Introduction
In the hills of Gandaki Province, a
district called Parbat has spent decades outside the spotlight that shines on
Nepal's more famous tourist trails. Its temples, farming communities, and
elders carry stories that have never been written down, filmed, or archived in
any organized way. A newly launched initiative, UNTOLD PARBAT, is attempting to
change that — not through a single film or photo shoot, but through a
sustained, multi-year effort to record the district's history, culture, and
everyday life before it fades from living memory.
Built around the tagline "Every
Corner Has a Story," UNTOLD PARBAT is positioning itself as both a
cultural preservation effort and a tourism-promotion initiative, aimed at
giving Parbat District a permanent place in Nepal's visual and historical
record.
What
Is UNTOLD PARBAT?
UNTOLD PARBAT is a long-term
multimedia research and storytelling project centered on Parbat District, based
in Kushma. Rather than producing a one-time documentary, the project is
designed as an ongoing archive that grows over time, combining several forms of
documentation:
- Documentary filmmaking
- Professional and drone photography
- Oral history collection from residents and elders
- A planned photography and documentation book
The project's core ambition is to
systematically capture Parbat's natural landmarks, historical and religious
sites, local traditions and festivals, the daily lives of its residents, and
its largely undiscovered tourism potential — all before this knowledge is lost
with the passing of older generations.
The
People and Vision Behind the Project
UNTOLD PARBAT is conceived, directed,
and researched by Bishal Lohane, who serves as the project's lead visual
storyteller. The initiative is run under Ahuri Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., a
Nepal-registered company, with Nepali-language content distributed through the
affiliated YouTube channel Pratiphal Films.
The team's involvement in
community-focused filmmaking predates this project. Since 2072 BS (2014), the
group has been active in Nepali film and social media production, with a
portfolio that includes:
- Organizing the First Dhaulagiri Film Festival in Kushma
in 2078 BS (2021), supporting local filmmakers and artists
- Producing more than twelve social-message short films
addressing real community issues
- Reality-inspired and event-based productions
- A social entertainment serial
- "7 Boys," a creative project that began in
2072 BS (2014)
This history of grassroots,
community-oriented filmmaking is presented as the foundation for UNTOLD
PARBAT's more ambitious, archive-driven approach.
Why
Parbat District, and Why Now?
Parbat District sits within Gandaki
Province but has largely been overshadowed by Nepal's more internationally
recognized destinations. According to the project's own framing, this is
despite considerable untapped potential — scenic landscapes, religious and
historical sites, ethnic and social diversity, traditional farming practices,
and community stories that have never been formally documented.
The urgency comes down to a
challenge common to rural regions worldwide: oral history is fragile. Knowledge
held only in the memories of elders — local legends, historical events,
traditional customs — risks disappearing permanently once that generation is
gone. UNTOLD PARBAT frames itself not simply as a filmmaking exercise, but as a
visual and cultural archive, a tourism-promotion tool, a local-history
preservation effort, and a digital knowledge resource for future generations.
Core
Objectives of the Project
UNTOLD PARBAT outlines seven guiding
objectives:
- Documenting local history — recording oral and historical accounts tied to
specific places across the district.
- Preserving culture and heritage — capturing language, traditional dress, festivals,
fairs, religious practices, and folk art on film.
- Promoting tourism
— introducing both known and undiscovered trails, destinations, and
natural sites to national and international audiences.
- Recording community life — documenting the lived experiences of farmers,
laborers, artisans, teachers, social workers, and elders.
- Building a digital archive — organizing collected photographs, video footage,
interviews, and research materials into a lasting resource.
- Connecting youth to local identity — helping younger generations understand and engage
with Parbat's history and roots.
- Expanding international reach — producing English-language documentaries and digital
content to introduce Parbat to global audiences, researchers, and media.
Inside
the Project: How the Work Gets Done
Research
and Fieldwork
The project begins with groundwork:
collecting oral histories, consulting local stakeholders, interviewing elected
representatives and government staff, gathering accounts from elders, and
reviewing existing documents, old photographs, and records. This phase also
involves identifying which tourism and cultural sites merit documentation.
