Bhotechour- Jarshing Pauwa

This place look so beautiful, like heaven yes this place is from Sakhu- Bhotechaur-Jarsing Pauwa. 

Driving 21 km from Sakhu we reach Tea Garden which is also known as Sano Ilam. This place is famous for picnic as well as mountain and tea garden. At top there isn't many much houses and life's but cafe and shop are available in few number. 

We can see a natural beauty which gives a relaxation and remove the stress. Mostly fog and light rain which is one of the best part which won't let your eyes to go out. 

 

Well this place need some protection as people throw all the plastic, paper and bottle anywhere, which hamper the people who visit here and travel to gain or absorb the natural beauty. 

swyambhunath temple

The Swaymbhunath stupa is located in the heart of the Kathmandu valley situated at the top of a hill, west of the city. The stupa is also known as monkey temple because monkeys are seen all over the premises and surroundings. The stupa is said to be self-originated which can be understood by the origination of sublime-trees found on the hill with many varieties. It was found back dating to Licchavi period which is collaborated among different sacred sites followed by Newari Buddhist relying upon mythological history joining with day - to - day religious practice whereas Tibetans and followers of Tibetan Buddhism has kept first priority here. The surrounding around the shrine consists of many souvenir and art shops , restaurants and hostels for the nuns and Lamas who stay there and perform prayers and recite the Tripitak, the holy book of Buddhists.

There are 365 stairways which directly leads to the platform of stupa starting from easy foot bringing up to the golden hill of shrine. The location which is called Swayambunath actually comes from the plantation of lotus plant which miraculously blossomed into shining and brightening developed/planted by previous Buddha where many saints being visited and for its self-existence. Its history also keeps a miraculous record of plant being radiated with shining lights glooming around the valley blooming the surrounding around the valley. The stupa also has many prayer wheels around which are spinned by reciting om mane padme hun.

The stupa is a massive white dome with 13 stage spires on its top. The stage below the spire has the art representing eyes of Buddha on all four sides ;seeing from all perspectives.  The two eyes signify empathy and knowledge. Whereas, there is no nose between the eyes but instead represents the number one in the Nepali alphabet, signifying that the single way of getting enlightenment is one and only through observing self and knowing reality of existence. Above each pair of eyes in different sides there is another eye situated between two eyes also known as third eye, signifying the wisdom of looking within. There are no ears shown because it is said that Buddha is not interested in hearing prayers with motive of praising an enlightened because it's present on every living beings.

Women Winnowing.

A wall painting, I come across this beautiful wall art at lagankhel...this amazing wall art where a woman is winnowing rice by nanglo. Winnowing is a tradition that is still practiced in both rural as well as urban areas of Nepal. Nepal is considered as an agricultural country, many types of grains are grown in large fields across the country.  Winnowing newly harvested rice is an important task. So, at a large extent winnowing is practiced by farmers to separate the grains from chaffs and supply edible crops to the market as well as for personal uses. She is seprating rice grains from the chaffs which we can see on art. Almost every household still winnow rice, lentils and other crops by the help of an equipment usually made by bamboo and it's called Nanglo in then Nepali language.

Rice, wheat, millet, barley and other crops are major food of many people in Nepal. The cultivation of rice is mainly dependent to rainfall which is the main determining factor. However, rice is cultivated in 1.5 million hectares of arable land in Nepal where rice is the main crops and contributed only around 50%(percent) in total crops production.

Though, with technology the method of seprating grains from chaffs have also became mechanised yet farmers and household prefer winnowing by their hands and winnowing is an almost everyday household activity in nepali families. Further more, it is also an interesting sight to see a farmer winnowing, the chaffs falling down and the grains being filtered in an easy traditional method. 

The government of Nepal has come so far that in 56 varieties of rice the most delicious and highly sold is Sabitri and Hardinath. 

The art which shows the traditional way of winnowing by a woman from a cultural group of the Tarai plains. The main purpose of Tarai region is cultivation because of better climate and soil then Himalayan. 

