Yes, we’re talking about none other than Manisha Koirala!

The natural beauty with fierce talent made straight headway into Indian cinema, hardly touched by the fears and challenges of a newcomer in an ever-changing industry! But somewhere down more than 80 films in the industry with a hectic schedule of a dozen films a year and 18-hours a day, the heartthrob of Nepal and the rising star of India fell prey to last-stage ovarian cancer in 2012.

The deadly disease was only a deathblow after a series of unsuccessful films, romances and a failed marriage and addiction to alcoholism.

Today, when we read Koirala’s life in her book-themed ‘Healed’, we are more than compelled to take inspiration from her life.

Koirala’s Early Life: An Excerpt from ‘Healed’

From a very young age, Koirala was recognized as a headstrong girl with a passion for details and a love for nature. She was raised with her grandma Sushila Ama’s loving care.

Photo courtesy – Manisha Koirala’s Twitter account

Manisha Koirala was molded by the Koirala household’s egalitarian approach to life.

Reaching out to those in need was planted from a very small age into her tender mind. The quality stayed with her and continued to be utilized to lend a helping hand to those in need including cancer patients and women’s health and wellbeing as a goodwill ambassador for UN Population Fund.

And now she uses Healed to employ her life’s lessons and experiences to benefit the public at large.

“Now that I am healed, I wish to help others,” said Koirala ahead of the Nepal Literature Festival on December 22, 2018 where her parents unveiled her book.

Manisha’s Battle Against Cancer

The Nepali lass was among the very few who have won their battle against last-stage ovarian cancer. Her triumph is reflected in her six-year cancer-free life which includes a relaxed and prayerful regimen of meditation, pranayama, yoga, a vegetarian diet and of course a renewed life of mindfulness.

She also returned to her second home Bollywood after a long five-year break! We will never forget how she gracefully depicted the erstwhile actress Nargis Dutt in the movie Sanju.

Now, she is focused on fewer yet meaningful films.

Manisha says she is lucky to have the unconditional support of family, friends and the resources & connections that helped her win cancer.

Talking about Cancer and Nepal’s experience in dealing with it, Koirala says that she wants the government to work more on its prevention by regularly checking toxic contamination of air, water & food, promote healthier lifestyles and provide world class cost-effective treatment for cancer patients.

And the rest she leaves to individuals with the message “Cancer is not a death sentence, so one should not lose hope.”

From the Pages of “Healed”

Healed is a co-contribution of also Neelam Kumar (another person who won his battle against cancer) who, in a detailed manner, depicts Manisha’s roller-coaster struggle against the illness.

As the reader unfolds each page, he/she will travel with the legendary actress on the highs and lows of her emotions as she comes to know about her diagnosis in Kathmandu, the confirmation in Mumbai and the final verdict and tumultuous treatment in New York, followed by a slow and uphill recovery from cancer!

Manisha’s journey also reveals her encounters with fear, panic, pain and her visits between hope and hopelessness.

About “Healed”

Healed gives readers an insight into Koirala’s journey of self-discovery, where she truthfully and minutely analyses her own life, decisions, toxic relationships, and mistakes.

It runs through the fine details of events and people that shaped her and helped overcome the grave illness.

The engaging narrative takes us through the memory lane of an ordinary human being turned actress, trapped in a glamorous personality.

Nothing is hidden, it’s all out there even the most painful experiences— her post-surgery abdomen, the moment she spends letting out agonizing cries in the shower and the experience of the first chemo session that felt like wild wolves with their sharp fangs tearing at each vein in her body.

Amid an honest narrative, stands pictures of the actress during her cancer phase – her post-chemo self, sans hair, eyebrows or eyelashes.

The progressive story doesn’t forget to connect the present with the past. Every experience is a reflection from the past and is a detailed composition of sights, sounds and smells in Manisha’s world.

A world painted with the sea, sunlight, birds, flowers, forests, mountains and the scent of sacred incense.

Readers will be surprised to find mentions of even what Manisha’s doctors wear when she visited them at Kathmandu, Mumbai or New York.

Life is a basket of all those little experiences we weave into one main story! Well, Healed will make readers want to keep on turning pages to live Manisha’s little experiences whether it is the magic mala, the Maori healers, the Cherokee parable, a trapped butterfly or references to words of wisdom and spiritualism, the mantras and even quantum physics that helped her in the path to recovery.

We as readers learn about and watch Manisha transform from a ‘weak tree’ to a ‘deep-rooted banyan’ in her book based off self-discovery.

The book not only provides a glimpse into Manisha’s life but offers readers abundant trips and tricks that she shares about self-healing including visualizations, affirmations and talking to the body or the auto-suggestion of repeating I’m cured, I’m strong, I’m healthy, I’m fine.

Note to Readers

At the end of it all, Manisha admits that cancer came into her life as a ‘gift’ that left behind many valuable lessons, similar to a flooded river that leaves behind large deposits of silt. And she’s more than happy to share these lessons with her readers, especially female readers.

Manisha reflects on her life choices & habits and tells her readers to pay attention to their inner compass, embrace life and live in the moment just as she does!

