Katmandou (the French School)

This is the second year the French School has run a Christmas market. Apart from the obvious wonderful stalls, last year children were having a ball playing on the playground items in the school. So it’s a great market to shop in peace while your children are fully occupied. And of course, it is French themed with a host of French vendors. 

What to expect: French and local produce, including gifts, children’s toys, jewelry, leather craft, etc. Face painting, bouncy castle, and other activities and games for the children. Food and drink will have a French theme with Chez Caroline, among others, being there.  

The details: Saturday 30 November, 10am to 4pm at the school premises, Lazimpat. Free entrance.

Awon Christmas Bazaar

Awon, or Active Women of Nepal, is a non-profit organization that aims to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged women and children.  

What to Expect: Goods on display include a range of items mainly from not-for-profit vendors. Food stalls have been a feature in the past. 

The details: Saturday 30 December, 10am till dusk at the Soaltee Crown Plaza. Rs 100 for adults, Rs 50 for children was charged last year, so expect the same. 

GIZ Fair Trade Christmas Bazaar

At the GTZ Christmas Bazaar you can purchase goods from fair trade vendors, so you know your money is well spent. On sale are lots of goodies for the home and family.  

What to Expect: Again artisans will be on hand with live demonstrations for the whole family. Food and drink is available, including Gluhwein (hot, spiced wine) and other German delicacies. 

The details: Saturday 7 December, 11am to 6pm, at Hotel Yellow Durbar (previously known as the International Club), Sanepa. Entrance free.  

Summit Hotel Christmas Bazaar

This is the one I look forward to every year for its fabulous Christmas ambiance. Most of the items on sale are from non-profit vendors but there is a wide range of other goods such as silver jewelry, face and body products. Homemade cakes and pastries will also be available.   

What to expect: Come in daylight hours when it’s warmer or after dark when the twinkling lights and the sound of the Kathmandu Choral singing fills the air. There are dozens of stalls selling everything one would want to make Christmas special if staying in Kathmandu, or take a few gift items back to your own country. Plenty of food and drink is available in the garden or in the hotel’s warm bar and restaurant.

The details: Sunday 8 December, 10am to 6pm seems to be the new time, at the Summit Hotel, Sanepa. Free entrance.

Le Sherpa 

Once again Le Sherpa will add additional Christmas themed gift stalls to their usual Saturday market so we can enjoy doing our organic veggie shopping, eating at our favorite stalls and thinking ahead about Christmas gifts. 

What to expect: Christmas inspired gift stalls, and some of their food stalls should be producing Christmas inspired foods. Plenty for the kids to do there also while parents might sip on a glass of wine over lunch at Le Sherpa. 

The details: Saturdays, 1, 8 and 15 December, 8.30am till 12.30pm, Le Sherpa premises, Panipokhari. Free entrance.

New This Year
Timro and the Hub Christmas Market at the Hub

Timro Concept Store and the Hub are joining hands to bring you handmade gift items from local artisans, bakes and mulled wine, in a warm setting in the heart of Thamel. As it runs into the evening, maybe this is our more adult choice of Christmas market! 

When and where: Saturday 30 November, 1-8pm, at the Hub. Free entrance.

The Local Project and Astrek Park Thamel

This year The Local Project will be in collaboration with the Astrek Park Bazaar where they will be displaying Nepal made, classy and unique products that we know and love.

When and where: Sunday 8 December, Astrek Park, Thamel.

Solis Performing Arts

For the first time Solis Performing Arts is hosting a Christmas market. 

When and where: Saturday 14 December, 12- 4pm, Ullens School.  

Christmas Mart at the Chhaya Centre

This year sees the Chhaya Centre getting in on the act, with stalls, food stalls, games live music, Santa Claus and a kids zone up and running over three days. Christmas lights and decorations and a fun time to be had, particularly by the children. 

When and where: Friday 13 December till Sunday 15th. At the Chhaya Centre in Thamel. Free entrance.

Shop for Christmas Food Too

What’s a festival without some sweet treats? Once again it’s time to check out what the big hotels and local bakeries have in store for us. Try the Annapurna Hotel, Shangri-la Hotel and the Radisson Hotel cake shops for Christmas inspired cookies and cakes. We expect that the Kathmandu Marriott’s Kathmandu Bakery Co. will have something sweet for us too! Lakuri Bakery (Soma Café, Baluwatar) will be making their Christmas cupcakes, chocolate Yule logs and iced Christmas cookies. Check out Hermans Bakery in Sanepa. There are many more outlets so go take a walk round your neighborhood! On the savory side, check out Flat Iron Grill (Ambassador Hotel) for a range of pre-ordered Christmas hams and other meats.

As the date for the Silence Festival VIII approaches (December 14), the excitement level of the metal-heads and music lovers of Kathmandu is palpable. “We have sold over 600 tickets in pre-sales,” the organizers inform. “And the merchandise are also selling like hot cakes. This year is going to be the biggest of them all.”

