Mustang tiji festival 2010

Mustang tiji festival 2010

Forbidden Kingdom of Mustang known as ‘Roof of the world’ northern Nepal surrounded on three sides by Chinese held Tibet, one of the oldest civilizations on earth, mediaeval world uniquely preserved from modern technology.

A land covered with small villages, ancient monasteries, friendly people and breathtaking scenery. Mustang’s wealth was derived from being a major trading hub on the Kali Gandaki / Thak Khola trade route between Tibet and Nepal, w hich reflects the rich Buddhist culture, history, laws and customs.

The Tiji festival is a three-day ritual known as “The chasing of the Demons” and it is centered around the Tiji myth. Tiji tells the story of a deity named Dorje Jono who must battle against his demon father to save the Kingdom of Mustang from destruction. The demon father wreaks havoc on Mustang by creating a water shortage which, in this extremely arid land, is the most precious life-sustaining resource. Dorje Jono eventually defeats the demon and banishes him from the land.

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Lumbini- birth place of Buddha.

LUMBINI!

Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha, is situated about 22 km. from Bhairahawa (Siddharthanagar), below the Churia range, 24 km. south from the foothills of the Himalayas, on the western bank of Telar river in Rupandehi district of Lumbini zone in Nepal. It is about 300 km. west of capital city Kathmandu. Kapilvastu, Rupandehi and Nawalparasi Terai districts of Lumbini Zone are around Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha, which are fertile and densely populated.

Buddha, Known as the Lord of Asia.Prince Siddhartha (known as Buddha) took his first seven steps and uttered an epoch- making to the suffering humanity.This happened in a beautiful sal grove which is now the focal point of the Lumbini Garden area. Maya Devi the queen of Shakya King Suddhodharan of Kapilavastu while passing through the Lumbini Garden. On the day of “Vaisakha Poormina” (full Moon Day of May 623 B.C) took a bath in the Pushkanni (the Sacred Pond) and soon after she took support of a tree branch, the gave birth to the Crown Prince Siddhartha <who Became Buddha. The Lumbini garden covers an area of 256 Sq. Km and encompasses three zones each covering one square mile connected with walkways and a canal. The area has a sub tropical monsoon climate with a warm wet season.

Places of interest in and around Lumbini

The Ashokan Pillar. Discovered by the famous German archaeologist Dr. Fuhrer, the pillar is the first epigraphic evidence relating to the life history of Lord Buddha and is also the most visible landmark of the auspicious garden. The historical importance of the pillar is evidenced by the inscription engraved on the pillar (in Brahmi characters). It is said that the Hindu Indian Emperor Ashok the Great, who got converted, visited the site in the twentieth year of his accession to the throne and as homage to the pure birth place erected the pillar. The inscription on the pillar roughly translates as “King Piyadesi” the beloved of the Gods having been anointed 20 years came himself and worshipped saying Here Buddha Sakyamuni was born. He caused to make a stone capital representing a horse and he caused (this) stone pillar to be erected. Because here the worshipful one was born the village of Lumbini has been made free of taxes and recipient of wealth.”

Sanctum Sanctorum of the Birthplace. The single most important place LUMBINI (and to the entire Buddhist world for that matter ) is the stone-slab located deep Sanctum Sanctorum. Revealed after a hard and meticulous excavation under the three layers of ruins over the site of a famous Mayadevi Temple, the stone-slab foundation pinpoints the location of the original place, marking the precise spot of the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

Image of Maha Mayadevi. In additional to the Ashokan Pillar, the other shrine of importance is the bas- relief image of Maha Mayadevi, the Queen of King Suddhodan. Enshrined in a small pagoda-like structure the image shows Mayadevi, the mother of Drown Prince Siddhartha Gautam. She is seen supporting herself by holding on with her right hand to a branch of Sal tree, with the newly born infant Buddha standing upright on a lotus pedestal on an oval halo. Two other celestial figures are depicted in an act of pouring holy water and lotuses bestowed from heaven. Earlier the image was placed in the famous white temple of Mayadevi besides the pillar mow totally dismantles to make way for the excavations which revealed the Sanctum Sanctorum the exact spot where out Lord was born.

