WHAT IS LEKHNEKORNE?
LekhneKorne is exactly what it sounds like: lekhne and korne, writing and drawing. It took birth with the notion of how journals can be personalized.

DID IT TAKE SHAPE FROM A PERSONAL NEED?
That can be said. Out in the market, it’s really hard to find journals or sketch pads that cater to a person’s need. We may require a heavy grade paper of a certain size that does not fall into the usual A4 or A3 size. Or we may just want a miniature one for on-the-go sketching. And maybe we just want a journal is separate papers in itself. All of these thoughts were something I harbored, and still do, and to put them to rest, I thought of making my own journals. I would make them according to my need, and I found that it appealed to others as well who share my enthusiasm for art. So they would request to make them a personalized journal, and that is how LekhneKorne came to be.

AND HOW LONG AGO DID YOU START?
I have been making journals for myself for 4 years now. But making for friends and those who request, it has been around a year.

SO HOW DOES IT ALL WORK?
We have a stock of various papers in grades, thicknesses, qualities, and colors. So, when an order comes to us, we get the specifics of what they want: such as size, color, grade, number of pages, cover, personalized quotes, and so on. All of these go on to take 10 days to be realized into a product. We cut the pages and sow it, and bind it with a cover, all done by hand. When finished, we deliver it to our clients, and hope that they are happy with it.

WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS PAPERS YOU HAVE IN STOCK?
Our clients are primarily people who love to draw and write. So, for those who want to write, we use Ivory Paper. It is a simple non-offensive white that has a smooth texture. Any pen or pencil can write on it with not issues of bleeding or clotting. For those who want to draw, we have French Cartridge and Watercolor Papers. They may be the most basic papers out there, but they get the job done for most aspiring artists.

WE ARE NOT A BIG BRAND, NOR ARE OUR PRODUCTS ON THE SHELVES OF ANY RETAIL STORE. WE RUN LEKHNEKORNE THROUGH INSTAGRAM, AN ACCOUNT THAT ITSELF IS QUITE LOWKEY.

WHEN YOU SAY PERSONALIZATION, WHAT ARE OPTIONS ONE CAN GO FOR?

The first thing to personalize would be the paper. It comes down to the client’s needs. Then the cover. We can do leather, or a hardback, or a soft one if you require. We can also put in quotes and drawings if it is asked. We limit those to just the cover, however, as we believe that the inside pages are personal. So, we leave that up to the person who ordered it. Then, we can make pockets as well for convenient storing within the journal itself. And of course, we can do elastic closure and book markers as requested.

AND WHAT IS THE PRICE RANGE OF YOUR PRODUCTS?
The mini ones are Rs. 300. From there on, it can range up to Rs. 2500. It depends on how the client wants to personalize. If they want a journal that’s leather bound, we use genuine leather, if the usual, we use a thicker paper.

WHAT’S THE WEIRDEST ORDER YOU HAVE RECEIVED?
Rather that weird, we often get asked what kinds of papers we have. When we tell them, the ask us to mix it up. Those being actual orders, we do our best to see it through as far as possible.

TO TALK ABOUT BUSINESS, HOW MANY CLIENTS DO YOU GET IN A MONTH?
We are not a big brand, nor are our products on the shelves of any retail store. We run LekhneKorne through Instagram, an account that itself is quite lowkey. So in a month, we may get 10 orders, while in other month, we may get none at all.

WHAT ARE IN THE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF LEKHNEKORNE?
Notebooks and journals are what we do and we want to continue doing that. We don’t intend to diversify ourselves into other products, just stick with what we do and do it better. We want to bring in more verities of papers, covers, and more options to personalize. To say, we really want to come up with a refillable journal. Many a times, we get a notebook just because we like the cover and have a tragedy when it is full. We want to save ourselves and our clients from that tragedy and make it something that can be reused again and again.

INTERVIEWED BY: NIRVEEK PPJ SHAH | PHOTOS: GAURAV XHOMPATE SUNUWAR

With the alarming growth in rates and a small percentage of all the water on earth, it only makes sense that we must preserve and conserve this precious resource. Since water is an essential to sustaining life, it is our responsibility to preserve it and learn more about its conservation so that the following generation can use this luxury. While we wish we could recognize every organization that has made a contribution towards water conservation efforts in Nepal, we have chosen one that has been implementing some noteworthy advancements to make Nepal a cleaner and a better place. We had a talk with Sajal Pradhan, the Co-Founder of Best Paani, to know more about what this initiative does, what the future looks like, and what we can do to make it better.

DID YOU ALWAYS THINK THAT YOU WOULD GET INTO ENTREPRENEURSHIP?
Entrepreneurship has helped me combine my passion for the environment and my fascination with creating systems that engineer human well-being and equity. But regardless of what I’ve worked or will work in, be it in the private, academic, social, or public sector in the past, I choose to make it parallel to the notion of environmental conservation and human well-being.

HOW DID BEST PAANI COME TO BE?
My business partner Gokul Dangal has been making sustainable water systems for over 10 years now. I had the opportunity to volunteer with Rotary making wells during my SLC break, so I was always familiar with his work. When he asked me to join him, I was in the second semester of my Masters in Sustainable Development at Kathmandu University, and it was an easy yes.
Although we started the company with rain water harvesting systems in mind as the primary product, two months after we started it, the Nepal Earthquake of 2015 devastated the nation. We had to quickly switch gears and focus on filtration because it was essential at the time to prevent a cholera epidemic. And since then, we’ve been doing just that, trying to provide a cleaner form of potable water.

I BELIEVE THAT IF NEPALESE MOTHERS ARE TO BE MORE EDUCATED, WE WILL NOT LOSE 5000 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 5 EACH YEAR TO PREVENTABLE CONDITIONS.

WHAT WAS THE INITIAL PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING BEST PAANI? DID YOU GO THROUGH ANY CHALLENGES AS SUCH? AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME IT?
Although it felt challenging at the time, the setup was a fairly simple process that involved many consultations with mentors, competitors, and templates available online. My job was to set up every department and process. So I started with mapping the company on a business model canvas and a service blueprint and then zoomed in the details by creating flowcharts, which we are still making till date. The emotional trauma of entrepreneurship was the greater challenge than the technical work involved, honestly, and I have the utmost respect for people who start their first entrepreneurial journey alongside a family.

WHAT IS BEST PAANI? WHAT IS IT DOING TO MAKE OUR LIVES BETTER?
This year, 5000 Nepalese children will die due to a preventable water-borne disease. 80% of hospital beds and majority of female student drop outs are also accredited to preventable water scarcity and diseases. Our team at Best Paani believes that it is absolutely necessary to ensure safe water access in rural Nepalese villages, because:
• Access to water in a school determines whether a young girl continues her
education after she starts menstruating
or not.
• This also determines whether her children
are taken care of by an educated guardian,
or not.
I believe that if Nepalese mothers are to be more educated, we will not lose 5000 children under the age of 5 each year to preventable conditions. Thus, our work not only enhances the quality of a person’s life, but also increases the chances of their children’s survival.
In other schools we’ve worked in, children are sent to fetch water from far away locations rather than to school. This sometimes leads to them being abducted or molested. In the day to day life scenario, safe water at homes ensures that working individuals can provide for their families without falling sick or losing the family’s income source, or even their lives, to preventable water born disease.
We understand the vast impact water has in people’s lives. Safe water should not be a barrier for a person’s wellbeing, and we are working on this problem so that it doesn’t. In the past three years, Best Paani has built safe water access for over 300,000 people across 20 earthquake struck districts. We design and build non-electric rain water harvesting and slow-sand filtration systems that create access to sufficient and safe water. Our cost-effective filters help to combat Cholera, Hepatitis, Typhoid, Dracunculiasis, Filariasis, E. Coli, Salmonella, Shilgella, and other water born threats. The filter is also effective against iron, arsenic, manganese, faecal vi, to prevent dysentery, diarrhea, and other rampant waterborne diseases notorious in South Asia and Africa.
We use only locally available materials to ensure affordability and ease of maintenance. We also connect buyers to financial institutions so they can make monthly payments which lessen their financial burden. On average, our home projects have cost $600 for 5 persons, whereas our school projects have cost $1200 for 650 students. Our impact in schools is amplified because villages double these schools as community gathering locations and marriage halls. This is why we prefer to work with community schools to leverage a larger impact.

OUR FOCUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON THE PRODUCT AND ON THE IMPACT WE CREATE. THUS, OUR VISIBILITY HAS BEEN THE RESULT OF THE QUALITY OF OUR WORK.

WHAT STRATEGIES ARE YOU IMPLEMENTING TO ENSURE BETTER AWARENESS AND VISIBILITY?
Our focus has always been on the product and on the impact we create. Thus, our visibility has been the result of the quality of our work. This has worked out greatly for us so far and we’ve always gotten amazing opportunities to create impact.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR BEST PAANI? WHERE DO YOU SEE BEST PAANI?
In the past three years of operations, we have secured safe drinking water access to 300,000 Nepalese people, across 20 earthquake struck districts, and have recharged 3.3 million liters of water to the ground water aquifer.
On average this has cost $0.3 per person, including long term maintenance costs. According to WHO’s calculation method, our work has given a $165,108 to $1,871,224 economic return to Nepal’s economy.
In the macro, lobbying with local Governments has finally resulted in Kathmandu making rain water harvesting mandatory for all constructions this year. We consider this a huge success.
This numbers will grow as we grow, and we will continue to lobby to strengthen this policy’s implementation plans and to launch the policy nation-wide, because we believe decentralized water systems are safer and more efficient in Nepal than the centralized but poorly maintained distribution.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE ONE OF THE 50 MOST IMPACTFUL LEADERS IN THE WORLD?
We’ve been doing this for three years now and I’m proud of the work Best Paani has done in safeguarding the health of over 300,000 Nepali through water filtration across 20 earthquake struck districts. This award has, most importantly, further motivated the team to continue this good and challenging work. And it’s great that we’re living in a time when society believes in the press for progress and prioritizes highlighting important work such as that in the water sector that transforms lives. That being said, it’s important to protect your self-worth from social opinions, whether positive or negative.

INTERVIEWED BY SHREEYA SANGROULA | PHOTOS: GAURAV XHOMPATE SUNUWAR

There are many great, strong service providers in the world. There are people who have made it their passion to follow what they believe in, which in turn helps others in need. Here, ‘others’ means the environment. Khaalisisi. com is one such platform that keeps being as innovative as they can be. From what I have learned from Aayushi KC, the Founder and CEO at Khaalisisi, who also got listed in the 30 Under 30 Asia 2018: Social Entrepreneurs for Forbes, it takes perseverance, decisiveness, tenacity, and patience. There’s no moment of rest, and you have to be all in. This is a slow-paced, but highly necessary business. To get ahead and stay there you must constantly identify ways to innovate, improve service and ensure exceptional compliance and safety. At the same time, your values are the framework. Doing the right thing must be the basis for every decision you make. For them, putting people and the environment first is key.

HOW DID THIS IDEA COME ABOUT? WERE YOU THINKING OF DOING SOMETHING LOCALLY FROM THE START?
I was always inclined towards doing something for the environment or working with kids. But I didn’t know what to do. All I was aware of was the terms reuse and recycle. So, it was just on a surficial basis. I was thinking about opening an NGO that dealt with waste but then life happened after college; I got better offers and good jobs. I became a gypsy when it came to work because I was always shifting jobs. I think it was because I never got that challenge or that impact. Then, I decided there was so much more to do, starting from the local level itself. So, I was in the middle because I had a job already but I wanted to do something on my own that could benefit the environment.
There isn’t any fancy story for Khaalisisi; it wasn’t like I didn’t have a shoe so I started a shoe company. However, I did my research and I wanted to figure out a sustainable model that benefits the environment. It took me almost 8 months to prepare myself to be ready and that’s how Khaalisisi came to life.

WHAT ABOUT THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION?
The term ‘Khaalisisi’ has been in our culture for decades now and people are familiar with it. So, it’s is just a modern twist with a .com on that tradition. If everything is changing with time with the inclusion of technology and a system, then why not waste management as well. And when you hear the name Khaalisisi, you already know what it is about, which is always important.

WERE THERE ANY CHALLENGES FOR YOU IN THIS INDUSTRY? IF YES, COULD YOU ELABORATE?
I started Khaalisisi after my marriage, when I was already in a good job. When I talked to my family about it, they asked me why I was quitting a job when it was going well. There were a lot of speculations surrounding this idea. And this was the main challenge: If I cannot make my family understand, then how can I make others understand?
But I went ahead with it and registered the company. That’s when the next challenge came in. There are different sets of objectives that you need to have as a company and according to that you’re put in a category. But with Khaalisisi there wasn’t anything like that. So, the closest was that of Kawadiwala under which I got registered. I was happy that I got a legal start, but that got me worried about our system as it doesn’t recognize innovative ideas. It’s just not in the framework. I knew then that I had more challenges ahead.

When I started connecting with the khaalisisi dais from different areas, there was an issue because they were not aware about the .coms, or going parallel to my idea of revolution. Some of them even laughed because they don’t care about it all. But what they did understand is the business, and if they were to get more business, it’s their primary motivation to work. And most of all, they understand hard work because they have been doing this for so long.
Then again, most of them have asked me where the “sir” was because they had not seen a female heading a business.

What do you think is the milestone in this business for you?
Ramsagar Dai was my first Khaalisisi dai and he has seven kids. When he went back home to his family, he told me that he had earned Rs. 3000 more than what he used to. He told me that he got gifts for everyone. This was during the prototype phases and it made me really happy. This joyous result was due to the hard work that was put in. When I told him this, he gave me a very convinced smile. And that’s when

I saw that labor shows itself in the form of result. That has been my biggest learning throughout the journey. And now, people who used to call Khaalisisi Dai’s as bhaiyas have started calling them with their names. They came to meetings and feel the dignity of their own labor. I used to think it was all for money, but it is for their self-respect and worth.

IF EVERYTHING IS CHANGING WITH
TIME WITH THE INCLUSION OF
TECHNOLOGY AND A SYSTEM, THEN
WHY NOT WASTE MANAGEMENT AS
WELL. AND WHEN YOU HEAR THE NAME
KHAALISISI, YOU ALREADY KNOW
WHAT IT IS ABOUT, WHICH IS ALWAYS
IMPORTANT.

HOW DOES KHAALISISI WORK? WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
We have a very lean management system. We have a network of Khaalisisi friends around the office and we have a network or scrapyards too, and also with the people who buy recycled stuff. We ourselves, we don’t recycle yet. But, Khaalisisi is all about collaboration.
When someone collects the waste, they bring it over to the nearest scrapyard. After the separation is done they are segregated into types and then it is further sold to other processors and made sure that it doesn’t end up in landfills.

DO YOU ALSO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS?
Like I said, we are all about collaborations. We work with everyone who has waste. Right now, it might look like we are just doing trash collection, but it is beyond that. We collaborate with schools and bring the kids over to the scrapyards and show them the different types of trash and how it can be recycled. The Khaalisisi Dais do the orientation and they learn about it from them. It is a nice insight for the kids and it turns their perspective as well, as we have been taught not to go around Khaalisisi Dais for they will kidnap them. This is a nice change for the Dais too and the children get to know hard-working men.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE?
Our Vision at Khaalisisi is to build Nepal to be the world’s Top 20 Recycling Nations by 2030. Nepal is globally known for Everest, Buddha, Gurkha, but we are so much more. We are a gorgeous nation. But have we realized our potential in serving the best example for nature and environment? That’s what we intend to do.

WORDS : SHREEYA SANGROULA | PHOTOS: GAURAV XHOMPATE SUNUWAR

THE CUSTOMER’S RESPONSE IS THE BIGGEST
SOURCE OF MARKETING FOR US BECAUSE IT IS AS
POSITIVE AS IT CAN BE

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO START BHU LAXMI GROUP?

I started Bhu Laxmi Group after I completed education in the field of IT. I wanted to go abroad for my career but overtime it changed and I wanted to do something for this market. However, I had no idea what to do, all the products that was needed in the market was there but I found a loophole which one a product that doesn’t have much demand right now but will become a necessity in Nepal. So we started off with air conditioners. It is considered as a luxury product but Nepal is a developing country and the market is obviously there, that is why I started Bhu Laxmi group.

WHAT ABOUT THE NAME?

How I came up with the name is pretty simple it is a mix of my parents’ name. My Father’s name is Bhupal and my Mother’s name is Laxmi so I mixed the two and name up with Bhu Laxmi group. At the moment we are just working with air conditioners but in the future we obviously want to expand to other home appliances as well.

HOW HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN? HAS IT EXCEEDED YOUR EXPECTATIONS?

When I started, I thought the business was slowly going to pick up but that has exceeded my expectations because it is growing rapidly to the point where we are having problems managing adequate stock. I would like to think that it’s because we do our best to manage our quality. I do go to the factory to check the air quality myself. The customer’s response is the biggest source of marketing for us because it is as positive as it can be. However, if they have any suggestions for us we would be happy to take it up.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAD TO FACE IN THIS INDUSTRY? WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?

The main challenge right now is that Kathmandu is not a very hot city but if we go to the Terai sides the temperature can reach up to 40 degrees Celsius. We are focusing more on the quality and service rather than paid advertisement at the time.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS?

We are planning to open up a plant in Nepal and produce our own home appliances. Bhu Laxmi group is working on electronics right now but we are also working on creating an IT startup because that is what I have a background in. Also, if anyone has a new concept that we think might do well in the market we would be happy to invest in it. Slowly, we will be looking at the scope of the market and heading to more diverse field.

What do you think of competition? How competitive is the market in the field of home appliances?

Well competition is always there if we are not a monopoly which we clearly are not. So, I don’t think much about the competition as long as we stick to our ethics and essence. I have heard a lot of people complaining about how they are not satisfied with the service with their respective brand. So, this is where we want to ace, the service that we provide once we have sold a product to the customer must be on point.

words by: shreeya sangroula | photo by: gaurav xhompate sunuwar

HOW DID YOU START OUT IN THIS INDUSTRY?
I have been involved in the alcohol industry since 2011, right after I came back from doing my undergraduate degree abroad. I started off by working for a brewery. I was involved in the marketing and branding department, and after that, I was presented with working for the alcohol industry by some of my brothers. They had been in the game since 2008, and as I had an understanding of how this industry works, I was appointed as the director for Evolution Beverages.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE ALCOHOL INDUSTRY; ANY CHANGES FROM THE PAST, AND WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE?
When I first started working, it was a small yet growing industry. The amount of beer drinkers has increased exponentially and there are different types of beers now. And now, beer is not just considered as a to-get-drunk alcohol. I have actually seen people get a bottle of beer at lunch or to just hang out to appreciate it. It has become a beverage, and that is one reason why the amount of beer in the market has increased. So, the perception is changing, and with that, there is more awareness about the subject. There used to be just lager beer in abundance and people used to think that is the one and only sort of beer. And now we have stout beers, IPA. And also, most people live abroad and when they come back, they have an idea about all kinds of beers. They share that information and contribute to the whole growth of the industry.

“WE ARE A BEVERAGE
DISTRIBUTION
BRAND. AT THE
MOMENT WE HAVE
ASAHI BEER FROM
JAPAN, SINGHA BEER
AND SINGHA SODA
FROM THAILAND,
AND WHITE RHINO
FROM INDIA

TELL US MORE ABOUT EVOLUTION BEVERAGES?
For now, we are a beverage distribution brand. At the moment we have Asahi Beer from japan, Singha Beer and Singha Soda from Thailand, and White Rhino from India. So, Singha and Asahi are lager beers and White Rhino is a craft beer. White rhino is a craft brewing company as well as an experimenting brewery. They are working on other different styles of beer as well. Now we are looking forward to diversifying our products to wines, whiskeys, and vodkas too.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE TO FACE IN THIS INDUSTRY?
One is that there are a lot of monopolistic tie ups, mostly in the domestic market. With the aggressive branding they employ for their products, they don’t let other names enter the market. This further goes to violate the consumers’ and the producers’ rights as well. It is quite unfair.
Then there are issues with importing the brands. For instance, the pricing; the market price tends to be very high since the cost of importing is high for us. So, we need to take that into consideration because customers may think that we’re excessively pricing the beverages; which is not true.
which is not true.

INTERVIEWED BY: SHREEYA SANGROULA | PHOTOS: GAURAV XHOMPATE SUNUWAR

Working for a magazine has its perks; we get to talk to amazing people and get to know them, we get to try delicious food, and have some amazing experiences. Luckily for us, we were fortunate enough to experience all of these perks at the same place. That place is none other than Hotel Mystic Mountain.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Mystic Mountain is one of the best hotels that we have been to. Amazing architecture, comfortable rooms, accommodating staff, and a top notch entre for breakfast, lunch, and dinner: all the elements to make a guest not want to leave. An experience that is worth cherishing is guaranteed when everything is so well executed. We would definitely recommend you the marvel of Hotel Mystic Mountain for a weekend getaway.

Mr. Satish Shrestha, Director of Sales and Marketing and an amazing host, explained the whole idea behind this hill paradise to us.

How did the idea behind ‘Mystic Mountain’ conceive?

Businessmen are loaded with ideas. Some keep them as ideas while some execute them and make them come to life. Mr. Bal Krishna Dhoju, the Chairman/Owner, falls in the latter category of businessmen, and hence gave birth to Mystic Mountain.

Why Nagarkot, considering that there are other places as well which are slowly coming to the limelight?

It takes a lot of effort to create a destination, not to mention the several decades. And Nagarkot is one of them. It has come to be a destination for get-a-ways for both the domestic and the international market. It is the nearest spot from the city where one can observe inspiring sunrises, romantic sunsets, and a wide panorama of the mountains; all while being surrounded by fresh and unpolluted air. Nagarkot just is perfect to us.

Which demographic are you looking to cater to?

Hospitality is a service for anyone and everyone. So we consider all kinds of clients. We do our best to provide to everyone that enters our establishment.

