Yesterday, on the 14th of April 07, the Nepalis celebrated their new year 2064. I had the chance to be in Bhaktapur, a city which is famous for its new year festival called Bisket Yatra.

The old city is a fantastic setting for the festival. It looks like a medieval town, the buildings are still made of bricks instead of the usual concrete, and in all the roads and squares, alleys and courtyards you find ancient Hindu temples and Buddhist stupas, monasteries and shrines.

The festival commemorates the great battle of the Hindu scripture Mahabharata. The festivities include pulling around the huge rath (chariot) which you can see on the photo. The rath has a special passenger, the idol of Hindu deity Bhairab. When the rath reaches its destination, a 25m high lingo (pole) is erected as a symbol of victory.

The festival was quite a spectacle, the streets were packed with people and everyone was enthusiastic or even ecstatic. The experience is surely one of the highlights of my journey. Browse in the Bhaktapur album to see the other pictures and the videos.

I have crossed the Indian/Nepali border between Birganj and Raxaul in the morning of 4. April. The picture shows a gate as seen from the Indian side. I presume it stands exactly on the borderline between the two countries.

It feels strange to leave India after nearly 6 months and to explore a new country. Traveling in India has become a routine, but now suddenly all the excitement is back. How does public transport in Nepal work? Do Nepali shopkeepers too refuse to accept dirty or torn bills as their Indian counterparts do? Will I understand the menu of a roadside restaurant or do I have to take culinary lessons again?