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Shopping - Nepal
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Shopping:
In Kathmandu and the surrounding cities of
Patan and Bhaktapur are spattered with colorful market
places selling a range of exotic curious and
souvenirs. You will be amazed at the variety
available and also the range in quality of
each object. Traditional folk arts of Nepal
vary from simple bamboo flutes to
intricately designed metal statues. There is
an immense variety to suit all sizes of
budgets and all kinds of requirement. Most
of the handicraft shops are generally
stocked with a wide variety in each
particular object. The simplest of
design on inexpensive material can be got
for a trifle but a similar object with
intricate designs on precious metal would be
dear. |
| Shopping items in Nepal |
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Handicraft. The legend art skills of the Kathmandu
Valley artisans have been notes in history since as early
asAD600. The renowned traveling Chinese monk Huen Tsang was
witness the seven –story tall palace of King Amsuvarma at
Deopatan which was ornamented with gems and pearls. Then in
the13th Century, the Great Chinese Emperor Kublai Khan
engaged the services of Arniko and other Newar Craftsmen to
build and beautify his palaces and temples. To Arniko, he
gave the title "the Controller of Imperial Manufacture'.
This legacy still survives among the descendants of those
who, hundredsof years ago, pooled their skilled to mode the
classic cities of Kantipur, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur. |
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Wood Craving. Nepal's ancient tradition of
woodcarving still flourishes among the Newar community.
Equally coveted by the local populace, woodcarvings are not
only memorabilia taking by visiting tourists, but they also
adorn homes of the Nepali. Hand carved out goes either teak,
sal or rosewood, the artisan replicate the intricate motifs
found on the temple struts and pillars. Less expensive and functional items
include objects such as the traditional window frame –styled
photo frames; lamp stands mirror stands, jewelry boxes,
tables and a variety of furniture. When buying woodwork look
for an even grain to the wood and check to see that joints
are smooth. |
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Metal Crafts. Statues of religious deities and their
heralds are commonly seen showcased in the windows of curio
dealers. Once only adorning the chapel alters of Buddhist
devotees and monasteries, these fine pieces of meticulously
crafts objects now seem to have caught the eyes of
Westerners. They certainly so make attractive displays at
home .Considering the fact that they are still handcrafted
in the same method as of the time the craft originated
centuries back , and although somewhat dear they are worth
the money spent. Patan is the center for bronze castings
still practicing till today the ancient method known as lost
wax method . Artisans produce intricate statues with details
gilded in gold and silver. Some are filigreed with wires and
studded with gemstones. More work done on the details means
more cost for the buyer. Then there are the hand- tapped pots,
vases and bells which are relatively inexpensive and can easily be tucked into your
suitcase. |
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Khukuri. Khukuri curved steel knives used by the
Gurkha soldiers are particularly a popular souvenir to take
back home. An authentic khukuri should have a notch on it's
blade near the handle. R he notch is meant to prevent blood
from flowing onto the handle, as necessity for the ancient
warriors for whom the khukuri was the battles word. Sheathed
together with the khukuri in the scabbard are two tiny
knives one is the karda which is used for sharpening the
khukuri and the other called a chakmak is for striking a
flintstone to make fire. |
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Thangka Painting. Thankas are religious murals made on
canvas which traditionally are mounted on to silk banners.
Invariably seen in monasteries and in the chapel or above
the alter in Buddhist homes the drawings in thangkas depict
images of the Buddha his various incarnations and also
include tapestries on Buddhist philosophy. Since ancient
times, Mahayana Buddhist monks have always used thangkas in
their ceremonies to appeal to the various deities and
figures portrayed. The traditional method of preparing
thangka paint was by extracting pigment from natural
minerals ands Himalayan plants which were then were mixed
with jarma a particular tree sap that ensured permanent
colors. The modern Newate thangkas commonly seen around in
the handicraft shops of Kathmandu the Handicraft of
Kathmandu often employ chemical dyes that exhibit more
vibrant and appealing colors but which are stable.
Alternatively old thangkas including new ones still made
with natural base colors are guaranteed to last beyond a
lifetime. These are to last beyond a lifetime. These are
definitely more expensive particularly those that are
embelled with a final touch of gold. To find out if real
gold has been used hold the thangkas out toward the sun and
see if the gold painting glistens, it should |
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Carpets.
Kashmir, Tibet and Nepal are all
synonymous with carpets and rugs and there is a large
selection from all three countries available in Kathmandu.