Sundarijal

Sundarijal is a village development committee in Kathmandu District which lies on Bagmati zone of central Nepal. It is located 15 km northeast of Nepal's capital- Kathmandu. It's VDC has touches Sindhupalchok and Nuwakot district. The Bagmati river of flows through the village and converges with Nagmati and Shyalmati river.

Most of the part of Sundarijal is hilly in terrain with flat lands and lots of the land are fall under Shivapuri National Park. This place is names after Hindu goddess ( Sundari Mai). The main cultural at Sundarijal are Sundarimai Mandir, Krishna Mandir, and Ganesh Mandir. The festival 'Dashahara is celebrated here in July by the water close to the temples 

The most tourist attraction place with large industry in Sundarijal. This place is very famous for Canyoning. Lots of the trekking route lies in Sundarijal and among them Sundarijal to Chesapani is mostly famous one that covers almost 22Km distance.

The another tourist attraction is Nepal Scout Teaining Center which is situated here at Sundarijal.

It is also best place for picnic. We can see lots of the family enjoying their picnic, not only family but from school too. With many waterfall people travel to see its beauty. 

Baglamukhi temple, Patan(lalitpur)

             Baglamukhi temple

Baglamukhi temple is one of the important temple for Hindu which is dedicated to goddess Baglamukhi -a Durga. It is located at Patan (lalitpur) in mid-western development region. Inside this temple there are other several temple of different god like temple of lord Shiva, lord Vishnu, lord Ganesh and lord krishna. Baglamukhi temple is also known to be the oldest temple.

History 

A demon named Bagala who used to tortured and threatened the people lives by that that people worshipped and prayed to Baglukhi god who was pleased by their prayed, came towards them to rescue and punish that demon. After that people built the temple as a tribute to the goddess and start calling it Bagala. The name later changed as Baglamukhi. 

Performing puja

This temple is also believed to be rules by Jupiter planet so while performing puja always need to burn three Agarbati or ghee pala bati which we can find outdoor and in of Baglamukhi temple with yellow or purple cloth. 

The temple is special and considered on Thursday for the best day to worship.  With the popularity this temple in Patan is so important and huge number of devotees visit every Thursday for the good and success lives and better in professional lives.

Every year most of the devotees come different country are attract, while Dashin festival receives a huge number of people the temple pray and offer animal sacrifices. 

Taruka-nuwakot,Nepal

Bull fighting  in Nepal. Bull fighting  in Nuwakot (Taruka) , Nepal every year at the day of Maghe Sankranti, the first day of Maghe Sankranti. The area for fighting observed for the past two centuries. It is believed that in Nepal bull fighting was introduced in Taruka by Jaya Prithvi Bahadur Singh who was a monarch of the ancient Bajang Kingdom. It was organised by Singh to entertain his niece when the festival was about to start. 

Many bulls of their home trained for this day. Each bulls are trained for fighting. With many song and dance the occasion is celebrated. 

Taruka is also known as second Spain. As famous as Spain's bull fight, Nepal Taruka is also one of it. 

This is the only place where bull fight held with many large number of bulls. With different race people live here whose tradition is different to other also happily celebrate and bring their bulls to fight. 

It is 76 km north from Kathmandu valley.

Fun park, kathmandu

Fun park, with lots of entertainment like Ferris wheel, boat ride, giant wheel, Columbus, horse riding, park train and so on. Mostly small children with their parents used to play. And there is all kind of play for small kids and the elder one. This place is inside the Kathmandu and known as fun park or bhirkuti mandap. It is one of the attraction at Kathmandu valley for the people who need refreshment. 

Many games like shooting and throwing the ring on a object are also one of the attraction to those people who visit there. This games have several prize as the target.

Horror house is one the most scary part where lots of ghosts are inside the dark house which comes towards us while walking. 

Park train is one of the fun of travelling on train and can see every scenery of Fun Park

Horse ride, riding on it and looking views of all the place slowly is also one of the entertainment of it.. 

Boating well there isn't any boating facility at Kathmandu valley except Zoo .. But this is also one of its part which is counted on entertainment ... 

Rose flower

Flowers, well, if we see then there are so many flowers with various colours,textures, sizes,fragnances which we can find in and out of our homes. Flowers are used inside home,office to make more attractive as flowers are the plants which attract human beings. They are not only used for decoration but also used for perfume.

