Blog –

The Nepali Festival of Temal Jatra, and my five new projects.

Today was pandemonium at Boudhanath in Kathmandu. Thousands of people from all over Nepal came to pay their respects to the stupa. Countless prayer groups, butter lamps, family tents, hundreds of lamas, and thousands of beggars lined the stupa all around. Temal Jatra is one of the main festivals of the Tamang community here. Tamang is one of the most important ethnic groups in Nepal. Roughly 6% of Nepalis or 1.5 milion people are of Tamang origin. Ta means horse and Mang means rider or trader. So they were horse people. Tamangs have their own distinct branch of Buddhism, language,…

I Visit the Oldest Hindu Temple, and Risk a Haircut

Pashupatinath Temple (Pronouced Pa-shu-pa-ti-NATH) is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu. Although it is not known exactly when the temple was built, most say it dates back to 400 BCE. According to ancient Nepali texts Mahatmaya and Himvatkhanda, the deity here gained great fame here called Pashupati, the Lord of all Pashus. A richly ornamented pagoda houses the huge sacred linga or holy symbol of Lord Shiva. You’ll see a photo below, however non-Hindus are not allowed into the most sacred areas. If you speak to the ascetics that live around the temple, they’ll respond in very good English and…

Just Another Week in Kathmandu

Earthquake in Kathmandu. This morning I was meditating quietly in our 3rd floor apartment when the ground shuddered. Yep, sure enough, it was a 4.1 magnitude earthquake at 9 am. According to the National Seismological Centre, it was an aftershock of the big earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015. I did wonder what I would do, and what might become of our apartment building – briefly. Then it rained and the air cleared beautfully. All is well. Mahakala is a tantric Buddhist protective deity. His mask has five human skulls on the crown, a symbol of transmutation of the five…

Living in Kathmandu – Accepting the Moment

Sorry for being out of touch recently. I’m sinking into the Nepali culture inevitably. I thought I was going to live in Bhutan. But now by surprise I live in Kathmandu, because the Lama’s work is here. That’s OK. I can accept. There’s been a huge shift as I’m no longer a tourist, and I accept daily life of a Kathmandu resident. I just live with enjoyment and notice the hard work and kindness of others all around me. I watch tourists run from site to site, and I can’t be bothered. I follow the local pace. I go see…

Gho and Kira, the National Dress of Bhutan

By Tshering Yangdon. Did you know the Bhutanese national dress was codified over 400 years ago? The code was set in the 17th century, during the reign of the famous Rinpoche and “Father of Bhutan”, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. Yes, the Zhabdung’s far-sighted vision of maintaining the country’s unity and sovereignty led him to establish a national dress for Bhutan. Gho and Kira are the two very unique pieces of traditional dress. The Gho is for men and the Kira for women. Rinpoche Zhabdrung succeeded brilliantly in uniting the country under one rule, in the face of violent civil wars and internal…

What is the Government of Bhutan?

By Tshering Yangdon. The government of Bhutan is a democratic, constitutional monarchy with five branches of government, overseeing a population of approximately 800,000 people. The 2008 Constitution of Bhutan provides for five main branches of government: 1) Monarchy, 2) State Religion, 3) Judiciary, 4) Executive, and 5) Legislative branches. All the secular and religious branches of government are unified under the King. In this constitutional monarchy the King acts as a non-party political head of the government. Bhutan’s fifth King, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, is the hereditary head of state. The King of Bhutan is called “Druk Gyalpo”, meaning “King of the Dragon Kingdom”. 1)…

A Quiet Week of Working and Healing

It’s been a very quiet week working on writing projects and healing my back. Not too much happening. As soon as my spinal muscles are completely healed, I’ll return to Paro. My Bhutan visa for 11 months just arrived, and that is great news. I’m here in Kathmandu with the Lama and his daughter “Baby”. I stopped at this storefront when walking around the Boudha. I love the flaming statue of Mahakala with the Stupa reflection in the window. Amazingly, one day the sun came out! It was warm enough for a relaxing break on the hotel rooftop. My DIY pedicure-manicure…

Why does the King of Bhutan wear a Raven Crown?

The Raven Crown is worn by the Kings of Bhutan. It is a hat surmounted by the head of a raven. The Raven is the national bird of Bhutan, signifying one of the most powerful deities of the country. The Royal Raven Crown represents Bhutan’s deep reverence for these birds as a protective deity. At one time, it was a capital crime to kill a raven in Bhutan. One can still see ravens nesting in monasteries throughout Bhutan. The original Raven crown of Jigme Namgyel (1825–1881), and modern royal crown. The Raven is the world’s largest species of black birds,…

It’s Losar! Tibetan New Years in Kathmandu

Happy New Year! I’m in Kathmandu and today is Losar, Tibetan new year of 2146. Yep. Everybody’s all dressed up in traditional costumes, offering prayers and holding family gatherings. This is the year of the Earth Pig, the last in a 12-year zodiac cycle. Whatever lessons we failed to learn in earlier periods of this cycle, it is time to learn them now. All the indicators point to 2019 as being a very good year. After the challenges in the past few years, I hope this is going to be the year we all need. Losar is Tibetan New Year. Tashi Delek…

Back in Kathmandu for Two Weeks

I’m in Kathmandu for two weeks for immigration purposes. When I return to Bhutan hopefully I’ll be able to stay for a much longer time. I’m with Baby, the Lama’s daughter from a previous marriage. She’s 17 years old, brilliant, and she wants to improve her spoken English. We’re having a good time together. Baby and I are working on our web writing projects. We took a break at the Himalayan Java Coffee Shop. Today she’s trying coffee with steamed milk and carrot cake. I’m having Golden milk tea with turmeric, ginger, and black pepper. Not much to say today.…