3 Things You (Probably) Don’t Know About Nepal

I plan to do a future post on what the average American knows about Nepal. Meanwhile, here are a few facts that will put you miles ahead at your next cocktail party – especially if you actually meet a Nepali at one!

Balen Shah, 34 year-old rapper, engineer, and mayor of Kathmandu. Photo by aarogya1234.

1) Kathmandu Elected a Rapper as Mayor Balen Shah, the current mayor of Nepal’s capital city, was a well-known rapper before his election. I realize this brings up more questions like “There is rap in Nepal?” Yes. “Do they have rap battles?” Yes. (But I’ll still just count all of this as one item.) Here’s a video that mixes rap with the local culture: Balidan video from Balen Shah

2) Buddha Was Born in Nepal

More than eighty percent of Nepalis are Hindu, but they are proud of the fact that Lord Buddha (not just “Buddha”) was born in Lumbini, Nepal. It is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists.

3) Nepal is Located Between India and China

When my husband, Ranjan, tells people he is from Nepal they often look surprised or pleased…and then puzzled. “Where is that?” is the most common question. (I’m glad they admit they don’t know — at least that way they find out!) To give you a more precise idea, if you take a globe and put one index finger on Houston, Texas, and put the other index finger on Nepal, they will be more or less on opposite sides.

Ghanta Karna

Ghanta Karna is a festival celebrated by the Newar people of Bhaktapur, Nepal. Demons are burned in effigy to chase away bad spirits and illness. Small bundles of straw are burned in front of homes, but the large elaborate demons are constructed and burned in the town squares. Like most festivals, it is also a good time for socializing with neighbors.

Behind Dattatreya Temple, the smaller demon is almost finished.

Behind Dattatreya Temple, the smaller demon is almost finished.

 

 

 

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All ages take part.

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The largest demon in progress. His name, Ghanta Karna, refers to his having bells in his ears.

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Um…it’s an anatomically correct demon.

 

Completed Ghanta Karna

The main demon is complete and just waiting for dark.

 

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If the fires don’t do the job, the goats may just eat the straw demons.

The smaller demon is put into place behind the temple. Once it’s burning the larger one is carried around it in a circle it three times before going to its place to burn in front of the temple.