Nava Durga Jatra – The Festival of Tantric Goddess

Every year Panauti celebrates the Navadurga Jatra, the festival of Nine Durgas, which falls – normally – during the end of April or beginning of May. It is a masked dance ceremony dedicated to the nine Durgas, Durgas – The Goddess of War – The sources to the all energy of Lord Shiva. The multiple demonic representations are the manifestations of Parvati; the power of Shiva in the Tantric tradition. It is celebrated for, continuous, three days. Continue reading

Voluntarism in Nepal from Melbourne University with Royal Mountain Travel


Since 12 years of the establishment of the Royal Mountain Travel, and in these twelve years we’ve been firmly committed to the sustainable and responsible tourism. We have always believed in the development of the society, community, and the country should come first before the development of our company. Especially in the travel industry; adding the valuable experience in the vacation of the travellers’ and settling them in the safest destination is the harvesting process and this will continue for a longer period of time. Continue reading

Three months ‘old’ Nepal after the earthquake

BoudhanathThree, long, months have passed since the Nepal suffered from the 7.9 magnitude earthquake on April 25, led to casualties in thousands. With deepest sympathy to the lost souls, but the pace of recovery is, however, an example to the resilience of Nepalese people, and an aspiration of international communities to view Nepal as a prosperous country. Continue reading

Project Nepal – Be the part of the change, Be the part of the community

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On 25th April 2015, the world of ordinary Nepalese changed forever. Following the major earthquakes in the month of April and May, many people have lost – if not everything, but most of their possessions, and livelihoods. There are some villages, which have been completely destroyed, and require sufficient manpower to repair. Continue reading

10 Tips for staying in Home Stays

Tips to Stay in HomestayStaying in the homes of local people rather than with other travelers can provide a much more authentic cultural experience. Staying in a family home stay can present a chance to experience everyday life in the new place. Hosts will invariable cook you local meals and you will have an insider’s invitation to events or places that other visitors would never see.   Continue reading

Cycling in Chitwan; Spinning wheels to remember

Cycle12Cycling is not my cup of tea and, honestly speaking, whenever I picture of cycling – trailer of a fit body peddling mountain-bike around Rocky Mountains – it usually haunts me. I often avoid outdoor games, which is not good you’d say and, yes, when cycling is evolving as a hip trend around the globe; my tardiness was not favoring me at all but, rather, turning me into a mouse-potato.

One of my friends, energetic and athletic, asked me if I could join him and his cousin to Chitwan. They were planning to stay at Tharu Community Homestay, and told me it was a perfect place to rest like a log as it was built by the river and I could go for fishing. Continue reading

Exchanging Culture for Concrete Future

Life in Nepal is so hard that you guys should be singing blues

Once my French colleague joked, “Life in Nepal is so hard that you guys should be singing blues.” We were planting rice, exchanging culture, I guess, for fun, in Panauti and we both shared a big-good laugh. Next week I had to go to Nuwakot, as I was assigned to cover the new commerce there. Local homestay business and few guests are visiting at its opening.

French-man working in Panauti.

French-man farming at rice field in Panauti.

After two hours of ride from Kathmandu, I reached Teeghau, a small village in Nuwakot where Panchkanya School is established. Surrounded by silent –enormous- green hills and covered by artistic clouds, Teeghau is surely an unexpected beauty.

“Panchkanya Higher Secondary School is very much grateful to Royal Mountain Travel. This is a government school, you can see, and during the insurgent period, when government forgot us, Royal Mountain helped us through monetary and by supplying bits and pieces to institute this science and computer lab.”  Principal of Panchkanya School pointed his index finger at one of his labs. I tilted my head to right and that room was occupied with few computers. Continue reading