A Very Happy Holi

Celebrating Holi in Nepal will go down as one of the most memorable days of my life.

Morning Holi celebration on the volunteer house rooftop

Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, is a national holiday and celebrated throughout Nepal. It is a day that brings together people of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities (in our case) to celebrate with family and friends.

We began the day on the rooftop of our volunteer house, loading up water guns and mixing dye in old water bottles. Meena and Ram Dai joined in and were like little kids playing with a sprinkler. They were so excited to be a part of the celebration and Ram Dai confiscated one of the water guns and water bottles and proceeded to soak everyone.

People on nearby houses were celebrating on their rooftops as well, and would occasionally launch water balloons at unsuspecting pedestrians or at neighboring houses. Our rooftop preparation turned into an all-out water fight, so by the time we were ready to go, the other volunteers and I were already soaked and our white clothing was splattered with green, yellow, red, pink, purple, and blue dye.

Me, Joanne, Agatha, and Danielle paused between attacks

As we walked to Durbar Square, the central square in Kathmandu where a huge annual Holi celebration takes place, we quickly realized that as four foreign girls wearing white, we were like a walking target. First came the water balloons from various children on the street, some with colored dye and some just water. These came in the form of various attacks from street ambushes to rooftop launches and, probably our least favorite, the occasional kamikaze who would just come running at you and then slam a balloon on your back. And just when we thought we were safe, we would look up only to dodge buckets of water poured down on us from the windows and rooftops above.

Holi celebration in Kathmandu's Durbar Square

Although we were definitely surprised by the aggressiveness of the color warfare, I have to admit that we were not completely innocent. We toted water guns and water bottles filled with dye, and once those ran out we poured dye onto our hands to reciprocate the beloved dye-in-the-face method that the Nepalis seem to enjoy so much. There was even an older Nepali man who came up to us asking if we had any water because he got dye in his eye. As one of the other volunteers reached out to give him a water he grabbed the bottle and poured it all over her head. Once you decide to participate in Nepal’s Holi color war, there is no mercy.

Kids celebrate Holi in Durbar Square on shoulders 

When we finally arrived at Durbar Square—by this time soaked from head to toe and covered with dye in more places on our bodi
es than we had ever wanted—we joined the massive crowd gathered dancing to music with a bass that shook the ground. We were surrounded by young Nepalis and other foreigners losing themselves in the Holi celebration. On this one day it felt like we were all one as we came together to dance and celebrate in the square surrounded by ancient Hindu temples.

Holi in Patan's Durbar Square

Throughout the day as we walked down the streets people would shout “Happy Holi!” The holiday really allowed us to transcend beyond our usual role as foreigners and interact with the Nepalis on the street. Older people would look at us and laugh or smile, while the children would run up to ask us for dye only to then smear it in our faces. We realized we had become a sort of spectacle when, ironically, Nepalis would stop us to ask to take our picture.

It was definitely a very Happy Holi.

Sacred Sites of Kathmandu: Boudhanath and Pashupatinath

Boudhanath stupa

Nepal may not be a wealthy country in terms of GDP, but it is rich in religious tradition and is home to some of the most significant Buddhist and Hindu sites in the world. The Nepali people’s appreciation and respect for plural religions and their interconnectedness within society also adds to this richness as temples can be seen interspersed every few blocks throughout the city and Buddhists can be seen worshiping at Hindu temples and vice versa.

Statue of Buddha at Boudanath

To get a true sense of the prominent role that religion plays in Nepali society, I had the great fortune to accompany my new friend/tour guide Hari on his motor bike to two of the most sacred and important religious sites in the country—Boudhanath and Pashupathinath—both of which are located in northeastern Kathmandu.

Boudhanath, which translates roughly to “lord of wisdom,” is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Nepal. This whitewashed stupa stands at a commanding 43 meters tall; it is truly a religious experience just being in its presence. Boudhanath remains one of the most significant monuments in the world for Buddhist pilgrims and has become the center of life for many Tibetan monks and refugees who have fled their homeland.

Tibetan women prostrating at Boudanath

There are several Tibetan monasteries in the area and monks with shaved heads clad in maroon robes can be seen meditating. Tibetans and Buddhist pilgrims walk around the stupa counterclockwise while spinning prayer wheels or silently reciting a mantra as they count their string of 108 prayer beads, also known as a mala. As we walked around Boudhanath, many older Tibetan women were worshipping by prostrating, or repeatedly kneeling and standing, on worn wooden planks.

Lighting butter lamps at Boudhanath

Although I am not a practicing Buddhist, the religion is a very welcoming and peaceful one and the temples are open to all. I was so moved by this experience that I decided to light three butter lamps—the monk told me that just lighting one is bad luck—to honor and commemorate this moment of my spiritual journey.

