The exhibition titled ‘Art for SDGs: the Mithila Heritage’ was held at the United Nations headquarters in New York. #NepalinNY

Speaking on the occasion, Nepal’s UN Representative Amrit Bahadur Rai highlighted the significance of Mithila Art in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its relevance to the current era.

The art exhibition aims to highlight the richness of Mithila Art and its role in implementing SDGs.

In his address, Mayor of Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City Lal Kishor Sah added that the Mithila art paintings “demonstrate not only our commitment but also our community’s cultural base for the promotion and realization” of UN SDGs.

Women artists of Janakpur Women’s Development Center and a New York-based artist Ajit Kumar Sah created the collection exhibited at the event. The paintings depict 17 SDGs in Mithila art themes of love, beauty, nature and harmony.

The event saw the participation of New York-based diplomats along with NY-based Nepali community representatives.

The paintings will be on display until April 12, 2019, informed a press release by the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN in New York.

Also Read:-

• Nepal Contemporary Art to Spell-Bind International Art Lovers

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Continuing the tradition and promoting the art, the Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal in coordination with the government bodies is organizing the 13^th Handicraft Trade Fair & 14^th Handicraft Competitions at Bhrikutimandap on November 14, 2018.

This fair, also supported by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Supply and Trade & Export Promotion Centre, aims to develop and promote the domestic handicraft market.

With ‘Handicraft: Prospects for Prosperity’ as the slogan, the organizers are keen on developing this trade fair as a business hub for handicraft among SAARC regions.

The fair will feature around 200 stalls in the exhibition including those from the district association and commodity association, FHAN informed in a press release.

Besides, there will also be 20 stalls for international handicraft traders from SAARC countries: India, China, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Competitions, Presentations, Announcements…

The 13^th trade fair will have on display a wide varieties of wood & metal crafts, gold & silver jewellery, woollen, cotton & Dhaka products, natural fibre & bamboo, among various other handicraft products.

As part of the trade fair, FHAN will showcase handicraft products made by locals belonging to more than 45 FHAN-affiliated districts, entrepreneurs of goods association and small cottage entrepreneurs.

Besides the trade fair, the organizers are also presenting the 14^th handicraft competition with the core objective of recognizing and felicitating talented artists. Wax statue and Dhaka stitching are going to be conducted under handicraft competition in the fair.

Alongside programs, the fair will also feature discussion programmes on contemporary issues pertaining to the handicraft sector.      

As part of the fair, various companies are going to announce their product line-up for the 2019-20 period. Various other interesting aspects such as variety of food dishes and costumes from different cultures and communities form the highlights of the trade fair.

To be inaugurated by President Bidya Devi Bhandari, the trade fair will also see the announcement of Lalitpur Metropolitan as the ‘Craft City’ at the inaugural event.

Sector with High Scope

Handicraft sector means a lot for Nepal majorly because of its ability to contribute to the Nepali export basket.

The domestic market holds handicraft demand worth NPR 10 billion, which is also similar to what country exports to world nations as handicraft exports. As of now, Nepali handicraft products exports cater to the requirements of more than 25 global markets including USA, Europe, China and India.

More than 1.1 million population are getting direct and indirect employment from the handicrafts industry, which is also a key contributor to eliminating poverty in Nepal.   

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You do not have to think much because life’s most beautiful lies in the daily, ordinary and in the simplest of things that exist around us and so is the case with Nepal!

Nepal finds pride in its rich heritage and culture brought down through years which is represented through art and every piece of handicraft it creates.

Nepali market streets present a wide variety of handicrafts that speak volumes of Nepali artisans’ craftsmanship, thus attracting tourists, art enthusiasts and people who’d love to adorn their homes with these handicrafts. With a wide range of specialization using different elements, Nepalese handicrafts are sure to catch your eyes.

With allo products, dhaka, pashmina, paubha, silver jewelry, wood carving, metal utensil, paper, macrame’ metal statues, and many more Nepal’s arts caters to the interests of a diverse population.

