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Holly Festival 2013

2013-04-08T19:07:00.001-07:00

I have collected some interesting photos of Holi festival. I will post after some days.

Indra Jatra

2008-09-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

This festival falls on the fourteenth day of the bright moon fortnight of Bhadra (sept): but it starts on the twelfth day of the bright fortnight: then all together it lasts for eight day. The main day of the festival is believed to be the fourteenth day of the fortnight. On the twelfth day of the Bhadra bright fortnight a thirty-two feet’s long pole is erected at the Hanumandhoka palace in Basantapur. This pole has been brought always traditionally from the forest of Bhaktapur. After adjusting the long pole Lord Indra’s idol is worshipped. The lord’s idol keeps tying round by the threads. There’s an interesting anecdote regarding to this Tying Indra:

Once Lord Indra’s mother was on her religious worshipping program and she was in need of flower called parijat. His mother then sent him to search the flower; then lord Indra went to search of that flower; and finally he saw that flower there in the garden of Hanumandhoka. He then thought of stealing the flower; and went to steal the flower. Suddenly a soothsayer Baidhya saw him and captivated him there and he was released only after eight day when his mother came there to request the soothsayer. So this festival lasts for eight days. The lord’s idol is kept at certain Guthiyar’s house and it’s brought only once in a year when the festival starts.

The fair starts only when lord Indra is worshipped there highly in a traditional manner. Many people crowd there to look the starting day of the festival. Since that day the Hanumandhoka palace looks very unusual; until the ending of the fete different kinds of mask dances from different parts of the valley are demonstrated.

On the fourteenth day of the bright fornight of the festival which is called the main day of the festival; Kumari the Living Goddess’s chariot is rounded around the main through fares of the city. Also two bachelor small boys from shakya Newari cast are kept each on the separate chariot as a fenture of God Bhairab and Ganesh; then they are also rounded along with the kumari’s chariot. The chariot procession starts only when President of Nepal worships there by offering some monetary donation (Dakchhina) and takes the Prasad (oblation) from there .The chariots are rounded altogether two days and ends on the second day. Many kinds of traditional mask dances are shown along with the kumari Jatra Viz. Halchowk’s Aakahs Bhirab dance; Bhaktapur’s Mahakali dances; Kilagal’s Pulukishi dances are the famous ones. The Royal Sword (Khadga) also is shown along with the jatra and the army Band also parades together along with the chariot; the typical Nepali traditional band “The panchai Baja” also walks in the chariot voyage playing the music. The main through fares of the voyage are Lagantole, Bhimsenthan, Marutole, chikamangol, Jaishideval, Jyabahal, Bramantole, Kilagal, Bhotahiti, Asan, Indrachowk and etc palaces.

On the second day night, the Dangi procession is carried out which is believed to be the mother of lord Indra. Along with the Dangi the devotees scatter Sadbij (miscellanous items of a few cereals) in the name of their deceased souls; this is also called to go to see the dead soul’s path traveling towards the heaven.

On the eight day, the last day of the fete the three chariot compulsorily should travel via kilagal because a long time back when there were many kings in the valley; a king’s queen wished to see the Nanichaya’s Jatra means the kumari’s fair; so it’s believed that since that time, the voyage uses to travel via there compulsorily because the queen used to stay in kilagal. On this day too His Majesty the king comes to take the Tika from these living deities in Hanumandhoka.

Kushe Aunshi

2008-08-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

This festival falls in the month of Bhadra dark fortnight (Sept.) similar to the mother’s reading day “Matatirtha Aunshi”; is the father’s reading day. As per the Hindu mythology father should be respected as a God. So on this day people respect their fathers bending the forehead on their father’s feet, which is called Dhog. After Dhog, they offer sweetmeats and clothes as per their capacity for the father’s respect. In reality too, our parents are equal to the God. If they had not given us the birth, we couldnot get this grand opportunity to look this wonderful world; that’s why they are like our Gods. Holy scriptures say, “There’s no God above our parents”. Human being’s life is the super most life among the one million eight hundred forty thousand (840, 0000) lives created in this cosmos. Mythology explains that there are one million eight hundred forty only after the completion of these all 840, 0000 lives’ cycle. Without virtue this life is very hard to get again; that’s why it’s said that if we do not do virtue in this time, we don’t get this life again. So this day also is very important as the Matatirtha Aunshi and the Gurupurnima day.

People who doesnot have father they go to offer “pinda” ( a round ball of cooked rice) at Gokarna temple in Kathmandu; where Gokarneshower Mahadev’s temple is located. After the completion of the religious rite there; they donate money and cereals to the Bhramin priests; and the poor in the name of their deceased father for salvation and virtue.

On this day people uproot Kush grass, which is believed to be the feature of Lord Vishnu by taking a holy bath early in the morning. The Kush grass in an indispensable item to conduct any kind of Hindu religious rites viz. Puranic functions and Yangyas. This Kush grass can be used throughout the year for any kind of religious rites; and if this day has fallen on Monday then this grass can be kept to use until next twelve years’ any kind of religious functions.

Religious people make this grass’s mat and keep it safely to sit on it and use while conducting the sacred religious functions; which is called the “Kushashan”. Because of believed as a feature of Lord Vishnu this grass has been respected as a pious item in the Hindu mythology. So this kushe Aunshi festival has a very special religious importance to the father’s respect in the Hindu religion. The sweets’ shops display various verities of sweets to sell the customers in the market and the whole market looks like a celestial exhibition fair of sweets. The markets look exactly like this in the “Matatirtha Aunshi day and in the Tihar” festival also.

Janai Purnima

2008-08-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

one of the very magnanimous festivals of Nepal. This festival falls in the bright fortnight of Bhadra(August). Bhramans and chhetri communities in Nepal change their sacred thread Janai on this day from their Gurus; after taking a holy bath or dip in the river. Janai is tied long from around their left neck to the next right armpits below. They tie the Tago around their right wrist also from the Guru. The other communities tie only the Tago from the Bhraman Priests. The sacred threads are sanctified by the Bhraman Priests, worshiping Gods and Saptarishis. Saptarishis are the Tutors of the Gods in an ancient time who could forecast the past present and future episodes exactly in the Golden era. They were very highly respected seers. They were Kashyap, Bhardwaj, Gautami, Atreya, Jamadagni, Bashistha, and Bishawamitra. These are the religious significant of Janaipurnima. Water with Sesame, Kush (sacred grass) is offered in the name of saptarishis and the past antecedents. Because of being changed the sacred thread, this festival is very much popular among the Hindu communities. The other communities also have the strong faith on it. They think that if some one ties Tago on this day by the Bhraman Priests; and offer them donations; they will earn virtue and blessings from the God for auspicious life. The sacred thread Janai and Tago is venerated as a feature of Lord Vishnu and it protects us from being and kind of spiritual sickness as well. The Bhraman Priests are very highly venerated persons in the Hindu mythology. It’s believed that if some one donates something as per his caliber to the Bhraman Priests; they will be definitely blessed by God to receive a happy life.

