A cultural walk to Bungamati

When my school announced that we were going on an educational trip somewhere, my initial reaction was curiosity, which turned into excitement quite quickly after I found out that we were going to Bungamati!

An ancient Newari village located in the southern area of the Kathmandu Valley, Bungamati is famous for its cultural heritage and medieval architecture. Within Kathmandu Valley, it is widely regarded as a museum of ancient Newari lifestyle with its temples dating back hundreds of years, wood carving traditions, and a serene nature that is timeless. 

Since I had an idea that we would be walking a lot, I dressed casually and chose comfortable shoes, only packing the essentials. When I reached school, everyone was buzzing with anticipation and excitement. After assigning groups and a light breakfast, we boarded the bus and headed to Bungamati.  

Although the drive wasn't too long, I was struck by how different Bungamati appeared from the typical hustle and bustle of an urban city. For a second, I had the impression that we had traveled through time.

The houses, with their brick walls and carved wooden windows, looked very old but lovely, and the streets were quiet and small. Bungamati was like a secret, serene haven, and its rich history became more and more evident as we walked along. 

Soon after we arrived, we were given a task sheet by our teachers that included a list of activities that our group had to try and complete throughout the day, such as identifying temples, conversing with locals, and even trying our hand at wood carving.

Depukhu Tal, a pond close to the town's entrance, was our first destination. One of the locals nearby helped us identify the statue in the center as Lord Indra, the rain deity. It was quiet and a pleasant way to begin our journey. 

We passed several wood carving shops as we made our way farther into the town. The carvings were incredibly intricate. According to one of the store owners, many families still made carving wood their primary source of income. It was interesting to observe how locals had preserved their traditional abilities throughout all these years. 

The temple of the Rato Machindranath, one of the major gods of Kathmandu Valley, came next. Even though the renovations were still ongoing, the temple’s beauty still shone through clearly. 

We noticed a strange-looking statue of a lion that appeared to be rising out of the ground on the stairs leading to the temple. We heard a story from a local uncle about three lions that used to guard the temple, one of whom was punished for misbehaving by being buried halfway. It felt like something from a fantasy book, and that story stayed with me.  

We also went to some smaller temples in the area, such as one dedicated to Lord Buddha and another to Bhairav. Every place had its own distinctive ambiance. We stood there for a few minutes, taking in the peace while listening to a bhajan from one of the temples in the background. It was a very peaceful and calming moment. 

For me, the wood carving session was the highlight of the day. Since I had never done it before, I assumed it wouldn’t be simple, but it was even harder work than I expected. I tried to carve my name, but it ended up looking more like a jumble of weird symbols instead. Even though it looked a little strange, it was a lot of fun, and I now have a small wooden object that I made myself.  

Then lunchtime arrived. We had to cross a suspension bridge to reach the dining area, and singing or dancing while crossing was one of the challenges on our task sheet that we had to complete before we got to eat. The bridge was shaky and our singing even more awkward, but overall it became a fun experience as we ended up laughing the entire time while singing loudly. For lunch, we had traditional Newari food—beaten rice, spicy pickled chicken, and other pickled vegetables. It was much better than I had anticipated. 

After lunch, we went to a temple with a breathtaking view of the surrounding hills and far-off mountains. We took a seat and enjoyed some more gentle bhajan music. Even for someone like me who doesn't typically have that much interest in religious places, it was serene and somewhat spiritual. 

The Bungamati Museum was our last stop before departing. It was compact but filled with interesting items, including weapons, tools, photographs, and wooden artwork. I became even more aware of how rich Bungamati’s history was after seeing all those items. On the way, we also saw a huge photograph, which was apparently also of the first photographs ever taken in Nepal, credited to a Dutch traveler.  

After spending the whole day learning about Newari culture, interesting folktales, and traditional wood carving in Bungamati, we finally headed back. The day ended with every one of us totally exhausted from all the walking, but also equally satisfied with such a fulfilling day and opportunity to educate ourselves more on Nepal’s history. Overall, it was a fun experience and I’d love to do it again, maybe with my family next time to share all that I've learnt!