A s a photographer from China, I had lived under lockdown for a month in China before I came to Nepal on 16 February for a photography fellowship. And here I am under another lockdown in Patan.

After being confined to their homes during the daytime, people are out and about in the inner city streets of Patan after night falls. They taking in some fresh air, buying groceries and engaging in small talk with neighbours and laughing while wearing masks and keeping a distance. This much more relaxed than in China, where a lockdown is more like a strict curfew.

The dogs have the streets to themselves, and are out in force at night barking at each other to protect their domain, and at human passersby. At 8:30pm, Patan Durbar Square is deserted with only two policemen patrolling. They asked me to leave when I tried to take a photograph.

When I first came to Nepal in February, people recognised me as a Chinese and used to say “coronavirus” when they passed me. Not anymore.

What Nepal can learn from China about COVID-19 , Raunab Singh Khatri

Silent Valley, Monika Deupala

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Nepal goes into lockdown for a week, Nepali Times