Nepal Tourism Year 2011 Promotional Video

Lets know the Tharus

 (For more pictures click Tharus...)

Tharu people
The Tharu people mainly live in the Surkhet Valley in the west mountain region, Chitwan Valley, Dang Valley,Deukhuri Valley,Sindhuli and Udyapur in Inner Terai Valleys of Nepal and the Terai plains on the border of Nepal. The population of Nepal is 28,287,147 (July 2006 est.), of which the Tharu people make up 6.6%. A smaller number of Tharus live in India, mostly in Champaran District of Bihar and in Nainital District of Uttarakhand.


Description
The Tharu is the largest and oldest ethnic group of the Terai region (southern plains along the length of Nepalese foothills), living in villages near jungles in regions that were isolated over the millennium, allowing them to develop a unique culture.




History

According to Nepali author Subodh Kumar Singh, a series of invasions by the other races,from north India across the border and from hills and mountains of Nepal, eroded the influence of the indigenous Tharus. In 1854 Jung Bahadur, the first Rana prime minister of Nepal, developed the Mulki Ain, a codification of Nepal's indigenous legal system which divided society into a system of castes. The Tharus were placed at next to the bottom(lowest touchable,above untouchables) of the social hierarchy. Their land was taken away, disrupting their community and displacing the people. In the 1950s, World Health Organisation helped the Nepalese government eradicate malaria in the Terai region. This resulted in immigration of people from other areas to claim the fertile land, making many Tharus virtual slaves of the new landowners and developing the kamaiya system of bonding generations of Tharus families to labour.


Lifestyle
Some Tharu live in longhouses, which may hold up to 150 people. The longhouses are built of mud with lattice walls. They grow barley, wheat, maize, and rice, as well as raise animals such as chickens, ducks, pigs, and goats. In the big rivers, they use large nets to fish.


Because the Tharu lived in isolation in malarial swamps until the recent use of DDT, they developed a style of decorating the walls, rice containers and other objects in their environment. The Tharu women transform outer walls and verandahs of their homes into colorful paintings said to be dedicated to Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of prosperity and fertility.


Language

There is no one Tharu language unifying Tharu communities in different parts of Nepal. Instead Tharu speak variants of Urdu and Awadhi in western Nepal, of Bhojpuri in and near central Nepal, and of Maithili in and near eastern Nepal. More standard versions of these dialects are widely spoken by non-Tharu neighbors in the same areas so that there are no important linguistic barriers between Tharus and their neighbors. However there are linguistic barriers between these dialects standing in the way of communication between Tharus from different regions. Hindi has been proposed as a lingua franca for communication across the Terai in general may make as much sense in that role for Tharus as others, although the Pahari (hill) community -- where Nepali is the lingua franca -- considers elevation of the official status of Hindi an insult to Nepalese sovereignty.


Genetic resistance to malaria suggests that Tharu were already living in the Terai before Indo-Europeans arrived, raising the question what they may have been speaking at the time. Nevertheless if any linguistic features survive from that era, they have not been documented.


Marriage system of Tharu people
A marriage is often arranged starting with the pregnancy of two women. If the two women give birth to opposite sex babies, the two babies are to be married if they grow up as friends. If a boy comes of age and leaves his wife to seek a new one, it is often difficult because most of the girls and boys are already proposed to get married. Elopement takes place in the society because of big differences in ages of husbands.


Religion

The Tharu are adherents of Hinduism, but also held Islamic, Animist and Buddhist beliefs. Small numbers have converted to Buddhism in the recent years. Such syncretic practices have led Tharu to practice folk Hinduism. With the advent of religious freedom, others have converted to Christianity and there are a variety of congregations active in the various districts where Tharus are found.


Traditional Tharu worship various gods in the form of animals such as dogs, crow, ox and cows. Such gods are seen in Hinduism. Every village has their own deity, commonly known as Bhuinyar. Tharu in East Nepal call their deity Gor-raja.


