Bhat Kuwaii

                Tuesday evening Sajal returned from Kathmandu and we all went out to eat Italian food in Lakeside. 

                On Wednesday the Sthapits’ relatives who live around the corner, Shanti and Gotham (the owner of Almond’s) had a Bhat Kuwaii celebration for their six-month-old son. It is his initiation into solid foods, a huge ceremony and party with family and friends. 

We all got dressed—but just as we were leaving the house Sworupa noticed that one of her shoes was broken. No matter—Rajya scooped it up, along with one of Sajal’s shoes, and took them across the street for quick repair. (I later took my little purse over to have the strap repaired in three minutes for five rupees—less than a dime.)  I had noticed this little lean-to building before. Not much to look at, but he repairs shoes there all day, and couldn’t be handier.

 

The Shoe Repair Shack

Gotham, Shanti, and baby

Sajal offers the baby rice

An expert Nepali squat

We arrived as the festivities were beginning, just in time to see the baby front and center dressed like a little prince. His mother held him while his father put a tikka on his forehead (made of rice, yogurt or banana, and red powder) as a blessing. Then he put gold bracelets on him, and a grass necklace, and then he fed him a little rice on a coin (not sure how much went in the mouth). Then he put his forehead to his son’s foot to honor him. 

Then each relative in turn, beginning with the closest and oldest, had their turn to tikka him, give him gifts, and feed him a little rice. It was more elaborate than a baptism and not as painful as a circumcision. Rajya and I had our turn as well, and Sajal and Claire and Sworupa. This went on for quite some time. Each gift of clothing or jewelry would come with a few rupees and a piece of fruit. A lot of attention for a little baby, but he bore it with dignity, mostly. It was good preparation for his Nepali wedding in a few years, which has many similarities. Though there was no band or dancing.

Then everyone went outside for lunch on the patio. After that, the immediate family and close friends went to a nearby temple. There was a close friend who is a Nepali movie star, and he went too. 

The movie star

It was my last day, so when we went home I packed, and Claire and I went for a last long walk across the Seti River, past the hospital, and to the overlook where we had gone the first day. When we got home Sajal was making homemade salsa, which we ate with chips and a big homegrown salad for dinner.