Boju Bajai

Re-releasing this episode from 2019 since we are still juggling multiple long distance friendships across time zones. God, I really miss impromptu chicken chilly and beer bhetghats with my fraandz.

In this very cheesy episode, we talk about why friendship is important and how it shapes our lives. And why we need more deep portrayal of female, queer and all kinds of non-broey friendship in our books and movies.

Also, a big thank you to everyone who shared their friendship stories with us.

If you enjoy our laugh and guff gaff, please consider being our patron hai. More details here hai www.patreon.com/bojubajai

Follow Boju Baja wherever you are:

YouTube: youtube.com/bojubajai

Instagram:   instagram.com/bojubajai  Facebook:   facebook.com/bojubajai  TikTok: @bojubajaiTwitter: https://x.com/bojubajai

Introducing our series “Rewind with Boju Bajai” where we talk about all things nostalgia. And in this episode, we take a walk down memory lane with singer Sukmit Gurung, Nepal’s OG pop music icon. Sukmit Gurung talks about her childhood in Sikkim, getting a break as a teenager to sing alongside Om Bikram Bista, shifting trends in Nepali music and four decades of singing and performing for Nepali audiences around the world. गायिका सुक्मित गुरुङले सन् १९८१ मा ‘ओ मेरो प्रियतम’ गाउँदासम्म पनि पप संगीत के हो ? धेरैलाई थाहै थिएन । सुक्तिमअघि न पप गायनमा कोही सक्रिय गायिका थिए, न कोही यही विधालाई आफ्नो करिअर बनाउन चाहन्थे । त्यतिखेरसम्म केही गायक र पुरुषले नेतृत्त्व गरेका ब्यान्डहरु यो विधातर्फ लम्कँदै थिए । रेडियो नेपालमा दावा ग्ल्याम्होहरुलाई सुन्दै हुर्केकी सुक्मितको समकालीन कुन्ती मोक्तान, मीरा राणा, लोचन भट्टराईहरु आधुनिक गीततिर बढी ढल्किए । तर सुक्मितलाई पश्चिमा संगीतको गायन शैली र संगीतले तान्यो, अनि उनले जानी/नजानी पप संगीततिर कदम चालिन् । Also, please watch more episode of our series on nostalgia. - Where did Wave magazine go? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOg75WdVLqk&t=1s

- Raja Aau, for real? 🙃 The not-so-Royal Nepal of the 90s 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glhIs1vs5OI

Follow Boju Baja wherever you are:

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/bojubajaiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bojubajai/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bojubajaiTikTok: @bojubajaiTwitter: https://x.com/bojubajaiSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bojubajai-------Credits:Camera: Bikram Rai, Elite JoshiResearch: Reena MoktanVideo music: Good Days by Yung Logos / @yunglogos Video of Sukmit Gurung singing Pal Pal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B42xKKSKvkVideo of Sukmit Gurung at Golden Kite Festival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV5AGPSid68Video of Sukmit Gurung singing “Timilai Hasera” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqlMUzXE2Go

Indu Tharu is an artist, poet, and activist. She has documented different social movements across Nepal and the often forgotten contribution of women from indigenous communities like Tharus in such movements. Her writings have appeared in several national media outlets and shine light on the oppression of indigenous communities, and the loss of their language and knowledge.She has published three books - “Muktik Dagar”,  “Nilambit Nibandha”, and “Budhani”, her latest book about Tharu folktale, which was released in June 2025.  This conversation with Indu Tharu was recorded in 2024. Listen to the full conversation on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/3R5lRd0Qnc0biE8OkJhcGs?si=qJbw9xGWQ36SAFViZNMiSg&nd=1&dlsi=c962280d0b6e4eeaBoju Bajai regularly works with reporters and researchers to bring compelling audio stories that center and amplify women’s experiences. If you would like to support our work, please consider being our patron here: ⁠www.patreon.com/bojubajai⁠ Related readings:Listen to Boju Bajai Reads featuring Indu Tharu’s poem ‘केकर हो यि साम्राज्य’https://open.spotify.com/episode/2cs6...

• Indu Tharu: Whatever I want to write about has to touch my soul, Record 

• A stranger in my own land ⁠https://purakasia.org/inclusive-nepal...

⁠https://www.recordnepal.com/indu-thar...

- Inking an identity⁠https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/inki...

Boju Bajai in conversation with writer Indu Tharu. In this episode we talk about her writing, art, activism and why protests are an important tool to challenge existing power structures.

