Maghe Sankranti, a Celebration of Life

On January 15 this year, the sun will move northwards and enter the cusp of Capricorn (Makar). It will be the coldest day of winter, as it has been for ages, and will be forevermore. It will also be the first day of the 10th month (Magh) of the Nepali calendar, and people all over the country will be celebrating this day with a lot of joy; the bitter cold of winter will now be on a waning path, and the days henceforth will become warmer and longer. In addition, it is the end of Poush (Dec/Jan), the most inauspicious month of the year. A local saying goes like this: ‘Poush ma je gare pani huncha phooss’ (whatever you do in Poush is going to end in failure). Now, the ending of such a month does call for a celebration, doesn’t it? A festival is certainly in order!

The festival to celebrate this joyous occasion is called Maghe Sankranti (or Makar Sankranti), and as with most other festivals, special food items are what makes it really special. The most important food of Maghe Sankranti is tarool (yam), which is a tuber that’s starchier and drier than sweet potatoes, with which it is often confused. The outer covering is pretty rough and difficult to peel, unlike the softer skin of sweet potatoes, so you got to boil it well to soften it. The edible part, the ‘meat’, of mature tarools can be white, yellow, purple, or pink in color. It is rich in vitamins B6 and C, antioxidants, proteins, complex carbohydrates with low glycemic index (raises blood sugar more slowly than regular sugar), and fiber. Tarool is also credited with having antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties, aside from other health benefits.

The most common way of preparing tarool is as follows: first, select chunks of blemish-free tarool, and after washing them well, boil for about 10 minutes in a pressure cooker. Let it cool down, and then start peeling. After that’s done, cut into small pieces, and that’s it. You can serve them cold.  Another popular way is to make thin slices of the boiled and peeled tarool, which you marinate with oil, ginger/garlic paste, salt, and pepper. Then, you stir-fry these slices in a non-stick pan. This is pretty tasty stuff. Of course, as with most things culinary, there are other innovations too. And so you have tarool and green peas curry, tarool pakodas, and tarool kheer, to name a few.

Another essential food of Maghe Sankranti is til ko laddoo. These are made of sesame seeds and molasses, with the sesame seeds being white, brown, or black. Generally, black sesame seeds are the most commonly used during Maghe Sankranti. Here’s how you can make your own til ko laddoo: you’ll need 100 g each of sesame seeds and molasses (chaku), one-fourth cup of finely chopped coconut, and a teaspoon of cinnamon and cardamom powder. Now, dry-roast the sesame seeds in a pre-heated pan (stir constantly). In another pan, melt the molasses, adding some water to it, and then mix coconut, cinnamon, and cardamom to it. Then, make round shaped balls of sesame seeds mixed with the molasses mixture (grease your palms with some butter so molasses don’t stick to your hands), and voila, you have your til ko laddoos. Allow them to cool down and then store them in an air tight container.

What other food is essential during Maghe Sankranti? Chaku (hardened molasses) is the third food that is absolutely a part of Maghe Sankranti, as is ghyao (or ghee: clarified butter). Now, here’s something interesting about ghyao and chaku, particularly concerning Kathmandu. There are half a dozen tiny shops behind the Annapurna Temple in Asan Bazaar, that historical, cultural, and commercial center of Kathmandu, where six lanes/streets converge on a square with numerous shops selling a mind-boggling variety of goods. Now, the half dozen or so tiny shops mentioned above are a bit different from the pack, having a history spanning over a hundred years, and throughout, the only things they have been selling are ghyao, tel (oil), chaku, and candles. Most locals of Kathmandu Valley know them as the ghyao-tel pasals (ghee, oil shops). Candles were, in fact, later additions. Anyway, these shops are famed for the purity of their products, a necessary stipulation, since things like cow’s milk ghee and sesame seed oil are used to light wicks in temples during religious functions. Their buffalo milk ghee is for human consumption, as is the tori ko tel (mustard oil).

However, it is their chaku that is most in demand, not only during Maghe Sankranti, but at other times, too, since ghyao-chaku is a highly nutritious combination that is traditionally fed to newborns by the valley’s Newars. The shopkeepers claim the highest standards of hygiene and purity when preparing the chaku, which they make in their own homes. Come January, and business soars. Come Maghe Sankranti, and these half a dozen or so tiny shops become the center of attention of tens of thousands of valley folks. “They become crowded,” is too simple a statement. If you are in Kathmandu that day, do make it a point to go to Asan Bazaar and see for yourself what reputation can do, because all said and done, the reason for these tiny shops to have survived for so long and to be still in so high a demand is primarily because they have earned the valley-dwellers’ trust.

So, you now know what Maghe Sankranti is all about, and where to go to get pure ghyao-chaku on the day. There aren’t many religious functions as such, though many people do take a dip in the confluence of some holy rivers. It’s actually more about looking forward to better times ahead after the bitter cold of winter, and celebrated by eating body-warming foods like tarool, til ko ladoo, ghyao, and chaku. And, yes, khichdi, too, which is a wholesome and filling combination of black lentil, rice, ghyao, ginger, and salt. Health-giving, life sustaining foods, which points towards Maghe Sankranti being more a celebration of life than just another festival!

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Gadhimai Mela, Slaughter Fest

Sometimes, I like to while away time looking at old photographs, the older the better, which means invariably, black and white photographs. I was doing just that the other day, when I came across one which showed me as a small (perhaps 10-year-old) kid, standing next to a bullock cart on a dusty looking road in the countryside. A similarly-aged cousin was with me. A nondescript photograph at best, nothing special about it, but at the moment, it has acquired a completely new meaning, and has become one of the most meaningful photographs in my motley collection.

You see, it was taken during our trip to Bariyarpur from my hometown, Birgunj, to attend the then famous (now very infamous) Gadhimai Mela, a huge festival that is held once every five years in a small village called Bariyarpur some seven kilometers from Kalaiya, the district headquarters of Bara District in the Terai. I remember that our family (which was a relatively wealthy one) had traveled on half a dozen bullock carts; those days there were no metal-topped roads and very few motor vehicles, and I think we all had to do with hurricane lamps for light, since there was no electricity. Anyway, that photograph, today, brings back hazy recollections of large crowds, swirling dust, and the crescendo of noise of thousands of buffaloes, goats, and other animals. Somehow or the other, I have absolutely no recollections of the mass slaughter that must have taken place then, or perhaps we had gone a few days before the grounds became killing fields.

Now, today, there’s a lot of noise about the Gadhimai Mela, which has gained the notoriety of being the single largest sacrificial slaughter of animals in the world. This gruesome festival, which many declare to be inhumane and unnecessary carnage of hundreds of thousands of innocent farm animals, is justified by those who conduct it with a single phrase: to appease Goddess Gadhimai. Who is Gadhimai? Well, she is said to be a sister of Goddess Kali— yes, the very same Kali in whose temples hundreds of thousands of animals are sacrificed on Maha Asthami, the eighth day of Dashain, the biggest Hindu festival in Nepal that takes place every year around October.  

However, Gadhimai Mela is in a class apart as far as sheer number is concerned in a single site, with about 250,000 different kinds of animals slaughtered in 2009, including 20,000 water buffaloes on the first of the two-day orgy of mindless violence. Although it is a month-long affair, with a carnival atmosphere all around the Gadhimai Temple, that began on November 15 this year, November 28 and 29 are the two days when around 250 ‘licensed’ killers will be entering the enclosure holding tens of thousands of male buffaloes (both big and small) and putting on a gory spectacle for the swarming crowds of eager spectators gathered around the ‘killing field’.

Expectedly, animal rights and other activists are up in arms, righteous in their anger and disgust, and the many photographs posted all over the internet are indeed gruesome to the extreme, with innumerable buffaloes lying in their own pool of blood, their heads decapitated from their bodies. And, among these bloody carcasses, fervent men with red bandanas around their heads brandishing long wicked looking knives, looking around for more ‘kills’. Reportedly, most of these ‘licensed’ killers are already quite high on alcohol before embarking on their unholy task. Of course, it is certainly not an unholy task for them, since they believe that they are fulfilling a religious duty, and in doing so, attaining the favor of Gadhimai.  