Flower, rose is one of the beautiful flower which comes from Latin word 'Rosa'. Rose is a flower that is considered all over the world as the symbol of love. Different colour with different meaning. There are more then 100 species of roses are found on earth. Rose can be bigger or small it depends on it's species. Rose thorns are prickles and grow out of the epidermis. 

Rose was found at Europe for the first time but later it was grown in many parts of the country. Well I haven't seen any cultivation of rose in Nepal well in one nurseries hardly there will be 20 roses plant with same species. In Nepal people hardly plant rose flower as they are focused just for gifts. So less number of roses are only available in Nepal. 

As the oldest fossils of Rose have been found in Colorado by the research which is more than 35 million years ago.

Well if we talk about Netherlands it is the only country which cultivate with high percent of rose. 

Bee on flower

Honey bee simply known for the flying insect that produce honey and use for pollinating crops. It is one of the oldest sweets known to man which have lots of health benefits as human life started from jungle and there wasn't any other sweets then honey. It is a small creature but taking out the honey from its nests can also take a life. Now a days beekeeping is increasing. As in history Nepal began 20 years ago and its increasing with different ways of keeping it. Bee are also important for agriculture in nepal  as Nepal is one of the agricultural country. Well it's about honey but here I have a beautiful picture that shows how bee sit inside the flower.

  

This was near to my home. Lots of different flower attract bees to come towards them. 

A poor but happy family ( a bicycle repairing guy)

He is a guy who fix or repair the bicycle. He is uneducated but for future he works so hard to send his daughter to school. He was repairing my bicycle and I asked him can you manage all the things. Smilingly he said yes, one small daughter and wife so don't have to invest much money for school so he has saved some. He is poor but happy. His face looks so innocent and if we go and see inside his heart then we can see how much pain he have. His living style is different and the food they eat are really cheap. Their festival are holi, chadh on that they have to travel and go to their own home where all the family members are gathered, even he can't I ask him but he said he celebrate it with his wife and daughter because of low income. His hands got so many cuts and Swollen and looks too ugly but he can't do anythings his hand have to work if they have to live. 

In a day more then 50 bicycle he repairs some by fixing break and some puncture. His per day income is 400-500. His house is the same repairing shop. It is small for 3 people but they adjust and also keep four to five bicycle inside. His wife is a household who just look for her child. This people are of terai region. And if we talk about terai region most of the people use old fashion bicycle. But terai is cheap in most of the things and also repairing bicycle so his  income is low in budget. 

This is a guy whom I'm taking about.  He is fixing the puncture. 

His wife and daughter are so good. Loving mom and cute daughter. Money isn't everything but a family which don't have any problem on spending whole life together. Poor people only can show how happy they are being normal instead rich one.

Mt Dhaulagiri I

Mt Dhaulagiri I has the peak elevation of  8,167 m making it 3rd tallest mountain in the world. Beautiful view and amazing scenario makes it life long adventure to remember. If you are among the thrill seekers and looking for something to do this vacation, pack your bag and head here. It is 286 feet taller than all average for all highest mountains in Asia. It was first ascended in 1960 and the expedition takes 40 days to complete. Among all only 18% climbers have died in the past which makes it world 4th most dangerous peak.

Mt Kanchenjunga

Mt Kanchenjunga is 2nd tallest mountain in the world. It has a height of 8586 m. With breath taking view of surrounding it is an amazing experience to climb it. It is also considered 2nd most dangerous mountain to climb with about 22% death rate of the climbers. It is 6.3% taller than any mountains in the Asia continent. If you thinking about visiting Nepal and climb this mountain, you need to know the expedition will take about 65 days to complete.

Contact

My name is Manish Khatiwada.
You can meet me on Facebook.
My phone number is +977 9803101068.

ButterFly

A butterfly

Many research and studies about the butterflies said that Nepal is tobe one of the best in the world for butterflies with over  600 species and 20 of which are on the endangered list. There are diffrent types of butterflies in different environment like hot and cold, dry and moist. Most butterfly species however are found in tropical ares, especially tropical rainforests, some found at sea level and high in the mountains too. Many of them, who visit to Nepal, many all of them don't know that Nepal is home to a massive variety of delicate and colorful butterfly species. 