Most Tharu households own a statue of a traditional god. Family members often offer animal's blood sacrifices to appease the god. Animals such as pigeons and chickens are used for sacrificial purposes. Milk and silk cloth are also used. Many Tharu would also use the blood of one of the male members in the family for such rituals. Such rituals are conducted through ceremonies, and superficial cuts are made forehead, arms, throat, legs, and/or chest.


The gods are believed to have the ability to heal diseases and sickness. According to traditional legend, gods are given a bhakal, a promise of something, on condition that the sickness is cured, in any events of misfortunes, plagues and horror dreams. A relative's death is an event of great significance among Tharu, and rituals conducted varies in accordance to regions.

Tharu would approach shamans as doctors, known as Guruba. Such shamans use Buddhist medicines to cure illness. Shamans will also try to appease gods through incantations, beating drums and offering sacrifices. The Tharu believe sickness comes when the gods are displeased, and the demons are at work.


Buddhist converts among the Tharu are found in Saptari, Siraha and Udaypur. Currently it is believed that there are more than one dozen of Buddhist monks and novices among the Tharus. Such practice was possibly based on the fact that they were inspired by the discovery of Lord Buddha as a member of the Tharu tribe.


97.63% of the ethnic Tharu were Hindu according to the 2001 Census of Nepal, whereas 1.95% were Buddhists.


Source: - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tharu_people

Indigenous Peoples Trail: Ramechhap

(For more pictures click Ramechhap...)

The ‘Indigenous Peoples Trail' is in Ramechhap District of Nepal.The first of its kind in Nepal, the ‘Indigenous Peoples Trail’ offers unique, living, exposure to one of the most culturally diverse areas of Nepal. The ‘Indigenous Peoples Trail’ offers scenic trekking at relatively low elevations, below 3000M. Bound by Thulo Sailung peak in the North, the golden Sun Koshi flowing along the South and the Tama Koshi in the East, the ‘Indigenous Peoples Trail’ presents an incomparable and natural blend of cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity coupled with breathtaking Himalayan panoramas, stretching from Dhauligiri and Annapurna in the West to Numburchuili and Kanchenjunga in the East.

History

57.9% of the total populations in Ramechhap belong to indigenous communities. Out of the total 55 VDCs, indigenous populations are in majority in 34 VDCs. In all, there are 21 indigenous groups in Ramechhap. Ramechhap district falls within the territory what is historically known as homeland of indigenous Tamang nation, they form the largest size. Tamang Peoples constitute about 21% of the total population. In Ramechhap District, host families include Newar, Tamang, Thami, Sherpa and Yolmo farming families who live in the rural countryside as well as fishing families who live in riverine villages along the Sun Koshi and Tama Koshi Rivers. 

Landscape

Against a magnificent Himalayan backdrop visitors gain invaluable insight to the culture and lifestyle of several local Indigenous Peoples including Tamang, Newars, Sherpa, Thamis, and Majhis. The two predominant religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, are ever present with the variety of gods and goddess, temples, stupas and monasteries. The ‘Indigenous Peoples Trail’ is possible throughout the year, although the best season is October to December and March to April when the Rhododendrons are in bloom.

Get In

The Starting Point is Dhunge via Mude, a 3 hr drive from Dhulikhel or 4.5 hrs from Kathmandu. Get off the bus in Dhunghe and begin the short climb towards Thulo Sailung. Follow the trail down to the Sherpa village of Khola Kharka where you will spend the night in the newly established Khola Kharka Community Centre.