Many people throng to pashupati and Budhanilkhantha temple temple on this day to change Janai and tie Tago from the Priests there, which is a very much interesting and spectacular feu de joie to look. Bharamins and chhetri people get Janai only when they are completed their Bratabandha (a special type of religious rite, approximately before the age of 15).

In the time of cast division period; Bhramins were given the duty to enact Yangyas; Pujas; donation giving and taking actions. They were tabooed to take alcohol; meats of any kind except the goats. But these days there are only a very few persons who follow this religious rules.

This festival keeps a very important religious value among the maternal uncles, nephews, married and unmarried daughters and sisters and their husbands along with their children. Because on this day they are all should be invited to eat and should be given some donations as per their capacity for virtue. If they are fed and donated on this day it’s believed that the man will earn virtue.

A very grand religious fair takes place at Gosaikunda Lake in Rasuwa district. Thousands of devotees throng there to take the holy dip in the lake to eradicate their sins. There are some other small lakes as well, viz. Bhairabkunda, Suryakunda Ganeshkunda, and etc.

Another small religious fete takes place at Kumbheshower temple in Patan. People who can’t visit the Gosaikunda Pilgrimage, take holy dip in this pond and worship to Lord Kumbheshower there. It’s believed that the coming water there has been brought from Gosaikunda Pilgrimage.

Anecdote:
Also there is another interesting anecdote regarding to this festival. Once Lord Vishnu was very much appeased from the the devotion of Demon King Bali and he offered him the administrative power of this whole universe. Since then Bali became very much happy but proud as well. He thought that now, there is no any one powerful and rich than him in this universe. More over he thought that he could give anything to any one who comes to ask from him. Because of his vigorous strength Lord Indra became very much frightened for the fear of losing his paradise’s kingdom Baikuntha. So he went straight away to Lord Bishnu’s place to beseech. Lord Bishnu became very much unhappy to listen Indra’s pray and he decided to break Bali’s proud. Then he immediately impersonated a guise of a poor mendicant and went to beg the alms at Bali’s palace. King Bali was very much surprised to look such a tiny beggar

In front of his palace and said him that why had he come therefore? The tiny mendicant replied then; “ he had come to beg the alms”. Bali thought that what could such a small man also ask for only the three steps of land of his feet. Bali said, “Ask for some other great things because they are very minor things”.

But the mendicant asked only for that much measurement of land. Finally Bali said ok; then the small man started to stride one step of his feet; then the whole earth was covered; but there was no place to stride for his third step. King Bali became very much surprised and ashmed; and notced that was Lord Vishnu who has come to break his proud. Bali was a sincere devote of Lord Vishnu who has come to break his gigantic physique and stepped on Bali’s head. When the Lord strode on Bali’s head he immediately then reached in the hell and said Bali to stay there. Thus in this way the Lord had broken the Bali’s proud and tied him with a thread for the punishment. So, it’s the same thread, which we tie for our good luck. Bali was tied for his punishment but we the people are tied this Lord’s thread for our betterment.

Lastly Bali was asked to get some thing again from the Lord. Bali was one of the Lord’s true devotees though; then he asked to Lord Vishnu to make him the Lord’s servant so that he could serve him always. But he Lord said “ oh Bail, you are the king of this hell; if you go with me who looks after your kingdom; so instead of this; to fulfill your wish I will sleep for the next four month in front of your palace for your audience; then I will leave for the heaven. Bali was Okayed; then the Lord had slept for the four month there in front of Bali’s palace.

The Lord is believed to leave for the heaven after four month in Kartik on the Haribodhani Ekadashi day. So, because of becoming the Lord’s sleeping days; these four months are believed to be the very pious months which are called the Chaturmasa as well.

Gokarneshwor Mahadev Temple in Gokara

2008-06-18T04:44:00.000-07:00

The ancient Newari village of Gokarna has the interesting Gokarna Mahadev Temple dedicated to Siva. It is one of the famous hindu pilgrimage sites. You get to Gokarna by taking the Sankhu road a short distance northeast of Bodhnath and taking the Sundarijal road. After a couple of kilometres you get to Gokarna. Mahadev means “Great God.” The pago da style temple is on the bank of the Bagmati River.

The triple-roofed Mahadev or Gokarneshwar (Lord of Gokarna) Temple contains an important Siva lingam and some interesting woodcarvings. Nandi’s, Siva bull, is next to the temple. The temple has an excellent collections of sculptures located all around the temple. Some of the sculpture are over 1000 years old. Many Hindu deities are represented including a bearded Brahma, Narasingha (half-man, half-lion incarnation of Vishnu), Surya (sun god), Ganesh, Kamadeva (god of love), Durga and Chandra (moon god). The 14th century temple has been recently restored.

Over the entrance of the temple is a golden torana with Siva and Parvati in the center in the Uma Maheshwar position (Parvati has her hand on Siva’s knee).

In a small temple in the compound is an 8th century statue of the goddess Parvati that is considered to be the best statue at Gokarna. It is in a small shrine in the northwest corner of the courtyard.

Pictures of Gokarneshwor Mahadev

Central Zoo of Nepal

2008-06-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

The Central Zoo, only zoo of Nepal, was established by late Rana Prime Minister Juddha Shumser in 1932 as a private Zoo. With the political changes in 1950, the ownership of the private Zoo came under the Government of Nepal. Over the years, the management of the Zoo remained under various Departments of the Government. On the auspicious occasion of the Golden Jubilee Birthday Celebration of the Late Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah in December 1995, the Government of Nepal formally entrusted overall management responsibility of the Central Zoo to the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) for 30 years.

The Trust is an autonomous, non-profit making organization, established in 1982 by Legislative Act to work in the field of biodiversity with the peoples participation.

The Central Zoo at present aims at developing it as a centre for recreation, conservation education and wildlife research within the given ideology of modern zoo philosophy. However, the Zoo is also a site of historical and cultural significance for multi-ethnic communities where every year more than a million visitors visit it. In festival like Bhoto Jatra, tens of thousands of visitors visit Zoo in a day. Moreover, with added animals of various species every year has remained attraction to people living far and near. At present the Central Zoo has housed a total of 1,013 individual animals representing 116 different species of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. Big mammals like tiger, rhino and hippo are the major attraction to the visitors. The central zoo is not only the place to see wildlife and recreational center but is also site of historical and cultural significance for diverse groups of people.

