My first impression as soon as we land in Kathmandu: so many motorcycles, chaotic traffic and a city that reminds me of India. Traffic follows the British system and drives on the left. Plenty of greenery, plenty of rain, colourful houses… There are very few traffic lights; police direct traffic at some of the larger junctions. Huge LG advertisements greet us as we leave the airport. As in Malaysia, slippers are very common here. Telephone and electricity lines run overhead in a tangle of cables. Small grocers and shops are everywhere; large supermarkets are harder to spot.
After a four-and-a-half-hour delay, we finally arrive in Kathmandu.
Around 30 million people live in Nepal. One of the country's most important sources of income is money sent home by Nepalis working abroad. I had written down 20%, but the proportion is even higher; in recent years, remittances have represented roughly a quarter of Nepal's economy.
The Newars are one of the indigenous peoples of the Kathmandu Valley. Their influence is unmistakable in the city's architecture, woodwork, food and traditions.
Nepal also takes pride in never having been colonised. We keep hearing about the Gurkhas. People say, “They defeated the British,” but the story is a little different: Nepal fought the British East India Company between 1814 and 1816. The British gained the upper hand and Nepal lost some territory, but retained its independence. The British were so impressed by the Gurkhas' fighting skills that they later began recruiting them into their own army. There are still Gurkha units in the British Army today.
Nepali and Hindi are related languages; Bollywood films are watched a great deal here.
Nepal also has very strong economic ties with India. Most of its petrol and other petroleum products arrive through India.
Kathmandu used to be a lake
One of the loveliest stories about Kathmandu is the legend that the valley was once a lake.
According to the story, a lotus flower appears in the middle of the lake. The bodhisattva Manjushri arrives, cuts through the mountains with his sword, the waters drain away and the Kathmandu Valley emerges.
What is fascinating is that this is more than a legend: geologically, the Kathmandu Basin is known to have been covered by lakes in the past.
Religious paintings
We also see religious paintings made on cotton cloth. In the Tibetan tradition they are called thangka, and in the Newar tradition, paubha.
Traditionally, the colours use pigments made from natural minerals and stones. With proper care, this allows the colours to survive unchanged for many years.
Gold is used generously too. In Buddhism, gold represents purity, holiness and enlightenment.
There are thousands of subjects to paint, but the main ones are:
1. Deities, Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
2. Scenes from the Buddha's life.
3. The Wheel of Life.
One of the most interesting illustrations of Buddhist philosophy.
At the centre of the wheel are three animals:
Pig: ignorance.
Snake: anger and hatred.
Rooster: desire and craving.
In Buddhism, these are the three fundamental “poisons” that explain why human beings suffer.
If we follow these feelings, we create karma and remain within the cycle of rebirth. The wheel depicts different forms of existence, including gods, demigods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts and hell realms.
The frightening figure holding the wheel from outside is Yama: death and impermanence.
4. Mandala.
The mandala describes a person's journey towards their centre, towards enlightenment.
The aim is not to keep suffering, but to train the mind and step outside this cycle. Meditation is one of the tools for doing so.
The lotus flower at the centre symbolises cleansing the mind and spirit. The colours have their own meanings too; black, blue, yellow and red represent different elements and states of mind. As you move from the outer layers towards the centre, you also move deeper into your own mind.
Boudhanath Stupa
Then we visit Boudhanath Stupa.
The largest stupa in the Kathmandu Valley and one of the most important centres of Himalayan Buddhism.
Those famous Buddha eyes look out in four directions from the stupa. They are described as “all-seeing eyes”. Wherever you go, your actions are seen; in a way, they remind you of karma.
We walk clockwise around the stupa, keeping the sacred structure on our right. We turn the prayer wheels clockwise too.
That evening we stay at the Kathmandu Marriott Hotel.
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