Nothing from Bardibas as of yet, but here are some more Kathmandu offerings...
On the occasion of Loshar—Tibetan New Year—Migyoung and I went by bicycle to Bodhnath Stupa, which is said to be one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world. It’s a frenzy of activity as monks, pilgrims and laypeople make their way around the stupa, dutifully turning each prayer wheel, in a clockwise direction. Bodhnath is certainly one of the most accessible places to experience Tibetan culture and religion. Tibetan monasteries dot the surrounding villages and hillsides, and visiting them—we had a chance to visit a couple—is one of the delights of visiting the area. The villages seemed to be a harmonious mix of Nepalese and Tibetans—very friendly people regardless of nationality or ethnicity. It is such a hallmark of this country: unbridled friendliness. In actuality, it’s quite difficult for me to discern the many different ethnic groups that make up Nepal, but with Tibetans, the dress is normally a very good indicator.
The proprietors of our guesthouse are also Buddhist and from the Manang region of Nepal near the Tibetan border, and so we also had a bit of a party on the rooftop at the end of day. There was plenty of chang (a fermented rice wine) and tumba (a fermented millet wine) available. Tumba is prepared by pouring hot water over the millet, letting it sit for a while, and then drinking it through a metal or reed straw. The vessels—they are probably about one liter—can be refilled four times without replenishing the millet, and at about 40-50 cents it is an economical—and very warming—way to spend the evening. A potent one as well…
In the surrounding villages of Boudha, we spotted a field of rice paper still attached to screens and propped against sticks drying in the late afternoon sun. Migyoung was, of course, quite interested and we stopped to speak with some of the workers in our limited Nepali, but like a lot of people in the Kathmandu Valley, their English was better than our Nepali… The rice paper is much thinner than the Korean variety that Migyoung uses, yet sturdy and beautiful nonetheless. Making paper the Nepali way is something that Migyoung is keen to learn.
February 24
We attended a lecture on caste and ethnicity in Nepal this morning/afternoon presented by a Jesuit father who has been in Nepal for over 30 years. Learning about all of the different sub-castes within the four main castes was both fascinating and somewhat confusing. Later in the afternoon, we had an opportunity to “interview” (with the aid of an interpreter) a young man from the dalit caste (the lowest, but a rather new term that roughly translates into “those that are oppressed”). I found it rather difficult asking him questions about what it’s like to be a dalit, and what he thinks of the caste system in general. It seemed too personal, too encroaching, but at the same time, given the fact that I will be working with an organization that seeks to empower dalit women, it is an uncomfortable feeling and difficulty that I must learn to deal with… Compared to India, however, the caste system—on initial viewing and information—doesn’t seem nearly as oppressive and stifling. As the only Hindu Kingdom in the world—and with a healthy mix of other religions and influences—Hinduism seems as much a part of the cultural framework as it does a religion.
On its best days, Kathmandu is a dissonance of stinks. My nose and throat are the two parts of my anatomy that have suffered the most so far. Crossing over the river—or getting anywhere near it, really—is an almost unbearable experience, and the daily dust and fumes makes walking or cycling along thoroughfares very nearly asphyxiating. It is difficult to pinpoint any one main cause, if there is one, but I am almost certain that for most Nepalese it is a case of not seeing what is actually there. I would imagine that growing up in the city socializes children to the ordinariness of rubbish on the streets and open sewers spilling into waterways. Is this a lack of concern on the part of government and city officials, or funds to deal with the issue; a lack of education about these issues on the part of urbanites; the influx of people into the valley over the past decade; a lack of infrastructure to deal with pressing environmental and ecological issues; a combination of all or none of the above? Much too soon for me to discern at this point…
February 19, 2004
Mahashivaratri has come and gone. Bonfires lit up the night sky, and a party like atmosphere emanated throughout Kathmandu. It was a rangi-changi (colorful—my new Nepali word for the day) day to wander around the back alleys and come across groups of children with ropes strung across in hopes of earning a few rupees before letting pedestrians, cyclists or even automobiles pass—a kind of Nepali trick or treat for the kids. This activity was lamented in one of the major English dailies as a loss of values among the nation’s youth, but the majority of Kathmanduites took this in stride as they do most other things, and on this auspicious day of Shiva’s birth, I don’t think many would take a chance on angering the gods… In reality, the children were so cute and playful that it was hard to resist passing out a few coins…and it made for good Nepali practice.
