Deschain and Tihar October 2015

During the month of October is a big festival time for the Hindus. It is a happy time for families to go back to their villages.  A time for big feasts, new clothes, gifts, etc. kind of like Christmas for us. They celebrate with a light festival. They put up bamboo poles and create swings. The children fly kites and they create out of wood a kind of ferris wheel. It is only in this month, then they take them all down. They decorate their homes and business with marigolds. They string them up and then leave them up for a long time. sometimes till the next Deschain. It is good luck.

Ferris wheel in a village.

A swing. It is strong enough for adults to swing.

herding goats.  walking tree behind

Security guard (Shem) at our apartment. 1st day of holiday
you plant grain or grass, then on the 10th day you pick it and wear it
behind your ear. Symbolism.

A double headed raincoat and motorcycle cover for when
it rains in Nepal.

Billboard suggesting  stop the abuse!

Elder Wasuita swinging. Needed a push to get going.

Jim and Karen Greding (our technical specialists from Cal.) were
here in October. We showed them most of our ongoing
water projects. Beautiful Nepal!

Young girl carrying water home. The silver container
is called a Gagri. Mike is bringing one home.

Bishnu Adhikari family
Bishnu, Mangila, Jeevs, Smina, and Rebecca

Tihar in Besishahar. The kids line the streets to sing
and dance. They don't let vehicles pass unless they
give them money.

Kids in Besishahar. Mike got them to sing Resam firiri. Such
posers. All kids are the same.

What a dangerous way to travel. No room inside
the vehicle. Hang on outside.

Beautiful mountains in Besishahar

Chihandanda Opening Ceremony for water project

September 30, 2015 we went to an opening ceremony for Chihandanda Water. After about a 3 hour jeep ride, we had to get out and start walking. The river was too high and no bridge for a vehicle to go on. Hari, the NGO partner from SKMT who was with us said, "Oh it is only about a 1/2 hour walk. It was about noon when we started walking and it was pretty warm. 2 and 1/2 hours later we arrived at the village and then there was about 200 steps to climb to where the school was and where the ceremony was going to be held. As we were starting the ceremony it started to rain. Quickly we finished the outside part and went in the school. The rain kept coming down harder and harder. The ceremony was finished and we all sat in the school, just listening and watching the rain. We sat there for at least 30-45 minutes. Finally it let up a little so we decided we had better get started walking back. Some kind people let us take their umbrellas. The steps were very slippery and I just kept praying "Please don't let me fall!" About half way down I fell and had to have help to get up. Now I was muddy, wet, and bruised. At the bottom of the stairs we went into a canteen and rested and had a drink and then started off again. Part way down the mountain we had to cross water. The rain had made it wider and deeper. I was nervous about falling again. A gentleman that was going down with us offered to carry me across the water. Oh the fun we have in Nepal. We did not get back to Kathmandu til about 8:00 p.m. that night. Not doing that one again. It was a very beautiful place.

Green fields along the way

Woman carrying a doko(basket) with forehead and back. Usually
they carry heavy loads.

going across bridge. This is where we had to start walking.

Elder and Sister Wasuita ready to take on the hiking adventure

beautiful countryside

This is their ambulance service.

Mike and Hari
beautiful water falls

amazing scenery

waiting for ceremony to start

dedicating a cornerstone

Inside school, giving speeches. Chandra Adhikari (our water
monitor) on left of Mike and others are water committee members.

It is raining!

Crossing the water piggyback style.

Namaste! taking her chicken feeder home.