Shopping and Entertainment

Shopping around in Nepal can be an experience in itself.  One can go shopping many unique and original products. Items in Nepal are usually cheaper than back at home,

Some of the most important products are listed below:

Hand-made garments:
These include shawls, woolen sweaters, socks, mittens, jackets, trousers, and caps which are very functional and colorful souvenir items. Nepalese tailors are adept at creating garments out of hand-loomed cotton, silk, wool, and leather. Exceptional embroidery also goes into the works.

Jewelry Gold and silver necklaces, bracelets, rings and traditional beads are some of the special products of Patan. Tibetan jewelry abounds in Kathmandu. There is even a colorful international glass bead market in Ranki Bazaar off Indrachowk.

Gems in Kathmandu has one of the widest selections of loose gems in South Asia. Ruby, aquamarine, black and green tourmaline, quartz, rare hamburgrite, panburite, felspar, epidate, and "healing stones" are mined in the high hills and mountains of Nepal, and therefore, are available in Kathmandu at competitive prices.

Khukuri This curved metal knife is synonymous with the legendary Gurkha soldiers and their valor in many international wars. Its origin is humble, belonging to the hills of Nepal. Manufactured by iron smiths with surprisingly simple and rudimentary traditional implements, this is an ideal souvenir to take back home with.

Metalware:
In Nepal, decorative as well as everyday household utensils are made of copper, brass, and bronze. These are elaborately engraved. Karuwas (water jars), antis (liquor jars), and hanging oil lamps are some of the very popular and useful souvenirs.

Paper Products:
Traditional Nepalese kagaj paper, popularized by the Hippies as "rice paper", is actually made of lokta (daphne) bark found in the high hills of Nepal. Because of its cross-fibrous, and therefore, strong texture, it has been used for official documents. Commercially turned out as writing pads, calendars and lamp shades lokta has also gained international fame as the material for the UNICEF greeting cards produced in Bhaktapur.

Paubhas or thankas are traditional paintings, depicting deities and religious icons and symbols drawn from Buddhism. Painted on cotton scrolls or canvas, the best paubhas (thankas in Tibetan) use precious powdered stone pigments for vivid colors. Silver and gold dust are other important ingredients.

Pottery:
The Kathmandu Valley potters are famous for their delicate art of shaping and sizing both terra-cotta and glazed utility and decorative earthenware. The potters' square in Bhaktapur is the place to buy these souvenirs as well as to see the potters in action.

Statues:
The casting of bronze, brass and copper statuary in Nepal dates back to the 13th century. Nepal is famous for the ancient and painstaking "lost wax method" in which ornate figures are modeled and molded in bees-wax.

Wood carving:
The Newars are expert in their artistry in wood. Their intricately-carved doors, windows, pillars and lattices are seen in and around Kathmandu. Tourism has greatly encouraged the manufacture of these ornate works in wood, mainly in the workshops of Patan and Bhaktapur.

Woolen carpets:
These are hand-knotted pieces of art, using the traditional techniques of Tibet. The best of Himalayan sheep wool and New Zealand long staples are used in weaving the best-quality carpets. Vegetable dyes are used in authentic carpets though usage of imported cost- effective and enduring chemical colors is also seen these days.

Tea:
The eastern districts of Nepal, notably Ilam, are where excellent varieties of Himalayan tea are grown and produced. You get a wide selection of the fine tea, packaged attractively as suitable gifts, and guaranteed as a great brew.

Spices:
Asia is an ancient spice stronghold. Therefore, Kathmandu, in the middle of Asia, is no exception. Kathmandu is, in fact, the hub of different  spices-those exotica to flavor curries and other dishes. Nutmeg, ginger, saffron, mace, green anise, fenugreek, peppers, and coriander seeds are just some of the spices names.

What to Buy
Nepal offers typical ethnic items such as wooden masks, Buddha statues, prayer wheels and flags, Gorkha knives, and much, much more. 

Fine articles such as silver hand made jewelry, precious gems, pashmina shawls and cashmere pullovers are also available

 
 
 
 
» Getting to Nepal
» Nepal Visa Information
» Getting To Tibet
» Places to visit in Tibet
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