What provides Mystic Mountain an absolute advantage as compared with others?

In the case of Mystic Mountain, the build of the hotel is undeniably mesmerizing. It sits at such a vantage point that every view from here is more than capable of taking the breath away. We see this place as a home away from home so we do our best to maintain a relaxed atmosphere; one can unwind themselves in the nature, rejuvenate in the spa, or seek inspiration among our books.

One thing that is noticeable about the hotel is its architecture. How did you come up with such a unique design?

The credit for the display goes to a vibrant entrepreneur, Mr. Bal Krishna Dhoju, and a young architect, Mr. Sanjay Shrestha. Both being the products of Budhanilkantha School, came together and worked to produce something that’s different from the rest. After a lot of brain storming and land visits, they finally came with this master piece which has caught both the national and international attention.

How has the response from the guests been?

The response has been overwhelming. It has been positive since the day of our inauguration on 28th July 2017. We have to thank the domestic movements playing a key role for this. Residential conferences from embassies, donor agents, INGOs, NGOs, banking sectors and corporate houses have trusted us for being their hosts. Furthermore travel and trekking agents have immensely supported us as well. The response from individual clients has been encouraging as well, and many are returning customers. To keep this up, we aim to be consistent in our services, food, and hygiene. Our driving belief is “customer satisfaction is the mother of all strategies”

Where do you think the hospitality sector is headed in the years to come? Is it still based on the principles from the past or does innovation have to be embraced?

Hospitality is a process that never ends; especially in a country like Nepal where we can boast about being the highest dollar earning industry supporting the country’s economy, directly and indirectly supporting many associated with it. We are rich in culture, nature, historical places, geographically diverse, and a million dollar smile on every Nepalese’s face. There may be flaws in our system or politics but a sincere smile puts us back on track. We should learn from our past and always keep pace with the present. Proper planning for the future is sure to be appreciated in this fast paced world. One of the innovations we started out with is Mystic Mountain, and we are sure more will follow. In summary, this sector has always been doing well, but we should strive to do better.

What are your plans for going forward? Do you plan to diversify your operations outside Nagarkot as well?

The horizon for the hospitality sector is just so vast that it demands creativity and implementation. The increase in the number of tourists and the emerging trend of the locals dinning out and staying for over nights are definitely a positive signal towards a better future for hotels and restaurant. In this manner, Mystic Mountain will definitely spread its wings, hopefully outside of Nagarkot considering the present blooming market.

Words: Shreeya Sangroula| Photos : Gaurav Xhompate Sunuwar| Edit: TNM TEAM

What do think about the movie industry? How has it changed from the past and where do you see it going?

The answer to this question is very vague because the movie industry is huge. The way the industry has grown in the recent years, we knew that we had hope for the future even when compared to the Indian movie industry or any other countries. Having said that, we have had lots of problems technically because we couldn’t get those advanced equipment to make movies of the quality we wanted to make. But, the creativity was always there. And that is what kept the industry going. Now, with the passing of time we have been doing the best and learning to keep making better movies. With the technological advancements we have a broader horizon to look and more aspects to work with. Accordingly, there are some movies that are bad but we need to create more that are meaningful and creatively challenging.

So, we shouldn’t just focus on the entertainment but also keep the storyline and the plot that is critically challenging for the audience. Nepal is a place that is so diverse and has a lot of opinions, so the stories that come from here will definitely create a name for themselves in the future.

What about short movies?

The concept of short films has been around the world for a long time but in Nepal it is just picking up. If we have to compare the audience for this sector we can say it was close to zero before but now the number is increasing day by day. We have film schools from where we get submissions. We have artists making feature films. Short films are also a gateway for emerging artists and directors and for everyone involved in it to take it as a learning experience.

What short films are trying to achieve is also to be considered. The main aim is to provide a platform to all the people who want to make feature films in the long run. Most of the people who have submitted their short films over the years now have the experience and the confidence to make feature films. The social media sites have helped a lot for people to get access to watch these kinds of movies. Also, before we had very expensive equipment and there were not a lot of them. Now, we have amazing high definition cameras that are comparatively cheaper and also they have a lot of options on that sector. So, accessibility is also one major reason why the short film industry is going. Along with that, revenue is coming in because there is a lot of viewership.

One great example can be Min Bahadur Bham who got critically acclaimed for “Basuli” which got him funds to make a feature film “Kalo Pothi”. So, if a short movie is great then directors can have that mileage to do something similar but of a larger scale. Even if the short film has short comings, they can always learn what went wrong and work on it.

Ekadeshma International Film Festival has had a great response, what are the reasons behind its success?

We have had an amazing response from our audience and the submissions are growing each year. We started from being a one day event with less than 20 films, and now Ekadesnma Film Festival is four days long. We have thousands of submissions coming in from all around the world and we have a lot of Nepali films as well. We have requests for collaborations from esteemed platforms. But, we wouldn’t like to term Ekadeshma Film Festival to be successful because we still have a long way to go. We need to grow a lot and showcase even more. Our main goal is to set a culture among the viewers to watch the short films. It is a step by step process and we can see it progressing.

The credit for the successful operation of this festival also goes to everyone involved. We didn’t get a lot of funds and we had to keep the money from our own pockets, everyone who is working for this festival is driven by passion and they don’t take it as just another job. There is no money in this but that was never our goal. Revenue and profit comes secondary to exhibiting our art and passion. The devotion of everyone involved is the main reason that we are getting better every year.

Obviously, it is hard to work like that sometimes and we question ourselves but we can’t go far away from this because this is what makes us satisfied with what we are doing. There are a lot of challenges but we are going through that and we are getting a lot of recognition as a festival worldwide.

What else do you do?

We also raise social issues that are prevalent in the community and pick a theme accordingly. This year the theme was women empowerment and we showcased a lot of films made by women that portrays the daily hardships some may go through. The films raise questions that make people think and act. So, we also try and fulfill our responsibility towards the society by educating people on such issues.

We give various workshops to aspiring film makers, actors and script writers. The workshops are given by esteemed personalities in the international film scene. In the future we will continue providing this platform and do our best to promote this festival in bigger arenas and work to promote our Nepali movie industry as well.

SPONSORS

Promoted By: Nepal Tourism Board

Sponsored By: Ruslan Vodka

Supported By: QFX Cinemas, Embassy of Switzerland

Partners: Aslesha Entertainment, Alliance Françoise Kathmandou, Jalapa Fresh Himalayan Spring Water, Government of Nepal Film Development Board, Governo do Brasil, Embassy of Bangladesh

Award Sponsor: Oscar International College

Hospitality Partner: Hotel Greenwich Village

Outdoor Screening: Bato Ko Cinema, Sattya Media Arts Collective,

Media Partner: Hamro Patro

App Partner: My City Pulse

Website By: HernaJaam

Publicity: Recentnepal.com, Trident Concept

Words: Shreeya Sangroula| Photos: Gaurav Xhompate Sunuwar

Imagine having to sit in a 30-min presentation with the usual introduction, point 1, point 2, point 3, and conclusion, and the presenter reads through one bullet point after another right off the slide. And you are sitting and wondering, “What if the presenter had simply emailed us such slides, and we could have stayed home, relaxed, and read a lot faster than having to endure through such uninspiring presentation.” You get annoyed with the way the presenter handled the presentation. At times, the content is great, but the way it is delivered is boring. At times, the delivery is amazing, but there is nothing much to get excited about in the content.

And at times, you just want to throw the presenter out of the window into the streets. Because you know the presenter is simply wasting everyone’s time with his or her inability to gain attention and hold it throughout. And you know the presenter is drudging through the content without any clarity and meaning and purpose. And you know the presenter is going to end his or her ego-show and switch next to the mandatory “Thank you” slide without leaving anything for the audience. And you clap because you’re glad that the ordeal is finally over.

Why does this happen often? The same mind numbing and dumbing presentations one after another. And, is there any way to cure this epidemic? So that the audience members do not look like a bunch of worn out zombies at the end of the presentation?

We believe there is. The cure is: connect with the audience, inform them well and leave them inspired so that they take meaningful action.

Connect. Inform. Inspire.

A classic mistake presenters make is that they want to ‘jump right in’ to the content. They come in front to the stage with a mindset of giving. “I’ve got so much of ingenious content that I have to give that to the audience” – that’s the monologue they’re having. But they tend to forget that a presentation is a two-way conversation. And, the most important rule in a two-way conversation is that the speaker has to build a relationship with the listener first, and then only can the speaker make the listener listen.

Thus, without establishing an emotional connection with the audience, a presenter cannot hope to make them listen to what he or she wants to say. The audience might hear, or just out of courtesy, they might pretend to hear, but they won’t listen.

So what can a presenter do instead? Make them understand the purpose of your presentation by creating a common ground first. For that, the most effective tool is a build-up story.

And, when you lure your audience into your presentation by establishing an emotional connection, then you can easily shift your audience into your main content – the thing that you wanted to inform. It could be an annual report, a book review, research outcome, lesson learnt, and so on.

And here’s another classic mistake presenters make while ending their presentation. They speed through their conclusion and switch to the customary “Thank you” and “Any questions???” slide. Why not leave something for the audience – an insight, a bigger picture, a call to action. (More about this in the next part of the article).

Awesome Presentation is like an awesome song

Think of your all-time favorite song. You love the song because it has amazing lyrics, the singer sings really well, and the music is really good. For instance, here’s our favorite Metallica song – The Unforgiven II. The lyrics is no doubt amazing and with James Hetfield as the singer, we get goosebumps with every word we hear. Adding more to that, the music makes us tap our feet, bang our head (in a good way), and sing along even with the guitar solos. No doubt, the song is awesome and it’s only because of the perfect combination of the lyrics, the music and of course the singer.

An awesome presentation is no different. Just think of lyrics, music, and singer as content, design, and delivery respectively. Content is the king, undoubtedly, and that’s what people listen to us for. The slides on the projector – they need to look really good aesthetically. And the presenter is the singer. If we could structure great content, have beautifully designed slides, and keep the audience excited about having you on stage and the way we are talking, nothing can stop us from delivering an awesome presentation.

Now that you know about the Connect-Inform-Inspire concept, think about ways you can establish relationship with the audience before you start informing them about your content. One useful trick is, whenever we sit for someone else’s presentation, to start imagining how we would have delivered the same content. We’re sure, you will start figuring it out.

Written By: Umes Shrestha & Abhishek Maskey

Italians are passionate people; they’re passionate about cars, women, love, hate, and ofcourse food. This is part of the reason why there are so many restaurants whose claim to Italian Cuisine and experience fall painfully short of expectation. It is important to remember that this passion in cooking often plays a pivotal role in Italian culture. It’s the glue of the family, the center of socializing, and often times the backbone of being Italian. And that’s true about almost any culture, including our own. However, replicating the Italian passion in food and experience is not easy, and there are very few places that seem to have done this successfully in Nepal.

In fact, there might only be a handful of names that really come to mind. Now, amongst these names, The Vesper Café and Restaurant has always contended for podium position. Known for their good food and splendid wine collection it’s always a joy to visit.

