About of Saragkot at Pokhara

This is a 1,600m high hill situated on the northern shore of Phewa lake. On the way to Sarangkot you'll pass through Schima-Catonopsis forest and there is a lot of opportunity to watch birds. It's a 2 hour walk from Phewa lake. On reaching the hill, you can find good hotels and a tower on the top of the hill from where you can view the Pokhara Valley and also the wide range of Annapurna. You can also see Phewa Lake and its tributaries. It's advisable to stay a night there and watch the sunshine in the morning and sunset in the evening
An hour walk from Sarangkot will lead you to Kaskikot. Kaskikot is a historical place and the homeland of the Shah kings of Nepal. THe word 'kot' means fortified palace from where the king ruled the area. There is a stone staircase leading you to the top at the altitude of 1,758m. There is a great celebration during the "Chaite Dashain" festival in April and "Bada Dashain" in October. From Kaskikot you can also reach Naudanda which literally means nine hills. Here you can meet the Pokhara - Baglung Highway and can observe entire Annapurna range in the north and Phewa lake in the South.

This breath taking view is from Sarangkot. This hill is famous for the panoramic view of the annapurna Himalayan range. Pokhara is beautiful but it still depends upon how we take and feel it, but to be sure Pokhara is god's gift and is rich in natural beauty in all the ways. Sarangkot is also famous for paragliding purposes. It has the bird's eye view of the seti river, fewa lake, and the valley itself. This hill station is a 10 minute uphill drive from Aarchalbot. This route is also one of the short day trek route within the Pokhara valley. Tourist also hires horses for a trip uphill to the station. Local peoples have kept powerful binoculars for the viewing purpose of the valley and the mountains

Pokhara is famous for mountains. The most beautiful and demanding mountain is Mount Fishtail. As shown in the snap, this mountain has a peak that looks like a fish tail. In nepali this mountain is called Machhapuchre himal which means Mount Fishtail. Seeing the beauty of this mountain, tourist says that this mountain has been crafted by god for the Pokhreli people.
This snap also features Mount Fishtail. This snap is taken from the Fishtail base camp during the sunset period. Fishtail base camp is three days trek from the pokhara valley. we walk through dense forest, gurung villages and beautiful hills to reach this place. This base camp has about 5 hotels under the supervision of ACAP (Annapurna conservation area project)

This snap features the fewa lake view and domestic animals like horses and buffaloes grazing within the green fields. The hill has a concrete built hotel and graveled road (at present the road is pitched) to the village pame. This lake is famous for boating and fishing purpose.

About of Gosainkunda Lake

Gosainkunda is a significant pilgrimage place Hindus. It is located about 150 kilometers north of Kathmandu (117 km by bus and 11 hours on foot) in Rasuwa district at an elevation of 4380 metres. Langtang National Park keeps Gosainkunda in its lap. The holy lake is a two-day trek from Dhunche, which can be reached through an adventurous 118 km mountain road from Kathmandu.
According to Hindu legend, the lake was created by Lord Shiva when he thrust his Trishula (trident) into a mountain to extract water so that he could cool his stinging throat after he had swallowed poison. There is a large rock in the centre of the lake, which is said to be the remains of a Shiva shrine. [Gosain means a monk and Kunda means a pool.] People often claim that they see Shiva lying in the water. Devotees gather here in hordes on the full moon night of August to take holy dips in the lake as well as during Janai Purnima, Thulo Yekadasi, Dassera and Maghe Sangkrati when huge festivals are held. It is believed that in the eastern and western side of the lake altogether nine lakes including Saraswotikunda, Suryakunda, Ganeshkunda Nagkunda, Bhairabkunda, Aamakunda etc exists.
In the hopes of making your journey as comfortable and convenient as possible, we can arrange helicopter services.

About of Bajrajogini Temple

Bajrayogini Temple is a famous Tantrik temple of Kathmandu valley. It is also well known as Bodhisattva(enlightement who is fulfilling the perfection to attain Buddhahood)'s temple. A very famous temple of Nepal of Bajrayogini situated in Sankhu, Kathmandu is supposed to have the greatest power of blessings. The adduced history explains that the king Mana Dev once mediated at Gun Bihar area.
After viewing the fourth century constructed water tap and artistically decorated statue in the area, it is confirm that the Bajrayogini is an ancient religious place of the Kathmandu Valley, the capital of Nepal. It was renovated during the period of Pratap Malla, a famous king of Malla regime in Nepal.

