Here in GetInNepal, we constantly search for and read travel sites and blogs especially those related to Nepal. We came across two blogs “Dal Bhat in Bhaktapur” in WorldNomads.com and “A trip to Bhaktapur and a day without daal bhat!” in MyTripJournal.com. These blogs explain the Nepalese main course Daal Bhaat and people getting tired of it. Well, if you don’t know, you better; because that is the truth.

A typical day for a Nepali starts with a morning worship and a fresh cup of tea. Eastern Nepal (including the world famous tea producer: Ilaam) is the major source of tea not only for the country but the whole South Asian region and abroad. Eastern Nepal and parts of Indian Darjeeling and Sikkim are home to the world’s finest tea gardens. Some people in Nepal take additional rounds of tea/coffee in the morning because normal work-hours begin a little late (around 9 or 10 AM). Unlike a light breakfast, they take a decent size morning meal which is Daal-Bhaat. Daal is primarily a lentil soup and Bhaat is plain rice. The southern Nepalese plains are the major producers of rice among other crops.

Daal-Bhaat is always accompanied by a curry which can be any vegetable or meat product. Everyone is so used to with it. A day would not formally start without a heavy Daal-Bhaat in Nepal. The afternoon lunch is light and can be anything. And finally, dinner is again Dal Bhat. The dinner gets richer with a variety of pickles and side dishes.  A cup of tea or two anytime during the day is never unusual.

Daal-Bhaat is so important that its not just a food but an integral part of life in Nepal. While visitors may find it a little bizarre, Nepalese are so used to and always enjoy two courses of Daal-Bhaat a day. Even Nepalese who have been living outside Nepal for years including us, still take at least one course of Daal-Bhaat (usually dinner) in a day if not two.

Besides the all-important Daal-Bhaat, there are other typical dishes like Gundruk (dried and fermented green vegetables leaves. Usually served as soup but can be eaten in a variety of different ways), Kwati (Soup with 7 or 9 different beans), Aloo Tama (Bamboo shoot and potato usually served as soup), Khir (served as dessert), Sekuwa (dried and roasted meat..ohhh…they are so good!!!) etc. Momo (A kind of Dumplings) is one of the major Nepali dishes which is believed to have been inherited from Tibet. Momo makes a great lunch. It can be chicken, pork, buff and veggie and is served in almost every restaurant in Nepal.

If you are visiting Nepal, don’t miss to try the traditional Daal-Bhaat, or Momo or the Sekuwa. Nonetheless if you ever wanted to have something out of the traditional cuisine, you do not have to worry because a dish to your liking and taste is always around the corner. You can always hop in to any of the abundant western style fast-food restaurants including the recently opened KFC and Burger King!!

Nepali Souvenir - Khukuri

Nepal is one of the richest country of the world in terms of traditional arts and culture. Hence, there is a wide range of Nepali souvenirs to choose from. Folk music, sculptures, handicrafts and unique clothings are traditionally popular among tourists.

Below is a list of the most popular Nepali souvenirs:

• Thangka
• Khukuri
• Handicrafts
• Carpets
• Oil and Water Color Paintings
• Rice Paper Prints, Notebooks
• Handmade Bags and Purses
• Jewelry, Ornaments, Precious Stones
• Folk Music
• Stamps and Coins
• Dolls and Puppets representing people and Gods

Khukuris are very popular among visitors and are also regarded as a national emblem. These are long curved knives, made famous by Gurkha soldiers in various wars fought with the British. There are different types of Khukuris, each with its own importance and function. Much older types of khukuris contain two miniature knives inside its sheath, one serving as a pen knife, the other as a flint for lighting fires. One can easily buy a khukuri in any souvenir shop in Kathmandu Valley in different shapes, designs, miniature and brooches. Even Nepal’s current Prime Minister, while on a visit to the White House, gifted President Barack Obama with one of such knifes.

There are scores of reasons to Get In Nepal. I absolutely loved this well constructed video by Nexus Nepal which talks about exploring Nepal and the things to do while in there. It gives you the perfect insight of the country nicely coupled with a good amount of information on each of the  major local attractions.

Located in a unique geographical location and adorned with a mesmerizing topography, Nepal is a culturally rich and naturally blessed country. It gives you a glimpse into your soul in the solitude of  the Himalayas, in a mystical land with the light of fire and faith in the adobe of Gods. Nepal is a country where the heritage and tradition runs deep and where the culture is frozen in time and space.

Swayambhunath

Nepal – The birth Place of Lord Buddha is blessed with a mystical heritage including mustard fields, paddy fields, lush green tea gardens, pristine lakes, holy land together with an amazing wealth of wild life including Royal Bengal Tiger and one horned Rhinoceros.

Natural Beauties include Mt. Everest: the Worlds’ Highest Peak, eight of the fourteen highest peaks, thirty five percent of the land covered by forest, thick tropical jungles, 848  species of birds, 319 types of exotic orchids, 500  species of butterfly, natural treasure trove and extremely varied landscape.

Cultural Mysteries include 93 ethnic group, 103 spoken languages and dialects, 3000 temples, monasteries and lamasteries, and thousands of monuments.

Grand And Ancient Architecture with as many temples as houses, as many gods as people, where religion is a way of life, more festivals than days in a year, ever smiling Nepali faces, the melting point of Hinduism and Buddhism among the others.

Artifacts par Excellence Kumari: the worlds’ only living goddess. Kathmandu city (capital of Nepal) of temples and chiming bells. Patan, city of Fine Arts. Bhaktapur, city of devotees. Pashupatinath Nepal’s most sacred hindu shrine. Janaki Temple where Lord Ram married Sita.

Extreme Adventure including  Mountaineering, Bungy Jumping, Trekking, Rafting, Kayaking, Canyoning, Mountain Bikes, Rock Climbing, Jungle Safari, Elephant Polo, Paragliding, Ultralight Aircraft, Mountain Flights, Golfing, Cable Cars.

And all this within a very small stretch of land. Nepal is one the smallest countries in the world but does not have a boundary of the treasures it possesses. True to its cultural principles, “atithi devo bhawa”: you will find Nepal and the Nepalese people with greatest hospitality and gratitude towards you. You will discover even more once you start getting more into Nepal.

Diwali, Deepawali

It is the time of the year to wish every one a very Happy Deepawali/ Diwali.
It is one of the biggest festival for Hindus and is also known as “festival of lights”. It is celebrated for five continuous days in Nepal. The third day is known as “Laxmi Puja” when we worship Cow, regarded as an incarnation of  Goddess “Laxmi” representing Wealth. Hindus clean up their houses, yards, streets, shops and light them with electric lights and small oil-filled earthen pots called “diyo”s, as well as garlands of beautiful Sayapatri, Supari flowers.

This festival has become so well-known that President Barack Obama wished “Happy Diwali” to all hindus around the world this year.

In similar way Matt Cutt from Google (head of Google’s Webspam team) also wished a Happy Diwali.

And on the final day Hindus, especially people from Nepal exchange “tika” and blessings between brothers and sisters. The day is renowned as “Bhai-Tika / Bhai-Teeka”. On this auspicious day,   sisters pray for their brothers’ prosperous long life from Yama Raj, god of death. In return brothers’ vow to always take good care of their sisters.  Relatives are invited and sisters and brothers exchange gifts in return.

So Happy Diwali once again!