santani.. the female santa

had quite a blast at x-mas reception at office today where i went in dressed as a female santa--santa'ni'.
these are pictures after i got home.. and before i was deflated to my normal size by santani's naughty little helper....

the sari is trimmed with surgical cotton (yup, stitched 16 rolls of cotton all over).. even my pullover has cotton trimmings!!!.. wore nepali velvet slippers. i also had a santa cap while in office





















couldn't find white hair.. so santani
had to be satisfied being blond. that's a lot of tippex i had to apply on my eyebrows to make it go somewhat with the hair


this is how i came down the fire escape to the meeting room filled with unicef staff. ringing the bell.. sprinkling punched paper snow.. with a jute bag filled with gifts... like a tiny toy helicopter for the representative to get on to if trapped in a kathmandu traffic jam.... etc... and finally before i left i told everyone that i had a call from prachanda saying he wanted me to come to the SPA meeting. i showed the staff the perfect present i had for them.. a tube of super glue.. before ordering my sleigh to take me to baluwatar!














two balloons.. that did the trick...






















.....to make a seductress santani
















and then came the little helper with evil in her eyes and a dangerous pin in her hands















and soon santani was downsized and deflated.... with two bursts of air.. she was back being an ordinary mortal again....

klear kot

it was a wonderful week when the cyclone raged in the of bengal and swept the moisture out of the air in nepal. crystal clear skies.. gorgeous view of the mountains... so we grabbed the opportunity and went up to kot




this was what we saw the next morning.. despite the increase in haze.
















baba came to pick me up at office, which i'd left 45 mintues early in order to catch the golden sunset over the himalaya... however we got caught in a massive traffic jam at kumaripati, just before lagankhel.

by the time we reched khumaltar a light was already fading from jugal himal range.. langtang was still bright.
















when we reached bandegaon, the light was gone leaving a silvery ganesh himal.. still such a great and soothing sight
















when we crossed the pine forest above bisankhu.. just managed to capture himalchuli and annapurnas silhouetted against the violet skies
















night over kathmandu
















the haze was building up, but there was band of clean air sandwiched between the dusty morning air















the smoke being swept across the village by the morning breeze















dust from the godavari marble quarry also looking beautiful in layers





















ganesh himal range bordering between gold and silver
















jyamirey hideout





















jyamirey on the fifth layer















shanta prepares her great quiche-style omlette, while milan gets the nordic cheese ready





















sandaji as the shabby maila bajey...















breakfast in the kausi















daji and sandaji on the lookout for planes over bhattey danda















baba wants to capture a photographic panorama shot of the mountains from kot















daji takes a nap neath the blues skies




and now the various panoramic shots

finally ... bhai tika too at bagh bazar

rumdai ayo ghumdai ayo yus paali pani bhai tika

numero uno bhai relaxes the day before tihar to the bestest of best music on his ipod with bose headphone!


the pariyar brothers from dhading were back to play deunsi with the naumati baja (they were the ones who played music during kripa's wedding last year

they had me and aakash dancing too








as the evening wore on the lights were up on again in our house.. this time all the lights we working!




upstairs muwa was making jari battu for the phool garlands







and priya was making the last of the mala for her brother and mine






i was taking a break from the kitchen to 'stitch' dubo ko mala






this is what priya had ready for gajju









she even gave some sweets to aakash and demanded a didi's respect














priya with part of gajju's treat








babu chhori ready to go to prava's place for their respective bhai tikas





muwa's brothers line up for the tika














muwa applying tika on keshari raj buwa








and applying mala on kanchha raja







then it was our turn for the tika. muwa took this photo of us three. daji meanwhile is busy taking a picture of muwa taking pictures!


my saptarangi forehead after the bhai tika. hmmm.. less creativity from by brothers this year... for other years they treated my nose upwards as a canvas... maybe 'coz i'm fifty now? old age creepign up? hmmmm....





this is what i treated my brothers with









and this is what i was treated with! gorgeous! hariyo phariya.. hariyo gaath!




then it was time to eat. maila raja changed into dhoti and had his meal in the kitchen













sanomami, kanchhi maiya and maiya didi are down to their dessert.. notice the table.. there was palungo, kauli aalu, panir, alu ko achaar, bhogatey sandheko, dahi, sikarni, shahi toast, kalo daal, and on the side.. prawn curry and chicken au gratin..

keshari raj buwa and kanchha raja after lunch








and daji and sandaji having their lunch. daji enjoys miss moti on the side, and sandaji changed three plates to have his meal!

.. and then they took advantage of a full belly and the warm kartik sun to take a catnap! and that was what tihar was like!