On the day before Mahashivaratri, I cycled out to Pashupatinath temple to take in some of the sights and sounds. Already the queue to get into the temple—Hindus only—was at least a couple of hours wait, and sadhus from all over had staked their claim on the hillside overlooking the Bagmati river and the cremation ghats. Cremations take place here 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, and it is an interesting if somber ceremony to observe. Like Benares in India, many devout Nepali hindus come here to die. The King himself is said to make the trip to Pashupatinath before embarking on any journey.
The days are beginning to get a bit warmer, but the evenings are still quite cool especially considering that there is very little—if any—indoor heating. Hot water is still quite uncommon out in the villages, but I have been pleased to see many solar panels dotting the roofs around town. This is both sensible and ecological considering how sunny it is here during the winter. Indeed, our own guesthouse uses solar to heat the water although the heating is direct and the solar panels do not store the energy. This makes the late afternoon and optimal time for bathing, and on some mornings we are lucky enough to have some warm water but we rarely chance.
Our days are pretty much filled with language lessons and practice for the moment with the late afternoons open for exploring Kathmandu, a bit of study and other business. Outside of some touristy areas, shops close quite early, and it is not a place for a lot of late night entertainment. People also get up very early here—especially the dogs—but surprisingly, a lot of people don’t begin work until about 10 am. Mornings are generally reserved for doing a lot of chores around the house and taking care of other business. Migyoung and I have adjusted our schedules accordingly and are rarely up past 10:30 and up again very early in the morning. Once we move south, we may find ourselves going to bed even earlier, since there are curfews in place in many areas…
The last few days have been exhaustive ones filled with VSO briefings and orientations and very little opportunity to explore the city. We’ve had security briefings from the British Embassy regarding the Maoist situation and how to deal with problems should they arise. A general “bandh” or strike is set for tomorrow, and there has already been few minor bombings in the city, which I admittedly knew nothing about until reading the local papers. The Nepali Maoists must be the most considerate and thoughtful revolutionaries in history, giving warnings and advance notices regarding their attacks. Apparently the streets will be deserted tomorrow—sans motorized vehicles—because of the strike and so they may also be, unwittingly, the best environmental/air quality policy the city has seen…
The Maoists are apparently a lot more active out in the countryside than I had originally thought, but the degree to which they control the areas outside of Kathmandu Valley is debatable. Perhaps more than anything else, they have succeeded in disrupting normal life, but the effect they have had politically—in a country that is rampant with corruption of all political persuasions—is something that is just too complicated for me to get a grasp on at this point. NGO workers like myself are warned that local Maoist leaders may approach us in post to inquire about our work...
The Maoist “threat” has certainly taken its toll on the tourism industry—a big moneymaker here—and has not been good for the overall economy. There are certainly not a lot of Americans around, and that is almost always a good thing… NGOs, on the other hand, are a presence seen throughout the northeastern part of the city. The UNICEF office is within view (from the rooftop) of my guesthouse, and I have already encountered many lumbering UNDP SUVS on the road. Just about every other midsize European and American NGO that you can think of has some representation here, with DFID and the EU (as opposed to USAID) seemingly making up the bulk of international donor monies. I hope to develop some relationships with these agencies in due course when my work with the Women’s Culture Development Centre begins.
I made my first harrowing excursion on bicycle through the maddening streets this afternoon—and Indian made tank of a bicycle that can withstand the back alleys and cavernous potholes. The trip actually wasn’t quite as bad as I had anticipated. Once you are able to wheel yourself out onto the road and continue to move forward, vehicles can blare their horns all they like—and they do constantly—there isn’t that much they can do to get around you. Intersections are a bit trickier since there are no stop or yield signs and traffic pretty much just goes without end. A ride in the back alleys is like sauntering around a zoo: on my first ride I passed two baby calves, three or four ducks and a number of both tethered and free range goats.
