Excursion report Nepal 30. August – 15. September 2013 2013 EPAL N REPORT XCURSION E HUMAN GEOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY, UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH, 2014 CONTENT Edited by Isabelle Aebersold, Norman Backhaus, Editorial & Acknowledgements 04 06—Tourism and Environmental Annabelle Jaggi, Annina Michel, Anne Wegmann, Miriam Wenner, Norman Backhaus Protection in Nepal 64 Miriam Wenner Isabelle Aebersold, The Route 07 Davide Anderegg, Annina Michel, Photos by Norman Backhaus, Monika Haggen- Map Isabelle Thurnheer macher, Urs Mändli, Ulrike Müller-Böker, Pranil Upadhayaya, Micha Reichert, Isabelle Thurnherr 01—Religion and Culture 10 07—Lwang 74 Anne Wegmann, Miriam Wenner Annabelle Jaggi, Anita von — Community Forestry in Lwang and Däniken, Monika Haggenmacher the surrounding villages Layout: Anne Wegmann — Interview with the VDC-Secretary of 02—From Monarchy to Democracy. Lwang Cover design: Martin Steinmann Nepal till 1990 20 — Mothers’ Group Philip Boesch, Micha Reichert — The school in Lwang Cover photo: Urs Mändli 03—Restoration of democracy? Participants 82 Please cite as: Nepal 1990-2013 30 Who was there? Aebersold, I., Backhaus, N., Jaggi, A., Michel, Kathrin Honegger, Urs Mändli A., Wegmann, A. & Wenner, M. (2014): Nepal – Literature 88 Excursion report 2013, Department of Geogra- 04—Nepal in Transition 40 phy, University of Zurich, Zurich. Lisa Honegger, Irene Schärer, Anne Wegmann 05—Food security and Livelihoods in Nepal 50 Jill Brütsch, Sarah Hartmann, Alexandra Meister, Pascal Senn EDITORIAL Miriam Wenner, Norman Backhaus The excursion participants in Lwang 4 5 Nepal is a country that many people associate these problems. In terms of gender equality and religious context expressed in the two major reli- equal tourism and nature conservation is the with beautiful landscapes, the highest mountains health Nepal seems to have made an impressive gions, Hinduism and Buddhism, to gain a better Machhapuchre Model Trek, parts of which we of the world, colorful culture and impressive progress since 2006 (ibid.). But the end of the understanding of people’s world views and daily explored during our excursion. Staying in Lwang temples, and the peaceful co-existence of different conflict – and the subsequent abolition of mon- religious practice. Various temples and shrines we had the chance to directly interact with dif- religious groups. Being situated between China in archy – also brought to the fore many cleavages such as Swayambhunath, Boudhanath or Durbar ferent groups and persons of this “home-stay” the North and India in the South, Nepal indeed in the Nepalese society. Ethnic and caste groups, Squares are not only sites of daily religious practi- village, including the Mothers’ group, the com- lives up to many of these expectations. Histori- which had long been oppressed by the ruling co- ce but testimonials of the century old history of munity forestry group, the Village Development cal trade routes and migration movements fos- alition and the monarchy, became more conscious the country and its cultural evolution. The end Committee president, and school teachers. Their tered the development of manifold cultural and about their rights, demanding greater access to of the civil war, the abolition of monarchy and first-hand comments and statements enabled us to religious traditions against the background of the resources and political participation at the centre the rise of new political actors in form of caste get more personal and locally grounded impressi- “abode of snow”, the Himalaya. in Kathmandu, posing new challenges to political and ethnic movements led to new challenges for ons of the joys and problems of village live. stability and raising the question of what a Nepa- the state and political stability. These include the Less people however take a more critical look at lese nation state should look like. continued violation of human rights, the lack of Our tour through the country and the people we this Shangri-La imagination. Behind the pictu- enforcement of law and order, and the effective met reflects our aim of looking behind “Shangri- resque scenes, the Nepalese population struggles One aim of the excursion was to gain a better un- participation of minority groups. The political in- la”. Starting in the old town of Bhaktapur, where with multiple challenges in terms of human deve- derstanding of this political and social transfor- stability in the country prior to the elections to a Nils Gutschow guided us through hidden lanes, lopment, human rights and political stability. Ne- mation. What happened in Nepal after the peace- new Constitutional Assembly in November 2013 we got a first glimpse into the daily practice of pal ranks among the “least developed” countries, agreement in 2006? What were the reasons and also caused several bandhs or general strikes, one religion and its embodiment in the physical urban behind Bangladesh and Bhutan (UNDP 2013). causes