Cremation ghats on the banks of the Bagmati River at Pashupatinath

Just a mere 45km from Boudhanath is Nepal’s most important Hindu temple, Pashupatinath, which sits on the banks of the holy Bagmati River. Although this temple is spiritually significant for multiple reasons, it is especially powerful because it is regarded as the most sacred of the temples dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva and honors him in his Pashupati form, Lord of All Animals.

This temple is interesting because it is where Hindus in the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas bring their loved ones after they die to cremate them in a traditional ceremony on the banks of the river. As we walked around and observed, families gathered at different cremation ghats along the river. The deceased were wrapped in colorful cloth and carried there by their family members, often coming from hours away.

Cremation at Pashupatinath 

Following Hindu tradition, after the body is placed on a wooden pyre the sons of the deceased will circle around the body three times. Then, the oldest son is responsible for lighting the body beginning with the mouth. After the cremation, the family members must return home to shower, and then the sons will be in a period of grieving for 13 days when they will live separately from their families and can only eat rice and ginger. After this grieving period, they have to wear only white for one year.

Shiva shrines lined up in a row

Across the river from the cremation ghats, dozens of Shiva shrines are scattered throughout the stone grounds and it is here where the Babas, or holy men, live. These are men—and sometimes women, but mainly men—who denounce society and religion and choose to leave their families and all of their possessions to live in what appears to be the equivalent of a commune. They all live together and meditate in the morning and evening and smoke marijuana throughout the day.

The Babas live very simply together and have no need for money or other material things, although they often beg for food. In Nepali society, if a Baba comes to your home you are expected to give them food. I received conflicting answers about why this is; some people told me that it is out of respect—because Nepalis are known for their hospitality regardless of who the visitor is—whereas others said it is out of fear. Regardless, it seems that the genuine holy men are respected, but today there are more “frauds” who become a Baba to escape their families or life responsibilities.

Poster of the Milk Baba next to his home in Pashupatinath

Perhaps the most famous of the holy men is the Milk Baba, who lives at Pashupatinath and can predict peoples’ future by reading their palms. Since he was 11 years old, he has existed by only drinking milk in the morning and evening. He has become a sort of legend among the Nepali Sadhus and can be found  meditating or worshiping at the ancient temple.

Good Morning Kathmandu

As I am slowly adjusting to the near ten-hour time difference, the other morning I woke up at 6 a.m. and, for the life of me, could not go back to sleep. So, just before the city began to stir awake with its familiar sounds of incessant honking and barking, I crept up to the rooftop of our volunteer house in Naya Bazaar to steal a glance of the morning sun as it spread across the sprawling city.

Morning scene of Kathmandu from the rooftop of our volunteer house**

Many of the homes in Kathmandu have water tanks on the rooftops because the hot water is solar powered. Although I have yet to take a hot shower, I have been told that in the early afternoon if I let the water run for a couple minutes the water eventually heats up.

Our volunteer house in Naya Bazaar

There are currently three other volunteers staying with me in the house: Agatha from Mexico, Danielle from Minnesota, and JoAnne from Holland. There are also two house caretakers who are Nepali, Meena who does all of the cooking for the home, and Ram Dai who tends to the upkeep of the house, gets water, etc. We have dinner every night together and attempt to teach other English and Nepali, with the occasional dance party, which can be quite amusing.

Both Ram Dai and Meena are from rural Nepal and work in Kathmandu to earn money and send it back to their families. This seems to be fairly common among the Kathmandu population, as the country is experiencing a shift toward urbanization. Furthermore, remittances from Nepalis working abroad has become a growing generator of income for the country, accounting for approximately 25 percent of Nepal's GDP.

Typical house in Naya Bazaar

The Kathmandu District, where the volunteer house is located, is within the larger Kathmandu Valley, which consists of the Kathmandu District, Lalitpur District and Bhaktapur District.

The city of Kathmandu comes alive during the day when motor bikes, cars, bicycles, and even tuk-tuks weave in and out through the bustling streets. As a pedestrian, crossing the road could be compared to the Frogger video game because you have to cross in front of one car, then wait, then go behind a motor bike, and then in front of another car... but it seems that there is a method to the madness as drivers go just slow enough to stop when needed and honk as they come up behind another vehicle or person. There are no lanes, very few traffic lights, and loads of honking.

Street scene a few blocks from our house

One of my favorite pastimes has become wondering the streets of Kathmandu and just embracing the scenes of daily Nepali life. Market stalls line the streets filled with fruits, vegetables, and—most often—fried foods such as samosas and doughnuts. Many vendors set up shop on the side of the road selling everything from spices, cut fruits, and roasted corn, to children’s toys, balloons, and shoes.

Although at times the city can seem hectic and crazy, as I experience more of Kathmandu the mystery of such a foreign place is beginning to unfold before me like a very colorful, complex puzzle. Each time I venture out, I am able to see a bit more of the bigger picture that makes up the masterpiece of Nepal.

