Weekend Nepal

MARKHU is also known as manmade lake.
Nearest lake from KATHMANDU [📷binita kc ]

If you never hear the mountains call, just go uninvited ...
Cr shrestha

Dingboche, at the elevation of 4,410 m, is a popular Sherpa village on the way to Everest Base Camp. Often refered as 'The Wall,' Dingboche makes the perfect spot for acclimatization with a breathtaking view of Ama Dablam. [📷 Shrestha]

Himalayan Yak on the way to Everest Base Camp [📷 Bibesh shrestha]

Lo-Manthang, Lori Gumpa; Muktinath Trekking

Today 8th Aug 2017 is celebrated as a G*i Jatra festival.

This festival came into existence in the medieval period of Nepal during the reign of Malla Kings. It was started by then King of Kathmandu Pratap Malla who lost his very young son. His wife, the queen was in great misery. The king was very disappointed to see the condition of his queen. He made Rani Pokhari (Pond) in the heart of Kathmandu and build a temple in the middle of the same pond in his son's memory. Even after millions try the King could not make queen smile. Then King Pratap Malla announced that anyone who could make the queen laugh would be rewarded adequately.

Pratap Malla asked to bring the cow procession before the sad queen. Then people tried their best with different costumes and humorous acts. The dance and procession finally gave queen smile on her face. The smile at the moment was temporary but the procession gave queen a big relief. She knew that there are several death in the city during the period and she is not only one who lost her son. Death is the natural phenomenon and no one has control on it.

Hence, from the day King Pratap Malla started the tradition of cow procession with boys with different funny make ups in funny costumes. The boys even put tails and make up like monkeys and Hanuman; walk through the city road to show people that the death is the truth in the life and everyone has to face it one day. The G*i Jatra tradition slowly developed into doing humorous acts including jokes, satires, mockery and lampoon in this day.

After the cow procession is over, in the afternoon, everyone takes part in another tradition in which the participants dress up and wear masks. There also people enjoy the moments with songs, jokes, mockery and humors until late evening.

G*i Jatra is a festival which enables people to accept the reality of death and to prepare oneself for the life after death. It heals the grief and sorrow, at least a little, when people see the cow possession and realize people die, and we are not alone in the country who lost our loved ones.

Traditionally every family who had death in the family during the preceding year must participate in a procession through the streets of Kathmandu leading a cow. If a cow is unavailable then a young kids dressed as cow is considered a fair substitute. However, there started tradition of leading a cow with kids in funny costumes.

But now modern G*i Jatra added various flavors to the festival in consistence with traditional values, Pratap Malla had established.

In the past when there was Shah's regime, people were not allowed to speak openly about the political system and the leaders there in.

Now on this day people are given such liberty to talk, point and satire the system, government and the leaders.
Various comedy shows, acts and dramas are organized in different places including televisions and radios. Special edition of newspapers are also published on this day with different cartoons and comedy articles.

Affno jigriharu lai tag garau hai sathiharu 😉

Everest Base Camp 😍
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श्रावण महिनाको पहिलो दिन आज गाउँघरमा लुतो फालेर साउने सक्रान्ति मनाउने गर्दछन ।

यो महिनामा पानि धेरै पर्ने हुनाले हिलोको कारण चिलाउने रोग लुतोलाइ भगाउन लुतो फाल्ने चलन चलेको हो । कागति, निबुवा, अम्बा, अनार, नासपाति आदि फलफुलहरू चढाएर कण्डारक नामक राक्षसको पुजा गर्नाले दाद, लुतो खटिराजस्ता चर्मरोगको प्रकोपबाट बच्न सकिन्छ भन्ने विश्वास गरेर् लुतो फाल्ने चलन् शुरु भएको मानिन्छ ।

तेस्तै, सक्रान्तिको सांझमा कुकुर डाइनो, काग भलायो, कुरिलो, पानिसरो, पुरेनि, गलेनि आदि औषधिजन्य वनस्पतिहरू जलाएर घर-घरका आंगनबाट चारै दिशामा फ्यांकिन्छ, यसैलाई नै तुतो फ्यांकेको भन्ने चलन छ। लुतो फ्यांक्दा नाङ्लो ठटाउने, शंख फुक्ने, घण्ट बजाउने, ढिकि कुट्ने तथा केहिवेरसम्म घरको ढोका बन्द गर्ने आदि बिभिन्न प्रचलन समेत रहिआएको छ। यस्ता प्रचलन ठाउँ अनुसार फरक पनि हुन्छन।

श्राबण महिना शिवको आराधाना गर्ने महिनाको रुपमा पनि लिइन्छ । श्राबण महिना भरि आराध्यदेव शिबको मन्दिर पशुपतिमा मेला लाग्छ । बिशेष गरेर महिलाहरुले श्राबण महिनाको सोमबार ब्रत बसेर शिवको आराधना गर्ने गर्दछन ।

साउने सक्रान्तिको शुभकामना :)