See

• Thulo Sailung

Rise early to reach the summit of Thulo Sailung as the sun rises over the Eastern Himalaya. At 3300m Thulo Sailung offers magnificent views over Kalinchowk to the Annapurna, Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Rowaling, Everest and Kanchenjunga ranges, to the South the Mahabharata hills roll over the Sun Koshi River and down to the Terai below. Thulo Sailung is regarded by the Tamangs as the abode of the territorial deity, Sailung Phoi Sibda Karpo, Sailung’s ‘White Male Lord of the Earth’. The chorten atop the hill of Sailung is the seat of this divine protector and the Tamang Community are the ‘custodians of the land’. The souls of the ancestors together with the ‘Lord of the Earth’ guarantee the well-being of the people and the fertility of the soil. The four groups of stone chorten on the summit are related to the Tamang Communities in the surrounding area – the groups on the highest point facing south over Ramechhap, today in ruins, are the largest. At the chortens Buddhist Priests perform ‘mandala offerings’ for the rebirth of the souls of the deceased. The lingos surrounding the Chorten were erected during Tamang death rituals and are left there to succumb to the forces of nature. The main rituals held here are Buddhist offerings to the souls of the deceased. During the festival of Saun Purnima, held on the full moon of July/August during which Tamang pilgrims crowd around the ruined Chortens at the highest point of Thulo Sailung. Nowadays, no blood sacrifices are permitted on Thulo Sailung. The shamans have surrendered to Buddhist Dominance and refrain from offering blood to the fierce female deities. 

Other sites of interest around Thulo Sailung include three rocks - tiger, snake and cow representing the Hindu, Buddhist and Shamanic simultaneous rivalry and co-existence. The King of the Tigers lived on Thulo Sailung. One day he was pursuing a cow grazing on the meadows of Thulo Sailung. Suddenly a snake appeared from the soil and came between the tiger and the cow. The three turned to stone and the cow was saved from the tiger. Two rocks below Thulo Sailung bear the footprint of Padmasambhava and his sword. 

Located below the summit of Thulo Sailung is Gaurighat cave, it is believed that on full moon nights ‘milk’ is said to ooze from the stalagtites inside the cave. The cave is believed to be a source of fertility and health. Pilgrims pray there for sons, relief from illness and for personal success and wealth. The cave is also considered the entrance to the netherworld, the realm of the nagas serpent deity. Legend has it “when a yogi meditates inside the cave for five years, a door leading to the interior of the mountain appears”. 

A second cave locally known as ‘Buddha’s Gate’ or the ‘Door of Dharma’ has an exit hole that almost too small for human passage. Only the most devout Buddhists who have not committed any sins can pass. Squeeze through in the hope of ridding yourself of sin and emerge pure! 

In the third small cave, Godavari cave, it is believed that every twelve years at the full moon of August/September white water is said to flow in which Hindu’s take a sacred bath to ritually purify the body. These caves are also associated with the Hindu God Mahadev, the popular form of Shiva, together with his female consort Seti Devi, the ‘White Goddess’ Parvati. A shepherd discovered his cow was giving milk a large phallic rock inside the cave. According to legend the rock was Mahadev himself. 

Enjoy lunch in Khola Kharka and continue along the trail, passing through rhododendrons blossoming along the way amidst the chirping of birds and wild insects a gentle downhill stroll brings you to the Monastery in Raj Veer Built by the Bhutanese Drukpa Kagyu School in 1972. The craftsmen responsible for the paintings and frescoes came from Bhutan. The patron Lama Kalsang has donated comfortable accommodation quarters where you will spend the night. Rise early to the sound of chanting Monks and receive a blessing before continuing on you journey. 

*Raj Veer continuing downhill from Raj Veer Monastery the trail leaves behind the thick alpine forests and opens up to the green terraced fields. Along the route you pass through the Sherpa village of Dadhuwa-Dara and a Tamang village, each with their own Buddhist gompas. Prayer flags, chorthens and mani stones are scattered along the route. 

*Surke-Thinghare The trail continues to descend where the spectacular 40 foot 'Thinghare' water fall crashes onto the rocks below. A short climb brings you to the beautifully terraced settlement of Surke where you will spend the night. Spend a day in the village, climb to the viewpoint of Gaurigaun or visit the endangered Thami Community. The local Thami band are on hand to entertain and visitors can sample the local Raksi! 

