SEX & - WOW Magazine Nepal

february 15, 2022

What Makes a Global Citizen?

soCial Workers:

soMe insiGhts

soMe inspiration

sex & eMotions

the rise of the

nepali Youtube

iCons

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charu chadhaeditor

We are living in a time of great transition: political, social, cultural, mental. We are also living in two worlds: the real and the virtual. We work crazy hours, we work around calendars and schedules, we live around the complexities of finding balance between professional and personal lives, and we are constantly trying to build confidence and destroy fear, we are told to think big and not settle for less… and once in a way in the midst of this life, in our quietest moments, we are also filled with doubt and questions as to ‘is this the life we really want’.

Living in a super specialized world where technology interfaces ensure that the quality of our living is increasingly superior, I often listen to friends talk about a disconnect in ‘having it all, yet feeling nothing’. And this makes me think back to the days we spent isolated in our homes, facing a virus that we knew so little about, uncertain about what tomorrow would bring, and inside I found with deep certainty that the purpose of our life is not to hold on to our gifts but to let go. And I understood that there are three qualities that we need to practice more:

Practice appreciation: Our environments today teach us to focus more on what’s not right rather than on what’s right. We even take the very gift of life for granted. Practicing appreciation implies that we focus on what’s positive. And when we practice appreciation, we are kinder to ourselves and to others, we develop stronger relationships, we build on our values, and we function with more motivation and generosity.

Practice gratitude: Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. When we are deeply thankful for what we have, our sense of self worth becomes stronger, our relationships thrive, and we live a life of positive actions. When we cultivate gratitude, our life’s purpose and intent become stronger and more meaningful.

Practice self-belief: When you believe in yourself, you are able to embrace who you truly are. Belief allows you to grow, it allows you to be alright with life’s challenges and change and discomfort. It allows you to experiment and improve. And it teaches you about determination, optimism, truth, and living with intention. It also allows you to make mistakes, and not cower but learn from them.

Febr

uary

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20 on the coverGautam Dhimal: Imagination Meets Art

28 liFe's beautiFul Making An Impact

43 wow peopleThe Rise Of The Nepali Youtube Icons

20

8 WOW February 2022 www.wownepal.com.np

February 2022

10 snap shots

12 coFFee break Does Music Affect Your Mood And Behaviour?

30 wow beauty5 Smart Skin Tips If You Have Sensitive Skin

32 wow healthSigns Your Body Is Chronically Stressed

34 designs on youSikarmi: Turning Waste To Wealth

36 what you thinkWhat Makes A Global Citizen?

40 wow FeatureTimely And Thought ProvokingThe Kathmandu Triennale

50 wow FeatureSocial Workers: Some Insights Some Inspiration

56 menspeakThree Behaviours In A Woman That Are An Instant Turn Off

60 wow careerHow To Build Confidence

62 guest columnReplace Fomo With Jomo

64 love & sexSex & Emotions

66 musical conversationWhat’s On Sajjan Raj Vaidya’s Mind

70 artist cornerIn The Company Of Gods

74 get FitWhy Cardio Training Is Important For You

76 paws & clawsApple Cider Vinegar For Dogs

78 wow events

80 wow horoscopeWhat Is Your Zodiac Sign's Most Impressive Talent?

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All editorial enquiries should be sent to [email protected] advertising enquiries should be sent to [email protected]

WOW is published monthly from Kathmandu, Nepal by Media Nine Pvt. Ltd., Kathmandu, Nepal. Tel: 4410440, Email: [email protected]

All materials©wow.

A note to readersThe views expressed in articles are the authors’ and not necessarily those of WOW. Authors may have consulting or other business relationships with the companies they discuss.While every precaution is taken, no responsibility is assumed for the return of unsolicited material. All opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect on the publisher. The contents may not be reproduced in any form without the prior consent of the publisher.

All rights reserved.Publisher – Media Nine Pvt. Ltd.CDO Regd. No 20/069/70

Printed at : Agrani Press, Tel: 9841930976Distributor : Kasthamandap Distribution Pvt. Ltd., Newroad, Tel: 4247241Delivery : Customer Solution Pvt. Ltd., Maitighar, Tel : 4233172

On the CoverAastha Pokharel

Photographer: gautam dhimalHMUA: sophie sunuwar, nilam paudel & reeta balami

Cover Design: babu maharjan

Vol 10•Issue 6 February 2022

Publisher

Directors Hemant Golchha Saurabh JyotiSanket Lamichhane

EditorCharu Chadha

EditorialAsst. Editor Ankita Jain Reporters Anushka Shrestha Sukkum Chemjong Limbu Akanksha Pokhrel Intern Shreejita Chauhan

Art Senior DesignerBikram Chandra MajumdarDesignersBabu Maharjan Yogesh Chaudhary

PhotographyPhotographersRam Tandukar Gokul Shrees

DigitalAman Shrestha Harshvardhan Chand

Sales & Marketing Areena Tuladhar Dibesh Dangol

Office SupportBella Rana Magar Ram Kumar Tharu


Get your photo publishedSend interesting pictures with captions to [email protected] with snapshots in the subject line. WOW retains the right to choose which pictures will be published or not.

ultra happening (dikesh, subexya, priyanka) in focus (gautam dhimal)

man of the moment (bikram pandey) designs on you (rajesh dhakhwa) contemplation (dr jaswant sakya)

fashion forward (ramila nemkul) in the know (roshan shrestha) making a point (deepak malhotra)

snapshots

www.wownepal.com.np WOW February 2022 11

in the spotlight (deepak raj joshi) problem solver (manohar adhikari) wow woman (sandipa thapa)

driven by impact (shilshila acharya) legal eagle (gandhi pandit)

pretty women (namrata shrestha and friends)timeless (rajesh hamal)


PARTICIPANTS

DOES MUSIC AFFECT YOUR MOOD AND

BEHAVIOUR?

Maggie DoyneCEO BlinkNow Foundation

Karina PuriPolitician

Prechya BajracharyaArtist

Rajat KhadkaFounder Hathighoda/ Rustic Himalayan

Sushant PradhanFounder, The Physique Workshop

Sugarika KCMedia Personality

coffee break

Compiled by: Anushka Shrestha


WHAT GeNRe of MuSIC Do You LISTeN To?

Prechya: My choice of genre really depends on my mood but at top of my list would be pop, RNB, hiphop and indie.

Rajat: Indie/Rock Pop

Karina: Music for me is something that crosses the barrier of requiring a genre to listen to. If a song hits

right, I give it a go. With that said, I prefer listening to folk, pop and classical songs.

Maggie: A friend once joked with me that my genre is “background coffee shop music.” I also love a good pop song bop to dance around the house to.

Sushant: I listen to everything from rock to pop,

I thInk musIc Is healIng and therapeutIc. It helps me

process emotIons and know that I’m not alone In feelIng

the way I feel.

Maggie DoyneCEO, BlinkNow Foundation


coffee break

metal to hiphop, jazz to lofi. It really depends on my mood.

Sugarika: Good music of any genre that touches my emotions. I listen to jazz, pop, country music, gazal, rhythm and blues.

WHo ARe SoMe of THe SINGeRS You foLLoW AND YouR ALL-TIMe fAvouRITe SoNGS?

Prechya: J. Cole: Love Yours, Beyonce: Bigger

Rajat: Billy Joe Armstrong, Kurt Cobain, Dylan Frost, Bob Dylan are some of the singers I follow and Pumped up Kicks, Polly, Come as you are, Timro Nazarle (The Axe Band) are some of my favourite songs.

Karina: Narayan Gopal, Bipul Chhetri, Sajjan Raj Vaidya and Neetesh Jung Kunwar are some singers I frequently listen to. My all-time favourite songs include Prem Dhoj Pradhan's ‘Ghumtima Na Aau Hai’, Bipul Chettri's ‘Junkiri’, ‘Ram Sailee’, Sajjan Raj Vaidya's ‘Chitthi Bhitra’ and Narayan Gopal's ‘Kehi Mitho Baat Gara’.

Maggie: Lately I’m really into Maggie Rogers to wake up to in the morning. I love the Avett Brothers and Michael Kiwanuka to calm me down. I love everything 80’s and 90’s because it reminds me of my childhood. Because I am in toddler and baby mode right now I also listen to a lot of Raffi. His stuff is the best for kids. My favourite Nepali artists are Sajjan Raj Vaidya and Bipul Chettri.

Sushant: Drake, Weeknd, J Cole, Kanye, Slipknot, Nile, Necrophagist, As I lay dying are some of the singers I follow.

My spotify analytics says 95 south by J Cole is my favourite song.

musIc Is the sugar to my mornIng coffee, the escape to my hectIc daIly-routIne and even a lullaby after

I arrIve home tIred. It pretty much sums up how

Important It Is.

Karina PuriPolitician


Sugarika: Narayan Gopal, Norah Jones, Adele, Ashmita Adhikari, Deep Shrestha, Jagjit Singh are the singers I follow. Almost every song of Narayan Gopal is my favourite.

HoW IMPoRTANT IS MuSIC To You?

Prechya: Music has definitely been a saviour. It is the best way to cope or wind down for me. Also, as a songwriter, it has been a great tool to express and let out my feelings.

Rajat: It is like a morning cup of coffee. I can do without it but it is just that kick in the morning that can really elevate your day. It also helps me to connect with new mindful people.

Karina: Music is the sugar to my morning coffee, the escape to my hectic daily-routine and even a lullaby after I arrive home tired. It pretty much sums up how important it is.

Maggie: I think music is healing and therapeutic. It helps me process emotions and know that I’m not alone in feeling the way I feel. It can also change my mood from doom and gloom to happy and cheery. I love to use music to pump me up when I have a tough work day ahead or if I have to do something I don’t want to do like clean the house. Watching our children in Nepal at school and at home and how music integrates into their lives is magical.

Music is everything in Nepal— it’s always playing in the background with kids dancing and singing and makes our home filled with joy and happiness. We listen and play music every single night before bed at satsang as a way to reflect on the day and sing and dance our worries out.

Sushant: Wouldn't say I

what I lIsten todepends on the weather, my

mood, and the moment.

Rajat KhadkaFounder, Hathighoda/ Rustic Himalayan


coffee break

can't live without it but it's pretty close.

Sugarika: Music stimulates my mind. Music relaxes, calms, excites and what not. Music is a best friend which never leaves me. It’s that important.

WHeN Do You LISTeN To MuSIC?

Prechya: I mostly listen to music at night to help me sleep these days so I am vibing to a lot of soft, chill and soulful songs.

Rajat: Morning wakeup call, night before I go to bed, car drive.

Karina: Apart from the chunks of time that I squeeze out when I am free, I listen to music on long distance travelling, during cooking and while I am doing laundry.

Maggie: I always have music on. I mostly put it on in the morning to get in the right mindset and psyched for the day. We bought a karaoke machine for Christmas for our entire family and it’s the best thing we have ever purchased. We just sing and sing and laugh and sing some more. It’s fun because you get everyone up singing throwbacks of their favourite song from all different eras. It’s a great multigenerational activity. I love music on when I am cooking, working. I even have music set to my alarm

wouldn't say I can't lIve wIthout It but It's pretty close.

Sushant PradhanFounder, The Physique Workshop


musIc has the abIlIty to evoke powerful emotIonal

responses. musIc helps me deal wIth my bad mood, energIses my braIn and gIves me great

company.

Sugarika KCMedia Personality

clock so that I wake up to music instead of loud beeping.

Sushant: Mostly when I am traveling or doing work.

Sugarika: Music is an addiction to me. I tune into it as per my mood. Be it while cooking, driving, yoga, morning walks.

Do You THINK MuSIC HeLPS You DeAL WITH eMoTIoNS BeTTeR?

Prechya: Depends on one’s choice of music. I feel that music can amplify all types of emotions and it can indeed be powerful tool to uplift the mood if used in a positive way.

Rajat: Yes. Of course.

Karina: Music has always helped me calm down after a stressful day at work. It has revived me from times of loneliness and has added more delight to my joyous moments. So yes, it does help me deal my emotions better.