Allo

In a world that buys what it gets and has hardly any time to keep up with traditional old times and at the least, stay connected with nature. Nepal makes it a reality as evident in its wide range of eco-friendly products such as fiber-made Allo. Found in the forests of Nepal, the Allo or Sisnu grows at an altitude of 1200 to 3000m. The fibres of this plant are spun to produce jackets, porter’s headbands or straps, fishing nets, ropes, bags, sacks, mats and blankets in the remote villages, especially in Kulung Rai of Nepal. These items are marketed in Kathmandu and are also exported to countries like USA and Japan.

Dhaka

Originated in Bengal, the art of Dhaka weaving is actively practised in the Palpa region of Kathmandu and in Tehrathum, in the eastern hills of the Himalayas. Since many years, Dhaka craftsmen from the eastern and western development regions from Nepal weave pure cotton with specifically created wooden handloom to produce a vibrant variety of saris, shirts, shawls, handkerchiefs and more.

Dhaka clothing is outlined by geometrical print and vibrant coloring. Men from the Chhetri community mostly wear clothing with Dhaka print (Daura Surwal) on their wedding day. The usage of Dhaka has become very significant in recent times, for example, the Dhaka caps or topis are worn for religious ceremonies with regards to births and deaths. The traditional Dhaka Daura Surwal is also donned by the Newars while performing funeral rites.

Pashmina

So, what is Pashmina? Now, we’ve heard this word in a song, in poetry and in some literature too. Well, Pashmina is the fur of the Himalayan goats known as Chyangras. Nepal is famous for Chyangra Pashmina manufacturing and is recognized and registered among the 47 countries with a Trade Mark of Pashminas of Nepal. As per 2000-2001 statistics, Pashmina contributed to 18.4% of the total overseas exports.

Paubha 

Kathmandu is known as the land of temples and is home to one of the most talented artisans and craftsmen of Nepal.

The natives of Kathmandu, the Newars have strong religious beliefs which are reflected in their paintings called Paubha/Thangka. Paubha is a painting done on cloth using paint that includes gold, lapis-lazuly or mercury-oxide.

The entire history and the lives of deities are depicted on this piece of cloth. This tradition dates to 1365 AD when the Vasudhara Mandala was first discovered.

Silver Jewelry

The art of silver jewelry making in Nepal dates to the 6 ^th century. Skilled silversmiths from the Shakya, Bajracharya and Sunar families have maintained the art of creating silver jewelry in Nepal. Patan or Lalitpur is among the three historical cities of the Kathmandu valley that have one of the most reputed and fine silversmiths in Nepal. These artisans keep up with changing trends by creating silver jewelry with westernized designs. Nepali silver jewelry is of high demand in the West and has contributed to about 13.25% of Nepali handicraft exports last year.

Wood Carving

Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur are home to the specialists of wood carvings. The Newars, a multi-talented people, have been following the practice since the 12th century. The range of woodwork done by the craftsmen include wooden statues, doors, sculptures and other artistic crafts. The historical carvings in the Kathmandu valley are a visual treat.

Metal Utensil

Nepali holds an expertise in metal crafting. The crafts are produced totally by hand with traditional technologies like hand hammering and hand casting. These metal crafts are produced by household units clustered around the city of Lalitpur (Patan). The art of metal crafts includes statues of popular motifs of Hinduism and Buddhism and utensils for regular use. The metal statues of Nepal are very popular among other metal crafts.

Long Live Traditional Art!

Most of the handicraft practices in Nepal have been passed on from generations to generations. But the younger generations are beginning to shift their focus to other kinds of jobs to sustain family life.

Also, to keep up with the changing trends and bring in innovation, Nepal has put its footsteps into contemporary art and handicraft. Some of its modern art include floor covering, modern painting, patina products, felt crafts, puzzle toys, macramé leather handbags and more.

The Nepali handicrafts industry not only practices and preserves age-old tradition and culture in the country but also is a driving force in eliminating poverty by creating innumerable job opportunities, especially for women. Production associations and groups like the Shree Mahila Utthan Pashmina Udhyog in Kathmandu have a group of about 30 employees out of which 50% are women.

At present, Nepal’s handicrafts are among the largest exported items of the country and more than 20 handicraft products are being exported to about 85 countries across the world.