Indu Tharu is an artist, poet, and activist. She has documented different social movements across Nepal and the often forgotten contribution of women from indigenous communities like Tharus in such movements. Her writings have appeared in several national media outlets and shine light on the oppression of indigenous communities, and the loss of their language and knowledge.

She has published three books - “Muktik Dagar”,  “Nilambit Nibandha”, and “Budhani”, her latest book about Tharu folktale, which was released in June 2025.  This conversation with Indu Tharu was recorded in 2024.

Boju Bajai regularly works with reporters and researchers to bring compelling audio stories that center and amplify women’s experiences. If you would like to support our work, please consider being our patron here: www.patreon.com/bojubajai 

Related readings:

• Listen to Boju Bajai Reads featuring Indu Tharu’s poem ‘केकर हो यि साम्राज्य’

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2cs6Tl9wAmKARyp4aa5yHG?si=R4EfRMCzT7SM0Acr_bAwgQ

• Indu Tharu: Whatever I want to write about has to touch my soul, Record 

https://www.recordnepal.com/indu-tharu-whatever-i-want-to-write-about-has-to-touch-my-soul

• A stranger in my own land https://purakasia.org/inclusive-nepal/a-stranger-in-my-own-land/

• Inking an identity

https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/inking-an-idenity

This is the fourth installment of Boju Bajai Reads where we get our favorite writers to read their writings. And this time, we have writer Indu Tharu reading her poem ‘केकर हो यि साम्राज्य’. 

The poem, like most of her writings, shines light on the oppression of indigenous communities, and the loss of their language and knowledge.

‘केकर हो यि साम्राज्य’ was originally written in Tharu and later translated into Nepali. 

Our conversation with Indu Tharu will be out on June 20th. So please mark your calendar hai. Subscribe to Boju Bajai wherever you get podcasts to get notified about new episodes. 

Indu Tharu is an artist, poet, and activist. She has been documenting different social movements across Nepal and the often forgotten contributions of indigenous communities like Tharus in such movements.

Her writings have appeared in several national media outlets, and she has published two books - “Muktik Dagar” and “Nilambit Nibandha”. Her new book Budhani, a Tharu folktale will be out later this month. 

Pre-order your copy here:

https://thuprai.com/book/budhani-tharu/

https://lnkd.in/dcEHbeGz

Boju Bajai regularly works with reporters and researchers to bring compelling audio stories that center and amplify women’s experiences. If you would like to support our work, please consider being our patron here: www.patreon.com/bojubajai 

Related readings:

• Indu Tharu: Whatever I want to write about has to touch my soul, Record 

https://www.recordnepal.com/indu-tharu-whatever-i-want-to-write-about-has-to-touch-my-soul

• A stranger in my own land, Purak Asia https://purakasia.org/inclusive-nepal/a-stranger-in-my-own-land/

• Inking an identity, Nepali Times

https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/inking-an-idenity

Disclaimer: This is video version of our April episode featuring Anbika Giri and Dovan Rai. Watch the fun video on our YT and Spotify.

गणतन्त्र दिवसको शु्भकामना ! In this episode, writer Anbika Giri and computer scientist Dr. Dovan Rai talk about growing up in Nepal in the not-so-Royal Nepal of the 90s, where access to media and information was mostly limited to Saturday films on Nepal Television, music videos on Image Channel, renting VHS tapes and a handful of magazines. They also reflect on their formative experiences during the years of political upheaval in Nepal, from Panchayat rule to multi-party democracy, followed by the Maoist insurgency, King Gyanendra’s direct rule to Nepal’s historic transition to a federal republic. This episode was recorded in 2024 so it doesn’t contain any reference to the recent raja baddies protest in Nepal. Tell us in the comments about your memories growing up in 90s Nepal.This episode is part of our new series “Rewind with Boju Bajai”. The first video in the series explores the origin story of Wave magazine. Please check it out on Boju Bajai’s YouTube channel.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOg75WdVLqk

Our second video in the same series features Sukmit Gurung, Nepal’s OG pop music icon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0Xzffi1QaMListen to our older episodes featuring Dr. Dovan Rai    https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/boju-bajai0/episodes/94-Guff-Gaff-with-Dr--Dovan-Rai-e2ubfkp/a-abos483  and Anbika Giri https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiCcZ01NPoA

Learn more about our upcoming special called “Lies We Tell” and find more about how you can be part of the mini-series by sharing your stories: https://bojubajai.substack.com/p/take-22-the-lies-we-tell?utm_source=publication-search

Follow Boju Baja wherever you are:Instagram: instagram.com/bojubajaiFacebook: facebook.com/bojubajai

