The Heart-Warming Nepal | Bhaktapur & Panauti

Out from Kathmandu, we drive to the east around 45 minutes to Bhaktapur, the ancient city, city of pottery, city of art. What to expect here, actually in the beginning I didn't expect that much for this trip but how lucky I am to join a tour that really above my expectation. 

First, you should wear comfort shoes, sunglasses, and prepare your camera. I'm so excited with this area, Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Entrance fee : NPR 1800 but it's worth all the experience. 

There are 4 square to explore for the entire complex : Taumadhi Square, Durbar Square, Pottery Square, Dattatreya Square. 

This is the entrance you can spot local street market here

How they praised using flower powder

Spot local barbershop here

Elder people here will take break on the noon because they wake up very early and go to many temple to pray and offer

This is the holy ancient water well, local like to take the water here and wash their face

You will feels like back to the ancient times and it is the centre of the city haha

Local traditional snack

How cute this ATM

If you spot that wood in the corner so this is the left out of the building when its damage on 2018 earthquake. Most of the UNESCO heritage in Nepal is impacted by the earthquake.

What I like about this also one of the square is Pottery Square because Bhaktapur known for its pottery. You can see the local doing the pottery and they feels like having their own life pace so calm so beauty. 

This is the only man here that use manual plate to do pottery and also the oldest master here

This is the ordinary electric plate, but still they do it very fast

King bathing area

Can you feel how the local enjoy life? Bonus those cute christmas theme kids haha

Trying the traditional youghurt here and using that pottery, no need to turn the pottery bowl just throw it they said only like that so the pottery can get more order

Also in Bhatakpur you can try the tibetan healing bowl, actually that bowl is made from 7 different : copper, tin, zinc, iron, lead, gold, silver —- they said because it can produce the vibrant so when you use it to the body it feels like the blood on your body is vibrating and reduce the pain. 

Nah if you like art also, you can visit Thanaka paint, its like charity painting community and they style is about Buddhism mandala, each of it is very complicated and detail work. People from Tibet, Cambodia, Thailand like to come here to learn with the master. 

Mandala in sanskirt means circle, Buddhism & Hinduism use it as an aid to meditation

They use the natural coloring

Different color & type of mandala

Different shape of mandala meaning : 

• Dot : everything is one, symbol of the un-manifested 
• Circle : wholeness, integrity, unity 
• Horizontal line : divide up & down, earth and the sky
• Vertical line : connection between world, energy
• Cross : two lines meet and form a centre
• and many more shape, you can check detail here

Well, I left my heart here in Bhaktapur and move to Panauti. If you like local life & culture you will like Panauti like me. Actually the main activities here in Panauti is to visit a local family. They have woman community homestay which you can experience the real Nepali local life by being a guest of local family or homestay. 

How to come here okay only the person / tour that have connection with this community can bring you here. See my host here is a very cute grandma with her daughter and grandchild. 

Grandma house is the right one, she welcome me with the red dot on forehead which means blessings

This is her grand daughter, Nepali baby will have like lower eyeliner to protect them from devil. They will wear it to 3 months old.

Nepali home stairs testing my focus OMG you need to walk slowly

Grandma already become host at least from 2016, she don’t speak english but can understand english little litte. She said she become host because she also give the impact to her grandson to be able to greet foreigner, not shy shy, also in my opinion she enjoy to share and have new friend, she collect the picture of her guest and its many starting from 2016. She has 2 bedroom to welcome guest and take care of them. 

She give me Dal Bhat, this is Nepali traditional food. Very local one. 

Oven bittermelon my favorite its not bitter at all its salty

Panauti is one of the start point if you want to hike to Namo Buddha, this is a real local village that you should visit when in Nepal from my opinion. Also here you can see the river where the local called holy river, so in the river they use to bath there like to wash out half of their sin and also where they scaterr the ashes of cremation. 

When I visit also there is a cremation, so in Nepal there is no funeral because mostly the Buddhism & Hinduism do cremation. When there is cremation the whole community should join or will be fined. And this is the cremation of a 14 years old boy who suicide because he fight with others and being fine by the school. 

Its an outdoor cremation, I dont have any picture but I get the picture from far to respect the people who on sadness. I can join this because I go with a Nepali, so if you are tourist and want to see how it is also, please respect the family & community. 

There is also a museum in Panauti square, entrance fee NPR 300 (it’s not only for the museum but the square) it feels so local & so tidy like you come to your grandparents house and they have that all collection with the story. 

You will feel its so local and heartwarming place when you see that clothes on the bridge haha

So far I like Bhatakpur & Panauti, I like how I experience local vibes and strolling around in an area like seeing the real ancient city. I think I underated Bhatakpur because I rarely see tourist destination write it but I that day is really really a great day of my Nepal trip.