The largest being the USA which has a hold on about 25% of the handicrafts totally exported. Other major countries include Britain, India, Canada, Germany, Japan, Italy, France, Australia, Netherlands, and China. This creative industry is home to about 916,852 citizens of the country, with the country’s capital Kathmandu, recording an employment rate of 89,548 in this sector. With the rise in the sale of handicrafts being sold online these days, the purchase of Nepali handicrafts is seeing a high.

Long live Nepali handicrafts, keep treating your creative eye with some beautifully-crafted pieces of art!

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Be it in terms of political transformation, participation at global-level events, victories at international-level competitions, 2017 has really been a game changer year for Nepal.

Now, let’s take a closer look at Nepal’s developments and major happenings in 2074 that contributed to the country’s overall progress:

Politics

Politics is one area that Nepal has received a major global traction from in the year 2074.

The country saw its long-awaited political transformation during the year through key local body and provincial and parliamentary elections.

The three-tier local body elections on May 14, June 28 and September 19 and the two-phase most important general elections for provincial and parliamentary seats on November 26 and December 7 brought in various landmark changes in the country’s political scenario.

Local body polls, considered as a first step towards long-awaited political change, was the first such election held in Nepal in the last 20 years. This election witnessed an active participation from all sections of Nepali society including women, youth and elderly, registering a record voter turnout and getting a due response for Nepal from the world governments.

Then, the provincial and parliamentary elections held in two phases really shook the country’s political landscape shifting the power from the then ruling Nepali Congress into the hands of the Communist Alliance (CPM and CPN-UML).

While the first phase of the election was held across 37 constituencies of the House of Representatives and 74 provincial assembly constituencies, the second phase covered a total of 45 districts of the Terai and hill areas for electing a total of 128 seats for the House of Representatives and 256 provincial assembly seats.

Finally, Nepal now has the Communist government led by the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Also Read
Oli is Back Again As 41st Nepal PM
Local Polls 2017: An All-round Applause for Nepal
Nepal General Elections 2017: Successful Participation of Citizens, Parties and Voters Observed

Bilateral Ties

Bilateral ties is one key aspect that matters a lot for any country when it comes to dealing with external relations.

Nepal has made many major moves in this regard in 2017, which strengthened the country’s global position in terms of diplomatic ties.

With regard to fresh establishment, Nepal signed diplomatic ties with the State of Eritrea, Uzbekistan, Benin, Uganda, Bahamas, among other countries.

Besides, the country has also gone a step forward in taking ahead the ties with its existing partners.

In 2017, Nepal celebrated decades of its friendship with many countries like US, India, Sri Lanka, among others. Some of the major developments in this regard include:

• Nepal and India celebrated 70 years of friendship in 2017 amid grand celebrations at the Indian Cultural Centre, Embassy of India in Kathmandu on February 10, 2018…Read More
• Nepal and US also completed 70 years of their friendship on December 13, 2017, pledging for strong economic cooperation and enhancement of trade cooperation between the two countries…Read More
• Nepal has also completed 60 years of its friendship with Sri Lanka on December 19, 2017, wherein, both the countries increased collaboration across regional and multilateral platforms…Read More
• The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (AFEC) have also signed a MoU on October 31, 2017 for increased trade and business cooperation between the two nations…Read More
• Nepal and Brazil have also formed the six-member Brazil-Nepal Parliamentary Group on November 29, 2017 for enhancing the diplomatic ties between the two countries…Read More
• The Government of Nepal has also signed an agreement for the formation of a bilateral consultation mechanism with the Government of Morocco…Read More
• Nepal and Pakistan have also discussed strong SAARC and regional cooperation on March 05, 2018…Read More
• Nepal and Zambia have also discussed cooperation for investment in various sectors in a meeting held on February 09, 2018…Read More

Overall, 2074 has been a successful year for Nepal with regard to strengthening its global position through external relations.

Economy

Nepali economy saw a positive trend in 2074 as evident in the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s assessment report that called Nepal as the third fastest-growing economy in the world.

By economic growth projection of 7.5 percent, Nepal ranked third after Ethiopia (8.3 percent) and Uzbekistan (7.6 percent) for the year.

In its another report- Inclusive Development Index (IDI) 2018 in South Asia, WEF positioned Nepal at the top of the list of South Asian countries in terms of inclusive development. Globally, Nepal stood at the 22^nd position among 74 countries in the survey that analyzed 103 economies by growth and development, inclusion, and inter-generational equity.