Pictures of Central Zoo of Nepal

Kathmandu Durbar Square

2008-06-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

The Kathmandu Durbar Square holds the palaces of the Malla and Shah kings who ruled over the city. Along with these palaces, the square also surrounds quadrangles revealing courtyards and temples. The square is presently known as Hanuman Dhoka, a name derived from the statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram, near the entrance of the palace. The preference for the construction of royal palaces at this site dates back to as early as the Licchavi period in the third century. There are around 50 temples in the vicinity including the temple of Royal titular deity, Taleju Bhawani. The Durbar is divided into two courtyards, the outer comprising Kasthamandap, Kumari Ghar, and Shiva-Parvati Temple, and the inner consisting of Hanuman Dhoka and the main palace. It also houses two museums. Important ceremonies, including the coronation of the Nepali monarch, are held in the Kathmandu Durbar Square. Most parts of the palace premise are open for tourists throughout the week during office hours.

Listed as one of the eight Cultural World Heritage site by UNESCO, Kathmandu Durbar Square is a cluster of ancient temples, palaces, courtyards and streets that date back to the 12th and 18th centuries. The square is known to be the social, religious and urban focal point of the Capital City.

Pictures of the Kathmandu Durbar Square Area

Nepal Slashes royalty fees for Mountaineering

2008-05-02T02:46:00.001-07:00

Nepal has drastically cut the cost of climbing mount everest and other Himalayan peaks to try and attract more mountaineers to the country. The government has approved the decision to cut the royalty fee for climbing everest by 75 percent during winter and summer seasons and 50 percent during the autumn season. TO encourage mountaineering in unexplored and backward areas, the government also decided to allow mountaineering free of charge in the mid-west and far-west regions for the next five years according to the officials.Its really the matter of good news for the both mountain climbers and government and also to the local people who are directly or indirectly engaged in travel and tours services

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Nepal Slashes royalty fees for Mountaineering

2008-05-02T02:45:00.001-07:00

Himalayas: The Abode of Snow

2008-04-27T07:28:00.001-07:00

Nepal contains nine of the world's fourteen highest mountain peaks, and it is a true Himalayan country. The Himalayas cover three fourths of the land in Nepal. It is home to some of the highest, remotest, and most rugged and most difficult terrain in the world.

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Welcome to the land of Great Himalayas

2008-04-27T06:41:00.001-07:00

Nepal is always the great place for all kind of visitors like adventure lover, trekkers, mountain climbers, sight seer and many more. With the returned peace we encourage you people to visit Nepal and spend your time wisely in this beautiful Himalayan Country.

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Pictures of Nepal

2008-04-26T21:27:00.001-07:00

The gallery include wide variety pictures of Nepal like: Himalayas of Nepal, Temples of Nepal, Pictures of Mount everest, Jungle safari Pictures and many more.

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Machhapuchhre Mountain: Fishtail Mountain

2008-03-15T04:48:00.000-07:00

Mount Machhapuchhre is incomparable, thanks to its fish-tailed pinnacle. This features makes it one of the most renowned mountains in Nepal Himalayan range. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the snow-blanketed, needle-pointed mountain is a visual feast, to be least said. Mafestically protruding out in the skyline, the view of the mountain provides wings to the thoughts of the poets. Climbing on the mountain has been restricted, for it is considered sacred by the locals. Machhapuchhre mountain is known not only in Nepal but all over the world for its magnificence. Machhapuchhre' means fishtail and comes from two Nepali words Machha (Fish) + Puchhre (Tail).
Overview

Location	Pokhara, Western Himalayas
Height	6,993 m
Climbing	Not allowed
Range of Mountains	Annapurna Range
Attraction	Majestic View

Explore Fascinating Himalayas of Nepal

2008-02-02T20:49:00.000-08:00

Explore Himalayas in Nepal, a truly fascinating experience. From the warm and lush vegetation of the lower hills to the icy slopes of the highest mountainous range on earth, one will encounter some of the most stunning scenery of the Himalayas and the friendliest people imaginable.
Sightseeing of the Himalayas is one of the best way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and to relax and enjoy nature at its very best. The following regions defined below is unique and attracted tourist worldwide.

Annapurna Region:
Annapurna (Sanskrit, Nepali, Nepal Bhasa: अन्नपूर्ण) is a series of peaks in the Himalaya, a 55 km (34 mi)-long massif whose highest point, Annapurna I, stands at 8,091 m (26,538 ft), making it the 10th-highest summit in the world and one of the 14 "eight-thousanders". It is located east of a great gorge cut through the Himalaya by the Kali Gandaki River, which separates it from the Dhaulagiri massif. (Dhaulagiri I lies 34 km/21 mi west of Annapurna I.) Annapurna is a Sanskrit name which is translated as Goddess of the Harvests. In Hinduism, Annapurna is a goddess of fertility and agriculture and an avatar of Durga.
The most popular trekking region and easily accessible from Pokhara. Treks in this area range from the lush green hills around Ghorepani to the stark, barren beauty of Muktinath and the snow-covered slopes of the Annapurna Sanctuary.

Everest Region
Mount Everest, also called Chomolungma or Qomolangma (Tibetan: ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ) or Sagarmatha (Nepali: सगरमाथा) is the highest mountain on Earth, as measured by the height of its summit above sea level. The mountain, which is part of the Himalaya range in High Asia, is located on the border between Nepal and Tibet, China. By the end of the 2006 climbing season there had been 3,050 ascents to the summit by 2,062 individuals, and at least 630 more ascents in 2007. There have been more than 200 deaths on the mountain, where conditions are so difficult that most corpses have been left where they fell; some are visible from standard climbing routes. Climbers range from experienced mountaineers to relative novices who count on their paid guides to get them to the top. This means climbers are a significant source of tourist revenue for Nepal, whose government also requires all prospective climbers to obtain an expensive permit, costing up to $25,000 (USD) per person

The most famous mountaineering destination in the world and home to the warm friendly Sherpa people, the legendary yeti and, of course, the highest mountain in the world, Mt Everest.

Langtang and Helambu
The beautiful Langtang Valley and the picturesque villages of the Helambu region are both wonderful destinations in their own right. They can be also be combined into one trek with a visit to the sacred lakes at Gosainkund and a crossing of Laurebina La.

