Tag Archives: Rajneesh Bhandari

Nepal steps up security at all Buddhist shrines

Security in major Buddhist shrines across Nepal has been beefed up since a series of bombs went off on the Indian holy site of Bodh Gaya, Sunday July 7th.

Although local police have not received any concrete intelligence report that pilgrimage centers may be targeted in Nepal, they are keeping most of the sites under tight control including Lumbini the birthplace of Buddha, while a predictably tense national election campaign nears.

via IPSTV

Silent sufferers

Autism TKP

My story ‘Silent sufferers’ published in The Kathmandu Post on Saturday, March 31, 2012. Here is a link to the pdf version: http://epaper.ekantipur.com/ktpost/showtext.aspx?boxid=14312234&parentid=16742&issuedate=3132012 and for web version: http://www.ekantipur.com/2012/03/31/saturday-features/silent-sufferers/351523.html

Four-year-old Binu Dangol enters the room with her mother and father, dressed daintily in a blue t-shirt and trousers, her hair done neatly, but I can see that she’s scared. She leans away at the sight of me and my camera, ready to take flight, and I have very little idea of how to comfort her.

It was an International Reportage Workshop with photojournalist Philip Blenkinsop, jointly organised by photo.circle, Pathshala South Asian Media Academy and Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, that had triggered a desire within me to shed light upon stories that are yet untold. Among many such issues that exist within our country, it was the silent sufferers of autism—a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder—that particularly caught my attention. And Binu is one of them.
Continue reading

Witnessing the history


Six years of television journalism career has given me many experiences, unforgettable moments, adventurous lifestyle and a learning habit.

Ever since i started my internship in Kantipur Television there has been no looking back for me. In my initial days i reported about the historical April movement that ended monarchy and established republican form of government in Nepal. Working for television has given me opportunities to unfold stories on corruption, national security, defense, conflict, crime and other investigative stories.

It’s interesting to witness the history, write about it and also tell it to people.
Continue reading

Podcast: Youth Voice for CHANGE


The presence of young, energetic and visionary youths from around the globe made the 7th UNESCO Youth Forum a unique platform. With the kind of passion and vigor shown by the youth at the Forum it seemed that everything is possible, the CHANGE is possible. I was very much interested to capture unique stories of everyone. But it wasn’t possible because of the time limit.
Continue reading

Hoping for the return: Nepal’s IDPs

Hope: Internally displaced persons of Nepal from Rajneesh Bhandari on Vimeo.

By Rajneesh Bhandari
Kathmandu, Sept 16: One day in 1999, Kalyan Bhudathoki, 50, left his home in Ramechap that lies in the hilly and mountain region of Nepal and came to Kathmandu. Kalyan used to work as a farmer in his own field.

12 years earlier, in the insurgency-prone Ramechap, 150 km east of Kathmandu, Kalyan had two options: either to support the Maoists or flee the place. He chose the second option and has been struggling in the capital for his living ever since.

“They came to search me three times. I used to think that I could face them (Maoists),” said Kalyan at his rented home in Gothatar, Kathmandu, “But there were incidents in other places on people getting killed. And my family and relatives suggested me to flee the village.” Continue reading

Janaipurnima: The Sacred Thread Festival

Kathmandu: Janai Purnima, the sacred thread festival of the Hindus, was observed on Tuesday. Brahmins and Chhetris (men) get a new sacred threads (janai) and others tie yellow-red threads around their wrists as a symbol of protection.

This year i went to Pashupatinath Temple to find out how the festival was being celebrated.

RAJ000361

RAJ000362
Continue reading

“A picture a day”

News story. News story. And another news story… This has actually been my routine these days. Working as a television journalist for the last six years in one of the leading televisions of Nepal, I have been largely dealing with different stories and characters. I have been doing up to four or five TV stories a day. These could be short to long format stories and also television packages.
Rickshaw Driver
Continue reading