With a 4.15 score, Nepal was also featured between slowly-advancing and rapidly-advancing nations in the emerging economies category.

With hope on increasing revenues, the Government of Nepal also has big budget plans for the
FY 2018-19, i.e. at around Rs 1,570 billion.

The Ministry of Revenue, Nepal expects a 30 percent rise in revenue collection in the FY 2018-19 at around Rs 950 billion, which is Rs 220 billion above the current fiscal target. The government is also planning to boost revenue generation through domestic debt to Rs 153 billion.

Besides, the government is also expecting an additional Rs 286 billion in foreign investment.

Entertainment

Entertainment is another interest aspect that brought global attention to Nepal in 2074.

In 2074, Nepali movies performed well at the global-level film festivals and the country has also hosted many film festival events. Some of the related major happenings that drew wide public attention include:

• Nepal-America International Film Festival 2017 for connecting Nepali and American films
• Newari Film Festivalfor the promotion of Newari films
• Nepal Africa Film Festival 2017 featuring films of various languages
• Film Southasia 2017, a festival of South Asian documentaries
• Nepali Indigenous Film Festival in New York
• National Film Development Board (NFDB) Special Film Awards, to name a few.

2074 majorly saw Nepali Director Deepak Rauniyar being featured as one among ‘The 9 New Directors You Need to Watch’ for his films- Highway and White Sun.

Sports

Nepal has always been active in sports and is also unique for Dandi Biyo, the country’s traditional sport and national sport until 2017, a significant period for Nepali sports.

It was in 2017 that the then Government of Nepal took a historic decision of officially declaring Volleyball as Nepal’s national sport replacing the traditional Dandi Biyo.

Though the discussions over volleyball as national sport began long back, the official declaration was made on May 23, 2017.

A major milestone for Nepali sports in 2017 was seen in the form of cricket, wherein, the Nepali teams proved their dashing performance at various international-level cricket tournaments.

Nepali cricket teams (U-19, U-16 and national cricket team) left their special mark at various international-level cricket tournaments.

Some of the key international-level sports events where Nepal made its mark include:

• ACC U16 Cricket Eastern Region Championship – Champion
• ACC U-19 Youth Asia Cup 2017– Moved to semi-finals
• ACPL T20 Trophy – Champion, to name a few
• World Martial Peace Cup 2017 – Won two gold and three silver medals
• International Wheelchair Basketball Tournament – Bagged Men’s title
• World Powerlifting Championship– Bagged Silver and Bronze medals
• International Taekwondo Championship – Six Gold medals
• World Junior Judo Championship – First time participation

Nepal also entered into the world of T20 cricket in 2017. The country organized its first-ever Twenty20 cricket premier league called Everest Premier League (EPL) at the Tribhuvan University (TU) Stadium.

Continuing the success track, Nepali cricket crossed more key milestones in the start of 2018:

• For the first time in its history, Nepal secured ODI status on March 15, 2018 after a dashing win against Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier play-off match at the Old Hararians Sports Club in Zimbabwe.
• Secured its place in the 2019 cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament
• Sandeep Lamichhane became the country’s first Nepali cricketer in Indian Premier League (IPL) and Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 tournaments.
• Nepali Expatriate Football Team made it to semi-finals in the 6^th Asian Non-Resident Football Tournament

Overall, 2074 (2017) was a successful year for Nepal. Let’s hope for more bigger events in 2075.

Culture

As in every year, Nepal celebrated its annual cultural festivals on a grand scale in 2074 as well, in fact, on a bigger scale.

Nepal’s biggest festival season including festivals such as Dashain, Tihar and Chhath stood as the cultural highlight of the year among other unique Nepali festivals like Kanya Puja– The Festival of Young Girls, Gaijatra– The Festival of Cows, Indra Jatra– The Street Festival.

Other major culture-related highlights of Nepal that made headlines in in 2074 include:

• Nepal got its new living goddess
• Nepal Academy, a national center for promotion of Nepali language, literature, culture and philosophy,held its 32^nd Academic Assembly to formulate policies and regulations for the effective functioning of the organization for promotion of Nepali language and culture
• A group of 36 Nepalis embarked on a two-week-long journey touring India and Nepal towards promoting Indo-Nepal cultural tourism
• Nepal Music Festival – An event to promote Nepali music and culture

Besides, the Government of Nepal has also discussed strengthening of cultural exchanges and ties with foreign nations during various bilateral meetings during the year.