Kanchenjunga Region
Kangchenjunga (Nepai:कञ्चनजङ्घा) SewaLungma (Limbu language) is the third highest mountain in the world (after Mount Everest and K2) with an altitude of 8,586 metres (28,169 feet). Kangchenjunga is generally regarded as the highest mountain in India and the second highest peak in Nepal. Kangchenjunga translated means "The Five Treasures of Snows", as it contains five peaks, four of them over 8,450 metres. The treasures represent the five repositories of god, which are gold, silver, gems, grain, and holy books. Kangchenjunga is also called Sewalungma in local Limbu language and considered sacred in Kirant religion. Three of these five peaks (main, central, and south) are on the border of North Sikkim district of Sikkim, India and Taplejung District of Nepal, while the other two are completely in Taplejung District. Nepal is home to the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area Project run by the World Wildlife Fund, in association with HMG in Nepal, the sanctuary is also home to the Red Panda and other snow animals, birds and plants. India's side of Kangchenjunga also has a protected park area called the Khangchendzonga National Park.
Although Kangchenjunga is the official spelling adopted by Douglas Freshfield, A.M. Kellas, and the Royal Geographical Society that gives the best indication of the Tibetan pronunciation, there are a number of alternative spellings which include Kangchen Dzö-nga, Khangchendzonga, Kanchenjanga, Kachendzonga, Kanchenjunga or Kangchanfanga. The final word on the use of the name Kangchenjunga came from His Highness Sir Tashi Namgyal, the Maharaja or chogyal of Sikkim, who stated that "although junga had no meaning in Tibetan, it really ought to have been Zod-nga (treasure, five) Kang-chen (snow, big) conveyed the meaning correctly". Following consultations with a Lieutenant-Colonel J.L.R. Weir (HMG political agent to Sikkim), he agreed that it was best to leave it as Kangchenjunga, and thus the name remained so by acceptance and usage.
Until 1852, Kangchenjunga was assumed to be the highest mountain in the world, but calculations made by the British Great Trigonometric Survey in 1849 came to the conclusion that Mount Everest was the highest and Kangchenjunga the third-highest. Kangchenjunga was first climbed on May 25, 1955 by Joe Brown and George Band of a British expedition. The British expedition honoured the beliefs of the Sikkimese, who hold the summit sacred, by stopping a few feet short of the actual summit. Most successful summit parties since then have followed this tradition.

Mt. Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest mountain, lies on Nepal's eastern border with Sikkim. It is a beautiful, unspoiled wilderness area which boasts some of the most impressive mountain scenery on Earth. The pristine wilderness of the Kanchenjunga region in the far east of Nepal, is at its most beautiful in the spring, when an amazing display of rhododendrons colours the hillsides.

Mustang Region
The word 'Mustang' conjures up ideas of remoteness and seclusion, a region lost amongst the mountains. This was an independent country until it was closely consolidated into Nepal just a couple of decades back.

This remote outpost of Nepal is a vast high valley, arid and dry, and has a barren desert like appearance similar to the Tibetan Plateau. Only a few trekkers are privileged enough to visit this amazing area each year.

The kingdom of Mustang lies in the rain shadow formed by the Annapurna & Nilgiri Himalayas thus gets very little rain which makes the area ideal for trekking even in the mid monsoon while the other areas of Nepal remain unviable for trekking due to heavy monsoon rain.

Dolpo Region
The Dolpo region is characterised by stark arid landscapes similar to the Tibetan Plateau. To trek through this region is to step back in time, where village life continues as it has done for centuries and where very few Westerners have ventured.
Trekking in the Dolpo region has it's own charm , people here still leads a primitive life, yet they are friendly. This is also one of few areas where pre-Buddhist Bon Po religion is still practiced. The trail goes over three high passes, the Kagmara La [5115m], Baga La [5090m] and Numa La [5360m] passing the deep-blue tranquil Phoksumdo Lake and finally concludes at Juphal descending the gorge-side path of Tarap Khola.
Rara
This beautiful high altitude lake in Western Nepal, is surrounded by alpine meadows, forests of pine, juniper and spruce, and ringed by the magnificent snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas.

Makalu Region
This is an outstanding trek in the eastern region of Nepal which offers a combination of rich culture heritage, unsurpassed beauty and biological diversity. Trekking in the Makalu region takes you through the beautiful Makalu Barun National Park, from the steamy lowlands of Tumlingtar [460m], to the snowy heights of Makalu Base Camp [5000m]

Manaslu Region
If you would like to sample both extremes of the trekking experience in Nepal, and really get to see what all the fuss is about in terms of the most breath-taking mountain scenery on earth, then look no further than the circuit of Manaslu via the Larkya La. The Tibetan enclave of Nupri, north of Manaslu at the head of the Buri Gandaki, was closed to foreigners for years on account of its proximity to Tibet. The area was surreptitiously opened in 1991, but it took several years for the word to get out.

Bratabandha Ceremony Held in Nepal

2008-01-24T06:11:00.000-08:00

Bratabandhan (sanskrit brata-promise,bandhan-to be bound), Chudakarma or simply bratabhanda is an ancient Hindu tradition carried out in Hindu families. This tradition is based on the four age periods of a Hindu man, namely Bramhacharya(0-25 years), Grihastha(25-50), Sanyasa (50-75) and Banaprasta(75+). A religious ceremony is held where a boy shaves his head and performs various rituals. It is a symbolic representation that a boy is mature enough to perform his duties as a bharmachari(that is to learn). Traditionally these boys were then sent to ashrams of gurus to learn in a vedic system of education. However today it is only represented symbolically by letting the boys beg(the ancient shyshas in ashrams used to beg home to home). At this point, the boys who want to renounce family life and get to the gurus by running (though it is just pretended as doing so)is avoided by the mama (maternal uncle) who lures them to material world or grihastha by offering money. These boys promise to stay home and at the same time perform the karmas of a bramhacharya (studying, earning a living and performing religious rites). Thus after this ceremony the boys are considered men (though not physically). They are given the Janai (yagyopavita-the holy thread from yagya)and are expected to keep with the rules and norms of full-aged men. This promise, taken by wearing the janai, holds them in a bind. This gives its name bratabhandha. From this point onwards they are permitted to take an active part in religious ceremonies (pujas, last rituals, marriages, etc.).

The pictures below are of the Bratabandha Ceremony Held in Sisneri, Lubhu, Lalitpur, Nepal on 24th January 2008. The boy's name is Abhishekh Ghimere of age 9 years old.

Fun and Simple Facts about the Himalayas

2008-01-17T06:02:00.001-08:00

Here are the fun and simple facts about the Himalayas.
1. The Himalayas means the ‘abode of snow’!
2. The Himalayas formed approximately 70 million of years ago following a collision between India and Asia via the Indo Austrlian and Eurasian plates. This tremendous collision resulted in the beautiful Himalayan range for which Nepal is now so famous.
3. 64% of Nepal is covered by the Himalayas or Mountains
4. Eight of the fourteen eight-thousanders are located in Nepal, either in whole or shared across a border with Tibet or India.
5. Himalaya is the source of major rivers of Nepal
6. 31 of the Himalayan peaks exceed 7,600 meters
7. Of the fifteen highest mountain peaks in the World, nine of them are contained within the Nepal Himalayas
8. Mount Everest (8,848 metres), the highest mountain in the world, is part of the Himalayas in Nepal. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first people to climb Mount Everest in 1953.
9. Himalayas continue to rise 1 cm every year - a growth rate of 10 km in a million years (source : U.S. Geological Survey)
10. Nepal has more than 200 mountains over 6000 meter height
11. Over a 1000 mountain expeditions takes places every year in Nepal, each expeditions carrying an average of 30 people, more than 80% of those expeditions are towards the Himalayas
12. Another well known fact is that the Himalayas is the source of the Indus Basin, the Yangtze Basin and the Ganga-Brahmaptura which are three of the worlds primary river systems
13. The Himalayas are geologically alive! The southern front moves approximately 20 mm a year and it is estimated that in 10 million years time, the Himalayas will have moved approximately 1,500 km into Asia