*Doramba As you leave Surke you pass through Thami Settlements before crossing over into the Doramba valley where the trail traverses along the forest covered hillside around to the terraced fields of Doramba. The trail leisurely follows the contours of the valley leading to the bustling Doramba Bazaar, where you can purchase cold drinks, snacks and music cassettes of local Tamang songstress, ShaShi Moktan. 

*Khandadevi After a pleasant walk out of the Doramba valley, the route ascends to the sacred Hindu shrine atop Agleshwari Danda where you will be rewarded with stunning views of the Himalaya and the rolling Mahabhata hills below. Descend through the local slate mine, through pine forests to emerging at Galpa Bazaar. Perched on a pass between two valleys Galpa Bazaar is a bustling centre where you can purchase cold drinks and snacks, an ideal place to break for lunch. 

Perched on top of a 1977m peak, Khandadevi is situated around a captivating Hindu Temple complex encircled by ancient stone walls. The temple, dedicated to Goddess Khada Devi, was discovered in 1458 AD by a shepherd who discovered milk oozing from a sacred stone, an emanation of the Goddess Khandadevi. The site served also as a fortress during the Anglo-Nepal war. The setting is dominated by high hills of lush green Maharabharat Range with snowy peaks of Numburchuili and Gaurishankar on the northern horizon and southern views over the flat terai below. Daily animal sacrifices, Panchabale, are still carried out today. 

*Sunapati Leaving Khandadevi the trail follows a long ridge with views down into the Terai on one side and up into the snow capped Himalayan peaks on the other. The trail traverses up and down through thick alpine forests before crossing into another valley. Amidst the forest you encounter an enormous rock adorned with a Shiva temple before emerging at Dhonghme, an ancient Yolmo settlement, inhabited by many Lama's.

In the evening, make the gradual climb to the summit of Sunapati, well-know for its spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Here amongst the Buddhist Chortens and Hindu shrines you can enjoy sunset over the Himalaya before returning to the Gumba to spend the night. 

*Lubughat After breakfast the next morning you get to enjoy an equally stunning sunrise before the final descent to the village of Lubughat on the renowned Sun Koshi River. Here you will meet the Majhi peoples, renowned for their fishing expertise. Roaming through the rivers, men, women and children repeatedly hurl nets into nearby water in hopes of trapping passing fish. 

Accommodation

The ‘Indigenous Peoples Trail' allows you to stay overnight in private homes in traditional villages far from commercialized tourist trails. Rooms in local houses are renovated and fitted with bathrooms and a few tourist-style comforts, host families are trained to prepare meals hygienically. 

When staying with a Nepali family guests live the life as the local people do, and are treated like part of the family. The homes reflect the traditional and simple atmosphere of the people. Apart from the pleasure of being amidst peaceful and serene environment, tourists can also enjoy the traditional folk dances and music presented by the local men and women in their colorful traditional dresses.

The focus for the guests is on experiencing and learning from an authentic and enriched culture. Visitors are often involved in local activities that range from cooking classes through to attending a traditional wedding, watching a local cultural dance. 

The home-stays allows visitors to discover the real Nepal and to enjoy the untouched country-side. Unlike highly commercialized routes trekkers walk through uninhabited areas and meet few fellow travelers.

This is a great trek if you wish to avoid extreme high altitudes. As the trek remains at relatively low altitudes there is little chance of altitude sickness.

 Get Out

The final stretch of the trail crosses over the Sun Koshi and shortly ends at Nepalthok where your bus or jeep will be waiting. A pleasant 2 hour drive on hard-top road back brings you back to Kathmandu.

Source: - http://wikitravel.org/en/Indigenous_Peoples_Trail

Lets know the Newars and Newari culture !!!

(For more pictures click Newars...)

