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.