Nepal - Home of the Gods

This is a short summary of my Nepal trip in Summer 2006.

Nepal is an amazing country, rich in beautiful landscapes mystic culture and friendly people - you just have to fall in love with this place!

I went to Nepal from Varanasi by train to Gorakhpur and went on by bus to the bordertown of Sunauli, where you have to walk over the border. After that I jumped on the next possibiity to Kathmandu. All in all this was a 23h ride - but with a magnificent countryside and the typical all-inclusive travel-happenings like running out of gas in the middle of nowhere or my seat that broke down on the bumpy ride. Besides that, I saw two new accidents and three old wrecks along the way since reckless driving is a sport and a question of honour overe here - so this road can also lead straight into Nirwana.....

The Kathmandu Valley itself is already amazing and full of highlights, like the three king-cities of Patan, Bhaktapur and Kathmandu. From all the beautiful Durbar Squares - the cultural heart of a city full of temples, shrines and other monuments - the one of Patan fascinates me most. You can just sit there and watch this vivid place for hours.

But there is much much more to see and to do. Just a few examples:

The dizzling holy Hindu pilgrimage place of Pashupatinath, situated on the bank of the Bagmati River, the place for cremations along the Ghats. Just like in Varanasi the ashes will be put into the Bagmati, which finally leads into the Ganges. Dont miss the Sadhus, the holy men according to Hindu belief.

Or visit the Bodnath Stupa - the biggest buddhist stupa in the world. Situated in the heart of Bodnath quarter, it is embraced by monasteries and gompas. You can feel a very relaxed atmosphere, with a constant mass of buddhist pilgrims and monks circling the stupa.
It is a nice place to relax for a couple of hours from Kathmandu´s hectic. The best place for that is one of the rooftop cafes.........

Or climb up the steep stairs to the Swayambhunath Stupa, which is suposed to be the oldest stupa of Nepal and welcomes pilgrims of Hindu belief as well as of Bhuddist belief. Situated on a hill on the outskirts of Kathmandu, gives the best opportunity to enjoy the panorama over the complete city. So it is certainly worth to clim the steep and exhausting long steps all the way up - dont miss it!

Still not enough?
So what about a meet&greet with a living god? Well, she has no business hours, but you might get lucky seeing her at the window of her house. Yes, she has an address in Kathmandu - right at the Durbar Square ;-)
She is a sweet little girl - but she never smiles. And every movement of her has a deep meaning. She is a living godess embodying the Taleju godess!

Those girls get choosen by a lengthy process with some shocking moments - and the one that fits to all the requirements and does not get shocked or does not start to cry when seeing blood and skulls of goats gets chosen. From that time on they live in the house of the Kumari at the Durbar Square. But they are not allowed to smile, laugh or showing any emotions and have to stay inside of the house most of the time. She is said to leave the house only about ten times a year and this is mostly the case for religious celebrations and blessing the king. Not the easiest life for a child.
People come to her to ask for blessings and other help.

This lifestyle suddenly changes, when she turns "impure" - which means she starts to bleed froma wound or the menstruation starts..........and she has to leave her protected home and gets pushed into the common life, which she never got to know. And a new Kumari will be chosen..........

I havent seen her in person, but she is supposed to show up at on the window, now and than. If you are lucky to see her DONT take pictures - this is strictly forbidden. You dont want to mess with the gods, do you?

For another question: IS IT SAFE? SHOULD YOU GO THERE AT ALL?

Nepal - a country so rich in culture and nature, suffered for a decade from the fight between Maoist rebels and the king, who turned more and more into a totalitarian dictatorship. Since the latest clashes the king was forced to give up all his power and talks started between the democratic parties and the Maoists to find a unifying solution to give this country a new start into a better future. But that still doesnt mean there are no Maoist posts on treks or on the way to Tibet - I was stopped on this route, but because of the ongoing talks they just asked for a "goodwill"-donation without force. Rumours also said in August 2006 that there are no Maoist-fees on trekking routes anymore - but that can be history by now, again.

There is still a long way to go, but tourism is one aspect that can boost the economy of this country to do a step into the right direction.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Nepal
• Kathmandu
• Bhaktapur
• Patan
• Lalitpur
• Bodnath
• Nepali
• Swayambunath
• Pashupatinath
• sadhu
• Krishna
• productions

[gan9op]

nepal is so beautiful..........

i love my motherland

[gekorio]

thanks

[katuwal1984]

good very good job thank u so much keep doing ok thanx

[mikilavush]

Since Adam`s sin did defile the whole creation, God did put Satan`s spirit into the whole creation. Satan is omnipresent in the creation, while God is omnipresent in both the creation and throughout the endlessness, and everyone within himself can spiritually experience both God and Satan. After Christ, God spiritually reveals himself and his Son Jesus within everyone wherever the Gospel is known and usually before the age of 30. To confess that, is my christian duty.

[khatranak]

lol, all they want is money!

[nepalihercules]

not other's the f@g bahun ministers

[suballica]

fucking rascist!!!

[khaltoguys1]

It isn't the newari culture but rather the hindu culture that has been displayed...the other ethnicities in nepal were too poor at the time to create such monuments..however the newars cannot be accredited for all that has been done. I mean you find the most beautiful places in the places least imaginable..take muktinath for an example..although there's not as much..but its mainly the natural beauty that nepal is primarily all about..without it we'd not have much identity..

[daku909]

but must say that without Mr prithivi narayan(now) lol ... nepal would have been lost to china or indian 4 sure... we would have been chinese or indian 4 sure...big time.

[daku909]

just look at them.. when nepals culture has to be represented its newari culture and art... and us other races of nepal has not contributed to nepals diplomatic needs rather creating wars, bad politics and pollution should have left kathmandhu as it was... although traditional it was a gr8, historic and unique place to be in.

[khatranak]

How is other races destroying Nepal?

[Nikeshrai]

i miss my country... i want to go again and tour places outside ktm... it really is awesome....