Business With Pleasure in Kathmandu

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This is one of those assignments that I didn't look for. Rather, this assignment found me. It came at a time when I was seriously mulling over quitting my job, just like I did about 2 years before. Well, as I said, it has been brewing for the last 2 years. Back then, the company sent me to Tokyo for a 2 week "business" assignment. And now this.

Free Trip to Kathmandu: Why Not?

Soon, I realized no one in the company wanted this trip. Much inclined to urban settings, they would rather grab assignments that would bring them to America or Europe, rather than to Nepal. That is not exactly my take though. I mean, Kathmandu has always fascinated me especially since the advent of the hippie cult. I am certainly no hippie, but somewhow Kathmandu evokes those memories. I even recall some songs which referenced Kathmandu (Cat Stevens' Kathmandu, for one) . So yeah, I was almost excited to go. And it is a big bonus that I can make this trip without having to pay a cent.


The conference lasted for only 3 days. With no direct flights to Nepal from Manila, I opted for connecting flights in Bangkok, Thailand where I can spend at least a night before heading home. I also chose to fly ahead of the batch, enjoy my hotel before the conference begins, and perhaps throw in some touristy stuff including some shopping.

My First Kathmandu Experience

I was tired by the time my plane landed at the Kathmandu airport. Off the plane and into the immigration area, the humidity and rising temp wrapped me without warning. I had the beginning of a splitting headache by the time I hailed a cab to take me from the airport to Hotel Soaltee Crown Plaza where the conference organizers booked us. I was restless and eager to reach my hotel, and made sure the driver understood me. I was almost dozing off when I sensed that the taxi stopped. Thinking we already reached the hotel, imagine my surprise when I took in the view and saw that we were right in the middle of the road! I asked the cab driver why we stopped (by this time, he looked like he was beginning to unwrap his lunch or snack food) . He proceeded to unwrap his food and simply pointed a finger to the front of the cab. As I was comfortably slouched at the back, I couldn't understand nor see what he was pointing at. So, I straightened up and looked out. I could not believe what I saw. There in front of us, right smack in the middle of the road, was a cow who decided to take her siesta then and there. I am glad my quick thinking warned me not to express any irritation. Hindus hold cattle as sacred, believing that some of their deceased loved ones may have reincarnated as cattle.


And so it was that the short drive from the airport to the hotel took nearly 45 minutes as we wasted much of that time waiting for the sacred cow to up and leave! My, I really have a great respect for this culture. What would otherwise drive most of us crazy, has become an accepted norm in this country. Faith truly shapes one's behavior, or demeanor. Passing the streets on our way to the hotel, I also spotted a number of nearly naked , white-faced sadhus, or holy men, seated in front of what looked like a temple. I made a mental note of visiting this square as soon as I find the chance.

Why Waste A Good, Sunny Morning?

The following morning was marked by a single event: registration of conference participants. I checked around and learned it would be way after lunch before the conference proper starts, especially since the Chinese delegation's flight was delayed to arrive noon yet. Not one to waste an opportunity, I promptly left to visit Durbar Square, which is the center of the old town and residence of the former royal palace. This is a World Heritage Site, and for good reasons. There were many temples within the square but there was one in particular which completely grabbed my attention. The Temple of the Living Goddess (Kumari Devi) is housed in a two-storey wooden building beside the square. From its inner courtyard, tourists look up and wait till this young pre-pubescent girl revered as goddess makes an appearance in this wide window on the second floor. This practice of worshipping an otherwise ordinary girl who'd likely prefer playing with her dolls has been an integral part of both Hinduism and Buddhism. Such is the tradition where this girl called Kumari Devi is worshipped on all the religious occasions.

The Kumari Devi: My Heart Breaks!

The selection of the Living Goddess is a highly elaborate ritual. The preliminary test is concerned with such physical attributes of perfection with respect to the colour of her eyes, the shape of her teeth and the sound of her voice. Her horoscope must also be appropriate. There is one test that these 4 to 7 yr old "candidates" must pass. Placed in a darkened room littered with scary buffalo heads, the girls are left to watch demon- like masked dancers and listen to terrifying noises. The chosen goddess is the one who is not frightened, remained calm and collected throughout the tests. Only she is the only girl who is entitled to sit on the pedestal for worship as the Living Goddess. Then as a final test similar to that of the Dalai Lama, the Kumari then chooses items of clothing and decoration worn by her predecessor. She remains in her house, accompanied by caretakers, all at government expense, until her first menstruation. That is unless she scars herself accidentally and bleeds! The bleeding makes her invalid for worship. Thus, she reverts back to her normal status and the search for a new Kumari begins. Having heard all this, I felt nothing but sympathy for the poor girl or girls chosen as Kumaris. Separated from your family, revered as a goddess, protected by caretakers not to suffer even a minor scratch, is all too unnatural for me. And I cannot fathom how an ex-Kumari can ever lead a normal life after they have been "dethroned". When I saw this beautiful girl of maybe 4 years look out of the window, I couldn't help feeling sorry for her.

