When you hear of Nepal, you may imagine Mount Everest and the majestic Himalayan landscapes, the epic trekking trails, the super-human sherpas, the monasteries, the monks, the birthplace of Buddhism, and let's face it, the coolest flag ever! But there is one common thing we all experience and forever cherish upon leaving this land and returning to our homes: the smiles and genuine kindness of the Nepali - the people alone are enough to make your travels through Nepal worthwhile.
This is the reason why I started a series of posts entitled Faces and Places a couple of months ago. To share with you, a few glimpses into these beautiful souls.
Some of you may be asking yourself why I am compiling my previous posts into one.
Two reasons.
The initial one being that these posts were the very first ones in my Steemit journey. I am hoping they will now be seen by a larger audience and inspire more to travel to Nepal - or anywhere else you haven't been - to meet, to interact, to find the beauty in humanity.
The second yet most important reason being that for some strange reason, the original photos disappeared off random posts after 7 days - apparently my coding used to display the photos wasn't good enough. Thanks Steemit, lesson learnt!
So here we are:
On my walk to Boudhanath, one early morning, I came across Mina’s sister and her grandmother whom I’d never met. They were on their way back to the orphanage after spending some time praying at the temple nearby. Intrigued by this older lady’s smile and the way we both seemed to “study” each other, I was overcome with the desire to capture her beauty. Naturally, as I often do, I asked her if I could take a photo (my heart always skips a beat when I ask this make-or-break question). She smiled and nodded in acceptance. And although she was fighting the sun shining in her eyes, she gifted me with a shy but beautiful smile.
You can almost see the wisdom piercing through her eyes… so many lines/paths to follow, so many stories to tell.
For those of you who would like to know more about the Tikka placed on her forehead:
Tikka is a red powder used by Hindus in various practices. Most commonly people put it on one another’s foreheads as a blessing. Sometimes it is just a dry powder and sometimes it’s a wet gunk mixed with rice before being put on your head. Tikka high on the forehead in the hair parting is a sign of marriage for Hindu women. source
Every child is born a naturalist. His eyes are, by nature, open to the glories of the stars, the beauty of the flowers, and the mystery of life. - Ritu Ghatourey
Photo of a little girl in her Montessori classroom. A reserved child, who seldom spoke, but was mainly focused on exploring and discovering the world around her.
Meet Pauravi! My friend Prakash’s first daughter. She is a little beauty and is growing up faster than the speed of light. This photo was taken on her first rice feeding day, which is celebrated through a ceremony known as Pasni.
My soul honors your soul
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides.
I honor the light, love, truth, beauty and peace within you,
Because it is also within me.
In sharing these things we are united, we are the same,
We are one.
Touring around her new school, Ayesha peeked curiously into the Montessori classroom from the outdoor terrace. She seemed to be captivated by all these little busy bees independently working on various activities in their environment. By the time I had taken my camera out and pointed it towards her, she had noticed me standing on her left, lost her focus, and gazed at me with a cheeky smile.
On my bus journey back to the orphanage one day, I sat across this man looking out the window. Squeezed between four other passengers on a two-seater bench, I couldn't help but stare and envy his peacefulness. Judging by his facial expressions, he seemed to have landed the best spot on the bus - he had the window seat of course, also known as the "thinking" seat. To this day, I still wonder what his thoughts at that precise moment could have been, his expressions oscillating between light smiles and a general feeling of satisfaction.
There's something about "moving windows" that have always attracted me like a magnet. As we move forward, we get a sense of the outside world being left behind. Melancholy appears, nostalgia sets in. Motion reminds me of the impermanence of the universe. That things change, that everything is only temporary, that we are so infinitely small among this vast array of landscapes, not standing still but rather observing the outside world while contemplating our inside world.
Nepali woman wearing golden earrings
Little girl watching the rain fall.
School girl smiling after being discovered during a game of Hide and Seek
Sweet neighbor lady I often found talking with friends in the street leading back to the children's home. We laughed a lot one day when she explained to me the polite Nepali way of pointing at someone: simply extend your hand upwards, or lift your chin in a quick motion and say "Ooh"!
Learning to adapt to the culture in Nepal is a lot of fun. Nepali are unbelievably welcoming and generous people - always up for a good laugh.
Nepali woman walking in one of the many side streets of Bhaktapur, an ancient Newar city located in the east corner of the Kathmandu valley. The name Bhaktapur literally translates to "Place of devotees" and was the capital of Nepal during the great 'Malla Kingdom' until the 15th century. It is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its rich culture, temples, and wood/metal/stone artworks.
The damage done to the city during the 2015 earthquake can still be seen all around buildings in the Kathmandu valley. Despite the overwhelming $4.1bn raised to aid the reconstruction of homes, hundreds of thousands of Nepali are still homeless to this day. Only 12% of the total amount raised and donated had been distributed as of last April, 2 YEARS after the quake devastated the city.
Makes you think twice about donating money directly to charities doesn't it?
If you wish to know more about this controversial situation, here is a link to further information: Nepal earthquake disaster
Another interesting and almost eye-opening read on "Why we shouldn't reflexively send 10$ to the Red Cross": Your Red Cross donations
School girl on her recess break, making faces at the camera - a common pastime shared by children around the world :)
Nepali woman drawing water from a well in Bhaktapur
The child has a different relation to his environment from ours... the child absorbs it. The things he sees are not just remembered; they form part of his soul. He incarnates in himself all in the world about him that his eyes see and his ears hear.
Maria Montessori
Shop lady selling scarves and candles at Pashupatinath Temple.
Built in the 5th century, this temple is one of the four most important religious sites in Asia for devotees of Shiva, and stretches on both sides of the Bagmati River, considered holy by Hindus.
They say that every year, hundreds of elderly followers end up here to find shelter for the last weeks of their lives. Once death occurs, they are cremated on the banks of the river and travel their final journey through the waters of the sacred Bagmati river. Regardless of any wrongdoings which could have altered their karma, it is thought that those who die in Pashupatinath Temple are reincarnated as humans.
Open-air cremations on funeral pyres can be observed from afar by tourists and non-Hindus alike. Word of warning: this is not for the faint of heart. Death being such a taboo in many of our "western" cultures, witnessing such ceremonies can leave you feeling quite perturbed. At least, that's how I felt.
Nepali man smiling for the camera in Bhaktapur, wearing a traditional Nepali hat called the Dhaka Topi
One of my favourite things in life is getting lost in a foreign land. Learning to overcome all apprehensions of the unknown, discovering, taming, finding a way, adapting, slowly connecting the dots to create a bigger picture and finding comfort within my new "home".
Nepal is one of those lands - my travels there have been filled with unpredictable beauty, warmth, compassion and connection.
Your face carries all your memories. It is the testimony of a life well spent.
If wrinkles must be written upon our brows, let them not be written upon the heart. The spirit should never grow old. - James A. Garfield
For those of you who enjoyed following me through this Faces and Places - NEPAL series, here is a collage of a few more Nepali faces who didn't quite make the cut this time around:
Please don't hesitate to leave comments, share ideas, upvote/resteem. I have lived/worked in multiple Asian countries for over 13 years and enjoy meeting other expats and locals, as well as travel enthusiasts.
To check out some of my previous posts, click on the links below:
Gateways to the World | DOORS contest |
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Impressions of HONG KONG 6 | Autumn in Burgundy |
“Learning is not a race for information, it is a walk of discovery” - Jane Healy