Maggie: Yes absolutely. Putting music on and going for a long road trip makes it feel magical and helps the time pass.

Sushant: I think so.


Sugarika: Of course, music has the ability to evoke powerful emotional responses. Music helps me deal with my bad mood, energises my brain and gives me great company.

HoW Do You SeLeCT WHAT You WANT To LISTeN To?

Prechya: I am mostly tuning into Spotify for music so I go through multiple playlists and experiment a lot there.

Rajat: Depends on the weather, my mood, and the moment. Karina: What I listen to depends on the mood. If not, I always go back to my favourite playlist.

Maggie: I like listening to my friends’ playlists on spotify.

Sushant: I have a curated playlist of songs that's my go to for most of the time. Other than that, I prefer to play a random playlist while I am getting ready in the morning after I wake up.

Sugarika: Most of the times, it depends on my mood. Also, there are some singers and musicians whose songs I follow religiously. And at times it’s the popularity of the songs that compels me to listen to them.

I am mostly tunIng Into spotIfy for musIc so I go

through multIple playlIsts and experIment a lot there.

Prechya BajracharyaArtist

coffee break


IMAGINATION MEETS ART

G A U T A M D H I M A L

on the cover

Text: Ankita Jain


“photography Is my passIon, not a professIon,” says

photographer gautam dhImal. the words echo

through the lIfe-sIze Images dIsplayed In hIs

ongoIng photo exhIbItIon tItled, hImalayan fashIon

adventure.the exhIbItIon whIch also

culmInates Into a book Is a serIes of mesmerIsIng

pIctures of hIs latest fashIon shoot In 2019

agaInst the stark backdrop of mustang. gautam works

wIth some of the most famous fashIon faces In the Industry – astha pokharel, sabIta karkI, sImran shakya and sweta kalakhetI – and

the results are magIcal.

G AU TA M D H I M A L


With his father being in the film industry, the camera has been a part of Gautam’s life since childhood. “I have grown on film sets. My father was a production manager for films and often handled the production of major national and international films. Some of the projects he worked for were Nepali classics like ‘Maitighar’ and Bollywood films like ‘Khuda Gawah’, ‘Johnny Mera Naam’, ‘Mahaan', and ‘Aandi Toofan’. This early exposure to filmmaking led to his love

for photography and filmmaking. Gautam did his first fashion photography assignment a decade ago for vishal Kapoor, a fashion designer. “I was a

portrait photographer and fashion photography came as an opportunity. After much contemplation, I decided to give it a try and Anjali Lama happened to be my first model,” recalls Gautam.

Talking about his creative process, he says, “Creativity and art doesn’t mean you have to make things look beautiful. Don’t take pretty, predictable pictures. The purpose of creativity is to capture energy and feelings. If your pictures

have energy, they are alive.”In an interview with WoW, Ceo of Location Nepal, Gautam shares about his journey as a visual storyteller, his fashion

photo book, Nepal’s potential as a destination for international filmmakers and photographers, and insights to his next photo exhibition. excerpts:

on the cover


are unique and different. I could immediately visualise the shoot in Mustang. The plan took off within a short period of time. It was almost instantaneous. Before the pandemic hit the world, I did the shoot in mid-November 2019 with more than 30 crew members and four models.

What were the challenges for this shoot?

Every day was challenging in terms of the weather because as a photographer I had to adapt to the changing scenarios to deliver the feelings and the mood. The location and the environment itself

are harsf, and two of our team members had to be rescued due to high altitude sickness and sent back to Jomsom. In Lo Manthang I underwent the same, but managed to recover. The cold temperature and windy climate is not easy on the makeup artists and models making it difficult for them to change clothes and looks one after another. We had organized our own mobile toilets, a medical team to keep track of the team members’ physical health, portable changing rooms, oxygen cylinders, and access to hygienic and warm food for the crew to ensure everyone’s safety.

Were there any shifts in the plan then?

Yes. It was an impromptu plan to shoot in Tilicho. We went with our instinct thinking that without Tilicho the whole fashion adventure would be incomplete. The team immediately managed everything. The models had no idea, it was only when the helicopter arrived, they knew about their next adventure.

How was location scouting done?

The trip was planned beforehand with my team. But in the back of my mind, I had a clear vision of the concept and location. During

It took you 12 years to do a fashion shoot in Mustang, tell us about it…

I have been travelling to Mustang for several film shoots and have been fascinated by the location since then. However, the fashion adventure began when the young designer Tej Maya Pun reached out for a photo shoot of her very first solo designs. Her designs

G AU TA M D H I M A L

QuICK- fIve Photography genre: Nature

Life mantra: Stay humble, find happiness in little things, and

everything is possible

A person you look up to: My mother

Next project: Wildlife in South Africa

favourite Models: Aastha Pokharel and Sabita Karki


on the cover


Photographer : Gautam Dhimal @gautamdhimal

Costume Designer : Tej Maya Pun @tezuusgram

Models:Aastha Pokharel @aastha_p

Sabita Karki @sa2bitaSimran Shakya @simran_shakya7

Sweta Kalakheti

Talent Manager : Oshima Banu @oshimabanu.official

Cinematographers: Bidur Pandey (Novin) and Rameshwor Karki

Production Manager: Dinesh Prakash Mahara

Location Manager: Saujanya Parajuli @sau_enchanter

Stylist: Shrijal Bikram Shahi @shrijalbikramshahi

Sanjeev Maharjan (Asst.) @sanjeevmaharjan

Hair & Makeup:Sophie Sunuwar @sophiesunuwar_official

Nilam Paudel @nilampoudel1Reeta Balami

Light & Grip:Badri Bahadur Lakai

Shiva Sharan Neupane Santosh Urau


on the cover

the shoot day, we used to travel to one location, shoot there, pack up and travel to another then shoot like a continuous loop of never-ending styling, makeup, cameras, lights and action.

Are you planning to exhibit in other countries?

I am going to exhibit my Mustang fashion shoot internationally as well. From Kathmandu we are flying to Dubai, UAE to attract a diverse audience for our work. There are other countries on the list too. This way I will also be able to showcase the potential of Nepal as a destination for fashion photo shoots and films.

What was your experience working with the four models?

Aastha Pokharel, Sabita Karki, Simran Shakya and Sweta Kalakheti are my favourites. They are easy to work with and highly professional. They know what they are doing and it makes it easier to function systematically despite the challenges.

one picture that is close to your heart…

From every angle linking to composition, lighting, expression and the weather, my favourite picture has to be the one used for the book cover. Interestingly, I got this shot on day one of the shoot.

Any memory of the fashion shoot you would like to share with our readers…

When we were approaching Lo Manthang, it was very dark. In one car it was my logistics manager, Sabita, Aastha and me. The other team was ahead of us and at one point our car broke down. While the driver was repairing the car, I was holding my phone with the flashlight on to

help the driver. Suddenly I looked up at the sky and with my naked eyes I saw the Milky Way. It was a surreal moment for me. I called the others inside the car and all of them had their first sight of the Milky Way.

Tell us more about your exhibition and the book

When I came back from the trip, just posting and advertising on social media felt unfair. I dedicated myself to documenting the memories our team made while working and

exploring Mustang in the process. The book takes you on the journey of a fashion adventure and visuals of stunning majestic Himalayas which surely will inspire other people to visit Nepal for their next fashion photography shoot.

I wanted to show the limitless possibilities of fashion photography and show the world what Nepal can offer as a photography destination. To attain this goal, I decided to document all of the pictures I took

during our shoot in Mustang and publish them in a book.

Due to Covid, we had to push the book’s launch date a few times, and when we finally did, I wanted to do a photo exhibition along with it. This was planned just ten days before the exhibition. We have worked on every tiny detail, keeping in mind that the event should be able to push the boundaries of fashion photography in Nepal.


life's beautiful

Rupa Laxmi Shah is a non-profit executive with over 10 years of experience working overseas. She is now the Head of Philanthropy for a STEM and creative coding organisation called Scratch, which was born out of the MIT Media Lab. Rupa has helped grow the organisation from a seven-million-dollar annual budget to 23 million dollars in the last two years. Her background is specifically in the philanthropy sector and she has raised over 500 million dollars in fundraising campaigns, and collaborated on projects over two billion dollars over her career.In 2019, she moved back to Nepal to work with Dr. Bhagawan Koirala and launched a 15 million dollar fundraising campaign to help establish Kathmandu Institute of Child Health (KIOCH), Nepal’s first philanthropically supported non-profit children’s hospital. She has a Master’s degree from Cornell University and Executive Education from Harvard University. Rupa also mentors graduate students at Cornell University where she also teaches fundraising class to Masters level students. Her interests are outdoors activities and following cancer research through her husband who is a research scientist at MIT. WOW’s Anushka Shrestha talks to the change maker to know what makes her life beautiful.

MakingAn Impact

R U PA L A X M I S H A H


GADGeTMy ipad that I use for notes, Netflix, gym, reading and everything else

STYLe ICoNSEmmanuelle Alt (French Vogue Editor), Giovanna Battaglia (Creative Director, Swarovski), Joanna Hillman, so many to name here

ALWAYS IN YouR HANDBAGChapstick

WHAT Do You Do To uNWINDNetflix

fAvouRITe HoLIDAY DeSTINATIoNPuerto Rico - my husband and I have wonderful memories of the place

You ALWAYS STRuGGLe WITH…Not holding my thoughts sometimes. I tend to speak my mind and get into trouble almost always

BeST THING ABouT BeING YouMy passion for the impactful work I do. I love getting up in the morning with a sense of purpose and plan

MAKe uP… CAN’T Do WITHouTMascara, concealer and some blush! That's all it takes

fAvouRITe MAKeuP BRANDSMake up Forever, Nars

THRee THINGS You ABSoLuTeLY Do To LooK YouR BeSTI always iron my clothes. The best thing you can do to revive old and new clothes. I don’t like prints so I always wear something solid and colour block. Also, jewelry! I have a huge collection.

oN A BAD HAIR DAYAlways a bun. Tie up and buns are the best

WHAT Do You LIKe DoING IN YouR SPARe TIMeNetflix and chill

BooKS oR MovIeSMovies… but books sometimes if it keeps me engaged.

GuILTY PLeASuReDoing nothing

fAvouRITe PLACe To eAT IN KATHMANDuNina’s in Maharajgunj

oNe THING You CAN’T Do WITHouTChapsticks. Probably because it’s winter and everything is dry

WHAT ADvICe WouLD You GIve To YouR YouNGeR SeLfBelieve in small victories. Take one step at a time

CeLeBRITY CRuSHMy celebrity crushes are doctors, scientists and others who actually make a difference in other people’s lives

A QuoTe You LIve BY“You can be either bitter or better”

HAve You eveR BeeN ToLD To CHANGe SoMeTHING ABouT YouRSeLf?Nope and even if someone did, I ignored it. I’d never change anything about myself unless I had an epiphany

MovIeS THAT INSPIRe YouMovies based on true stories, of struggles and successes.

fAvouRITe CuISINeKorean or any Asian Cuisine.

LoCKDoWN LeSSoN…How we take everyday life for granted

WHAT MAKeS You SMILeSeeing people being nice and kind towards each other. There are enough bad things going on in the world already.

fAvouRITe CoMeDIANMaha Jodi, of course. I grew up with their humour and I can always relate to it. Trevor Noah, because the current world affairs and his commentary is on point

THeRAPY foR HAPPINeSSFamily, friends, making an impact through work

CuRReNT PeRfuMeJuliet Has a Gun - not a perfume brand, I love the subtle smell

You ARe ADDICTeD ToBeing out in the sun and outdoors activities. Asian cuisine

You STAY fIT BYI eat healthy. I avoid rice and simple carbs at all costs, exercise and outdoors activities

BeST YeAR of YouR LIfeNow because there couldn’t have been a better time before this particular time and after

LATeST SPLuRGeHandbags

SKINCAReI love Laneige products

WHAT ARe You CuRReNTLY WoRKING oNSeveral work-related projects, the main one being expanding my organisation’s impact in APAC countries like Nepal.

