As an expat in Nepal, I had been invited to a few Nepali weddings, and honestly, I had no idea what was going on. When it was time for me and Suraj to get married, I wanted to understand the traditions and significance of what we would be doing during the ceremony. We would be […]
Magar Caste in Nepal: Culture, History & Traditions
I’ve had the absolute pleasure of experiencing Magar culture at its finest. On a trip into the Jajarkot District of Nepal, which is rarely visited by tourists, I got to witness several incredible traditions and festival dances. The Magar people are warm, inviting and eager to share their culture with others. Recently, I did the […]
Nepal’s Gurung People: Culture, History & Traditions
There are many different ethnicities in Nepal and each one is unique in its own way. There are around 125 different ethnic groups and 123 different languages making Nepal an interesting place to visit. I experienced the Gurung people and culture on my first visit to Nepal when I spent a lot of time in […]
Celebrating the Tihar Festival in Nepal
One of the best parts of traveling is learning about other cultures. After spending a month in Bali and seeing the daily Hindu rituals performed there, I was excited to experience the Tihar Festival (a Nepali Hindu festival). One of my local friends thought it would be fun for me to see the difference between […]
Celebrating Mha Puja in Nepal
Getting to celebrate Mha Puja in Nepal this year was a special treat. Typically, Mha Puja is reserved for family members, so I’ve never had the chance to experience it before. Since it’s my first year as a wife, I got to participate in the lovely ritual with my family. Hindu festivals and rituals are […]
Celebrating Laxmi Puja in Nepal
One of my favorite things about living abroad is that I get to experience so many different festivals and traditions. This year, I got to participate in Laxmi Puja in Nepal. Previously, I’d celebrated the Tihar festival as a tourist, but I wasn’t able to do a lot of the things that are reserved for […]
Thangka Painting in Nepal: Significance & History
After traveling for months on end and meeting countless people, it’s rare that someone is able to surprise me. Rare, but not impossible. I met my friend Kichaa Chitrakar while trekking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. After knowing him for months, the topic of painting came up. “You can paint?” I asked casually. As soon […]
7 Day Itinerary in Nepal: Culture & History
While I would highly recommend spending more than one week in Nepal, some people only have a short time frame to explore this beautiful country. Creating a 7 day itinerary in Nepal isn’t that easy if you don’t know the area. I participate in a lot of Facebook groups related to travel in Nepal, and […]
How to Celebrate Nepali New Year & Bisket Jatra
The first time I visited Nepal I noticed there was a holiday or festival almost every week, but I could never find much information on how to celebrate. Last year, I was here for Nepali New Year, but I didn’t really know what to do with myself. I imagined it to be like New Year’s […]
Ehee Newari Ritual: Why Nepali Girls Can Be Seen Marrying Fruit
One of my favorite things about living in Nepal is that I get to experience the culture in a way that I never did as a tourist. I feel like every day I get a deeper understanding and more insight into life here. This year, my boyfriend’s niece was set to be married. The thing […]