Upadesh Kunwor

This journey began with a simple phone call from my MPhil/PhD classmate and respected friend, Durga Prasad Bastola Sir . He called and said, “Upadesh ji, we’re planning to go to Mustang. Please plan the tour. The budget is only NPR 10,000 per person, and there will be around 12 students and 2–3 teachers.” I started thinking - how can we make a good Mustang tour in that budget? After some calls and calculations, I prepared an itinerary and shared it with him. Later, on October 13, 2025 , Kedar Sir and I went to his school to finalize details. The number of participants had grown to over 20 people , which was great news! By October 15 , we signed the agreement between Ambassador Himalaya Treks & Expedition and Swarnadeep School , confirming a 4-day educational and spiritual journey to Mustang. Day 1: Kathmandu to Pokhara Our journey started early morning on October 16 . I called my bus driver, Bishnu Dai , and we left Balaju Chowk at 6 AM for the school. There, I met my friend ...

Oct 8 th,  2025,  was a different kind of day for me because I got to spend it with a special guest who came back to Nepal for his motorbike tour. His name is Jose , but I like to call him Japy .   “J” stands for Jose, “A” for his mother’s name Angel, and “P” and “Y” come from the family name -Peace and Youth 😂😂. That’s why his short name is “Japy,” which is pronounced in spainsh 'Japy'  like “Happy” in English -meaning “Happy.” His first visit  to Nepal in April  2025 , leaving behind his Suzuki 650cc V-Strom , a big one, about 317 kg ! At that time, he rode only for one day before continuing his journey. Nepal was his 20th country  on his long motorbike world tour. In total, he has already completed over 1,500 km   + of his motorbike journey.   Yesterday, I had the chance to take him on a motorbike sightseeing tour  around Kathmandu’s historical sites , and it felt both exciting and special . Oct 7 th , my friend Sujan Dhakal  p...

The goddess has many forms व्यापिनी विविधाकारां विद्याविद्या–स्वरूपिणी... (from Lalita Sahasranama). Our scriptures describe many different appearances and qualities of the goddess. On top of that, geography, society, culture, and traditions add even more variety. So, even within one religion or community, each of us may imagine the goddess differently. Behind these images are unique stories and backgrounds. Most Nepalese villages are under the protection of a local village goddess. It’s rare to find a village or even a neighborhood without its own goddess shrine. Throughout Nepal, famous temples and sacred sites dedicated to goddesses are found far and wide. We live surrounded, cared for, and protected by goddesses in stone statues with vermilion, flags, prayers, dreams, rituals, and offerings. These goddess shrines are the most common sacred spaces in our society, from barns to homes. Our love and faith for these goddesses are deep and beyond words. They live not just in grand temple...

Dashain 2082 B.S. felt truly special for me  for a different reason.  There was no TIKA, No JAMARA,  no meat, just meditation, peace, stillness, and reflection. Our family observed the festival in remembrance  of our beloved JijuAama. And what did I do? I wandered. I listened. I observed the shifting pulse of rural life - the local issues, sharing Nawaratri Kathā, the voices of Gen-Z’s mass movement 2025 A.D., and the silent stories of my village people. When I was talking with my grandfather, he shared something really interesting back in 2014/15 B.S., his grandfather  (late Dadi Raj Kunwar) used to apply white Tika (just Dahi ra🌾 Chamal - natukriyako, without vermilion) to our family members. That really surprised me it means the red tika wasn’t always a tradition in our family. I had never known this before. Later, my father also told me that, after many years (2040 BS ...), some neighbors started asking for vermilion (simrik) for tika that’s how the change ...

हाम्रो संस्कृतिमा देवीहरू केवल पूजा गर्ने पात्र मात्र होइनन्, उनीहरू जीवनका विभिन्न पक्षहरूको प्रतीक हुन्। कहिले शक्ति, कहिले ममता, कहिले विद्या र कहिले धैर्य। आज हामी लक्ष्मी, सरस्वती, पार्वती, दुर्गा र काली माताका केही अद्भुत कथाहरू सम्झनेछौं। काली माता : नकारात्मक शक्तिको अन्त काली माता भन्नासाथ धेरैलाई तन्त्र-मन्त्र र जादूसँग जोडिन्छ। तर काली माता वास्तवमा हाम्रो भित्र लुकेका डर, असुरक्षा र नकारात्मक सोचलाई हराउने शक्ति हुन्। पुराणमा रक्तबीज नामको असुरको कथा छ। उसको शरीरबाट खस्ने हरेक रगतको थोपा जमिनमा पर्दा नयाँ असुर जन्मिन्थ्यो। जसलाई मार्न देवता असमर्थ भए। अन्ततः काली माताले आफ्नो कटोरा र खड्ग लिएर युद्ध गरिन्। रगत जमिनमा नपरोस् भनेर सबै आफ्नो कटोरामा संकलन गरी असुरलाई पराजित गरिन्। यही कारण काली मातालाई शक्तिशाली र भयरहित देवी मानिन्छ। उनको तस्वीरमा देखिने बाहिरी रूप : नरमुन्डको माला, हातमा खड्ग र कटोरा, र शिवजीको छातीमाथि पाइला राखेर बाहिर निस्किएको जिब्रो, यी सबै प्रतीक हुन् कि कहिलेकाहीँ हामी पनि आफ्नै क्रोध, डर र दुःखमा हराउँछौं। तर अन्ततः काली माता जस्तै आत्मस्मरणले हा...

