Category: Nepal
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How Nepali Women Reinvented Teej: The Glory Of Sisterhood
From Rituals to Revelry As a young woman in Nepal, I’ve celebrated Teej throughout my life, though my memories of it are tinged with disdain. The rigorous fasting rituals and the annual “cleansing” of ourselves from supposed “menstrual sins” were reasons enough for me to avoid participating in or promoting the festival. However, the reimagining…
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Unlock Walking Meditation: the Ancient Spiritual Practice of Circumambulation (Kora)
Buddhist practices have always been close to my heart. In Nepal, especially in the Kathmandu Valley, Buddhism and Hinduism have blended together in a delightful way that permeates all religious households, regardless of which religion you follow. Even though I was born into a Hindu household, my family took many of Tibetan Buddhist ideas into…
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A Complete Tour Guide to Lumbini – The Birthplace of Gautama Buddha
Picture source: Unsplash Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, has always been a place of pilgrimage for people from all across the world. This UNESCO world heritage site is rich with elements ranging from elaborately curated monasteries bejeweled with ornaments from all across the world to historical inscriptions and ruins of the castle where Buddha…
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The Rato Machindranath Festival: Chariots, Furious Sages, and Rain-giving Snakes.
The jatra for Rato Machindranath is a sight to see in Lalitpur. Newars celebrate the chariot festival of a beloved deity, in Patan around the time of the Nepali new year. Held right before the monsoon season every year, this jatra is believed to bring rain and prosperity to the valley. Rato Machindranath is known…