Kathmandu, March 28 -- In the past, Itahari was limited to traditional dances for stage performances, lacking theatres and structured shows. Theatre was regarded as an art form exclusive to cities like Kathmandu. This perspective shifted with the founding of Kalalaya in 2008, a non-profit theatre and arts organisation in Itahari.

"The only drama we saw was 'Gaijatra' in the early 90s. Back then, there were very few theatre shows," says Sonu Jayanti, the chairman of Kalalaya Theatre.

Kathmandu is where people watch the shows, but places outside the valley, like Itahari, are where much of the behind-the-scenes work takes place. Key elements like actors and technicians come from all over the valley to Kathmandu.

Jayanti discovered this tr...