सर्वप्रथम ,  तपाईं हरू  सबैलाई  नवरात्रि  र  बडा दशैं   २०८२ को मंगलमय शुभकामना । आजको ब्लगमा म दुर्गा सप्तशती मा   र हो का  महत्वपूर्ण शिक्षा  र त्यसका पछाडि लुकेका दर्शनलाई बुझ्ने प्रयास गर्नेछौं। संसारमा त्यस्ता धेरै विश्वासहरू छैनन् जहाँ सृष्टि स्त्री शक्तिबाट भएको हो   भन्ने मानिन्छ।  तर सनातन धर्मले भने , भगवानलाई कहिले नारायणको पुरुष रूपमा देख्छ , त कहिले आदिशक्तिको स्त्री रूपमा। यही कारणले सनातन धर्म नै एक मात्र यस्तो परम्परा हो जसले परम तत्वको सम्भावित सबै रूपहरूको खोजी गरेको छ। यस खोजीको एक अद्भुत नतिजा हो -   दुर्गा सप्तशती । ७०० श्लोकमा लेखिएको यो ग्रन्थलाई सामान्य भक्तले देवी दुर्गाले विभिन्न असुरहरूको वध गरेको कथा मात्र देख्छन्। तर  एक   साधकका लागि यो आध्यात्मिक खजाना     हो;   जहाँ ब्रह्माण्ड , आत्मा र मुक्तिको रहस्य लुकेको छ। यी कथा केवल " सत्यको असत्यमाथि विजय " मात्र होइनन्। यी त हाम्रो अस्तित्वका गुप्त संकेत हुन्। यदि यी केवल कथाहरू मात्र हुन्थे भने समयको आँधीमा हराइसक्थे। तर दु...

T he youth-led “Gen Z Movement” shook the political ground, challenging corruption, misrule, and arrogance that had become routine. The protest toppled the old power and opened a new chapter in Nepal’s political history by placing a woman in the prime minister’s chair for the first time. for a long time, many Nepalis carried the question in their hearts: Who will be the first woman to lead the country as executive head? That question was finally answered on September 8 (Bhadra 23–24): Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Mrs. Sushila Karki . Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was appointed as the head of the Interim Government by President Ram Chandra Poudel, before parliament was dissolved. With her appointment, Nepal now has both its first woman Chief Justice and its first woman Prime Minister recorded in history. The immediate task before her is clear: guide the nation toward elections, rebuild the broken structures, and restore people’s faith in governance. The election date is announced for 21...

A Black Day in Nepal’s History: When Youth Voices Were Silenced 💔 Do you still have the courage or the desire  to sail your boat on the river of blood, Mr. K.P. Sharma Oli ? You, along with your allies   Sher Bahadur Deuba , your ever-sleeping charioteer; Ramesh Lekhak , your armed commander; and Prithvi Subba Gurung , your information minister who believes in silencing every opposing voice history has already condemned you all. Your exit from power is inevitable. But let me remind you  Y our resignation will not wash away the stain of this blood . This tragedy, this betrayal, will remain written in history forever. Because even during the dark days of the Panchayat regime and the oppressive rule of the Rana dynasty , no one dared to play Holi with the people’s blood the way your government just did. Under your leadership, how much has this country been looted? How recklessly has public property been exploited? How have government institutions turned into play...

Yesterday was truly special. I had the privilege of guiding a wonderful group of students from Gunma University, Japan , along with my good friend Anup Adhikari Sir . This beautiful cultural exchange was made possible thanks to the kind coordination of Prem K. Danuwar Sir , and I’m deeply grateful to Puja Dangol Ma’am from Kathmandu University and Pramila Neupane Ma’am from Gunma University for making it happen. The day began with excitement and curiosity. Our journey was more than just sightseeing - it was about sharing stories, discovering heritage, and building connections . We explored the living traditions of Kathmandu’s Durbar Square and dived deep into Nepal’s rich cultural history. We walked through centuries-old courtyards, listened to tales of kings and gods, and visited sacred spaces filled with devotion and artistry. From the story of Indra Jatra to the living tradition of the Kumari — the Living Goddess , from the fierce energy of Kal Bhairav to the timeless colle...