Tourism

Nepal has a special place for tourism as evident in the country’s status as one of the most-sought global tourism destinations.

Some of the key highlights pertaining to Nepali tourism in 2074 include:

• The Nepali Embassy in Sri Lanka organized Nepal Night, a tourism promotion program called ‘Nepal Night’ in Colombo on December 15, 2017 to promote Nepal tourism
• A week-long tourism promotion activity by the Nepal Sales Mission to Colombo (Sri Lanka) and Bangalore (India) during December 14-21, 2017
• World Travel Market (WTM) 2017, global tourism expo held at ExCel London, a London-based exhibition and international convention center, called Nepal as an ‘Exotic Holiday Gateway’
• 7-month long Annapurna Sanctuary Tourism Festival 2074 has been launched on October 11, 2017 with a total planned investment of Rs 15 million
• Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) laid special focus on domestic tourism as part of the country’s tourism season in 2017 (October-November)
• Religious tourism at Pashupati reported a rise during the 2003-17 period
• Nepal Tourism reached nearly 1 million tourist arrival target with 940,218 arrivals at the end of December 2017

Overall, tourism sector saw an upward trend in the current year and is hoping big for the future.

Events & Conferences

Nepal hosted and participated in a good number of international and national level events and conferences that brought a wide global attention to the country in 2074. Some of them include:

• International celebrities such as former US Ambassador to Nepal Scott DeLisi, the legendary mountaineer and TV personality Russell Brice, and national celebrities such as Manisha Koirala joined the Nepal Fire Expedition on November 2017
• Globally-renowned social welfare organization Street Child organized an International Marathon for Social Welfare on November 2017
• Non-Resident Nepalis (NRN) met for the 8^th General Assembly of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) International General Assembly and Global Conferenceon October 2017
• In a move promoting domestic tourism, Nepal’s most famous annual Elephant Festival 2017 was held in Chitwan on December 2017 with the participation of over 50 elephants
• Two international photo exhibitions namely, ‘Nepal through Australian volunteers’ lens’ and ‘International Photography Competition on Nepal’ were held marking the International Volunteer Day 2017 and to promote Nepal tourism, respectively
• National Women Rights Forum (NWRF) Nepal, ActionAid International and Asmita Women’s Publishing House jointly organized the National Women Conference 2017 in December 2017
• Towards encouraging women participation in local governance across South Asia, the All Nepal Women’s Association organized a two-day South Asian Women’s Conference in Kathmandu in August 2017
• UNSC debate on Women, Peace and Security in New York in October 2017
• Asian Junior Weightlifting Championship in July 2017
• Biggest Online Food Festival in December 2017
• 4-day Global Conference on Climate Change on climate change concerns in Hindu Kush mountain range
• Nepal Chamber Expo 2017 that made a Rs 50 million business
• Nepal raises its key concerns at the 72^nd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and also signs Nuclear Prohibition Treaty

Immigration

As a country with more number of expatriate population, Nepal holds high significance for immigration sector.

Here are some of Nepal’s major immigration updates in 2074:

• In a move supporting Nepali migrants in Jordan, the Governments of Nepal and Jordan agreed to form a joint technical committee to implement the Bilateral Labor Agreement (BLA), the pact that ensures protection Nepali migrant labor in Jordan
• Towards addressing health concerns of migrants, the Nepali Ministry of Health, UN Migration Agency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) discussed implementation of the National Migration Health Policy (NMHP) in October 2017
• US Government invited applications for the United States’ 2019 electronic Diversity Visa (DV) program from Nepali immigrants in October 2017
• The Government of Nepal, on September 11, 2017, decided to issue native passports to the Nepali children born in foreign nations
• United Nations’ first-ever study of a 10-year trend in migration and remittance flows over the 2007-2016 period named Nepal named as the top remittance-dependent nation; Remittances make up 32 percent of GDP
• Nepalese travelling to Japan for employment on rise, form the largest South Asian and the sixth largest foreign populace living in Japan
• Nepalese form the fastest growing community in Australia with an annual growth of around 27 percent
• Nepali Labor Ministry pitches for skill development among migrants at the 331^st governing board meeting of ILO in Geneva, in November 2017
• Nepal and Bahrain discussed labor cooperation at a bilateral meeting in Bahraini capital, Manama in December 2017

Besides, there is an increasing trend of more number of Nepali youth preferring foreign destinations for career opportunities. On the other hand, the Government of Nepal is also under plans to generate more opportunities, locally.

