KATHMANDU, March 24: A photo exhibition titled “The Story of Gatlang Women”, highlighting the daily lives and struggles of women from Gatlang village, opened on Monday at Umoja Café in New Baneshwor, Kathmandu. The exhibition, organised by Explore Nepal Network, will run until Wednesday and features 16 photographs by senior photojournalist Keshav Raj Thoker.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Nyajom Tamang, a 39-year-old woman from Gatlang who has been working in Kathmandu as a labourer for the past five years. Seeing images of her own village moved her deeply. Another attendee, Lhaka Chhomo Tamang, expressed similar sentiments.
Thoker’s photographs depict the daily routines of rural women, whose lives revolve around constant toil from sunrise to sunset. Their dedication, honesty, and resilience shine through, making the images both poignant and inspiring.
At the event, Buchung Tamang, chairperson of Aachhodingmo Rural Municipality in Rasuwa, expressed pride in seeing Gatlang represented in Kathmandu. “This exhibition will also help promote tourism in Gatlang,” she said. “It is equally important that the stories of our villages are brought to the forefront.”
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Language and cultural scholar Amrit Yonjan Tamang said viewing the photographs made her feel as if she had visited Gatlang and shared her own experiences from the village. Senior photojournalist Chandra Shekhar Karki praised Thoker’s work, noting, “These photographs reflect Keshav’s dedication. We thank him for making the joys and struggles of women visible through his lens.”
Lila Ram Khadka, head of the organising institution, added that the exhibition aims to build a creative bridge between Gatlang and Kathmandu, connecting urban audiences to rural realities.
Gatlang, in Ward No. 3 of Aachhodingmo Rural Municipality, Rasuwa, is home to around 600 households, mostly from the Tamang Dalit community. Agriculture, animal husbandry, and tourism form the backbone of village life. Women play a central role—preparing meals, tending livestock, caring for children, harvesting crops, and producing woolen clothing—demonstrating resilience, creativity, and hard work. Gatlang is a gateway to the Ruby Valley Trek and a stop on the Tamang Heritage Trail, 154 km from Kathmandu with regular bus connections.
Photo journalist Thoker, from Bhedpugau, Dolakha, has nearly two decades of experience in photojournalism, covering politics, disasters, and rural life. He has worked at Nepal Samacharpatra, Nagarik Daily, and Ayomail, and now works freelance. His photo book Life in Pandemic documents COVID-19’s global impact. Thoker uses photography to highlight social issues and give voice to the voiceless, saying, “I will never stop photographing as long as I live.”