YouTube: youtube.com/bojubajaiTikTok: @bojubajaiTwitter: https://x.com/bojubajaiSupport us on Patreon: patreon.com/bojubajai...—--------Listen to Boju Bajai wherever you get podcasts:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/hk/podcast...Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1pIgYT4... Credits:Camera: Ayden Baral, Sulav Singh Chhetri, Paras Tamang, Pratiksha Dhakras, Shubhan GurungEditor: Divya ShresthaStudio: Katha HaruVideo music: Good Days by Yung Logos  

What do you mean it’s been NINE (!!) years since we released our first episode “Bears and Whores.” In this rambling birthday celebratory conversation, we look back on our journey, vent frustration about how the Nepali state continues to treat Nepali women as second-class citizens, the recent corruption kandas, "Paras Sarkar" content farm, and why Nepali netizens still can’t pachao opinionated women like actor Suraksha Pant. 

Thank you everyone for sticking around and being part of our laugh and guff gaff since 2016. 

Learn more about our upcoming special called “Lies We Tell” and find more about how you can be part of the mini-series by sharing your stories:

https://bojubajai.substack.com/p/take-22-the-lies-we-tell?utm_source=publication-search

Boju Bajai regularly works with reporters and researchers to bring compelling audio stories that centre and amplify women’s experiences. If you would like to support our work, please consider being our patron here: www.patreon.com/bojubajai 

Please read and subscribe to our newsletter Cold Takes by Boju Bajai here 👉🏼 bojubajai.substack.com/  

Follow @Bojubajai on social media for more laughs and guff gaff:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/bojubajai/ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bojubajai/ 

Twitter: twitter.com/BojuBajai  

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/BojuBajai/ 

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Related readings, podcasts and videos

• ​Boju Bajai’s first episode, Bears and Whores https://open.spotify.com/episode/2nbPiO9HpBMzVI5WP8k9nC?si=igIq--j_T2e5RaNV7fWLJA
• ​Guff gaff with Rukshana Kapali 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlmYA6LzIg4&t=323s

• ​ Raja Aau, for real? 🙃 The not-so-Royal Nepal of the 90s 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glhIs1vs5OI&t=2s

  This episode is part of our new series “Rewind with Boju Bajai”. The first video in the series explores the origin story of Wave magazine. Please check it out on Boju Bajai’s YouTube channel.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOg75WdVLqk

• ​Suraksha Pant’s interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAhoGZf3KNE&t=1272s
• ​Top 15 viral videos of Paras Sarkar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXNMI3Rbalw

• ​The UK supreme court and the definition of a woman https://open.spotify.com/episode/0TrVQG610L86QrLUeWbS7x?si=fg-cgbyWT0uhaE_apv6U0g
• ​Gender War In South Korea: Why The Backlash Against Feminism? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KpIXxF0abA

Credit

Chaand Taare https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3QzaUwml5w

Boju Bajai theme music by Flekke

Wave was the most popular English language magazine among young Nepali readers in the 1990s and the 2000s. Launched in 1994, Wave became an instant hit because of its fresh take on music, fashion, youth culture and the concerns of young urban Nepalis. And remember the iconic lyrics book with guitar chords (this was when the internet wasn’t as accessible) and the glossy poster of international musicians that came with the magazine every month! It was also one of the very few and first Nepali media outlets to have a vibrant online presence through its website. Sadly, much of it is no longer available in the public domain.In this first episode of our brand new series called “Rewind with Boju Bajai” we sat down with Wave magazine’s founding editor Yubakar, assistant editor Tsering Choden, and Shashank Shrestha, who interned there. We asked them about their time at Wave, their favorite/most memorable cover stories, and what they most fondly recall about working at Nepal’s most iconic youth magazine.

Watch the second episode of "Rewind with Boju Bajai" featuring singer Sukmit Gurung here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0Xzffi1QaM Follow @Bojubajai on all social media platforms. Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/bojubajai

Introducing our new series “Rewind with Boju Bajai” where we talk about all things nostalgia.  In this episode, writer Anbika Giri and computer scientist/educator Dr. Dovan Rai talk about growing up in Nepal in the 90s, where access to media and information was limited to Saturday films on Nepal Television, music videos on Image Channel, renting VHS tapes and a handful of magazines. 

They also reflect on their formative experiences during the years of political upheaval in Nepal, from Panchayat rule to multi-party democracy, followed by the Maoist insurgency, King Gyanendra’s direct rule to Nepal’s historic transition to a federal republic. 

This episode was recorded in 2024 so it doesn’t contain any reference to the recent raja baddies protest in Nepal.