Technology

In the fast-growing digital world, technology is one key aspect for the development of any society.

Nepal is also majorly catching up this trend as evident in some of technology-driven initiatives in the country in 2074, which include:

• To ensure next-generation air traffic control at the airports, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) introduced an advanced radar system at Bhatte Danda of Lalitpur district to monitor Nepal’s Air Traffic Control (ATC)
• Digital Nepal: Nepal Goes Digital in TV Broadcasting
• A group of Nepali engineers introduced the country’s first-of-its-kind smart wheelchair to help physically challenged
• Nepal’s first electronic Intensive Care Unit (e-ICU) facility was inaugurated at the Vayodha Hospital
• Reputed banks express their willingness to play a vital role in revolutionizing Nepali eCommerce sector through new technology-driven digital platforms
• Nepal’s first IT Park in Banepa resurges after years of inactivity
• Ministry of Health announces technology-driven health apps, mHealth and eHealth, services to the public
• Nepal gets STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) laboratory in Kanjirowa National Secondary School at Koteshwor

Besides, these Nepal has been welcoming many technology giants and has also gone to a far extent in internet and mobile adoption, thus turning as a fast-emerging market for technology adoption.

The End Note

Overall, 2074 has really been a year of transformation for Nepal in all the aforementioned aspects adding to the country’s future progress. Hope the country would reach much greater heights in the years to come!

Also Read:
Nepal 2017 Highlights: Politics and Bilateral Relations
Nepal 2017 Highlights: Culture And Tourism Highlights
Nepal 2017 Highlights: Immigration and Other Major Updates
Nepal 2017 Highlights: Hydropower Potential Grows Three-fold with 16 New Projects

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In recognition of the contribution of theater and art, World Theater Day is celebrated on March 27 every year.

Commemorating the World Theater Day 2018, a wide variety of theater shows and events were conducted across the world on March 27, 2018.

Weeks before World Theater Day 2018, Nepal celebrated a ten-day-long theater residency comprising of writers and artists from six Asian countries including Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan during March 8-18, 2018.

Marking the significance of the theater among children, Nepal also hosted the World Day of Theater for Children, a campaign organized by ASSITEJ (International Association of Theater for Children and Young People) on March 20, 2018, under the slogan ‘Take a child to the theater, today’.

Nepal, in specific, holds a special place for the field of drama and theater as evident in the presence of many theater groups across the country.

Commemorating the World Theater Day 2018, let’s take a look at some of Nepal’s famous theater groups that are forming a base for the Nepali theater industry.

Nepali Theater for A Cause

Besides entertainment, the theater also has a special role as a medium of influencing masses.

Nepal has a good number of theater groups that are majorly focused on social justice, peace and harmony, and public welfare, besides art and entertainment.

While some choose closed theater auditoriums, some choose streets to demonstrate their plays.

Aarohan Theater Group, Sarwanam Theater Group, Mandala Theater Group and Achel Natya Samuha are some of the popular theater groups that need a mention when speaking about Nepali theater industry.

Each of the aforementioned groups has a strong intention behind them.

