When you arrive at the workshop, the artisans will traditionally welcome you, who will familiarize you with their services. Soon after, you will have a short but atmospheric walk to the gallery, learning about Paubha and its historical significance from the artist. This will give you an authentic glimpse into the culture of Paubha while excitingly preparing you for the upcoming experience.
After a brief introduction about the Paubha painting, its history, and its significance through an artisan who has dedicated a long time to the art, he/she will guide you through the painting process with demonstrations as you learn different strokes, techniques, and the role of colors play in creating beautiful and meaningful Paubha paintings. During the three hours workshop, you will authentically experience Paubha painting, where you can paint your own Paubha on the canvas all the while learning about its history and significance in Nepal. The experience includes delicious Newari lunch guests can enjoy during a well-deserved break. After your skillful work is finished, you can take your painting home as an excellent gift for a loved one or even a decorative element for your home.
When you arrive in Bhaktapur, you will be walking through the traditional alley of the pottery square. The charming ambience of the workshop adorned with exquisite woodcrafts, welcomes you along with the traditional welcome from the artisans. Then, the woodcarving adventure begins.
Local experts of woodcarving will be your knowledgeable guides throughout the entire experience, making the process easier. The class begins with an introduction of woodcarving and its historical importance. The instructor will then introduce you to the tools used in shaping the wood, each serving a distinct purpose. The instructor will then provide you a draft knot where you will be carving the patterns. You will start by carving an infinity knot, gradually familiarizing yourself with the tools.
Once the carving is complete, the product is painted with the participant’s chosen colors and is ready to be taken home. During the four-hour workshop, you will have an authentic experience of wood carving. The experience also includes a delicious Newari lunch. which guests can enjoy during a well-deserved break. After your handiwork, carved with aesthetic Newari art, is finished, it is an excellent gift for a loved one or even a decorative element for your home.
Pickup from booked hotel in Kathmandu and transfer to Manjushree elderly home after shopping food or clothes supplies for Elderly People at Manjushree Elderly Home. After visit, transfer from Kathmandu to Patan for Paubha painting (2-3hrs), walking tour of Patan Durbar Square
Product design
Mandala/ Lotus painting
Canvas size: 20×20 – poster color
Workshop Duration : 2-3 hours
Description
The Paubha is a rich painting tradition that visualizes the interpretation of Buddhist and Hindu philosophies. Often confused with the more popular Thangka which traces back to Tibetan cultures, the Paubha has its roots in the Newar communities of Kathmandu Valley with a subtle difference in the painting styles from that of Thangka.
Derived from the word “Patrabhattaraka”, Paubha is a form of the divine art of painting gods. The Paubha is often created to worship gods or for meditative purposes.
Painting a Paubha takes a lot of time, and a well-decorated Paubha takes months to complete. The three-hours workshop, however, is designed with the objective to generate awareness of this endangered form of art and culture with hands-on experiences of the process involved in decorating a Paubha. During the session, you will learn about the Paubha painting while trying to paint your own Paubha which you can take as a souvenir.
Transfer to Panauti via Bhaktapur wood carving & Bhaktapur sightseeing along with a short visit to Manav Sewa Ashram at Kaushaltar. This non-profit organization is dedicated to helping people in need who are living on the streets. We will bring raw food items to the organization to donate to them.
Product
Duration : 3 – 4 hours
Infinity Knot/ loop: Represents Bond between infinite wisdom and compassion/ Endless cycle of life
Description
Wood Carving has always been the pride of the valley and holds a special place in the valley’s history and culture. Based mainly on Hindu and Buddhist scriptures and mystical structures, wood carvings can take different forms, ranging from floral patterns and animals to deities, religious symbols, or geometrical shapes. The Newari ethnic group, predominantly residing in the valley, can be credited for the majority of the crafts that stand out in the streets. In cities such as Bhaktapur or Bungamati, one can witness the distinctive Newari art showcased in the old houses.