WHAT Do You Love ABouT YouR WoRKI love knowing that my every day work makes an impact on children’s lives around the world. Scratch is a global non-profit with over 30 million kids using it around the world. Having a meaning and purpose to your work really makes a difference.

WHAT MAKeS A PeRSoN BeAuTIfuLHis/ her thoughts, actions, empathy and compassion

WHAT MAKeS You BeAuTIfuLMy thoughts, actions and the way I treat other people based on how I want to be treated

WHAT MAKeS LIfe BeAuTIfuLHaving a wonderful, kind and loving family and friends, being grateful to all that we have, and seeing everything in positive light

WHAT TICKLeS YouR fuNNY BoNeSMy husband, who is a forever comedian and knows how to make me laugh even when I am upset


beauty

SMART SkIN TIPS IF YOU HAVE SENSITIVE SkIN5


If your skin erupts in

redness, stinging, burning, or itching,

or if you have what is vaguely termed as sensitive skin, using too many skin-care products is a no-no. The most common skin conditions termed sensitive rosacea and eczema. Genetics play a role in your risk for sensitive skin, too. People with fair skin are often more likely to have skin that becomes irritated easily. In people with sensitive skin, skin cells can’t hold on to moisture as well as they should. When losing more moisture, skin can easily dry out and be more reactive to products. The immune system may also play a role in the inflammation behind some conditions, including rosacea where in extreme cases trigger can come from many things in the environment. Rosacea flare-up can happen also because of heat, sun exposure, spicy foods, and skin-care products.

No matter where you land

on the sensitive skin scale, here

are some common mistakes you may

be making if you have sensitive skin — along

with expert fixes:

use gentle skin-care products

When cleansing your skin, aim for gentle. Using an exfoliating cleanser is going to be too much for sensitive skin as it will contain things like alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic acid, and physical exfoliators, like a facial scrub made with granules. When it comes to getting rid of wrinkles or acne, we sometimes feel like scrubbing is the best solution, but over-exfoliation disrupts the skin barrier to make sensitive skin worse. Washing with a soap-based cleanser will also disrupt the skin barrier and irritate sensitive skin.

Instead stick with a fragrance-free non-soap cleanser (pH-neutral, non-soap, hypoallergenic, gentle, or sensitive skin). Using a washcloth alone will provide a light touch of exfoliating friction to slough off dead cells.

You don’t have to avoid Retinoid

Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives, and a gold-standard skin-care ingredient. When applied to the skin, retinoids increase the turnover of skin cells and stimulate collagen producation,

revealing brighter skin underneath and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. The downside is the accompanying side effects like redness and peeling which can happen initially due to the increased turnover when skin hasn’t become accustomed to treatment. If you think having sensitive skin disqualifies you from a retinoid. It is not so. The solution is to use retinaldehyde, which is a precursor to a retinoid. Because skin enzymes need to first convert it into retinoic acid (a type of retinoid), it is not as strong and thus a more gentle wrinkle smoother. Use a small pea-sized amount of it, work up gradually, and moisturize after, you can still use a vitamin A product on skin.

organic may not be the solution

If you are in favor of organic options, which many people think is best for sensitive skin, it’s not entirely true. These have ingredients that you can have allergic or irritant reactions to, just as you can for any other ingredient. What’s more, clean or natural are marketing terms that are not regulated, so they don’t guarantee anything about the ingredients inside.

One big offender in these products are essential oils. People often run into problems with tea tree or lavender oil. Instead stick with tried-and-true brands for sensitive skin. These brands focus on creating nonirritating products that are often fragrance- and dye-free and hypoallergenic.

Wrong sunscreenIt is generally

recommended to use an SPF 30 sunscreen every day, rain or shine, as this

will help protect you from sunburn, skin cancer, and premature aging. Ideally, for sensitive skin, your sunscreen must include zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Compared with chemical sunscreens, these mineral ingredients tend to be less irritating and less reactive for sensitive skin types.

Too Many Skin-Care Products

It can be tough when you see the latest and greatest product on social media or even an at-home DIY , and try it only to see it exacerbated skin redness. There are two issues here. One, the greater number of products you use, the greater number of ingredients there are, and the bigger the chance that something will cause a reaction in a sensitive complexion.

And two, many people use creams that they think are moisturizers but really have actives in it like retinols or alpha hydroxy acids. Look for words like retinol, retinaldehyde, or glycolic, lactic, or mandelic acids. They can be hidden in everything these days. It’s possible you are using two creams packed with anti-aging ingredients, and the double layer can cause irritation.

Make sure you are using a plain, basic lightweight moisturizer that has no active ingredients that are designed to treat acne or that have an anti-aging purpose. If you do use products that contain these actives, you can apply a basic moisturizer on top. If needed, you can also smooth on a moisturizer before these products if you have extra sensitive skin.


health

SIGNS YOUR BODY IS CHRONICALLY STRESSED


Dolly’s Exquisite Creations, Kamaladi, Kathmandu, 4445080/82

I am Shweta Pradhan in my late 30s. I want to create a no-fuss anti-ageing routine. Any recommendations?

I have always believed in less is more, it’s always best to keep the products to a minimum. A good cleanser and exfoliator followed by moisturizer that has Hyaluronic Acid and SPF are what you must have in your daily skincare. Ensure that you buy good quality products from well known brands. Expensive is not always the best but brand reputation does matter.

A lot about good skin is also dependent on your everyday lifestyle. A healthy diet, drinking plenty of water, good sleep and regular exercise are also very important for healthy skin. An occasional facial from a reputed salon is highly recommended.

beauty

Stress has become part of our everyday voacb that there is a very good chance that we don't even realize how stressed we actually are. Our bodies, however, know immediately when something is off. But it takes us awhile to consciously acknowledge it.

Our bodies are tremendously resilient and take a lot, but there is always a point when enough is enough, and it starts to give. Nobody becomes chronically ill overnight, and the symptoms are always there if you just learn to stop and listen. Some of the not-so-obvious signs that your body might be chronically stressed are listed below for you:

Irregular bowel movements. We often tend to associate this with poor digestion, food intolerance, or just something we ate or drank. It is important to note changes in your bathroom habits as it is a sig of stress that can lead to inflammation in the gut and a whole lot of inflammatory bowel issues. Remember what happens in the brain can directly affect your gut.

Skin problems. Anything that is going on inside your body is likely to show up on your skin. Cortisol or the body’s stress hormone increases skin’s oil production, causes inflammation in the gut and can lead to conditions like eczema, acne, psoriasis, among others.

Insomnia. When cortisol is high, melatonin r the sleep hormone becomes low. This occurs naturally in the morning to help you wake up. But when cortisol is high at night, you will struggle to sleep.

Frequent headaches. Stress is a trigger for people suffering from migraine. Also, some people tend to clench their jaw and grind their teeth in sleep when stressed, this can lead to next day headaches.

Ringing in your ears. Chronic stress has been associated with tinnitus symptoms – a constant ear ringing that can be uncomfortable and also give you bouts of dizziness.

Thinning hair. Regardless of gender, stress related hair loss is a reality. But the good news is that this type of hair loss doesn’t damage the hair follicles themselves. Manage your stress to help your hair regrow.

Irregular period. The brain's hypothalamus is responsible for releasing chemicals that signal your pituitary gland to tell your ovary to release estrogen and progesterone to start your period. High cortisol levels can throw this delicate system out of whack that in turn leads to delayed, light, or missed periods.

Low libido. High levels of stress disrupt your sex hormones affecting your sexual drive. It is also a mood disrupter if your have ten other things on your mind.

Immunity. Chronic stress decreases your immune function. If you are constantly stressed out, your immune system isn't going to be prepared to fight off viruses and bacteria, making you more prone to illnesses.

The most important thing to note here is that we have the power to take control of our stress levels. Whether it is a stressful situation or a toxic relationship, incorporating more mindfulness into our daily lives can help us deal with stress better. Allow your body to rest, nourish itself, and receive the care it needs.

our bodIes are

tremendously resIlIent and

take a lot, but there

Is always a poInt when

enough Is enough, and

It starts to gIve. nobody

becomes chronIcally

Ill overnIght, and the

symptoms are always there

If you just learn to stop

and lIsten.


designs on you

Text: Shreejita ChauhanPictures: Ram Tandukar

SIkARMI: TURNING WASTE TO WEALTH

Sustainability is not just a global trend, but an important civic action today. Many entrepreneurs are invested in making products that are sustainable and have minimal environmental impact while still being functional and appealing to an increasingly conscious consumer. Sikarmi, a sustainable furniture brand based in Dolakha, is one such venture that focuses on creating unique tableware pieces out of waste wood.

The type of wood, the knots and natural imperfections that come

with it, and the distinct handle designs on each piece is what makes every utensil by Sikarmi a unique one. Arun Lama, the founder of Sikarmi, points out that the brand name ‘Sikarmi’ is a thet nepali word which means ‘woodworker’. The selling point of Sikarmi is that they can customise items as per customer request, shares Arun. Be it a ladle with a curved handle for left-handed people or a mini spoon-and-fork set for travelling, Sikarmi carves it out for you with attention to detail that you will fall in love with.

“Creating the exact same design again and again makes our work monotonous. So, we try to spice each piece up by giving it an unusual twist in the design,” says Arun.

Growing up amidst the thick forests of Dolakha, Arun has always been fascinated by woodwork. “I would notice the fallen branches rotting away in the forest every day,” he recalls.

So, when did he decide to start Sikarmi? Arun is also a music performer and recalls a time he had gone to his hometown during

the lockdown and brought back wood to Kathmandu to make a guitar by himself. But because of altitude changes and temperature issues, the wood splintered on the way back. “That’s when the idea to make use of the broken pieces of wood by carving it struck my mind,” he shares.

He started experimenting with wood and attempted to carve a bird. “I utterly failed in my first attempt at carving,” he laughs. But he persisted and his first successful at carving a spoon took five hours of non-stop effort. “Although it took so many hours, the ability to create a product from scratch is just so amazing,” Arun expresses.

Now he tries to teach the villagers in Dolakha the techniques he knows to carve utensils, not just to grow his business but also to create an income source for the locals. Only a few locals are skilled in carving but he plans on training many villagers on the essential skills for wood-carving to help support the local economy.

All pieces of wood utilised by Sikarmi to carve the utensils come from fallen branches or wasted wood. The most common types of wood used for their products are Green Ash, Himalayan Cherry and Rhododendron. “We give new life to wood that would otherwise go to waste,” says Arun, proudly.

He walks us through the process of making their best-selling product – a ladle made from Sisau wood. First, the wood is left to soak in water for approximately 24 hours since Sisau, because of its hard nature, is a challenging wood to carve. Then, a wood-carving tool is used to carve the wood and give it unique details. After


recent projects for a restaurant involves reusing old pallets that are used to load luggage in airports to build table and chair sets.

Another interesting

carving, sandpaper is used to sand its surface by hand, giving it a smooth finish. Finally, the product is coated in organic oil, making the final product look glossy, shiny and ready for use.

The majority of Nepalis are still unaware about the concept of sustainability and the need to use more environment-friendly products. This, according to Arun, is one the main challenges he faces to sell his products in the domestic market. “While most of my products are sold in the European continent, some are sold in the local flea markets as well,” he says.

Aside from creating kitchen utensils, Sikarmi also works with restaurants to build sustainable furniture. One of their

“we gIve new lIfe to wood that would otherwIse go to waste.”

aspect of his work is that every time he visits a new place, he carves two utensils using the local wood: one for the local he stays with and another one for sale at Sikarmi. He talks about his recent visit to Kalinchowk,

“I used the local wood found in Kalinchowk

and carved two

spoons — one, I gave to the owner

of the hotel I stayed with and another, I brought back with me for sale.”

“I am happy with the progress I have made within a short span of a year and plan on taking the business forward one step at a time with a clear aim of building a sustainable future,” he concludes with a smile.

