Note: This info is self complied ( I have not been paid, cajoled, threatened by any businessman/woman, tourism guy/official living in this world to do this as an advertisement) and hence might or might not prove to be true in all of Nepal. Also as I was on a budget, I didn’t buy a lot of these things. So dont coming running to me if it is not as exotic as it sounds 😉 I seem to be having the knack of getting into trouble these days – hence the disclaimer…..LOL
General observations on how to shop well there:
In kathmandu I stayed in Thamel, which is a touristy place(and a shoppers haven). A lot ( A LOT) of people warned me not to buy anything in Thamel as the prices could be high or I could be cheated and like a fool I believed it for the first couple of days and hence lost out on some great bargains. Thamel is a great place to shop, if you know what you want. so make a list before you leave. Don’t buy anything the first day – take a look at all the shops and come back the next day to buy. Bargain (as if your life depends on it) – start from 1/3rd of the price and go up -it is the norm there. Also regardless of wherever you shop, you will get a better bargain if you carry local currency (Nepali NPR or Indian Rupees INR will do). Just don’t let a dollar/pound/euro note peek from your purse. With the ground rules set, I’ll go on to the must buy list in Kathmandu.
1) Thangka Paintings : These are Tibetan paintings depicting Buddhist and Newari deities. The tson-tang ( painted varieties) are the ones most commonly available in Nepal.
They are no doubt exotic, intricate, time consuming to create and hence expensive. I suggest that you take a look at the National Thangka Museum in Baktapur, before you buy any. For people on a budget like me, print impressions of Thangkas are available as magnets, mouse pads – as souvenirs to take back home.
2)Khukri (Gurkha knives): Traditional Nepalese knife/weapon used by the world famous ghurkas. They usually come with leather sheaths and beautiful scabbards
3) Pashmina : Shawls/sweaters: Tell me who doesnt like the soft silky touch of cashmere on their bodies? Well here it is at its affordable best. You will find 4 qualities – 100% Pashmina, Pashmina – silk blend, water pashmina and silk stoles. Technically the last 2 are not cashmere (but are more attractive to the eye). So look for the blend label before you buy.
4)Bagh Chal: The traditional game of goats and tigers. A simpler version of this game is played in India by drawing lines on the ground and using stones as checkers.
5)Curios: There are plenty of curios available in the form of statues, masks and idols – made of terracotto, bone, stone, turquoise, Lapis, and ivory. The best place to buy these is the Baktapur square – directly from the artisans – its cheaper and the money reaches the artisans.
6) Wood carving: All 3 the durbar squares are famous for their ornate wooden carved windows and they have been replicated in palaces around the world. The gorgeous peacock window is the most famous of them. Bring home these minis( photo frames, album covers and door panels) for an exotic touch.
Then there are Tibetan prayer wheels, Tibetan bowls (which give out a healing sound), wind chimes and tiny mandals for you to pick from. Saligram – the fossil stone and very holy to Hindu Vaishnavites is available solely in Nepal near Muktinath on the banks of River Gandaki.
With this I come to the end of this post. I shall cover Lokta paper, and prayer beads (Rudhraksha) along with all the gems and jewelry in the next post – What to buy in Kathmandu.
Cheers
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