Nepal’s parliament Wednesday criminalised an ancient Hindu practice that banishes women from the home during menstruation. Many communities in Nepal view menstruating women as impure and in some remote areas they are forced to sleep in a hut away from home during their periods, a custom known as chhaupadi. The new law stipulates a three-month […]
Officials at Colby-Sawyer have refused to address their mistreatment of 21 year old Supragya Rijal
Beneath the biggest tax fraud in history lies a corrupt nexus among politicians and businesses
Having failed at punishing rapists, the government polices sexuality
The director and the theatre were intimidated into remaining silent
Why I burned my country’s new constitution
How the tiny Gorkhali hill-state territorially expanded to become Nepal
A #metoo story about abuse of power in the University
Rolling coverage of developments as the floods hit across the country.
The history of sexual exploitation of Dalit women
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Conservationists believe that the habitat degradation will have an adverse impact on large mammals
Life, politics, and identity in an underappreciated border city
The rape and murder of a young girl stuns Nepal
An alumna examines the culture of patriarchy at Nepal’s elite boarding school.
Earlier this month, two journalists from the Kantipur daily came out with an explosive story on the largest ever case of tax fraud in Nepal. In collaboration with the Centre for Investigative Journalism, Krishna Acharya and Krishna Gyawali had investigated how the Tax Settlement Commission had abused the law to give tax exemptions of over […]
Lessons on living fearlessly from the writer Sulochana Manandhar Dhital
Bringing attention to the everyday abuse faced by women
As the elites profit from natural resources, the poor and marginalized pay the price of conservation with evictions, fines, and jail sentences
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A resolution to the disputed territory along Nepal’s northern boundary will come only when India and China agree to demarcate their border
Non-Resident Nepali Association wasted NPR 350 million on houses no one wants to live in
The stage has been set for Nepal’s second phase of local elections in three provinces on June 28, with polling in Province 2 deferred to September 18 amid protests by Madhes-based parties demanding an amendment to the new constitution. That the elections are happening at all after two decades suggests there is overwhelming public desire […]
The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has seized goods from 400 vendors
International aid agencies accuse the government of hampering their work by requiring fees, stipends, and bribes
Weak laws, political pressure and social attitudes perpetuate impunity
Three years since a traumatic night of violence in Dolpo, the community still awaits justice.
Maina Sunar case will set precedent for Army trials in civilian court
Her photographs confront the culture of silence that surrounds women
Filling a gap in the diplomatic history of Nepal from the Cold War days.
Remembering the Royal Nepal Army’s actions in wartime
Throughout Nepali history, the brutality of the caste system has stunted social transformation
Lured abroad with false promises, Mumtaz Rain returned in pain and in debt
The judgment of events past—the conquest of Gorkhali empire two centuries ago for example—still divides Nepalis. For the critics, the legacy of the conquests are far more indicting than just the brutalities of the battles, evident in the two centuries of state formation, from an extractive agrarian bureaucracy to a communal legal code. Social forces […]
Thomas Bell kicks off our new Classics series with an introduction to Kamal P. Malla’s timeless essay
In the modern scheme, nothing quite compares to the way villages in Nepal grow food. In contrast to the world’s present agricultural landscape of mass monoculture—GPS-directed tractors on thousand-hectare swaths of GMO corn, soybeans, canola, rice—Nepal can feel like a saving grace. Steep, complex geography and the late acceptance of Western influences have kept much […]
Relationships deteriorate after the police forces killed five Madhesi protesters in the district.
Two visits to the United Kingdom in different eras
In 1960 a Nepali officer was shot by Chinese soldiers along the border, causing a heated diplomatic dispute. Decades later, the details of the case are still contentious
How the Khas-Arya Hindu elite created a nation in its own image
Nepal’s constitution needs an amendment before the second round of elections
Commodities, trade, and transportation in Northwest Nepal
What happens to the Nepali youth who try to get into the British Gurkha, and fail
Why the Gorkhali court was plagued by intrigues and conspiracies
‘Lipstick Under My Burkha’ shows women’s desires without apology.
A reflection on the hegemony of the language that is robbing us of fluency in our mother-tongues
Stiller’s analysis of Nepal’s early rulers
Two new policies look set to curb dissent
How Nepal’s imperial history resulted in today’s inequalities
The mob, calling the women “Christians,” vandalized their tent and threatened to decapitate all of them
Two visits to the United Kingdom in different eras
A chronicle of how corruption sabotaged football in Nepal.
The Maoists grapple with demands to hold them accountable for the violence of the conflict
They appear weak, but the Maoists aligned with ‘Biplab’ haven’t given up
Incident reporting more prevalent than analysis of larger social picture
New research looks into Chinese treatment of Indian Army Gorkha prisoners during the 1962 Sino-Indian War
Slow progress on the Rasuwagadhi route revived after the earthquake
An Interview with Former Army chief Gaurav Rana about Nepal’s Challenges in Diplomacy
Introduced and translated by Theodore Riccardi, Jr.
Parijat on literature, marriage and faith
And what you can do if you get arrested.
A photo essay on the Rasuwagadhi road and why landslides are cutting it more often
Coordinated efforts among police, community members, and conservationists have been fruitful
They have three months to comply
As the Army sets up camp, locals are tense about what costs they will have to bear
An interview with KP Sharma Oli on 29th November 2003
New research reveals high-level tensions in Kathmandu after the 1964 Khampa raid against the Chinese
Tsewang Lama discusses life and governance in Humla.
Fixing public schools requires a labour market for teachers
How Patanjali Ayurveda uses cheap and substandard raw products to outcompete their rivals in the market.