Unfortunately, they suffered a major setback when their infrastructure crumbled during the earthquake. However, this failed to douse their passion and efforts and they have started with another establishment that is situated in Bhaisepati. Christened ‘Pink Salt by Vesper’, the new restaurant is located in the quickly growing area in the outskirts of the Capital. Reflecting the aforementioned passion in its ambience and food, Pink Salt is a promising new eatery for anyone who loves Italian food. As luck would have it, sometime last month, we found ourselves chatting with Alex Muktan, Co-Owner of the business and we got to know more about the new place.

TNM: HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS? DID YOU HAVE ANY PLANS AS SUCH OR DID SOMETHING ELSE INSPIRE ITS INITIATION?

AM: We started Vesper back in 2009, and we did it purely because of our love for good food and wine. I’d like to think that hospitality is in our bloodline and we are inclined to do so professionally as well. I’m not saying it’s an easy job that anyone can do, but I was lucky enough to collect valuable experience and knowledge about how the industry works during our stay abroad. Furthermore, I personally think that the Nepali market had this gap in terms of a place that that provides premium quality service and exceptionally good taste.

This was also important in our decision to initiate Vesper back in 2009. The earthquake was a difficult time for the entire country, and we were amongst the many that suffered the brunt of the blow. We were operating Vesper Café and Restaurant in a beautiful Rana styled building in Jhamsikhel. It was an architectural splendor but it was also a very old building, and the earthquake brought it down. We quickly shifted to a nearby property where we continued our business.

TNM: YOU HAVE A STUNNING ARRAY OF CHOICES FOR WINE. HOW DID THIS COME ALONG?

AM: We’ve always had a love for wine and there came a point in time when we realized that there was a dearth of high quality wines in Nepal. One thing led to another and we ended up starting a wine trading business to ensure that there was a place for people go to for good wine.

TNM: Now, back to Pink Salt: how did you end up choosing this location?

AM: To be honest, the beauty of the location at Bhaisepati really took us aback. Apart from the visually appealing landscape, this location ticked all the right boxes: it is a fast-developing residential area that is quiet and well managed, it’s away from the bustle of the city but not too far away, there aren’t many restaurants that focus on Italian cuisine and a large array of wines, and it is convenient because we live nearby. Long story short, it is a great place to open a restaurant.

TNM: HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME PINK SALT?

AM: The Himalayan Pink Salt as an ingredient always fascinated us. Also, during our travels, we learned that many people consider pink salt as a healthy ingredient. Moreover, it was an interesting name and seemed to match our dining ambience so we referenced it in our restaurant’s name.

TNM: TELL US ABOUT THE WINES AVAILABLE HERE?

AM: A good wine compliments the meal, and we select our wines with this in mind. Luckily, we import all our wine directly from the producers so we get the liberty to choose the wines we want. Currently we have over 100 different labels of wines from the best wineries in the world. We make our selection based on what goes best with the meals favored here in Nepal. It’s like they say, when you combine good food, wine, ambience and music it elevates the whole dining experience and that is what we are shooting for at Pink Salt by Vesper.

TNM: THERE ARE LOTS OF RESTAURANTS POPPING UP IN THE VALLEY, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY SETS PINK SALT BY VESPER APART FROM THEM?

AM: First of all, there aren’t many restaurants that cater to authentic Italian cuisine. And I say this in the most polite way because we ourselves are not perfect and we are working consistently to get to that level. What would really set us apart is the entire experience that we provide to our customers. We have amazing chefs that have been trained by the best from around the world, a soothing environment, vibrant ambience, and qualified staff all at a reasonable price. As, I have already mentioned, the top quality we maintain and the range of wine selection also works into our appeal.

TNM: HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THE STANDARD THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY SET IN THE MARKET?

AM: We’ve been in the business for more than 8 years and we have been doing our best not just to maintain the brand name Vesper but also the overall experience for our customers. Consistency is what we aim for. We keep revising and updating our menus so that we ensure the quality is top notch. It is not easy in terms of manpower to get things done in a fixed time but we do keep adding a few different things every three months, and this effort really seems to be appreciated by our visitors.

TNM: HOW HAS THE RESPONSE FOR PINK SALT BEEN?

AM: We have made sure that we maintain our quality in food and service by utilizing the same management team that made The Vesper Café and Restaurant a success. So far, we have had very positive response and we look forward to continuing this and possibly improving further.

GAMBERI ALLA GRIGLIA CON PEPERONIE AGLIO ORIGANO SALSA

A mouthful, I know, but it’s actually Italian for “good lord this is good!” When the waitress brought this to our table, we were taken aback by the display. Now, often, the display tends not to come to par with the taste, but with this, everything matched up. The prawns were succulent and the mix of bell peppers, black olives, mushroom, garlic, and oregano was a party any pallet would be more than happy to host.

GRILLED HERB CHICKEN

Chicken is a universal favorite. When you pair that with a creamy sauce and lay it on a special bed of veggies, the best gets better. The chicken was tender and as always, one of the best displays we’ve seen so far.

PIZZA VEGETARIANA

As meat loving omnivores, veggies don’t come to our mind. But, as we have come to learn, these non-meat dishes are as good. So we had high expectations about this pizza, which were not let down. An arrangement of stewed aubergines, peppers, mushrooms, spinach sat proudly with shredded mozzarella, and ever so gently on our mouths.

WORDS:SHREYA SANGROULA AND NIRVEEK PPJ SHAH | PHOTO:PRITAM CHHETRI

Within the circle of music enthusiasts we have a new name that has been gathering popularity with his amazing skills. We may know him by the name Rajan Shrestha who has been a part of underground bands like Elysium, Cadenza, Atomic Bush and Jindabaad. But now he has changed his genre to what he refers to as Post-Adhunik Electronic music. Here, you may get to know him as Phatcowlee as he goes by that moniker. He is also a part of the amazing Fuzz Factory series called Fuzzscape in which he creates music. The experience he has had in the music scene is praiseworthy and this talent is equally exemplary. We had a talk with Rajan Shrestha and got to know more about his past and what he plans for the future.

YOU’VE BEEN A PART OF POPULAR BANDS FOR A FEW YEARS NOW? AND NOW YOU HAVE BEEN DOING SOME PROJECTS ON YOUR OWN AS WELL. HOW DID IT ALL PAN OUT?

I was always interested in music and have been playing the guitar when I was in my school days. It started out as a hobby but got more serious when I knew that music was what I wanted to do. I got into small band competitions and then worked my way to joining some big underground bands like Atomic Bush and Jindabaad. I did try to get into other creative fields as well but somehow I did associate more with music more than anything else. That is how I started with Phatcowlee which is my solo project which is a mix of my own self-expression mixed with some post contemporary Nepali music from some of the artists I admire.

YOU HAVE WORKED FOR BANDS AND ALSO INDIVIDUALLY. HOW IS IT DIFFERENT WORKING IN A GROUP THAN WORKING INDIVIDUALLY?

Well, as you said the difference is in the question itself because a group includes more people which results in more people making decisions and it also takes lots of commitment to stay together and have that mindset of making music that satisfies everyone. Yes, it is a lot of people and we make amazing memories and some amazing ideas come through when working together but yes we have to compromise from time to time as well. It has its highs and its lows like everything, after all it was a relationship with whom you were with most of the time. However, working individually leaves a larger room for doing what I want to do and in my own time and it is more about personal expression.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME PHATCOWLEE?

It was completely random, I hadn’t decided on a name for myself. It actually is a literal mix of the vegetable cauliflower and a cow and I randomly added ‘Phat’ infront of it to make it sound better. The story is that my mom was holding up the said vegetable and in a field nearby was a cow. And I saw both the things at the same time. It is a weird and funny story but it made me come up with this name. That is a good example of ‘Inspiration can come from anywhere, you just have to look’.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE TYPE OF MUSIC YOU ARE MAKING AS PHATCOWLEE?

Well, it was all on a trial basis. Listening to music from old Nepali movies is what inspired me. I was listening to a few songs and it was nostalgic and great, and I decided to add my beats to just see how it would turn out. I sampled a few song and tried to put my own spin on it. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out initially but it was the start of my project. And these are the songs that are still relatable to people, so people who grew up listening to these songs recognize it in their own ways and people into electronic music can resonate to it as well.

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION FROM?

My inspiration comes from various places, one being my own personal feelings. Apart from that, Nepal is this huge melting pot of cultures. I have travelled and some of my work do reflect the authentic culture of some place, recently such project was the third episode of Fuzzscape where we went to Birjung and got close and personal with the music and the instruments they play there.

We had an amazing experience and the result that came out did reflect what Nepal is outside of Kathmandu. I also take inspiration from Old Nepali movies and music maestros like Narayan Gopal Guruwacharya and Gopal Yonzon to name a few. It brings out nostalgia of what we are as a community and what it comprises of.

WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?

There is no such standard process I go through. It can come to me when I’m just in my house or maybe even someplace else with friends. If I have an idea in my head I use my computer to bring it to life. ANY HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE SOUND? It is a form of electronic music that’s a bit dark. As a person I am quite talkative and easy going around people but my music reflects the darker, or maybe a weirder side of me.

HOW HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN?

Well, I didn’t have any expectations as such, I kind of did it for myself but the response I received was great. And I was happy about it and I was motivated to do it more. So, the positive response was the cherry on top. It is a niche market because this genre is quite new because it is abstract in some ways but the people interested are the people I cater to including myself. I hope to keep doing what I want and people who listen to my music like it and that’s all it is actually.

LASTLY, A GENERAL QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE OVERALL NEPALI MUSIC INDUSTRY?

Music is something that is always a good thing, people who understand music technically or not. That is the beauty of it. Music makes people imagine and get connected to their own selves or with other people as well. However, people have turned around and left their passions for something else because there is not much money and that is the sad part of it. Parents still get skeptical about their children’s earning if they pursue music professionally.

This is proof that this industry is not be appreciated. Whatever, we have seen or heard commercially in Nepal in terms of music is just a fragment of what is there to explore. If you get out of the valley and explore the places still not appreciated by the public, there is a creative gold mine for artists like us. Then, we can see the richness in our culture, the way of living that can be reflected by it, it is very beautiful. So, we couldn’t have gotten a better place to make music other than here in Nepal but unfortunately, the resources and the conditions might make it harder to showcase all that. That being said, we do have a huge scope which may even put us on the global map.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MUST BE DONE IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE PRESENT SCENARIO?

It is a gradual process but for that some contributions must be made, collaborations would be a great idea to start off. People coming together from different creative fields and putting their best possible effort into bringing the result on screen. And some appreciation by the public of course.

WORDS:SHREYA SANGROULA | PHOTO:PRITAM CHHETRI

I have an abnormal morning routine to which I have been religious to for a couple of years now. I wake up at 4 am and get myself out of the house by 5 am for school. An hour just to get ready? Not really. So what do I do in that time frame? I shop online. I do very much love me some shopping, almost to a dangerously addictive level. But I am okay with it, as long as I have sudrz.com on the top of my bookmarks list. I came across this site a year ago when I realized that I needed a new pair of shoes. I wanted me a pair of Vans specifically and I landed on the mentioned website. I was new here, and from the very first impression, I was impressed with the interface and selection. So I made the jump.