The Tibetan Refugees Center manufactures carpers with both
traditional Tibetan design and more contemporary styles. The
prices of carpets range from as high as US$3000for importers
Kashmir silks rugs to as little as US$30 for locally made
woolen carpets with authentic Nepali and Tibetan motifs
.Whatever your budget you are sure to see an increase in
value the minute you bring your purchase home. And getting
your carpets back home is mot difficult as many of the shops
arrange packing and thereafter shipment via air freight. |
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Tips on Buying Tibetan Carpets. Tibetan carpets are a breed apart in
regard to their design, warmth and durability. Each carpet
is hand knotted into designs portraying Tibetan Buddhist
symbols. Quality and price is reflected by the type of wool
the dye the density of knots and rows. A high density of
knots means more production time and more cost but this
alone does not assure top quality. The best carpets maintain
a standard ratio of approximately 32 knots to 24 rows. Colors vary from brilliant reds and
blues to dusty rose's ands lavenders the former generally
derived from chemicals and the latter from vegetables and
plant dyes those dyed with European chemicals will cost
about the same as those of vegetables dyes. There are
limitations on how many carpets a person may take out of
Nepal, so check this out if you are contemplating a large
order. |
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Handloom.
Native designs
and motifs are particularly what make indigenous handloom
unique. There are altogether 27 ethic communities within
Nepal and among them; many wore their distinct native
dresses in the not so distant past. Modernization has seen
the demise of native dress culture but the arts of handloom
still somewhat survive in small pockets of remote regions. As is often the case, concerned
Westerners have come to rescue of this almost extinct craft.
Some United Nations an USAID projects have been helping many
unemployed rural housewives take to their traditional
crafts. These projects also help in marketing their
products. Most of the shops promoting these cottage
industries can be found located along Shahid Shukra Marg
between the Bagmati Bridge and Hotel Himalayan in
Kupondole. There are many very interesting designs
and patterns to look into. The newari Jyapoo women of
Kathmandu Valley have their own traditionally patterned
sarees that they weave themselves the simple design of two
bands of redon a backdrop of solid black is a style of its
own . The Dolpas of Dolpo are a nomadic people rearing yak
and sheep their womenfolk skilled with the loom weave simple
rugs that the loom weave a traditional design from the
former principality of Palpa colorful geometrical patterns
flowing in symmetry .Anyone with a little imaginations and
creativity could transform these various material designs
into some very interesting and exclusive products.
Decorating the home or making far out dresses all can be
done |
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Lokta (traditional handmade paper).
Traditional handmade papers, once a
medium for official records and correspondences only, have
now become a popular decoration accessory. Through the ages
in Nepal, paper has been made from various barks of plants
and grain husks but among these the papers made lf thelokta
bark has caught the eyes of the imaginative creators of
paper handicraft. There are two aspects to the beauty of
handmade lokta paper. Its sheen is on account of the natural
quality of the lokta bark , but the unorthodox method of
processing yields a surface imbedded with minute fragments
of bark along with strands of silky thread that are randomly
positioned . The result is more an artwork than simply a
blank sheet of paper. The simple secret to processing this
kind of paper is that the lokta bark does not get thoroughly
pulped. Besides that the dregs re left to remain and go
unfiltered t6hroughout the paper making process Every sheet
differs from the other because there is no telling how the
unpulped material position themselves at time of drying .
In Bhaktapur a UNICEF assisted program helps in further
developing the lokta paper craft. Available with the
Bhaktapur Craft Printers are a wide variety of lokta paper
in different densities and shades. To cope with the very low
supply of raw material, for the thicker variety of lokta
cardboard fifty percent of ordinary recycled paper pulp is
blended with the lokta pulp which results into a tougher
material without too much q quality degradation. Bhaktapur Craft Printers also
manufacture a wide range of products using lokta paper.
Besides stationery items there are other unusual wares made
of paper such as satchels (strong enough to handle a load of
a few kilograms), file holders, greeting cards, etc. They
have a sales outlet in Kupondole opposite the Hotel
Himalaya. |
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Gems &Jewelry. Kathmandu is the right place to buy
gems .Native as well as foreign gems are of good quality and
less expensive than in other countries. There are many shops
which sell gems as well as readymade jewelry. The variety of
stones and settings offered are impressive a is the detailed
handiwork. Nepal is renowned for semiprecious
gemstones. A Sapphire, Aquamarine, Amethyst, Ruby, Garnet,
Tourmaline, Amber, Turquoise and of course the famous
Mountain corals are among the more common Nepali gems
available. They can be bought as individual stones or set in
ornaments and can represent quite an investment if you know
what you are buying. If you are not an experienced buyer
there are first class jewelers of repute in the city center
and in deluxe hotel complexes who could offer you peace of
mind as well as some beautiful stones. Gold ornaments are prized by the
Nepali. Take a good look at any of the affluent Nepali among
the older generation. You should be able to detect the men
sporting at least once solid gold ring n the middle finger
and married women can be seen bedecked with an assortment of
22-24 carat gold accessories. Rings bracelets earrings and
necklaces can be ordered through any of the many goldsmith
around town Indra Chowk the street between Kathmandu Durbar
Square and Bishal Bazaars Supermarket is where a lot of
goldsmiths can be found . Orders are executed within a
matter of days. |
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Readymade Garments. Local readymade cotton clothing is
entertainingly fashionable and inexpensive. Cotton T-shirts,
baggy, colorful shirts, sports, Nepali and Indian design
dresses and countless other items can be bought at very
reasonable prices. Then there are the clones of designer
brands readily available at almost every clothing shop
around Kathmandu .Jackets trousers shirts skirts. You name
it. |
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Tailor made dress.
