Amanda S's Blog Posts Tagged 'Nepal' (5)

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…

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…

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…

Martyr's Day in Nepal is the day Sukra Raj Shatri, Dharma Bhakta Mathema, Ganga Lal Shrestha and Dhasrath Chand are honored for sacrificing their lives for the rights of Nepali people. It seems people may have forgotten the great price these men paid for the freedoms they now…