History
The Newars are regarded as the original inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley, but their origins are shrouded in mystery. They speak a Tibeto-Burmese language, which indicates they originated in the east, but their physical features range from distinctively Mongoloid, again suggesting to east, to Indo-Aryan, which of course points to India. In balance, it seems most like that the Kathmandu valley has long been a cultural and racial melting pot, with people coming from both east and west. This fusion has resulted in the unique Newar culture that is responsible for the valley's superb art and architecture.


The Newar golden age peaked in the 17th century when the valley consisted of small city-states, and Nepal was a vitally important trading link between Tibet and the north Indian plains. the valley's visible history is inextricably entangled with the Malla kings. It was during their reign, particularly in the 1600's and 1700's, that many of the valley's finest temples and palaces were built. Competition between the cities was intense and an architectural innovation in one place, such as the erection of a column bearing a statue of the ruling king, would inevitably be copied in the other cities.



Sorting out who built what and when is considerably complicated by the fact that at any one time there was not just one Malla king. Each of the three city-states in the valley – Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur – had its own.

The unification of Nepal in 1768 by Gorkha's king Prithvi Narayan Shah signaled the end of the Kathmandu Valley's fragmentation. Nepali, an Indo-European language spoken by the Khas of western Nepal. replaced Nepalbhasa as the country's language of administration.


People
It is not surprising that the Newar people were influenced by Tibet and India. What is surprising is their creativity response to this stimulus, which actually led to a genuine exchange with their giant neighbors. Mediaeval Near society has left a religious architectural and artistic legacy that is unique, and spectacular by any standard.


Although most Newars have Mongoloid physical characteristics, some don't, so their origins are shrouded in mystery. It is now generally accepted that they are a mixture of many different peoples who were attracted to the valley, possibly origination with the Kiratis, or an even earlier group, Perhaps the Newars' most striking characteristic is their love of communal life. Newar houses were invariably clustered together, usually around sites of religious significance. Although their economy was centered around agriculture and trade, they created sophisticated urban communities which catered to a breadth of human needs in an integrated way that has rarely been matched.

Today there are around 600,000 Newars largely centered in the Kathmandu Valley. Always traders and merchants, the Newars continue to fill this role throughout the kingdom. Their proximity to the center of power has also led to them having a disproportionate influence in the bureaucracies of Kathmandu. many now live in heartbreakingly ugly bungalows on the outskirts of the city proper, and many of their traditions are on the wane.


Music
The Newars are very much rich in traditional, classical and folk music as in dances. Various music and dance events take place in different parts of Newar societies on the occasion of different festivals. In fact, the Newars are so duly intermixed with music and dances that not a single festival, feast or ceremony, 'from womb to tomb', passes without a music or music and dances.
Various songs, musical instruments and dances are connected with various religious, social and cultural life of the Newars Different musical instruments are in practice in the festival, feasts, ceremonies and also in funeral procession.

Musical instruments
It is believed that there are about 200 (two hundred) types of original musical instruments in Nepal, and 108(one hundred eight types) of musical instruments have been found till now. A great number of Newar musical instruments are included init. These instruments can be classified into four classes according to Sangeet Shastra.


1. Membranophones - Dhimay, Dhah, Paschima, NayaKhin etc.
2. Idiophones - Bhusyah, Chhusyah, TainNain etc.
3. Chordophones - Piwancha
4. Aerophones - Muhali, Nekoo, Bansuri etc.


Cuisines
Of all the Nepalese people, the Newars celebrate the greatest number of festivities and feasts. They are known for a immense variety of cuisines they prepare in many occasions. Newar food can be divided into two main types.


1.Daily foods- Jyona (Lunch), Beli (Dinner).
2.Bhoye- Banquet having a number of dishes with systematic arrangement in order.