Holiest Buddhist Site: Buddhanath

2008-01-16T05:03:00.000-08:00

Boudhanath (also called Bodhnath or Baudhanath or the Khāsa Caitya) is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in the area of Kathmandu, Nepal. It is known as Khāsti by Newars as Bauddha or Bodh-nāth by modern speakers of Nepali. It is located about 11 km (7 miles) from the centre of Kathmandu, Nepal on the northeastern outskirts of the city. Its platform is a massive mandala and it is the largest spherical stupa in Nepal.
The Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath dominates the skyline. The ancient Stupa is one of the largest in the world. The influx of large populations of Tibetan refugees from China has seen the construction of over 50 Tibetan Gompas (Monasteries) around Boudhanath. Boudhanath is one of the sites in Nepal listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Along with Swayambhunath, to the western side of the city centre, it is one of the most popular tourist sites in Kathmandu city.
The Stupa is on the ancient trade route from Tibet which enters the Kathmandu Valley by the village of Sankhu in the northeast corner, passes by Boudnath Stupa to the ancient and smaller stupa of Cā-bahī (often called 'Little Boudnath'). It then turns directly south, heading over the Bagmati river to Patan - thus bypassing the main city of Kathmandu (which was a later foundation). Tibetan merchants have rested and offered prayers here for many centuries. When refugees entered Nepal from Tibet in the 1950s, many decided to live around Bouddhanath. The Stupa is said to entomb the remains of a Kasyapa sage venerable both to Buddhists and Hindus.

Wonderful Namche Bazaar

2008-01-12T23:29:00.000-08:00

Namche Bazaar (3440m) is the unofficial capital of the Khumbu region of Nepal, and is a major stop-off point for trekkers and climbers heading for Mount Everest base camp.

The village is located on crescent shaped mountain slopes that offer stunning views of the mountains across the valley. It is a grueling 3 to 4 hour climb up from the river to Namche, and at 3,500 meters, it is possible to suffer altitude sickness here. Therefore, it is advisable to spend at least two nights in the village to acclimatize.

Traditionally the village was a trading post, with locals bartering yak cheese and butter for agricultural goods grown at lower altitudes. However, after Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's successful climb of Everest in 1953, the dynamics of the village changed forever as climbers and trekkers soon followed in their wake. At first the groups came in a trickle, but in the 60s and 70s this turned into a torrent, and being located at a confluence of trekking trails, Namche was best served to meet their needs. In addition, as Namche is the first place on the Khumbu trek that is above altitude sickness threshold, most travelers prefer to spend at least two nights here in order to acclimatize. Still, despite the village's popularity with trekkers, geographical restraints have contained its growth, and it remains a small settlement with no more than 60 dwellings.

Namche has prospered from the tourist trade, and according to government statistics it is the wealthiest district in Nepal, with 7 times the average national income and twice that of the capital, Kathmandu. In addition to an abundance of hotels, the village also boasts three small museums, a stupa, monastery, several cafes (locally known as bakeries) and many well stocked stores.

Namche has several official money changing facilities, and as it is the only place in the region to offer this service (besides Lukla), travelers should ensure that they have sufficient cash for the remainder of their journey before leaving the village. NB: The rate of exchange in Namche is much lower than in Kathmandu, and so it is advised to only use the facilities in Khumbu as a last resort or for changing small amounts of money.

Get in

The trek from Lukla to Namche can be done in one full day, but unless you are experienced at trekking at high altitude and extremely fit, taking two days over the journey is strongly recommended. Many people who rush to Namche suffer altitude sickness and have to brought down again the following day.

See

Sagarmatha National Park Visitor's Center, located at the top end of the village off the Tengboche trail (right side of village when looking up). Offers information on the wildlife of the area. There are some interesting photographs.
Museum of Sherpa Life, located above the village off the Tengboche trail. An introduction to Sherpa culture and the fauna and flora of the region -
Museum of local medicinal plants and Tibetan herbal medicine at the Healing Centre Offers an introduction into the world of Tibetan medicine through posters and artifacts. It also has a small gift shop, the profit from which help maintain the clinic up stairs.
Namche Library. A small library with a big heart - good selection of English books, though they cannot be taken off the premises.
Namche Monastery, located off the Thame trail (left side of village when looking up). A small monastery in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. It has pleasant courtyard and some traditional frescoes on wall of the main shrine.

Do

Namche market. As the name of the village suggests, Namche Bazaar has a market. Every Saturday morning, Sherpas from the surrounding valleys spread out their agricultural products and electronic goods carried from Kathmandu on land above the main path into town. While the goods themselves may not be interesting to tourists, the market itself is certainly worth wandering around and is a good place to get some souvenir shots of "Khumbu life". Check out the ýak "parking area" above the market - though don't get too close. Yaks are notoriously ill tempered.

Dumjee Festival. In June (lunar calendar fifth month 9-17), Namche holds an annual festival called dumjee (actually all the villages in Khumbu celebrate this event, but the festivities in Namche are the most impressive). The festival celebrates the achievements of a highly respected Sherpa lama, and while the first few days are rather subdued with just local families visiting each other for food and entertainment, the final few days are a boistorous affair held at the Namche Monastery. The ceremonies are presided over by the incarnate lama of Tengboche Monastery and include hillarious lama dances, traditional Sherpa dances and an initiation ceremony.

