However, the Chief District Officers have decided to relax some of the restrictions.

The relaxed lockdown measures now stipulate that the following business will be allowed to operate during the period:

• Grocers will be permitted to operate until 11 AM every morning
• Stationery and paraphernalia stores can be open until 11 AM every morning
• Construction & building material store can stay open till 4 PM every afternoon
• Delivery of online shopped goods is allowed
• Agricultural works will be permitted here on
• Issuances of travel visas and other such procedures will start

The lockdown was initially imposed for a week on April 29. It was then ended until May 12 and was further extended till May 27.

On May 25, the authorities shut down the grocery stores and enforced additional measures. However, due to the rising criticism, the government has decided to relax the measures until June 14.

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In the last 24 hours, the Himalayan nation has recorded 2,407 new infection cases, taking the total COVID-19 tally to 628,942.

However, the day ended on a good note, with daily recovery cases outpacing the new infections by almost 2x times. A total of 3,994 patients have recovered successfully on Sunday, pushing the total recovery cases to 531,105.

Currently, there are 68,995 active COVID-19 cases in the country, of which 64,744 are in home isolation, 5,211 in institutional isolation, 1,100 in ICUs, and 347 on ventilators.

Unfortunately, 46 people have lost their lives to coronavirus, taking Nepal’s total COVID-19 fatalities to 8,412.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), the government has conducted 7,517 PCR tests and 4,889 antigen tests on Sunday. Among them, 2,407 tests came out positive for coronavirus infection.

Among all the regions, the Kathmandu Valley reported the highest 653 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday. Among them, 483 cases were reported in the Kathmandu district, 58 in Bhaktapur, and 112 in Lalitpur.

As of today, around 44 of 77 districts have more than 500 active cases.

Prohibitory Order in Kathmandu Valley

Citing the decline in cases, the Chief District Officers of the Kathmandu Valley have eased the prohibitory order in three districts which has been extended to June 21 lately.

“We have decided to relax the prohibitory orders citing the decrease in coronavirus cases,” said Dhundi Prasad Niroula, CDO of Lalitpur.

According to the new regulations, grocery and vegetable shops, bookstores, and stationeries are allowed to open till 11 am.

“Though people are not encouraged to walk unnecessarily, restrictions on movements on foot for essential work have been relaxed following proper health protocols,” said Niroula.

“We have also relaxed provisions to allow visa processing for students, diversity visas to the US, and agricultural activities. Time limits have been set for public and private construction firms to operate,” he added.

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A Cabinet Meeting held on Sunday decided to suspend domestic flights from Monday midnight and international flights from Wednesday midnight. According to Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, the flights will remain suspended till May 14.

However, the Cabinet has permitted chartered flights of domestic and international airlines to operate as usual even during the suspension period.

This is the latest addition to the list of lockdown restrictions imposed by the Nepali Government in a bid to fight the unprecedented second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

The government has already imposed partial and complete prohibitory orders in as many as 41 districts. According to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), complete prohibitory orders have been imposed in 30 districts and partial orders in 11 districts.

Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kaski, Surkhet, Parsa, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Dang, Chitwan, and Rupandehi districts are some of the regions that are under strict prohibitory orders.

The government has also banned long-haul public transportation to control the pandemic.

Nepal on Sunday recorded the highest-ever single-day spike with 7,211 new COVID-19 cases, taking the cumulative count of cases to 336,030. With 27 people succumbing to the infection in the last 24 hours, the death toll has mounted to 3,325. Currently, there are 48,711 active cases and 283,994 recoveries in the country.

According to the MoHP, the number of coronavirus cases has increased by 136.8% compared to the last week, indicating a 2x increase in infection rate just in a week.

Stay Tuned to NepaliSansar for Latest Nepal COVID-19 Updates!

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The prohibitory order will be effective from 6 AM on April 29 to midnight on May 5.

The Chief District Officers (CDOs) of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur districts took the decision to this effect during a joint meeting held on Monday to discuss various strategies to tame the COVID-19 resurgence.

All the three DAOs issued separate notices with details about the services and activities that are prohibited and allowed during the prohibitory period.