**I tried to download a video of the morning sun from the house rooftop, but the Internet connection here is very slow, so most likely the blog will just have photos and no video.

The Monkey Temple

The stairs leading up to the Monkey Temple

After arriving at the Kathmandu airport and riding through the chaotic streets filled with motorbikes and cars weaving in and out as pedestrians cross the road at various points, I knew that I have arrived in Nepal. It is very loud, very dirty, and very dusty. If I had to sum up my first impression in just one word, it would be raw.

On my first day, I had a brief orientation and language lesson at my volunteer house and then it was off to experience one of Kathmandu's greatest treasures: Swayambhunath, also known as the Monkey Temple.

Swayambhunath 

This mystical Buddhist temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site sits atop a hill overlooking the Kathmandu  Valley. It was definitely a hike from the volunteer house and then a steep ascent up 365 stone stairs, but the view and mystical aura of such an old and sacred place was well worth braving the mid-day sun.

Buddhist prayer wheels

At the core of Swayambhunath lies a sacred white stupa surrounded by prayer wheels that Buddhist pilgrims turn as they walk around the stupa clockwise and recite the Mani mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, which is said to encapsulate the essence of the Buddhist teachings in its six syllables.

The Buddha's eyes and Nepali Unity symbol

Above the stupa, vibrantly-colored prayer flags hang in all directions and the vibrant eyes of Buddha are painted as if they are watching over the entire valley below. This depiction also includes the traditional Nepali symbol of Unity that is depicted as an open spiral.

It was easy to understand why Swayambhunath has been nicknamed “The Monkey Temple” since so many monkeys hang out there, swinging through the trees, laying in the shade of the ancient temples, and looking for generous tourists to give them food.

Monkeys hanging out at the Monkey Temple

Although most Nepalis practice Hinduism, the second most practiced religion in the country is Buddhism and there is an overwhelming sense of respect for Buddhism because Buddha was born in southern Nepal. The country is extremely unique in this sense as both of these religions are interwoven into the cultural fabric of Nepal and its people. Even at Swayambhunath, next to the stupa lies a Hindu temple for people to worship.

Smaller Buddhist temple on the other
side of Swayambhunath

As we walked down the far side of the hill, other smaller temples sat underneath brightly-colored prayer flags fluttering in the wind, criss-crossed across the blue sky. Hanging prayer flags is an ancient Tibetan religious tradition that is meant to bless all living things. The flags contain symbols and prayers that are activated when the wind blows across them, bringing blessings of happiness and good fortune to all people in the countryside. The Tibetan word for prayer flag is Dar Cho;“Dar” means to increase life, fortune, health and wealth, and “Cho” means all sentient beings. These flags can be seen throughout the country and greater Kathmandu Valley.

A Beautiful Hiatus

“For mine is a generation that circles the globe and searches for something we haven't tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, you know what? It's probably worth it.”   - The Beach

After months of preparation, our adventure is finally beginning! I am at the airport on my way to Kathmandu by way of Dubai… a short 24-hour journey to the other side of the world where a completely new culture, landscape, and adventures await.

Early this morning at the airport

Some people live their whole lives waiting for that perfect opportunity to travel, but Mike and I have decided that does not exist—only times that are more ideal than others. So, as we are transitioning out of our lives and jobs in Washington D.C. and moving south so I can pursue a PhD for the next five years, we thought it is now or never.

For the next two months, I am going to intern at CWISH, a local NGO in Kathmandu that focuses on women and children’s human rights issues. During the internship, I will live in a volunteer house with 7 or 8 other international volunteers on the edge of Thamel, Kathmandu’s tourist district. 

After working on African human rights issues for two years at the Enough Project in D.C., I am particularly excited about this part of the trip. I will apply the skills and knowledge that I have accumulated to assist the organization and its initiatives. Through this experience, I hope to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing women in the country, particularly the issue of human trafficking, which has become a major problem in Nepal.

Nepal, known as the "Roof of the World"

My husband Mike will fly out to Kathmandu to join me in mid-May for a few days of sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley, and then we will be off to trek for a couple weeks on one of the world’s best treks—the Annapurna Circuit. After that it is off to Thailand for a month-long journey around Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Although this is definitely not enough time to see or truly experience each of these places, we are hoping to see and do as much as we can with a balance between cultural, religious, leisure, and adventure activities.

This is my first blog, so as a writer you can imagine the laundry list of names we came up with for a title. Although Namaste is generally used as a greeting in Nepal, we decided to use it for our blog as more of a state of mind or sense of place. Namaste translates roughly to, “The Divine in me, honors the Divine in you.” So throughout the next four months, we are going to open our minds, replenish our souls, and learn how to experience the world in a whole new light. Stay tuned…