Butterfly habitat shifts can also be early-warning signs of climate change. They lay eggs on the their food i.e. young leaves. 

Well the butterfly comes out of its cocoon and chrysalis when certain flowers are in bloom and upsetting this balance could not only affect the feeding of the caterpillars, but the pollination of the flowers. This beautiful colourful creature in Nepal has 651 species and which is 3.72% of the world’s butterflies. I love to take this beautiful pictures of butterfly on my camera which gives colour on my camera too

Pashupatinath temple. Nepal

  

                                                      Pashupatinath temple

The temple of Pashupatinath is one of the most sacred Hindu temples of Nepal and also considered the holiest place. It is located on the bank of the sacred Bagmati river which originates from Bagdwar in the Shivapuri National park (18 km north of Kathmandu valley). Pashupatinath is one among the eight world cultural heritage sites in Kathmandu valley as listed by the UNESCO. It is a temple dedicated to lord Shiva (the most powerful god among the trinity i.e. lord Brahma, Lord Bishnu and Lord Shiva) 

More then thousands of Hindu devotees from within and outside of the country come to pay homage at Pashupati yearly. Especially during Mondays  (which is the day dedicated in worship to lord shiva particularly) one can see a long queue of devotees in and around the premises of Pashupatinath.

The Bagmati river, which runs next to the Pashupatinath temple also has highly sacred properties. The water from the river is considered to be holy and thus the banks of Bagmati are lined with many Ghats where people bath and cremation of dead bodies are also performed by the Hindus here. 

                     Arya Ghat

Arya Ghat dating from the early 1900s, is of special importance because it is the only place where lustral water for Pashupatinath temple can be obtained and it is where members of the Royal family are cremated. The main cremation site is Bhasmeshar Ghat, which is the most used cremation site in the Kathmandu valley. The preferred bathing spot for women is the Gauri Ghats which lies in northern part.

      Monkey at Pashupatinath Temple

Since lord Shiva is considered the patron of animals and living organisms, monkeys wander all around the temple complex. There is a small forest named 'Mirgasthali' meaning place for deers, where many deers are also seen.

                         Sadhu 

It is also common to meet sadhus in Pashupatinath. Sadhus are wandering ascetic yogis, who are trying to acquire liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth by meditation. Sadhus are also worshipped and considered sacred people. They have very unique appearance with specific yellow painting on their bodies.

Poor kids playing..

 

A little girl on sack and a little boy pulling it.

There is indeed a great joyous feeling in being a child. Though we long to grow up as fast as possible to experience the adult life during childhood, once we become adults we start missing our childhood. We start missing the joys and pleasure of being a child, the carefree days, the plays and mischiefs, the love and the care from all, the innocence, all in all we start missing the child within us. 

However, every child's childhood is not fortunate or fulfilling. There is a wide gap between children made by the poverty and other social conditions . While the rich kids play with their extra ordinary mechanical toys there are also children whose parents cannot afford such luxuries for them. Some children have a hard time even to get educated properly due to family and financial problems. In an era of technological advancements where kids are becoming acquainted with latest modern ways of life, there are still a remarkable never of children in our country who are so very innocent and backward in every simple matters and advancements as Nepal is still one of the under developed nation among the South Asian countries.  According to statistics only 84% of Nepalese children attend schools and that too facing many hindrances. Many females are deprived of education because of the rural societies' concept that females are meant for household works only and also due to early marriage practice prevalent in many rural parts of Nepal. Poverty is another reason which deprives many children of their basic rights of education and health and many children are forced to drop out schools and engage in domestic works to support the family at an early age. They do not even have the facilities what should have been theirs by right. 

Nevertheless, in-spite  of the backwardness or even the incapability of affording those advancing pleasures, a child after all is a child- finding joys in small things in life, not wanting much from from life except happiness from whatever they do. And when I come across children enjoying their wonderful days, rejoicing in the small pleasures such as playing and quarrelling or going to schools with their lunch boxes  and living their their lives to the fullest, I miss my childhood days too. I miss the child within me and myself long to go back to those wonderful days. Then I realise  what lacks in the lives of an adult , I miss the joys of childhood.