List of Activities Allowed and Restricted During the Prohibitory Period:

• Cinema halls, swimming pools, party palaces, entertainment sites, shopping malls, beauty parlors, saloons, gym and fitness centers, libraries, zoos, and training centers are closed
• Sports activities, conferences, seminars, and gatherings are prohibited
• Movement of private and public vehicles is restricted
• Entry of vehicles into the district is restricted except for ambulances and those carrying emergency goods, and medicine supplies
• Emergency services including ambulance, food, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, drinking water, banks and financial institutions, quarantine and isolation facilities, waste management, and their transportation are allowed
• Shops and business outlets will be closed except for those selling food products, medicines, and medical equipment
• Grocery and department Stores will operate until 10 AM and between 5 PM to 7 PM
• Journalists and media personnel must produce an identity card to cover news and events

However, the businesses that operate during the prohibitory period must adhere to the public health protocols set by the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP).

According to the MoHP, Kathmandu Valley reported 1,912 coronavirus infection cases, including 1,567 in Kathmandu, 223 in Lalitpur, and 122 in Bhaktapur districts, on Monday alone. In the past two weeks, Valley witnessed 10,979 new cases, becoming a COVID-19 hotspot in the country in the recent days.

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The four smart cities’ land areas are named as Agneya, Ishaan, Nairitya, and Uttar.

The Kathmandu Valley Development Authority (KVDA) had spent the last few years preparing the blueprints and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for building the four smart cities, two in Bhaktapur and one each in Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts. The Project Management Committee is set to start the construction work once the Council of Ministers approves the DPRs.

According to the KVDA, the estimated total cost for developing the four smart cities is over NPR 350 billion. However, the Nepali Government has allocated only NPR 25 million for the first year of construction.

The KVDA Commissioner Bhai Kaji Tiwari informed that NPR 10 million had been allocated to Ishan and five million each for Aagneya, Naihritya, and Uttar. He added that, despite the limited budget allocation, the KVDA would start construction work once the cabinet approves DPRs.

However, the local leaders expressed their concern that the Nepali Government will face many challenges in implementing the project as people near the planned areas are not ready to join the land integration plan.

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Meanwhile, the worldwide coronavirus cases have reached 23,811,693. So far, 817,005 patients have lost their lives, and 16,360,536 have recovered successfully.

There are currently 6,634,152 active cases, among which 6,572,434 patients are in mild condition, and 61,718 are in critical condition.

COVID-19 in Nepal:

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal has reported 743 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the nation’s caseload to 32,678.

Nepal’s COVID-19 death toll stands at 157 after eight people have succumbed to the infection on Monday.

Meanwhile, as many as 175 patients have been discharged from various hospitals across the country, taking the total recoveries to 18,806.

However, the recovery rate in Nepal is less than around 10% as compared to the global average. Currently, the coronavirus recovery rate in Nepal is 58.3%, while the global average is 68.1%.

“We have not been able to collect data from all places. The recovery rate is seen less due to problems in collecting data of the recovered people every day though the number of people recovered from the coronavirus infection is high,” said MoHP Spokesperson Dr. Sameer Kumar Adhikari.

According to the MoHP, Nepal’s recovery rate was recorded at 70.1% in the last month.

Kathmandu Valley Reports 224 New Cases

As many as 224 people have been infected with COVID-19 in Kathmandu Valley in the last 24 hours, taking the total cases to 2,746.

• Kathmandu – 177
• Lalitpur – 33
• Bhaktapur – 14

Citing the growing risk of coronavirus infection, eighteen local levels in the Valley decided to postpone all services till August 31, 2020.

Stay Tuned to NepaliSansar for Latest COVID-19 Updates!

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So why was there so much objection over a bill that hadn’t even been implemented?

The Guthi Bill 2075 proposed by Nepal Minister of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Padma Kumari Aryal aimed to:

• Nationalize all guthis – public and private
• Consolidate all the acts and amendments related to guthis
• Replace the Guthi Sansthan – a government authority accountable for all guthis in the country
• Regulate all religious sites

Guthi Bill- History

The guthis are synonymous to the Newar community inhabiting the Kathmandu Valley. Guthis or trusts are social organizations that fulfill religious and socio-economic responsibilities through funds collected from cultivation of leased land.

Trustees who manage guthis are usually members of a common lineage or family.

Since the fifth century, guthis in Nepal use tilled land to generate revenue for maintaining public shelters and temples, organizing chariot processions, providing fellowship for youth and other religious activity.