Then I get a call at 12 pm. “Hello, this is Sudrz, when can we make the delivery?”

I huh-ed because I wasn’t sure. This confusing exchange of dialogue went on for a bit regardless of of how clear the reception was. I just couldn’t believed what I was hearing. See, my previous relationship with online shopping has been not that great. I ordered something, would get a call from them a couple of days after just to make sure that I had ordered it or nah, then have it delivered to me a week after, by which I would have already forgotten what I had ordered. Some would say that it would be like receiving a gift, but it ain’t a gift if you’re paying for it; it’s just sucky service! Sudrz? Far from it. Lightyears.

Long story short, those shoes arrived by 2pm. I have not been successful at relocating my jaw after this, but my wallet has been faithful to them, and the 200+ brands and 7000+ items they proudly house. It just is an honor for me to meet Ram Kumar Baniya, the man behind my favorite bookmark.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH A NOTION TO START AN ONLINE STORE?

Four years back, I was a frequent online shopper. Going to the shops just seems like a tedious chore to me and with the sites that were available then, I did not get my money’s worth. I would spend a thousand and a half or a couple on a tshirt and with in two days it would frey, or something order was far from the picture that was shown in the site. I was basically tired of the cheap stuff and poor service, so wished for a place that offered just branded items. Then, I thought that it’d be best to make one rather than just to wish for one.

So, on a trip to India, I met a friend of mine who had an e-commerce site and he encouraged me to bring it to Nepal, like a franchise. I did not like that idea that much, and from there, we thought of starting my own e-commerce site. And that’s how Sudrz came into being. HOW DID YOU GATHER THE TEAM? Well, it just fell into place. A partner and me were developing it, and after he left for Qatar I was working alone. Then the guys in the team knew I was working on this, so they just tagged along.

HOW DID THE NAME COME TO BE?

When we started out, we were brainstorming on what kind of an ecommerce site to be. Since the fashion and lifestyle sector was not very prominent online, we thought it’d be beneficial to have a go over there. That was just a part of the problem. Part II was to find a name, and boy did we look for one. Someone came up with stuff like “Jaam Kinam” and what not. I was looking for Spanish and French names and eventually, I came to Sanskrit. There’s a word called Sudrisya, which means ‘good looking’. The contraction of it is Sudrz, and that is our name now.

WHAT OBSTACLES DID YOU FACE WHILE YOU WERE STARTING?

To be honest, I have no background that favors a career in IT or ecommerce, I just wanted to do something like this. So having no knowledge about it, gathering a team was a must, and that too was a hard thing to do. Establishing the various departments and putting people in them took me some six months. Then along the way, I was educating myself, especially on the coding language of React. We wanted to make a single page application that was easy and fast, so we gave it to a brother of mine.

Then, seven days prior to the launch of the site, the whole language completely changed and became a whole lot messy. Fortunately, I met a guy from Ekbana Solutions who said he could make a site in seven day based on the language oo PHP. The problems didn’t end there for I did not know anything. But after tackling them one by one, I guess that we made it. We had a lot of resources, such as Amazon and Flipkart, and we adopted all the good features from them.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE TO YOU?

With the rate of how the internet is growing and is making its way into the lives of the people, e-commerce is the future. More and more people are starting to make a business and go online with their brand name. So it definitely going to be huge. Who knows, maybe the future will hold a whole new way of shopping, but then again, by the way it’s going at the moment, e-commerce is promising.

WHAT SETS SUDRZ APART FROM THE REST?

Our primary concern with all of the products we deal with is the genuineness of it. If a customer complains about a product being a copy, or one of those “high copies”, we get it back from them with a issue full refund with an apology letter from the dealer, and then we stop working with that dealer. When we promise quality, we don’t want to deliver any less.

We have a high customer satisfaction rate to back this up. (As a loyal customer, I love this part the most about them.) Also, we are not just a platform for selling. We are a hub for brands and entrepreneurs to showcase themselves and their name. Along with international brands, we feature Nepali brands that are consistent with their high quality. And we do our best to make the deliveries on the day we get them.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

Soon enough, we hope to launch a Marketplace in Sudrz. We aim this towards the ladies as they tend to not wear a dress they’ve already worn. So, this feature will allow them to sell it at a fair price. Then, we have a very exclusive part of the website where we will feature designer jewelries and clothes. We also want to start a Youtube channel to feature brands, tutorials, and DIYs. Maybe we’ll pick out people from various colleges to be our face for a month. We have various plans like that that we’re excited to initiate.

We don’t have plans to be the biggest site or anything like that, we just want to be good and consistent with it. We’ll be taking it nice and easy.

WORDS:NIRVEEK PPJ SHAH | PHOTO:PRITAM CHHETRI

Nightlife, partying, clubbing; these are terms cool people throw around around their circle. For those who are alien to these terminologies, they’ve either never participated in it, or they shun it with every molecule in them. The good news is, the former category of people is expanding while the latter is shrinking. This is because a big player has entered the nightlife game and has sent out ripples that have changed the way people see it altogether. Club Deja Vu have been the prime location for night owls and not only do they seem to not get enough of it, but they are dragging in more people with them. The result: a healthy cycle of party goers. So if words like party, fun, excitement, and I’m-gonna-dance-til-I-drop kindle emotions that you’ve felt but not sure where, you can be sure about them at Deja Vu.

HOW DID DEJA VU COME TO LIFE?
We were in the Victory Club team and we decided that it was time for us to move on and start a new club. We gathered friends that we had been knowing for a long time, put together a solid plan, and hence gave birth to Deja Vu.

OPENING A CLUB, THAT TOO IN A HIGH PROFILE PLACE LIKE DURBARMARG; MUST HAVE BEEN A REAL CHALLENGE.
It was. There’s no lying about that. We did want to open a club, and regardless of have a well thought out plan, the location was a hard issue. Initially, scouting for a location took time and getting a fix on it was even harder. Then, when we came to know that the owners of the building, which we are in currently, wanted to put a lease on it. We jumped on it and things just fell into place from there on. It was just a merry stroke of luck in all honesty.

GLAD THAT HAPPENED. WHAT OTHER OBSTACLES DID YOU FACE AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?
To begin with, our main concern was the neighbours. Being in the nightlife industry, disturbing the people around is a thing we need to consider. We were fortunate to be around understanding neighbours and it was pretty much a smooth sailing. We sound proofed our facility so there was no such issue. Then, as a club, we face daily issues any other club faces. It’s not something to be alarmed about, so we have not faced a major setback so far.

GUESS YOU CAN CREDIT IT TO YOUR PRIOR EXPERIENCE IN THE INDUSTRY. HOW DO YOU THINK THE PEOPLE ARE SEEING THE WHOLE NOTION OF CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE?
Like you said, we’ve been around for a while. Our experiences date back to 2010. Now, it may not seem like much, but it accounts for coming across a lot of party goers. And we do mean a lot. And with that, we have seen a drastic change.

Back then, nightlife was something that was frowned upon. Along with many others, when we used to go out, our parents would be very discouraging, saying that it’s immoral, or that it’s for the rowdy crowd, or something along the lines of that. Now, those parents ask their kids if they can come along. From what we’ve noticed, in the past, the majority of the people who come to the clubs were youngsters with very homogeneous circles. Now, that demography has morphed into something far more diverse, accommodating party people of various age groups. This is definitely something positive. No under 18 of course; we don’t allow that.

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS BROUGHT ABOUT THIS SHIFT?
When we opened Victory, there weren’t many clubs around. Now, we might be wrong in saying this, but Victory had a huge hand to bring this shift. It was something new, and after it, places like Ibiza, Karma, and now Deja Vu followed suite. With this, a sort of a trend started to come up and as more people got involved in it, more interest started to take birth. And hence, a diverse crowd started to come in to fancy their intrigue.

Then, another factor is the change in the standard. The pioneers of nightlife like Platinum, they had their standard. But after a some time, that standard became the minimum, and just out dated. When Victory opened, it set a new bar, which was high. Now, people in general like change, and when hat change it good, the like it even more. That’s why they keep coming back, and bring along new people with them.
Also, there’s the music. With western EDM taking up a bulk of the music industry and being the prefered choice of the masses, they gravitate towards such music. And when clubs play such music, it is pretty much attraction for the audience by default.

YOU MENTIONED A FEW CLUBS THAT CAME UP ALONG WITH YOU. WHAT DO YOU SAY SETS YOU APART FROM THEM?
To state the obvious, our main USP would be the space. Our interiors are like no other and even give real competition to the clubs that are oversea at locations like the US. If you want to do a big event, we have you covered. The reason why big names like Diplo, Jay Sean, and soon enough, Steve Aoki came to is because we can accommodate the space for the energy they bring. Other venues can’t do that.

All of the interiors we have done has been made to make the people feel like they’re not in Nepal anymore, but in an international club. And many have reported on feeling so. We have paid attention to the way the place looks and feels just to put together an ambiance that’s special and different. We have an enormous stage screen that can be seen and felt right up from the entrance. And we’ve paired it up with a sound system that will blow the minds away and make any hip sway.

To add to it, we have three bars in the place. We have a top notch selection of drinks and a menu that surpasses just bar foods. See, when people are dancing, they’re bound to get thirsty and hungry. We don’t want them to go away just to grab a bite to eat, because who knows, they may never return after their snack. That’s a missed opportunity for us. We don’t want that, nor do we want our party people to stop just because of hunger. So we have gone out of our way to put together a menu that will satisfy any sort of hunger. And we intend to add and improve on it further.

NOW THAT YOU’VE MENTIONED ABOUT ADDING TO YOUR BAR, WHAT OTHERS DO YOU HAVE IN MIND FOR THE FUTURE OF DEJA VU?
When we started out, we wanted to make a pub, and a sports house. The pub may not see light, but actually, the sports house is being constructed on the side. It is going to have football, table tennis, air hockey, all that fun stuff. And we also have a rooftop restaurant coming up. All of these are expected to be constructed by next month and you can expect them to be in full swing by late 2017.

WORDS:NIRVEEK PPJ SHAH | PHOTO:PRITAM CHHETRI

WORDS:SHREYA SANGROULA | PHOTO:PRITAM CHHETRI

D: We all come from different backgrounds so we weren’t familiar with each other right at first. In fact, when we first met it was through the relief campaign we were volunteering in together; it was for an organization called Ujyalo Foundation. We were just hanging out one evening and were talking about the underappreciated Nepali artists and art.
Conversations were flowing and we were coming up with the appropriate ways that could reflect these talents in some way or a way we could endorse them. Coincidentally, all three of us were shoe fanatics and that instigated the idea of incorporating shoes and Nepali culture together.
The concept just seemed to click. We started investing a lot of our time for the required research to go forward to transform that idea into a venture. We had to come up with the name as well so we decided on Dochaa which simply means shoes in Sherpa language.
If the comfort of the shoes and the authentic Nepali designs could be embedded together we could be able to contribute towards the art sector in Nepal. That’s the story of how Dochaa started.

