We will Linga longer next time!

Bhaktapur

Boudhanath

Vishnu at Budhanilkantha

Newa Chen - the house of Newars

This is a great place to stay and you wouldn't believe the price!

In the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal, nature blends well with tradition. No wonder Kathmandu valley has been declared as a world heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific And Cultural Organization. Newari culture, temples and traditional houses in the Kathmandu Valley tell stories of richness, ingenuity and creativity of people.

Traditional beliefs, life style and rituals of people are deeply associated with values, love of God, respect and humbleness . Small entry doors that require the visitor to bow when entering a Newari home signifies a symbolic offering of respect to the place where they dwell. Newari houses were built with great care, imagination and creativity to make one feel the warmth around its coziness and richness of art. A Newari house is characterized by the use of natural materials, the intricate wood carving and brickwork, low ceilings and welcoming atmosphere. Newa Chén has remained true to these values.

The UNESCO, the Patan Tourism Development Organization and lovers of heritage determined that few remaining Newari houses in the valley must survive. Thus Newa Chén, a private ancestral home belonging to Hyaamo family, was renovated under a UNESCO project and had its inauguration on the 21st of June 2006. Newa Chén already got lot of love, admiration and kinship from people and the press.

Everest - the flight of a lifetime

Patan Durbar

The monkey temple

Khokana, Bugmati, Kirtipur and Chovar

Wow Annapurna Himalyi

Himalayas - first sighting

Wedding at Banepa

The bride (centre) in traditional Nawari wedding dress in Banepa, 26 km east of Kathmandu, at the Chandeshwori Temple.

"Can you imagine what it would be like if your parents picked out the man you would marry? That's the custom for many where I live. I belong to the Newar culture and live in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. In case you never heard of Nepal, it's a small country that lies between India and China.

When Newar children are very young, their parents meet with an astrologer (someone who studies the stars) to determine the best match. After the decision is made, the boy's family gives betel nuts and fruits to the girl's family. Then, after the boy and girl grow up, they get married.

Tomorrow is my wedding day, and I will wear a beautiful dress. Weddings in Nepal last several days and involve lots of food. For example, there is a party at my house tonight, but the groom will not attend. Later, I will be carried (by my uncle and others) on a hammock to another house. Tomorrow, the wedding will take place at the groom's house. At the end of the party, my new husband and I will eat from the same plate.

I hope that we will be as happy as my parents have been all of these years."

Changu Narayan Temple

Changu Narayan Temple, the oldest temple in Kathmandu valley came in existence in 4th century. The temple is adorned by some of the best specimen of stone, wood, and metal craft in the valley. The temple stands as the epitome of culture, religion, history and faith of the Kathmandu valley.

There are a number of legendary places in the temple:

Garuda Idol

Inside the Changunarayan temple is a esteemed figure of Garuda. The statue is offered sweets by the devotees every year on Nag Panchami. This is done in remembrance of the epic struggle with the great snake Taksaka. The drops of moisture, believed to be effective against diseases such as leprosy and ulcers, are collected by the priests.

King Bhupendra Malla Statues

Statues of King Bhupalendra Malla of Kathmandu and his mother can also be seen in a shrine. Bloody fighting characterised their politics during the 17th century but both were generous when it came to revering the gods.

Vishnu Sculpture

To the north of the temple is a sculpture of Lord Vishnu seated on Garuda (Garudasana Vishnu). This image appears on the Nepalese 10 rupee note. Vishnu sculpture dates back to 9th century.

Vishwaroop

Vishwaroop sculpture, dating back to 8th century A.D., presents Lord Vishnu in his universal form.

Vishnu Vikrant

The stone idol, harking back to the 8th century A.D, is of the most powerful form of Lord Vishnu. It is related to the Hindu legend of Vaman, an incarnation of Vishnu, who measured space with feet.Vishnu Riding Garuda This figure of Vishnu mounting Garuda, the mythical bird, dates back to the 10th century A.D.Narsimhha VishnuThis form of Lord Vishnu, the Narsimha, is in half human and half lion form.

Dwarika's - the place is a gem

In 1952, the late Dwarika Das Shrestha was out jogging when he came upon some carpenters sawing off the carved portion of an intricately engraved wooden pillar. It had been part of an old building which had been torn down to make room for a modern structure. Amidst the rubble, lay the bits and pieces of exquisitely carved woodwork several centuries old, ready to be carted off as firewood as the carpenters were merely trying to salvage reusable wood.

As he stood amidst the ruins, Dwarika Das Shrestha experienced all the anguish that a sensitive soul feels when witnessing the destruction of the sublime and the beautiful by wanton and crass commercialism of modern times. He was confronted with the visible signs of destruction of an ancient culture which still lived in him as part of his heritage. Kathmandu's Newari art and traditions have a rich legacy of exquisite wood carvings, distinctive temples, sculpture, bronze works, terra-cotta work and the unique lifestyle of its people itself. Seeing the beautiful carvings destroyed, he could not control himself. Out of sheer impulse, he gave the carpenters the new lumber that they required and took the old ruined carved pillar.