that led to the emergence of the violent of which we experienced during our stay in Ka- structure. During a brief visit to the Newar village According to the UNDP, about 44 percent of the Maoist movement? What does it mean to live in thmandu. Besides this political crisis, we address of Sankhu in the Kathmandu valley, Ulrike Mül- population live in multi-dimensional poverty (ac- Nepal for different groups of people? How do a more hidden crisis taking place mostly in the ler-Böker and Siddhi Manandhar gave us an int- cording to health, education, and living standard people make a living and meet their ends? remote villages of the country: the crises of food roduction into the village life, caste segregation, indicators) in 2013. Inequality in terms of wealth and livelihood insecurity. We then take a closer and agriculture. Leaving the Kathmandu valley to and access to resources is identified as one of the A first step to address these questions was to look at one of Nepal’s economic mainstays, its the West we stopped at the Manakamana temple major hindrances to a more equal and just de- explore the country’s political history from the natural heritage and tourism. Although offering where we got an impression of animal sacrifices velopment (United Nations Country Team Nepal rise of the Gorkha Kingdom over the Rana- potentials, we also show that questions of par- and the strong monsoon rain. We later reached 2012, 5). On the other hand, the political trans- rule and the panchayat system, to the processes ticipation and governance must be addressed in Sauraha, an entrance point to the Chitwan Nati- formation after the end of the decade long vio- that eventually led to the people’s movements order to fully explore the potential of nature con- onal Park in the Terai region of the country. Du- lent conflict between the Maoists and the Royal in 1990 and 2006 and to the abolition of mo- servation and tourism for a more equal and just ring our three day stay where we did not only get Nepalese Army provides opportunities to address narchy. We also take a look at the cultural and development. One promising example of a more a glimpse of the Tharu-culture, the controversial Mountain TIBET THE ROUTE Mid-Hill Terai Far Western Dev. Region Eastern Dev. Region Mid Western Dev. Region Western Dev. Region INDIA Central 0 100 km Dev. Region Source: HMG et al. 2002 Prayer wheels at Swayambhu temple Excursion route (modified map after HMG et al. 2002) 6 7 history of the national park, or admire rhinos We want furthermore thank the following per- 01—Bhaktapur 05—Pokhara and elephants, but were also attacked by fierce sons and institutions: Visit of Unesco World Cultural Heritage Site Pokhara is an important starting point for bears. Due to the protection of our experienced with a guided tour by Prof. Dr. Niels Gut- many treks and itself a tourist attraction. wild-life guides however we were all able to travel Prof. Dr. Nils Gutschow and his wife Vau for schow. on to Pokhara from where we began our trek to showing us Bhaktapur, the guides in Chitwan 06—Lwang the home-stay village Lwang where we received National Park, Sukhi Ram Chaudhary and Hari 02—Sankhu Lwang as a part of the Machhapuchre Model a heartily welcome by the villagers and Rajendra Chaudhary for bringing us close to wildlife and Segregation patterns, village development and Trek develops its community based tourism. Gurung of the Machhapuchre committee. Du- safely back, the Pokhara Tourism Council, Su- a misty mountain temple. ring our stay we did not only learn about ACAP rya Bahadur Bhujel, Basant Dawadi, Tika Ram 07— Kathmandu policies but also experience Gurung village life, Sapkota, Chiranjibi Pokharel and Ramu Gautam 03—Manakamana Different sites of religious worship (Pashupa- and learned that one better should refrain from for an inspiring discussion. Rajendra Gurung Nepal’s only cable car leads to Manakamana, tinath, Boudha, Swayambhu) and NGOs are taking long walks through forests infested by my- and the villagers from Lwang for their hospita- where at the important Hindu temple the faith- visited. riads of leeches. Our final journey led us back lity (VDC Secretary Kamala Pati; teachers Pra- ful bring offerings. to Kathmandu where we visited the religious si- kash Gurung, Badri Gurung, Mohan Ale and tes of Boudha, Swayambhu, and Pashupatinath. Jhapendra Adhikary; community forest users 04—Chitwan Ramesh Khatiwada led us to the Royal Palace, Dandapani Chapagai, Dandapani Bhusal and Lal Chitwan National Park is a sanctuary for the Durbar Square and Assan showing us places of kumari Gurung; translators Santosh Gurung and Indian Rhinoceros. Tharu culture is challenged. protest and political resistance. Meetings with Krishana Lamichane, and guide Anil Gurung). the Advocacy Forum and Kamal Pathak and the Kurt Burja and Pushpa Shrestha from the World World Food Programme, and Kurt Burja and Food Programme for giving us insights into their Pushpa Shrestha, completed our visit.