Check Rhino Off the List… But Still in Search of That Tiger

So also over Dashain because we were already in the neighborhood, Raj suggested I head over to Chitwan National Park. The park is a major tourist attraction in Nepal (coming after Everest and the other big mountains of course) and apparently THE thing to do in the park is an elephant ride through the jungle. Because I’m technically still a tourist (though don’t tell people… I’d rather they all think I’m Nepali!), of course I would go to the park and ride an elephant.

Without sounding like a guide book, Chitwan has lots of good wildlife-seeing. It’s one of the last refuges for the endangered one-horned Indian rhinoceros. And… it supposedly has tigers, leopards, and other big game animals like sloth bears. I say supposedly because it’s very rare to see any of those animals… which means of course I want to see them. My friend Seth who’s interning in Burkina Faso and I have spent a lot of time discussing the possibility of seeing a tiger (I’ve promised to name the first tiger I see after him). I REALLY want to see a tiger much like my sister Joy REALLY wants to see a bear. So off I went, into the jungle (seriously… it’s a jungle) atop a sad elephant with 3 other people and the mahout (elephant driver) in search of a tiger named Seth.

The elephant ride was jostling 2.5 hour experience through the jungle. I saw deer, peacocks (not sure where they came from), and yay! Rhinos! And… more points because I saw a baby rhino, too! I’m pretty sure the rhinos I saw were the same two throughout the ride, but I’m okay with that. Have you seen a one-horned Indian rhino in the wild? Alright then. :) I’m pretty happy with my elephant ride experience. I would recommend it to all of you who come to Nepal (and visit me… who’s up for it?). Sadly, I did not see a tiger… but I’ve already decided that I’m going back to Chitwan before I leave and I will stay the night in the jungle (it’s like 500 NRS to stay in a wildlife viewing tower overnight) so I can find a tiger. I just want to see one… it’s not like I’ll take it home. This must be what Joy feels like. Grrr.

My rhino sighting(s)


The night before the elephant ride, Raj’s teenage nephew and I took in the Tharu cultural programme. I’m usually not into cultural programmes for tourists as it brings to mind the Growing Pains episodes where they vacationed in Maui and went to that just-for-the-mainlanders-luau. However, the Tharu cultural programme was pretty cool. I’m a sucker for stick dances (tininkling anyone?) and drum beats… and I was taking in by this as well. I think it’s great that the Tharu people are striving to preserve their culture. Sure they are dancing for the tourists, but… the performers are doing traditional dances that might’ve been forgotten otherwise. And come on… a guy was twirling fire! And the crowd was full of mostly Nepali tourists. So again, I’ve rationalized it and I’m okay with it. I'll post videos from the show soon.

Sunset over the Rapti River by the park. Nothing like a cup of tea and a sunset.


Stick Dancing at the Tharu Cultural Programme... they move SO fast!

Let the Festival Begin…

This month has two major Nepali holidays (at the beginning and end of October)… which means the office is closed and I get the chance to get out and explore more of Nepal and learn more about the culture. Last week was Dashain – THE holiday for Nepali people. I was told that it’s comparable to Christmas… but I don’t think so. It’s so much more… but maybe because my family’s Christmas is more about staying up after midnight mass and tearing through presents and sleeping at dawn.

Dashain is a 15-day holiday in late September/early October that celebrates the goddess Durga’s victory over a buffalo demon. So what does that translate into celebration-wise? Animal sacrifices and going home and visiting every relative you have to receive their blessings (with a little cash on the side as well). Most offices and businesses close for the last 7 days of the festival… and that meant one whole week off!

So for Dashain I headed to Chitwan region with my friend Raj to see how Nepalis celebrate Dashain in his hometown of Narayangarh. It’s a 4-hour motorbike ride from KTM to Narayangarh on one of the major highways of Nepal. Raj put his wife and baby on the bus and we headed out on the motorbike in what seemed like a mass exodus from KTM as everyone was heading to their village to celebrate Dashain. The highway was full of buses packed with people headed to the terai (the southern flat plains of Nepal) as most people aren’t from KTM, they just live there to make money. Lucky for Raj and I had the motorbike to speed past (safely, of course) all the buses with the puking-out-the-window women and children, peeing-into-water-source pit stops for men, and broken down buses with stranded travelers alongside the road.

Dashain is a big family affair… so we just hung out at Raj’s house for the most part. They slaughtered a goat (not Raj… he has no desire to do it himself) as a sacrifice… and because Dashain is also a holiday of excess, there’s enough meat for every meal for the week. We watched a lot of television and played with a lot of children (as his family has sprouted kids while still in their late twenties/early thirties). Kids love Dashain because you get new clothes, money, and there’s giant bamboo swings set up all over the place to play on. Seriously… giant.



kids at the swing by the Narayani River


Raj enjoying the swing.


The main event of Dashain, though, is the 10th day – Vijaya Dashami – which begins the marathon family visiting rounds. Everyone goes to visit their elders to receive tika on their forehead – a blessing symbolizing the third and all-seeing/all-knowing eye – which is a mixture of red powder, rice, and yogurt (to make it stick of course). When you receive tika, money is also exchanged (which I didn’t really get, but found very interesting). Sometimes you give money to the elder giving you tika, but then a lot of them gave me money and I didn’t even do anything. I felt bad taking their money… I mean, it’s not my religion, culture, or even my holiday! I was told to just take the money or they would take offense. So I got about 400 NRS (around $5). We started at Raj’s parents’ house and then motorbiked all over Narayangarh and the surrounding villages to sit and chat with his relatives and receive tika. Raj was telling me that on tika day it’s customary to visit all your relatives and accumulate tika by midnight, however because he has so many relatives, he gets 4 days to finish the marathon. That’s 4 days of family time, folks. Plus the 3 days before hanging out with the immediate family. It’s exhausting… and it wasn’t even my family! Can you imagine celebrating Dashain in the US?? It already takes like 14 hours from Boston to my hometown in North Carolina! Not to mention all the relatives out in California! No way.

Me getting tika from Raj's dad.


I was really happy that Raj invited me to his family’s home in Narayangahr. It was great to really get to experience Dashain with Nepalis. His family was so nice to me and so welcoming. They seemed happy to share their culture with me. Kind of makes me regret not living with a Nepali family back here in KTM… then I remember the pros and cons of living with a host family in Uzbekistan.

The ride to and from Narayangahr once again made me so happy to be living here. It was so beautiful. The highway travels alongside a river through the hills back to KTM valley. Here’s some pictures that don’t even do this place justice. You really have to see this place to believe it.

Me, Raj, and his little nephew riding around Narayangahr on Raj's bike.


Morning view from the temple on a hill above Narayangahr


The temple with a queue of all the folks who also hiked up... but for obvious better reasons than mine.



Views from the back of the motorbike on the highway.