A religious book written in Newari Script about the chronological development of Bajrayogini is kept in the library of Denmark.
The Bajrayogini is 20 km North-east from the Kathmandu downtown and 2.5 km North from Sankhu, a nearby town. It was very famous since Kirat regime and named as Gun Bihar. Literally in Newari language Gun means Forests and Bihar means recreational place. Now it is called Gunbaha.The temple of the goddess Bajrayogini is of three floored. Near the temple Dharmaghatu Chaitya is located, which is also believed older than the Swoyambhu Chaitya, according to Shidhiwar

Bajrayogini is a goddess of red faced having three eyes, thumb and the middle finger of the right and left hands have decorated at bodily state Bajrayan tantra with a sword and amethyst work almost in full decoration with ornaments named Shree Shree Shree Prachanda Ugratara; respectively.
Around the area, there are nine caves that refer to the stone age. In one of the caves, there are two rooms. The priest, the ardent lover of the goddess goes into the cave for penance.The Bajrayogini Fair continues from Chaite Purnima, Full Moon day that lies in March or April of the Gregorian calendar

A very interesting story about the origination of Bajrayogini goddess written in the holy book is supposed to have brought into memory about 200 years ago. According to the book, at the starting of the Snow age and Bhadrakalpo’s age from the fork of the stone where the temple is now, a five-colored flame came out and after a long time, there a volcanic goddess. The first priest Gyanacharya Yogi who did penance in the cave, Shidikul Mahabihar and was given Bajracharya Dikshya (Super Knowledge) naming Bachashidi Bajracharya with his appointment. The present priest are generated from the ancestopr, Bachashidi Bajracharya.
Upon learning the heritage, the goddess gave order to Jog Dev Bajracharya to establish Shankharapur (conch-shell shaped town) near by the temple area to run the Fair in 1801 Kaligat Sambat. It is now called Sankhu.

It is also necessary to bring the historical, cultural legendary importance into the account in the world heritage list. Now Shree Bajrayogini Service Committee is taking care of the area with the help of nepal government’s Department of Archeology, Trust Institutions and the public sectors. Chairman and Treasurer of the committee Mr. Govind Prasad Shrestha and Mr. Bishnu Prasad Shrestha; respectively are committed to develop the area.
Recently, District Soil Conservation Office of Kathmandu, Bagmati Integrated Watershed Management Project, Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management is working to conserve the area with the treatment of landslides and gullies.
The area is selected for the spot of 29th Soil Conservation Day celebration. Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management annually organize Soil Conservation day on 24 Shrawan to mark its establishment.

