Kathmandu Valley

The Kartik Naach / Katti Pyakhan

November 10, 2022February 21, 2023 by Mon

Mon

Just finished doing the back up of the recording of the ten days of the Kartik Naach. The Kartik Naach is a dance-drama performed in the month of Kartik (October-November) in Patan Durbar Square, started in 1641 by King Siddhi Narsingh Malla. The apex centres around Narsimha Avatar. And here’s…

Twelve year Swetkali dance of Nardevi

October 22, 2022November 12, 2022 by Mon

Mon

The Swetkali dance is one of the Astamatrika dances traditionally performed in the Kathmandu Valley for the protection of the state. This year it was performed for two nights in Taleju Bhavani (Hanuman Dhoka) and for one night a full day on the dabali in front of Kumari Ghar. The…

Swayambhu

March 28, 2022May 5, 2022 by Mon

Mon

Looking for chariya dance poses in buildings to understand the connection between dance and architecture. Swayambhu is an ancient Buddhist complex, in the north-west of Kathmandu, including 320 chaityas and 275 statues. It's one of the seven world heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley. The Mangal Bahudvara Chaitya, newly restored…

Nagbahal, Patan

March 26, 2022April 28, 2022 by Mon

Mon

Daily life in a courtyard filled with Newar traditional architecture, in the heart of Patan: chaitiyas (places of Buddhist worship and prayer), and a beautiful hiti (stone spout) and phalcha (a rest place for travellers and for religious rituals, e.g. dapha songs). Phalcha with a nag (snake) Entrance to the…

Street art around Patan

March 20, 2022April 27, 2022 by Mon

Mon

Ancient traditional Newar architecture and paintings, and contemporary issues displayed on the city walls through funky graffiti. Stories of people and stories of places, witnessing the traffic and the busy urban life. [caption id="attachment_558" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Hakha-Chusika nani galli, Mangal Bazar[/caption] [caption id="attachment_559" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Jawalakhel Road[/caption] [caption id="attachment_560" align="aligncenter"…

Thamel is struggling

March 16, 2022May 2, 2022 by Mon

Mon

Construction sites and closed businesses. A walk in Thamel can easily give the measure of how much the area has struggled because of the Covid19 pandemic and the lockdown. It really looks like a ghost of itself without tourists flooding the area. After the government decided on a complete lockdown…