The day of the slaughter is initiated with the sacrificing of five different animals (‘panch bali’: panch meaning five, bali meaning sacrifice)) to the goddess Gadhimai. These animals are: pig, buffalo, goat, rooster, and rat. Their throats are slit and their blood is sprayed all over the goddesses’ statue. More sacrifices follow in quick succession, with pigeons and ducks joining the ranks of the sacrificial animals. However, on the first day, it is the brutal slaughter of tens of thousands of buffaloes that is the center of attraction. Reportedly, some of the larger buffaloes are quite hard to be decapitated, and it requires the butchers to hack away many times before the head is severed from the body. The butchers take pride in achieving as many ‘clean’ kills as they can, that is, severing off the head with a single slash of the knife.

The second day, too, is a day when the ground turns a deeper red with the blood of hundreds of thousands of goats, chicken, pigeons, ducks, rats, and more buffaloes. Watching all this horrendous drama, and carrying along their own animals to be sacrificed, are crowds of people numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Reportedly, the last time around (that is, in 2009), the festival was attended by more than five million pilgrims. Now, imagine if you will: swarming throngs of excited people, innumerable milling animals (the large black buffaloes being the most conspicuous), roadside shops and eateries all over the place, fairgrounds with swings, different types of rides, and balloon sellers with large bunches of colorful balloons. Oh yes, for the uninitiated it will all seem like a great big fun-filled mela (carnival), but come November 28, and everything changes. The whole atmosphere becomes a frenzied one, and bloodletting becomes the name of the game.

An ironic fact about the Gadhimai Mela is that it is primarily a festival of the Tharu community, because traditionally, only someone from this community can be the priest of the Gadhimai Temple, and the Tharu community is known to be one of the most peace-loving of all communities in Nepal. Yet, every five years, they preside over a ‘mela’ that is now regarded with horror as the largest sacrificial slaughter of animals in the world. It’s not something that anybody would want to be associated with, and certainly, goes so very against the gentle character of the Tharu people. Something like the Gadhimai Mela is also not something that does any good to the image of a gentle, peace-loving country like Nepal.

Lesser Known Facts about Nepal’s Most Famous Stupas

It is common knowledge that Boudhanath Stupa is one of the largest stupas in the world, measuring almost 100 m in diameter and 40 m in height. If you get to visit the Patan Museum in Patan Durbar Square, you’ll be able to see comparative models of various stupas (a.k.a. chaityas), that form part of a comprehensive exhibit on the stupa,mand you’ll be surely struck by how Boudhanath stands out from the crowd. Indeed, whether it is the model or the real thing, this world heritage monument is a magnificent sight. Not only that, the area in which it is located, that is Boudha, was once almost like a kingdom in itself. Here’s the story.

    In 1853, when the Sino-Gorkhali war was coming to its conclusion, peace discussions were proposed and agreed to by both the warring parties. On the Gorkhali side, Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana wasn’t too comfortable at the prospect of going into peace talks without an able interpreter who could speak both Nepali and Chinese. On asking around, he realized that there was a Chinese man called Taipo Shing living in the Boudha area. He was a Szehuanese Nyingampa Buddhist, who had, during the course of a pilgrimage, ended up at Boudha, a place he decided to henceforth call home. Taipo Shing proved to be a capable interpreter and his work was appreciated all around. What’s more, he continued to do a lot of good work in and around the Boudha area, and in 1859 he was rewarded with the abbotship of Boudhanath Stupa, the pride and joy of Boudha, and the holiest of all Buddhist shrines in Nepal. It was a high honor, indeed!

    Taipo Shing thus became the very first Chini (Chinese) Lama of Nepal, and he further consolidated his power by marrying the daughter of Jung Bahadur’s favorite concubine. In addition, his power was made all the greater by the Dalai Lama appointing him as his consul to the Kingdom of Nepal. Subsequent head abbots of Boudhanath Stupa, even if they were not Chinese, came to be known as Chini Lamas, a term that is reserved only for the head abbots of Boudhanath Stupa. Because of their high standing, the earlier Chini Lamas (from the mid-19th century to the time of Punya Vajra (1886-1982), the third Chini Lama, Boudhanath’s stature as a major Buddhist pilgrimage site grew to significant heights.

    After Punya Vajra’s death, the running of the famous stupa became the responsibility of a committee (guthi), the members of which were mainly families and descendants of Tamang disciples living close to the stupa. One of the better known descendants (reportedly, the fourth son of a Chini Lama) is the renowned photographer Mani Lama who has carved out a name for himself both nationally and internationally as an accomplished photographer of art, landscape, travel, wild life, portrait, etc., as well as for his many documentaries. If you are in Boudhanath early in the morning, look out for him, because obviously, Boudhanath is his favorite haunt, and he has said that he never gets tired of capturing the different moods of this world famous site. So, you might well get to meet him there, a genuine descendant of a Chini Lama!

    Not many people know all this about Boudhanath, and it provides fascinating insight into the history of Nepal’s holiest Buddhist stupa, and one of the world’s largest. Now, what’s there about the other world famous stupa, an icon in its own right, that is, Swayambhunath Stupa, that’s quit off the beaten track, something not many have any inkling of? Here’s what few know—this iconic stupa, situated on the top of a conical hill, was once in very real danger of slipping down the hill. Towards the end of 1978, architect John Sanday received a distress call from UNESCO while he was in England. Sanday was a consultant to this august organization, and had shown his mettle in and round 1972, when he was in charge of restoring Hanuman Dhoka in time for Nepal’s event of the century, that is, King Birendra’s coronation.

    The missive Sanday received from UNESCO was that Swoyambhunath Stupa could slide down the hill from where it towered over the valley, because the top of the hill was apparently shifting this way and that! UNESCO was deadly worried, the magnificent stupa was something dear to their heart, and since they had designated it as a world heritage monument, it was their responsibility, too, to ensure its safety. Sanday, their able consultant, had already earned quite a reputation as a restorer par excellence, and he immediately set about doing his bit, which, as it turned out, was fraught with danger. He and his team began the sensitive work of excavating below the two conspicuous towers to see what the situation was with the foundations. It was a ‘frightening excavation’ for Sanday. However, they kept on digging, and went down to almost 25 ft before reaching the bedrock.

    What they discovered was that the foundations were based on a ledge, which meant that if something wasn’t done soon, the risk would always be there of ‘slippage’; a simple enough term, but full of risks when applied to the foundations of a huge monument like Swoyambhunath Stupa. In fact, what Sanday realized was that the huge monument had always been in danger ever since the time it was built because of the faulty foundations. Corrective measures followed the ‘frightening excavation’, which resulted in giving this most ancient of all holy shrines in Nepal the stability and poise to once again preside over the whole of Kathmandu Valley from its lofty abode. Hail Sanday! Hail UNESCO!

Whither Nepali Handicraft?

Today, as I write this, the streets of Kathmandu are witnessing traffic slowdown in many places because of the hasty last-minute panic-filled attempts to beautify the Capital, which will be playing host to heads of state of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka from Nov 26-27 for the 18th SAARC Summit. Those in responsible positions are no doubt cursing themselves—why, oh why, didn’t we start earlier? Well, now all one can hope is that at least the paint on the roadside railings is dry by the time the limousines start to roll down the new-looking streets!

There’s another set of folks who’re also having a merry runaround this week; they are the officials of the Federation of Handicrafts Associations of Nepal, which is holding the 12th Handicraft Trade Fair 2014 from Nov 27-Dec 01 in the Capital. Let’s hope they are having an easier time organizing their event than those desperate folks putting giant flower pots with newly planted saplings all along the sidewalks, and hoping to the high heavens that the saplings at least stand up straight till the big-do is over!

Anyway, having got that out of the way, what’s the situation with Nepali handicrafts? Once upon a time, in the late 1990s, the country witnessed such a demand for pashmina (cashmere) that businessmen of all hues and colors began leaving what they had been doing and started getting into pashmina. By 1998, orders were coming thick and fast from all corners of the globe for pashmina products, especially shawls. As a result of this tremendous demand, the pashmina industry made up more than 80% of all handicraft exports, with sales figures going through the roof from Rs.3 million in 1997 to Rs.5.6 billion in 2000! But, as usually happens, this boom, too, didn’t last. By 2010, exports had plummeted to just Rs.473.60 million.