Founded by the Nepali metal giants Underside in 2011, the only annual metal festival in the country aims to turn Nepal into a destination for international bands. In just a few years, it has grown into a big day-long festival visited by over 4,000 metal-heads. More than that, it has already hosted international legends such as Behemoth, Vader, Textures and SikTh, making Silence Festival easily the biggest and loudest metal fiesta in Nepal.

We featured all the international acts playing at the Silence Festival a couple of weeks ago, only to be requested by hordes of music followers to write something about their favorite participating Nepali bands as well. So here we go.

Underside

Nepali disruptors Underside are the epitome of the burgeoning Asian metal scene. Following the decade-long civil war, these Himalayan metal heavyweights came together in 2010 as a loud and robust response to the country’s delicate socio-political situation. The four-piece band are one of the biggest and best metal bands Nepal has ever seen. They have taken their riotous metal music to venues across Europe and Australia and next year plan to conquer the US.

Even though the metal scene in Nepal is in its infancy, Underside are unafraid to take risks, be it with their lyrics or the extremity of their music. The rebellious attitude of all four men (Nishant Hagjer on drums, Bikrant Shrestha on guitars, Avishek K.C. on vocals and Bikash Bhujel on guitars), combined with exceptional guitar shredding skills and blood-curdling screams—all fused with an unmistakably Nepali sound—Underside have carved out something extreme and wholly their own.

In 2019, Underside have been relentless. Fresh off a UK tour with CancerBats, the band were invited to join them on their European tour in March. At Download Festival 2019, the band delivered a standout performance by incorporating traditional Nepali dance routines steeped in history.

Shree 3

Based in Kathmandu, Shree 3 is the brainchild of Sarad Shrestha, a popular figure in Nepali music industry. Founded in 2016, the band came to life as a side project of three proficient musicians already playing for other bands. Shrestha (Tumbleweed) on guitars and vocals, Rozet Gurung (Jugaa, Nude Terror) on bass and Robin Neupane (Tumbleweed, H.O.S.) on drums complete the lineup of Shree 3, a power trio.

As for their music, although band members do not prefer to label themselves with a single genre, at its heart Shree 3 is an alternative rock band that also explores stoner rock, desert rock and grunge. With Sarad’s overdriven guitars and unique finger-style playing and raw vocals reminiscent of the alternative greats of the 90s, Rozet’s groovy basslines, and Robin’s steady drum beats, the band is a complete package of skilled musicianship and scintillating energy.

Shree 3 released their debut album in May this year and has toured the country, finding fans in cities from the east to west.

Strangle

Strangle is a hardcore band from Lalitpur that initially started as a trash band. In 2012 they recorded their first seven-track demo with a new lineup, when the focus shifted to playing more Hardcore and Crossover Thrash. After live shows in Nepal for a couple of years the band went into a hiatus in 2014.

In 2016 they came back with a new lineup and by March 2017 had recorded their first full-length album “You’re next in line.” Since 2016, Strangle have been very active and have played shows in different cities of Nepal. In 2018 the band recorded an EP titled “The Illusion” and are soon coming up with their second full-length album.

Born In Silence

A band with nu-metal origins, “Born In Silence” was formed in 2011 when the Pokhara underground scene had already started to fade. After multiple line-up changes, which resulted in different creative inputs and musical influences from each passing member, the band’s sound has evolved to what its members now call “a fusion between different sub-genres of metal.” The current band members, aged 24-28, are some of the few active musicians in the ‘Pokhara Underground.’

The founding members of Born In Silence are Pradip Gurung (Guddu) on vocals, and Sujan Thapa and Nikhil Gurung on guitars. Since 2016 they have been joined by Bishal Pertel on drums and Ashim Gurung on bass. The band that started by covering music of international artists now have their own set-list and as they grow in confidence that comes with experience, they have also experimented with DIY face masks to give members different on-stage personas.

Binaash

Binaash is a “Ramailo Death Metal” band from Kathmandu, formed in 2009 by a trio of musicians interested in death metal. A few line-up changes saw the founding member Prateek Raj Neupane joined by Prabin Shrestha (Arachnids) on growls and grunts, Bijent Bikram Shah on bass, Shashank Shrestha (72Hrs) on guitars, and the powerhouse Bikram Shrestha (Ugrakarma/Xmantra) on drums.

Formerly “Kaal,” the name was later changed as many Nepali bands were playing under the same name. The band has a full length album, an EP, a 4-way split, and single under its belt.

Q.    Who motivates you the most? 
A.    Myself.

Q.    Who would you like to dance opposite to someday? 
A.    The dancer Matt Steffanina.

Q.    What is the hardest part of being a professional dancer?
A.    Training yourself every day and not giving up.

Q.    What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time? 
A.    Watching movies and listening to music.

Q.    What place would you like to visit? 
A.    I’d love to go to Los Angeles one day.

Q.    A quote to live by? 
A.    ‘Find yourself’.

Q.    What is the most precious thing that you own? 
A.    Knowledge.

Q.    A question you wish more people would ask you?
A.    ‘What’s your next step?’
 

Q.    Which is Rahul Shah's favorite genre of music?

    a) Rock    b) R&B/Hip-hop

Send us your answer on our Facebook page. One winner selected by lucky draw will get a Rs 2,000 coupon from Dallé.