Newari Dance

Newari Dance
Below the stoic, humbling mountains that ring Kathmandu Valley, the chaos of life and the lively people who create it have a palpable rhythm. In the tradition and culture here is movement. As a dancer from America recently arrived in Nepal, I wanted to explore the movement of Nepal, magnify it and understand more about the country's traditional dances in order to learn more about the pace of life here.
Of the numerous dances attributed to various cultural groups and social movements, my main interest was the Newari Dance, in part because I'm based in Kathmandu and it makes sense to explore the culture with its deepest roots here. All I knew to start with was that Newari dance was festive, and included traditional costumes and masks. But when I started exploring, I came up against a curious challenge: finding places to learn the Newari Dance and see it being performed is more difficult than you think. Despite Kathmandu and Bhaktapur's abundant Newari population, the ritualistic and celebratory dances are sadly not often taught in dance studios, and the dance is mostly performed in a few tourist venues or at festivals
People don't have time anymore to pass on such traditions, " said Raju Hyaumikha, 38, the director of the Kathmandu University-based Newari Music and Dance Centre in Bhaktapur. "Now people have different occupations than when I was young, so they don't have time to think about this older culture."
Most traditional dance and music schools agree that teaching Newari Dance in order to preserve the culture is extremely important. The dance movement tells stories of the deities and reflects various religious and philosophical aspects of Newari culture. These schools often carry on traditional Newari music classes, but in the months between festivals, dance classes are scarce. "Students are studying hard," Hyaumikha explained, "the classes will start up again next term."
Similarly, The Sadhana Kala Kendra dance school does not presently give Newari Dance classes unless a solo class is specifically requested. "The centre was founded to preserve Nepali Dance and music. Nepali people play instruments poorly, so we are here to form stronger musicians," the school's director Tikendra Rai explained. As far as dance goes, though, the school teaches what is in demand from its students. Rai said that classical and Nepali folk dances are more commercial dances that are taught year round. He claimed that the most popular classes at his school are Hindi and modern dances. "Nepali people demand these dances," Rai said. "Newari dance is not in high demand unless there is a festival."
Suresh Nepali, 36, has been a dance student for 18 years and performs various dances with his wife from time to time. "I started with modern dance, moved to Nepali folk and then I learned Newari," Nepali said. "Now, people want variety," he explained. Newari Dance embodies only one culture and dance students want to branch out. "Newari Dance," he said, "is also the most difficult to learn. There is a specific language, and when studying Newari Dance, one must also study the music." Nepali, once a private teacher of Newari and Nepali folk dances, also believes that he and others simply don't have enough time to dedicate to this art.
It is saddening that in a country so reliant on its traditions, that one rich tradition is scarcely found. If the most popular dances taught originate from another country, how is Nepali dance preserved?
Back at Sadhana Kala Kendra, the dance teachers generously agreed to show me some traditional Newari Dance. They clothed themselves in black and red patterned costumes complete with the traditional accessories: a red flower, macasi earrings, thick hollowed-silver ankle bracelets and a gold headpiece. They were delighted to practice this dance for me and I was happy to have my first glimpse at Newari Dance culture. Their version was a duet, nimble and celebratory as they danced in circles around each other.
Aside from a private showing in a dance school, or attendance at a festival, it seems to me the only venues for truly exposing oneself regularly to ritual Newari dance are hotels and restaurants around Kathmandu. There, several dance groups perform traditional dance during meals or as a separate showing. Last Tuesday I attended a traditional performance in a beautifully decorated and peaceful studio on the top of Hotel Vajra. One of the most respectable and well-known dance groups performs there- Kala-Mandapa, The Institute of Nepali Performing Arts.
This group directed by Rajendra Shrestha is one of the cultural centres in Kathmandu devoted to propagating the rich traditions of Newari culture's performing arts.
Shrestha has made Newari dance accessible outside of its traditional festival setting. He has taken the religious, ritualistic and philosophical aspects of the dance and woven them into a performing arts form that is shown weekly. Kala-Mandapa's repertoire includes ritual operatic dance drama, ritual dances of gods and festive rhythmic dances, as well as comical and satirical social dramas.
The Newari Dance I saw here was vastly different from that at the Sadhana Kala Kendra. The costumes were made of rich, brightly coloured fabrics and the dancers wore thick make-up, intricate crowns and ornate jewellery. The movement was low to the ground and deeply centred with dancer's limbs that expanded, hands that stretched far back with fingers that were strong. This dance was not like western dance, where nowadays, anything goes, and tradition is not very influential. This dance told a story, had a philosophy, and every gesture, stance and glance had meaning. This was the Newari Dance I had been searching for, one that mirrored the deep religious and cultural aspects of Nepal.
Through dance and music, we learn the real knowledge of our being," Shrestha said. One hopes for a realisation in Nepal of the richness of the country's movement traditions. And I hope that Newari Dance, a vital and once-vibrant part of Newari culture, is further supported and taught.

List of Newari festivals

Newari Festivals

Newar culture is very rich in pageantry and ritual throughout the year. Many festivals are tied to Hindu holidays, Buddha’s birth and the harvest cycle.
Newars' festivals start from Gathanmugah and ends in Sithi Nakhah. No festival is observed in between Sithinakhah and Gathan Mukhah as the farmers are busy in the their work at that time. The festivals celebrated by the Newars are related with their places and lives. Thus through the festivals observed by the Newars, one can know many things about them
Gathan Mugah (August) .
Gunla Dharma (August-September
Gunhu Punhi (August- September)
Pancha Dan (August-September)
Yanya Punhi (September)
Mohani (October)
Swanti (October-November)
Sakimila Punhi (November- December)
Bala Chahre (December)
Yomari Punhi (December-January)
Ghayh Chaku Sanhlhu (January)
Swasthani Bakhan Kanegu (January-February)
Shree Panchami (February)
Sila Chahre (March)
Holi Punhi (March-April)
Pahan Chahre (April)
Biskah Jatra (April)
Machhendra Nath Jatra (May-June)
Swanya Punhi (May-June)
Sithi Nakhah (June)

Nawadurga Dance

An Introduction to Nava Durga Bhaktapur, the city of devotees, is famous for its temple architecture and its magnificent representation of gods and goddesses created by anonymous Newar craft-masters during the reign of the Mallas. Among the various gods and goddesses of Bhaktapur, Nava Durga, the mask-deities is mobile, dramatic and mysterious. As a matter of fact Bhaktapur is renowned for Nava Durga.

Nava Durga means nine Durgas composed of Mahakali, Kumari, Barahi, Brahmayani, Mahesvari, Viasnavi, Indrani, Mahalaksmi and Tripurasundari. Durgas are the various demonic representation or manifestation of Parvati, the Sakti of Shiva, in tantric tradition. In Bhaktapur Nava Durga is a set of masks with a ritual continual life force which begins from Dashain in October and ends in Bhagasti in June. Since the day of Bhagasti all the deities in Nepal live not in the land but beneath the water until Gathamuga Chare, a little less than five weeks later. On the day of Gathamuga the gathas take some black clay from the field and erect a linga of Shiva. Some of this soil is left and preserved in order to be added to new masks. The gathas, i.e.; mask-dancers, musicians and leader of the god-house go to Taleju with the new set of masks ritually made of specially clay mixed with the ashes of the previous masks and of the black clay, the remains of the Shiva linga made on the day of Gathamuga Chare. It is at the night of Dashain when the Karmacharya gives life-force, to the masks with the mantra. Therefore, these masks have tantric significance. Since the time the masks have life force, they are considered gods and goddesses. The role of Taleju is great, though she is not presented within the Nava Durga Pantheon. The new set of masks is exhibited in the celebratory Brahmayani Pitha beside the Hanumante River. This happens on the day of the Vijaya Dashami. Brahmayani Pitha which is in the eastern side of the city is also the Pitha of Nava Durga; Brahmayani is/was the guardian deity of the people and the king of Bhaktapur.

Though there are nine Durgas, only seven, Mahakali, Kumari, Barahi, Brahmayani, Mahesvari, Indrani and Vaisnavi are represented in the mask-dance and her icon is kept in Nava Durga god-house at Gachhe tole. Mahalaksmi, i.e. Shifo-dyo also is not present there in the form of mask. She is always in a small chariot that is kept on the ground during the public performances of Nava Durga. She is more abstract, important and powerful. She is regarded to be the Nava Durga's own goddess. A vessel with Maha Lakshmi icon contains ambrosia and other tantric things. It is enshrined in the god-house. The 'six-armed image framed by lions at her feet and a large aureole of flames has no face. The face, if it was ever represented, has been carefully cut out from the surface plane'. So she is concerned with cemetery as well. She is of tantric concern. She leads the procession of masked Nava Durga. Apart from seven Durgas in Nava Durga dance, there are other six masks. They are of Shiva, Ganesh, Bhairava, Sveta Bhairava, Sima and Duma. Sima and Duma portrayed roaring, an expression of their fierceness, are the messengers of death. Also they are the bodyguards of Shiva. They rarely dance in the group-dance. Theirs is a police function. Children taunt them. If a child is caught by either of them, it is considered an evil omen. Therefore, some parents often pay them beforehand that their children may not be caught. This belief reflects their role as messengers of death. Shiva's mask is smaller and it is not worn. Ganesh carries it in the group-dance. He fishes in the public performances.

The Nava Durga dance proceeds according to the beatings of Dyokhin and the performances of Taa (a pair of thick, small cyambals) and Kanhe-baja. The dyokhin, taa and kanhe-baja have symbolic meaning. It is said that the ringing sound of the musical instruments of Nava Durga dance not only gives the rhythmic signals to the dancers but also removes the people's troubles and obstacles caused by the evil beings. The tantric version is that it gives peace, prosperity and happiness to the people. For this purpose, this dance is performed in every tole of Bhaktapur. It is also taken to Deupatan, Banepa, nala, Dhulikhel, Panauti, Srikhandapur and Chaukot every year and in Hadigaun every twelve years. The people of these places devotedly offer puzas to the deities. "King Suvarna Malla of Bhaktapur introduced the dance of the Nava Durga, having heard that they had been seen dancing at night".

Rato Machindra Nath Jatra ( Patan) The God of Rain

There is no such deity probably in any religious pantheon on the earth as folklorishly popularized as Rato Machhendra. There are many fascinating legends and rates -woven around Buddhist deity. And this deity also has awful lots of names such as Karunamaya, Bodhisattwa Padmapani, Awalokeswara, Lok Nath, Bunga Dyo, etc. The multiplicity of its names also speaks a lot for his popularity. One might wonder and ask what made this deity so popular. One of the most strongly supporting elements in the composition of its popularity is that it has been a long tradition to worship him as the all-compassionate god of rain and food grain.

Nepal as we all know is an agricultural country where more than 90% of people -even to this age of science and advance technology-heavily depend on agriculture for their daily grind. The method of cultivation here, except in few cases is still in primitive stage. The monsoon rain is still the main source of water. The monsoon in Nepal generally begins sometimes in the middle of June and continues until the end of August. But the Nepalese farmers long before the monsoon starts thinking about the weather and look at regular clouds wondering whether they are going to have enough rain for the farming that year. The only way to free them from this worry and stay relaxed is to pray to the rain god for the better crops.

This is one of the main reasons why the chariot festival of Rato Machhendra which begins every year on the first day of the bright fortnight of Baishakh proves in itself to be the most auspicious occasion for the entire farmers' community-specially for (the Jyapu) farmers of Kathmandu Valley. These are the most enthusiastic people who always take active part in the celebration of this chariot festival. Soon after the festival phenomenon arrives at the door these people set them to the tremendous task of making a most fascinating festival chariot as tall as an ordinary three storeyed Nepalese house which demands a great skill. They become busy doing all kinds of things from carrying the building materials to using them in their most practical way. And also it is the same Jyapus who would pull the festival chariot throughout the different routes of the Patan city during the entire period of the celebration. The chariot is so heavy that it takes at least one hundred people to make it move. Beside this, the Jyapus also have a great enthusiasm for music. No festival in Nepal is considered complete without the musical performance. Their favorite drum locally known as Dhimaya and Bhushya (a pair of big brass cymbals) is a big must for the chariot festival of Rato Machhendra. When they bang beat the Dhimaya and hit hard the big brass Bhushyas people immediately make remarks on their performance and say that here they go for festival. Such an enthusiastic music they produce that it immediately puts the entire festival-watchers into a most enjoyable mood and they just go excited with it. This is all about the enthusiastic participation of the Jyapus in the celebration of the festival that has always a great respect for this rain god, Rato Machhendra Nath.

This deity is so much involved in everyday life of the people that he is almost in their blood. There is a very popular saying. It goes this way: one should never live in the neighborhood which does not have any Sanlhoo Guthi (a kind of religious institution or a trust devoted to rendering a service to Rato Machhendra on every first day of the month). Besides this, there are so many other customs and ritual traditions which throw plenty of light on the recognition of this deity's popularity as the rain god. There is a very old tradition custom according to which every year the bathing festival of this deity takes place at Lagankhel in Lalitpur. The main feature of this festival is the pouring out of the holy water over this rain god. There will be four big silver jars set in four different directions of this deity. When the chief priest announces the right moment to pour out the jars over the deity, all four priests long standing around the deity hastily lift their respective jars and pour out the water straight over the deity. As a very popular belief has it, the direction from where the first jar was lifted and poured out will definitely have better crops this year. It is said that in order to watch this auspicious ceremony even the important Nagas from heaven (water spirits) hand around in the air. Sometimes the public blows out into such an extent that some people in the crowd even strongly claim to have seen Nagas in the air watching the festival.