Kathmandu, Feb. 13 -- Bal Bhadra Kunwar commanded the Gorkhali defenders of Nalapani Fort as they faced a month-long siege by troops of the British East India Company in 1814.

Vastly outnumbered, the 600 Nepali soldiers, women and children inside were bombarded by British cannons. Hungry and thirsty, 70 of them finally broke out, leaving the dead and dying behind.

For his brave defence of the fort against overwhelming enemy numbers, Bal Bhadra Kunwar is regarded as Nepal's national hero to this day. Now, his sixth-generation descendant, Viking Kunwor (pictured, right) is making a living out of crafting the famous Gorkhali knife, the khukri, wielded in battle by his ancestor.

In a narrow alley behind Boudha tucked between restaurants i...