Soup Spoon Green ASh

rs. 550

SpoonGreen ASh

rS.450

Spoon And fork SetGreen ASh fAmily

(lAkuri)rS. 800 for A pAir

CookinG SethimAlAyAn Wild

Cherry WoodrS.900 for Set

mini trAvellinG SetGreen ASh WoodrS. 500 for A pAir

Green ASh WoodrS. 800

Green ASh WoodrS. 800

The products at Sikarmi range from Rs 250 to

Rs 1200.


what you think

what makes a GLOBAL

CITIZEN?Compiled by: Anushka Shrestha


By choice or by force, we have to become a global citizen. If one is not a global citizen there is no way s/he can survive. We are getting impacted by whatever is happening globally so every aspect of life is getting affected. Having said that, to be an effective global citizen, the first thing we have to do is to be a local citizen. We have to know where we come from, about our roots and background. Only after understanding these factors, one can become an effective global citizen.

Parakram SJB RanaDigital Content Creator

To be able to use one’s platform to speak up against the injustices and ills of the world is the major characteristic of a global citizen. As much as there are problems faced by us in our country, we need to empathise with the sufferings of other parts of the world as well. That is when you are a global citizen. The world is going through a major environment crisis and to do our bit in helping the world be more sustainable can be a great start to being a global citizen. I’d like to believe I am a global citizen but that is for all of you to say.


In this day and age when technology connects us globally, I believe everyone is a global citizen, so I also identify as one. Because the scale at which you choose to engage in conversation about the broader global issues, differs from person to person. Thanks to social media I am connected to the global platform of news, media, and entertainment which gives me the information that I can further choose to share (or not share) widely.

I believe knowledge is power and my way of contributing to a larger purpose is by engaging in conversations with the younger generation, particularly children, about issues that affect us at a global scale in a manner that they can understand. There is so much misinformation out there and information overdose. So, it’s important for us to have conversations with young minds from early on so that they can get the right information and become aware of their responsibilities as a global citizen early on. I believe this has been my biggest contribution as a global citizen.

Ayusha NirolaDevelopment Communications Professional

Aayushi KcCEO, Khaalisisi

As far as we know, humans may be the only species with a global/universal consciousness. We have a vast understanding and awareness of the world we live in and the universe beyond us. With such staggering sense of our existence, it becomes a moral obligation to live a life that serves a global purpose that attends beyond our individual/national needs. Here’s hoping I can contribute to this global movement.

what you think


feature

TIMELY AND THOUGHT PROVOkING

THE kATHMANDU TRIENNALE

You can't miss this year's Kathmandu Triennale. Here's why...

In the words of the Native American poet, Paula Gunn Allen, "the root of oppression is loss of memory".

For this edition of the Kathmandu Triennale, artistic director Cosmin Costinas and curators

Sheelasha Rajbhandari and Hit Man Gurung traversed space and time to remind the world of the stories of its people.

“We wanted to focus on not just the voices of indigenous Communities here but also bring solidarity from all over the world,” says Sheelasha, referring to their “intentional and

strategic” decision to bring artworks from as far as the Amazon state, home to the Yanomami people.

“We have researchers who have been looking into and expressing the politics of center and margin and who gets to define what is center. And fluidity in the trans-Himalayan region and, in fact, how the

construct of nation-states is a problematic idea for many other regions and also for communities who have been fluid and transhuman for thousands of years," she shares.

“This is a solidarity in which we want to question the Eurocentric canon and narrative, of how art has been defined for hundreds

Text: Satvika Khera

Patrizio di Massimo/Photo credit: Eleanora Agostini


of years by the West, and how they viewed and categorised US,” Sheelasha adds. The Triennale will spotlight these artists’ work through first-person narratives, reversing colonial narratives of what is considered “high art.”

“In South Asia, people who were singers, dancers, and artists were categorised as the lower caste and untouchables, creating this hierarchy where people who wrote and conducted prayers were the high priests and, therefore, the most intellectual and Upper in the hierarchy,” says Sheelasha, also acknowledging the power dynamics within traditional art forms.

Challenging the patriarchal status quo, the curators are spotlighting the voices of female and feminist artists who are “politically conscious about

their positions in society” and reflect it in their works.

“We have artwork by indigenous artists who are trying to reclaim their indigeneity. We have feminist artists and queer artists," she adds.

One of the venues of the Triennale, the Nepal Art Council, is located near the Maitighar Mandala where Nepali people have historically held protests to call for justice and be heard.

"Therefore, curatorially, we have included artwork which is political in nature," she shares.

Sangeeta Thapa, the founder of the Siddhartha Art Gallery and an organiser

of the Triennale, says the event comprises "socially aware art practices".

"We can’t change the world with what we do, but we can surely make time stop for a second and make people think about the issues at hand," she adds.

The Triennale will be held at five different venues wherein each space is “interconnected theoretically and conceptually but also has its unique curatorial concept.”

The organisers hope to avoid any more delays in an uncertain climate and open the venues to the public on March 1.

“Because of the pandemic, we have had to downsize. We had also considered the Hanuman Dhoka and the National Museum, but the pandemic works in mysterious ways. It is a bit like shadow boxing where you don’t know where the next blow is coming from,” she shares.

Acknowledging trauma

As one of the sites for the Triennale, the Siddhartha Art Gallery will host artworks that reflect the trauma and uncertainties of the devastating 2015 earthquake as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, along with work from Haitian artists.

Sangeeta Thapa

- Sangeeta Thapa

Sharareh BajracharyaSheelasha Rajbhandari

"we can’t change the world wIth what we do, but we can surely make tIme stop for a second and make people thInk about the Issues at hand."

Shraddha Shrestha/Samundra Manthan/2016


Another section at Sundari Chowk will talk about the relationship between art and healing.

“How art through making amulets, thangkas, and various practices, including ritualistic practices which have been captured on video by multiple artists, have been central to human civilization and communities, to give some comfort and hope and for healing,” says Sheelasha.

Sharareh Bajracharya, the director of the Triennale, hopes the event provides a sense of continuity in the lives of artists and viewers during this pandemic.

“Not to speak for other people, but it almost feels like you keep putting a brake on life,” she says. Sharareh believes a non-commercial event, such as the Kathmandu Triennale, provides artists with a platform to express their true feelings and be heard.

“We are not here to sell work, so we are here to listen to others. So that is the real goal of a Triennale or it should be, at least in our eyes,” she shares.

Also, to lessen the sense of isolation, the Triennale will bring together people from across the world to see artworks that have been years in the making.

“These are narratives beyond the pandemic, but they are also getting accentuated by it,” she adds.

Viewers can attend the Triennale from March 1 to 31 physically and virtually in light of the pandemic. “We don’t want to be insensitive to what is happening in the country. We want the experience to be safe. We will be worried about the safety of our team and the visitors who come in," says Sangeeta, adding that some

artists and art professionals will be traveling to the event for the opening week.

"This is a very interesting marker not just in Nepal but the entire region itself," adds Sheelasha.

Besides the physical and virtual exhibitions, the organizers are working on a publication that will live “beyond the exhibition” and be sent to art institutions across the world.

At the Taragaon Museum, the team is hoping to push the boundaries of “what the medium of art can be” while also acknowledging those mediums that have existed since the beginning of civilization, the land and the plant.

“We will be talking about seed politics, the economics of mining, and how seeds have been used as tools for colonization,” says Sheelasha, who is also one of the founders of ArTree Nepal, a collective formed by artists from diverse indigenous backgrounds.

“We are talking about how agricultural lands are turning into plots and plots are sellable and consumer goods, and how, in that process, we are losing plants, animals, and insects and entire ecosystems,” she adds.

The Triennale will also host artworks on Indigenous Futurism and Roma Futurism. "We have the Roma artists who are trying to reclaim the witchcraft from a feminist angle," she shares.

According to Sheelasha, the Patan museum is one of the most important venues, curatorially. Another space in Patan, the Bahadur Shah Baithak, will showcase artworks on mapping and navigation.

“They are not just geographical mapping artworks which talk about mapping the body but also mapping and envisioning the universe. We talk about the indigenous technology of navigation which was pretty much abandoned and bullied by western colonizers to the point that it almost collapsed," says Sheelasha.

Censorship in art

“We have had problems with censorship in the past of a religious nature. Otherwise, artists have been free and able to critique the government and express themselves. So in that respect, we hope that the issue of censorship does not come again, but you never know who is in power and who reacts. It depends on how artworks are interpreted," says Sangeeta.

Sharareh believes context is important.

“Putting up an artwork without context can lead to misunderstandings or not understanding the intention behind the work. So when somebody is presenting their work, how do we try to make available as much information as possible?" she shares, talking about the importance of using bilingual labels.

The future of the Triennale

“It is a whole process, and I have to be honest that just doing one Triennale will not change everything magically in one night, but it is a process that we are very conscious and consistent about," says Sheelasha.

This year, the Triennale has been jointly organized by the Siddhartha Art Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation.

“This is the first time in the history of the Triennale that we have had support from the government. When Biennales and Triennales happen around the world, the governments are always involved," says Sangeeta.

The curators of the Kathmandu Triennale are also the curators for Nepal's pavilion at the Venice Biennale, a historic first for Nepal. The Venice Biennale is in its 59th edition. “It is the Biennale and Triennale format that all the world has emulated,” she shares.

“This is something that we need to build on if we want to impact change," she adds.

Hosting a Triennale of this magnitude is no easy feat. "The teams are doing condition reports for every single artwork that comes in. There are all kinds of works that go behind an exhibition like this, so a shout out to the Triennale team itself," says Sharareh.

“The people who are supporting it will hopefully lead it someday. Hopefully, the funding will get easier over time. We hope that something like this makes the value of artists’ work go up and supports their livelihoods and convinces people that art is important," she concludes.

feature


people

THE RISE OF THE NEPALI

YOUTUBE ICONS

Text: Sukkum Chemjong Limbu


Ten years ago, Diipa uploaded her first video on YouTube: a hair-styling tutorial. Little did she know that her video

would be viewed by people all around the world. Today, with over half a million subscribers, Diipa is not only a renowned YouTuber but is also an entrepreneur who has managed to establish a cosmetic brand called Pari Cosmetics.

Diipa recalls the start of her journey as a YouTuber, “I started filming with a small digital camera that I received as a gift and uploaded it on YouTube from my very first computer which my dad got me for scoring good grades.” She didn’t really intend on getting famous and just genuinely enjoyed creating videos and sharing useful content. Now loved by women of all ages for her beauty content and lively personality, Diipa is grateful to her subscribers that have been supporting her since day one.

Alongside beauty content, she films her entrepreneurial journey and personal life; this allows her to engage with her audience and connect with her followers, which she claims is the key to a successful career as an influencer. “The trends are always changing and we have to evolve with it to stay relevant,” she believes and adds, “Putting yourself out there for people to judge freely is definitely not easy.”

As a content creator, Diipa is in the limelight and each of her moves online are under public scrutiny. She says that at times it does gets overwhelming and difficult to maintain privacy. But despite the lows, she enjoys the creative process and has learnt to utilise her platform to ensure that it benefits her viewers as well as helps her personal growth.

DiipaGurung

YouTuber, Makeup Artist & Founder of Pari Cosmeticssubscribers: 520K

Advice for budding content creators Nothing worth having is easy, so keep working hard and never give up.

Lastly, always remember that success isn’t the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success!

people


BiswasTimshina (BT Kancha)

For the curious, if you haven’t heard of Biswas Timshina, he’s the man behind BT Kancha whose content is based on Nepali movie reviews with a huge

dash of humour, wit and voice parody. Biswas stresses that his purpose is not to erode the image of Nepali cinema but to create ripple effect for cinema lovers across the world. “The aim isn’t to ridicule the people for making these movies but to entertain the audience by bringing such movies to the forefront and maybe push people to work harder. Cinema is very dear to me and I’d love to see Nepali cinema get global recognition,” he states.

Initially, Biswas got on to YouTube as a hobby; more like a once in a blue moon thing. From being a scriptwriter in Mumbai to uploading comedy sketches and videos to parody songs, Biswas has been always involved in content making. He says that it took a whole pandemic for him to invest in YouTube and it has paid off well. He shares, “The regularity came during the lockdown when I started reviewing Nepali movies. It was when the followers started growing too. That’s when I realised it is important to have one sole idea, stick to that format, and keep delivering on those lines.”