During the course of Nepal’s history, guthis were exploited by the state and its rulers. They used guthi property for personal or state use, including the construction of government buildings, hospitals, Rana-era palaces and hospitals.

Guthi Bill Nepal 2019 Provisions

Since the Guthi bill of Nepal was introduced, it received a lot of opposition from various ethnic groups, especially the Newar community.

According to Newars, the proposed Guthi bill was being used to erode culture and erase the identity of various indigenous communities.

The Guthi bill in Nepal proposed the following provisions:

• According to Article 26 of the Nepali constitution, the bill violates the constitutional rights of Nepali citizens, which states that every religious denomination has the right to operate and protect its religious sites and guthis
• Section 23 and 24 of the Guthi Bill gives the concerned authority control over all rights and responsibilities of the guthi, which includes trustee rights, previous documentation and agreements including court orders.
• Guthi Bill section 4 states that all private guthis should be nationalized, which guthi trustees say is insensitive and disregards the different guthis and their functions in the Newar society. Private guthis are controlled and run by family members of the same lineage, with no interference from outsiders.

The Guthi Sansthan

This is not the first attempt to nationalize Guthis. Earlier in 1964, the government formed the current-day Guthi Sansthan to nationalize all guthi land. However, public opposition at the time was limited and was easily suppressed.

Once the government nationalized all the Guthi land, the Sansthan drew its income from leasing land to individuals and industries or by building business complexes for rent. This income was also partly devoted to conducting festivals and rituals.

Today, the Guthi Sansthan owns 1.45 million ropanis of land and has 2,335 public guthis under its control.

In the present day, guthis are in a sorry state as they bear severe financial burden to fulfill their responsibilities including holding Kathmandu Valley’s large scale jatras.

Restricted funds affect several guthi responsibilities such as maintenance of various heritage sites, promotion of religious and cultural performance arts and provision of fellowships for young people in the community.

This list also includes the special Kartik Nach organized in Patan Durbar Square’s Dabali, which is possible only with donations from locals and private institutions.

Guthi Bill Protest

These are some of the reasons why Newars are displaying agitation over the bill. They are also concerned that the introduction of the Guthi bill could erode the Sanathan Hindu tradition.

During the third week of June 2019, 50,000 people held a rally at Kathmandu’s Maitighar Mandala to protest the government’s move.

This demonstration only added to the streak of protests since the Rato Machindranath procession ended on June 09, 2019. People staged agitation in Bhaktapur and Lalitpur as well.

Agitators stated that implementation of the bill would pave way for government authorities and society’s influential embezzling thousands of hectares of guthis land.

Lawmakers Divided on Guthi Bill

Lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties were divided over the introduction of the Guthi Bill.

NCP Lawmakers supported the bill stating that the bill would manage the Guthi system better and it was aimed at revising all guthi laws. They also said that the document was being introduced to address Guthi-holders demands.

On the other hand, lawmakers from opposition parties said that the bill would damage ancient Guthi tradition. Main opposition party, Nepal Congress lawmakers urged the government to withdraw the bill and replace it with a new one.

PM Oli on Guthi Bill

PM KP Sharma Oli who returned from his nine-day trip to Europe said that he is ready to improve the bill if there are any provisions that affect culture. This is the government of people and they are respected as God.

“Nothing can be hundred percent perfect. If there require any improvement, the government is ready to do so,” said PM Oli.

He also said that there were exploitations in many places on account of the Guthi Bill.

This is not the right time for agitation and protest, rather a time for cooperation and partnership. It is not appropriate to get involved in petty issues.

“Since I have already arrived, I will look everything. If there are some weakness committed knowingly or unknowingly, we will improve,” said PM Oli.

Finally, Government Withdraws Guthi Bill 2019

Aryal submitted a proposal on annulment of the Guthi bill from the National Assembly on June 18, 2019, after succumbing to pressure from all sides.

“A resolution has been expressed on behalf the government that it will not waver an inch to work in deference to the spirit and sentiment linked with ‘our religion, customs, values, and heritages like temples and shrines,” Aryal said.

The Minister added that the government had no intention to harm or hurt the religion and culture, as well as the spirit and sentiment of guthis in various communities, while addressing lawmakers at the discussion on Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation’ of Appropriations Bill, 2076.

The post Nepal Guthi Bill 2019 – History, Provisions, Protests appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Within the Valley lies a city with the same name, the Kathmandu City, powered by a rich cultural and historical background.