Actually, the story of Nepali pashmina reflects the overall scenario of the handicraft sector of the country. There has been nothing much to shout about after those heydays when Nepali handicrafts were taking the world by storm. That is not to say that everything’s bad; it’s just that the graph refuses to show peaks anymore, and it’s, more or less, a straight line through the years. Now, here’s what constitutes Nepal’s handicrafts: pashmina, hand knotted carpet, handloom and dhaka products, woolen goods, silver jewelry, metal craft, wood craft, stone craft, handmade paper products (lokta), hemp/allo goods, leather products, paubha (thangka), bone and horn items, ceramics, incense, beads, bamboo products, etc.

The softest natural fiber in the world, pashmina is derived from inner coats of mountain goats (chyangras), which live at altitudes of 3,000 meters and higher in the high Himalayas. After its drastic fall in fortune, blamed primarily on unethical manufacturers (here and in neighboring countries) tarnishing its reputation by passing off non-pashmina as genuine pashmina, the Nepali authorities decided to establish a collective trademark logo for all pashmina made in Nepal as “Chyangra Pashmina”, and this trade mark has now been registered in many countries around the globe. It guarantees the purity of Nepali pashmina products, and the hope is that it will give a boost to the industry.

Among the top handicraft exports of the country are also hand knotted carpets, once the biggest foreign currency earner for the country. But this industry, too, suffered a similar fate as pashmina, and for similar reasons. Its introduction in Nepal was only in the 1960s, when Tibetan refugees fleeing the upheaval in their country, arrived in Kathmandu, bringing with them the fine art of carpet weaving. Their carpets were made of Tibetan wool, which supposedly made them better with age, and the designs, too, were eye catching to the extreme, with strong colors like red, yellow, blue, and gold being predominant. In short time, the valley saw a profusion of Nepali Tibetan carpet manufacturers, with hundreds of thousands involved in weaving as many carpets as possible in the shortest time possible to cater to the ever-growing demand from Europe. Sadly, like in the case of pashmina, quality took a hit, and hard-earned reputations went on the line due to the unethical behavior of some. Currently, the carpet business is a far cry from what it once was.  From a high export figure of 25, 09,452 sq m in 1999/2000, it has come down to just 461,065 sq m in 2013/1014.

Well, so much for two of the prima donnas of Nepali handicrafts—their fall from grace has been dramatic, to say the least! The going has been more or less a more stable one for other handicrafts, which is not a happy state of affairs, as without growth, the whole sector is getting stunted. Talking about handlooms, dhaka is a popular fabric that’s used to make a host of apparels and furnishings. In fact, you’ll notice it everywhere in places like Kathmandu, where people wear the typical Nepali caps made of dhaka (dhaka topi). At weddings, too, it’s a pretty strong fashion statement for the groom to be attired in a daura suruwal (the national dress) made of dhaka. Dhaka is also used to make a large variety of furnishings for the home. While dhaka’s origins lie in Tansen of western Nepal, one will find Rai and Limbu women of the eastern hills weaving out fine traditional patterns, as well, on wood and bamboo treadle looms. Another fabric gaining quite a name for itself is allo, a natural fabric extracted from the bark of the giant nettle (Girardinia diversifolia). A pretty intricate process is involved in its making, consisting of first boiling the bark in wood-ash-mixed water; and then after it is dried, the fibers are beaten and coated with white micaceous clay soil. An open back strap loom is traditionally used for the weaving.

Away from pashmina, carpets, and handlooms, Kathmandu Valley has always been more famous for its high standard of craftsmanship in metal, wood, and stone, examples of which are so very evident in numerous temples, monasteries, houses, hotels, etc. all over the valley. Lalitpur, the “City of the Arts”, particularly, abounds in highly skilled craftspeople, and there are different localities that specialize in certain types of craft. For instance, Okubahal, inhabited mostly by Shakyas and Bajracharyas, is considered to be the mecca of metal craftsmanship. For the most part, deity statues are the norm (made using the lost wax method), along with ritual objects used for worship. There is also a particular Newar community of Tamrakars (tama: bronze) whose trade since time immemorial has been to manufacture various items in bronze and copper for household and decorative use, as also for ritual purposes. Outside the valley, there’s a place called Bhojpur in eastern Nepal that is renowned for making khukuris, the deadly weapon of the valiant Gurkhas.      

Wood carving is another of the fabled skills of the Newari artisans of Kathmandu Valley, and perhaps this is the most in show everywhere you go, including in most good hotels. You cannot fail to notice the elaborately carved wooden windows adorning many houses, hotels, temples, and so on. These huge windows have earned fame throughout the world, and among these, the ‘Peacock Window’ is a favored souvenir, as also a gift highly appreciated by everybody, be it statesman, head of state, or royalty. The high level of skills displayed by Newari woodcarvers has been acknowledged by all throughout the centuries, and, in fact, they were much in demand in China even during the time of the great Emperor Kublai Khan for doing the woodcraft work in shrines. Today, many woodcarving establishments in the valley are busy making huge carved wooden windows meant for installment in high-end hotels in Tibet and China. So, the legacy continues!

If the Newari artisans are so adept in metal and woodcraft, can they be any less in stone craft? Of course not, and a walk around the durbar squares of the valley will give you the opportunity to appreciate the talent of the valley’s stone carvers. In fact, in Patan Durbar Square, you’ll see two temples done in the shikara style, and dedicated to Lord Krishna, that are made entirely of stone. They are both wonderfully constructed, as you’ll see for yourself.

Other noticeable works of art in stone are the beautiful dhunge dharas (stone spouts) at the hitis (public watering places) that you’ll come across in many places around the valley, two of the more exemplary ones being Sundhara in Kathmandu and Tusha Hiti in Patan. Recent years has seen a trend towards the commissioning of really massive statues of various gods, and such projects can keep teams of stone carvers busy for years and years. A case in point is the ongoing project to sculpt a 32-ft tall statue of Sakyamuni Buddha out of solid stone at Arnico Stone Carving in Patan.

Well, all said and done, even if today the growth is not as hoped for, and not at all as promising as it was one-and-a-half decades ago, the talented craftspeople of Kathmandu Valley continue to chip, chisel, carve, and weave with dedication and commitment, knowing that it is but a question of time before the world’s craving for Nepal’s fantastic handicrafts reaches new heights once again.

Discover New Wonders in Lalitpur

When you are visiting Patan, do not—I repeat, do not—miss out on a tour of the Patan Industrial Estate. It is a large sprawling area with hundreds of handicraft establishments where you’ll be able to see the fabled artisans of this “City of the Arts” practicing their ancient crafts. You’ll see stonecarvers chipping away at mammoth blocks of stones to bring them to life in the form of sacred deities, many of which, when finished, will need the help of huge cranes to be transported to their destined sites—perhaps a high hilltop? perhaps a meditation retreat? You’ll see woodcarvers focused totally on carving intricate designs on  massive wooden windows destined for some exotic destination—perhaps a hotel in Lhasa? in Beijing? And, you’ll see metalsmiths crouched over huge 100 kg bronze bells, etching out elaborate patterns around the rims; all of them ordained to become a major part of temples and shrines all over the country.       

Sometimes, time is of the essence, and a bit of luck comes in handy as well, since you can’t always predict when you’ll be in Nepal, and by the time you are in Patan Industrial Estate, somebody may inform that you about a huge work of art that has been moved just the other day to some far-off site that could be days away. Take, for example, the case of the 3000 kg bronze bell that used to hang next to the doorway of the famous maker of bells, Nepal Dhalaut Udhyog. Well, even today, if you ask for directions to the establishment, most people around will tell you that there’s a massive bell hanging out front. If you go by their words, you’ll be searching forever, because it isn’t there anymore; it was moved some months back to the Muktinath Temple in Bhaktapur. Anyway, aside from all that, imagine what a boost this temple must have got with a 3000 kg bell out front!

The famous bell makers also make other metal sculptures; if you go now, you’ll see a couple of enormous lion-heads made in the Chinese style; you know, the kind you see during those elaborate Chinese festivals, except in this case, they are made of bronze and weigh 500 kg each! Generally, the bells displayed around the place are of three sizes: 25 kg, 50 kg, and 100 kg. It should interest you to know that most of the metal craft are made by craftspeople of Okubahal, a locality near Patan Durbar Square, which, for generations, has spawned the most accomplished metalsmiths of Kathmandu Valley. Actually, this is a unique feature of the “City of the Arts”—each of the old localities is renowned for some particular craft.

