By Siena
Introduction
Hi! My name is Siena and I’m from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
I got back to the US from Nepal at the end of November, and, since then, I have been bombarded with the same vague question: “How was Nepal?!”. Hopefully this blog post can answer that question.
I want to preface this post by saying that I have visited Nepal more than a dozen times before. I usually visit for around 3 weeks and stay mainly in Kathmandu, where my extended family lives. While I have always appreciated my family’s ability to travel, I haven’t always had the best time staying in Nepal in the past. I usually am at home with my grandparents watching them play solitaire next to each other (the irony doesn’t escape me). It’s always nice to see my aunts and uncles, but ever since my cousins have left for college Nepal was never my top destination. The main goal of my gap year was to change that. I wanted to get to know the entire country beyond just Kathmandu and my family.
I always thought of Nepal as such a small country. Everyone seems to know everyone else, and, geographically, it’s only a little bigger than Pennsylvania. After living in Nepal for 10 weeks, I can confidently say that, for the size, Nepal is one of the most diverse countries I have ever seen with over 140 distinct ethnic groups. I found the best way to fully explain the diversity of Nepal is through explaining Chiya. Chiya (also known as Chai) is a traditional milk tea found in South Asia. While most Chiya is brewed with black tea, milk, and other spices, Chiya in Nepal can vary drastically by region. I had the privilege of traveling to the 3 primary terrains of Nepal and trying the different types of Chiya in each place– here is my experience.
Himalayas
The first region is probably the most world famous part of Nepal: the Himalayas. My time in the mountain range was brief but one of the most exciting parts of my trip to Nepal. It probably won’t come as a surprise to most of you, but the Himalayas contain the coldest part of Nepal. These mountains, most notably Everest, can reach up to 29,000 ft in the air. Temperatures here can drop well below freezing at night and reach as high as 80ºF (27ºC) in the warm months. Some of the ethnic groups here include Sherpas, Tamangs, Bhutias, and Gurungs. Because of the climate and geographic proximity to China, the people have a more East Asian appearance.
The primary purpose of Chiya here is to warm you up for as fast and as long as possible. Bringing tea leaves up to the highest mountains is no easy feat either. As a result, the Chiya in the mountains will be less flavorful but served in larger and milk-ier portions. I enjoyed one of these cups at the top of my trekking experience on the Mardi Himal View Point (13,800ft/ 4200m). While they might not be the most flavorful cups of tea, I can confidently say that my frozen face would not have noticed either way.
Hills
The hilly region (where Kathmandu is located) has the most temperate weather with highs at 90ºF and lows at 40ºF (0ºC-30ºC). While called “hills” in Nepal, most countries would consider them mountains reaching well over 10,000 ft in altitude. This region is littered with dramatic hill ridges and basins. Moreover, the fertile land and temperate climate allows for the population to be concentrated in these areas. Because of the temperate climate and fertile terrain, the ethnic groups in the hills are the most populous and diverse in looks and cultures. Some of the ethnic groups include Newaris, Chettris, and Bhauns.
The Chiya found here is, in my opinion, the goldilocks of Chiyas. Made with a little more spice and tea, the Chiya is a light warm brown hue. Kathmandu is the meeting place for everyone in Nepal, and the Chiya here quite literally serves as the melting pot for the country. No matter how far away I am from Minnesota, the sweet fragrance of cardamom will always remind me of every morning in my home when my dad would teach me how to make Chiya for my mom.
Terai
The lowest region is the flatlands “Terai” region–which is about 200-500 feet in altitude (60-150 meters). This is on the southern end of Nepal closest to India. The heat is absolutely blistering during the summer with temperatures reaching 115ºF (46ºC) and humidity up to 90%. Due to the heat, the people here are often tanner and have a strong resemblance to people from Northern India. A few of the ethnic groups here include the Tharu and Bojpuri people.
I visited the Terai region when I went to the Lumbini Province which is widely famous for being the birthplace of Buddha. Lumbini is a Buddhist pilgrimage site, and the garden contains the archaeological remnants of where Buddha was born along with many different buddhist temples donated from around the world. Lumbini also happens to be the closest major landmark to the southern border of Nepal. With the Indian border only a few kilometers away, the influence of India is strong. The chai was more spiced and reduced down to smaller servings that packed quite the punch. With a spice mix (“masala”) of cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, the Masala chai in the Terai is served to give energy to the people in spite of the ferocious sun. I promise that every ounce of spice, sugar, and caffeine was needed to fuel me through the heat that day.