TNM: LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS, DOCHAA MAY HAVE HAD TO FACE SOME CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY. WHAT WERE THEY AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME IT?

D: The production process can be a hassle, the market is very volatile and the limited variety of raw materials available is also very troublesome in case of the fabrics required for making shoes. Because of that we also had to halt the production for a little while, we started again when conditions were ideal. That was a big challenge. Also, we didn’t have any prior experience in this field, we were not related to this industry so we had to take a lot of time learning about what goes into doing what we are doing.

TNM: WHAT GOES INTO MAKING A PAIR OF DOCHAA SHOES? TELL US YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?

D: First, we start with extensive research, while being sensitive towards what designs can go in the shoes because we need to be careful to not include designs that can be offensive in any way to place in the shoes. After examining that, we decide on a certain design, digitalize it, brainstorm and continuously improvise till we finalize the design.
We have been focusing more on the social media marketing, other than that we have not used other platforms for marketing. The basic idea is to help people understand that we have this brand and this represents something personal. Our brand reflects the core value of embodying our identities through the integration of Nepali culture.

TNM: WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE LIKE AFTER FIRST LAUNCHING DOCHAA IN THE MARKET? DID IT MATCH YOUR EXPECTATIONS?

D: The response has been overwhelming, to say the least. We were excited about how the public would react because we personally liked how the final product looked like. Till now the response has been positive. But we are still looking into aspects that we can improve on. This has been the first step for us and it has been a learning process. People were slightly skeptical about the price. I think it is also a mindset revolution that we are trying to bring by showing that Nepali products can be qualitative and can live up to a standard. We also want to create a brand value which can be relatable to other Nepali brands as well. It is not as simple as making a pair of shoes; it takes a lot of research, resources and patience to produce a pair of Dochaa Shoes. Nepali products have been famous in the international market as well but we want to meet that level in the fabric industry as well.

TNM: WHAT DOES DOCHAA REPRESENT?

D: If you tear apart a Dochaa it bleeds our culture, the work of artists that have remained unnoticed from different corners of our country. We want to create a brand value which can be relatable to other Nepali brands as well. It is not just buying a shoe, it takes a lot of research, resources and patience to produce a pair of Dochaa. Nepali products have been famous in the international market as well but we want to meet that level in the fabric industry as well. For a lot of people who are in different parts of Nepal, we, the whole Dochaa family, hope that we can represent the essence of all their cultures, arts, colors, and prints through Dochaa. Embodying our identity does not just mean referencing our history. Yes, it is there and will always be a subject of pride but we need to do it in the present as well. It may not go down in history but people who appreciate our culture will appreciate Dochaa and that is enough for us right now. These are small steps that help us grow as an economy.

WORDS:SHREYA SANGROULA | PHOTO:PRITAM CHHETRI

Over time, there have been many bloggers who have set out with their works in different fields. Amongst the many bloggers, one name has been consistently notable. Starting the popular blog, Neo Stuffs, Neeraj Pun is a blogger from Pokhara who is currently based in Seoul, South Korea. He started Neo Stuffs a little over three years ago in an effort to stay connected with Nepal despite being out of the country for the majority of the time.

We caught him online and took the opportunity to ask him what it takes to be a blogger.

TNM: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE STRENGTHS REQUIRED TO BECOME A BLOGGER?
NP: I think dedication and patience are the most important qualities you need to have. I have seen various bloggers who are good at it but give up blogging after some time. It’s always a challenge for a new blogger to get hits on their articles and that starts to annoy you after some time. It takes a lot of time and effort to write something and it’s quite obvious to be disappointed if nobody reads it. But that should not stop you from writing.

TNM: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST SERVICE A BLOGGER CAN PROVIDE TO HIS READERS?
NP: There are different kinds of bloggers – fashion bloggers, food bloggers, travel bloggers, and a lot of others; and they have different contents. But one thing that’s common among them is that they either provide information or entertain their readers, or both. That’s what bloggers need to provide their readers.

TNM: HOW DO YOU MANAGE TIME TO RUN YOUR BLOG EFFICIENTLY? WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BLOG BUT ALREADY HAS A DAY JOB?
NP: No matter how busy you are, you can always take some time out for something that you love. I love blogging and that’s why I can always make some time for it regardless of how hectic my schedule is. Whenever I am not doing something, I mostly think about stories that I should do. I make notes on my phone while commuting to work, while taking a walk, while shopping, and almost anytime. Then later when I have my laptop, I give the story its final shape and publish it.
The advice I have for others is pretty much the same. Blog if you really like writing and blogging; and you will automatically have time for it.”

TNM: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST STRATEGY THAT WORKED WELL FOR YOU TO GET MORE TRAFFIC TO YOUR BLOG?
NP: Writing honest and straightforward opinions is always the most important strategy.

TNM: WHO OR WHAT HAS IMPACTED YOU MOST IN BLOGGING AND HOW?
NP: It has to be the feeling of satisfaction that I get from blogging. When I started this thing, I had no idea that someday I will be reaching to and will be interacting to so many people around the world. It’s just amazing.

BE GENUINE AND MAKE A GOOD REPUTATION OF YOURSELF. THE CLICKBAIT TITLES AND SENSATIONALIZED STORIES MIGHT GET YOUR BLOG INSTANT TRAFFIC BUT THAT WOULD BE TEMPORARY. BY THE END OF THE DAY, READERS WILL FIND OUT THE TRUTH.

TNM: WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING MOMENT IN YOUR BLOGGING JOURNEY SO FAR?
NP: Writing about any subject that people might have different opinions about is always challenging because you’re sure to get a lot of criticism and even hatred. When I wrote about a viral picture, ‘the Kriti Stole Bob’ controversy, and some articles against the Internet trolls; are just some of the few examples. But the thing is, why play safe and try to make everyone happy, and get lost in the crowd of thousands of bloggers when you have the chance to present what you feel about something and stand out from the crowd.

TNM: CAN YOU NAME SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE BLOGGERS IN NEPAL AND EXPLAIN WHY THEY ARE YOUR FAVOURITES?
NP: I am fond of Jay Poudyal’s works. The way he introduces us to inspiring people from across the nation through Stories of Nepal is always amazing and emotional. Lex Limbu, like I always say, the Rajesh Hamal of Nepali blogosphere, is someone I admire a lot. I also like Bishwas Hamal from Gundruk Post, he is good at it.

TNM: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR BLOG?
NP: My aim was to create something that will help me remain close to Nepal and because of the blog, I feel like I am more connected to Nepal now than when I was physically present in Nepal.

TNM: HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF TO KEEP THE BLOG UP AND RUNNING?
NP: My blog might not have a huge readership but the ones who like it look forward to read my write ups; and I don’t think there can be anything more encouraging than that.

TNM: WHAT DO YOU FIND THE MOST FRUSTRATING ASPECT OF BLOGGING?
NP: People’s reading habits are very unpredictable. At times when you write about something that’s very important and want more people to read it, the story isn’t read by many people. And then sometimes when you write about something that doesn’t actually matter a lot, it becomes viral. It can be frustrating sometimes when the stories that you want people to read don’t get much attention.

TNM: HOW ACTIVE SHOULD A BLOGGER BE ON A WEEKLY/MONTHLY BASIS? HOW OFTEN DO YOU COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR FOLLOWERS?
NP: That really depends on the contents of your blog. I call myself a ‘Khichdi’ blogger as I try to cover, I think, more than necessary topics. I want to write about everything (except politics) and that’s why I have to give at least a couple of hours everyday in order to post at least one or two stories on average everyday. This might be different for other bloggers who stick with one particular category and post just a couple of stories ever month.
I try my best to communicate with my followers and reply to their messages whenever I can. But it’s literally impossible to communicate with all of them. There are always dozens of messages on my personal social media accounts and the blog’s pages as well- most of them being requests to write about them and their works.

TNM: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY FOR GETTING MORE VISITORS TO A BLOG?
NP: Be genuine and make a good reputation of yourself. The clickbait titles and sensationalized stories might get your blog instant traffic but that would be temporary. By the end of the day, readers will find out the truth. So my advice to anyone who is, or wants to be, a blogger is to write genuine stories only. That might lead to a lot of time to gain a lot of visitors but you will have them.

You might as well face it, you’re not going to be working at the same job forever… you shouldn’t be. Whether it’s because you found better opportunities in another company, find the lure of starting another business unbearable, or you can’t stand working in the office you’re in it is important to exit in a professional manner. No matter how difficult it might be to refrain from flipping your office desk and walking out with your middle finger in the air, it is important to depart gracefully from your current commitment.

For starters, that is the decent way of doing things. Also, in a country like Nepal, you’re not going to go far if you’re going to go around making enemies. We work in a really small community and word gets around quick. Moreover, it is your responsibility to exit in a dignified manner and not be a complete ass-hat when you’re doing it.

Leaving your job is a big move, and you should calculate the repercussions and have your next move well planned. Go out in a huff and you’re wasting the time and effort you put into the company and the relationships you build while you worked there. These professional relationships will prove to become one of your biggest assets in the future.

Also, if you’ve made the decision to move on, don’t just quit your job. In most cases, you can carefully and strategically start looking for a new position before you turn in your resignation. It’s easier to get hired when you’re working, you don’t know how long it will take you to find another job

But before we get on how to quit, let’s look at the good (and bad) reasons and signs to quit your job.

GOOD REASONS

• You are already thinking about finding a new job.
• Complaints and laments about your workday dominate your conversations with your family and friends.
• You find yourself frequently dreaming about retirement – even if you’re young.
• Your sleep patterns have been disrupted.
• You have developed headaches, frequent colds, or other physical symptoms of stress.
• You have increased your consumption of alcohol or drugs to escape your problems.
• Your appetite is suppressed, or you are eating more than usual as a result of your work stress.
• You dread Mondays, or you have trouble waking up for work in the morning on a regular basis.
• You are less productive at work, lack passion, and are bored more often.
• You are arguing more often with co-workers or bosses and don’t feel you have control over your work.

BAD REASONS

• You’re angry about something that happened at work that day.
• You hate your job.
• You need a break.
• You can’t afford to quit.
• You need the benefits that your job provides.
• You’ll be considered a job hopper (you will still need to be prepared to answer interview questions about why you left your job, especially if you have had a lot of them.)
• You don’t have a departure plan in place.
• You don’t have a new job waiting.

THE RESIGNATION PROCESS

1) Give Adequate Notice

If you have an employment contract that states how much notice you should give, abide by it. Otherwise, it’s appropriate to offer two weeks notice.

2) You Have No Obligation to Stay Longer

If your employer asks you to stay longer than two weeks (or the time period in your contract) you have no obligation to stay.

Your new employer will be expecting you to start as scheduled, and in a timely manner. What you could do is offer to help your previous employer, if necessary, after hours, via email or on the phone.

3) How to Quit Gracefully

The formal way to resign is to write a resignation letter and to tell your supervisor in person that you’re leaving. However, depending on circumstances, you may need to quit over the phone or to quit via email.