Documentary
Production
UNTOLD PARBAT plans to produce
documentaries in two parallel versions, each aimed at a distinct audience:
|
Version |
Audience |
Distribution |
|
Nepali-language documentary |
Local and national viewers |
Pratiphal Films and related Nepali
platforms |
|
English-language documentary |
International audiences,
researchers, media |
UNTOLD PARBAT's own digital
channels |
Planned themes span local culture
and lifestyle, tourism and natural heritage, social change and development, and
the everyday challenges and opportunities facing Parbat's communities.
Professional
and Drone Photography
High-resolution photography of landscapes,
community life, and cultural events forms the visual backbone of the archive.
Where feasible, this includes aerial and drone imagery, before-and-after shots
of specific sites, and portrait photography of local residents.
A
Photography and Documentation Book
A longer-term goal is publishing an
UNTOLD PARBAT photography and visual documentation book, combining location
profiles, historical background, notable features, and professional photography
with maps. Each page is planned to include a QR code linking readers to related
video and digital content — bridging print publishing with multimedia
storytelling.
Potential
Benefits for Parbat District
If carried out as envisioned, the
project's organizers point to several long-term benefits for the district:
- Tourism promotion
through greater visibility for lesser-known destinations
- Preservation of local identity, safeguarding oral history and cultural memory
- A lasting digital archive for future students, researchers, and residents
- Recognition for local talent, introducing artisans and community figures to wider
audiences
- A foundation for future research, giving anyone studying the district a visual and
informational starting point
- A stronger, more dignified district identity, presented in an organized and respectful way
Institutional
Support the Project Is Seeking
Carrying out research, travel,
filming, drone operations, editing, translation, and eventual publication
requires coordination well beyond the project team itself. UNTOLD PARBAT has
formally sought cooperation from Parbat's District Administration Office, District
Coordination Committee, and the district's municipalities and rural
municipalities.
This includes facilitation with
local government units and ward offices, access to publicly available district
data and records, introductions to local stakeholders and cultural figures,
and, where possible, financial, institutional, or partnership support through
applicable government programs. Any support received, the project states, would
go toward field research, travel and logistics, professional photography and
drone documentation, bilingual documentary production, digital archiving, and
the planned photography book.
Guiding
Principles and Ethical Commitments
The team behind UNTOLD PARBAT has
outlined a set of commitments meant to guide how the work is conducted on the
ground:
- Respect for local communities throughout research and
filming
- Prioritizing cultural sensitivity
- Verifying facts and information as thoroughly as
possible
- Following required permissions and legal procedures
- Obtaining consent from individuals and communities
involved
- Avoiding content that could disrespect or divide a
community, keeping the project focused on positive documentation
FAQ Section
What is UNTOLD PARBAT? UNTOLD PARBAT is a long-term multimedia research and
documentation project focused on recording the history, culture, tourism
potential, and community life of Parbat District, Nepal, through documentaries,
photography, and a planned photography book.
Where is Parbat District located? Parbat District is located in Gandaki Province, Nepal, with
Kushma serving as its district headquarters.
Who created UNTOLD PARBAT? The project was conceived by Bishal Lohane, who serves as
its director, visual storyteller, and researcher, operating under Ahuri Entertainment
Pvt. Ltd.
Will UNTOLD PARBAT produce content
in English? Yes. The project plans both
Nepali-language documentaries for local audiences and English-language
documentaries and digital content for international viewers, researchers, and
media.
How can local authorities or
organizations support the project?
The project has requested coordination support, access to public information,
stakeholder introductions, and potential financial or institutional partnership
from relevant government bodies, in line with applicable laws and programs.
Conclusion
UNTOLD PARBAT is less a single
production than an evolving effort to keep a district's memory from quietly
disappearing. By pairing documentary filmmaking with photography, oral history
research, and an eventual print-and-digital archive, the project aims to give
Parbat District — and the people who call it home — a lasting and dignified
place in Nepal's cultural and tourism story. Whether it reaches the scale its
organizers envision will depend largely on the cooperation of local government
bodies and communities, support the project has actively sought as it moves
from concept toward execution.