I think we have had dhal bhat almost everyday, and it was, fittingly, it was our first meal in country. Normally this not only consists of the lentils, but also a nice curry, spinach and a few other vegetables depending on the price and where you get it. It’s also one of those meals that the Nepalese will just piling on until you’ve had your fill. Amazingly, I have almost completely weaned myself off of coffee in favor of Nepalese chai, and everyday includes a number of tea breaks, which I never tire of.
Friday the 13th
Yesterday’s strike was almost festival like in nature—people happily strode down the middle of roads due to the absence of taxis and other autos—with the exception of the many military transport vehicles buzzing about the city and outside the gates of the royal palace. It was also my first full day of language class: I exhausted pretty much every phrase I know yesterday afternoon making my way around Kathmandu on bicycle, and Migyoung and I have the added advantage of being able to practice with each other. I am really going to try hard and focus on getting some of the basics of the language down in the next couple of weeks, which I see as being one of the keys to integrating into my community and with my organization.
I would like to make a few more comments or observations regarding the culture and customs of Nepal, but at this point I am still trying to process a lot of things and their significance… In due time, I hope to get around to this. I can say, however, that the Nepalese are just as friendly and hospitable as I remember them being in the past. This hospitality is legendary and well deserved. Despite the many hardships of life here—and visually, there are many—I have been greeted with warmth and friendship, which is about as much as one could ask and hope for. More later….
Migyoung and I have finally arrived in Kathmandu after an unexpected yet most welcome one night stopover in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. We’ve had a few days to explore the city before jumping into our VSO briefings and Nepali language study.
Kathmandu is as much the medieval and antediluvian city it was some ten plus years prior during my first visit here, albeit there are more cars, auto rickshaws and other two and three wheeled, smog belching vehicles on the roads and back alleys alongside all of the pedestrians, sidewalk and makeshift markets, bicycles and cycle rickshaws. It is at once one of the most sublime, colorful, chaotic and ghastly cities on the face of the earth. It remains—as is one of her charms—a city of sensory overload: the mélange of shit and sandalwood, temple bells and tuk tuk horns, curry and ciyah (chai).
The Nepalese that we have come in contact with have been warm, hospitable and helpful. Our limited Nepali has been greeted with charm and curiosity, and our overall experience has wholly positive. The weather has been mostly sunny and warm during the day and crisp and chilly during the night, mostly due to the fact that indoor heating is quite rare and our supply of hot water is limited.
We had an introduction to our language lessons this afternoon, which proves to be challenging for the both of us. After the first three weeks we are slated to go out to the countryside to stay with a family for about 2 weeks as a kind of culture and language immersion. That will be followed by a weeklong visit to Bardibas—the village where we will be residing over the next two years—for some orientation work with my colleagues at the Women’s Culture Development Centre. The President of WCDC is also planning to visit Kathmandu before that time, and so we will hopefully have an opportunity to meet and discuss some work-related matters.
The Mahashivaratri festival takes place in about a week. Devout Hindus light bonfires in and Naked Hindu Sadhus from all over Nepal and India make their way to the Kathmandu Valley to do some hashishing in reverence to Shiva.
We arrived in Katmandu with some other folks—from the UK and Uganda—who will be working in various parts of the country, and we’ve also had some brief opportunities to meet with some NGO workers who have been here for the past year and in some instances longer. These contacts may prove to be incredibly helpful once my actual work begins.
I am still figuring out the internet situation here… Internet shops abound although few offer the opportunity to upload pictures from a disk, but I will keep searching for ways to get some photos uploaded to this page. Be patient as we continue to settle into our new surroundings. You can always send us your love via the post if you like. Send those letters C/O VSO Nepal, PO Box 207, Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Nepal.