It’s been 28 years since Joshi has embraced this profession, which otherwise had reservations only for men. As the job required flexible working tours, frequent traveling and a lot of interaction with strangers, women opted not to become tour guides. [break]
“Our [Nepali] society is still narrow-minded,” Joshi said that it’s difficult for women to join this profession compared to men. “But the scene is changing. There are many women tour guides now. And it’s through our work that we should change the perception of the society.”
In the 1970s, when women empowerment and gender equality were some unheard of terms, Joshi came forward as an example. Though bound by the role of a housewife, she balanced her personal and professional life, proving that women can also work in challenging professions.
Som Raj Bajracharya, her colleague at Yeti Travels, defines her as a “straight-forward and a dedicated” guide.
Bajracharya, who joined one year after Joshi, said that he was impressed to see a Newar woman working in this field.
“It was a courageous thing to do then,” he said. “There weren’t any women in this field apart from a few from Darjeeling and Kalimpong [in India].”
Joshi’s journey started in 1977 when she joined a guide training program after her husband mentioned it. Her intention then was to “learn about the history, geography and culture of the country” and not to continue it as a profession. But for this graduate in political science, continuous offers led her to take her first job as a tour guide at Kathmandu Travels in 1978.
“My starting salary was Rs 850,” she said with a laugh, comparing to what the value of that amount means now—almost next to nothing.
Four years at Kathmandu Travels and she switched to Yeti Travels, one of Nepal’s oldest travel agencies where she worked for 21 years. More than two decades in the travel industry, Joshi said, has made herself well-versed about Nepal.
On her first tour to Swayambhu, as Joshi recalled, she was so nervous that she tried avoiding any questions. “Today, I want people to ask me questions,” she said, for she knows a lot about Nepal’s history, geography, culture and politics. “But you also have to keep yourself updated.”
As the bus stopped at the traffic in front of Singha Durbar, she held the microphone and explained about the historical and political significance of the century-old building. As they halt at Bhaktapur City Gate after a 45-minute ride from Thamel in Kathmandu, she gathered her group and walked them to Durbar Square.
There, she briefed them on the history, the palaces, temples and guides them through the narrow brick-paved streets to the Pottery Square. So often has she visited Bhaktapur that she has become a recognizable face to the city’s locals and shopkeepers; they exchanged smiles along with greetings.
In the early days, it used to be only a few women like Joshi who guided tourists. But now the number is rising. Looking at Joshi as she sat down for a cup of tea, one of the employees at the café adjacent to the Nyatapola Temple said that he has seen her coming with groups for a long time.
“It was great to see her guiding the Pakistani First Lady when she visited,” he said.
Dignitaries and VIP groups aside, she is often booked by local travel agencies these days, as she has retired from Yeti Travels and now a freelancer.
People like Navin Trital, former executive at Explore Himalaya, a travel agency, and now the owner of Venture Himalaya in Nag Pokhari, prefers Joshi to lead his tour groups.
“She’s always on our priority list,” Trital, who has known Joshi for 15 years, said. “She’s punctual, very responsible and we’ve never had any complaints.”
Throughout the time, people who know her said that she hasn’t changed but only improved. But Joshi couldn’t say the same thing for the country’s tourism industry.
While the 1970s and 80s saw a lot of “quality tourists,” she said budget tourists outnumber them now. Also, problems like garbage, lack of facilities such as toilets, strikes and political instability harm the fragile tourism industry.
“The tourism industry hasn’t been able to bank the opportunities as it should have,” she mentioned as she walked through Bhaktapur. She referred to Bhaktapur as an example to what other places could do.
But despite all the problems looming over, women are coming forward, as they see Joshi as an example.
Uttara Manandhar started as a tour guide when she was 25. Now 35, she said she respects Joshi for her dedication and the way she has balanced her family and her job.
“She’s encouraging,” Manandhar said. Bajracharya also agrees and applauds her successful double role.
All these years, with time, Joshi has only emerged as a proficient tour guide: She is more knowledgeable, practiced and respected. But Manandhar said something that remains unchanged.
“It’s fascinating how she always carries herself in a saree,” she said. For the past 28 years, Joshi has made saree her choice of attire while at work.
“You got to show your nationality,” Joshi said with a smile, dressed in her orange-colored saree. And at the same time, she said she’s also helping in doing what she wants: fulfilling the reason why she joined this profession.
“I always wanted to introduce my country internationally, and I’ll do that as long as I can,” Joshi said.
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