This episode is part of our new series “Rewind with Boju Bajai”. The first video in the series explores the origin story of Wave magazine. Please check it out hai https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOg75WdVLqk

Listen to our older episodes featuring Dr. Dovan Rai https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R0ljURyo-Q and Anbika Giri https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiCcZ01NPoA&t=134s

Learn more about our upcoming special called “Lies We Tell” and find more about how you can be part of the mini-series by sharing your stories: https://bojubajai.substack.com/p/take-22-the-lies-we-tell?utm_source=publication-search

Boju Bajai regularly works with reporters and researchers to bring compelling audio stories that centre and amplify women’s experiences. If you would like to support our work, please consider being our patron here: www.patreon.com/bojubajai 

Please read and subscribe to our newsletter Cold Takes by Boju Bajai here 👉🏼 bojubajai.substack.com/  

Follow @Bojubajai on social media for more laughs and guff gaff:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/bojubajai/ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bojubajai/ 

Twitter: twitter.com/BojuBajai  

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/BojuBajai/ 

—-

Credit

Boju Bajai theme music by Flekke

Shreeman Gambir https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tnPuQCU6e4

Hatne Haina https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofdTTAgdEwk

It’s that time of the year again! And no, we aren’t out marching this year cos we are boju bajai yaaaaa. Leg and back is dukhing hau. Also, no girl boss energy or women breaking glass/wooden/cement ceiling stories this time. Cos this Women’s Day we are putting the spotlight on jhooti, makkar, thaggar ladies - from “माताको भेषमा मूर्ति र घण्टी चोरी गर्ने” ladies’ gang in Dang to laptop luteri in Delhi and Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy, the woman who caused the infamous diamond necklace kanda in 18th century France. 

Female con artists’ को कारनामा/ कर्तुत is as old the as the history of scams and frauds. So in this episode we are going to talk about women - con women, confident women - and our fascination with them. 

अपनी कुर्सी की पेटी बाँध लीजिये, cos we are going on a world tour with our scammer ladiz! Just so you know, this is in no way us glorifying crimes. Just some harmless fun re kya. 

Also, Women’s Dayमा चक्लेट, चिम्टी, चुरा र बिदा दिन बन्द गर्दा हुन्छ होला।

Hope you enjoy this episode!

Credit

- Research: Shristi Shakya (we miss our bhupu boju)

- Boju Bajai theme music by Flekke

Boju Bajai regularly works with reporters and researchers to bring compelling audio stories that centre and amplify women’s experiences. If you would like to support our work, please consider being our patron here: www.patreon.com/bojubajai

Please read and subscribe to our newsletter Cold Takes by Boju Bajai here 👉🏼 bojubajai.substack.com/

Follow @Bojubajai on social media for more laughs and guff gaff:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/bojubajai/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bojubajai/
Twitter: twitter.com/BojuBajai
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/BojuBajai/

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- Bunty aur Babli soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuIplXLce0w

-Bluffmaster Vishal and Shekhar (those hip hop fakers, rey kya ;p) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX409_Bq7m0

- Don https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NkzxwE2Yzg

- Dauda Dauda Bhaga Bhagasa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTDZPmO3luQ

Reading list

1. माताको भेषमा मूर्ति र घण्टी चोरी गर्ने पक्राउ, Ratopati https://www.ratopati.com/story/422906

2. राष्ट्रपतिले भने,'स्याबास् अनुजा', Kantipur 

https://ekantipur.com/feature/2011/04/21/328357.html

3. के हो सत्य अनुजाको ? Salokya, MySansar 

         https://www.mysansar.com/archives/2011/04/18535/

• 4. 'The big laptop heist': Delhi's ‘Bunty and Babli’ con duo arrested, Hindustan Times https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/the-big-laptop-heist-delhis-bunty-and-babli-con-duo-arrested-101732854825390.html

5. Two women held for fraud https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/two-women-held-for-fraud

• 6. एमबीबीएस टपर डाक्टर भन्दै ठगी गर्ने दुई युवती प्रहरीको फन्दामा https://www.ratopati.com/story/347324

  7. Glitzy, Tragic and Selfish: Female Con Artists Waltz by Society’s Rules

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/25/us/female-con-artists-tori-telfer.html

• 8. Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has a fandom of “Holmies” who hail her as “girl boss” despite fraud charges

https://www.businessinsider.com/elizabeth-holmes-theranos-trial-court-fans-holmies-girl-boss-fraud-2021-9

Affair of the Diamond Necklace https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affair_of_the_Diamond_Necklace