Puskarni. the Sacred Pool: South of the Ashokan Pillar, there is the famous sacred pool named “Puskarni” believed to be the same holy pool in which Mayadevi took a pious dip just before giving birth to the Lord and also where the infant Buddha was given its first purification bath. Architecturally the pool has three projecting terraces in the ascending order and is revealed with a fine brick masonry.

Arorakot. About 10 kilometers northwest of Taulihawa there is a rectangular fortified area, which is popularly known as Arorakot. The famous Indian archaeologist P. C. Mukherji as the natal town of Kanakmuni Buddha identified the fortified area. Remains of the old moat and the brick fortification around the Kot can still be clearly located. A brick lined well is seen to the south and an elevated mound towards the northwest corner.

Chaatradei: Some 5 kilometers north to Taulihawa there is a village called Chatradei situated on the right bank of the Banganga River. West of the village the habitat ional ruins extend in the form of al large triangular mound. Most of the pottery and antiquities found here belong to the Sunga- Kushana period while the virtual remains of the structures may be related to the early medieval times.

Gotihawa. About 5 kilometers southwest of Taulihawa, there is a village called Gotihawa. In the village there exists an Ashokan Pillar standing in a slab. The upper portion of the pillar is broken and lost and only the lower portion of the pillar 3.5 meters high remains still intact. Adjoining the pillar, towards its northeast there is a colossal stupa with successive rings of wedge shape Mauryan bricks.

Kudan: Roughly 2 kilometers South west of Taulihawa on the left side of the shoratgarh- Taulihawa road, stands the village of Kudan having a huge structural ruin with a cluster of four mounds and a tank. The mounds were excavated in 1962 only.

Niglihawa. About 8 kilometers north- west of Taulihawa, there is another site of archaeological importance. The site has a quadrangular tank surrounded by bushes locally known as Niglisagar. On the western bank of the tank there appear two broken pieces of the Ashokan Pillar, the longer one laying flat and the shorter one stuck unto the ground. The pillar bears 2 peacocks in the top part and Devnagri script inscription reading Om -Ma - Ni - hum Ripu Mallasya Chiran Jayut 1234. The shorter portion of the pillar which is partly buried in the ground measures 1.52 meters in length containing four lines of Ashoka inscription in the Brahmi letters which roughly translates as “King Piyadasi, believed of the Gods after 14 years of his coronation enlarged for the second tine the Stupa of Buddha Kanakmuni and after 20 years of his coronation he came himself and worshipped and he caused this stone pillar to be erected.”

Sagarhawa. About 12 kilometers north of Taulihawa there exists a forest area called Sagarhawa. In the midst of the forestation there is a huge rectangular tank, which is popularly known as Lumbusagar, or a long tank. The ancient tank ruins, which were excavated and identified by Dr. Alois A. Fuhrer as the “Place of the Massacre of the Shakyas” in 1859, can still be located on the Southwest banks of Sagar..

Kapilvastu/Tilalurakot.

Located some 27 kilometers west of Lumbini lies the ruins of the historic town of “Kapilvastu”. Believed to be the capital of Shakya republic where the Lord lived and enjoyed his life until his thirteenth year , Kapilvastu has been identified with Tilaurakot by the archaeologists. Also, the place is believed to have been associated with different important episodes. There are ruins and mounds of old stupas and monasteries made of kiln-burnt bricks and clay-mortar. The remains are surrounded by a moat and the walls of the city are made of bricks. Infant the ruins of the ancient city of Kapilvastu are in such a grand scale that it could easily be visualized as a high seat of authentic culture.

Tourism comes home to Nepal !

Tourists! For thousands of years people have travelled away from their homes to distant lands to enjoy the natural or man-made wonders of the world. The ancient Greeks traveled to holy places scattered across Greece and then moved on into the areas of new colonies to explore the environments away from the mountainous confines of their island home. The Romans carried it even farther with actual groups of citizens banding together and traversing the excellent Roman road system to the wilds of modern day Scotland and to the shores of the Mediterranean and the wonders of ancient Greece and Egypt. By the First Century AD road houses and inns lined Roman roads across the empire to take care of the adventurous Roman tourist.

