Rajneesh Bhandari is an independent multimedia journalist based in Nepal with nine years of journalism experience. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Yahoo News, AFP, Asia Calling, Headlines Today, Aaj Tak, [email protected], PBS, BBC, Kantipur Television and other regional and national media outlets.
Rajneesh Bhandari
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For the last three years Nepal has been organizing Elephant Beauty Contest in December in Chitwan. On Dec 28, beautifully dressed up with colorful makeup, Pinky Kali, Prakriti Kali and Chitwan Kali walked on the ramp. A team of judges looked at their physical hygiene,body structures, their nails and dresses. The event seemed like any other beauty pageants however with elephants as the participants. Elephants' intelligence was also judged. Elephants perform catwalk, shake hands and greet as requested by the judges.
Chitwan Kali, an elephant from the Chitwan National Park won the award.
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Neelam hopes that she will find a new job soon.

Neelam says she is happy that she is a transgender. “I don’t feel bad about it,” she told.

Transgenders at young age are vulnerable to rape and they don’t report such incident because they are afraid to come in public, Neelam shared.

Neelam hopes that she will find a new job soon.

But living as a transgender in a conservative Nepali society is not easy. She feels bad when people call her “hijada” but now she has learnt not to listen such words.

It was during a radio interview that Neelam made it public that she is a transgender. Her parents who were listening to the radio program knew about it then. She now openly lives as a transgender.

Reading books is one of her favorite past times.

Neelam chats with her friends through a mobile device to update that she curled her hair.

Neelam was studying in class 8 that she knew she was transgender. She was afraid at first to tell it to others. She used to live in loneliness and wasn’t comfortable with others then.

Neelam has been looking for a job in Kathmandu but has remained unsuccessful because most of the offices she approached rejected her because of her sexual orientation.

Neelam, cleaning spinach, for her lunch on Sept 13, 2013. She loves cooking and likes Chinese food.

Neelam loves to wear the dresses of a girl. She says she likes makeup kits.

Neelam Paudel, 21, from Morang, Nepal, is transgender.

A government vehicle was vandalized by the angry mob on July 17, 2013.

Ramananda Rai, 35, shows the field where his daughters helped him in the work. He says that he will not send his three kids to the same school.

She says she doesn't want to send her children to school any more.

Shabitri devi, 30, boils water at her home.

Muna Kumar, 10, brother of who also didn’t go to school playing with water on July 19, 2013. He lost his 5-year-old sister Kajal Kumari.

Shabitri devi, 30, lost her 5-year-old daughter Kajal in India’s worst mid-day meal tragedy. She says she wants justice.

Rekha Kumari, 12, who didn't go the school on that day because she went to the field for work. Her 5-year-old sister Kajal Kumari died.

A villager throws some powder on the soil so that stray dogs will not reach the graveyard.

Children take rest under the tree just near the graveyard.

Angry villagers vandalized the school infrastructure.

A man walks across the graveyard of the kids that was made in-front of the primary school to protest on July 19, 2013.

The classroom where the kids ate their midday meal for the last time. Some books, bags and plates were found scattered on July 19, 2013.

A girl drinks water in the ambulance at Dharmasti Gandaman, Bihar's Saran district. She was later taken to a hospital.

Tourists and locals celebrate the 10th rice plantation festival on June 29, 2013 in Begnas, Pokhara, Nepal by planting rice, playing on mud and eating curd and beaten rice in the rice field.

Kancha Sherpa, the only survivor of 1953 Mount Everest expedition, displays his letter of appreciation at a program organized to mark the 60th anniversary of the first ascent on Mount Everest.

Phurba Tashi Sherpa, who made his 21st Everest ascent in 2013, is awarded Mount Everest Diamond Jubilee Celebration Medal in Kathmandu on May 29, 2013 at a program organized by the government to mark the 60th anniversary of the first ascent on Mount Everest.

Kancha Sherpa (left), the only survivor of 1953 Mount Everest expedition participates in a program organized to mark the 60th anniversary of the first ascent on Mount Everest.

Kancha Sherpa (left), only survivor of 1953 Mount Everest expedition, Tashi Tenzing, grandson of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa (right), Amelia Rose Hillary, granddaughter of Edmund Hillary (right-second) and Hilary Carlile, niece of Edmund Hillary participate in the chariot procession organized in Kathmandu by the Nepal government on May 29, 2013.

Phurba Tashi Sherpa who made his 21st Everest ascent in 2013 participates in the chariot procession organized in Kathmandu by the Nepal government on May 29, 2013.

Tashi Tenzing, grandson of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, offers garlands to Tenzing and Edmund Hillary’s statue in Kathmandu on May 29, 2013. Nepal marked 60th anniversary of the first ascent on Mount Everest by organizing a special Mount Everest Golden Jubilee Celebration.

Kancha Sherpa (left), the only survivor of 1953 Mount Everest expedition, and Kame Sherpa (right), who reached the summit three times in nine days in 2012, participate in the chariot procession organized in Kathmandu by the Nepal government in honor of them on May 29, 2013.

Secretary of Ministry of Tourism Sushil Ghimire offers garlands to the statues of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 2013 in Kathmandu. Nepal marked 60th anniversary of the first ascent on Mount Everest by organizing a special Mount Everest Golden Jubilee Celebration.

A bullfight competition organized in Taruka, Nuwakot 80 km north of the capital Kathmandu. The bullfight competition is organized every year at Maghe Sankranti.

A bullfight competition organized in Taruka, Nuwakot 80 km north of the capital Kathmandu. The bullfight competition is organized every year at Maghe Sankranti.

A man gets injured during the bullfight competition at Taruka Nuwakot 80 km north of the capital Kathmandu.

Photo taken on January 14 shows a man trying to escape an uncontrolled bull in the competition at Taruka Nuwakot 80 km north of the capital Kathmandu. The bullfight competition is organized every year at Maghe Sankranti.

Photo taken on January 14 shows hundreds of Nepalese coming to Taruka Nuwakot 80 km north of the capital Kathmandu to see the bullfight competition. The bullfight competition is organized every year at Maghe Sankranti.