Biswas however never intended to fall into public eye, he was aiming to be an engineer and it was during his civil engineering days that there was a shift in plan. He believes that it happened for the best. Soon he was exposed to the world of social media and ever since he has been on this platform spreading laughter and humour.

Despite the recognition he has gained, Biswas stresses that one must develop a thick skin to deal with the twisted side of social media. “If you are in the public eye, you are not in control of the way people react to you. As a creator, they tend to read into everything about you. It is important to not take everything seriously and just relax,” he says adding, “Fame is fickle. One can’t be staying in this bubble for long as one never knows when it’s going to burst. So, it’s important to not take fame seriously.”

YouTuber, Writer & Comic subscribers: 197K

Advice for budding content creators Get that one (unique) idea and work towards it. It’s okay to take inspiration from other people but the key is to add your own flavour.


ShavyaKC

Moto Vlogger, Reusable RidesFirst Nepali Female Moto vlogger

subscribers: 424K

In the Nepali YouTube moto vloggers community, Shavya KC is a familiar face. She has broken the stereotypical

notion of women and bikes don’t go together. Her passion for motor vehicles started early and Shavya would capture moments from her travels and post it on digital platforms. This passion led her into becoming the first female moto vlogger in Nepal.

She recalls, “When I started out on YouTube, it was difficult to balance the demands of generating content, studying and personal life. I was frustrated and also didn’t have quality gadgets to make good content. Viewers barely watched my channel.” Her interest in vlogging started in high school but her parents were against it. Belief is what got her across the obstacles and with consistent effort she not only drew the attention of her viewers but also different auto companies like TVS.

Shavya says, “My content is focused on the youth, especially girls. From my story, I want to portray a place where you are allowed to dream, work for it and turn it into reality.” With the initial success, came the courage to follow her dreams further.

Shavya recalls her school days where she was introverted, nerdy and shy. She says,”I had never imagined that the same girl would become so confident and make her own way in the world.”

Advice for budding content creators Believe in yourself, no matter what. Be consistent and do not get demotivated seeing the hate comments.

people


It all started with a documentary about Mad Honey Hunters of the Himalayas in Lamjung for

Hemanta Bhandari, the initiator of Nepal 8th Wonder of the world. The documentary released in 2018 and became a major success on the YouTube platform.

“Nepal 8th Wonder of the World started as a Facebook page in 2012, In the coming years, I knew that the video industry would take over the internet, and keeping that vision I updated my work in line with the changing digital context,” says Hemanta.

He says, “The constant changes of demand and supply can cause turbulence at times, but use the challenge as fun and see how it leads to your growth.” He adds, “It’s always hard to start, you may feel bad about the views not meeting your expectations which is normal. Success is not achieved overnight; it is a gradual process.”

From zero to almost 100k subscribers and having associated with leading organisations like Honda Nepal and Nepal Tourism Board, Hemanta is grateful to his team members for achieving the many milestones. Behind the stark landscapes, the heartwarming narration, and portraying Nepal as a hidden treasure is a passionate team of seven people including Hemanata; all working to inspire people to travel and discover Nepal.

HemantaBhandari

Nepal 8th Wonder of the World subscribers: 96K

Advice for budding content creators Find people who are passionate as you are to work with. Find beautiful people to work with and your content’s soul is going to get beautiful for sure.


Born and raised in an Indian Army family, Ajay Rai had to shift and travel constantly from one place to another.

He never got to stay in one place for long and could hardly make any lasting friendships. Ajay remained inside a bubble for quite some time until he flew back to Dharan and to his surprise; the place welcomed him with open arms. “When I started socialising and making friends, people admired and loved me. I started to get fond of the attention that I was receiving and that’s how I my personality bloomed,” he shares.

Five years into his journey as a YouTuber, Ajay is receiving tremendous love and support from different parts of the country. The audience love his outgoing personality and the excitement generated by his videos of challenges and pranks on family and friends. But it was never a smooth sail to the popularity scorecard. With 600 videos on his channel, Ajay was able to gather pace only because of nonstop daily vlogging every single one of the 365 days.

“When I first started, I took every possible step that could gain me more viewers. I even made my own pamphlets and distributed them on the streets. I started interacting with every media person I came across. It’s only now in the fifth year of my journey that I realise, consistency is the key.”

Today Ajay is unstoppable and his supporters are only growing. In spite of the growing popularity, he notes that becoming famous on the internet is like a dandelion plant which is very short lived.

AjayRai

Rungmang Vlog subscribers: 378K

Advice for budding content creatorsConsistency and humility are the keys. Do not give up easily.

people

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Social Workers Some

Insights Some

Inspiration

feature

If we needed to describe social work in one sentence, then perhaps the quote by John f Kennedy does most justice: “one person can make a difference and everyone should try.” A social worker is the person who is not waiting for others to improve the society they live in, nor are they the type to moan

and complain about things not being right; they are the DoeRS. Their actions speak much louder than words. And their lives are spent in meeting and overcoming challenges and issues that they are passionate about. Being a proactive citizen to engage in social work requires energy, effort, and

resources; and it is never an easy task. Moreover, misogynist attitudes and patriarchal society make it even more difficult for women social workers.

However, the hurdles and obstacles can never stop those who are motivated and passionate about their work. four women social workers in Kathmandu

share their stories for some inspiration.

Text: Paridhi Acharya


Indira Rana Magar offers me roti and aalu ko tarkari before we begin to talk.

We had decided to meet late afternoon. I was hungry, so was grateful for the offer. She informs

me that she cooked the vegetables herself as she enjoys cooking and finds time to cook and feed her

staff and her children in the shelter whenever her schedule allows her.

Her schedule is usually stretched though. She runs five shelters in Kathmandu including the

one where we decided to meet. She has few safe houses and schools for boys and girls in Palpa

and Jhapa, runs programs like Girls Empower through Education, and she coordinates across all the prisons in the country. Her shelters have children of those parents who are in prison, some of them are orphans, few of them were affected by the earthquake and conflict.

The shelter that I visited in Kathmandu has awards, certificates and newspaper articles nicely framed on different walls. She says, “These are all by-products of the work that I do. I never thought or aspired to be recognised or appreciated for my work. I feel I got all these things because I never desired for them.”

She shares, “The real joy I get is from my children. Spending time with them, looking after them, and seeing them doing better in their lives gives me real pleasure.”

However, the initial days were not easy. Coming from Jhapa, her parents had to hear all kinds of things for allowing their daughter to travel to Kathmandu and

to work. “But I was always a rebellious. I always wanted to do challenging things,” asserts Indira.

Indira started her work 32 years ago. As a young woman, visiting the prison and working with prison inmates was not comfortable. But when she saw the children inside the prison, she knew there was no other way. Indira shares, “In 2000, when I established Prisoner’s Assistance Nepal, there were not many organisations to support children who were being raised inside the prison. I dedicated my life to this work because it brings me fulfilment.”

Indira feels there is added responsibility on women social workers. While they need to be warm and welcoming and build a rapport with everyone, they also have to be extra careful about their reputation as the society is quick to accuse and character assassinate women.

There were a few men who were interested in Indira. Inspired by her work, some of them even proposed marriage. But having already married and divorced her husband, re-marriage and the possibility of repeating the cycle of another heart break didn’t interest her. Instead, she writes poems and songs on the days she feels lonely or sad.

“I could have become a full-time mountain biker or even a literary figure had I not chosen this line of work. But the satisfaction that I got from this work didn’t allow me to think or aspire for anything else,” concludes Indira.

INDIRARANA MAGAR

the real joy I get Is from my chIldren. spendIng tIme wIth them, lookIng after them, and seeIng them doIng better In theIr lIves gIves me real pleasure.


feature

Parina Subba Limbu was introduced to me by a

mutual friend. We were supposed to meet for another assignment, but that never happened and we didn’t meet. When I got the assignment of covering women who are into social work and reforms, I wanted to cover Parina too. Again, she was travelling. We still couldn’t meet.

However, Parina agreed to meet me online and talk about her journey from being a survivor of substance abuse herself to establishing an organisation to support women who use drugs.

Dristi Nepal, the organisation of which Parina is the founder and executive director, is a first Nepali organisation that has been opened by and for women who use drugs. Parina understood that while it was important to have allies, change needed to happen with people who have shared the experience and understand the process of transformation.

“One of my happiest days was when Dristi Nepal got the Red Ribbon Award in 2014 in Melbourne, after eight years of our establishment,” says Parina.

At Dristi, Parina informs, they offer support to women who use drugs and who are infected by HIV to heal, treat and to refer them for rehabilitation and also lend legal and counseling services. Having a history of being a survivor of domestic violence herself, she says substance abuse is both the cause and consequence of gender-based violence.

Parina shares, “In recent times I see the society changing. There is at least an acknowledgment of women being substance

users but the norm of treating those women is still very discriminatory”. She elaborates, “While sons are sent to rehabilitation centres, daughter-in-laws are abandoned from their home and their children are taken away from them.”

“There is a lot of taboo and stigma attached with drugs users. There is added shame when the user is a woman,” Parina

states, “In countries like ours the laws and policies are very weak and there is not much support for women drug users for their recovery and treatment.”

Her journey has had its share of tribulations. “I had established the organisation but there used to be days when I didn’t know if I could continue or not.” However, Parina also learnt to seek help from those who know better.

Doing social work is not easy. Parina was still working on the day when she delivered her son. Personal and professional life often gets blurred in this line of work. There is motivation, but sometimes there is added pressure to be available for others.

Parina is also a strong advocate of mental health. She thought that her mental health issues would be resolved once she had the organisation to run and to support others. But the opposite happened. “The organisational pressure, the anxiety of not being a good mother and personal distress took toll on my life. In Nepal we still don’t have space to talk about our mental health,” Parina shares.

These days, she has made the conscious decision to take time out for herself and to heal. She is serious about her fitness routine. She meditates and writes a journal. She also enjoys self-care and spending time with her son, and once in a while, a good cry always helps.

PARINASUBBA LIMBU

In countrIes lIke ours the laws and polIcIes are very weak and there Is not much support for women drug users for theIr recovery and treatment.


When I enter Pabitra Sewa Samaj premise, I am

greeted by people of all genders, ages, and ethnic backgrounds. Dikchhya Chapagai comes to receive me and takes me inside her room which is inside the premise of the shelter that also has homes for both senior citizens and children. Dikchhya tells me that her shelter is open for everyone. “Everyone needs love and care, there is no space for discrimination in this shelter,” she says as we sit

for our conversation.

The children at the shelter call her “mamu,” another name for a mother. Dikchhya tells me that the children have promised that they will look after her when she gets old. But she doesn’t hold any such hopes or expectations from anyone. Nobody told her to do this work. The motivation to serve those in need has come naturally to her.

“This was my personal choice and I am glad to be in this path of service for those who have been

abandoned by their own families,” says Dikchhya.

Dikchhya came to Kathmandu to learn computers. She used to travel from Bhaktapur to Putali Sadak to attend classes. While travelling by public transport, she used to see needy people on the streets; children, old people and the sick. Her heart would go out to them and she would get restless thinking if ways to help them.

In 2002, when she got her first job in the same computer institute, her salary was just Rs 1,500. She got a room for herself and started to help people. She would rescue them from the streets, bathe them, feed them, take them to hospital, sit and talk to them.

Dikchhya believes that anyone interested to

help the needy must go beyond personal desires and wishes. “If we are still entangled in materialistic wants, we cannot serve whole heartedly,” she says. Other than her work, there are not many things that make her happy. One of her biggest joys come from the children she brings to her shelter, the ones who call her mamu and make demands on

her time and attention. She takes pride in their success. One of the oldest daughters that Dikchhya adopted is in grade eleven now.

Dikchhya’s mother was her biggest supporter. She gets emotional when she talks about her mother who passed away three years ago. “Even on her deathbed, my mother motivated me to continue my work and told me not to be disturbed by criticisms and accusations,” she shares.

“I was never interested in starting my own family or having my own biological children. For me, the people in my shelter are my family,” says Dikchhya who is immensely thankful to the people who have trusted her and her work over the years. People from abroad and within Nepal write to her, contribute to her shelter, and hep her when the need arises.

