Canoe On The River

"Sauraha, Sauraha", a tangawala was shouting for the passengers to go Sauraha, the gateway to Chitwan National Park. A woman alighted from the bus at Sauraha Chowk and headed towards the tanga. Her tall slim body was swinging rhythmically and long black hair was flying in air as if she was cat-walking on the ramp. A bunch of bachelors, sitting on the bench in front of grocery shop, could not resist the temptation to tease her with sharp whistle, seeing the beauty at her best.

Mela

During the last week of March, we went to Dumkin, a beautiful hill village located in Kaule VDC of Chitwan to observe the mela, a traditional and religious fair that is often organized in the villages. I have seen many mela at the lowland but it was my first visit to observe mela in the hill.

Dumkin is about 3 hours of uphill walk from Upardang Gadi. We went through the mixed forests of rhododendron, chilaune and katus.

Food Program In Hill Schools Of Chitwan

Chepang ethnic communities have been living their subsistence and semi-nomadic life in many hill areas of Chitwan, Dhading and Makawanpur Districts. As their livelihood depends upon forest, most of their settlements are at the edge of the forests. They practice shifting cultivation clearing the prime forests that have the severe environmental problem in many hill regions.

Their main occupations are agriculture and livestock. They grow maize, millet, barley, junelo, different types of vegetables and fruits, and rice (at low lands) seasonally.

Reality Vs Perception

While I was travelling back home from Birgunj, an old man with empty tokari (vessel) got in the bus in Pathlaiya. The old man sat besides the bunch of students who were in merry mood as they were enjoying the rap music played in bus. Probably they were heading to Shaheed Smarak Park in Hetauda for picnic program. The old man asked one of the students in his local dialect, "Hetauda me tamatar ka vau kitana ba?"(What is the price of tomato in Hetauda?). The student got upset and retorted back, "Hamnika ka malum?" (How could I know?).

Rhino Inside Wood

Laymen see just a piece of wood but artists visualize different images within this piece. Kul Bahadur Ghale, 39, finds rhinos hidden inside a chunk of sissoo wood.

After some 3 hours of constant carving of piece of wood, a beautiful figure of rhino appears. Kul Bahadur of Kumroj VDC has been involving in craftsmanship for 3 years.

Understanding Biodiversity

During 2007-08, the Bird Education Society conducted bird survey for one year in Bis Hazari Tal and Khorsor Area to find the bird diversity with special focus on water birds as this area is renowned for wetlands (lakes, marshes and waterholes), a good habitat for many species of birds, mammals and reptiles.

Bis Hazari Tal

While I was doing the data analysis for the mid-term reporting, I was surprised to find the equal number of bird species that is 110, in both sites. Habitat type and quality are mostly similar in both sites. However, I thought for the previous bird data or report of the areas to compare with the present data but no such reports were available.

Theki: To Make Food Tasty

Local people in villages still store yoghurt, milk and ghee in theki, the traditional wooden vessel, locally made from daar tree (Boehmeria rugulosa). Other similar vessel with wide opening is called faam which is especially designed to keep milk while milking.

Size of the these vessels is varied. Smaller one which store up to 1 pathi (4.57 liters) of liquid is called theki while bigger one which store up to 4 pathi is called theka. These vessels are made by local technicians in the locally designed water mill. The downward flow of water rotates the turbine blades which then rotate the shaft connected to it. The theki is attached to other end of the shaft. It takes some 3 hours to make a theki.