In the late of night if you find yourself at a pub and you hear a band playing before an audience absolutely quiet and riveted, chances are it’s the Phosphenes. The indie band is causing quite the waves among the avid music listening crowd of Nepal. With their focus on storytelling, simple melodies, and enchanting harmonies, Phosphenes is a name received with much adulation in live music sessions. And with their EP released this September, they are looking forward to more success in the days to come.

Dressing up is so much simpler during the summer months when you can slip on a cotton dress and a pair of sandals or simply a pair of jeans and t-shirt and be ready to head out the door in a matter of minutes. Getting ready for parties and formal events too require minimal effort. In the winter months though you might feel like dressing up nice and good is pointless since you end up pulling on a bulky coat or jacket on top of everything you wear anyways. But Ramila Nemkul, founder of Kasa, says you needn’t give style a toss during the colder season. And here she tells us how you can brave the cold while looking your stylish best.

Dec 21: Ukraine resident Vladyslav Gorobchuk (Vlad) landed in Nepal almost a month ago, with just small luggage weighing seven kilos. In it, he had a few shirts and shorts. Having ditched his trekking boots in favor of flip-flops in East Asia, he now wears a jacket given to him by a fellow traveler during his journey that started in September 2017. In just a little over a year, he has been to 16 countries and Nepal is the 24th place he has visited.

Badminton has been, for a very long time, called a ‘gentleman’s game’. The sport is Eurasian in its roots and easily one of the most played sports in the world, especially the Asian countries. Players from China and Japan have been dominating the world rankings for decades now. In Nepal too, badminton has always been a cherished sport. Shuttles and rackets have never been objects of curiosity, they have always been around. Kids, the aunties and the uncles, the young and the elderly have been besotted by the sport for very long.

In our culture, gifts usually mean bouquets of flowers, clothes, accessories and occasionally, when nothing comes to mind, money. But, in the recent days, people are looking into changing this. I am the Gardener is a huge part of this wave of change. They sell potted plants for individual purposes: For offices, bathrooms, kitchens, balconies and of course for gifting purposes too.

KATHMANDU, Dec 7: K-pop is taking over the world. It has been for quite some time now. But its popularity has also led to a curiosity about the Korean culture. Termed as the “Hallyu Wave”, the Korean culture is gaining a strong foothold in various regions of the world. Furthermore, dramas, travel vlogs, and pop culture have hugely contributed to its rising popularity. And since food is such an integral part of any culture, there’s also an increase in the demand for Korean food. In Nepal too, every store these days seems to stack up Korean instant noodles (known as ramen) and it isn’t long before they need to restock them again.

Tattoo making has always been a part of Nepali traditions. Back in the days, it was a cultural norm among the Rais and Limbus of the country. Now, it has assumed form like it has done in most countries – it is how millions immortalize memories, maintain faith and derive strength in difficult times. Tattoo artists, as such, take great pleasure from their work and so does Sumina Shrestha.

Mukesh Dhakal is your typical college boy. He goes to college, has a great time with his friends, studies when he has to, and sleeps whenever he can. Nothing about him will strike you as extraordinary at first glance. But when you see him on stage, all notions of regularity you associated with him will be washed off before he steps off it. For there is nothing ordinary in the way he moves his body, and the way rhythm and music seem to course through him.

A canvas devoid of any work, no matter how spotless the blank canvas is, isn’t art. Not even an art connoisseur can pass it off as anything but simply a boring piece of canvas. It is because it is untouched and thus has nothing to convey. A plain, spotless face is like that of a blank canvas, it can tell you no stories of days lived, hardships endured or laughs shared. But a face lined along the eyes tells you of times of laughter and joy. The lines along a mother’s mouth cries of hours she has spent nursing her ailing child. The swells of an old man’s wrinkles sing of a lifetime of memories, of love and friendship, of good times and bad, of hardship and hard work. Akin to a canvas, a marked face is one that has lived.

For Sushila Karki crafting things always came easily. From a very young age she took to drawing designs and people, making use of discarded bottles to decorate her room and would spend hours remodeling her house. She would always be on the lookout for things that was past its expiry date but could still be used alternatively. This love for making and creating extended even to her academics as she picked fashion designing as her choice of subject.

Music has forever been an important part of the Nepali culture. From the day a baby takes his first breath to the moment he breathes his last, music will be around him. Its presence is undeniable through the various courses in his life, in marriage and festivities, in life and in death.

Tassel Kingdom caters to this very need of customized designs. They take in personal requests for customizing earrings and also produce ones that are mostly in demand. An undertaking of longtime friends Stela Shakya, Krisha Bajracharya, and Sulakchhana Shakya, Tassel Kingdom is a small-scale initiative of the trio. They began in their own circle, gifting friends and families a few of their own creations. Enthused by the reactions, they opened an account on Instagram to officially sell their products. The reception and the support that poured in was nothing short of fantastic.

For a very long time Nepal has been a breeding ground for transgressions of various forms. This has caused distress among the Nepali mass for quite some time now. Cases of drug abuse, human trafficking, child prostitution and more heinous offenses aren’t unfamiliar stories. Over the years, various groups of individuals and agencies have advocated and worked for the rehabilitation of the victims and ardently endeavored to prevent further wrongdoings. Sano Paila is one among many.

Neelam Karki Niharika is making waves in the Nepali literature scene as one of the few female writers to be awarded the coveted ‘Madan Puraskar’ and the prestigious ‘Shree Padma Puraskar’. She has been writing for nearly two decades and her works have garnered praises from literary critics and readers alike.

We have all heard of the Kumaris of Nepal. In fact, it might even be safe to say that the world knows of them – many books and documentaries have been made on them. They are the living embodiment of the Goddess Taleju and an integral part of the Nepali culture.

“Why look at the stars and waste your time? It’s not like they will magically fix all your problems.”

Times have changed, and people’s taste and wants too have changed and though what is inherent to our culture shouldn’t be subject to this change, sadly, it is.

Cases like Bista’s aren’t the only ones of its kind. Siddhi Memorial Foundation in Bhaktapur has an elderly home where people wishing to join on their own isn’t uncommon. Differences in the family, not wishing to become a burden on their children, loneliness and wanting to receive proper medical care are common narratives.

Mandala Studio Yoga and Spa in Thamel is one that initially began off as a yoga studio but later branched out to providing spa treatments as well. Kriti Karki, one of the co-founders of Mandala Studio Yoga and Spa, was a yoga instructor herself and initially started off by providing yoga sessions.

19 is an age of uncertainty, of college decisions and life choices and everything else that perhaps shouldn’t be ladled on the shoulders of someone so young. It was the same for Margaret Doyne or Maggie. At 19, she was all set for a high-ranking college, dreaming of a six-figure salary and a bright future ahead of her.