This impulse, born from the inner anguish of his spirit, became progressively a hobby, a passion and a lifetime work. As soon as he heard that an ancient building was going to be torn down to make way for a modern structure, he would rush to the spot and buy as much of the ancient wood carvings as he could before they were sold as firewood or lost in other ways for ever. If he was able to buy only a part of an artistic work because other pieces had been lost or he did not have enough money, he would still do so and try to recover the missing parts later. Often he would discover their historic significance in the process. In one instance, he was able to trace and acquire a missing piece after twenty-five years.

As his collection grew, Dwarika Das Shrestha was faced with the problem of storing these bulky works of art which were scattered all over his garden in makeshift sheds. It was then he decided to construct a building in the old Newari style of Kathmandu using the carved doors and windows he had rescued from destruction. The edifice which was built to give the ancient works of art a new life is now one among several buildings of Dwarika's Village Hotel. These buildings contain some of the best woodworks of olden times restored to life and made to function for a modern age within the traditional architectural setting.

Dwarika's Hotel is a unique place in South Asia. It is a living example that tourism need not destroy heritage and the environment. On the contrary, it has demonstrated that a proper blending of cultural restoration and tourism leads to the preservation of historical artifacts and contributes to the growth of skills and culture that would otherwise have eroded from the crass commercialism of today. It has shown that heritage can be preserved and be used for further preservation works. In fact, it could be the model to demonstrate what must be done to preserve the look of Kathmandu Valley - a stepping stone towards the larger and more gigantic task of rehabilitating the uniqueness and beauty of Kathmandu currently experiencing severe environmental stress of uncontrolled modernization.

Faces at the Durbar

The Durbar - Kathmandu

Kathmandu Durbar Square – known as the Hanuman-dhoka Durbar is a world heritage zone. The word Durbar Square translated in English as Palace Complex. The Durbar Square, with its old temples and palaces, epitomizes the religious and cultural life of the people.

Kumari (The Living Goddess) Gar:

At the West end of the square, is a beautiful house full of woodcarving of different God and Goddesses. This Palace is three storied and in this palace, lives the very famous living Goddess Kumari. Both Hindus and Buddhists equally venerate her. For Hindus she is the reincarnation of Hindu Goddess Kali. She is equally worshiped by Buddhists because she is chosen from Buddhist family. This shows the harmony between Buddhist and Hindus in Nepal.

Kastha Mandap:

One of the popular temples of Kathmandu Durbar Square is Kashamandap locally knows as Maru Sattal. It is believed that the name of Kathmandu City is derived from the name of this temple. Kastha means wood and Mandap means pavilion. And it is said that this temple is built by one single Sal (sorea robusta) tree. At the center of this temple, one can see the statue of a Hindu God Gorakhnath and in the four corners of the temple one can see Ganesh Statues.

Maru Ganesh:

Small yet the most visited temple of Kathmandu is Maru Ganesh. The people of Kathmandu valley believe that the four Ganesh in four corners of Kathmandu valley protect the peoples living in Kathmandu. Every day people go to worship this temple and especially on Tuesdays one can see a long queue of people waiting for hours to worship. Tuesday is considered the day of Ganesh.

Settling in at the Yak and Yeti

Hotel Yak and Yeti is in the heart of Kathmandu. Modern day sophistication marries cultural heritage in the beautiful grounds of the 100-year-old palace. Although it is an ultra modern hotel, the traditional Nepali architectural features have been preserved. Some of the display carved windows are more than 200 years old, capturing the old charm and style of Kathmandu. The neo-classical Lal Durbar or Red Palace, built more than a century ago by the then Prime Minister Bir Shumshere Jung Bahadur Rana is indeed impresive.

Fine tuning the iteninary

Final discusssions with Kanhaiya for the exciting days ahead - covered in the comprehensive schedule below.

See his team at http://www.magical-nepal.com/

• Kathmandu
• Dhulikhel, Banepa, Bhaktapur
• Changunarayan & Nagarkot
• Pokhara
• Patan
• Khokana, Bungmati, Swayambhunath & Boudhanath
• Mt Everest mountain flight
• Kirtipur & Chovar
• Kathmandu

Nepal: To the flags of Katmandu from a Shirehampton pub; a long way in 60 years

NEPAL
Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India. With an area of 147,181 square kilometres (56,827 sq mi) and a population of approximately 30 million, Nepal is the world's 93rd largest country by land mass and the 41st most populous country. Kathmandu is the nation's capital and the country's largest metropolis.

Nepal is a country of highly diverse and rich geography, culture, and religions. The mountainous north has eight of the world's ten highest mountains, including the highest, Sagarmatha, known in English as Mount Everest. It contains more than 240 peaks over 20,000 ft (6,096 m) above sea level. The fertile and humid south is heavily urbanized.