Bhaktapur Toastmasters Club and GoLocal join hands to celebrate the living heritage of the ancient city
As the golden hour draped its warm hues over the terracotta rooftops of Bhaktapur on the evening of 16th May 2026, a group of enthusiastic walkers set off from the iconic Bhaktapur Durbar Square - not merely as tourists, but as witnesses to a civilization that has endured for centuries.
The Bhaktapur Evening Heritage Walk, organized by the Bhaktapur Toastmasters Club in association with GoLocal, was more than just a stroll through history. It was a deliberate, passionate statement: that Bhaktapur's soul lives not only in its temples and palaces, but in the hands of its potters, weavers, woodcarvers, and artisans who quietly keep its traditions alive every single day.
A Walk That Told a Story
Beginning at the majestic Bhaktapur Durbar Square, participants moved through the ornate Golden Gate, past the towering Nyatapola Temple at Taumadhi Square, and onward to the serene Dattatraya Square - one of Bhaktapur's oldest and most spiritually significant corners. At every stop, participants were not merely walking past monuments; they were being introduced to the stories embedded in every brick, every carved window, and every moss-covered courtyard.
What made this walk distinct, however, was its deliberate detour into the world of Bhaktapur's local industries. The organisers carried a clear and compelling message: the living heritage of Bhaktapur is not confined to its UNESCO-listed monuments alone. The potter's wheel still spinning in the back alleys of Talako Tole, the thangka painter bent over his canvas at dawn, the woodcarver whose chisel echoes through centuries-old lanes - these too are heritage. And they deserve to be preserved, celebrated, and woven into the fabric of sustainable tourism.
GoLocal: A Campaign With Purpose
The GoLocal campaign, a joint initiative of the Bhaktapur Cottage and Small Industries and the Bhaktapur Tourism Development Committee, was born out of exactly this conviction. Its mission is straightforward yet urgent - to promote the art, culture, and local products of Bhaktapur by bringing them into the spotlight of modern tourism, ensuring that the city's traditional industries not only survive but thrive.
Co-coordinator of GoLocal, Mr. Ramsundar Bhele, articulated this vision clearly at the formal program held after the walk at Khowpa Chhen, where participants gathered to share their reflections and experiences. "When tourists visit Bhaktapur," he noted, "we want them to carry home not just photographs, but a piece of its living culture."
Toastmasters Meets Heritage
For the Bhaktapur Toastmasters Club - a chapter of the globally renowned Toastmasters International, District 41, whose mission is to foster communication skills, leadership, and personal growth - this event represented something beautifully beyond the podium. It was proof that a club dedicated to the spoken word can also speak powerfully through action.
Charter President of Bhaktapur Toastmasters Club and founder of the Bhaktapur Tourism Board, Toastmaster Neel Krishna Tamrakar, emphasized the natural synergy between the two organizations. "Toastmasters builds confident voices," he said, "and what better way to use those voices than to speak up for our own heritage?"
Mr. Shyam Sundar Shrestha, President of the Bhaktapur Cottage and Small Industries, expressed his gratitude to the Toastmasters Club for lending its platform and community to the GoLocal cause. Club President, Toastmaster Dependra Bhandari, in turn, thanked the GoLocal team and all participating members for bringing their energy and curiosity to the streets of Bhaktapur.
The walk was facilitated by Dipesh Raj Sharma, President of the Bhaktapur Tourism Development Committee, and coordinated by Sandeep Dhawa, Associate District PR Manager and proud member of Bhaktapur Toastmasters Club.
More Than a Walk
As the evening wound down at Khowpa Chhen and participants exchanged stories over shared warmth, one thing was abundantly clear - the Bhaktapur Evening Heritage Walk was never just about covering distance between landmarks. It was about closing the distance between a city's past and its people's future.
In a world moving faster than ever, Bhaktapur reminded everyone that some things are worth slowing down for.