I arrived in Kathmandu to find it humming with outdoor enthusiasts seeking mountain high’s with the best trekking of the season and locals gearing up for the Tihar festival.
The festival of light or Tihar (Diwali in India) is celebrated by Hindu’s over 3 days and sees worship of the Goddess of Prosperity, Lakshmi. Homes and shops are strung with lights and decorative rangolis drawn at the entrance using colourful powders with small ghee lamps and food and floral offerings to ensure the Goddess blesses you with a visit!
Vendors at the local markets were doing steady business in the sale of garlands of marigolds, specially prepared baskets of sweets and treats for siblings to exchange on the last day of Tihar and firecrackers to ensure that the festival lived up to it’s spectacularly loud and festive reputation!
I love learning about the local traditions in the places I visit and I felt incredibly blessed to be in Nepal at this special time of year.
I am in retreat for the next month studying Tibetan Buddhism and Meditation and will have no access to the internet. I will continue to write my weekly blog, however it will not be online until mid December.
As we approach the new year I encourage you to think of ways you can create space in your life for reflection. Our need to be productive and active is so ingrained in our society and yet these routines and habits do not always habits serve us in reaching our highest potential.
Om,
Dani
