Holi: Festival of Colours.

A boy with painted face pose of photographs at Panauti Bazar on Wednesday. A groups of boys celebrating Holi festival at Panauti Bazar on Wednesday. Nepali and foreigner youths got water splashed at Panauti while playing Holi on Wednesday. A groups of boys celebrating Holi festival at Panauti Bazar on Wednesday. Locals playing holi in Benepa Redcross Pokhari, Ganesthan on Wednesday. A boy with water gun awaits his victim at Banepa Bazar on Wendesday. Tourists enjoying Holi factival at Bhakatapur on Wednesday. Statue go smeared with color at Bhaktapur Durbar Square on Wednesday.

Culture and People

Reflecting the Past: I am not sure what this old man has in mind while I photographed him this morning at Ason but I am sure the lifestyle he enjoy is fast changing.

Different parade of life and culture. Harmony we keep is what makes us unique and allow us to feel proud of being Nepali.

An elderly women feed pigeons at Seto Machindranath Temple near Ason, Kathmandu. Going temple morning and feeding pigeon is a daily chore for many elderly people like this women.

Hot Cake of Maghe Sangranti

Various kind of yam being sold at Ason Chok on Thursday morning, Kathmandu. Intake of Yam is must during Maghe Sankranti. Maghe Sankrati is observed at the beginning of the holy month of Magh. It is customary to take holy dips at river confluence, perform worship at various shrines and take yam and 'chaku' as special food items on this occasion.

The belief goes that eating such items as ghee and Chaku, sesame seed candy, vegetables and yam, and giving them away in charity on this day after taking a holy dip helps one become healthier.








Hindus in Nepal, India and Sikkim also observe this day as 'Makar Sankranti' as it marks the sun's journey Northwards.

Nepal Sambat 1131

Nepal Sambat, a unique calendar which is named after the country, is based on lunar calendar and is believed to have started during 880 AD when Shankhadhar Shakhwa, a local merchant from Kathmandu, paid off the debts of common people on his own, thus emancipating thousands of people from serfdom.


According to the state-owned news agency RSS, the Nepal Sambat calendar was in use for 888 years and it was banned at the state level in 1960 Bikram Sambat year.


Different efforts were made to reinstate the Nepal Sambat since the establishment of democracy in 2007 BS.


The government declared Shankhadhar Sakhwa who propounded the Nepal Sambat calendar and made notable contribution to society and the nation as national luminary in 2055 BS.

Assignment Ason II

Most probably Ason is the only place where you still see and smell of ancient Kathmandu. Each dawn parade of life get animated in Ason with full of euphoria and this is such a great opportunity for me of freeze all these dramas of life that get unfolded there.

Life begins early at Ason and this small tea stall near Annapura Temple get swarmed by people every morning to sip local tea. Even I have become one of its regular customer.

Prespective from Baudhanath.

Assignment Ason

Ason is the most famous marketplace of Kathmandu and it is perfect location for photo assignment. This morning (23 August 2010) I went there with my participants of SCC Basic Photography Workshop and these are some of my capture.

Colorful Traditional shop in Ason chok, Kathmandu where you can buy all kind of offering for God.

Fresh vegetables waits its customers near Ason Chok.

A women wearing vivid color rush for home after selling vegetables in Ason. Nepal is know for colorful ethnic clothes like these and everyday story of her makes Ason a place of everyday carnival.

Lentil time of the year to boost your protein intake. Lentil packed with nine kind of grains on display.

Shambu Chaudary giving me re-pose infront of his fish shop banner at Ason and I promised him to make one print of it.

Ason hums nonstop with a pleasant disorder of shopper and colorful festivities accessories like these for upcoming Gai Jatra, give more vibrancy.