So what are you waiting for? Aren’t you intrigued to know more in detail about all these events? We all have a Manisha in us, tender, naïve, flawed, tired, tried yet undefeated by life!

We all have the spark that keeps us going strong and undeterred even in some of the difficult moments of life. This is very much reflected in our very own sister, friend, and daughter Manisha Koirala!

The post Manisha Koirala’s Healed: The Story of a Fallen Soldier yet an Unconquered Warrior appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Taking ahead this spirit, a local organizer called ‘Bookworm Foundation’ organized the Nepal Literature Festival 2019 in Pokhara on December 25, 2018.

The seventh edition of IME Nepal Literature Festival is bringing together experts from diverse fields such as sociologists, litterateurs, writers, artists, and politicians.

The festival organized on the lakeside of the Pokhara’s Fewa Lake has wide variety of publications of different categories, creative paintings for all ages, among others on public display.

Manisha Koirala’s ‘Healing: How Cancer gave me a new life’, Chetan Bhagat’s ‘The Girl in Room 105’, an English novel titled ‘Confession of a Thug’ by an English writer Philip Meadows Taylor, were among hundreds of books of different languages displayed at the event.

British Council’s painting with ‘Creating Heroines’ written on it, surrounded by different styles of artistic representations of people, was one of the key highlights of the event.

Manisha Koirala, acid-attack victim Sima Basnet, renowned Kathmandu-based Buddhist nun Ani Choying Dolma, were among others present at the event.

On the occasion, Sima Basnet shared her story with the audience and also shared some inspiring words on struggle in life.

Controversy Around
Art and literature on one side, the Literature festival also drew some criticism because of some anti-legal practices by its organizers.

The event organizers have reportedly chopped down branches of the trees around the Phewa(or)Fewa Lake stating that ‘trees were affecting the look and feel of the program’.

“They said the branches were obstructing the scenery and cut them down without permission,” says Jagat Bahadur Pahari, Ward-6 chairman of Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City.

The organizers have cut down a total of 24 trees, following which the civil society members filed a complaint stating, ‘they have degraded the Lake’s beauty’. Eventually, the organisers were fined
Rs 10,000 for doing so

The post Nepal Literature Festival 2019 Concludes appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Various popular personalities are part of the expedition team that drive 10 fire engines from across the Himalayas to Kathmandu and finally donate them to the local fire department.

While the former US Ambassador to Nepal Scott DeLisi and the legendary mountaineer and TV personality Russell Brice form the lead team, various other personalities form the volunteer team.

National stars such as Manisha Koirala, Rajesh Hamal and Sunil Thapa, and the internationally-acclaimed actors including Michael Imperioli and Malcolm McDowell are among the key film celebrities.

Music star Chris Adler from Lamb of God, Nuno Bettencourt from the Extreme rock band and the renowned mountaineer Reinhold Messner are among other famous personalities that are part of the drive from Birgunj to Kathmandu.

Besides the intense social media promotion on a global scale, the event will also be filmed as a 90-minute feature film along with a one-hour special video program in US’ PBS.

The event will also feature the handmade travel accessories and luxury fashion items made by the young Nepali women who suffered the risk of human trafficking.

The event supporters also have various takeaways such as an exclusive access to the documentary film, an official expedition mug, and high-end items such as unique travel wallets, official expedition watch and hand-woven cashmere hats, say the organizers.

The events are aimed to inspiring people to visit Nepal, reads a statement.

According to the organizers, the publicity of this event would also offer a needed boost to the Nepali tourism industry.

Through the campaign, the organizers aim at raising a USD 200,000 fund to ship fire trucks and also support the expedition, while also making a promotional feature-length documentary covering the entire expedition program.

The post International Celebrities Join Nepal For a Crowdfunding Campaign appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

As part of her visit, Koirala distributed various relief materials to the flood victims on behalf of UNFPA.

Post the visit, Koirala took part in a press meet organized by UNFPA in the district headquarters Gaur, where she urged the Government of Nepal to undertake rehabilitation measures for the displaced families at the earliest.

“Our organization is ready to extend all possible support to relieve flood victims from their present woes,” said Koirala.

UNFPA Country Director Julia Valisci expressed UNFPA’s readiness to work in coordination with the Government of Nepal.

Regional Director Narendra Mishra said they are committed to provide necessary relief measures to the women victims.

CPN-MC Donates Rs 3.5 Million to Flood Victims

CPN Maoist Centre’s lawmakers yesterday donated their one-month salaries to the PM Disaster Relief Fund in support to the victims of floods and landslides.

According to Party Chief Whip Rekha Sharma, Party Chair and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal handed over a sum of Rs 3.5 million to the Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba yesterday.

Crops Worth Rs 300 Million Destroyed in Saptari

Meanwhile, the Saptari District Agriculture Development Office in its recent survey informed that the floods have inundated at least 15 acres of arable land and 20 acres of paddy field in Saptari District.

According to Senior Officer at the District Agriculture Development Office Bhagirath Yadav, floods damaged paddy and vegetable crops worth Rs 250 million and fish ponds worth Rs 50 million, thus resulting in Rs 300 million worth loss.

The post #NepalFloods2017: UNFPA Ready for Possible Support, Says Manisha Koirala appeared first on Nepali Sansar.