Sundhara and Bhinchebahal being two such localities that have most of the remaining 15 or so families involved in stone carving, some of whom you’ll find chipping away at blocks of stones more than 10 feet high at Arnico Stone Carving in Patan Industrial Estate.  Now, if size is your thing, as it’s for most ordinary folks, then don’t waste time; they’re in the process of sculpting a 32-ft 40-ton Shakyamuni Buddha statue for a monastery in Mustang of western Nepal. The head alone is going to be six-feet-tall! It’s a commission that has been going on for more than a year already, and will probably take another year or so to be completed. Still, it’s a wondrous experience to see those tough stone carvers chiseling away at the lifeless and implacable blocks of limestone, not knowing how successful they will be in carving out the correct proportions at the end of it all.

However, one can be fairly confident that it’s going to be a great work of art, going by the finished 18-ft tall 10-ton statue of Ganesha that stands out in front. It’s a fantastic work of art, no one can doubt that. In fact, one gets the feeling that it is just waiting for somebody really knowledgeable, and with clout in the world of art, to declare it a ‘masterpiece’. The proportions are lovely, and the aura this colossal Ganesha imparts is such as to make one stare at it in awe for quite some time. But, be warned again, time is of the essence, because it will soon be travelling to far off Tansen, and then there goes your chance to see a modern day masterpiece in stone, the kind Michelangelo would have been proud of. Remember, also, that stone carving is the toughest and most demanding of all crafts, so the number of stonecarvers is on a steady decline. All the more reason to make a beeline for Arnico Stone Carving at the earliest possible opportunity!

Now, about those windows meant to decorate some hoity-toity hotels in Lhasa, and maybe Beijing; well a score and more woodcarvers at Purna Woodcarving Industries are hard at work on carving out a complete set, meaning, maybe a score or so really large-sized wooden carved windows. You’ve seen plenty of such Newari style windows all over the valley; in many hotels, houses, temples, and so on. But, take it from me, you might not have seen the kind they’re making here, certainly not such huge ones. One can only imagine how immense must be the size of the hotel they are being built for! The carvings are, as expected, top-notch, and how couldn’t they be? After all, most of the woodcarvers are from Bungamati, a small nearby village where almost each and every household has been involved in the woodcarving business from time immemorial.

With so much ancient skills handed down through the generations, in stone, in metal, in wood, is it any wonder that the Patan Durbar Square—where many of the best examples of such work are on perpetual display—is a world heritage monument? Which is very fine and all that, but why not take that extra step and grab the opportunity to see the very creation of such magnificence, such splendors?

Nepali Topi, Mark of the Nepali Man

Perhaps the most distinguishing feature that sets a Nepali man apart from all others is the cloth cap that he wears on his head. They may be in varied hues; they may be crumpled, or they may be sharply ironed, with knife-edge creases; they be of different types of fabrics (usually two types); they may be worn in different ways, some wear it crested arrogantly like a Himalayan peak, while some take great care to have the creases just exactly right, and then there are many who don’t really care a hoot; they just crumple it over their head.

Once upon a time, not many decades ago, wearing a Nepali topi (Nepali cap) was mandatory at many official functions and for gaining access to most government offices. Maybe this has not been completely done away with in some places, at least, but with the collapse of royalist power and rise of people power, along with drastic changes in the very structure of the country, the Nepali topi, once the most unifying factor among the country’s 100 and more different ethnicities, now has very little importance as a commonality to bind the people into one nationality.

However, even if the Nepali topi has less of a role in the political scenario, it is still dearly loved by millions and millions of Nepalis all over the country. What make it such a popular part of attire? Simplicity—could be the first response. Unlike the flamboyant hats of other countries (think sombrero, think 8-gallon cowboy hat, to name just two), the Nepali topi perfectly symbolizes the very nature of the typical Nepali man. One who is simple and naïve to the extreme, one who trusts without any hesitance, one who will let you know exactly what he thinks, even if you’ve never met him before. And so on and so forth. And, yes, one whose lifestyle is so simple and basic that he has no time for convoluted thoughts and shrewd maneuverings. Well, actually, if you take a Nepali topi in your hand and think about all this, you’ll probably agree that there couldn’t be a simpler mode of headwear in the whole wide world. And, if you have been here for even a short time, you’ll agree that there couldn’t be a simpler people as well!  

Talking about the Nepali topi, there are, in fact, two kinds—the most popular is the Palpale Dhaka topi, while the other is the more traditional, and known as the Bhadgaunle topi. Let’s talk about the latter first, since it carries the weight of seniority. It is named after Bhadgaun, which is what present day Bhaktapur was once called. It is almost always black in color, and has quite a distinctive texture and pattern. If you happen be at a photography exhibition in town, you’ll be sure to see lots of very old black and white shots of scenes around the valley, and most certainly, all the men in those photos will be wearing Bhadgaunle topis. In fact, the Bhandgaunle was, for many years, part of the national attire, capping off, as it were, the debonair daura suruwal and the jazzy waistcoat. In today’s times, however, the Bhadgaunle can be seen mostly only on the heads of people of Bhaktapur and thereabouts. And, interestingly, it is still only made in Bhaktapur. Nowhere else!

The main reason for its decline was the rise of the Palpale Dhaka topi, which is available in a large variety of colors and patterns, so that one can choose the perfect match for the dress worn for the occasion, whatever it may be. Of course, that is not to say that the stately Bhadgaunle is not a show stopper; in fact, because of its solid black color and intricate design, it is a fitting tribute to the status of any man, be it a diplomat or a bureaucrat, a soldier or an officer of the army, a politician or a businessman. Nevertheless, one has to go with the times, and the Palpale Dhka topi is now the Nepali topi in vogue.

Palpali Dhaka topi is made out of a textile known as Dhaka that originated in Palpa in western Nepal, which is mostly inhabited by Newars who had migrated from Kathmandu Valley ages ago. Skilled artisans that they are, they established Palpa as a center of excellence in many types of handicrafts, including handlooms like Dhaka. Creative to the extreme, these Newars have introduced so many textures, so many lovely subtle colors, and so many sophisticated patterns in the Dhaka that the Palpale Dhaka topi has become, in actuality, a pretty posh part of the Nepali man’s attire. If you have attended typical Nepali wedding, you may have noticed the groom dressed in a daura suruwal made entirely of Dhaka, and with a matching Palpale Dhaka topi, to boot. You’ll be hard put to find a more debonair groom, is what we say!

Just as you’ll be hard put to find a more happy-go-lucky man than the one bending his strong back when plowing his field, the ubiquitous Nepali topi pulled tight over his head, stopping the sweat from getting into his eyes. Once in a while, he’ll straighten up, take the cap off his head, and wipe his face with it. Then, the short break over, the topi is back where it belongs, and even from afar, anyone can see that it is a Nepali man.

Boosting Hindu Pilgrimage Tours in Nepal

In the last six months, one South Asian leader who has been grabbing accolades by the bushel is India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a short earlier visit to Kathmandu, his first order of business was to pay respect to Lord Shiva at Pashupatinath Temple. Those in the tourist business here say that, since then, there has been a dramatic increase in visits to this famous temple by Hindu devotees, particularly those from India. “For Indian tourists, a visit has now become mandatory,” says one travel operator. Of course, this most magnificent of pagoda style temples, and Nepal’s holiest Hindu shrine, has always drawn a continuous stream of devotees, but now, as they say, the stakes have doubled!

Well, the charismatic leader is coming back once again, this time to attend the SAARC Summit later this month, which is being held in Kathmandu. But trust him to do something news-grabbing once again! This time, he has announced that he will be coming by road, and that he wishes to visit Janakpur first before flying on to the capital. Janakpur is the birthplace of Goddess Sita (a.k.a. Janaki, daughter of King Janak). Janakpur, or Janakpurdham, was once the capital of the Mithila kingdom, and it is about 400 km from Kathmandu. The Janaki Temple is the focal point of the town, and the white plastered three-storied temple’s design is a mix of Muslim and Rajput architecture. It was made in 1910 by General Amar Singh Thapa.