Solukhumbu Region- Full of Mountains

2008-01-11T00:03:00.001-08:00

Khumbu (also known as the Everest Region) is a sub-region in Solu Khumbu located on the Nepalese side of Mount Everest.
Regions
The Everest region is officially called Khumbu and includes the Sagarmatha National Park (above Monju) and the Sagarmatha National Park Buffer Zone (between Lukla and Monju).
Villages
There are many villages scattered throughout Khumbu. Below is a list of nine of the most important to travelers. Others can be found on the 'Walk' section of the Everest Base Camp Trek
• Ghat - located between Lukla and Monju - small family temple and beautiful Mani stones and stupa
• Khumjung - good place to take an acclimatization walk when staying in Namche - sacred cave
• Khunde - near Khumjung - location of Khumbu's main Western medicine clinic
• Lukla - location of airport - other than for taking a flight, no compelling reason to remain here
• Monju - good place to stop on first night after arriving at Lukla
• Namche Bazaar - the unofficial Sherpa capital - restaurants, cafes, museums, Tibetan medical clinic
• Pangboche - picturesque village - small monastery
• Phortse- very traditional village on mountain opposite Tengboche
Other destinations
• Everest Base Camp Trek
Understand
Famous for its spectacular mountain peaks and the loyalty and friendliness of its inhabitants (the Sherpas), the Everest region (Khumbu) is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in Nepal. While many of the routes through the mountains are arduous, there are ample places to rest and enjoy a meal along the way. Furthermore, don't worry about getting lost. Just ask a local the way to the next village on your route, and they will direct you. Most Sherpas under the age of fifty can at least understand basic English, and many speak it fluently.
While trekking is possible in this area the whole year round, the best times to visit are from the beginning of March to mid May and from the beginning of September to mid November. The winters are very cold and snow may make it difficult to travel higher than Tengboche, and also lodges may be closed above this altitude. Summers, on the other hand, are wet, and the spectacular peaks often lost in the clouds. April and early May is a good time to see the hedgerows and trees bursting into bloom, with Rhododendrons, in particular, adding a spectacular splash of color to the landscape. However, dust from the plains of India during the spring routinely provide less than ideal conditions for clear mountain views. The views are much better after the summer monsoons have cleared the atmosphere of dust, but the days are shorter and cooler.
Trekking permits are not required for the Khumbu region.
Lodges and restaurants in Khumbu only accept Nepalese rupees. Budget between 600-800rs per person per day for food and accommodation - prices rise with the altitude, though you may spend more in Namche because there is more on offer. See Sagarmatha Park regulations:
Guru Rinpoche
It is not possible to travel far in Khumbu without seeing images of a man wearing a tall elaborate hat and with eyes that are open wide and staring forward into space. This is the great 8th century sage of Vajrayana Buddhism, Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche as he often called. According to legend, Padmasambhava was reincarnated into a lotus blossom as an eight year old child, and from very young he possessed great wisdom and insight. Furthermore, he had mastery of the elements and so like a potter manipulating basic clay and turning it into beautiful pots, he was was able to transform harmful action and substances into something positive and beneficial.
Guru Rinpoche is credited with introducing Tantric Buddhism into Tibet and is specifically associated with the Nyingma tradition, the form of Buddhism that the Sherpas brought with them when they migrated over the Himalayas into Nepal in 16th century. Sacred sites associated with Guru Rinpoche in the Sagarmatha region are the Maratika cave in Haleshi and a cave above Khumjung in Khumbu.

Talk
Sherpas speak their own language called Sherpa, which is related to Tibetan. Most Sherpas under the age of fifty can also speak English and Nepali. In addition, because many Sherpas have traveled overseas to work, it is not uncommon to meet Sherpas who are fluent in German, French and Japanese.

Get in

By plane
There are numerous flights plying the Kathmandu - Lukla route, though with a much reduced service during the off-season months. Sita is considered to be one of the more reliable airlines flying this route and operates two flights every morning from Kathmandu Domestic Airport at 7AM and 8:20AM, with return flights at 7:40AM and 9AM. Flights from Kathmandu take around 25 minutes. Be aware that during the summer rainy season there may be substantial delays, and even a wait of one week is not uncommon.
On foot
There is a bus running between Kathmandu and Jiri. From here to Namche Bazaar it is about a six day walk.
Just after the village of Monju, there is check point for entering the Sagarmatha National Park. Passports need to be shown and there is a 1,000rs entry fee.
Get around
On foot. There are no roads in the Khumbu region.

See
As a Zen poet once wrote: "Going deeper and deeper - still the green mountains". This could certainly have been written in Khumbu, but while the mountains are the obvious attraction, the area does offer many other sights.

Fauna
The national bird, danfe (a kind of pheasant), and mountain goats are common in the Khumbu area, and because the Sherpas do not kill animals or birds, people can often get very close before they take off. Musk deer and snow leopards are also natives of the Khumbu mountains, albeit more rare - keep that camera ready.

Do
Trek, eat, enjoy Sherpa hospitality and relish your time in such a beautiful and pristine environment.

Buy
Outside Namche, there are few souvenir shops and the handicrafts sold are similar to those on offer in Kathmandu. However, as the majority of goods are carried over from Tibet, which is much nearer to Khumbu than Kathmandu, you might find a few bargains and some unique items. Also, check out the clothing made from yak wool. This is often made locally, and so the prices may be lower than in Kathmandu. As in most parts of south-east Asia, remember to haggle for the best deal.

Eat
Most lodges offer similar menus - oatmeal, hash browns, omelettes, dal bhat, spaghetti, fried rice, apple pie, etc. - though those in Namche tend to have a wider selection, which includes such things as pizza and juice.
Bakeries, which were originally a Namche phenomena, but now also operate in Khumjung and Tengboche, offer such luxuries as freshly baked pizza, German breads, pastries and even cappuccino - or as one lodge in Monju advertised: Sherpaccino!
Local dishes include:
Rikikul - the Sherpa dish of potato pancakes, which are delicious eaten straight off the griddle and covered with dzo (female yak) butter and a sauce made of mature cheese and spices called sorma. Due to the effort involved in making them, they are generally not listed on lodge menus. However, most places will oblige if you order well in advance.
Tzen - a heavy patte made from millet and flavored with spices.

Drink
Locally bottled water is available everywhere in Khumbu, though the price rises with the altitude. A bottle in Namche costs about 50rs. Beer and juice are flown from Kathmandu to Lukla and carried from there by porters; consequently the price is very high. Tea, instant coffee and a drink made from lemon concentrate are the cheapest beverages in the region, and are available in every lodge or tea shop for between 25 to 50rs a cup. NB: As there is no way to recycle plastic bottles in Khumbu, you might consider bringing your own container and either purchasing boiled water or purifying spring water with iodine tablets.

Sleep
Accommodation is in an abundance in Khumbu, and ranges from the luxurious Everest View Hotel near Khumjung to the very comfortable lodges in Namche right down to those offering very basic faciities. Generally, the higher the altitude, the simpler the accommodation.

Woman Drying Millet out in the Sun

2007-12-05T21:29:00.001-08:00

HARVEST SEASON: A local woman from Thuman Village, Rasuwa district, Himalayas in the background dries millet out in the sun. Peasants here in the Himalayan foothills have been busy picking, threshing, and storing millet lately.