Through her work at Pabitra Samaj Sewa, she is happy that in one life she is both mother and daughter to those who are in desperate need of love and care; the forgotten and the abandoned.

While concluding, Dikchhya tells me that we don’t remember the person who got Laxmi Prasad Devkota’s old coat but even after many years we remember Devkota who gave away his used coat. She looks me into my eyes and says, “We think that people who receive are the lucky ones but the people who are able to give are the lucky and blessed ones. I hope in this life I will have courage and zeal to keep giving.”

DIKCHHYAwe thInk people who receIve are the lucky ones but the people who are able to gIve are the lucky and blessed ones.

CHAPAGAI


feature

Srijana Thakuri has 12 dogs in her home and 250 in her shelter. We

had to decide some other place for our meeting as I am someone who gets

remembered by her friends whenever they see memes of people being scared and running away from dogs. Srijana was kind enough to understand my situation, thus we decided to meet

at a cafe. As we walked towards the cafe, there were a couple of street dogs on the road. Seeing her treat those dogs, I knew it was my loss that I wasn’t visiting her shelter.

After we ordered our drinks, she said, “My shelter gets shaken and there is chaos every time I enter the gate. They all come running towards me as soon as they see me.” She informs that the situation is similar when she goes to Pashupati area to serve food to the street dogs in the area. She even has a name for each one. Srijana feels our world would be a much better place if humans loved each other as much as dogs love us. Animal love is unconditional.

Srijana laments, “Even though Hindu mythology has given importance to different animals and we even have separate days to celebrate their significance in our lives, the same is not seen in our daily activities.”

She has already changed five shelters till now in her seven-year journey of formally establishing Shree Animal Rescue Nepal. She has been bullied, accused and threatened while running the shelter. Srijana shares, “When they see a lone woman who is very

sensitive towards animals, they feel they can easily manipulate her.”

Her journey of loving dogs and adopting them started when she was just a child. She loved dogs so much that she would threaten her parents that she would not go to school if they didn’t allow her to adopt the injured dogs that she found on the streets.

She uses her personal money, time, and effort to save abandoned and injured dogs. “It costs a lot to run a shelter, I have even sold my house for this,” says Srijana. Saving dogs that arrive in a critical stage to her shelter and seeing them gain a new life gives her immense satisfaction. It also gives her strength to overcome obstacles in her life.

Her personal journey has not been an easy one. She has an ailing son at home. Recently, she underwent a major surgery which was almost life threatening. And the lack of financial security to continue her shelter keeps her anxious and often awake at night. Her family and relatives advise her to give priority to her own wellbeing and family, but she is determined to continue her shelter.

Today, Srijana is pleased to see the young generation animal enthusiasts and lovers, but cautions them against using animals to gain personal fame and profit. She also hopes that people start adopting street dogs and not only spend tons of money on breed dogs.

“It costs a lot to run a shelter, I have even sold my house for thIs.”

SRIJANATHAKURI


THREE BEHAVIOURS IN A WOMAN

THAT ARE AN INSTANT TURN OFF

Compiled by: Sukkum Chemjong Limbu

menspeak


Obsessive: If someone is too obsessive or likes to hang out a lot. For me, it’s a red flag. One should understand and value others’ personal space.

Being arrogant: Sometimes unnecessary anger can really trigger fights that I hate. Discussions are an important part of relationships, not arguments.

Being mean and bitching a lot: Bitching sometimes is great to pour out your anger and frustration but such habit can drain the mental energy in the long run. Also, whenever a person is mean and goes personal, it somehow creates a negative environment. NIMeSH SHReSTHA

Content Creator & Filmmaker

RAvI KAfLeEngineer, Actor &

MD of Mitho ProductionsWoman is a sublime creation. I love

the way they carry themselves, attend and value people and relationships. However, if there be three behaviours in them that instantly turn me off it would be being disrespectful, insensitive and constantly nagging and complaining.

For instance, few years back, we were bunch of friends planning to watch a movie. We thought a good lunch before the movie would be great. There were few cafés on the way. We stopped by an average-looking café that could cater to our needs and were discussing our food preferences. There was this new lady one of our friends had brought. She was just so pissed off, and was constantly nagging and complaining. On top of it all, she dared to ridicule our choice of the café, nagging about its ambience, etc. The way she behaved made it awkward and uncomfortable for all of us. If only she had requested we change the place in a nicer and more urbane way, it could have upgraded our experience and fun. Maybe she had her reasons but the way she behaved didn’t go well with any of us. That was one of my instant turn-off episodes.

menspeak


AABHISKAR KCSinger & Songwriter

The first thing I notice about a girl is her compassion; I think it defines the integrity of a person. I personally tend to fall for women who have a compassionate nature. This particular nature is crucial for me. If she doesn’t fall under that radar, it's a turn-off. The second one is those who belittle other people. I have witnessed such incidents where they have judged and been rude based on another person’s appearance, job or status, this for me is an instant turn-off. Lastly, I tend to have an affinity for maturity. I lose interest in the absence of this element as well.

PRATIK KuNWARManaging Director, Center for

Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Incongruity: Women who don’t say what they mean and don’t mean what they say. They will not call a spade a spade, or point out wrong when they see it wrong. They are someone who when they make a mistake, won't admit, learn from or resolve it.

Manipulation: Women, who employ power plays, mind games, control tactics, and socioemotional manipulation to be loved, feel validated, get their needs fulfilled. This person needs help, healing, and compassion, but never at your expense.

Superstition: Casual horoscope-ing is harmless, and is even a good conversation starter. But if a woman lets the arbitrary positions of solar entities determine the colour of their clothes, when they go out of their house, who they meet for dates, I am sorry but thank you, next. Do they believe menstruating makes them impure? Thank you, next. Do they believe themselves superior to others because of their 'status'? Thank you, next.


career

HOW TO BUILD CONFIDENCE

Recently I gave a speech about my life to over 200 of my classmates at Stanford. I had to speak for 20 minutes straight and keep the crowd captivated throughout. After the event, a ton of people reached out to me not just to talk about the content of my speech but to tell me that I came across as a very confident public speaker.

It’s ironic though because just a week before the event, as I was answering a question in class, I could barely form a proper sentence. My voice was shaking and it two levels higher pitched than it normally is. I knew the content well, but I could not get past my nerves while speaking to a group of 30. So why was the contrast between my speech and my answer in class so stark?

The million-dollar answer if it was not obvious from the title, is confidence!

Confidence, or the feeling of being assured about your knowledge and abilities, is as much about internal assurance as it is about being able to project it on others. While for some of us, appearing confident comes naturally, for others, we need to train ourselves to come across as more put together. It is understandable that many of us, especially women,

have been socialised to take a back seat when we do not know enough about a topic. However, the ability to confidently assert ourselves in all situations is what will help our peers, bosses, and colleagues trust us.

Going back to the two examples from earlier, it is not that I did not understand the topic in class enough, I just did not put in enough work to assure myself that I knew about it. For my speech on the other hand, I had put in weeks’ worth of effort preparing. Over the years of working on soft skills to build my confidence, I have shortlisted some tips and tricks that can make us appear more confident.

If you notice your voice getting shaky, holding a water bottle or a pen while presenting stabilises your voice. It allows you to exert pressure on your hands. You may have noticed that when you are speaking behind a podium, your voice is more stable; holding an object provides a similar sense of protection

Before presenting on stage or walking into a meeting, I always take 30 seconds to practice power poses – anything from pretending to be superwoman or doing a catwalk in the lobby. This

makes my body ready to take over a room

The night before a meeting, I usually practice saying my name and giving a brief introduction in front of my mirror. Usually, meetings and calls start with introductions and practicing beforehand helps me set a stable tone from the get-go

I usually do mock presentations for my friends or sometimes even to an empty room. A dry-run before big events is a must as it also gives you a better sense of the content

This one might be an uncomfortable experience, but I always record my answers before an interview. This helps me recognise parts where I sound less sure of myself and I pick up on filler words I use often, such as “umm.”

Dressing for the part also helps me. I have found that adding a blazer automatically increases my confidence. I also avoid wearing new shoes or getting a haircut before big events as both take some time for me to get comfortable in.

All these steps require practice and ample preparation. In some situations, such as the speech I gave, we have enough time to prepare and appear more confident

than in other situations such as in my class, where I was taken aback when my professor cold-called me for an answer. What I could have done better is draw the link between the skills I developed while working on my speech and my task of answering a question in class. The tips I listed above are transferrable in all situations and if we keep working on them, overtime they will become second nature.

While I was working at


Shaibyaa rajbhandari

McKinsey, one of the things that always amazed me about the Firm’s Partners was that within a day, they could read a 60-page long deck and present it beautifully to the clients. When I asked one of my Partners how she was able to do so, she smiled and said she spent over two hours practicing the night before. She also mentioned that practicing enough times over the years had also

made her faster and better at identifying behaviours that helped her appear more confident.

In new situations when you don’t know, you can falter but you must be gentle with yourself.

Shaibyaa Rajbhandari is a female founder on a quest to advance gender parity through her professional endeavours.

Shaibyaa is pursuing her MBA at Stanford University and has previously worked at McKinsey & Company in New York and London. Outside of work, she runs a digital connectivity platform for women called SixFeetCloser. In her free time, Shaibyaa enjoys graphic designing, roasting her friends, and binge-watching reality TV shows.


guest column

Do you have disturbed sleep patterns, fatigue or inexplicable stress? It is only human to feel anyone of two or three of these at some point of life. Social acceptance and the assurance of being loved and wanted is what makes us human but when it dominates all other thoughts and needs, it becomes a matter of concern.

I have come to realize that with the insurgence of social media, this need is being translated into an obsession. This is the OCD of this era and if not addressed on time, it can take a toll on your health, wealth, relationships, focus and of course mental peace.

Now the million-dollar question is how to keep away this bug which seduces to satiate our dopamine cravings in the form of ‘likes’ and comments on our posts. Don’t we need to understand this pseudo-popularity can have horrifying repercussions?

First, let’s address the real culprit responsible for this devil called FOMO (Fear

Of Missing Out). In my opinion, it is indisputably the social media, especially Facebook and Instagram. We accredit it for being free but it costs us our time, peace of mind and of course relationships.

Remember, everyone posts their “highlight

reels”- the best moments of their lives, their vacations, parties and the pictures in which they look perfect and it doesn’t take any expert to know that their perfect

looks are a result of ‘editing, filters and photoshop’. But we immediately feel deprived, unhappy and ugly! Unconsciously we compare our plain lives to their

REPLACE

FOMO WITH

JOMO


glossy ones. I have firsthand experience of this one couple traveling with us. We were in the most beautiful, romantic island. This couple would hardly ever look at each other, communicate or get even a wee bit romantic

but their pictures

on social

media could turn the country green with envy. I swear by the mystic blue sea surrounding us, they smiled, looked at each other and held each other only for the pictures! The sinners did give sleepless nights to many an innocent soul who saw, liked and commented on their posts.

If someone posts a picture of a party, you start to feel lonely, left out, not loved and either get

depressed or desperate to find means to climb the social ladder. You want to be in the party not because it shall give you happiness but to arouse envy or awe.

These are micro moments which can have macro implications. In the long run this can result in full blown mental issues. Social media has admitted way too much access into people’s lives hence creating comparative restlessness. Pictures are no longer clicked to create memories or for the albums but to put on display for people who really don’t care.

I long for the days when we would write and receive letters, treasure them and read them over and over again. The sepia tinted pictures and the dog-eared letters are invaluable. As we turn the pages of our old albums, we are overwhelmed with emotions and we relive every moment of days bygone. A hand written letter is a piece of yourself and it carries the fragrance of your soul.

Once a friend

who has

the most amazing

sense of humor said he would personally thank the creators of these apps for two reasons. One being that even if it was for putting it up on the social media, his wife had started to cook fancy food and had started to plate them exotically for the admiring comments she receives. Second, he said when he saw posts of other people’s children partying and drinking all night and dressing in quaint clothes, he felt good about his own offsprings.! This of course is just in jest!