The Palace and Some Hippie Corner

I loitered around in the square after this episode, feeling rather spent and melancholy. It did not help that flies and monkeys pestered me around the square. Besides that, I had to dodge bird droppings from all around. Somehow, I found myself walking into a big courtyard. The Palace of the Mallah and Shah Kings who ruled over the city from the 15th century until the 19th century when the Royal Palace was moved to Narayan Hiti Palace. Until recently though, Durban Square was used for many coronation ceremonies and other important royal events. I cannot remember all the names of the temples within the square. It was hard enough to pronounce these long names, much less to remember them. But i wasn't encouraged to stay very long in the place. Heritage site that it is, it is sad to see the square littered with dirt , beggars, and unruly monkeys who would snatch away any snack food you may have in your bag or pockets. Truth to tell, the monkeys scared me. And so, I searched my way out of the square and headed back to the comforts of my hotel, but not without a peek into a nearby street called "Freak Street" , a popular hippie spot back in the 70s.

More Stupas, More Monkeys!

The following day, I took my breakfast real early and dashed out of the hotel with a fellow conference participant. Who said conferences are all business? Just before everybody else woke and got ready for breakfast, we were already on our way to Boudhanath Stupa , a most holy Buddhist site in Nepal, just 10 kms from our hotel. This ancient stupa , which dominates the skyline, is one of the largest in the world. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, it attracts both tourists and monkeys. Oh, they are all over! It was difficult to take photos as I was too afraid the monkeys will snatch my camera, or my bag. One tried to pry open my pocket and snatch my pen!

Shopping for Pashminas in Kathmandu

Unlike Spain with its many siestas , Kathmandu is littered with many shops open for business even at early hours of the day! My new friend and I managed to spend a mere half hour in one shop where we splurged on several pashmina shawls in many colors. I started off by choosing shawls to give to friends back home, and then deciding that I love this and that color for myself to match such and such, and then getting more shawls for my friends, and then............. Half an hour later, and we felt like we have shopped good for a week. What a way to start a day.


By the time we got back to our hotel in time for the conference sessions, we couldn't peel our minds off the many vibrant colors of the newly-purchased pashimas, mentally matching each with a dress, or a bag. Gosh, that was tiring.

Eating in Kathmandu: Be Careful What You Order

By day's end, I was so tired I didn't bother to join the rest for a night out. Instead, I tried one of the hotel outlets (I read somewhere that this dining area offers one of the best local cuisine) to sample Nepalese food. The waiter who took my order ( I pointed to something that simply said "Sampler of Nepalese Cuisine") gave me one look and a shy smile. While waiting, I enjoyed the folk show which included a lot of dancing and which really, really took quite a while. Just before the show ended, my Nepalese dinner was spread out in front of me. Now it was my turn to give the waiter a shy smile. I should have invited the family in the next table to join me! The portions were meant for a group of 3-4 pax and there were at least 5 bowls of food in front of me. I mentally braced myself for a long dinner. Sure I tried everything...........but after 2 dishes, I couldn't tell one from the other. My night didn't end there. After a heavy dinner, I didn't want to head straight for my room. So, I loitered around the hotel and its big yard where I found some of the other conference participants. We then trooped back to the hotel bar for a nightcap . I was glad to have found company, and enjoyed the music from a 5 man Filipino band, each of which took turns sitting beside me to chat and get news from back home. They have not been home for a couple of years , and they must really be so homesick. They sang songs from the 70s, many of which reminded me of the hippie flower people.


As the conference drew to a close, I couldn't help thinking back of that 4 year old girl peeping out of a window in a 2storey wooden house near the Durbar Square. All made up, with eyes made so much bigger but with hardly an expression. I wonder what she was thinking as tourists down below the courtyard elbowed to the front to get a better unimpaired view of the living goddess? I then wondered whatever happened to the ex-kumaris who "bled" and grew up. What were their memories of their 6 or 10 year stay in the temple? I promised myself I'd look up any book written on ex kumaris if only to better understand this tradition.


Would really appreciate your helping me with some photos here. Many of the pictures I took were overexposed and I was left only with these few (bad) photos 😞

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