Paintball is livening up Kathmandu’s laidback style and aficionados can’t seem to get enough of firing marble-sized paint balls at each other
Ducking as bullets whiz past, listening alertly to shouts from the enemy camp to gain territory, the rush of adrenaline as one crawls from bunker to bunker for cover, sweat trickling down, breath held, gun aimed, and ready to fire.
After 10 years of conflict, one would have thought Nepalis had enough of warfare, but a visit to one of the paintball arenas in the capital these days proves the opposite is true.
Paintball is livening up Kathmandu’s laidback style and aficionados can’t seem to get enough of firing marble-sized paint balls at each other. Players suit up in protection gear armed with marker guns and paint ball ammo to deploy around a replica of an urban battle zone. There are bunkers made of sacks filled with sand, tires piled on top of each other, broken down buildings that serve as sniper hideouts, and plants offering cover.
A paintball arena in Sanepa called (what else?) Battlefield is the one that attracts most customers. “Battlefield is different because it uses limited space really well, the staff are very friendly,” says Aryaa Acharya, a student regular.
Four friends, Roshan Chamling, Priti Aveng, Prerana Joshi, and Manish Jung Joshi, thought of an event which would attract people of all ages as well as be something fresh in Nepal and introduced paintball at Battlefield last year.
The arena has since grown in popularity after hosting the first ever paintball tournament in Nepal which saw a turnout of over 50 participants.
“The prime location and making this activity worth the time and money helps attract new and old enthusiasts,” Chamling explains. Though the mean age of customers is 18-25 Roshan Chamling says 45 and even 50-year-old Nepalis as well as Kathmandu-based expats also come to play. A Pokhara venue is planned. The equipment, including markers by Tippmann and paint balls are all imported from the US.
“I am glad I came,” said Sameer Sharma, a US resident who is in Nepal on a summer break, on a recent afternoon, “I did not realise I was missing such an exhilarating experience.”
Paintball Nepal
Ramailo Mela Fun Park, Exhibition Road
9803174818
www.facebook.com/paintballnepal
paintballnepal@gmail.com
Rs 300 (30 bullets),
Dexter Paintball Entertainment
Taudaha
9801054833/9802012321/9802012320
www.dexterpaintball.com
info@dexterpaintball.com
Rs 300 for one hour (30 bullets)
The Target Arena
Ring Road, Sanepa
(01)5528361
www.facebook.com/Thetargetarena
Rs 250 for one hour (30 bullets)
National Paintball League Nepal
Bhatbhateni, Maharajganj
(01)6924529
www.nplnepal.com
info@nplnepal.com
Rs 300 for one hour (35 bullets)
Battlefield
Near Sanepa Chok
(01)5013057
www.facebook.com/battlefield.nepal
kalpvriksha.pvt.ltd@gmail.com
Rs 300 for one hour (30 bullets),
Rs 250 before 1pm