Kathmandu City – History and Geography

The inception of Kathmandu dates back to the ancient times and is older than 185 A.D.

The metropolis got its name from a temple known as Kasthamandap built in 1596 at the Durbar Square.As per legends and the contents of the Swayambhu Purana, Kathmandu was once a huge, deep lake filled with snakes and was called ‘Nagdaha’.

Bodhisathwa Manjusri traveled to Nepal from the west and cut the rim of the valley with his sword to release the water from it, resulting in the formation of the ‘Kathmandu’ we know today.

Going forward, the city of Kathmandu experienced two golden ancient eras Licchavi & Malla before touching the modern era which includes the Early Shah and Rana rules.

During the Licchavi period, Kathmandu witnessed the establishment of the most ancient sacred sites for both Hinduism and Buddhism.

Kathmandu is the center of Nepal’s history, art, culture & economy hosting people from different ethnicities with a majority of Hindus and Buddhists. As the largest metropolitan in Nepal, Kathmandu city has a population of over 5 million and is made up of Lalitpur, Kirtipur, Madhyapur, Thimi, Bhaktapur, and a cluster of municipalities across the valley.

Kathmandu is part of Nepal Province 3 and also has international recognition as the SAARC headquarters since 1985.

Kathmandu experiences a mix of two temperature zones: Warm and Cool  Temperate Zones which differs across the city. The metropolis generally has a climate with warm days followed by cool nights and mornings.

Tourism and Some Interesting Places

Nepal opened to the world in 1950 after its long isolation. Following this, air transport was started between Kathmandu and Raxaul in 1956 paving the way for tourism in the city.

Kathmandu is the gateway to Nepal’s Himalayan range and thus, serves as an important tourist destination. World’s renowned travel advisor Trip Advisor placed Kathmandu at ‘third’ among the top ten upcoming travel destinations in the world and first rank in Asia, in its 2013 ranking.

Kathmandu has some iconic sites and structures that draw innumerable tourists from around the world. Unfortunately, the 2015 earthquake shook Nepal and robbed Kathmandu of most of its remarkable heritage sites.

Here are some of the iconic places that add to the city’s charm:

Kumari Bahal:
Situated at the junction of Durbar and Basantapur squares, this three-storey structure was built by Jaya Prakash Malla in 1757. Styled like a Buddhist Vihara, the building has courtyard and a small stupa with symbols of Goddess Saraswati. This historic site houses the Kumari, a girl selected to be the country’s living goddess and a symbol of Devi.

Swayambhunath:

This Buddhist stupa is one of the classics of Kathmandu Valley’s architecture. The perfectly-proportioned Swayambhunath rises out of a white dome to from a glided steeple from where, four iconic faces of Buddha look at the entire valley in their respective directions.

Hanuman Dhoka:
Kathmandu’s royal palace or Hanuman Dhoka was also constructed during the Licchavi period. The palace is a masterpiece and still maintains a charming beauty even after witnessing the devastating effects of the April 2015 earthquake. The place is a fond remembrance of the epic Ramayana and has a Hanuman statue cloaked in red and covered by an umbrella.

Garden of Dreams:
Also known as Swapna Bagaicha, this splendid enclave takes you to a different place in your mind. Built by Field Marshal Kaiser Shamsher in 1920, the Garden of Dreams was made after taking inspiration from several estates in England. It is characterized by innumerable gorgeous detailing, including a marble inscription from Omar Khan’s Rubaiyat and a quirky ‘hidden garden’ to the south.

Seto Machendranath:

Freak Street:
A famous street in Kathmandu, Freak Street earned its name due to a large number of hippies who lived here during the 1960s and 70s. The main attraction of this street was its government-run hashish shops.

Asan Tole:

Thamel Chowk: 

Thamel in Kathmandu is known as the Shopping Mecca in Nepal. It has a plenty of bookstores, outdoor outfitters, banks and shops selling glass pipes, Tibetan Singing bowls, incense, prayer flags, kukri swords and innumerable eaeries.

