Returning to Godawari...

Godawari. A tiny village about 30 minutes  (on the Micro Bus) south of Kathmandu city. Tucked away into the Mabharat hills, Godawari appears to to stretch for quite some distance along the dirt road that leads into the lush forest of the mountains. However, the true gems of this otherwise unknown village are at the end of the line. The Micro Buses from south Kathmandu dont't even travel the full distance. A short walk reveals an idyll, far away from noisy, dirty Kathmandu. The impressive Tsum Nile Ladrang buddhist monastery towers behind the small shops and houses. I volunteered at the Monastery for one month in 2011, and I luckily had the time to go back now.

So, me and Emily (another friendly American girl I had the good fortune to meet) hopped into a taxi to take us to the bustling district of Lagankhel - where Godawari-bound Micro Buses awaited us. After deciphering the confusing instructions as to which bus was actually headed the right way, we boarded and successfully bagged the best seats (right at the back, in case you need to know). 

A blooming Lily in the Botanical Gardens

Emily, a Micro Bus virgin, was very apprehensive - having read horror stories about experiences on these buses. Our journeys to Godawari and back were remarkably smooth and not too cramped. Always a bonus. After roughly half an hour of bus riding, we pulled into the Godawari bus park. I was already excited to see my old Nepali home again. 

Before we fully entered the small village area, the sun kindly burst through the clouds, giving us the perfect weather to visit the National Botanical Gardens that bear the Godawari name. The gardens were more beautiful than when I had visited in 2011, swathes of blooming lilies swayed gently and the whole garden was flecked with pinks and whites from the plants that were flowering nearby. It was a lovely walk, and so wonderfully quiet compared to the city! 

After a while, and with a few drops of rain, we decided to head out of garden and into the village before the weather worsened. The Monastery was as glorious as ever, the grounds emptied of young monks currently attending puja. It was strange to be back, looking at my old guest room and watching the care-lady Gangar sweeping the marble steps. Unfortunately she did not recognise me, but then it had been 2 years ago that I stayed there, and numerous volunteers had shared my experience since then. 

The young monks of Godawari Monastery, and their dog - Gamdu

As the rain began to pour, we retreated to safety of the Evergreen rooftop restaurant, over-looking the main street and an old haunt of mine from 2011. And best of all, the lovely waiter actually remembered me! Emily and I shared a Commando beer (super strong!) and decided to head back to Kathmandu. 

It was really great to see the Monastery again, but the heavy rain stopped me from showing Emily the sacred Hindu Kunda (a holy spring) just behind Tsum Nile Ladrang. Hopefully if she reads this she will return to Godawari to enjoy it some more! 

For anyone looking for a day-long retreat away from the dusty capital, Godawari is an excellent choice. The gardens, the Kunda and the Monastery are just the beginning, there is so much more to the village around every corner!

Mosquito bite count: 33