Woodcarving has played a significant role in enhancing the beauty of the Kathmandu valley, much like other monuments and architects. The intricate details and exquisite designs which adorn temples and houses, showcasing the mastery of local craftsmanship, add to the overall beauty of the valley. This traditional art form has a rich historical legacy, dating back to the 13th century in Nepal as evidenced by the Indrasvara Mahadev temple, built in 1396. Over the centuries, woodcarving has flourished, particularly during the Malla and Licchavi periods from the 13th to the 18th century.
Enter the world of traditional Newari art and experience wood carving in a fun and authentic way in historic Bhaktapur. During the four-hour workshop, a local expert will guide you through the whole experience, providing knowledge about the cultural significance of wood carving in Nepal, instructing you to use tools, and finally, helping you finish the craft. Your hard work will be rewarded with a break where you can enjoy a delicious Newari dish for lunch. At the end of the workshop, take the craft carved with beautiful Newari art as a decoration for your home or as a gift to a loved one.
Morning seasonal activities at Panauti, after lunch-Transfer back to Kathmandu via Boudhanath & Pashupatinath sightseeing in the evening after Aarati ceremony at Pashupatinath
Panauti village is a small town located 32 kms south east of Kathmandu . It is one of the oldest towns in Nepal. It still has the feeling of the medieval period and it has a lot of ancient houses and temples. The town is located at the junction of two holy rivers of Roshi Khola and Punya Mati. The village is filled with ancient temples and settlements. The town has been left the same way the founders left it in the medieval period . Panauti village has never been damaged extremely by earthquakes. The structures and temple were never altered or structurally improved in any way. The architecture have the essence of traditional skills and materials. The wood carving in the doors , windows and beams of temples attracts eyes and show the skill of the Newari craftsman. The Panauti has become more popular recently because of the homestay program launched by the women and housewives of Panauti. Tourism has become the additional source of income to these families running the homestay program in their houses. This has provided tourist chance to experience the local lifestyle and foods without needing to travel to far to enjoy something that has not been altered or modernized just for tourist sake.
After Lunch, drive back to Kathmandu via Boudhanath & Pashupatinath sightseeing.
Boudhanath (Boudha) This great stupa is one of the most important Buddhist sites in Nepal. Distinctive, the stupa has a diameter of over 100 meters and is amongst the largest in the world. There are a number of legends accounting for it’s construction, but it is generally believed to date from the 5th century. All stupas contain holy relics and Boudha is said to contain the remains of the skeleton of Siddhartha Gautam, the revered Buddha.
Boudha is a particular focus for Kathmandu’s Tibetan community and throughout the day hundreds of pilgrims and visitors come to circle the stupa, spinning prayer wheels and reciting mantras. Surrounding the stupa are six major monasteries and a host of smaller ones as well as cafes, restaurants, Newari silversmiths and shops selling Tibetan carpets.
Pashupatinath This is Nepal’s most sacred Hindu shrine and one of the subcontinent’s greatest Shiva sites. The supreme holiness of the site stems from the Shiva linga enshrined in its main temple and its location. It expresses the very essence of Hinduism as pilgrims, priests, devotes, temples, ashrams, images, inscriptions and cremation ghats intermingle with the rituals of daily life, all sprawled along the banks of the sacred Bagmati River. Here, Shiva is worshiped as Pashupati, lord of the beasts rather than as Bhairab, god of destruction
Only Hindus are allowed to enter the compound of the temple, but there are several points around the perimeter wall where you can see what’s happening inside. The temple is surrounded by a colorful market of stalls selling all sorts of religious paraphernalia.
The temple’s origins are obscure. An inscription dates from 477, but a shrine may have stood here for 1,000 years before that. The present pagoda-style temple was built in 1696.
The Bagmati River is very sacred, despite being very polluted. Pashupatinath is equivalent to Varanasi on the Ganges in India and is revered as a very sacred place too. The cremation ghats along the riverbanks are used for cremations and you will see the funerals of Nepalese that take place to the south of the temple. Only the royal family are allowed to be cremated immediately in front of the temple.
