Random hits on the keyboard

Cultural preservation is a subject that has always been close to my heart. I am a proud Newar, born and raised in Kathmandu, and like many in my community, I have inherited the language, traditions and identity. The Newar community is often praised for preserving its rich heritage, festivals, architecture, cuisine, music, and rituals. In many ways, Newar culture has become synonymous with the cultural identity of Nepal itself. What makes this remarkable is our size. Newars make up less than five percent of Nepal's population, yet our influence on the country's cultural landscape is immeasurable. The temples of Kathmandu, the intricately carved windows, the vibrant festivals, the masked dances, the music, the food, and the centuries-old rituals are all deeply rooted in Newar civilisation. It is a heritage I deeply cherish and one I hope future generations will continue to experience. Yet preserving culture today is becoming increasingly difficult. Over the past few decades, Newa...

I recently saw several falchas in Baneshwor and around Singha Durbar being used as bus stops. I disliked them, not because of the falchas themselves, but because they were being used as a bus stop. To me, they misrepresent what a falcha actually is, or rather, what it once was. First, let's understand what a falcha is. In the days before hotels and guest houses, falchas provided free shelter for visitors and travellers. They also served as venues for social, cultural, and religious activities. Although I am not old enough to experience them being used as lodging for travellers, I grew up seeing pujas and bhojs organised there. Neighbours and relatives gathered in falchas to meet, talk, and spend time together. They carried deep social and cultural significance. In Tamogalli, Nardevi, Kathmandu, there is a falcha built by my ancestors. It stands at a road junction in a narrow alley. When I was a child, it was our small playground and community assembly point. For the elders, it was ...

This week, my daughter stepped into one of the most profound cultural milestones of her life, her Gufa ceremony. It is a symbolic traditional transition from childhood to adolescence, and it is often described as “marriage to the Sun.” This tradition has evolved. It required twelve days of seclusion in a dark room; now, we have shortened it to two or three days. The rules have been relaxed. Yet, the essence remains intact; the condensed version is equally celebrated and vivid. We chose two days for Gufa. We dropped her off on Sunday at the Guru Ba, the custodians of the ceremony. For me, the day began with exhaustion. It was the next morning after my milestone run (54 km). I was asked to skip, but I went ahead, assuming I would complete it before dark. I didn’t. I reached home after midnight, took a shower, and managed barely three hours of sleep. In the morning, I was limping at the ceremony site. But, watching my daughter become part of a ceremony, I forgot half of my pain. The rema...

Reva was excited and was waiting for this very day when she would be a bride - (sort of). It was a two-day ceremony, but it took weeks to prepare for this day. Reva along with the other 40 brides attended Ihi puza. It is a symbolic marriage with Subarna Kumar, an avatar of lord Vishnu.  The vibes and the environment were exciting. All the kids were happy to be a bridge to the god. We were also happy to attend the celebration. Reva got offerings from her Ninis and many other visitors. The celebration and the story behind it, the process and ritual, the participation and the transfer of culture to the next generation - this is what makes us Newar.  At one point, I felt real - and thought of a day when Reva would get married for real. I felt sad. And I saw Reva's smile... and I smiled with her.

My little one participated in the Kumari Puja. She was excited from the early morning. This is her third time attending the puja. We believe that the kids will learn a bit of the Newari culture. They already have difficulty speaking the Newari language and have no enthusiasm to learn. We hope these kinds of functions are fun for kids and at the same time preserving the endangered culture to some extend. Peppa Pig is extremely accessible (dangerous to some extend) and it gives the kids a lot of information, paticular about the Western way of life, their food, the environment and education system. Kids probably know more about British culture than our own. Now comes Rakshya Bandhan. This was not common in Newari/Hilly Nepal culture but it has become a part of our culture now. Thanks to movies and social networking. We can't stop it. Pushing hard will be a kind of 'extremism'. Localization of the import culture is the middle path. So we include a bit of Newari flavour into it....