Top 13 Specialties about Kathmandu

1. People in Kathmandu greet each other with a handshake. They touch their palms and bow saying ‘Namaste’, which means ‘I salute the God in you’
2. Once upon a time, Kathmandu was known as ‘Kantipur’, which means the ‘City of Glory’. The name was inspired by the many monasteries and temples in the city
3. Kathmandu is the gateway to the Himalayas. Landing in Kathmandu increases your access to explore the rest of the country.
4. In ancient times, Kathmandu Valley was a huge lake filled with floating lotuses.
5. Kathmandu Valley is home to the Newari community of Nepal, which is considered as the direct descendant of the ethnic and racial groups who resided for two millenniums in the valley
6. Kathmandu Valley was honored as the ‘World Heritage Site’ by UNESCO in 1979. Prior to the 2015 earthquake, Kathmandu Valley had 130 important monuments and pilgrimage sites.
7. Kathmandu was a part of the link that connected India and Tibet. This gave birth to a mix of artists, architecture and traditions in Kathmandu leading to the creation of some masterpieces
8. Owing to its scenic beauty, Kathmandu is chosen as the backdrop for many movies and TV series.
9. There are three Durbar Squares in Kathmandu Valley: Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Patan Durbar Square, all of which are interestingly UNESCO’s ‘World Heritage Sites’.
10. In 1975, Bob Seger wanted to escape the world of record business and media and so he wrote a song called Kathmandu. This song represented Kathmandu’s mystic nature- “a land so far away that no one will be able to find you”.
11. Due to its 4593 M-elevation above sea level, Kathmandu stands 17^th in the world ranking for ‘capitals with highest altitude’
12. Kathmandu is sister-city to Mumbai Miami, Johannesburg, Edinburgh and many more, owing to its socio-economic relationship with these cities
13. Nepal’s oldest modern school Durbar High School and the oldest college Tri Chandra College are from Kathmandu

Kathmandu in News

• India-Nepal Bilateral Talks: Kathmandu city hosted the recent Sixth India-Nepal Oversight Mechanism Meet, which discussed the issues of all pending bilateral projects and looked at solutions to overcome them.
• Urbanization Concerns in Kathmandu: Rapid urbanization is shifting attention to concerns over building constructions in accordance with compliance, the disappearance of chowks promoting social interaction, improper road construction and more in this city.
• Raxaul-Kathmandu Rail Project: Nepal and India decided to sign an agreement to conduct initial engineering and traffic survey for the Raxaul-Kathmandu railway line. The two neighboring countries had come to make the decision during Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Oli Sharma’s visit to India, recently.
• 4^th BIMSTEC Summit: Nepal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that the 4^th BIMSTEC summit will be held in Kathmandu on August 30, 2018. “It is an important regional gathering in Kathmandu after the promulgation of the new Nepalese Constitution and formation of the new government in the Himalayan nation. The government attaches high importance to the summit, for which we have formed several committees,” says Nepal Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali
• Yogi Adityanath Flags Off Air Services: Ending June 2018, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi flagged off air service between Varanasi and Kathmandu from Lal Bahadur International Airport at Babatpur. Nepal airlines operator Buddha Air Pvt. Ltd. will be operating flights between the two cities.
• 5th Kathmandu Post Edu Con: Kathmandu city hosted the fifth edition of the most prestigious education fair ‘The Kathmandu Post Edu Con’ on July 7, 2018. Over 100 Nepali and international academic institutions exhibited their programs and courses at the event. Students also received career guidance during the fair.
• Malaysia Education Fair 2018: Kathmandu city hosted the two-day Malaysia Education Fair between July 20-21, 2018. During the event, experienced Malaysian career counsellors and representatives provided career counselling to students and parents
• 13^th South Asian Games: Kathmandu along with Pokhara has been chosen as the venue for the 13^th South Asian Games. Cricket will be added to the list of games in this tournament that will be played at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu.
• 12^th Mega Education Fair: The Education Consultancies’ Association of Nepal (ECAN) organized the 12^th Mega Education Fair from July 19-22, 2018. ECAN President Bishnuhari Pandey told media that the fair was being organized for provisioning information and advice regarding pursuing education abroad. The fair had over 100 stalls that provided visitors with education policies of various countries.
• 9^th EPG Meeting On India-Nepal Relations: The most prestigious meeting Eminent Persons Group was held in Kathmandu on June 30, 2018. This meeting discussed India-Nepal bilateral issues including the 1950 Peace & Friendship Treaty and other issues related to trade, transit and border during the two-day meeting. The EPG is a collaboration of experts and intellectuals from both countries.