4) Write a Resignation Letter

Regardless of how you resign, write a resignation letter. A resignation letter can help you maintain a positive relationship with your old employer, while paving the way for you to move on. You never know when you might need that old employer to give you a reference, so it makes sense to take the time to write a polished and professional resignation letter.

5) What to Say to Your Boss

Don’t say much more than you are leaving. Emphasize the positive and talk about how the company has benefited you, but also mention that it’s time to move on. Offer to help during the transition and afterward. Don’t be negative. There’s no point – you’re leaving and you want to leave on good terms.

6) Ask for a Reference

Before you leave, ask for a letter of recommendation from your manager. As time passes and people move on, it’s easy to lose track of previous employers. With a letter in hand or a LinkedIn recommendation online, you’ll have documentation of your credentials to share with prospective employers.

7) Don’t Forget the Details

Find out about the employee benefits and salary you are entitled to receive upon leaving. Inquire about collecting unused vacation and sick pay. You may be asked to participate in an exit interview prior to your departure.

8) Return Company Property

Return any company property you have – including keys, documents, computers, phones, and anything else that doesn’t belong to you. The company doesn’t want to chase you to get it back, and you don’t want to be held responsible if it’s not returned in a timely manner.

PLEASE TELL US HOW THIS ESTABLISHMENT CAME TO BE. WHAT DID YOU HAVE IN MIND?
When we started this, what we wanted to do was to accommodate for the continental food enthusiasts. We already had Vootoo, which is focused on Newari and Nepalese cuisines, and what we want to do with it is to expand and open more chains and take Mauri with it.

MAURI IS VERY INTERESTING NAME. HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH IT?
When we opened this place, we knew we were going to do Continental dishes and be a pizzeria. We thought we’d keep an English name because we thought it would be fitting. We landed on the name Hive because we wanted people to come over here and flock together like bees. Then again, Hive was too generic and have a very club vibe to it rather than a restaurant. So we stayed on the same concept and named it Mauri because we want our clients and customers to come to us like bees.
VERY CLEVER!
We also have a mascot in mind.

THAT WOULD BE A COOL THING TO DO. AND WHAT DO YOU THINK SETS MAURI APART FROM THE OTHER CONTINENTAL RESTAURANTS IN THE NEPALESE MARKET TODAY?
Firstly it would be the menu. We have item that are not found elsewhere. We have a lot of slow cooked items, like our pork belly, so that they stay tender and succulent. Also, for our pizzas, we use mushroom sauce rather than tomato paste. Of course we have the usual tomato paste but the mushroom sauce is definitely a highlight. The second would be the location because not only is it easily accessible but also has a great view of the city.

SPEAKING OF MUSHROOMS, RESTAURANTS HAVE BEEN MUSHROOMING IN THE MARKET THESE DAYS. WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS TREND IS HEADING?
Being in the restaurant business, there is obviously competition for us. But rather than this, what we think that it is a very good thing. With more and more restaurants popping up, they’re providing more job opportunities for people, and it just benefits the overall economy of the country. When we opened this place, profit was a secondary motive. What we wanted to do was to accommodate the people and give something to the food enthusiasts. The more the others who are in this business think in this manner, the more it benefits the country.

HOW HAVE YOU MANAGED TO BE CONSISTENT?
For any restaurant, or any establishment for that matter, Human Resource Management is the most important thing. We would not even imagine start out if we had not settled our HR. Now, we still are not in that phase to be fully open or even have a amount of experience, but we are getting there.

AND IN TERMS OF FOOD?
To begin with, we cook several items ourselves and put it on the menu only after we have perfected it and are satisfied with it. But we can’t stop there because we are not the only ones. The customers are our main concern so their feedback is vital to us. Many people have said that our dishes don’t have that Nepalese touch to it. So we have taken that into consideration, improved it, and now serve it.

PLEASE DO TELL US MORE ON THE FEEDBACKS YOU MENTIONED?
Our customers have been a fan of the Slow Cooked Pork, Lasagnas, and Pizzas, especially the mushroom sauce ones. However they do say that the menu is a bit limited. We will surely work on that. Apart from food, we have received a lot of positive remarks about the ambiance. They like how open it is. Then again, there are some who say that it’s a bit empty. So we’re in a dilemma on what to do.

WHAT IS IN STORE FOR MAURI IN THE FUTURE?
Like any good business, we surely want to expand and open chains. However, we have just started so these plans will not be immediate.
PEPPERONI PIZZA
With a thin crust and a good size, the Pepperoni Pizza is a no brainer choice. Pizzas are Mauri’s speciality and what sets them apart from the other pizzas in town is that the sauce doesn’t overpower the cheese, the cheese is not too sharp, and the pepperoni eases everything in the mouth. Many tend to leave the crust, but one cannot help themselves to neglect it. With the range of condiments they bring along with it, it’s hard to resist.
BIANCO PIZZA
We want to say that this is their flagship pizza, and we don’t think we would be wrong. With so many pizzerias opening up, in all honesty, the charm of has faded away. This is where the Bianco comes in with it’s unique and surprisingly tasty mushroom sauce. It is topped with basil which completely sets itself apart and refreshes the concept of a pizza. Mr. Singh commented that it doesn’t look that appealing to the eye, but one just has to taste it to know how it is. We don’t know what he means by “not appealing to the eye” because it really does look good in our opinion. We’ll just write it of as a component of his modesty.
TANGY WINGS
Wings are a favorite every where. Mauri steps it up a notch by bathing it in a super tangy sauce. We imagine it would be the perfect companion to a cold beer and some footy on the tele. Even if you are not about that, it is sure to send your lips smacking and hands snapping into a thumbs up.

WORDS:NIRVEEK SHAH | PHOTO:PRITAM CHHETRI

TNM: When did you come up with the idea of Metalwood and what was the process behind the idea?

MW: It’s been more than a year since we started Metalwood, we all had different backgrounds but we were working in the same field which is why we had had a lot of run-ins with each other. That’s why we thought of creating a team and working together. We had similar interests and different capabilities, so it made sense. We were a bit confused about what to name our company, we knew that we would be working with various metals and woods, the orders had been coming in from various clients so we needed a name. In that context, we just put the things we work with together and came up with the name Metalwood. We focus on raw beauty of the metals and we don’t mix it with kind. What we look for is neat and tidy designs. However, we have to always acknowledge the wishes of our clients as well and we always make sure that the end result is satisfying for them and us. Our clients will have the firsthand knowledge of what is happening because they are present through the process so it is much more personal to them than buying a readymade piece of furniture. We are a client based company and also involve our clients in the designing process so we can input their ideas as well. Yes, it will take more time than buying a certain furniture but the end result is personalized.

TNM: What is the creative process of Metalwood?

MW: It is the standard process than we follow that most companies do as well. We meet up with the client and go to the site. We hear to their demands and follow up by checking our resources and time and then we start. We make sure to communicate with our clients from time to time and keep them updated till the process is completed.

TNM: Tell us more about the design of your office?

MW: This space is designed as a showroom cum office style. So, when the clients meet up with us, the catalogues won’t be the only things that we have to show. We have this office designed in a contemporary way so it is easier for everyone to communicate with each other, we don’t have cubicles and doors as such inside this space. We have designed it as simple and minimalistic as possible.

TNM: What are your future plans or strategies?

MW: Growth and expansion is definitely in our plan for the future. Also we have been planning on renovating shipping containers and transforming them into showrooms, restaurants, and also for accommodation purposes as well. The trend of turning containers into these kinds of spaces is a huge trend all over the world and since it is very cost effective, it would be beneficial for our market as well. Expanding to create a bigger workshop won’t be easy. Since, we have to do a lot of supervision, the workshop and the office needs to be easily accessible but the problem of land can create difficulty if we had to locate the workshop elsewhere from the office. There would be timing problems and management problems because of the commute. However, we are in search of an easily reachable land nearby for the expansion.

TNM: What is the scope of interior designing and furnishing? How has the scope changed through the years?

MW: The scope of designing has always been there, but now it has increased manifold. People have their own visions for what they want their house, or offices to look like in terms of furnishing which gives us plenty of work. The demand has increased substantially with the years and we are trying our best to fulfill that demand through precision and expertise. But the capacity and timing are aspects to be managed.

TNM: How is Metalwood different than other interior designing companies?

MW: Our USP would be our belief in simplicity in the products we design and make. We have minimalistic and rustic designs with no fancy carvings and designs structured into lights and structures of the simplest of artificial substances. The name Metalwood clearly depicts what we do with all the finished products as well as the photographs we take of our space. We are so much into minimalistic designs that we don’t even have carvings on out products. We didn’t have enough space initially, we had half of what we have now but we had the land surrounding the space then. We made a metal structure and put together the space we have now.

TNM: Were there any obstacles as such initially or in the present and how are you dealing with the challenges?

MW: First of all, we always have a hard time finding people with the skills that we require. We do supervise our workers but it takes a lot of time doing that. On top of that we don’t have any Nepali masons that we can hire on a short notice and finding the appropriate masons is difficult. We do have space now but still it is still not enough.

WORDS:SHREYA SANGROULA | PHOTO:PRITAM CHHETRI

Any person you meet in your life may play a part in it at some time or the other, and this holds especially true for anyone you meet in your work life: case in point: your boss. You want to have people in your life who will speak highly of you and your professional capabilities. Needless to say, it is important to say, maintaining a good relationship with your boss goes a long way; here are some tips on handling your relationship with your boss:

THEY CHANGE OVER TIME.
Your relationship with your boss today isn’t necessarily going to be the relationship you have with your boss a few years from now. Don’t get too hung up on the current relationship. When you work for someone the relationship is always going to be intensified.
Eventually, you will both move on and the relationship will develop accordingly. Do your best and don’t get too hung up on what the relationship will look like five years from now.

RECOGNIZE THAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH EVERY BOSS WILL BE DIFFERENT.
Some will be great and others not-so-great–it’s typically a personality thing. Some bosses are going to notice some things about you and others will notice other things. Your personality might rub one boss the right way but another boss another way. Such is work life.

DON’T LET YOUR BOSS’S MOOD BUG YOU.
The best thing you can do is be consistent–personality wise and work wise. Some people are moody. You can’t change who someone is. Be aware of your boss’s mood and then go on with your day like normal. The best thing you can do for your boss’s mood is act as you normally do. Be the consistent force they can rely on. Don’t let your boss’s mood affect you. You have no idea what they are dealing with after hours.

DON’T WAIT FOR PRAISE.
Why does someone need to tell you that you are doing a good job? Why can’t you be confident in the work you are putting out into the world? Some people get so caught up in waiting for praise that they get frustrated when the accolades don’t come around frequently. Be confident in your abilities. You are expected to do a good job and to do your work–that’s part of the job description.

IF YOU’RE GOING TO TAKE OFF WORK…
Try to provide as much advance notice as possible when going out of town or taking days off. Let your boss plan for this as much as possible and of course, only take sick days when really needed. Successful executives need reliable consistent people who aren’t going to take advantage of their time.

GET IN BEFORE YOUR BOSS.
Many executives say that it’s a great feeling to walk into work every day and see the same person sitting there–day after day. These busy executives need someone to rely on, someone to depend on. The more trust they build with you, the more projects they will send your way. When you are a consistent face that your boss sees in the morning and can rely on to be there already running the show that is a great thing. It will also give you time to prepare for what the day brings.

