KATHMANDU + KAWASOTI

Hi everyone! Miss you all soooooo much🫂 I have been in Nepal for about a week and a half, and I have so much to share!

Last Saturday, we moved in with our host families in Patan, which is an area within Lalitpur, Kathmandu. Lalitpur is one of three ancestral cities in the Kathmandu Valley, and the city of Patan specifically is regarded as the cultural capital of Kathmandu. I am living a block away from Patan Durbar Square, which is one of the seven UNESCO world heritage sites in Kathmandu, and I am living with the Raghubanshi family! Shila and Sudarshan are my host parents, and they are Newars, who are the people indigenous to Kathmandu Valley. The Raghubanshi family has lived in the same house, except for a few renovations, for as long as they can trace back. They are incredibly proud of their beautiful home, and are invested in continuing to operate as a homestay within Patan. They frequently house guests through word of mouth about their services, or through AirBnB.

I am living with two other girls from the SIT program, and we are all living in a small, gorgeous room overlooking a square and two temples. We have been eating breakfast and dinner every day with Shila and Sudarshan, and learning so much about their Newar ancestry, the plethora of Hindu festivals and traditions that they observe, the history of the area, and the political tensions that are rife throughout Nepal. They are incredibly kind and wise, and have been so gracious to open their home to us!

Last Monday, we began our class schedule at a nearby community space called the Yalamaya Kendra. I am taking four classes that are all grounded in human rights, such as Foundations and Frameworks of HR, and Comparative Issues in HR. The classes are taught by a combination of one professor who travels with us and a few local faculty. Additionally, we are completing a comparative research project over the three countries, and my team is exploring the forms of government repression and free speech restriction in the three countries. In addition to a busy class schedule, we have been traveling to different site visits through Kathmandu and visiting a plethora of civil society organizations. A particularly sobering visit was to the Conflict Victims Justice Society, where we spoke with survivors of torture and violence from the Maoist conflict/civil war that swept through Nepal from 1996 to 2006. Hearing their stories firsthand was difficult, but also an incredibly informative experience for us as students of human rights. We also have delved deeply into the history of Nepalese governance from monarchy, to attempted democracy, to the monarchical Panchyat system, and then back to attempts at democracy (although the government is still plagued with corruption). I feel like I am learning something new at every turn, from my walk to class, to the actual classes, and lengthy conversations with my homestay family.

During our time in Kathmandu, we have explored the multiple temples, stupas and cultural heritage sites that seem to be around every corner in Patan, which is why everyone refers to the city as a "Living Museum". We also ventured over into Thamel, which is the notoriously touristy district, with many trekking stores and Nepal memorabilia, as well as delicious food. Speaking of food... I have been trying absolutely everything, from momos, to dhal baat, to haluwa and bara! Our host family cooks primarily Newari cuisine, while during lunch we are free to explore any restauratn or food court that is near to the classroom. The food is incredible, and I have been learning about how Nepalis living in Patan take immense pride in the freshness and quality of their food. Our host mom wakes up very early in the morning to get the most fresh produce from the corner markets that are spread throughout Patan. I still have a few more sightseeing areas to hit, but I have been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of cultural history right outside my door! Also, I did an incredible Vinyasa yoga class (for $5!!!!!)

On Sunday night, we celebrated the Shivaratri festival with our host family! The family made offerings to lord Shiva, and then we ate a delicious and celebratory meal on the roof of their house and lit a fire. This festival is supposed to symbolize the end of winter, and so Nepalis light large bonfires to usher in the summer and worship Lord Shiva, who symbolizes destruction and change. After the meal, our family took us down into the square outside their house where we had a candle lighting ceremony, socialized around the bonfire, and then we made our way over to the temple square dedicated to Lord Shiva. It seemed like the entire Newar community was out on the streets, with bonfires on every corner, and everyone offering treats/food to passers by, as is traditional during Shivaratri. It was absolutely incredible, and it seems like every single monument and temple has a rich tradition behind it.

Yesterday (Monday) morning, we boarded the bus and left for the Kawasoti Province in Terai, which is the plains to the South of Nepal. The Terai directly borders India, and I am currently only 12 miles from the border with India! We had a winding and bumpy drive down, but we stopped for breakfast and lunch at two teahouses along the Trishuli River. We are here to speak with and learn from the indigenous Tharu population that is native to the Kawasoti province. We were sorted into three groups, and my group is exploring the dynamics and history of domestic violence within the community. We had two sessions today where we heard from domestic violence survivors about their path to finding the Women's Rights Network, the struggles they faced and their contiuing fight to create a community for female survivors. These discussions were heavy but fascinating, and the Tharu women were so gracious to take us under their wing for the day.

I am sure I am forgetting some things, but I'll leave some for next time! We are in the Terai for two more days, and we get to go on safari to Chitwan National Park, where we (might) see tigers! After that, I am travelling to Pokhara to explore for the weekend, and hopefully see the Annapurna mountain range. I have been having an incredible time so far, and I can't wait to update this blog more regularly! Love and miss you all!! Photos below!!

Patan Durbar Square

A stupa in Kathmandu

Shila, my host mom, lighting candles for Shivaratri