KATHMANDU: A photo exhibition portraying the hardships and everyday lives of women living in Rasuwa’s Gatlang village, a popular tourist attraction in Nepal, is on display. At Umajo Cafe in New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, 16 photos taken by photojournalist Keshab Thokar are on display.

Organized by Explore Network Nepal, the event was inaugurated by Nyanjom Tamang, a 39 years old woman of Gatlang village, working in Kathmandu as a laborer for the last five years.  

Lifestyle of women from sunrise to sunset, their hard work, honesty and smile is captured through the photos. The photo exhibition showcases women’s leading role in everything from cooking meals,  caring for yaks, sheep and children, to bringing in the crops. 

Buchung Tamang, chairman of Achhodingmo Rural Municipality, Rasuwa, feels proud after seeing the photos exhibited in Kathmandu. He said, “ This exhibition has supported Gatlang’s promotion to tourists. He added, “The story of our village needed to be revealed.” 

Amrit Yonjan Tamang, a linguist and culturalist, claimed to feel as if he had reached Gatlang. He also talked about his trip to Gatlang. 

Another senior photojournalist, Chandrasekhar Karki, complimented the photos. He said, “These photos show the hard work of Keshab.” He also extended his gratitude to Thokar for showcasing women’s happiness and sadness through photos. 

Lilaram Khadka, head of Explore Network Nepal, said that the exhibition was organized to build a creative bridge between Gatlang and Kathmandu through the photographs of a talented photojournalist.

Keshab Thokiar is a photojournalist who has been involved in this field for a very long time. He actively published his photobook taken during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. The photo book showcases dead bodies burned in open ground at Pashupati, pregnant women in isolation, and more.  “I will continue to make the voices of the voiceless heard through visual stories,” he says, “I will not give up photography as long as I live.”

The photo exhibition which was earlier said to conclude on March 25 has been extended till March 28 (Saturday). Here are some photos of the exhibition: