However You Look at it, Brick Production Needs to be Scaled Back

Kathmandu, like much of the rest of the country, is famous for its terraced farms. Beautiful, they drape the hills and mountainsides in gold. The change in the fields as the valley shifts from the monsoon into winter is dramatic. Gone are the blanketed fields of green and gold. We're left with smokestacks, blemishes on the landscape that were until now outshone by the colorful and flowing dhan. For some these brick kilns are a means of income in the winter when farming is much more sparse. But for most they are a beacon of cynicism. They chug to life every winter morning, billowing smoke for the majority of the day. The valley is once again blanketed: a blockade of gray, dreary haze weighs down life. There are a plethora of problems that are brought about through their use. The consequences of the un-filtered emissions are most visible and therefore easy to criticize, but equally great problems become apparent if you look closer.


The stacks are one part of a system that reeks havoc on the environment, producing bricks at an alarming rate for construction that is rife across Kathmandu. The huge smokestacks are usually at the center of a labyrinth of plots: this is where the clayey soil is excavated and molded into the bricks, hand by hand. Once the bricks have been naturally dried they are sent in trucks to the kilns, thousands at a time. Black coal can be found in expansive heaps around the stacks in order to build the massive fires. After baking the bricks they are re-loaded and shipped around the valley. A lack of space in Kathmandu means that many of the kilns are located on plots of land that are also supposed to be used for farming. For a country already unable to produce enough food for its population this ritual appears even more idiotic. The plots surrounding the smokestacks are dug up, acres worth of bricks made and stacked in preparation to be baked. The land will eventually become infertile and unable to support crops. They are scared with holes akin to mass graves. The dusty air around the kilns has a strange calmness, sterile and monotonous.

One of the brick makers with the product of his strenuous work.

Another plot of farmland that has been torn apart.

An uprooted tree trunk near a kiln.

Recently made bricks drying before they will be baked.

A community pile of bricks. Who owns them and where they will be used is not apparent.

Another pile of bricks, perhaps in an attempt to preempt construction or repairs.

Beyond the immense pollution they produce, the existence and operation of these monstrosities beg us to ponder deeper implications. Kathmandu clearly has an addiction to construction, which could result in catastrophe. The brick kilns immense influence on this problem is obvious. Who is propagating this out of control process and can we assume that the organization of such construction firms is vertically integrated? The consequences of both processes are truly dire but still they continue. All the more confusing is the fact that so many bricks can be found just laying around as if in anticipation of being used. Greed and corruption appear to be greater forces than charity and conscience in the brick and construction industries of Kathmandu. The utter decimation of the land can also be viewed as a blatant case of individual gain overshadowing the public need. How can someone insist on building skyscrapers when right in front of them people are undernourished and landless? I can only imagine.


Photos of this post can also be found for high-resolution viewing and downloading on flickr.

Puppies and the Life of a Dog in Kathmandu

The vet that examined Lilly is an idiot. Hormonal my ass! Seriously, after seeing her like this how could you not know that she was pregnant? Lilly is one of the school's dogs at Rato Bungala, and she was clearly preggers. Dogs definitely fill some kind of special role in Nepali society; during Tihar the mutts are even worshiped for one day, known as Kukur Tihar. Most people would agree Kathmandu has a dog problem though; they're literally everywhere. Most houses have at least one dog, not to mention that thousands of other kurkurs don't have owners or homes. There is a whole spectrum of issues that goes along with having so many stray dogs, some more serious than others. For one thing, you really have to be careful about where you walk, but rabies and inbreeding among street dogs definitely top the list of more serious issues.

There have been many concerted efforts* to aid this growing problem over the years, but if the dogs are breeding faster than they are getting off the streets, the problems will continue to grow. I'm not an expert in this field, so I don't have a solution. But I think something large scale -- ideally managed by the government -- would have to be instigated in order to see some real improvement in the lives of our average Kathmandu canine. I love dogs; I wish everyone would just adopt one to help! But the reality is that only people who have the space, time and money can adopt, which is unfortunately only a small portion of the Kathmandu population. As for Lilly's pups, they'll each be sold to individuals and households who understand the responsibilities, costs and benefits to owning a dog. We'll probably keep one or two around here as well, rumor has it ;) Not every dog is so lucky though. Similar to people in Kathmandu, dogs come from all walks of life as well.

Ama Ghar kukurs playing and getting to know each other.

Kunda uncle and one of Lilly's new pups. Two came out white!

It's a lazy dog's life. She looks like she may be expecting.

Lilly loves to hop in the pond when it's warm. She likes to get everyone else wet as well...

Balu is a great guard dog. Lounging 90% of the time is in the job description as well.

Street dogs are cute too, all the more reason to adopt one!

Balu on the prowl at naya Ama Ghar.

haha, priceless.

*See: Nepali Times Issue # 199, DOGMANDU and Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre

A plethora of other Canine related photos are available for viewing and downloading on flickr.

Earthquakes and Precarious Buildings Spell D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R

It’s hard to imagine what the Kathmandu valley will look like 5 years from now. Even annual visitors to the valley say they can’t recognize areas of the city from one visit to the next. This unplanned urban expansion poses many threats to the valley: to infrastructure buckling under pressure, to the environment, and to the traditional Nepali way of life. The dangers associated with such rapid construction are only compounded when we consider that few of the buildings are properly constructed to withstand earthquakes. A mega earthquake hits Kathmandu every 100 or so years, resulting from the release of tension that slowly builds up due to the subduction and collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. The real question is what will happen to the majority of earthquake susceptible buildings when the next big quake happens. Considering that almost any building from the international airport, to houses, schools and hospitals are likely to be razed in the next big quake, the future looks bleak. Walking around Kathmandu, you can almost tell which ones are going to come tumbling down.

Slim and slender are common characteristics of houses in Kathmandu. Neither trait is very earthquake proof.

This style is likely a result of the fragmentation of family property, subsequently becoming smaller each generation.

Two new houses dwarfing a traditional one. Even if the older home could survive, the toppling of the toothpicks in the event of an earthquake would more than likely destroy the smaller building as well.

This house’s first floor is already buckling under gravity. An earthquake would easily raze it.

Bracing whole buildings is an all too common sight in Kathmandu.

Toothpick style buildings are commonly demolished as well. I wouldn’t want to be around when this brace is removed or falls.

Water tank “pedestals” are not only ugly, they also pose a huge threat during and after an earthquake. You may escape being in the path of a falling tank, but how will you survive without any water?

The construction of new water tank terraces can be found almost anywhere.

The newest attractions are the 10 to 20 story “high rise” buildings beginning to dot the valley floor. Even if these high-rises are structurally sound they could topple over when the soil of the former lakebed liquefies in an earthquake.

But all is not lost. There is growing public awareness about earthquakes, and communities are starting to get together to prepare and pre-position relief materials. Nepal's international donors are also working together to back preparedness and response, especially in retrofitting schools and hospitals. At this point, I believe that increasing awareness in the general public about earthquake preparedness could be one of Nepal's best strategies. Although many buildings will most likely go in a mega quake, an effective post quake plan could very likely help save thousands of lives. The timing of the next big quake is uncertain: it may be tomorrow, or it may be 20 years in the future. One thing that is certain, however, is that being prepared is something Nepal cannot afford to put off any longer.

The photos you see here, as well as a slew of additional ones, are available for viewing and downloading on flickr.

First Curry Without Worry in Kathmandu

Healthy food for hungry souls: This is the message that NGO Curry Without Worry promotes, and it couldn't be more clear. On Tuesday, the 16th of November, I had the opportunity to document this fantastic organization's first every food drive in Nepal. Started by a group of San Franciscans lead by Sharwan Nepali, the organization has hosted a free food drive every Tuesday in San Francisco for the past four years, accompanied by music, dancing and singing. "I had a dream to bring Curry Without Worry to Kathmandu at the time we started the program four years ago in San Francisco", said Sharwan. The menu consists of five soul warming items, with Quanti, a nine sprouted bean traditional Nepali soup, as the signature item.

The day began at 10 a.m., preparing the massive amount of food for cooking. "In San Francisco, we serve about 200 people on average. Our first event here in Kathmandu attracted about 300 people, plus feeding the 50 boys who live at Paropakar Orphanage", said Nepali. In San Francisco, the organization currently rents a near by Baptist church for cooking purposes. Here in Kathmandu, the organization utilizes Sharwan's old home, Paropakar Orphanage, to cook the food. From there, the food is transported in a truck to the serving sight, which is located at Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu Durbar Square, a historical venue to say the least. Serving is usually scheduled to start roughly at 3:30, but can start as late as 5:00 in some cases. Following in the tradition of the San Francisco chapter, word of mouth is the only utilized form of advertising for the event. "We believe that word of mouth is the best method of advertising. It saves money and gives the event the intimate, village-like-gathering feel we're looking for", said Sharwan.

Beyond Curry Without Worry's goal of donating free food to those in need, the event is designed to provide a venue for the community to gather. One of the greatest results of this interaction is that people, regardless of their background or situation, can find or give help. In this sense, the food acts as a medium; a medium in which it's participants may transfer ideas, establish new relationships, and spread the good will that the event produces. Who would predict that the result would be anything else? When good food hits the plate, and dancing, music and laughter are abundant, you can't help but dive into the "human fire place", as Sharwan likes to put it. Now, almost into it's third week, that fire place is growing rapidly with no end in sight. I hope that some of you will one day be able to come and join in the festivities. As for myself, you can bet that I'll be there every Tuesday for the rest of my stay here in Nepal. As per usual, photos are on flickr, under the Nepal collection. Thanks for reading.

Unofficial opening of Ama Ghar's new house

I had the privilege of attending the unofficial opening of Ama Ghar's new house at the end of last month. The day was full of meeting friends and family, eating and of course dancing and singing. The Ama Ghar family has been waiting almost two years for the new house to open, and their dream will finally come true by the end of this month. The unofficial opening included close friends, donors, board members and volunteers. A major milestone in the history of Ama Ghar, almost in it's 10th year of existence, all attendees absolutely glowed with joviality making the day one to remember. Considering that each attendee was witnessing the fruits of a tremendous amount of time, effort, and money, it's not surprising that everyone was in such high spirits.

The house is an inspiration to whomever has the pleasure of viewing it. Not only aesthetically pleasing, using many traditional Newari architectural design elements, it's design also incorporates features to guarantee the safety and sustainability of all who inhabit it. For instance, instead of being built on one foundation the house is split into three sections, increasing the houses chance of survival in the case of an earthquake. The house also was designed with an extensive water collection and filtration system. The house uses gutters and reserve tanks to help insure that water supply is never scarce, and extensively filters all waste water before it is re-introduced into the environment. Solar power will also be utilized, in place of gasoline run electricity generators, in cases of power outages which are frequent during the winter months. To witness these developments, which one hopes will set an example of sustainable development in the surrounding villages, has been a privilege for me. Photos of the event, as well as of the house, are available for viewing and download on my flickr page, located in the Nepal collection, under the Everyday Ama Ghar and Unofficial new Ama Ghar opening sets. Hope you enjoy. Until the next post… cheers.

First Dashain in Nepal

Dashain, one of the largest festivals in Nepal, occurred just a few weeks ago here, as well as across many other parts of the world. The festival largely commemorates the triumph of good over evil in many different legends, such as the Ramayan, largely attributed to the evocation of the goddess Durga. Nowadays, however, there are as many commercial aspects as religious of Dashain as well. I never expected the amount of shopping I witnessed; it reminds me of Christmas back in the states, everyone and their grandma shopping and gorging on all things good in life. This was my first Dashain in Nepal, and I'll never forget it. Not only did I get to see family and visit with relatives that I've probably never met before, I also got a front row seat to what Dashain is like when a whole city celebrates it at once. I still feel as if I'm experiencing some of the repercussions of the holiday: Weight gain was inevitable after having to eat my own weight in food. Delirium from all the sights, sounds and smells is common if you're not used to them. I don't think I've ever felt so tired from just walking or driving from place to place, due to the endless flocks of people I needed to meet and greet.

It must sound like I'm complaining, but my actual sentiments could not be more at odds. I'd love to do it all over again. Don't get me wrong, Dashain is just as crazy in the U.S. within the confines of your family and homes. But overall it can't compare: The air is just full of the Dashain craze here, because almost every single person within a ten mile radius and beyond is celebrating it. It's like trying to avoid getting wet while in a swimming pool; you'd need to be wearing a full wet suit to stay dry, and even then you'd still feel the sensations of pressure and temperature from the water around you. You can't avoid it, nor should you. The valley seems to take a long and depth breath during these two weeks, a relief from the pollution, congestion and chaos of the typical Kathmandu. One can only talk so much about Dashain though; pictures are much better at illustrating all the things i've talked about and more. Visit my flickr page, and look for the Dashain set within the Nepal collection, accessible from the first page, for a full glimpse at my first Dashain here in Nepal.

Ama Ghar

Note: Pictures link to high-res downloads
The door always seems to be open at this place, warm and endearing, seemingly drawing the visitor in. For the past three weeks, I've had a chance to get to know this door very well, not to mention the people who live past it's threshold. Ama Ghar, commonly referred to as "motherly home" in English, is a home for children of disadvantaged backgrounds, located about 12 km south of Kathmandu proper in the village of Taukhel. Comprised of 39 kids ranging in age from 7 to 19, Ama Ghar, together with funding from the Ama Foundation, give the children a chance for a proper upbringing, including a place to sleep, eat, play, and the opportunity to go to school and live like a family.

In addition to the children, a permanent staff of seven, plus two guard dogs, work almost none stop in order to fulfill the goals of the organization. The tasks include, but aren't limited to: cooking, cleaning, tutoring, managing finances, playing with the children, in addition to a multitude of other typically equivocal tasks. For the staff, a broken window means assuming a window repairman role for the day. Shopping for 40+ people is no breeze either. To say the staff doesn't have help would be blasphemous though. The children help a tremendous amount in keeping their rooms clean, doing their laundry, as well as helping in dinner preparations. Security issues appear to be under control as well with help from two dogs, including Balu pictured to the left :)

Brought to life roughly 9 years ago with the establishment of The Ama Foundation, the strain on the current accommodations in Taukhel is apparent. With only 5 rooms dedicated to almost 40 children, sleeping arrangements have become tight. Almost every outdoor ledge that sees some sunlight is dedicated to drying clothes, and eating space is very limited. When more than one guest joins the house for dinner, children must be displaced from their regular eating area to make room. For the children, however, this is well worth the extra attention they receive. Curiosity abounds in the form of questions, about anything from what life in the U.S. is like to what kind of music you like to listen to. Luckily, a new house has been in the works for almost two years, and the children will hopefully be moving by the end of this month.

Ask Bonnie, house Managing Director of Ama Ghar, what Taukhel looked like when the orphanage first opened, and she'll tell you there was only a fraction of the buildings there are today. Not only has crowding become a problem within Ama Ghar, but with new houses going up everyday, it's become a problem in the greater part of Taukhel as well. Not that the kids mind this much; many have friends that live near by, and shops are readily available for the children when they have some spending money to buy chocolate, or pirated movies. It becomes apparent that there are two opinions burgeoning in Ama Ghar as moving day approaches: those who are looking forward to moving, and those who are not. The reasons are obvious: One camp is looking forward to the much needed space and privacy, and the other is hesitant to leave what little civilization they have in Taukhel, not to mention friends and easy access to public transportation.

Dhan, rice fields, are a common sight near the new house. Compared to the wall to wall buildings typical of Taukhel, it's a different world, a different time. Gone are the shops, the crowded streets, replaced by farms and dirt roads. We're left with ample space, cleaner air, peace and quiet…. maybe a dream world for many, but perhaps not for a teenager. Moving to this kind of area, although only a 2km drive from the old house, will be a massive change for everyone. Only time will tell how both the children and the staff will adjust to their new surroundings. However, with the way the Kathmandu valley has been expanding and growing, perhaps we should see this move more as a blessing rather than a curse. Who knows what the area will look like in even just 5 years time. It may become just as crowded as Taukhel is now. I leave you with a preview, a teaser if you will, of the new house. Upon it's completion many more photos will follow; hopefully that day will come by the end of the month.