Janakpurdham features prominently in Ramayana, one of the two most popular epics of Hinduism, the other being Mahabharata. This was where many princes once gathered from far and wide to try and win the beautiful Princess Sita’s hand. King Janak threw down the challenge that only the prince who could lift and string the legendary ‘Shiva’s Dhanush (bow)’ would be the one worthy of being his daughter’s husband. None of the strongly built powerful princes could as much as even nudge the fabled bow from its resting place. Finally, only the dashing young Lord Ram of Ayodhyaya remained. Not only did he lift it and string it without much effort, so strong was he that the bow broke into two as he was stringing it. Janakpurdham has many more such fantastic stories that have become part of the local culture. Well, not that it is not already a major site for pilgrims on a Hindu pilgrimage tour to Nepal, but expect it to get substantially added mileage now after Mr. Modi’s visit!

There’s more. After the Summit, he will be visiting Lumbini, birthplace of Lord Buddha, and then the equally revered Muktinath Temple in Mustang district. Now, Lumbini has developed into an international Buddhist pilgrimage site, with scores of Buddhist countries vying with each other to create the most beautiful stupas possible. Interestingly, it was PM Modi himself, who, by publicly stating in the Nepal Parliament that Lord Buddha was born in Lumbini, laid to final rest the controversy about Buddha being born in some other place in India. With this settled, efforts have magnified a hundredfold now to make Lumbini the world’s focal point of Buddhism.

As for his tryst with Muktinath in Mustang district, sad to say, tragic news has preceded his planned visit, the district having witnessed its most terrible loss of lives, both national and international, in an unprecedented blizzard in October this year that resulted in at least 39 deaths of trekkers, guides, and porters trekking on the popular Annapurna Circuit, of which Muktinath Temple is a part. Sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists, Muktinath has been touted for its three ‘wondrous miracles’. First, the ever-flowing icy cold water that is believed to originate from the sacred Lake Mansarovar in Mount Kailash that is channeled through 108 carved spigots behind the Vishnu Temple within the complex. All pilgrims take a running shower under all the 108 spigots to cleanse themselves of sins committed in their lifetimes. Should be a great TV opportunity when PM Modi does the same!

The other ‘miracle’ is the presence of saligram fossils, which are regarded as sacred representations of Lord Vishnu by Hindus, and as the serpent deity, Gawo Jogpa, by Tibetan Buddhists. Saligrams are black ammonite fossils that date back more than 165 million years, when the Tethys Sea covered this entire area, and eons before the Himalayas were formed. The miracle is that such ancient sea-creature encrusted fossils are found so high in the Himalayan region. Hindus say that where there is a saligram, there will be Lord Vishnu. The third ‘miracle’ is the presence of two small fires in Jwalamukhi Temple, south of Vishnu Temple, that appear to burn naturally and continuously. One burns from the earth, while the other burns inside a tiny spring of water.

Before, one had to walk many days to witness these ‘wondrous miracle’, but now one can drive right down to Muktinath from Jomsom, so it’s become very popular with both young and old, the fit and the not-so-fit. After all, one is absolved and gets mukti (liberty) from all sins committed by going there, so why shouldn’t everybody? And, now with the TV channels most probably preparing to show the ruggedly built PM Modi taking the ritual showers, Muktinath will be getting a pretty stupendous fillip, that’s for sure! By the way, who knows, all those cold showers  might invigorate him so much that he might even go on to have a dip in the frigid waters of Damodar Kund that’s situated high up at some 5000 meters and has an interesting part to play in the story of Lord Krishna. I wouldn’t put it past the robust Mr. Modi to zip up there in a helicopter and take a brave dip, even if it’s only for a second or so!

Kartik Naach, Many Nights of Rousing Performance

In Kathmandu Valley, the Malla Era (A.D. 1200-1769) was a period of great accomplishments in art, architecture, and culture. Besides the creation of many beautiful monuments, dance and drama, too, received a tremendous boost, and, dabalis (raised platforms for public performance of dance and drama) became the norm in many courtyards and squares around the valley. The contributions of King Pratap Malla (A.D. 1641-1674) were especially great, and his patronage of dance and drama was above the ordinary. In fact, legend has it that the king once had a dream about an epic battle between three goddesses and hordes of terrifying demons. It was such a wonderful dream that he wanted to share it with everybody. So, he ordered that his dream be enacted through a dance/drama performance which could be performed year after year for one and all. Thus was born the Mahakali dance, which enacts the tale of the goddesses Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, and Kumari and their valiant battle with demons. This famous dance is performed during the week-long Indrajatra festival in Kathmandu Durbar Square.

However, before Pratap Malla’s time, King Siddinarsingh Malla of Lalitpur (Patan) was an ardent patron of the arts as well, as were all the Malla rulers of the era. In A.D. 1641, he began the tradition of holding an annual dance/drama that would last eight days in the month of Kartik (Oct/Nov). Religious in nature, the Kartik Naach (Kartik Dance) would portray, through dance, the story of Narsimha (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) as described in the Vishnu Puran. In 1723, his son King Sriniwas Malla added a week to the eight-day-dance by including comic portrayals titled ’Batha’ (‘Clever Man’) describing the antics of three cunning brothers, Gu daju, Sama daju, and Batha kija, with the last being the cleverest one of all. ‘Batha’ depicted the social realities of the times and had moral overtones.  

Later still, Sriniwas’s son, King Yognarendra Malla, extended the days further so that now the Kartik Naach went on for the whole month of Kartik, except for three days of Tihar (one of the biggest festivals of Nepal, which also falls in Kartik). How was the extension made possible? Well, following his father’s lead, he, too, added a couple of new dramas, and these were pretty lengthy love classics. The month-long schedule was followed right till 1949, but from 1950, with drastic changes in the political system, it became just a two-day affair. However, in 1982, it again reverted to its original period, that is, eight days. Currently, efforts are being made to extend it to a month-long program, and this year, it is being held for 12 days (Oct 26-Nov 6). Certainly, this historic dance has a tremendous history, even if it’s a bit convoluted!

In the first chapter of the Kartik Naach, ‘Bhakti Surdas’, dancers enact the story of Surdas, the blind devotee of Lord Krishna, who gets blessed with sight, but fails the test of continued devotion by falling for an attractive maiden called Mohini. Finally, coming to his senses, he returns the gift of sight because he realizes that it is not needed to remain fervent in his commitment to the Lord.   

The second chapter, ‘Sudama’, tells the story Lord Krishna’s childhood friend Sudama, who, after growing up, remains poor, while his friend moves into a palace. In desperation, one day, Sudama’s wife Sushila asks him to request his powerful friend’s help in getting out of their poverty. Reluctantly, at her insistent request, he goes to the palace and offers Krishna some chipped rice as a gift, which the latter eats with relish. When Sudama returns home, he finds that his hut has been transformed into a mansion, with many riches inside.

Following these chapters, the dancers enact various comic stories of the three cunning brothers (‘Bathas’): namely, ‘The Unfaithful Wife’, ‘Price of a Goat’,  ‘Tricking the Brahmin’, ‘Selling the Earrings’, ‘Unfortunate Bathas’, ‘The Greatest Fool’, and ‘Crossing the River’  They are all folksy in nature and with a moral message at their end. And, of course, they are pretty funny. For instance, in the first story, the three brothers are forced to look for shelter one evening when on a journey. They enter the house of a man called Lanake, and pretending to be his relatives, manage to stay the night. The next day, when Lanake is in the fields, they espy a man called Matin kaji entering the house and dallying with their host’s wife, Punavati. Unfortunately for her, Lanake returns sooner than usual, and she rolls her lover in a carpet. And then follows a series of comic antics of the three brothers, who finally succeed in unraveling his wife’s unfaithfulness to Lanake.   

One would think that these funny episodes are an interlude to the main story, which is that of utmost religious sentiment. But, hold on, there’s some love stories next (added by King Yognarendra): the first is ‘Madhavanal’, which relates the classic love story of Madhavanal and Kamukundala written by a renowned Indian poet, Gopal Kayestha. The second is titled ‘Usha Haran’, portraying the love story of Usha, granddaughter of King Bali, and Anirudra, grandson of Lord Krishna. Now, after the interlude of comic and love stories, its back to the original dance as devised during King Siddhinarsingh’s time: ‘Jala Sayan’ first, then ‘Varah Avatar’, and finally, ‘Narasimha Avatar’.