In a cautionary letter to Baburam Bhattarai, Mary Des Chene urges the self-declared Marxist to abandon the neoliberal path that will turn Nepal into wasteland
A young prince from Gorkha sets his mind to conquer the valley of Kathmandu
In rural Madhes, a success story comes undone
Four Kathmanduites share what it was like growing up Madhesi in the capital
Lack of political will stalls investigations
Language used by Nepali men to refer to professional women and female counterparts is often infantilizing and show lack of respect.
What the earthquake revealed about the state of civil-military relations in Nepal
The author discusses his new book on the conflicted Kathmandu neighborhood that “won’t sit still”
On June 26, President Bidhya Bhandari, the supreme commander of the army, approved the government’s request to mobilize the army during the second phase of local elections. Lack of presidential approval had not deterred the army, of course; it had been patrolling the streets in the Terai-Madhes for weeks. Deploying the army during elections is […]
11 have been sentenced to life in prison while the Tharu community in Tikapur continues to pay the price for the horrors of 2015
Nothing, it seems, is sacred – not even people’s health. The tentacles of money in politics are deep, and businessmen masquerading as politicians are seeking profit everywhere, including in medical education. As we’ve explained before, this is the natural result of crony capitalism. A resistance to this sick state of affairs has come from a medical […]
Almost all chiefs of the Nepal Police who came to power after restoration of democracy in 1990 have been convicted or implicated in multi-million rupee corruption scams over the years. The Armed Police Force (APF), the country’s elite paramilitary force, is facing a similar fate. In December 2015, ex-APF chief IGP Kosh Raj Onta was […]
Mallika Shakya’s new book explains the “death” of the Nepali garment industry
2 percent elected to head rural or urban municipalities, 1 percent elected to head wards
They want free, prior, and informed consent
Statelessness is amongst the many problems plaguing the immigrant community
How Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered Kathmandu valley
Navigating Nepali citizenship, Tibetan heritage, and a dependence on China
The number of Dalit candidates for top jobs in municipal and village councils is near zero despite commitments for inclusion in the constitution and party documents.
Amid poverty and unemployment, the village reels after police forces killed five Madhesi protesters earlier this month.
In a Newa village south of Lalitpur Municipality, a community grapples with the prospect of monumental change.
New photo collection brings light to women’s participation in political struggles
Investment in girls’ education can stem the tide of trafficking caused by poverty and patriarchy
It appears heady times for Nepal: the Central Bureau of Statistics recently forecasted that the growth rate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the fiscal year 2073/74 will be 6.94 percent, a 24-year high. The high rate of economic growth is certainly welcome; no country has escaped poverty and underdevelopment without high and sustained growth. […]
The Maoist war molded Kapileshwar Sardar, a leader unthinkable a generation ago. But he is still denied the national stage.
Sam Cowan’s new book offers deep insights into modern Nepali history
Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba became prime minister for the fourth time on June 6. Such things don’t usually happen in well-functioning democracies, but nobody ever accused Nepal of being one. Deuba’s last three terms are notable for chaos and corruption, and there’s reason to believe that his return to power signals a return […]
Portrait of a village that has a history of rising from the rubbles
Remembering Fr. Stiller, who chose to dedicate his life to Nepal and to the study of Nepali history
A trial in Dailekh and its lessons for transitional justice in Nepal
Demographics of the federal legislature
In 1996 Padma Ratna Tuladhar spoke about his background, on the need for linguistic inclusion, the prevalent political culture and foreign aid in Nepal
Society acknowledges but does not accept
Along the Nepal-India border lies a place where history runs deep, but the future is uncertain
The conclusion of a conquest brings conspiracies and a fight for power
In loving memory of Padma Ratna Tuladhar
How did a fugitive win by a landslide?
Changing the culture of silence surrounding mental illness could save lives
14 year old Pramila Tharu’s death remains shrouded in mystery
A judge orders release of men suspected of a horrific gang rape and attempted murder in Lalitpur two months ago
An interview with China expert Andrew Nathan on China and its neighborhood
Once again, ultra-nationalists turn against their own citizens
The wounds of impunity remain fresh
On the way to the main square of the hill town of Putalibazaar in Syangja district, you’ll find a small retail store, opposite of the Women Development Office, that sells bangles and bead necklaces. The shopkeeper inside is Sunita Chhetri, a 26-year-old woman sitting behind her fat accounts book, happily chatting away with her customers. […]
Monsoon mayhem
It’s clear the government wants to silence those who champion the minorities
Unification throws party ideals into question, once again
Nepal’s conservation practices are leaving indigenous communities unprotected
Violence sparked by the “fast track” constitution still divides the Tharus and Pahadis
The English translation of Baburam Acharya’s Aba Yesto Khahilyai Nahos offers a glimpse into Nepal’s shockingly bloody past
Seventeen years after emancipation, many ex-kamaiyas prepare to vote in local elections for the first time
The Nepal Police continues to defy a six-month old court order to investigate Ram Sevak Dhobi’s alleged murder
Several incidents show that journalists are not free to do their work
A new book traces the history of Nepali tourism through encounters between Western travelers and Nepalis.
Why Devkota’s English essays are still relevant
1990’s Kathmandu comes alive in Shradha Ghale’s debut novel
The ultimate revenge of the hill bureaucrats
Portraying Nepali women as a homogeneous group obscures the diverse forms of discrimination they face
From the extrajudicial killings in the Madhes to the repression of people in the highlands, the Nepali state has shown its discriminatory character everywhere