Despite the challenging the earthquake that rocked its very foundations, Kathmandu manages to attract tourists with remnants of its heritage and a sense of warmth that will always linger in their hearts.

The capital city of Nepal with all its grandeur and activity will always surprise its visitors while also keeping them in touch with nature.

Read Also:

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• Nepal, The Perfect Tourism Destination
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• Nepal’s Lumbini Among ‘Best in Asia 2018’
• Birgunj – Trade Gateway to Nepal
• Places to Visit in Ilam, Nepal

The post Kathmandu: Nepal’s City of Glory! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

According to the Nepal Martial Self-Defense Association (NMSDA) Central Chair DB Ranapal from Morocco, the martial arts tournament saw Nepali martial arts team members Arjun Rokka of Solukhumbu and Sanju Maharjan bagging two gold and silver medals each.

The championship was organized by the Martial Self-Defense International Association Portugal in Morocco.

The seven-member Nepali team includes Ranapal and first Vice-Chair Nutan Shrestha, among others.

Taekwondo On the Other Side

Meanwhile, the Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) also won the recently-held eighth Korean Ambassador Open National Taekwondo Tournament.

The Taekwondo championship held at the Nepal Taekwondo Academy, Lalitpur saw TAC winning nine gold, four silver and 12 bronze medals.

While a total of five gold, two silver and six bronze medals were registered under the men’s category, the women’s category saw four gold, two silver and six bronze winners.

Nepal Police Club made it to the second position in the tournament bagging three gold and a silver medal in men’s category, and three gold, a silver and two bronze medals in the women’s category.  

Nepal Taekwondo Association Vice-presidents Bhoj Bahadur Shah and Nandu Rai, and the National Sports Council Vice-president Lama Tendi Sherpa were present at the award ceremony.

This Taekwondo championship was jointly organized by the Nepal Taekwondo Association and South Korean Embassy in Nepal.

The post Global to Local, Nepal Continues Successful Sports Journey appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

The 11^th edition of the biennial documentary film festival ‘Film Southasia’ is scheduled to be held from November 2, 2017 at Lalitpur. The four-day FSA’17 event, with the theme ‘Documentary Bears Witness’, will showcase 63 documentaries from the eight SAARC countries, and Myanmar.

The festival, in its 20th year of existence, will screen 45 films in the competitive section which will vie for the Ram Bahadur Trophy for the Best Film with a prize money of USD 2000.

Entries from Nepal

The six films from Nepal in the competitive category are ‘Even When I Fall’ by Sky Neal & Kate McLarnon (2017), ‘Satisal In Inferno’ by Pranay Limbu & Damber Krishna Shrestha (2017), ‘Daughters of the Curved Moon’ by Miranda Morton Yap & Sophie Dia Pegrum (2016), ‘Hospital’ by Kesang Tseten (2016), ‘Save Gangamaya’ by Gopal Shivakoti (2016) and Trembling Mountain by Kesang Tseten (2016).

Foreign Films

Some of the foreign films competing for the honors include ‘A Delicate Weave’ by Anjali Monteiro & KP Jayasankar (India, 2017), ‘A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness’ by Sharmeen Obain Chinoy (Pakistan, 2015), ‘Afghanistan Night Stories’ by Alka Sadat (Afghanistan, 2016), ‘Burma Storybook’ by Petr Lom & Corinne van Egeraat (Myanmar, 2017), ‘Demons in Paradise’ by Jude Ratnam (Sri Lanka, 2017) and ‘Workers Voice’s by Chaumtoli Huq & Mohammad Romel (Bangladesh, 2015).

Other Categories

‘Split Ends’ by Rajan Kathet of Nepal would be one of the six Student Films at FSA’17 competing for the Best Student Film award of USD 500. Some of the other awards at the fest are the UNICEF award for the Best Film on Children’s issues and the Tareq Masud award for Best Debut Film.

The remaining 12 films will be screened in the special non-competitive section, ‘Documentaries of Dissent’.

In a press release, the festival organizers said, “FSA’17 brings to Nepal the finest documentaries on South Asian subjects produced over the previous two years in a bid to inform, entertain and help promote transformative thinking. The festival also hopes to bring in filmmakers from all over the region and the globe to discuss non-fiction film and promote interaction and mutual understanding in order to strengthen the craft of documentary filmmaking in the region.”

The award winners of FSA’17 will be announced during the concluding day of the festival on November 5.

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