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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Kathmandu religious ceremony

About this recording

Creator
Kristin Post
Date created
October 12, 2000
Duration
4:44
Location
Kathmandu, Nepal
File
MP3
License
This recording copyright ©2000. Terms of use

See this recording in context

  • Unraveling a cultural mystery: Nepal: In this lesson, students explore two religious festivals in Nepal through audio recordings and photographs. Students begin with a vague knowledge about the festivals and develop a more thorough understanding as more information is revealed through the course of the lesson. The author recommends incorporating these activities into a larger lesson plan of your design.

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While exploring Kathmandu, Nepal, I encountered a religious ceremony being held in one of its many city squares. Lots of families were gathered in the open square, laying out offerings of rice and fruits. This was not the kind of ceremony where everyone was doing the same thing at the same time. For the most part, everyone seemed to be operating on an individual basis.

Both Buddhism and Hinduism are practiced in Nepal. Someone more knowledgeable might be able to identify which religion was associated with this ceremony. From what I know, Buddhist stupas have prayer wheels, so this may be Buddhist.

Along with the sounds of the people talking and ringing bells, I make some commentary on what I am seeing.

Transcript

[announcer speaking]

[bells ringing]

[general din of people and children]

[loud clear bell ringing]

[police whistle blowing]

“People are going around to the different Ganeshas and little statutes and putting flowers and rice on them. They’ve got mats set up in the middle with silver containers filled with flowers and they’re burning things and there’s rice and there’s incense and maybe food. [Bell ringing, music playing.] And people are ringing bells periodically.”

[horns blowing/recorded music sounds like salsa]

[bell ringing]

[another bell — call and response]

[kid yelling]

[coin falling]

[loud bell clearly ringing]

“People go… People go around the stupa in the middle and spin the wheels. And throw rice at different parts of the stupa where they’re inset with some sort of seated icon. And then burn things. Little fires.“

[woman speaking]

[recorded music with horns]