From Rajasthan, India, we took a series of buses, trains, and taxis to our next destination--Kathmandu. India and Nepal share a few overland border crossings and you probably know by now that we don't like to fly. It took about 3 days to make the journey across the Gangetic plain. We watched the landscape change before our eyes. The dry desert of Rajasthan became the flat fertile plains of Northern India, then Nepal's southern jungle region of the Terai. Finally we wound our way up the steep Himalayan foothills to the Kathmandu Valley. The road we were on is one of the busiest "highways" in Nepal, yet it was still only two narrow lanes. We entered the valley at night, and could see all the traffic coming in and out as a beautiful chain of lights suspended in mid-air. Kathmandu has undergone dramatic changes in the last 10 years-- the most visible ones are more construction, pollution, and overpopulation. Now that the Maoists have declared a cease fire after a 10 year civil war, it is fairly safe for people to move throughout the country thus Kathmandu's population is once again on the rise. We came to Kathmandu to understand its 2000 year old history, to meet up with Max's friend Cody, and for Kara to reunite with her Nepali family who she lived with 8 years before.
Durbar Square, Kathmandu. Durbar literally means palace and there are many Durbars throughout the Kathmandu Valley. This Durbar Square is the center of the old city and was the seat of Nepali monarchy for many years. The square includes many ancient temples built in the Newari style as well as Victorian era government buildings. The Newar people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Nepal and known for their intricate wood carvings that adorn their temples and homes.
Durbar Square is the center of culture, tourism, and transportation. Though its officially declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, business goes about as usual, with taxis and trucks competing with porters and tourists for space on the ancient flagstones. These shopfronts form the outer wall of the inner ancient palace.
Durbar's tallest temple. We often would sit here and drink Nepali tea, chia, as we watched the human comedy unfold below us. Tons of tourists and Nepalis sit here daily, doing the same exact thing. Tourism is one of Nepal's biggest industries and it is no surprise that Durbar Square is also filled with touts trying to sell you anything and everything. From fake turquoise Tibetan necklaces to trekking guides, you can find almost anything you want--or don't want here. It was pleasant to find that Nepali touts are a lot less aggressive than most nationalities.
Until the King was dethroned a couple years ago during the Maoist revolution, the country was the last Hindu Kingdom in the world. Hindus still make up the majority of the population, but Buddhists form a large minority. Nepal is home to many Tibetan Buddhists as well as other ethnic groups that practice the religion. In Nepal, Buddhism and Hinduism co-exist naturally and peacefully. Many Buddhist stupas and temples include a Hindu temple within their sacred geography and vice-versa. Seen above is a Buddhist stupa adorned with Nepal's notorious Buddha eyes.
Street food. Here Kara samples some super delicious peanut/walnut/lentil mixture, topped with chopped onion, lemon, and chili. Most packaging for these delicacies is made from recycled newspaper expertly wrapped into a cone. If you don't want to eat with your hands, you are given a "spoon" made out of cigarette carton flaps or some other piece of cardboard. This young seller's stand will disassemble into two pieces: the base which he will carry under his arm, and the tray which he will balance on top of his head. Nepal is unique in that men as well as women carry objects on their heads.
The first day in Kathmandu, Kara called her Nepali host family, the Dhungels. She hadn't seen them since 2001, when she lived with them during her studies in Nepal. When she called, they immediately asked, "Are you coming for Daal-Baat?" (Daal-Baat is Nepal's national cuisine and is eaten by most Nepalis twice a day. It consists of a heaping portion of rice, lentil soup, a side of fried vegetables, and a tasting of pickled vegetables.) They are a wonderful family and it was so nice to be re-welcomed into their lives. Even though so much time had gone by, it felt as if Kara had never left. Pictured above is part of the family in their lovely Kathmandu home. Kara spent the night a couple of times there and caught up with them as Max and his friend Cody explored the valley alone to have some man time. Mamu's food was always so delicious and our conversations were warm and filled with laughter. Thank You, Dhungels for everything. We hope to see them again very soon.
Kumari Devi Ghar, literally house of the Kumari Devi. She is a pre-pubescent girl who is the living incarnation of the Goddess Kumari, worshiped by Buddhists and Hindus alike. Since the reign of the Goddess lasts only until her first menstruation, the process of selecting the next Kumari Devi happens fairly frequently. The process is very elaborate. The Kumari Devi must have all required 32 physical attributes of perfection, including the correct eye color, teeth shape, and vocal tone. She also must go through a series of tests. The most notorious involves a session where the potential Devi is placed into a dark room with decapitated buffalo heads, demon-like dancers, and ghoulish voices chanting at her. She must stay calm and collected to prove she is the courageous Goddess. We were honored and excited to see her in person. Tourists and Nepalis alike can go to her house, located in Kathmandu's Durbar Square during allocated times in the day. Sometimes, if you are lucky, the Living Goddess will come out to be seen in a Hindu process that is called darshan, or the "viewing of the God." There is some controversy surrounding the Devi's life as many view her as an innocent girl whose childhood is taken away from her. While living in the Kumari Ghar, the Goddess is not allowed to play with friends and is fairly isolated from her family. She lives with Brahmin Priests who monitor her moves. After her term as the Kumari Devi, many of them find it hard to live a normal life.
Kathmandu is an awesome place to shop if you have the patience. Here is one of its major beaded necklace markets. Every married woman owns/wears at least one, even if it remains hidden under their clothing. They come in a dazzling range in color and in size. Kara learned that most of the beads in this market are imported from the Czech Republic...bizarre!
Kathmandu's crowded and narrow streets are a nightmare for a driver of any vehicle, including one's own feet. Auto-rickshaws were banned a couple years ago as part of an on-going clean up effort of Kathmandu's ever graying skies. The city is completely ringed by mountains--the pollution made by the valley's increasingly motorized population has no place to escape. Many residents have taken to wearing face masks even for walking around the city. We wore them for several days ourselves.
Traditional Nepali clothing sets are showcased outside of this shop. Max picked one up for his little niece Violetta.
Hindu women walk by a statue of Laxmi, the Goddess of Wealth. If you keep your eyes open, you will see devotional sites like this throughout the entire city. People make offerings and bless themselves several times a day, sometimes not even dismounting their motorcycles to do it. Religion is as much a part of life as washing the dishes or buying fuel in this country.
After a week of exploring Nepal's cultural and political capital, we headed Southwest for Pokhara, its tourism and adventure sport mecca. From here we would begin the last adventure of our trip: trekking through the Nepali Himalaya.
Catch up with us in the mountains next time,
Kara and Max
No comments:
Post a Comment