tintala
Plant of the Month: Third Place Winner
I arrived in Kathmandu, at 12:30 am, too early or too late to initiate my adventures out into "shangri -la". So I called my guru and he told me to get a room at the Taj Mahal hotel in Ktm. The next morning I woke to families doing their mornin routines, brushing their teeth, making CHIA (not CHAI), for their morning rousing. My guru arrives and takes me out of the hotel thru a place called "THAMEL" .. in this place it's where you arrive if you a tourist fresh of the boat. Can find all things from hash to tibetan carpets. But be carefull. As the unsuspecting westerner is subject to extortion and haggling. Nevertheless the overwhelming culture shock of Nepal has just begun.
YouTube - THAMEL , KATHMANDU NEPAL
After breakfast my guru decides to take us to our flat, a descent size house outside of Kathmandu, we had 2 rooms, a bathroom and a gorgeous rice paddie as our backyard. Here is where you will be studying tabla intensively for the next year! I was sorta intimidated at first. But it soon became a passion to sit in this room for hours during my "CHILA" studying the days lesson of tabla compositions. My teacher would come daily with samosas then we would ensue our lessons for the day. Usually some ancient composition that has been handed dwon from generation to generation. this was a privalege he said, play these for just anyone, only play them for someone who can truely appreciate it!
We did this for the next 6 month , until he offered to take me to VARANASI , INDIA, to meet HIS guru. This made me nervous. AS I knew who this guru was, the great guru of the BENARES ghar' KISHAN MAHARAJ". An incredible tabla player, that has performed for the queen of England. This was an opportunity not to be missed.
YouTube - Pandit Kishan Maharaj (benares gharana)
he was planning for me to stay 6 months in Varanasi. I would gladly accept. However, the bus ride from KATHMAND to BENARES is about 300 miles thru dense jungle, steep mountain sides and crossing a truely over populated BORDER. With diarreaha. After a 1 day bus ride from NEpal, we finally arrived in this ancient, mystical city. It was as surreal as arriving in NEpal the 1st time!
We land in our hotel , take a shower, and go get some puddi for breakfast. Now If you have been to Nepal, then go to India, you will soon discover two distinct differences between the two. India, is waaaay over crowded, with people starting their days at 4:00 am. second, the machoistic attitude of indian males is sometimes overzealous. Seems that every guy is trying to take advantage of you. Still I persist. I begin my practice at 5:am every morning, and practice for 3 hrs solid. Then I would go for breakfast , come back and practice more. One day we decide to go to Saranath , outside of Varanasi, this is the ancient site where BUDDHA gave his first sermon after he was enlightened. IT was incredible to say the least.
The daily practice wasn't sufficient without my daily dose of government HASH and bhang lassis. let me tell you, smoking out of a chillum next to the GANGES is a thrilling , spiritual experience that any smoker would be enchanted by! After a nice smoke, the music begins, beautiful Indian Classical music, by real professionals, who have been playing this music all of their lives. I must say this a very reall magical moment. And very inspiring.
After my bout in Varanasi, I decide to return home to KATHMANDU, NEpal. So instead of taking that retched bus, I had to fly back, and thank god I did. After landing in KTM, i realized how much nicer Nepal is than India. In all aspects! not just population, but attitude as well.And the scenery in Nepal with the Himalaya looming above is on not to be missed!
YouTube - LANGTANG FROM MY ROOFTOP IN KATHMANDU
After quite a stay , a year, I needed to get back to the USa, as I was running out of $$ and had the worst ear infection in the history of mankind. So i decided to book my flight home. I went to my travel agent, where i met this wonderful Nepalese girl. I asked her if she was married , she said no, so I asked her out for tea. She said yes! We sorta "dated" for the next month. Til one day it was getting very close to my departure, I really needed a better souvenir than all the clothes and jewelry I had acquired. So I decided I wanted to take her home. I asked her if she wanted to come back to the USA. She said what a dream. After a few days she decided and said yes! But one problem, I had to go back home, save money, and get her visa. Not an easy task. This took a year and a half of emails, phone calls, vaccinations, and a huge stack of paper work. However, like pieces in a puzzle , it miracalously came together. A year and a half alter I was heading back to Nepal to marry my fiance. When she picked me up at the airport , i was mesmerized by her beauty, and couldn't believe that I was there to marry her! The reality of it hit on our way thru the thick traffic that I was truley commtting! But everyone on her side of the family loved the idea of her marrying an American, and I loved the Idea of becoming a Nepal joysop!
