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 ...