Image source: Kathmandu Post
Photo by: Krishna Thapa

International Elephant Race Festival in Nepal

2007-12-03T19:59:00.000-08:00

International Elephant Race and Elephant Festival will be arranged in the month of December of every year in Chitawan Shauraha. Activities will include:
Sighting of Elephant March Past,
Elephant Bathing,
Elephant Decoration (Traditional Art),
and of course International Elephant Race (highlight)
•Every year, there will be Photo Exhibition and Documentary Shows covering the life cycle of Elephants.
•Publicity campaign will be arranged. (Even BBC along with Chinese, Indian, Korean and Nepali electronic and print media had highlighted the event of 2005.)
•Collect funds (fees, donations etc.) for fulfilling the objectives mentioned above.
The main purpose of the elephant race is to preserve the Elephant in Nepal and there by increasing their numbers and give proper training for carrying tourists, provide rescue and difficult transport services in the deep jungle.

The First International Elephant Race was organized in the Tourist Village of Sauraha in December 26 and 27 of 2005. At that timeThis race was organized for Charity purpose. Twenty-nine elephants had taken part under the banners of national and international teams and some 15,000 domestic and international tourists have participated and were delighted. This event was given coverage by BBC, Chinese and Indian TV channels and was given proper publicity by the entire national newspapers and T.V. channels of Nepal. This was only a small and humble beginning, but it has greatly encourages us to organize this event with better management and larger participation. We can safely target to get 30,000 tourists participation in this event in December 2006, which may last for 4-5 days.

Some Rules and Facts about the Elephant Race festival of Nepal:
• The distance of the elephant race will be 300 meters.
• The track of the elephant race should be straight.
• The width of the track will be 10 meters.
• The participant cannot select the elephant themselves. The elephants of the respective participants will be selected by lottery method.
• Not more than six elephants can participate in the race at a time.
• In the same- finale and finale rounds the participants has to take part with their respective elephants . The elephants cannot be exchanged.
• In case of injury, sickness or any other cases related to elephant behavior of the participating elephant, the elephant could be changed in accordance to the decision made by the selection committee.
• The elephant that has acquired first and second position in the first round will be eligible to participate in the semi-final and the elephants acquired first and second position in the semi-final can participate in the final round.
• After numbering the elephants through lottery method, the elephants will be grouped in a size of five from 1-5, 6-10, 11-15 and so on.
• The track of the participating elephant will be determined before the race begins though lottery method.
• Sticks cannot be used to beat and prick the elephant during the competition.
• "Ankush" cannot be used in normal conditions to control the elephant other than in emergency conditions. Whereby, if the "Ankush" will be used, the elephant will be disqualified form the race.
• From the beginning till the end of the race, the elephant should not go beyond the track line, if so the elephant will be disqualified from the race.
• The participant and the elephant driver are not allowed to use alcohol or any kind of stimulating agents, if found so, both of them will be disqualified along with the elephant.
• The same elephant and the participant taking part in the preliminary round should be in the semi-final and final rounds.
• The decision made by the evaluation committee will be final and cannot be influenced.

Explore the Wonders of Dhulikhel

2007-11-28T18:35:00.000-08:00

Mountain View From Dhulikhel

Dhulikhel is set at a height of 5,500 ft above sea level and 30 Kilometers east of Kathmandu on the Kodari Highway. Dhulikhel is a small town with a long history. It is one of the nearest city from kathmandu which is favorite tourist destination for all. Records show that it has been around for more than 500 years. The artistic skill and urban ethos of its Newar inhabitants have created a place of charm and beauty. Streets lined with bare-brick houses, carved wooden windows, sloping title roofs, pagoda temples and sacred statues everywhere. You will think you have wandered into a cultural theme park.
The city provides an absolute panoramic sight of the snow-capped varieties from Karyolung in the east to Himalchuli in the west. The attractive town is a must toured place for all and thus several Hotels in Dhulikhel in Nepal have come up to provide accommodation to all.
Because of increasing number of tourists in Dhulikhel tour operators and hotels are trying to increase the staying period of the tourist with in the region. They are organizing the trekking with in near villages like panauti, Namo Buddha, Palanchok Bhagawati etc. They are also organizing the different adventures programs like rafting, mountain biking and many more.

Sightseeing in Dhulikehel
How to reach: It takes 45 minutes to reach Dhulikhel by Taxi or private car or two and half to three hours by bicycle or one and half hour by local bus. Many travel agents operate Dhulikhel tour. But Dhulikhel is an ideal spot to stop for minimum one or more nights to explore and enjoy tradition, culture and Nepalese landscape with finest Himalayan panoramic views.

Government collecting info on ancient monuments

2007-11-26T01:28:00.000-08:00

The Department of Archaeology (DoA) is collecting information on historical monuments and artefacts scattered across the country and is making preparations to classify them on the basis of their national and local significance.
Although Nepal is known as a country full of temples and rich historical monuments, comprehensive data about their numbers, types and condition are lacking. Archaeologists estimate that Nepal has over 10,000 ancient monuments.
Bishnu Raj Karki, chief archaeological officer of the DoA, said studies were conducted, especially in the three districts of the valley — Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. There is no dearth of data about monuments of the valley, but very few studies have been conducted on monuments situated in other 72 districts of the country.
With the objective of collecting data, the DoA is selecting a team of 20 people, those with Masters in Nepali culture, history and archaeology.
It will train them to identify and classify historical monuments and artefacts. Members of the team will be sent to different parts of the country to gather information with help from the locals.
The identified monuments, namely temples, monasteries and artefacts, will be classified on the basis of their national, regional and local importance.
Karki said the information thus gathered will also help priorities the preservation of monuments. “The DoA will preserve the monuments of national importance, while local authorities will look after the monuments of local importance,” he said.
The DoA has come up with an ‘Ancient Monument Conservation Procedures, 2007’ for the preservation of ancient monuments.
“Collected data will not only help classify and preserve the ancient monuments, but will also help update information,” Ram Bahadur Kunwar, an archaeologist at the DoA, said. He added that a three-year monument preservation programme will probably commence in a month from the Far-Western or Mid-Western Development region.

Source Himalayan News Service

Things to do in Nepal

2007-11-14T18:01:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the interesting activities that the travelers can do in Nepal.

1. Buy Nepalese and Tibetan Handicrafts and art facts. I personally suggest travellers to buy the Nepalese and tibetan handicrafts from G.Light Handicrafts Pvt. Ltd where you can enjoy huge collection of Nepalese arts with free shipping world wide.

2. Go on an elephant ride in the Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal’s first national park, which is a jungle overflowing with wildlife.

3. Take a scenic flight over Mount Everest. Most of the domestic airlines arrange flights in light aircraft. Flights are also available from Pokhara and other locations west of the capital, flying over the spectacular Annapurna range.
4. Go river rafting: Rafting permits are not required for the general areas; however, to raft the Himalayan rivers, a permit must be obtained from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

5. One of the principal reasons for visiting Nepal must be either to see or to climb the mountains, especially Mount Everest, Sagarmatha ('Head of the Sky') in Nepalese. At an altitude of 8,848m (29,022ft), Everest is the world’s highest peak and has been opened for commercial mountaineering for decades.

