Community- and home-based care teams in Nepal travel a rugged landscape to reach and tend to the needs of people living with HIV in rural areas. Meet two of FHI/Nepal’s CHBC team as they go about their work, which is funded by USAID through the ASHA Project.
Photos by Thomas Kelly (http://www.thomaslkellyphotos.com/)
Narration by Sugarika KC
Video presentation by Nikki and Priti
(This photo presentation was made by us for FHI. http://www.fhi.org/en/CountryProfiles/Nepal/index.htm)
Religious tolerance seen in Nepal is perhaps a unique example and a bench mark for the whole WORLD. I hope and pray that this always remains in every heart of Nepali-
“We may pray with hands closed or open, we pray for Good”.
KATHMANDU CITY- CROWDED BUT PEACEFUL WITH ITS BLESSED NATURAL BEAUTY AND SIMPLE PEOPLE.
Situated below the shivapuri hills, Buddhanikantha is about eight km north of Kathmandu. The hub of the temple complex is remarkable colossal statue of the hindu god Vishnu reclining on the coils of a cosmic serpent. This great stone figure is one of the masterpiece of stone sculptures of Lichchavi period, and is supposed to have been built in the fifth century. Buddhanikantha, Kathmandu, Nepal
Even a Stone is considered God.
Playing with Shadow and Light
Swayambhunath, UNESCO heritage, Kathmandu, Nepal.
It is said that prayer wheels are used to accumulate wisdom and merit or good karma and to purify. Swayambhunath, UNESCO heritage, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Butter lamp offering at Swaymbhunath, Kathmandu, Nepal
KATHMANDU DURBAR SQUARE, just a walk distance from new road. SHOPPING!! Each Saturday with my friends I hang out there.
PATAN DURBAR SQUARE, very happening place for college bunkers. We were one of them. So I guess I knew few places as my Hip group thought wasting time admiring and remembering the name of durbars and temples better we whistle at the shy guy passing us by.
BHAKTAPUR DURBAR SQUARE, the alien city. Its not like I had never been there. I can prove it, with my snap taken in Bhaktapur Museum in my baby frock with “tikitike” shoes. But than I don’t even remember the color of my favorite “tiktike” shoes.
Humm… it was quite an experience with 2 hours jam in Koteshwor as we were heading back to home. Let me start from the beginning.
Sidhapokhari, Our 1st destination. A big green lake with countless fishes welcomed us with their wide mouth asking the guest for food. Hehehehe. Couples seemed busy loving each other, not even noticing the big old eyes passing them. It was kind of embarrassing to be with a guy whom I’d never even consider to be romantically linked with (p.s he is like a girl friend to me. LOLzz). After having a chitchat with the fishes we moved to DURBAR SQUARE. The huge entrance welcomed us. It was breathtaking, the architect and long walk too.
Golden temple gate stood out marvelous. Now, when gold is reaching its highest price, it was nice seeing a huge GOLDEN GATE. Then we went to taleju temple, where no photos could be taken and only Hindus are allowed. But strangely we didn’t find any Idol of Gods or Goddesses. Instead we saw couple of Newar man sacrificing animal. Blood all around I did feel a bit dizzy or may be I was too hungry. After that my friend suggested that counting windows of Paachpanna Jyale Durbar (55 Windows Durbar) would fresh my mind. OH!! I begun…1..2…3…….8…20…30….47. What??
Then why it is named Pachapanna meaning fifty-five. Than again… I doubted my own skills with numbers. (LOL). Trust my inexpert words, It has 55 windows.
The WRESTLERS of Bhaktapur, used to guard Bhaktapur Malla King and the Kingdom before Prithivi Narayan Shah confined it. WOW!! The TWO big guys guarding the city. Humm wish I were guarded by such huge handsome-looking Men.
Dattrataya temple looked as fine as 20 years back (I saw the old version in My Boss’ archive). As a good Hindu girl I bowed my head and tried to pick inside the big closed door. I wondered why all temples were closed. I asked a local newar guy and he said that most temples were empty, as the idols were stolen in different time frame. SAD!!!
Saroj is a regular Bhaktapur visitor as his grandparents are from the same city, he bought the best BARAF(ice-cream) and amilo (pickle). And we again started marching with Baraf in our hands.
The Nyatapole temple was full with crowds. The student in blue uniform decorated the stairs of Nyatapole. I climbed the never-ending stairs, trying to make space for my orange shoes, tapping students’ head. Atop the world, ah!! I felt good. But seeing all tourists enjoying their lunch in NAYTAPOLE RESTURANT watered my mouth. I hurried back down and started my search for best chatamari. (Nyatapole restaurant isn’t for miser like me-too expensive).I saw couple of young kids eating something from an old man. Yum Yum it was “sadheko nimbuwa”.. eee It was what I wanted. I grabbed out 10 rupees note and bought a handful of it. With all my delight I finished it. Then we went to a typical Newar resturant (you can call it Bhatti) and ordered Mixed chhatamari and Bara.
After spicing our mouth, we searched for famous “Peacock window” of Bhaktapur. Marvelously carved Peacock window has been copied in other 2 Famous Durbars of Patan and Hanumandhoka too and it was the main reason why I wanted to visit Bhaktapur, just to differentiate from Kathamandu’s Peacock window. After getting lost for 10-15 minutes we found it. It was worth it. Now I can distinguish it from the copied ones. BIG THANKS to the local curio shop owner.
Wiat a minute!!! I haven’t told you about “pottery durbar”. The village of Kumales (Pot makers) is a place, which holds the traditional form of Architecture of Nepal. The Kumale and his wheel (kumaleko chakra) was all it needed to put on a magic show. Nothing but a Mud to a fantasting looking Vases. I was jumping from one shop to other admiring the mud pig to little houses to candle stands (Much needed item for a country of Load-shedding) to mud wind cham. It was like “Priti in wonderland”. A kind-hearted Kumale dai tried to teach me the mantra of converting “mud to pot” but as dumb as I am I didn’t even learn “A” of it.
WOW the time just passed me by. It was time to bid good-bye. Promising the Bhaktapur ambience that I will be there once again, I blew my last kiss to all the place and faces I saw.
As I write this journal, I have already finished captioning the images of BKT durbar and I am proud that I did it all right. KUDOS!!
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