All Blog Posts Tagged 'Nepal' (23)

Travelling with ones hound is never easy, even when you have your own vehicle. Constant thoughts of: will he be okay, will he runaway, will some other animal attack him or someone hit him. Then of course there is the litany of cultural hurdles to be aware of: not to go inside the house, not to drink from the water pot, beware of plates on the ground. And if he is a black dog, like our Kailash, then the fear that he can bring to people is quite amazing.

But…

The rainy season grows now with each day, and the moon grows bigger too, signaling that it's now nearly time for Janai Purnima, the fullmoon of the Janai. It is a tme when high Brahmins change the sacred thread or Janai that adorns their chests, worn all the year.

For the extreme pilgrim and lover of Shiva Mahadev, it is a time to take a rain-filled, masachistic march up to Gosaikund (Cow-Lake), in Rasuwa District of the Langtang Mountains. Literally…

What is volunteering?

Usually volunteering could be considered to be the practice of people working on behalf of others, or for a particular cause, without payment for their time and services.   It is generally considered as an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life. 

As well, quite often and particularly among the young, volunteering is done to develop new skills, to meet others, to have fun, and possibly make contacts for…

Swyambunath’s Monkey Temple area has been a big draw to tourists and locals alike since Kathmandu came into existence. It is a place where people find relaxation in their day, away from the noise and smells of the city below.

The balance between the citys largest forested area, with the densest population of monkeys, monks, temples and prayer wheels, gives the place an almost village feel, yet one steeped in the valleys…

Hi people,

I'm a new member on this blog and a friend of Nepal since a few years. Like many westerners, my first time in Nepal was for a volunteering project. This experience taught me about Nepal's clashing faces much more than any web or published advertisement  :)

Nepal is just amazing, we all know that! You can astonish your sight from the low land of Tarai, and its few jungle that still survive the mindless deforestation, to the majesty of Himalayas, as you pass through…

I was recently asked to write about the cultural complexity of Nepal, focusing on Buddhism and Hindu faiths. As i am not Nepali, Hindu or Buddhist, and I have only been living in Nepal for a short time this topic was way out of my area of experience. I am not one to turn away from a challenge so here is my attempt... please feel free to point out any errors as I am new to the topic and this is how we learn!

Life in Nepal is a confusing mix of religious, caste, cultural and…

In 2006 I embarked on a trekking adventure into Nepal, lured by the mighty Himalaya and the prospect of walking a region relatively untouched by Western influence. Granted I still got the odd BP solar panel and Mars bar but what this trek offered was the chance to go culturally much further than…

So you think you know about trekking in Nepal? Well, let me tell you about a fabled land, a land hidden deep within the Himalayas. A magical, secluded land situated in the highest, most Northern district of Nepal... Let me tell you about Humla.

Many have…

This year Nepal is very lucky first Bryan Adams came to perform here and then we heard news about Kailash Kher coming to Nepal to perform now the royal UK couple are coming to Nepal for their Honeymoon.



Prince William and Kate Middleton have decided on Nepal for their…

I was really excited when I heard about the Nepal Tattoo Convention in Kathmandu. It is running as part of Digital Om’s Mountain Madness in April.  I’ve wanted to get a tattoo in Nepal for a long time but I was too scared. I have seen plenty of my friends come home from trips abroad with badly…

When New Delhi resident Ketaki Gupta visited Nepal on her honeymoon this year, the bubbly copywriter and her sales executive husband Nitin dutifully visited popular tourist destination Pokhara city, the casinos, and the hallowed Pashupatinath temple, as recommended by their travel agent.



"It's after I went back home and met a chance traveller from Nepal that I came to know about Nepal's 'Taj Mahal'," the 28-year-old bewails. "Why weren't we told about it earlier? We would have…

I have said it before and I will say it again, Nepal the some of the most fascinating and crazy festivals I have ever heard of. In Dhulikehel Gods chase you and steal your money, at Maha Shivaratri every one gets high, Newari girls marry fruit trees, and in some villages the trees marry each…

Every town in Nepal has its own special festival or celebration. Yesterday I headed out to Dhulikhel, 30 km SE of Kathmandu, to see their take on the Nava Durga Jatra.  I was told it is Nepal’s version of the Running of the Bulls, though instead of bulls masked Gods, expecting substantial pay offs, chase…

What started out as a peaceful event to mark the anniversary of the occupation of Tibet by China ended in violence and arrests for Pro Tibet residents in Boudha.

Yesterday's event was interrupted by Nepali police and when participants refused to leave Boudhanath temple the police resorted to violence to break up the event.

Children, women and tourists were caught in the middle of the dispute. One woman was hit in the face and another dragged away by police…

I was visiting a friend’s family when his mother flourished a number of worn pictures of a small boy, wrapped in orange, with big scared eyes, and even bigger ears painfully accentuated by his newly bald head. “He is ready for marriage” she proudly announced. My first impression was that Bratabandha was a haircut that turned boys into men.



Bratabandha is a Hindu ceremony where boys, between 8 and 12, take the first steps in learning the traditional laws, ceremonial roles and…

If you are in Nepal and you didn't know Bryan Adams was here last week then you must be living under a rock. The hype surrounding his tour at Dashrath Stadium in Kathmandu has been huge. Luckily, those who could afford the tickets, said he was worth every rupee.

Many people filled the Tribhuvan International Airport car park, waiting hours for the star to arrive.

The Canadian star opened his…

Two men select Valentine's Day roses.

Last year I was in Pokhara for Valentine’s Day. February 14 passed by with surprisingly little fuss. One or two shops had red hearts in the windows, some giggling school…

Himalayan International Yoga Academy (HIYA) can be found in the idyllic setting of Ichangu, 10 minutes outside centre Kathmandu. Surrounded by a quaint village on the edge of a hill, the centre has attractive…