DON’T LEAVE THE OFFICE BEFORE YOUR BOSS LEAVES.
Leaving before your boss doesn’t set a great precedent. Just sit tight, get organized, and work on tomorrow’s to-do list or work pile. If you’re out of tasks to do, read the industry trades–make the most of your time in the office. You don’t want your boss to come out of his or her office and see you on Facebook regardless of whether it’s after 6 p.m.

YOU DON’T NEED TO BE BEST FRIENDS WITH YOUR BOSS.
They don’t need to know everything about you or your personal life. Unless your boss sends you a friend request, don’t be Facebook friends. It’s okay to follow your boss on Twitter as it’s not as intimate a network as Facebook.
It’s also okay for you to follow them on Instagram if their profile is public. You would like to avoid a situation where you’re supposed to take work home over the weekend, you forget to do it, and your boss sees photos of you and your friends getting wasted in Pokhara all weekend.

EMPOWER YOUR BOSS.
Make him or her look good. Think about what you can do to make your boss look great.

PICK YOUR BATTLES WISELY.
There will come a time when something happens and you need to confront your boss. We all get to that point in our early careers. But you can’t pick every fight. You can’t have a new bone to pick with your boss every day. Think long and hard about the battles you want to pick and if these battles will be worth it in the long run. Some people start talking back and arguing with their bosses and then they can’t stop. At the end of the day, this is your boss–not your friend. It’s work. Don’t take it personally.

Many of us have gone through that phase where all we wanted to do was put together a band with our mates and play shows in front of a roaring crowd and chill out with the groupies in the backstage. Sadly, for some of us, this dream shattered to a million pieces the day we realized that we can’t strum a guitar or that people cried whenever we sang. That dream has been reduced to air guitars and futile harmonizations in the shower. In Nepal, music is deeply rooted in our culture but not taken as seriously in terms of a professional career. The bitter truth is, the majority of us are still following the trend of “daktarenginir” and a career in music is a subject of either hooliganism or “it’s not a real thing, man. Get a real job.”

But yes, a career in music is a legitimate career. We tend to overlook the fact that we may not have known the name Narayangopal Guruachrya if he had not let the world know that he’s a unicorn on the vocals.

There are so many people in Nepal who are immensely talented but are scare to take that leap of faith. Scared of what society might say, that’s one; but above all, we don’t really know what life is like when you’re a musician. That’s what we’re going to help you out with this time. To know something, it’s best to know about it from someone who credible knowledge on the subject matter. So we band together three musicians who have been in the field for a considerable amount of time.

We have Jimi Blues who is the guitarist for the band The Midnight Riders. Essentially a cover band, they have recently come up with a debut album, and is a favorite jam in our office here. Jimi is influential and charismatic and a very chill person to be around. He has been in the scene for a long time and knows his way around the industry.

Sudhanshu Acharya is the bassist for a metal outfit named Trianka. Inspired heavily by the likes of Megadeth, the band recently released their first song called Kaichi and it’s mad fire. Fresh out of the election, it’s a heavy critic on the current Nepalese political situation. He has a lively stage presence and hypes the crowd like no other. Might we also add that the man has a tasteful appreciation for dark humor.

Sarah Maharjan is the drummer for an all-girl band called the JOTs. The band has recently acquired a lot of attention after touring and playing in various locations in the country with Women in Concert. She, herself, is a very talented drummer and judging by her video for Drum like a Girl, she might be adept in some form of Kung Fu. Also, if you tell her what your star sign is, she can literally spill out your past, present and future accurately and will even throw in an educated guess about your personality.

Jimi Blues – THE MIDNIGHT RIDERS

What got you into music?

I was a music lover since my childhood. When I got my first guitar, I started to really get into it.

Do you remember your first gig?

It was during my school days. It was also the first time that I had actually plugged my guitar into an amp. It was back in 1996 or 1997. I remember that I was completely shaking before I went up! But once I started playing, I was fine. It was a blast!

What’s your current setup?

My current setup consists of my American Fender Deluxe Stratocaster, a Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner, a Boss BD-2 Blues Drive, a Vox 847 A Wah, an MXR MC 401 Booster/Line Driver, a Boss RV-5 Reverb, and a Donner Yellow Fall Vintage Analogue Delay. I run all of these through my Lanney amp.

Who do you look up to as your inspiration?

For me it’d be Jimi Hendrix, SRV, Eric Clapton, and Mukti Dai from Mukti and Revival.

Would you say that your talent was given or achieved?

I believe that everyone is born with a talent. One just has to realize it and earn it. Such was my case.

With whom do you click the most in your band?

I tend to click with the drummer the most.

Is your band a full time commitment for you, or is it a side hustle? If latter, what else do you do?

For the time being, the band and my own music is a 50/50 kind of thing. Apart from it, I have an event company and also teach guitar classes.

How many hours do you clock in for the band in a day for practice and performance?

From 2 to 3 hours a day.

What is the best thing about being in a band?

In my case, the best thing for me is that I’m making a living with my music. And of course, nothing beats the feeling when you’re up on stage in front of a live crowd. I really do love playing for different audiences in different places.

What is the worst thing about being in a band?

I don’t want to say “worst” but sometimes playing for a bunch of people who don’t have respect for live music is unpalatable.

What drives you to keep doing this?

My love and passion for the art form.

What would you say is the most difficult part about being a musician?

I’d say that sometimes, you just have to take up things or have to do things you don’t want to.

Name 5 things needed to make it into the scene.

• Explore the music you like the most
• Regular practice
• Know your sound
• Be your original self
• Learn as much as you can.

What would your dream gig be?

Playing my own music in Dasarath Stadium for my own audience who love and respect my art.

Sudhanshu Acharya- TRIANKA

What got you into music?

I would have to thank my uncle for that. He taught me the joy of playing the guitar when I was 10 years old. I didn’t have a guitar as a 10 year old but at 16, as soon as I got my first guitar I went to his place to jam. We ended up jamming until 1 A.M. And I had developed this attachment to my guitar at one point before I switched to bass. It was that, and how music has always been my solace, even when I didn’t know how to play any instrument.

Do you remember your first gig? When and how was it?

Yes, I do, it was back in 2009/10 when I was just learning to play the guitar. We were 5 members and they made me play the bass on “Yo Mann ta Mero Nepali ho” by 1974 AD. It was an art exhibition of one of my friend’s relatives. Put together we were five 14-year-old kids just learning to play our instruments, and as imagined, it was not very good. But the crowd sang along anyways, so that was something! It was also at this point in time that I started to like playing the bass.

What’s your current setup?

Currently I use a Dean E09 series. I’ve used it for three years and even though it has a single passive pickup, it has always given me the power and the tone I need for live set ups.

Who do you look up to as your inspiration?

My inspiration has always been my grandfather, who is a writer himself. Musically, there are a lot, but the story of Dave Mustaine has inspired me a lot to do what I do today.

Would you say that your talent was a given or achieved?

I’d say it’s both because to play music you have to have a sense of rhythm and timing and to learn how to play an instrument you have to train and enhance these two skills through practice.

With whom do you click the most in your band?

After working together for almost 2 years in a band, it is imperative that all the members “click” with each other. But if I HAVE to point a finger, then it has to be Subarna Chauhan, our lead guitarist, because I had been working with him before Trianka even started in two other bands almost 2 years prior.

Is your band a full time thing for you, or is it a side hustle? If latter, what else do you do?

The band has never been a “side hustle”. While I do work as an English teacher at a school, I never let the two interfere with each other.

How many hours do you clock in for the band in a day for practice and performance?

It depends. Band rehearsals are usually on alternate days for 2-3 hours and personally, it’s the same for me although it depends upon a lot of factors. 

What is the best thing about being in a band?

The best thing about being in a band is the teamwork and the bonding between the members while working.

What is the worst thing about being in a band?

The worst thing about being in a band is changes in the line up. We have a constant line up now but when a band is in it’s embryonic stage, it’s really hard to find good band members.

What drives you to keep doing this?

It is basically my love for making and performing music.

What would you say is the most difficult part about being a musician?

The most difficult part about being a musician is the battle you keep having with yourself. No matter what people say, there’s no way of satisfying yourself with your playing.

Name 5 things needed to make it into the scene.

• Dedication
• Ability to stand back up if something goes wrong
• Talent
• Creativity
• Mutual respect

What would be your dream gig?

It would be at the Wembley stadium in front of thousands of people with the current line up as the headliner of the show.

Sarah Maharjan- JOTs

What got you into music?

Drumming.

Do you remember your first gig?

Yes, it was on 20.5.2017 at NMC (Nepal Music Centre) for an event called “Music for All”. It was a wonderful experience.

What’s your current setup?

It’s nothing special in all honest. It’s just (she puts it modestly) a Stagg drum set. I use Sabian B8Pro cmbals, beat the bass with Dixon Double Pedals and wield a pair of Vic Firth 5B’s and 5A’s.

Who do you look up to as your inspiration?

The drums itself! It wasn’t a specific person. Acknowledging the vigorous sound that could be created while playing the drums really did inspire me. 

Would you say that your talent was given or achieved?

Both! I believe everyone has unique talents and I’m no exception. With proper recognition of my talent I showed enthusiasm to learn and committed myself to achieve it.

With whom do you click the most in your band?

I know it’s cliche to say that I sync up with everyone, but I must say it because it’s true. We’ve been playing together for quite some time, so we’re like a family now. We coordinate with each other pretty well and know each other’s limitations, and constantly encourage one another to go beyond it.

Is your band a full time for you, or is it a side hustle? If latter, what else do you do?

I’d say I’m fully committed to the band and besides it I’m doing BASW at St. Xavier’s College, Maitighar.

How many hours do you clock in for the band in a day for practice and performance?

There is no time limit. Some days I can go on and on for hours until I am satisfied with my playing and the other times it is just a light practice. Talking about the band, we have practice thrice a week for two hours. And before some events, it could be a whole week’s worth of practice.

What is the best thing about being in a band?

Putting in various ideas and perceptions and creating something beautiful out of it, which is music.

What is the worst thing about being in a band?

Not being able to attend various other things that you’re invited to and wanted to go to because of jam sessions!

What drives you to keep doing this?

My love for drumming!

What would you say is the most difficult part about being a musician?

Being constantly reminded verbally, and if not verbally then through body gestures, tone of voice and facial expressions, that I’m incapable and not competent among other professions to gain heights just cause I opted to be a musician. That too a “female” musician.

Name 5 things needed to make it into the scene.

• Practice
• Patience
• Originality
• Self realization
• Confidence

What would your dream gig be?

I’ve never had a dream gig because as long as I have my bandmates supporting and building each other, I’m optimistic that we will definitely be going places and performing in various parts of the world. However, as a young teenager I had got really into drumming because of our local Nepalese metal scene. So performing at Silence Fest is surely on my to do list.

WORDS: NIRVEEK PPJ SHAH | PHOTOS: PRITAM CHHETRI