• Aarohan For Theater Revolution: Founded in 1982 by a group of theater workers including Sunil Pokhrel (popular as Theater Guru of Nepal), Aarohan is the first and foremost theater group operating in Kathmandu and other parts of the country. Formed with the objective of bringing a theater revolution in the country, Aarohan has delivered a good number of talented artists to the Nepali theater industry and moved on to create the country’s first theater school for aspiring theater actors. Aaorhan stood up for Nepali theater’s recognition on the global arena.
• Sarwanam For a Cause: This theater group was the part of its founder’s effort to fight against the Panchayati System of Government in the country using theater as medium. Founded in 1982 by Ashesh Malla, the group was known for its play Murdabad ma utheka hathharu (Hands raised in protest) performed by its founder at the Tribhuvan University Auditorium in Kathmandu. The play moved the theater directors and writers across the country. It has eventually grown to become country’s one of the popular theater groups because of its unique plays and has also formed the base of alternative theater including symbolic body movements and mime to portray plays on stage, unlike the conventional presentation style. The group has organized and played many shows in collaboration with renowned global organizations such as the UN, The Asia Foundation, WWF and Save the Children, among others.
• Mandala for Social Justice: Human rights, social justice and political awareness form the base for the formation of Mandala Theater Group started by a group of young and dedicated theater workers advocating public freedom and peace. Committed to the advancement of theater field, the theater covers plays on a wide variety of genres such as literature and also works for the safeguarding of indigenous theatrical forms that reflect Nepali society and culture.
• Achel Natya Samuha For Fair Society: Contributing to the development of a fair and free society is the key basis for the formation of the group. Through its plays, the groups have been actively producing presentations on various social issues and public concerns.
• Kartik Naach Conservation Committee: This committee is the resultant of efforts to protect Nepal’s traditional and famous dance called Kartik Naach, performed in the month of Kartik. Over the years, the committee has been working for the preservation of the 27-day longKartik Naach festival despite the weak governmental support and fund crunch. Training artistes for almost 3-4 months prior to the festival, the committee brings together hundreds of artists including musicians for performing the Kartik Naach.

Winning the Critics, Going Global

Contributing to the world of theater and drama, Nepal has been actively hosting and participating in various film and entertainment shows and conferences such as Film South Asia 2017, Nepal Africa Film Festival 2017, New York Nepali Film Festival, Newari Film Festival, Nepal-America International Film Festival 2017, among various others.

Nepali movies, plays, artists, directors and writers have earned wide recognition across the global platforms for their works.

Besides presenting and participating, Nepali artistes also have a special mark across the globally-renowned film institutes. Very recently, renowned Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Pune has selected 30 Nepali films for a three-year course.

Sponsored by the Government of India, the course has a total of Nepal’s leading artistes belonging to the theater and cinema including Sulakshyan Bharati, Pratik Dulal, Sabina Gopali, Malina Joshi Rohit (Rumba) Tamang, Samyam Puri, Parikshit Bickram Rana, among others.

Long Live Theater!

Despite the emergence of different presentation forms, the theater has always been special by itself, and in fact, formed the base for today’s most-sought film industry.

However, there are some instances where we observe theater art facing a fade-off due to lack of public and governmental support. For a country like Nepal that boasts of rich forms of traditional art and culture, theater means a lot in promoting the same. Let’s hope the theater gets its needed boost in Nepal like in many other countries and continues contributing to the Nepali society.

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In a major update for Nepali lovers, two important international photo exhibitions focused on Nepal are currently underway.

While one is called ‘Nepal through Australian volunteers’ lens’ organized to celebrate the International Volunteer Day 2017, the other is ‘International Photography Competition on Nepal’ that focuses on promoting Nepal tourism.

Nepal Through Australian Volunteers’ Lens

This photo exhibition, being held in Kathmandu at Lalitpur-based Nexus Culture, is showcasing the experiences of Australian volunteers deployed in Nepal under the Australian Government’s Australian Volunteers Program (AVP).

In his inaugural address, the Australian Ambassador to Nepal Peter Budd informed that the Government of Australia has mobilized 229 Australian volunteers to support Nepal in achieving its development goals.

The exhibition is being held during December 18-25, 2017.

AVP is a Nepal-Australia joint initiative under which AVP has deployed volunteers in Nepal supporting the latter’s developmental objectives.

International Photography Competition on Nepal

This is a first-of-its-kind photo exhibition event focused on promotion of Nepali tourism.

This six-day photography event, currently underway in China, is expecting a minimum of 600,000 tourists from across the world, and is being held to mark the first anniversary of the establishment of sisterly relations between Kathmandu Metropolis and Chengdu city.

The event has on display photos that promote tourism, tradition, art and culture of Nepal.

