From the land of the Catapillar tika.
Still feeling sick from the day’s before purge of all the Momos and soup distinguishable in my system. I bounded a public bus heading eastbound to Gorkha.
High in the middle Nepal hills, The King’s fortress 3000 years old sits perched atop a ridge a steep 250 meter climb up some unbelievably steep stone steps. ( I think I see a pattern emerging)
Finally at the top, face beet red, causing severe laughter by all the local people. I would rather not mention they don’t even break a sweat coming up the mountain.
I begin to walk toward the gate, a sign says no leather shoes or camera.
A strapping army man makes me sign in a log sheet,
Name, Nationality, Date
I am the only visitor not Nepali
Strapping army man doesn’t believe my shoes aren’t leather.
Somehow I am convincing and he lets me through.
I run excitely to the heli-pad to the left of the palace to view the mountains, when a sleepy looking army man fumbles from behing the bushes, struggling with pulling himself together. I can go no further I persume this means as he straps his gun firmly to his back.
I make my way to the main entrance and begin searching through the palace by following a little boy who obviously has been here before. Ancient Carvings and intricate design make up the building, but the most interesting part of the palace are all the shrines hiding in darkened courtyards. They look sticky in the pale light, from centuries of sacrifices. The constant cooing of pigeons adds to the absolute eerieness of the place.
I start poking my head in various darkend corners. Army men materialize shaking their heads.
Poop on them.
The other side of the palace is the most spectacular mountian view I have ever laid eyes on. The whole annapurna
range in full view. Crystal clear, I cannot believe my eyes at the sight. I need to sit for a while to contemplate.
As I have found, sitting generally generates alot of intrest from the local people. This is doulby true in the mountains areas where you are more likley to be a wonder to the people who have lived here their whole lives, and I suppose aren’t too interested in the sight of mountains, and I would guess aren’t too stoked to have strangers prancing around the backyard.
Despite this I make a new friend of a very ancient man with his last two teeth dangerously close to seeing their demise. He is amused with my wide-eyed happiness of the view. He laughs at me, I can’t help but focus on the dangling teeth.
Walking down the other side of the mountain, I meet yet another friend. Sathi who invites me in for chai, of course I accept. Inside his smoky kitchen his wife makes chai and I sit on the porch with Sathi, looking at the mountains, chatting and cheking out the trekking photos he has. Because if you are Nepali and you can reasonably speak English, you are a guide, porter, and travel agent. But Sathi is really kind and not all about the business. ( I am not trekking this trip.. sorry)
“It is the last day of tihar! very special day! very special tika! You stay!!”
“Okay! I stay!”
(see this if you want the full on explination of Thiar)
In the smoky kitchen I sit on the edge of the bench trying not to get in the way, bahini (younger sister) circles the mat three times pouring water around her three brothers. Two platters are set before the boys, one has the multicolored tika powder, yogurt, and ghee (a purified oil). The other has the offerings insence, oranges, flowers, money, cigarettes, and rice.
The mother gives a sprinkle of tika powder on their heads, then a dab of the oil into the hair and finally a sprinkling of flower petals. Then the tika. She starts with yogurt and draws a straight line down the forehead. She dots red, green, blue, purple. like a colorful catapillar inching down the head. Finally she gives the boy a brand spanking new topi hat. He bows to her and gives her money. Thanks for the blessing.
The girls are next, and somehow I get wrangled into it. I have multicolored catapillar too! YAY! This amuses everyone, and there is much food and celebration that lasts the rest of the day.
So the lesson for the day, is stay for tea, make some friends and come out of it smiling with a catapillar tika, and a belly full of goodness.
Nepal is a wonderful place..
see you soon with more adventures
jessica
Tags: Nepal, Travel
jessica
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