This is the kids of poor family whose parents hardly can afford money for education. 

Bhai tika tihar celebration.

Tihar is a five days festival celebration on our life and also the bond between brothers and sisters. This is one of the great festival on which we can we everywhere light. It is also known as Dipawali or Laxmi puja or Bhai tika or as a festival of light. It's a five day festival which comes soon after Dashin. Tihar is all about worshiping of different animals such as cow,dog,crow and worshipping of Hindu goddess of fortune or wealth,goddess Laxmi.

Tihar start with crow puja the 1st day of tihar, early in the morning of this day family prepares a good meal and each member of the family takes the first portion of the meal outside on the platter. The large number of crow or few will come down and partake of the feast 

2nd day of tihar dog puja, this the the dogs are adorned with flower garland around their necks, red tika on their forehead, and are offered great meal and pray to protect or guard our home.

3rd day of tihar cow puja, this day we worship the mother of the universe (cow). According to Hinduism, the human infant is fed breast milk by its own human mother for under three years. As in Nepal we treat her like mother and we respect her as she give milk to us a child of her. Well the cow puja is performed by giving a tika to a cow on her forehead, and a flower garland on the neck and also put oil on her forehead, and offers good meals like roti,banana etc.

The same day we worship Laxmi at whole Nepal Kingdom we decorate our houses with different light and oil lamps. In this day the entire nation becomes an illumination of lights. Statue or pictures of Laxmi Devi are places and worshiped in a  puja room. Laxmi puja is done mostly by female in the family. She used red mud to make a symbolic foot-print on the floor entering the home and make a trail leading to puja room.

Laxmi also stand for property, business, money. So this day not only a house but they also do puja of their some amount of money. 

On the same day (bhailini) which is played by girls by a special song known as bhailo or bhailini that's played only on this day in the entire year. A group of girls get together and sing a song door to door and bless the house and family by collecting some home made dish and money.

4th day of tihar myself ( mahapuja) and also deusi song. This day male play and sing deusi or deusire and also different song and dance. The male group with different instrument play music door to door and bless the house by collection different homemade dish and money. It continues till late night visiting many houses. 

The 4th day is also about worshipping yourself. This puja or worshipping is known as Mahapuja. Well this is the first day of the special annual calendar of an ethnic group known as Newar residing in Nepal. It is also popular for Govardhan puja or Goru Tihar (oxen worshiping). Oxen are worshiped because we use them on field so for better crops to grow we worshiped oxen.

The 5th day of tihar bhai tika and final day. Sister put tika (7 coloured) on brothers forehead mala (a necklace of flowers) and bless him for long life. First doing puja of Kalas.

Puja involves following a traditional ritual in which sisters circle brothers three times dripping oil on the floor from a copper pitcher.

She put oil on each brothers and and give tika 

A man and Pani Gattha(water mills)

Water mill has been used in Nepal for centuries for food processing that grind cereal. 

Watermill is also known as pani ghatta has been used in Nepal for centuries for food processing that grind cereal, paddy and other many thing .These mills are run by the hydro power and can be used longer period in dry season and is of wooden blade. It is located at the bank of streams and river of the mid hills. It also created an opportunity to generate electricity for rural, however this depends upon the flow of water as Nepal is still developing so it is also one of the source to provide electricity. Water mills have been part of life in the centuries which is simple and easy and don't effect environment like engine machine which needs deseal. This is a use of nature in limit which wouldn't need any other things like deseal or other liquid. 

  The river flows and meet another... So slowly it reaches the place where water mills is... Then it start working 

A women smoking Hukka

An old woman with traditional Hukka is just as people smoke cigarette or bidi nowadays, people used to smoke using hukka in earlier days and now it's like one of the entertainment like alcohol,simply young people use it and there are many flavour available. It is still common in some villages especially among old people and they don't use modern hukka but traditional and old one and only one flavour i.e. Tobacco. Well I found her at village of Changu, smoking hukka..