One thing to be noted is that the final three chapters of Kartik Naach must be performed on three specified days of the lunar calendar, that is, Ekadashi, Duadashi, and Triyadashi (three very auspicious days in Kartik). Incidentally, the first of these three days is the only time when the doors of the famous Char Narayan Temple in front of the royal palace are opened for devotees, of which you’ll see quite a large number queuing up to pay their respects. The dabali in front of it is known as the Kartik Dabali, and this is where the Kartik Naach is performed every night from 7:00 p.m. onwards for about three or four hours.

Anyway, coming back to the dances, all the three mentioned above are about Lord Vishnu’s wiliness in battles with demons who had been granted immortality by the gods themselves, namely, he himself and Lord Brahma. ‘Jala Sayan’ depicts the story of his victory, with the help of Maha Maya (a goddess with amazing powers), over two powerful antagonists, Madhu and Kaithba. ‘Varah Avatar’, similarly, is about how he vanquishes another powerful demon, Hiranyaksha, son of Hiranyakshyapa, by taking on the form of a wild boar (varah), since that animal had not been among those mentioned as not having any powers to harm the villain.

‘Narasimha Avatar’ is about how Hiranyakshapa, angered at Vishnu’s killing of his son, goes into such deep meditation seeking Lord Brahma’s favor, that the god is compelled to grant him his wish: that he cannot be killed by man or animal; in the day or at night; in heaven or on earth; and neither by any weapon or other instruments. Ironically, his other son, Prahlad, is an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, and he makes many attempts to have him killed. Finally, Lord Vishnu comes up with a solution to do away with the demonic king. He takes on the form of Narasimha (who is half man and half lion), and one day, at the exact time of sunset, accosts Hiranyakshapa under a doorway of his palace, puts him on his lap, and rips his entrails out with his claw-like nails. Well, you’ll surly agree that it’s as rousing an ending to an epic performance as one could imagine!

Actually, there are three more chapters left: the ‘Vastra Haran Lila’, the ‘Dadhi Lila’, and the ‘Bouddha Lila’. The first two are to do with the romantic flirtations of Lord Krishna, first with his admirers, the ‘Gopinis’, and the next with his lover, Radha, while ‘Bouddha Lila’ recounts Lord Buddha’s appeal to his followers to refrain from animal sacrifice. Finally, all that’s left to say is that it is up to the skills of the dancers to do justice to so fantastic a dance/drama as Kartik Naach, and in this, one can say that the 70 or so dancers who take part are well versed in the art, since they have been doing this for ages. While most branches of the Newar community can be performers, the Chitrakars are the one who usually perform the part of the deities, while Narasimha is generally the prerogative of Rajopadhyas.

And, yes, there’s one more interesting thing that must be disclosed here: on the night of the ‘Narasimha Avatar’ dance, the golden window of the palace facing the dabali has to be kept open. Why? Well, that’s because King Siddhinarsingh Malla himself, the founder of the Kartik Naach, will be watching from that window—should surely put more spirit into the dancers’ performances!

Bungamati Bahi-Vihar Jatra

Another sunny Saturday afternoon in October-end in Kathmandu valley, most definitely not a time to be staying indoors. The warmth of the day was inviting me to go and explore the nooks and corners of the valley once more. So, off I went on my trusty Honda towards the big city from the small village of Thaiba, about four kilometers from Satdobato in Patan, where I was ensconced. I had half a mind to pay a long overdue visit to Kathmandu Durbar Square (a.k.a. Hanuman Dhoka); my mind savoring plonking down on the steps of one its ancient temples, watching the world go by.

However, trust Lalitpur to be the temptress that just won’t let you go, so fatal are its numerous charms. I had just crossed Satdobato and was entering Lagankhel when I had to stop in front of the big stupa (chaitya), one of the four massive stupas built by Emperor Ashoka at the four corners of Patan city during his sojourn here centuries ago. A long procession of men and women, mostly young or middle-aged, and with women predominating, was making its way through the gateway of the mahavihar (as big stupas and the premises surrounding them are called). Young volunteers were calling the shots, stopping traffic on both sides of the road. Trust curious me to promptly park my bike and start asking around about the what’s, where’s, how’s, when’s, and why’s of this unexpected (for me) but welcome spectacle.

One of the energetic volunteers was eager enough to do so, and said, “We are from Bungamati, and we are celebrating the Bahi-Vihar jatra (festival) which comes once every 12 years.” To elaborate on this a little, Bungamati is a Newari village that’s some six kilometers from the ring road out of Jawalakhel. It’s famous for its many skilled woodcarvers. Chances are, quite a few of the elaborate windows and doors you see around Patan were made by Bungamati woodcarvers. Anyway, the volunteer went on to say, “It’s a lot like the Dipankar Yatra that’s held in Patan once every 12 years; we have to visit all the important bahis/bahals (those small courtyards you see all around the valley, with a small stupa at the center) as well as the bigger vihars.” So, how many people were participating? “I think there must be five to six thousand; most are from Bungamati while some are from other villages like Thejo, Lele, and so on.”

I could see that, among the women, there were small groups who were similarly attired in dresses made of handloom fabrics. All the participants had name tags hanging round their necks; on closer scrutiny, I saw that some had names of sponsors; woodcarving companies, of course! So, my guess was that the similarly attired groups were probably representing the establishment where they worked. Soon enough, the procession, after circumambulating the stupa, was on its way towards Lagankhel. I approach another young volunteer with some more questions. She, too, was pretty happy to speak to me. She said, “We have to visit about 70 bahis and vihars. We started at five in the morning and have already visited most of them (the time was around 2:30 p.m. now). Next, we’ll be going to Ga:bahal, and then, Ta: bahal, both near Mangal Bazaar. After that we’ll be going back to Bungamati by bus.”

I carried on to Lagankhel— that really, really crowded place with scores of buses and minibuses in the bus park, most of them perennially on the move, whether coming or going, and the vegetable market surrounding it, besides the many other shops selling everything under the sun all over the place. On top of which, even though numerous little shops ply on the footpaths, and many on the sides of the street going to Mangal Bazaar, no one has dared to ban vehicles from running in the area, and so what you have is a constant cacophony of noise, crowds of shoppers thronging the narrow street, and general mayhem all together.  

Now, imagine if you will, a procession some 5000-strong moving through this chaotic arena, and what you get is a bazaar like none you may have seen anywhere else. However, take it from me, it’s a pretty orderly bazaar, even then, since nobody’s bothered, and everybody seems to take it all with equanimity. As I was watching all this, I asked a shopkeeper about where all these shoppers were coming from, and was it always like this? “Well, this bazaar is always crowded, and you should be here during Dashain and Tihar! People come from all over Lalitpur district. Those buses ply to some hundred places.” His small shop (not exactly one, since his wares were displayed on the sidewalk) had woolen items, as had many other similar ‘shops’: gloves, shawls, pullovers, socks, trousers, and so on. And, right, you guessed it, all imported from China, that great big friendly giant on the other side.

I sidled up to a middle-aged man who was part of the procession and badgered him with a few questions. The long and short of our conversation was that this particular festival, the Bungamati Bahi-Vihar festival was a prelude to the great big Bungamati Mela being held in the coming year. “It is held once every 12 years in honor of Rato Matsyendranath, and will go on for four months. So, before it begins, all of us at Bungamati pay a visit to the bahis and vihars in Patan to pay our respects and ask blessings for a successful mela,” he informed me.  Lest you are not so well informed, let me tell you that the Rato Matsyendranath festival is a month-long affair that’s held every year in Patan. It’s to honor Lord Matsyendranath for bringing rain to the valley (the why’s, what’s, and how’s, when’s of this very vigorous festival is another story).

For now, let’s look forward to the grand Bungamati Mela which will begin pretty soon in the village of Nepal’s finest woodcarvers. For your information, you can drive down there on a fairly good road and should take you not more than 25 minutes or so. In fact, you don’t even need to wait or the mela, anytime you go is a worthwhile outing, since you’ll be experiencing the ancient way of life even this close to the capital, and going through some really great scenery on the way. Take a substantial bag along, you might want to pick up a few fantastic woodcarvings when there!

