Monthly Archives: September 2025

Celebrating 15 Years of Blogging with You All

Hey everyone! 🎉

Wow — I can hardly believe it’s been 15 years of storytelling, culture-sharing, travel adventures, food experiments, motherhood moments, and little parenting wins here at Nepaliaustralian. What started as “just something to do” has become a corner of the internet that means a whole lot to me — and that’s all thanks to you.

A quick look back

For those who are newer here, here’s a peek at how this journey has unfolded:

  • I’m M, a Nepali-born IT Business Analyst by day, globetrotter at heart, a writer for the soul, and very much in love with bridging the cultures of “East” and “West” through stories, recipes, traditions, and family life
  • Nepaliaustralian isn’t just about me — it’s about all of us who know what it’s like to grow up in one culture and live in another, who miss home sometimes, who love traditions, who try cooking a dish from back home and find joy in small things like language, festivals, or simply sharing memories.

Where we are now — thanks to YOU

As of just over a year ago (when the blog turned 13), here’s what we had reached:

  • 1,109 posts
  • 81 pages
  • Over 10,700 comments (that’s you chiming in ❤️)
  • About 2.5 million page views
  • Some 1.38 million readers spanning 230 countries

And today, as we celebrate 15 years, I’m proud to see how far we’ve come — more stories, more recipes, more journeys, more words. Your support has carried this blog through all of it.

What it’s meant to me

This space has been:

  • My way to keep the language and culture alive — whether it’s Nepali or Nepal Bhasa.
  • A way to explore marriage, family, parenting, identity — the awkward bits, the surprising bits, and the really beautiful bits.
  • A reminder that even thousands of kilometres away, your stories, your love, your feedback, your comments matter.

There have been days when I wasn’t sure who was reading, or whether it would “amount to anything,” but then someone would leave a comment about missing home, or cooking a recipe you found here, or learning a word you forgot — and it’d remind me why I started.

Thank You

I owe so much to:

  • You, dear readers — for sticking with me, for reading the long posts, for sharing, for correcting me, for making suggestions, for engaging.
  • Family & friends — for patience when I disappeared on trips or got carried away writing or editing.
  • Guest writers/contributors — whose voices have enriched this place so much.
  • Every person who’s ever liked, shared, sewn, cooked, translated, messaged, snapped, or just quietly nodded along.

Without you, there is no Nepaliaustralian.

Looking ahead

Because 15 years is real, and I’m excited for what’s next:

  • More travel stories — nearer, farther, unknown places waiting.
  • More deep dives into culture, language, tradition — especially around Newari, Nepali, festivals.
  • More family stories — parenting, raising kids between homes, between cultures.
  • More recipes (of course!) and food adventures because there’s always a flavour of home to explore.
  • More connection — I hope to hear more from you: your stories, your memories, your hopes, your favourite posts, and what you want to see more of.

Here’s to 15 years. Here’s to all the words we’ve shared and will share. Here’s to you — because none of this is possible without you.

Thank you for reading, for commenting, for being here. You’re the heart of Nepaliaustralian.

With love and gratitude,

M
From Nepaliaustralian
XOXO

Nepal at a Crossroads: Reflections on a Defining Week

First of all, thank you to everyone who has reached out to me over the past few days. Your kindness has meant so much. My family in Nepal is safe, and for that I am deeply grateful.

On 8 September 2025, Nepal entered what feels like a defining moment in its history. After years of frustration with a system plagued by corruption, nepotism, and unaccountable leadership, thousands of young people — many of them students — took to the streets of Kathmandu and other cities.

The government’s sudden decision to ban 26 popular social media platforms — including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) — became the spark that ignited this uprising. But underneath it all, the real driver was anger at the corruption and dysfunction that have paralysed Nepal’s politics for so long.

For Gen Z, this ban wasn’t just about apps being switched off — it was about being silenced. And this generation decided they would no longer accept that. What began as peaceful demonstrations against censorship quickly transformed into a nationwide movement calling for an end to corruption and real accountability in government.

The protests started peacefully, exactly as the young people had planned — with chants, banners, and a clear call for accountability. But the government chose to confront them aggressively. In Kathmandu, as protesters tried to move closer to restricted zones around Parliament, security forces responded with tear gas, water cannons and live ammunition. What had begun as a hopeful, organised demonstration quickly spiralled into chaos.

The images and live videos were heartbreaking. Young people who had set out to make their voices heard were suddenly caught in a storm of violence. Lives were lost, many more left injured, and the streets descended into chaos. Homes, businesses, and government buildings were damaged or set ablaze. What started as a hopeful demand for change turned into scenes of destruction and grief.

As the protests grew, so did the confusion. Social media feeds were flooded with conflicting reports, rumours, and fake news. Some accounts exaggerated events, while others downplayed them. For those of us following from outside, it was incredibly difficult to know what was real. Sorting fact from fiction became one of the hardest parts of understanding what was happening — a reminder of just how dangerous misinformation can be in moments of crisis.

The human cost has been devastating. At least 51 people have been killed so far, including protesters, police officers, and bystanders. Thousands more have been injured. Families have been torn apart in the process.

The political consequences have been equally dramatic. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned, taking moral responsibility for the bloodshed. The government, under immense pressure, was forced to lift the social media ban that had sparked the protests. And in the most significant shift yet, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli stepped down.

Nepal’s Parliament has been dissolved, and a historic transition is now underway. Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki has been appointed as the interim Prime Minister, becoming the first woman ever to hold the role. New elections have been scheduled for 5 March 2026 — a date many Nepalis are already marking with both hope and uncertainty.

Like so many others, I feel shock, sadness, and anger. It’s hard to comprehend how quickly things escalated, and how many lives have been lost or disrupted. Yet, amid the grief, there’s something powerful about seeing people — especially the youth — stand together and say “enough is enough.”

Nepal is at a crossroads. Change is never easy, and it often comes at a painful cost. But I truly hope this moment becomes the turning point that leads to real accountability, genuine reform, and a brighter future for the country I love.

Please follow me on Instagram! and Please follow me on TikTok to stay updated on my adventures.

Take care,

M from Nepaliaustralian
XOXO

Celebrating Teej with Friends – A Festival of Food, Dance, and Fun

This year’s Teej celebrations were such a beautiful surprise for me! 🌸✨

I ended up joining so many different Teej Ko Daar gatherings with different groups of friends, and each one had its own unique charm. There was endless food (seriously, the feasting never stopped), lots of laughter, hours of dancing, and of course—plenty of TikToks being made along the way. It was festive, colourful, and full of energy from start to finish.

What made it even more meaningful is that I’m Newar, and I didn’t really grow up celebrating Teej in the traditional way. But because of my friends, I was able to immerse myself in the joy of the festival this year—and I absolutely loved every part of it! Sometimes, it’s the people around you who make a festival special, and that’s exactly how it felt.

From finding outfit inspiration online, to getting dressed up in gorgeous festive looks, to sharing meals and dancing until we were all out of breath—the celebrations were about so much more than just tradition. They were about togetherness, joy, and creating memories that will stick with me for years.

Teej this year wasn’t just about celebrating—it was about connection, culture, and pure fun.

I’m so grateful to my friends for including me in their traditions and making me feel part of something bigger. Can’t wait to do it all over again next year! 💃

Please follow me on Instagram! and Please follow me on TikTok to stay updated on my adventures.

Take care,

M from Nepaliaustralian
XOXO