Kalam Weekly

This week, we examine Shah’s relationship with the Nepali media, from his early days as mayor to the present and his sustained efforts to boycott and sideline them. (2/2) api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…

. @WeeklyKalam writes; The first two months of Balen's tenure cannot serve as a template for the next five years. kalamweekly.substack.com/p/balen-shah-a…

This week, we examine Shah’s relationship with the Nepali media, from his early days as mayor to the present and his sustained efforts to boycott and sideline them. (2/2) api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…

Although Balen Shah had promised transparency and accountability during his campaign for mayor, Shah ditched both once he won. But the same pattern now continues even as a prime minister. No interviews, no press conferences, not even an address to the Parliament. (1/2)

As much as his supporters argue that he is working more and speaking less, his detractors maintain that he is hubristic... It might not be very long before Balen Shah finds himself hoisted by his own petard. ✍️ @inkthink @WeeklyKalam api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…

This week, we explore on why art matters to us and how can the Balen Shah government support and promote the arts. (2/2) api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…

In Nepal, the arts — music, theater, literature, painting, and sculpture — have long been crucial to socio-political change. However, the Nepali state has rarely treated art as a valuable asset. In the absence of state support, artists often struggle to make a living. (1/2)

Over the years, authorities have made numerous attempts to address this thorny issue, primarily through force. This issue has a long and complicated history, which we explore in detail in our recent deep dive. (2/2) api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…

The issue of squatter settlements is not new; it dates back to the 1970s. Government failures in the past, combined with urban pressures has pushed people to settle along the riverbanks. (1/2)

📅: 9th May 2026, Saturday ⏰: 6-8 pm 📍: Pisang Biergarten, Bhaisepati, Lalitpur 💰: Free for all paid Kalam subscribers, Rs 200 for all other attendees. RSPV here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI…

Join us for the first edition of Movie Night With Kalam.🍿🎥🎬✨✨ Come watch, Hari, a psychological dark comedy with surreal elements, that follows a 30-year-old, overly religious and superstitious man whose life changes when a bird poops on his head.

In this week’s deep dive, we trace the complicated history of squatter settlements in Kathmandu Valley—why people migrated here, how urban pressures pushed them to riverbanks, and the repeated government attempts to address the issue, often through force. api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…

Squatters, even when they break the law, have inalienable rights to life and liberty. They too deserve a warm place to sleep... As much as the law must be applied equally, it must be applied fairly. — by @inkthink @WeeklyKalam What makes a sukumbasi? api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…

Just before Nepal’s March 5 elections, I wrote about the country’s democratic stress test. One month into the new government, early signs of that stress are visible. Sharing my @WeeklyKalam piece again — api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…

From #January 2025, where @inkthink reflects on the early January 2025 earthquake that shook central and northern Nepal raising important questions about whether we have learned anything from the 2015 earthquake. api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…

From #April 2025, a guest post from @Pri_ttygood, where she spoke to numerous people about their experiences of the 2015 earthquake and reflects on what it means to remember and what it means to be resilient. api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…

April 25, 2015 is a date that exists not only in history, but in conversation, memories, and lived experiences. Eleven years later, we remember the earthquake. Some vividly, some clearly, but we remember! Revisit some of our stories on earthquake below: 👇

On the 11th anniversary of the devastating 2015 earthquake, revisit our post by @Pri_ttygood reflecting on people’s experiences with the calamity and what it means to be resilient. api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…

In this week’s deep dive, we will take a closer look at the rise and fall of Sudan Gurung, the flamboyant Home Minister who recently resigned over financial concerns.(2/2) api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…

Whether Sudan Gurung survives and returns to the Home Ministry or becomes another cautionary tale of Nepal's recurring cycle of ‘जुन जोगी आए नि कानै चिरेका’ will define the workings of the Shah government in the years to come. (1/2)

The Rato Machhendranath Jatra lives through its people. We spoke to locals from Patan to understand what it means to them. For some, it is a cherished memory; for others a shared responsibility, and for many a quiet sense of belonging. api.omarshehata.me/substack-proxy…