Archana Bharadia SardaArchana is a Certified

Corporate Trainer, Life Coach and Director at Pink and Gray Unlimited, a theatre

company.

During the lockdown, we witnessed posts of people clicking and posting pictures of distributing food and other amenities to the less fortunate. If a few likes could inspire philanthropy, it’s great! I know of this gentleman who was so paranoid during the first wave that his wife had complained he hadn’t removed his mask even to kiss and here he was un-masked, distributing fruits while taking pictures to post on Facebook. This is obsessive insanity!

Another problem is that if someone misses to ‘like’ or ‘comment’ on your post, you immediately decide that person is jealous of you or doesn’t love you. We determine the love, admiration, appreciation the world has for us based on these. Research and survey claim that the rising number of people with mental stress and anxiety and even random cases of suicides are a result of this. If we do not take a wakeup call now, way too many could be sucked into this swamp called FOMO.

Let me share a few tips on how to keep this monster at bay:

• Limityoursocialmediaintake! Just unplug! Begin with making a digital diet plan, wherein you spend say only 20 minutes twice a day on Facebook and Insta, 15 minutes twice a day on checking important messages or mails, and a fixed time to watch YouTube. It worked for me. In my 15-day sabbatical, I have had more time and less distractions resulting in a more organized home, better food and a happier husband!

• Enjoytheeventyou are invited for wholeheartedly instead of brooding over the one you are not!

• Valuethepeopleinyourlife. More than often, we come across people who take the people in their lives for granted and are desperate to become a part of “another group”. Not only do they lose out on real friends but end up making fools of themselves.

• Startenjoyingyourowncompany! When you start meeting yourself more often, you will realize how foolish you have been neglecting the most special person in your life - Yourself!

• Inthedesperationto be accepted, we unconsciously ape others in the way they talk, walk, dress, eat. Losing exclusivity for inclusiveness is a huge price to pay.

• Lastbutnottheleast,ifit’s taking a toll on you, see a therapist. Envy, regret, losing self-esteem, jealousy are all natural, but not when it overtakes everything else. Get help if you need it, nothing to be ashamed about.


Let’s face it: Sex means different things to different people. For some, it is an ultimate expression of romantic love and intimacy. For others, an emotional roller coaster, or a tension reliever, or just about procreation, or simply about having a good time. It can be all of these things and more.

Whatever it means to you, it isn’t necessarily constant either. It can mean different things at different points in your life, or even from one day to the next. But guess what? It’s all perfectly normal.

And despite the stereotype, your gender has nothing to do with your gender. Whatever your gender and whether you openly express it or not, your emotional response to sex is uniquely yours.

Do you need to feel some level of emotional attraction before any thought of sex enters your mind? If that sounds like you, you are not alone. Maybe you just need to connect on some level before your get intimate on the physical plane. Once you have made an emotional connection, you may begin to feel physical arousal. Outside of that zone, maybe you are just not into sex. You are into making love.

For others, finding that acting on physical attraction can lead to emotional attraction. Some people are physically drawn together like magnets. There’s a chemical reaction, a hunger, a purely physical craving for getting physical with another person. It’s lust. When the chemistry between people is just right, getting physical can grow into so much more.

And then there are those who may find that emotional and physical

attraction operate in two entirely different vacuums. For some of us, there are clear dividing lines between emotional attraction and physical attraction. They don’t necessarily come together. You might be emotionally attracted to someone without having the slightest sexual urge. Or you have a mind-blowing physical attraction for someone who doesn’t really do it for you emotionally. Even in long-term relationships, people can alternate between making love and having sex — or forgoing sexual activity entirely.

The biology of lust, attraction, and attachment is far from simple. Hormones certainly play a role. Generally speaking, lust is driven by testosterone and estrogen, regardless of gender. And lust is driven by the craving for sex. Attraction is driven by dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Attraction may or may not involve lust, but the brain’s reward center is a factor. That’s why you get all giddy or feel like you’re walking on air in a relationship’s early phase. Attachment is driven by oxytocin and vasopressin. That’s what sets the stage

for bonding and long-term relationships.

Sex and love are complicated. We only know the surface of what makes humans tick. The mysteries of our sexual desires and emotions will remain an equation to be solved for a very long time yet, mostly left to the imagination.

If you are someone into casual relationships or in a ‘friends with benefits’ situation, here are some suggestions:

love & sex

SEX & EMOTIONS


• Behonestwiththeotherperson. Always.

• Talkaboutwhatyouarewilling and unwilling to give physically and emotionally, along with what you expect in return.

• Discussbirthcontrolandsafe sex practices.

• Worktogethertoavoidgetting overly attached or dependent on each other.

• Talkaboutwhatyou’lldo if one of you starts to want something more.

Keep in mind that whatever your plan or however careful you may be, feelings can arise anyway.

And if you want to deepen the relationship between sex and emotion, here are some ways that may sound small but are truly meaningful:

• Don’tallowphysicalintimacy become an afterthought, a thing you do as time permits. Schedule it. Make a date. Give it top priority.

• Incorporateaffectionatetouch throughout the day. Hold hands. Stroke

an arm. Hug. Cuddle up. Give each other a massage. Touch doesn’t necessarily have to lead to sex right away.

• Makeeyecontactandhold it. Do this often. When you agree, when you disagree, when you share an inside joke, and when life gets overwhelming.

• Beemotionallyvulnerable and available for each other.

• Kiss.Reallykiss.Takeyour time doing it.

• Communicateyouremotions. Say “I love you” often.

• Whatturnsyouon?Dowhat it takes to get into the mood.

• Communicateyourphysical desires.

• Whenthingsgetphysical,tune in to your senses. Touch, see, hear, smell, and taste with every fiber of your being.

• Reallybethereinthemoment with this person who wants to be in the moment with you. Let there be nothing else.

you mIght be emotIonally

attracted to someone

wIthout havIng the

slIghtest sexual urge.

or you have a mInd-blowIng

physIcal attractIon

for someone who doesn’t

really do It for you

emotIonally.


musical conversation


WHAT’S

ONMIND

With nearly a million subscribers on YouTube, Sajjan Raj Vaidya is one of the most popular musicians in the country

today. “Hataarindei Bataasindei”, “Chitthi Bhittra” and “Hawaijahaj” are some of his songs that have immense popularity. He is adulated by his fans for his beautiful voice and incredible lyrics that have a way of resonating with his listeners.

In a conversation about music, Sajjan talks about his journey as an artiste, his

perspective on music as a career, his playlist and more.

Text: Akanksha Pokharel

SAJJAN RAJ VAIDYA’S


musical conversation

What is the creative process behind your music?

As a team, we always prioritise making quality content. I am involved in making the music, and my team is responsible for reaching the audience. We think about how we can make the video in our way. We are focused on making our music a complete package from its audio to its video. Recently, we did a song “Sasto Mutu” and until I arrived on the set, I didn’t know what the story line for the video was. I did have some briefing, but my team built it all with their ideas and concept.

You received a mixed reaction for your new single “Sasto Mutu”. How do you respond to that?

I didn’t realise that there were such sorts of reaction from the public. I think the audience really enjoyed it. But yes, I did see some memes on social media and thought they were funny. We have a crucial principle in our team that the work is not for the fame; it’s for the quality of what we are creating. So, we hope that people like our work, but once it’s out in the market place, it’s out of our hands on how people take it. We wanted to make the video of Sasto Mutu like an old Nepali movie in a sarcastic way. Thanks to our director and production team for the way it turned out.

How difficult is it for an artiste in Nepal?

From the experiences that I have had until now, I finally understand the situation of artistes in Nepal. And it is different from America. In America, an artiste whether it’s a musician, an actor, painter or a chef, they all have equal respect in their field. They can claim the value that they

deserve for the hard work they do. But, in Nepal the same thing can be mistaken for arrogance. People are proud that Nepalis are earning their name globally, but at the same time they don’t understand the resources and effort it takes to create such art. If you want an “international” level artiste or such, then your thinking should also be of “international” level and it is absolutely wrong to shut down an artiste saying that they can get “exposure” without giving them the value they deserve. We artistes know our value and demand, so we will go where we can grow and thrive.

Do you think musicians are supported for their choice of career by their family?

Fortunately, I had every support from my family. My brother and my parents encouraged me to pursue music. Not only did they support me, but when I went to University they wanted me to learn music. It was me who said that I will definitely do music, but I also want to explore and learn something else. Having said that I am also aware that Nepal does not have the same environment and it is hard for people to get support from their family. One controversial thing about Nepali society is that, initially when a person starts making music or creates any art, they label them as “idle” and eventually when they start getting “views” on Tiktok and other platforms then suddenly, they are proud of the same person. I think the same support that the person gets after becoming famous or so should exist from the very beginning. Also, another funny thing is how parents proudly introduce their

children if they are involved in studying something “reputable”, but if their daughter is a dancer or anything else, then they tend not to do so. If someone comes up to me and says that their family doesn’t support them, then I might advise them to fight for it and pursue it because what you love to do is worth more than something you don’t really enjoy doing.

How important are the lyrics to a song?

It’s very important for me. When I make music, I think of words and organise it to be presented in a best way possible. For example, it is simple and straightforward to say to someone “I love you” but if you express it in a much deeper sense using the right words with more feelings then it becomes more impactful and meaningful. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that lyrics should always be of great meaning or depth. We do love some songs… something as simple as a chat over a cup of tea. So, it doesn’t mean that songs with only deeper lyrics get popular or appreciated.

Who is your favourite musician and someone who want to collaborate with?

Internationally, it has always been John Mayer for me. Nationally, it would be great if I could collaborate with Narayan Gopal. He was one of the greatest lyricists of our country and if his lyrics existed now, it would have been sensational. Also, there are many artistes like Rohit Shakya, Sagun and more with whom I would love to collaborate.

What’s on your playlist?I have a variety of songs

from Bollywood, Nepali to English on my playlist. There might not be many mainstream songs except one or two of Doja Cat. I discover songs and listen to them, so I have songs of different genres. The only genre that is left to make it to my playlist might be “Dohori”. Also, my interests in genres are fading with time; in the past I used to listen to a lot of Metal.

How does it feel when the cover of your songs pop-up on YouTube

recommendation?I think it’s impressive

that an artiste can listen to another artiste, learn it, execute it, and create their own version. I feel happy and I appreciate their effort.

How long are you here for?

I didn’t leave America with any plans so I don’t exactly know that. Recently, we did shows and released songs, so I might stay for quite some time and see how everything goes.

future plansI do want to collaborate

with more artistes. Also, we have a lot of songs coming up. We want to make more music with variety of songs. However, we are not prioritising any shows because of Covid and are more focused on making music.

In amerIca, an artIste whether

It’s a musIcIan, an actor, paInter or

a chef, they all have equal respect In theIr fIeld. they

can claIm the value that they deserve for the hard work they do. but, In nepal

the same thIng can be mIstaken for

arrogance.

There are millions of different ways one

can serve people. Ours happens to be one

of enriching people's lives with unmatched

connectivity, authentic products and

services, dedicated customer service and

meaningful partnerships.

22 years and counting… Of Enriching lives #ViaNet


artist corner

in the Company of gods


Paubha – A word that the many are unaware of is derived from the word Patabhatarak - Pata (cloth) and Bhatarak (gods/goddess), and carries immense significance historically and culturally. The concept of Paubha which is articulating the image of gods and goddesses and holy symbols on cloth is also known Thangka in Tibetan.

Often, people theorise Thangka as a simple representation of art on cloth and are ignorant of the traditional significance behind it. There are a plethora of proceedings that go into creating a Thangka like Hasta Puja while enunciates the image of the god/goddess, or that an artist is required to turn into Brahmachari to be able to depict the artifice of the deity. Aayush, the photographer is intrigued by the components of “Paubha” and believes that its revival necessitates for this art form to be truly understood. “There is a need for the youth to connect and understand the legacy of this art form. Its existence depends on it,” he says.

This series is to acknowledge and respect to the Paubha artists who bring the goddess to life embodying the philosophy of Tara.


Concept and Photography - Aayush ShresthaDesigner and Stylist - Sadhana RanabhatMakeup Artist - Sunii MagarHair Stylist - Brijesh BhattachanModel - Renuca Singh ThakuriJewellery - Aamo By Aayusha ShresthaVideography - Cholen Gurung Bikas Thapa Bijay GurungArtist - Babu Lama ThokarContent Writer - Shreya ShahiResearch - Lok ChitrakarLocation Partner - EnlightenmentAssisted By - Sagar Sherpa Biraj Magar Sujit Guidel Ashish MoktanSpecial Thanks - Rajan Yonjon, Memoir Studio, Studio Meroworks, Sabik MaharjanSound - Shaswot Shrestha

artist corner


get fit

Cardio, short for cardiovascular exercise, is movement that gets your heart rate up and increases blood circulation. It is an integral component of any fitness plan. Some people love it, and some dread it. There are various methods and variations of cardio exercise, and an equal number of health benefits to it. Here, I’ll outline a few benefits that go beyond burning excess calories and fat loss.

Improves heart health: The heart muscle is like any other muscle in the body and requires exercise to help strengthen it. If you don’t work on it, over a period of time, it weakens. By getting your heart rate up and pumping on a regular basis, you keep it strong and healthy. If you get tired walking up a flight or two of stairs or are unable to walk fast even for a short length of time, please understand

that you need to start exercising. Regular physical activity helps prevent a wide range of health issues and concerns including stroke, diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis, etc

Increased metabolism: Cardio exercise increases the

efficiency of other processes in your body also known a metabolism. Increased metabolism will help you maintain your weight. An intense cardio session will definitely see an increased metabolic rate. Exercise also boosts energy increasing strength and endurance.

WHY CARDIO TRAINING

IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU


Sandesh Palungwa Limbu is a certified professional fitness instructor, founder of RAGE Fitness, and also specialises in mixed martial arts. For answers to your fitness queries, write to him at [email protected]

Improved hormonal profile: Exercise increases the feel-good hormones in your body which eases symptoms of depression and fatigue. People regularly on cardio workouts show less stress and anxiety. Need an emotional lift or want to just get out of a day gone bad from your system, half an hour of exercise will ensure that you feel much better.

Improved post exercise recovery ability: Those who go through a hard session at the gym can benefit immensely through a cardio session on the treadmill or elliptical, cycling or light jogging. Cardio brings more oxygen rich blood to the muscle tissue and helps in the repairing and rebuilding process. Building muscle is a combination of overloading stimulus and then rest to allow the muscle to heal itself, but maintaining balance is the key and can be learnt from your trainer.

As a general guideline, please try and get 30 -45 minutes of exercise 3-5 times a week. If you have specific fitness goals, you will need to commit more time and effort. Always take a clearance from your doctor before you start an exercise program if you are over 40 or have any health concerns.


Dr Sharad Singh Yadav is the Chairman of Advanced Pet Hospital & Research Centre which is open 24 hours throughout the year and located in Bishal Nagar, Kathmandu. He may be contacted on tel: 4422855 or email: [email protected]

Over the past few years, natural remedies have become more popular among pet owners. A common natural remedy used by people more popularly in the West is apple cider vinegar both for humans and for dogs. ACV for dogs is said to have several health benefits ranging from weight reduction to helping with itchy skin and even flea control.

Apple cider vinegar is made through the process of fermenting apples. The fermentation process results in an acidic vinegar that contains acetic acid, as well as some lactic, citric, and malic acids. It works as a pH balancer and digestive aid in the body. Although there are not a lot of scientific studies that confirm these

benefits, there are some reports that show positive health results for people and their dogs.

Dogs that are given apple cider vinegar may experience a healthier gastrointestinal system, better coat quality, and fewer allergies. This is because apple cider vinegar helps reduce the inflammation in the body and supports the immune system by balancing the pH. When giving dogs apple cider vinegar orally, it should be diluted with 50 percent water.

The optimal pH range for a dog is around 6-6.5 when measured in the urine and just over 7 when measured with a blood sample. ACV is slightly acidic with a pH of 3.1 to 5. Therefore, not every dog may benefit from oral ingestion of apple cider vinegar if they already have a pH in the optimal range.

When using ACV topically on dogs, it should be diluted 50/50 with water and should never be used undiluted. Pet parents should do a 24-hour spot test to make sure there are no adverse reactions to applying apple cider vinegar topically. Adverse reactions may show up as vomiting, reddish skin, itching, and scratching.

There are numerous benefits of ACV for dogs. It has been shown to help reduce itchy skin. It has also been used to rebalance the pH in the body to

optimise immune health. When dogs develop itchy ears or ear infections that often accompany allergies, ACV can be used in mixtures to clean the ears and reduce yeast overgrowth. Diluted ACV can also be added to your dog’s bath when they are experiencing skin conditions. Because apple cider vinegar affects the pH of the body and appears to possess antibacterial effects, it can also be used to help reduce urinary tract infections in dogs.

When using ACV, the organic version with the “mother” should be used for health benefits. This refers to the yeast and bacteria that is formed during fermentation. This form of apple cider vinegar is raw, unpasteurised, and unheated and contains the enzymes and live factors that make it beneficial for dog’s health. The label will indicate if the “mother” is present in that product.

Apple cider vinegar comes in different forms ranging from the standard liquid version to homemade topical sprays, wipes, and pill form. When using ACV for dogs, the best forms are to use the liquid version or homemade sprays. Many of the human wipes and capsules may contain other ingredients that can be toxic to dogs, like xylitol. Also, the “mother” version has more beneficial properties than some of the capsules that do not contain

paws & claws

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

FOR DOGS


the live enzymes.

For GI issues, like excessive gas or burping in dogs, using the liquid version of ACV is the most beneficial. Adding 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of apple cider vinegar to the water bowl or food once a day is recommended. If adding to the water, ensure there is a water bowl without apple cider vinegar available in case the dog does not like the flavour. Never give undiluted apple cider vinegar directly to your dog.

For skin and ear issues, topical use is ideal using a diluted 50/50 water and apple cider vinegar mixture in a spray bottle or on a cotton ball to clean out the ears.

If your dog has too low of a pH (less than 6), giving apple cider vinegar (which is more acidic) in their food or water may cause side effects, like vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and other GI symptoms. If you give apple cider vinegar to your dog and notice these

adverse effects, have your dog’s pH levels checked by your local veterinarian to determine if apple cider vinegar may help.

If your dog has health conditions, like kidney disease, that can lead to a more acidic pH in your dog’s body, these diseases could be exacerbated by giving apple cider vinegar orally. One of the simplest ways to assess your pet’s pH levels are with urine test strips or a pH check by your veterinarian.

Due to apple cider vinegar’s acidity, make sure to avoid getting it in your dog’s eyes. Never give apple cider vinegar undiluted to your dog since it is acidic. Also, never use apple cider vinegar on open wounds, cuts, or sores because it burns. Using ACV too frequently may also lead to dry skin and irritation in some dogs.


events

‘Himalayan Fashion Adventure’ is an attempt to bring the majestic Himalayas of Nepal into the spotlight as the next film and photography destination. Photographer and Filmmaker, Gautam Dhimal embarked on the adventurous fashion photography trip to Mustang with a talented team of people who believed in his vision. The fashion images against the exotic landscape have culminated into stunning high-end fashion visuals captured by Gautam and encapsulated into a book titled, ‘Himalayan Fashion Adventure’ launched and exhibited on February 18 in Kathmandu.

A FASHION ADVENTURE BY GAUTAM DHIMAL

EVOLVING THROUGH ART

VALENTINE’S CELEBRATION

AT ALOFT kATHMANDU

THAMEL

From February 6 to 19 neo-traditional artist, Samundra Man Singh held a solo exhibition at the Museum of Nepali Art (MONA). His second solo exhibition, ‘The Journey of Artistic Mastery: Samundra Man Singh Shrestha’ is a depiction of the evolution of his art over 30 years. Celebrated as a gifted traditional artist, the works on display are a redefinition of the visual expressions and experiences throughout his artistic journey. The exhibition showcases 20 paintings along with sketches giving his audience insight into his artistic process.

Aloft Kathmandu Thamel celebrated the day of love in style.

An intimate and romantic atmosphere was created in Nook which was accompanied by delicious food, romantic music and red roses.

Aloft Kathmandu Thamel is always seeking to create customer experiences that are special and celebratory. The hotel is dedicated to creating exclusive moments as per guest taste.

SMART FAMILY MAY 2019 41




horoscope


AriesAries is a karaoke master

Aries’ dynamite personality is a crowd-pleaser in bars and at parties when the karaoke machine is involved. Even after a few drinks, Aries blows the roof off the place with their controlled pitch. They’re known to have the audience shouting for an encore.

TAurusTaurus is excellent at poker

Watch out because a Taurus can take all your money before you even realise what happened. Don’t let their poker face get the best of you, because they are in it for the long run, given their invigorated endurance. People accuse Taurus’ of cheating simply due to the fact that they win a lot.

GeminiGemini has green fingers

As a wonder of nature themselves, Geminis have the gift for plant cultivation. Their house often resembles a plant sanctuary or a greenhouse with sunlight shining into their space. Geminis have nifty tricks up their sleeves for keeping plants alive. They also love being outdoors.

CAnCerCancer is brilliant at storytelling

On every camping trip, there is one person who captures everyone’s attention with a gripping story around the fire; Cancerians have a way with words and know how to hook their listeners. They pace the plot for a climatic ending that results in standing ovation or speechlessness.

LeoLeo is a born animal whisperer

Leo’s gentle nature instantly attracts dogs and cats. When one is sick, barking loudly, or jumping on a guest, Leo soothes their pet and makes them feel safe. They can often be found at the animal shelter volunteering or simply visiting to pet the animals. Leos do prefer spending time with furry friends than humans.

VirGoVirgo's skill lies in martial arts

Virgo’s keen logic and desire for ritual translates well into martial arts. They demonstrate this fascinating talent by showing off their skills. This talent takes trained practice, which Virgo has the commitment for.

LibrALibra is a great actor

Libra can play another character without any difficulty. Their sociability and flexibility are beneficial in understanding people who are very unlike them. For this reason, Libra is a pro at charades, impressions, and recalling movie quotes off the top of their head.

sCorpioScorpio is musically gifted

Scorpio’s self-control guides their fingers magnificently when playing the guitar, piano, clarinet, or other types of instruments. Music comes naturally to Scorpio. But they must remember that it takes time to move forward to the level they wish to reach, and should refrain from

abandoning their talent because of impatience.

sAGiTTAriusSagittarius is a serious pastry chef

The Sagittarius wanderlust and worldly experiences motivates them to try out all kinds of baking techniques. Following a recipe but also adding their twist to desserts is a fond passion for this zodiac. They are good at keeping everyone happy with their delicious treats.

CApriCornCapricorn is secretly great at rapping

A Capricorn has the crowd shouting for more of their free-style. They come up with witty rhymes on the spot and have the cool factor to match their talent. Should someone think about challenging a Capricorn, they’ll be sorely disappointed when a Capricorn drops the microphone after besting their competitor.

AquAriusAquarius can walk on their hands

Given the Aquarius originality, they love doing things upside down: standing on their heads, break-dancing, and walking on their hands. Aquarius is a trend-setter and isn’t influenced by others. Making their own path, you might want to watch out for an Aquarius using their hands as feet.

pisCesPisces is a gifted belly dancer

Mystical Pisces has a way of seducing others with their dancing, most notably with their hips and stomach. Pisces can move their body in a way that has others mesmerised. They love performing for anyone who can appreciate the art of belly dancing.

WHAT IS YOUR ZODIAC SIGN'S

MOST IMPRESSIVE

TALENT?

Omega_HQ • Visual: OLY96_X326_522.30.42.20.03.001 • Annonce: 03896 15Dec21 OLY96_X326_522.30.42.20.03.001 (NP) Language: English • Issue: 15/12/2021 • Doc size: 205 x 289 mm • Calitho #: 12-21-152358 • AOS #: OME_03896 • AD 15/12/2021

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