History and Culture of Kathmandu Durbar Square

The eight-day-long Indra Jatra festival in honor of Indra, the ‘god of rain’, is held every year in August/September (September 23 this year). It heralds the coming of Nepal’s biggest festival, the ten-day-long Dashain, soon after, which is a time to get together with family and have lavish feasts throughout. Dashain becomes all the more enjoyable if the preceding harvest had been good, which is, of course, dependent upon bountiful rains. Indra Jatra festival is held to thank the ‘god of rain’ for just that, and to keep him in a good mood so he blesses the valley with as good rains the following year too. During this colorful festival, Kumari (the Living Goddess), Lord Ganesha, and Lord Bhairabh are paraded around the city on chariots.

As colorful as the festival is, what makes it even more interesting is that it is held in a world heritage monument, that is, Kathmandu Durbar Square (a.k.a. Hanuman Dhoka). The royal palace in this fantastic square was the seat of power of the Malla and Shah Kings of yore.  King Pratap Malla (1641-74), one of the brightest firmaments of the Malla Period (12th-18th centuries), is credited with the construction of the Hanuman Dhoka Palace. You can see his statue atop a tall pillar facing the Taleju Temple in the square. Another renowned site in the square, the Kumari Ghar, the abode of the Living Goddess, was built in the 1750s by King Jaya Prakash Malla.

In 1768, King Prithvi Narayan Shah, ruler of the tiny kingdom of Gorkha, conquered the Kathmandu valley during his bid to unify the country. Thus began the rule of the Shah Kings (1768-2008) from the Hanuman Dhoka Palace. As was usually the case in those days, as far as royalty was concerned, Prithvi Narayan’s death in 1775 was followed by succession struggles highlighted by assassinations and intrigue. In 1846, a Chettri nobleman, Jung Bahadur, organized what is infamously known as the Kot Massacre, during which the elite of the Shah durbar were killed in their hundreds while assembled in a kot (courtyard) adjoining Kathmandu Durbar Square. This horrendous act brought the Ranas into power, with Jung Bahadur becoming, first, Prime Minister, and then Maharajah, a title that was given hereditary status. The Shah Kings remained mere figureheads for a century and more.

Indeed, a tour of the Kathmandu Durbar Square is a tour of the country’s history, and its culture, as well. The historic square is where, on the seventh day of Dashain, that is, Fulpati, jamara (barley sprouts having ritual significance) and other ritual items are brought in from Gorkha in a stately procession, carried in a covered palanquin by Brahmins, and escorted by musket-carrying soldiers dressed in uniforms of the bygone era. On the eighth day (Maha Asthami), Kathmandu Durbar Square is where numerous animals (goats, buffaloes, ducks, and pigeons) are sacrificed to Goddess Kali. On the ninth day (Maha Nawami), the Taleju Temple is opened for the public, which is the only time it is done so, while in the kot (courtyard) of Hanuman Dhoka, army men slaughter more sacrificial animals with khukuris in front of a high profile audience of officers in full dress regalia and other dignitaries. It is a spectacular event, with brass band, cannons sounding off big bangs, et al.

Kathmandu Durbar Square’s cultural significance is also obvious from the numerous ancient shrines and temples in and around its premises, including those dedicated to various gods of the Hindu pantheon like Ganesh, Shiva-Parvati, Bhagwati, Saraswoti, Krishna, etc., besides Taleju and Kumari Ghar. Close to the famous square is a temple from which Kathmandu’s name is said to be derived, that is, Kasthamandap Temple (mandap: pavilion, kastha: wood). The wood of a single tree is said to have been used to construct it.

Speaking of constructions and such, here’s some modern history to do with this world famous square—King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah was proclaimed King on Jan 31, 1972, after his father’s death, but the formal coronation ceremony was held only on February 24, 1975. During the three years in between, the first restoration works in the valley began, and it started with restoration of the Hanuman Dhoka Palace, where the main ceremonies of the coronation would be held. Funded by UNDP, an UNESCO consultant, Architect John Sanday, was put in charge of the project. Although the project went on five years, involving some 300 hundred workers (including 50 wood carvers), Sanday managed to complete quite a lot of work, especially restoration of the façade and the main courtyard, in time for the historic coronation, a lavish spectacle attended by royalty and dignitaries from all over the world.

In 2000, a comprehensive plan for restoration of the temples at Kathmandu Durbar Square was launched as the ‘Kathmandu Durbar Initiative’. Funded by the U.S. Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, it was conducted by Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT) under Architect Dr. Rohit Ranjitkar. Its major beneficiaries were the Kal Bhairav Shrine, Kageshwar Mahadev Temple, and Lakshmi Narayan Temple. No doubt, Kathmandu Durbar Square has benefitted immensely from such attention, but at the same time, it must be said that there is so much of ancient artifacts that remain as solid as they were hundreds of years ago, that even without any embellishment they are attractions that continue to captivate the senses.

Without doubt, Kathmandu Durbar Square lives up to its high status as a UNESCO designated world heritage monument, and the fantastic thing about it is that it continues to play such an important role in the lives of all dwellers of the enchanted valley of Kathmandu.

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Hidden Gems of Patan

You’ve heard about Patan’s world heritage monument, the Durbar Square, with its many fascinating monuments, including temples of many different architectural styles. You’ve also probably heard about the restorations completed in recent times, such as that of Tusha Hiti, as well as ongoing restorations at sites such as the Bhaideval Temple. Patan Museum inside the former royal palace is one of the more famous renovation projects, a successfully completed Nepal-Austrian joint venture with architect Gotz Hagmueller (also responsible for ‘Garden of Dreams’ in Keshar Mahal in Thamel) at the helm. However, most other restoration/renovation works around the locality are the efforts of an organization called Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT).

Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust

Many renowned restorers/architects are part of this trust, which was also responsible for the making of the famous Baber Mahal Revisited, an extensive renovation of what was once just a cowshed that was part of a 250-room palace called Baber Mahal, one of nine neo-classical palaces built by Prime Minister Chandra S.J.B. Rana in 1901-1929. Baber Mahal Revisited is one of KPVT’s most visible accomplishments, but there are many more important works to their credit. Now, if you’re in Nepal, make it a point to visit their office, located in an old building in one corner of the Patan Durbar Square.

Besides its architectural offices, there’s also a library with a collection of some pretty interesting hard-to-find photographs, old drawings, and historical books. The top floor is a guest quarter with tasteful and comfortable ethnic interiors where you could spend a night or two. The small veranda has a sweeping view of the durbar square, and really, sitting there watching the activities below throughout the day, you’ll realize why we keep on talking about ‘living culture’ all the time.

Birth-to-death Shop

There’s a shop on the ground floor of the same building that’s referred to by locals as the ‘Birth-to-death Shop” (real name: Hem Narsingh ko Pasal). Ask, and the shopkeeper will show you a file full of lists pertaining to items needed for rituals ranging from birth to death for the Newar community, as well as for parbates (hill people), and Buddhists. The shop’s reputation is based on the precinct that it will have available, at all times, even the smallest item needed. The shop also sells the rare Matsyendranath flower that’s meant for offering at the sacred Matsyendranath Temple, and root-like herbs called sadewa and sadewi (male-female in English) that are said to have the power to make anyone besotted to you if you just touch them with it.

Dare if you want to, but know that the one besotted will be after you forever and more, and if the love is unrequited, you’ll be in serious trouble! Among the shop’s regular clients are shamans who come shopping for such things, as well as for bear’s hair, tiger’s whisker, etc. for their tantric practices. So, visit the ‘Birth-to-Death-Shop’ and browse around for some truly exotic souvenirs.

Jyotishis and shamans

Although there are plenty of excellent hospitals in Patan, jyotisis (astrologers) and shamans, too, have thriving practices, with many clients seeking out-of-the-world cures for various ailments.  Here’s a typical scene at one: Time: evening. The jyotishi: a man in his 70s who sits on a sofa behind a table full of parchments, scrolls, and a brass plate containing raw rice. The client: a well-dressed middle-aged woman. The conversation: “My husband is an important government official. Things are not going well for him; a promotion is overdue.” She hands over her husband’s janma patra (document showing planetary positions at time of birth). The jyotishi studies it for some time, and does some calculations. “Your husband’s graha dasha (planetary configuration) is not favorable for the next six months. I will give you a mantra (Vedic incantation). Ask him to repeat it 100,000 times. He should also wear a coral Ganesh ring. Things will start getting better.”