With the advent of modern transportation, peoples from all over the world criss cross the globe seeking adventure, respite from the modern world and just to “see” new and different places. Retired men and women, seekers of adventure, scaling the mountains, those in search of spiritual renewal, men and women from all walks of life now become the modern “tourists”.

Nepal has become a “new” and different destination, drawing thousands to its cities and the magnificence of its varied terrain and way of life. The mountains which soar toward the heavens call to those who want adventure and the environment beckons people who are concerned for the planets preservation. Raging rivers for white water rafting, and deep gorges which beg to have the Bungee jumpers meet the challenge. By its proximity to China and Tibet on the north and east and the vast, sprawling lands of India to the south, Nepal has been in the past and is today a magnet for the modern “tourist”.

Anyone who has been in the tourist business knows that to maintain an active and loyal following and to bring on board new clients, today’s modern agency must meet even stricter demands from the travelers of today. An agency that fails to meet the demands of the modern traveler will soon fade away. One need not look very far to see the disastrous results of an agency failing as it did to XL tours out of London. 90,000 passengers stranded and the black mark on travel and tour groups will remain for a while.

Can tourists be difficult? Yes, of course they can. Anyone who deals with the public knows that there are as many different types of tourists with as many different types of problems. Agencies must be flexible and able to create new approaches to problems that arise and always keep in mind that the tourist is the staple of the business and must be handled in a professional and supportive way. New agencies that forget that simple idea will fail.

In addition, a wide variety and selection of tours should be made available as the clients in the tourist industry need to be able to select and also to alter any given tour to meet their needs. The package tour does not offer this flexibility, and although many travelers prefer to travel in this way, a great majority of the people traveling in Nepal want a more tailored and creative selection to meet their needs .

Visions n’ Vistas.

Welcome to the magnificent vistas, the wondrous pulse of ancient religious, and the over powering magic that fills the crystalline air!

Nepal is a land of rich bio and cultural diversities. Its exquisite beauty has lur ed citizens from all over the world to share her natural and cultural treasures. Nestled strategically between Tibet and India, it is presently a dynamic living classroom for sustainable development, ecological restoration and cultural preservation. Presently, micro-financing projects supporting the women are setting an example worldwide for positive development.

Upper Dolpo – A forbidden kingdom Valley.

The Himalayas, roof top of the world, is a magical place where the magnificence of the world’s highest mountains is mirrored in the rugged beauty and unique Bhatia culture of the people who live in their shadow.

Upper Mustang – a land of ancient civilizations

On the border of Tibet, this region is only recently opened to outsiders and is home to ancient tribes and contains remote Buddhist and Bon monasteries. Recent explorations have discovered century’s old Buddhist caves with paintings untouched since the 13th century.

Tibet …. a Himalayan Shangri-La.

Join us in our pilgrimage to Tibet on the ancient caravan route between Kathmandu and Lhasa through hidden valleys, ancient villages and centuries old monasteries. The Buddhist culture permeates every rock in the landscape.

Besides Lhasa, with its world famous Potala Palace and major Buddhist monasteries, we also offer group pilgrimages to Mt. Kailash and Manasarovar Lake where it is said that heaven abides on earth. The four great rivers of Asia, the Indus, Pramaputra, Ganges and Sutlej flow through this region.

A Taste of real Nepal- a cultural immersion-11 Days

This trip offers an experience of the real Nepal. After visiting seven culture world heritage sites, you will experience the reality of life in Pashupati Temple. A highlight of your experience will be riding on an elephant!

Your trip takes you to a wonderful banana palmed valley where the tropical climate ensures your pleasure. Scan the horizon and the 140 kms of majestic Himalayas staggers your imagination.

Holiday of a lifetime in the Himalayas

Anapurna Classic Treks.

Everest Base Camp treks.

Journey to Kanchanjunga.

Chitwan Jungle Safari.

Ghorepani Treks.

Royal Treks.

Jomsom Treks.

Langtang Gosaikunda Treks.

Ancient Heritage tour.

Magic of Himalaya.

Himalayan Holidays.

Himalayan Luxury holidays.

Discover ancient trail.