Inaugurating this international photo competition, the Nepali Ambassador to China Leelamani Paudyal said the photo exhibition would serve as a milestone for tourism promotion.

Nepal Tourism Board’s media expert Sharad Pradhan feels that the event would help Nepal in attracting more number of tourists.

The event is currently underway at the Chinese tourism hub called Wide Narrow Ale.

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The five-day event, held during November 17-21, 2017, witnessed a participation of around 108,000 visitors.

This fair organized by the Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN) featured 200 stalls, 10 pavilions and various handicrafts from around 25 districts of Nepal. The Poverty Alleviation Fund showcased 13 products of 10 districts.

In his address at the closing ceremony, FHAN President, Dharma Raj Shakya said, “Handicraft sector has played a vital role in economic development and has also provided employment opportunities to alleviate poverty.”

Stating that Nepal’s handicrafts exports over the first three months of the current fiscal year are on a positive trend, Dharma Raj informed that the country exported handicrafts worth around Rs 5 billion in the last fiscal year.

“The development of infrastructure, projects and programmes focused on export-oriented products can boost the economy and expand the handicraft business in every village,” he opined.

According to FHAN, the Nepali handicraft sector employs around 1.2 million people directly or indirectly.

FHAN has been organizing the Handicraft Trade Fair since 1991 with aim to promote traditional and contemporary Nepali art, culture and crafts.

The fair saw the participation of businessmen and traders from 25 Nepali districts.

Craft Competition for Youth

Alongside the handicrafts fair, the 13^th Craft Competition was also held with an objective to encourage and attract young people towards the handicrafts sector.

While a total of 41 candidates took part in the competition, three received cash rewards for their products exhibited at the fair.

Nepali handicraft products have huge demand in the national and international market. FHAN exports more than 50 different types of handicraft products to almost 80 countries.

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The event, being organized by Project Sarangi, will host live performances by over 90 musicians and bands such as Sakchyam, Miku and Panchamrit, among others. 

The show is primarily targeted at encouragement of young Nepali musicians passionate about and playing traditional folk instruments.

 “The event was organized to provide a platform for upcoming musicians dabbling in different forms of Nepali ethnic music and creating music out of traditional folk instruments,” says Kiran Nepali of Project Sarangi.

“We will have traditional percussion groups, Tungna players from the mountains and the youths who have been pursuing traditional-enriched instruments, for the event,” he adds.

Project Sarangi is a group of sarangi players that works for the preservation and promotion of the Sarangi art by crafting souvenirs and professional-grade instruments to encourage the craftsmanship alive.

The organization has also been conducting various special classes for Sarangi players across the Kathmandu Valley.

Through this concert, Project Sarangi intends to bring out budding musicians who have been in the Project’s three-month long workshop that was held from March-May 2017.

The concert starts has been scheduled to begin at 2 pm and lasts till 8 PM on November 04, 2017.

The post Nepali Folk: Jamarko To Promote Young Nepali Folk Musicians appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Leaving the Nepali art sector in pain, an internationally-acclaimed Nepali art historian Dina Bangdel passed away in the United States on Tuesday.

Complications that followed a sinusitis surgery she had undergone in the United States in March resulted in Dina’s demise.

Dina Bangdel (54), daughter of the renowned Nepali scholar and decorated artist Lain Singh Bangdel, followed her father’s way to gain expertise in traditional and contemporary arts.

Dina was lastly working as an Associate Professor at the Qatar-based Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where she had also pursued specialization in South Asian, Indian & Himalayan arts, and became a lifelong promoter of Nepali arts. Gender studies and films are other fields of interest of Bangdel.

She also headed the History and Arts Department at the Doha branch of VCU.

Dina has published around six literary works with all of them focused on Asian & Buddhist arts, and Nepali arts in specific.

Having explored the art field, Dina had plans to return home to form a hub for artists, cultural personalities and youth of Nepal.

Art Community on Dina’s Demise

“Dina’s demise is an irreparable loss for the nation. She had a great role in taking Nepali art to the international level,” said Ashmina Ranjit, a performance artist.

Lauding Dina’s contribution to the Nepali art, Chancellor of Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, Ragini Upadhyay, said, “As a woman, it was a great pride for us that someone scholar like Dina was committed on improving our art scene in the world.”

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