Dresses made to custom are incredibly
expensive in the West, but not so in many of
the developing and under developed countries
such as Nepal. In fact it’s the other way
around since setting ones dresses tailor's
happens to work out cheaper However we
recommend that you go to the better
tailoring houses and boutique where the
charges are a bit higher than average . A
small price to pay for quality fitting and
stitching |
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Woolenwear. Woolen wear another great buy in
Kathmandu is the many varieties of woolen clothing. Again
the range and quality is extensive from woolen shawls with
traditional Nepali designs to classic Cashmere pullovers all
at a fraction of the prices you would have to pay in Europe
or America. Tibetan wool jackets and hand knit yak or sheep
wool sweaters are perfect for the trek of take home as
presents. |
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Pashmina. Pashmina apparel made from the inner
fur of mountain goats are also a great bargain in the
streets of Kathmandu. Shawls for women and scarves for men
the smooth ultra soft texture of Pashima wool makes it a
very desirable fabric. Although commonly available in the
formats mentioned it only takes only a little imagination to
conceive of a tailor made dress of Pashmina by buying more
than a single piece of the readymade shawl. There is a wide range in the grades
manufactures. Shawls of the same size may vary in price
ranging from a few hundreds of rupees to a couple of
thousands .The softer, natural colors varieties are of the
best quality and more expensive than the synthetic blends
easily sets apart by their vibrant colors. |
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Spices & Incense.
Check out the busy and crowded narrow
lanes of Asan Tole for a variety of spices and aromatic
incenses that you could back home just Marco Polo almost a
millennium ago. The secret to making a delicious curry
lies in the knowledge of blending the right proportion of
various spices to make the right masala. Ingredients used to
make Fish Masala differ greatly from those that go to make
ChickenMasala and so on. The culinary art of blending spices
for various types of curries is a tradition passed on
through the ages from mother to daughter and most Nepali
still prefer to grind their own fresh daily quota. Some of the popular mixtures such as
vegetable Curry Masala, meat Curry Masala and Fish Curry
Masala are readily available powdered and packaged. If you
have developed a liking for Nepali curries, the book –Joy of
Nepali Cooking by Majpuria shows how to get along. The spice vendors also can
provide ungrounded mixtures and advice can be sought the
same into fresh curry paste. Incense sticks are available in many
aromatic flavors going all the way from rustic mountain
fragrances of juniper and azaleas to garden flowers and
sandalwood. Light in weight and low in cost incense stick
packets make good affordable gifts to take back home. |
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Tea.
Tea from the Illam hills of eastern
Nepal can stand on its own against the flavors of Darjeeling
Tea .Both types Illam and Darjeeling tea can be bought
around in Kathmandu .GFOP (golden flowery orange
pekoe), FOP(flowery orange pekoe) first flush , Second flush
,Autumnal flush etc . For the best in flavor APG recommends
you go for the second Flush. |
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Imported Products.
First time visitors to Nepal will be
surprised at the availability of such a wide variety of
international standard goods being sold at very reasonable
prices .From simple daily essentials such as Proctor &Gamble
toiletries to brand name watches like Rader and Omega, all
these can be found in Kathmandu, and all of them often at
prices less than what they would cost in their country of
manufacture. Some reasons for such price discrepancies are
due to the fact that retail overhead are much lower in Nepal
and customs duties are imposed randomly .Another is these
high demand of such products among the affluent citizens of
neighboring India who have a penchant for all the good
things in life but the complexities of their country import
policy deludes them from such luxuries back home. There are many things worth buying in
Kathmandu when one compares the prices elsewhere around the
world .The only irksome aspect is that most goods besides
computer's are sold without any warranty. |
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