After some time, we acquired a house in Ktm and thouroughly enjoy visiting any chance we get. Now 9 years later, we have an incredible place and family, and when the shit hits the fan in the USA, we now have a place to go.
YouTube - Laxmi Puja at my house in Nepal As an american I find it a..
GANJA GROWING IN NEPAL
HENNA IN NEPAL
KATHMANDU BY MOTORBIKE
YouTube - THAMEL , KATHMANDU NEPAL
After breakfast my guru decides to take us to our flat, a descent size house outside of Kathmandu, we had 2 rooms, a bathroom and a gorgeous rice paddie as our backyard. Here is where you will be studying tabla intensively for the next year! I was sorta intimidated at first. But it soon became a passion to sit in this room for hours during my "CHILA" studying the days lesson of tabla compositions. My teacher would come daily with samosas then we would ensue our lessons for the day. Usually some ancient composition that has been handed dwon from generation to generation. this was a privalege he said, play these for just anyone, only play them for someone who can truely appreciate it!
We did this for the next 6 month , until he offered to take me to VARANASI , INDIA, to meet HIS guru. This made me nervous. AS I knew who this guru was, the great guru of the BENARES ghar' KISHAN MAHARAJ". An incredible tabla player, that has performed for the queen of England. This was an opportunity not to be missed.
YouTube - Pandit Kishan Maharaj (benares gharana)
he was planning for me to stay 6 months in Varanasi. I would gladly accept. However, the bus ride from KATHMAND to BENARES is about 300 miles thru dense jungle, steep mountain sides and crossing a truely over populated BORDER. With diarreaha. After a 1 day bus ride from NEpal, we finally arrived in this ancient, mystical city. It was as surreal as arriving in NEpal the 1st time!
We land in our hotel , take a shower, and go get some puddi for breakfast. Now If you have been to Nepal, then go to India, you will soon discover two distinct differences between the two. India, is waaaay over crowded, with people starting their days at 4:00 am. second, the machoistic attitude of indian males is sometimes overzealous. Seems that every guy is trying to take advantage of you. Still I persist. I begin my practice at 5:am every morning, and practice for 3 hrs solid. Then I would go for breakfast , come back and practice more. One day we decide to go to Saranath , outside of Varanasi, this is the ancient site where BUDDHA gave his first sermon after he was enlightened. IT was incredible to say the least.
The daily practice wasn't sufficient without my daily dose of government HASH and bhang lassis. let me tell you, smoking out of a chillum next to the GANGES is a thrilling , spiritual experience that any smoker would be enchanted by! After a nice smoke, the music begins, beautiful Indian Classical music, by real professionals, who have been playing this music all of their lives. I must say this a very reall magical moment. And very inspiring.
After my bout in Varanasi, I decide to return home to KATHMANDU, NEpal. So instead of taking that retched bus, I had to fly back, and thank god I did. After landing in KTM, i realized how much nicer Nepal is than India. In all aspects! not just population, but attitude as well.And the scenery in Nepal with the Himalaya looming above is on not to be missed!
YouTube - LANGTANG FROM MY ROOFTOP IN KATHMANDU
After quite a stay , a year, I needed to get back to the USa, as I was running out of $$ and had the worst ear infection in the history of mankind. So i decided to book my flight home. I went to my travel agent, where i met this wonderful Nepalese girl. I asked her if she was married , she said no, so I asked her out for tea. She said yes! We sorta "dated" for the next month. Til one day it was getting very close to my departure, I really needed a better souvenir than all the clothes and jewelry I had acquired. So I decided I wanted to take her home. I asked her if she wanted to come back to the USA. She said what a dream. After a few days she decided and said yes! But one problem, I had to go back home, save money, and get her visa. Not an easy task. This took a year and a half of emails, phone calls, vaccinations, and a huge stack of paper work. However, like pieces in a puzzle , it miracalously came together. A year and a half alter I was heading back to Nepal to marry my fiance. When she picked me up at the airport , i was mesmerized by her beauty, and couldn't believe that I was there to marry her! The reality of it hit on our way thru the thick traffic that I was truley commtting! But everyone on her side of the family loved the idea of her marrying an American, and I loved the Idea of becoming a Nepal joysop!
After some time, we acquired a house in Ktm and thouroughly enjoy visiting any chance we get. Now 9 years later, we have an incredible place and family, and when the shit hits the fan in the USA, we now have a place to go.
YouTube - Laxmi Puja at my house in Nepal As an american I find it a..
GANJA GROWING IN NEPAL
HENNA IN NEPAL
KATHMANDU BY MOTORBIKE