You don’t need a janma patra; your birthday and year will also do if you want to have your fortune told and want a cure for some bad karma. Look around for signboards, you’ll find quite a few around the area known as Prayag Pokhari, as well as in Satdobato. You’ll also find jyotishis in well-known tantric shrines like the Baglamukhi and Bhairabhnath temples.

What bout shamans? Well, here’s what I observed at Buddhi Kumar ‘Gurujyu’’s place of work in Kutisawagal, a 15-minute-walk from Patan Durbar Square, A ‘Shiva tantric’, he sat under a canopy of colorful wooden snakes. Shelves held deity figures as well as plastic bags containing herbs and vials of so-called ‘Himalayan Oil’. A woman and a frail-looking boy of about five sat cross-legged facing him across a brass topped counter.

The woman said, “He keeps on crying all the time. Don’t know why.” She handed over a plastic bag of rice. Gurujyu poured the rice on a brass plate, picked up a few, and then let them fall on the plate. He repeated this procedure a couple of times, and then declared, “Runche bimari (crybaby syndrome)”. He offered some rice to one of the deities, and then flicked some on the child. Next, he blew forcefully on the boy’s face. The young mother murmured, “Doctor said...pneumonia…” The shaman again flicked some grains at the child, waved a black-feathered broom over his head, and blew forcefully twice more on his face. “He will be all right now,” he said. The woman thanked him, and bowing respectfully, went out with her son.

Next, a young woman entered and handed over 10 rupees. In return, Gurujyu handed over a small plastic bag with some herb inside. “They are ‘karne paat’ (a variety of leaf),” he said, adding, “They can only be collected at midnight in the jungle.” Apparently, it is a cure for alcoholics and the woman is a regular customer. One can assume that she must be administering the cure in a surreptitious manner to her husband. If you are interested in shamanism, do visit the Gurujyu. He’s a robust middle-aged man with an open and forthcoming manner. Among his clients are many women who come to look for a cure to prevent their husbands from deserting them. He also claims to communicate with spirits, especially for patients suffering from acute depression.

Fire temple

Another fascinating but less well-known site in Patan is a fire shrine called Agnishala Temple that’s located at the end of a lane opposite Kumaripatti (where Patan’s Living Goddess Kumari give audience during big festivals) in Kumaripati Road near Jawalakhel. As far as anybody knows, a fire has been kept burning at one or more of its five fire altars for the last 4000 years or so.  According to the priests here, it may perhaps be the only fire temple in the world with five kundas (fire altars), most of the others making do with only one. These are called Vishnu Kunda, Brahma Kunda, Shiva Kunda, Surya Kunda, and Savya Kunda. The first is the largest and most important while the last is meant for end-of-life rites. Homs (fire rites) are conducted for those wanting to negate the impacts of bad graha dashas or to enhance their fortune by appeasing various gods/goddesses as well as the planets. Birthdays are special days, when visitors have a hom done to please their planetary ruler/s as determined by their birth charts.

Sacred pear tree

There’s something else about this unique temple that is worth knowing about. On its premises are some tall dense trees, the likes of which are not to be found anywhere else in the country. Called Barun Brikshyas (Barun: god of water; brikshya: tree), it is said that water will never dry out in wells around its locality. Scientifically named Crateava religiosa, they are also called ‘sacred garlic pear trees’. Myth has it that sages in ancient times ate one of these pears to stave off hunger for a whole month of meditation. You might be lucky to get one too!

Well, there you have it. These are but a few of the many hidden gems of Patan that are pretty fascinating; and you should not only make it a point to visit them, but also make the effort to discover more during your Nepal tour. Oh yes, you can rest assured that there’s plenty more!

Hiking in and around Kathmandu Valley

Legend has it that the Kathmandu valley was once a gigantic lake called Nagadaha inhabited by innumerable snakes (nagas). How did it come to be a valley fit to be lived in by humans? Well, according to the most popular myth, there was once a revered Buddhist sage called Bodhisatva Manjushree who came upon the giant lake during one of his travels. He decided to make it inhabitable for humans, and with a single massive stroke of his so-called ‘Sword of Wisdom’ sliced out an enormous gorge in a place called Chobar in Kirtipur, that’s some six kilometers southwest of Kathmandu. Water immediately began to gush out of the huge lake, and in due time, it was drained completely.

This gorge is one of the places that you will come across when visiting Kirtipur during your hike in and around Kathmandu Valley. Beside its fabled history, there is something else that should be of interest. There’s a suspension bridge spanning the gorge that was made in Scotland (Aberdeen) in 1903 and carried into the valley, a part at a time, since there was no road to speak of then connecting with the outside world. A herculean feat, no less! You’ll also find numerous caves in the cliffs around the gorge. Nearby is the Taudaha Lake, a natural lake that’s a wetland site for quite a few bird species.  

Kirtipur, a short distance away, is an ancient Newari town with a fascinating history. During the time when King Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723-1775) was on his mission to unify the many states of the country into a unified Nepal, he attacked Kirtipur twice, and was soundly repelled both times. The third time around, he managed to do so, but that was due to a huge stroke of good luck. The story goes that during the battle, a Kirtipur soldier had the king at his mercy, and was on the verge of chopping off the royal head. However, a rock stood in the way between the king’s head and the soldier’s khukuri, and so the king escaped certain death. Apparently, even today, people spit on that very same rock as they pass it by, and so they should, considering what happened after Kirtipur’s fall. The enraged king ordered the noses and lips of all local males to be cut off, and these cut off parts weighed 80 pounds at the end of the bloody frenzy! So, keep an eye out for this infamous rock during your hike.

About 15 km away from this historic town is a very famous temple of the valley, that is, Dakshinkali Temple. Dedicated to Goddess Kali, the rituals here are tantric in nature, with animal sacrifices conducted on Saturdays, as also during festivals like Dashain. Your hike to these places begins from the ring road and takes you across the sprawling grounds of Nepal’s premier university, Tribhuvan University, on a well-maintained road that gradually goes up. All in all, it’s a most pleasant hiking experience. Another hike you will like is the one that takes you to the villages of Bungamati and Khokana.

Bungamati is a Newari village in the traditional mold that dates back to the 16th century and is located about 10 km south of Kathmandu. Full of brick houses and flagstone-paved lanes, it is famous for two things: first, as the winter residence of Rato Matsyendranath, in whose honor a major month-long festival is held every year in Patan (Lalitpur), and second, as the village with the best woodcarvers in the valley, perhaps in the country. Speaking about the first, the sandalwood idol of Rato Matsyendranath is kept here in a temple for six months, and some weeks prior to the beginning of the festival, it is taken to Lagankhel (in Patan), where it is given a holy bath followed by certain rituals, such as repainting of its face.

After taking the one-hour drive from Kathmandu to Bungamati, you begin your explorations on foot, and start exploring the quaint village at your leisure. When doing so, you’ll observe quite a few woodcarvers busily carving objects such as wooden windows, doors, and so forth; veritable objects de’ art, you’ll agree on looking at the end results. Indeed, such are their skills that Bungamati’s woodcarvers are much sought after in many handicraft industries around the valley. From this village of Rato Matsyendranath and skilled woodcarvers, you next walk to another classical one that’s quite close by, walking through lovely scenery and in pretty good weather, especially in the October-December season.

The village you’ll be hiking to is called Khokana, and it, too, is inhabited by Newars. However, this village is famous for a completely different thing, and that is, the production of mustard oil. Well, what’s so great about mustard oil? You may well be asking. Right, but Khokana’s mustard oil is the kind that you might not get anywhere else but here, made as it is using methods that are as ancient as is the valley’s history. You’ll understand this when you come across oil-pressing mills around the village with their ancient-looking implements, and when you see how the oil is pressed. Khokana’s mustard oil is in high demand throughout the valley, and while walking around Kathmandu’s bazaars, if you see men with weathered faces shouldering heavy tin cans hanging on both sides from a bamboo staff, chances are good that they have come to sell mustard oil from Khokana.   

Well, now you know why these hikes are highly recommended when visiting Nepal. You’ll get a pretty good experience of life as it has been for centuries. A far cry from what you are used to, surely. You’ll probably be amazed at how laidback the lifestyle is in areas around Kathmandu city, despite being in such close proximity with the capital’s hustle and bustle. What’s more, you can even spend a night or two, if so inclined, at a homestay in Bungamati, where living with a local family allows you to absorb more of this blessed lifestyle.