6. Go ballooning or hang-gliding in Kathmandu. Hang-gliding is popular in Pokhara and in the Langtang region. Paragliding and power paragliding are available in Pokhara.

7. Try to find the Nepal Yeti: the existence of the famous Nepal Yeti, a giant, gorilla-sized hairy snowman that eats yaks and sheep, remains strongly questionable. Only a few people, including the father of Tenzing Norgay (the first Sherpa to conquer Mount Everest), claim to have seen it. Popular myth recounts that those who did spot the creature got sick and died within a few days. For Yeti enthusiasts wishing to try their luck, the abominable snowman is said to make random appearances around the Khumbu region (in the foothills of Mount Everest).

8. For walkers and trekkers, Nepal is a true paradise. The trekking season is generally from September to May, but the best periods are October to December and March to April. Some foreign travel agencies can book trekking packages in advance in collaboration with the Nepalese trekking agencies. In Kathmandu, there are many local officially registered trekking agencies that can provide a fully organised trek, complete with porters, guide, cook, food tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, transport to and from the starting and finishing points, flight arrangements, permits and insurance. Pony treks are also available and follow nearly the same routes as normal treks and are offered mostly in the western region around Pokhara, as well as in the hinterlands of Dolpo and Lo Manthang. Trekking permits are no longer required for the general trekking areas designated by the Department of Immigration (such as the Annapurna, the Everest, the Langtang and Rara). For all other areas, a permit is still required and can be obtained from the Department of Immigration located at New Baneshwar, Kathmandu (tel: 494 273 or 337) or via trekking agencies and tour operators. Trekking to Dolpa, Kanchanjunga, Makalu and Upper Mustang can only be undertaken through a registered trekking agency.

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Nepal Launches New Tourism Brand

2007-11-11T03:28:00.000-08:00

For years, Nepal has been known as a land of Mt. Everest, sublime scenery, arcane temples, and some of the best walking trails on earth combined with exciting adventurous activities, which has positioned it as a unique, and interesting travel destination. But lately Nepalese tourism industry has felt necessary to reposition its image in the international tourism market with a popular brand amidst the stiff competition among destinations. New Brand, which was unveiled on March 5, 2005 , is a contemporary approach of promotion that Nepal 's tourism industry has taken so far to re-position the country in the competitive world of destination promotion.

To project the myriad images of Nepal in a condensed way, Nepal Tourism Board has launched a New Tourism Brand incorporating entire spectrum of tourism products/services, which provides leeway to Nepal to promote and market its tourism product in a complete package. The New Tourism Brand will be adopted by all the travel trade and other concerned agencies that market Nepal nationally or internationally.

Explaining the New Tourism Brand, Tek Bahadur Dangi- Chief Executive Officer of Nepal Tourism Board says: “New Nepal Brand will be instrumental in increasing the number of tourists to Nepal . Prior to this Campaign, we were solely dependant on the individual overseas tour operators to promote Nepal but we will now all be working together in a concerted, focused and centralized effort to penetrate new segment of consumer market also that has great potential.”

The thrust of New Tourism Brand is to reinvent Nepal ’s diversity, modernity and cultural heritage while keeping in view the sustainability and environmental aspects at bay. To be very precise, Nepal 's New Tourism Brand is all about the true feeling of hospitality; smiling people; festivals throughout the year; extreme adventure & air sports; meditation and many more. "Our philosophy is that a destination brand is the totality of perceptions that a customer holds about the experiences associated with a place," Mr. Dangi adds.

The brand, developed by India based social infrastructure agency Alchemy, is the result of more than six months of research and planning with the Board in consultation with a wide range of other private and government agencies in Nepal, India and other major tourist generating market. The massive collaborative exercise has been carried out to unleash the Nepal 's tourism brand in a given time frame. The new brand has tried to redefine Nepalese tourism with a different flavor. Though Nepal 's traditional role as a destination is important, it must not only retained but also improve upon- through the reformulation of the Nepal product into a truly world class one. And with a strategic location and supporting infrastructure, Nepal is well suited to be both short and long haul destination. This option has been explored in this branding. The reformulation of the Nepal product is about building upon existing strengths and minimizing in on the weakness. It is about catering to the myriad interests of the visitors while ensuing that locals' own needs are met. These all approaches are incorporated in new brand, which will address the global concept of branding a destination. While every care is being taken to attract Indian tourists for weekend from Indian cities, more emphasis is being given to long haul tourists coming to Nepal for adventure holidays from Europe and America.

The new tourism brand has evolved with three major segments: Weekends breaks, Adventure holidays and Lifetime experience. Weekend break deals specially for Indian markets and other regional markets due to their proximity and easy air connectivity and Adventure and Lifetime experience aims at long haul markets like USA , Europe , Australia and others.

Unlike other countries, tourism branding exercise carried out by NTB is considered to be cost effective in terms of huge expenses that are being made by other countries in branding. NTB's brand consulting Company Alchemy Social Infrastructure was hired though global tender based on their merit of cost effective budget which was deemed appropriate in view of NTB's resource dispensation. Minimum amount required for the effective Brand campaign in India and other primary markets like UK, Germany, France and other South East Asian countries was proposed to be in tune of NRs. 10 crore Nepali Rupees for Guerilla type of brand campaign, however, due to the paucity of funds with the Government and NTB, the proposition could not be entertained. Therefore, austerity campaign measure is adopted by NTB to handle with bare minimum budget of nearly 2.5 crore within this Fiscal year. After an extensive research and substantive ground work of nearly six months, NTB has finally rolled out this new brand to kick start the process of campagain from the home front followed by unveiling at ITB-Berlin in March 11, 2006 by Minister of State of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Mrs Yankilla Sherpa.

It is an appropriate forum to share the good news that Nepal tourism Board has bagged the prestigious PATA Gold Award in CD-ROM category for the year 2006 for the second time. We believe that the award of this nature has inspired the travel industry of Nepal in general and NTB in particular amidst the brand-launching extravaganza that is taking place nationally and internationally. Now, the new brand will have a lot of ingredient to make strong its stance in the tourism marketplace.

This new tourism brand is first of its kind created with professional expertise in the tourism history of Nepal . Previously also, lots of national programs were run but they were not based on the outcome of research and surveys. However, this new tourism brand is absolutely backed by the research and surveys, hence has lot of ingredients to support for the yield subject to availability of matching resources and required environment. Therefore, if this new brand is owned by all the major stakeholders of tourism industry in the country with the support of our foreign counterparts with univocal voice for its promotions at all levels, NTB is optimistic to generate desired outcome from this national brand exercise. Nepal Tourism Board firmly believes that tourism industry of Nepal will find belongingness in this national tourism brand- closer to its heart.

Source: www.welcomenepal.com (Nepal Tourism Board)