The main dishes of the Newars are as follows-


Appetizers/Snacks

Chatanmari-It is something like what you call pizza. It is prepared from rice flour with minced meat or egging topping or also can be prepared plainly. It is mainly eaten in Digu Puja.
Wo-A flat cake of mashed lentils with or without egg/minced meat topping.
Samay Baji- A ritual set of five dishes representing Pancha Tatwa. It constitutes Baji, Samay (flattened rice), chhoyla (roasted meat), sanya (smoked fish), palu (sliced ginger) and aila (wine).
Chhoyla- Spicy meat, ether roasted or boiled known as haku chhoyla or mana chhoyla. It is generally served with flattened rice and homemade wine.
Sukula- Dried meat diced and spiced.
Tahkha- A jelly-like meat.


Main Dishes


Jyona/beli-Boiled rice. Usually these words stand for a set of rice, and curries.
Ken- Lentil soup served with rice.
Wauncha- Green vegetables, especially mustard/spinach in feasts.
Boobah- Bean curry.

La- Meat curries, various verities : Pukala (fried), Gorma (white jellied meat), Dayakala (curried meat), for instance.


Relishes


Sanan- Pickle, usually hot.
Sanya khuna/ Nya khuna- Jellied fish soup.
Paun kwa- Sour soup made from hog plum.


Dessert


Juju dhau- Yogurt of high quality.


Sweets


Pachinta mari- Sweet made of wheat flour and sugar, a must in Pastah Bhoye (high class wedding feast) which is taken away to home.


Drinks


Thon- White beer, made of fermented rice. It too has some types : hyaun thon (red one), taku thon (thick one) etc.
Aila- Colorless homemade liquor.


Ornaments

Tayo is the one of the largest Newar ethnic Jewelry piece of Nepal. It is a necklace worn by Newar girls, brides, and women as well as deities like Lokeswors, Yognis, Dipankers and Kumaris on the special ceremony. Tayo has high symbolic meanings and religious values. It is worn as it is believed that the pointed pendent part of the necklace symbolizes the Kathmandu Valley, while the facets of the pendent for the directions of the Valley, and a center jewel under the hood of the snake-heads is for the Swayambhu Stupa of the Kathmandu valley. The Swayambhu Stupa stands for the Pancha Buddhas. The places for the five Buddhas ( Pancha Buddha) in the Stupa are in a Mandala position Vairochan in the center, Akhswovya in the east, Amitabhava in the west, Amogha-sidhi in the north and Rana-Sambhava in the South. The Mandala symbolizes the Universe of the World related with the Mahayana Buddhism. Such is the importance of Tayo in the cultural heritage of Nepal. Pratapaditya Pal, the author of "Arts of Nepal" (a catalogue of the Los Angle County Museum) remarked it, "One example of gold jewelry (Tayo), its quality is eloquent testimony of the Newar craftsmen's skill and its asthebilty."


Ghau is an amulet box pendant with semi-precious stones. The box is attached to coral beads, and Buddhist women in the hilly regions of Nepal wear it. It is a symbolic jewelry piece related with the Mahayan Buddhism. The stones at the corners and at the center signify the five Pancha- Buddhas of Swayambhu Stupa like that of a Tayo, a traditional necklace worn by the Newar women of the valley.

Kilip is a finely worked out gold head ornament. It is very popular among almost tribes of Nepal. It is in oval shape with a cluster of flowers motif and usually a peacock on the top. Sometimes, Kilip may be in moon shape. It is used as a hair clip on the back of the head. The back of the Kilip is made of silver with a lock on it. People in the hill area use Kilip in pairs.


Lunswan is a circular disk type ornament made of gold. It is popular among almost tribes of Nepal. It is worn on the top or back of head. It has a quite big coral on the center with image of Ganesh on coral. To make a Lunswan, first a sheet of gold is prepared in circular shape and a cluster of flowers and leaves are carved around the coral. It is usually used on the wedding and festivals. A normal Lunswan is about 12-cm.in diameter and about 100g in weight.


Source: - http://www.jwajalapa.com/index.php