Category Archives: Nepal

Chora’s Tithi birthday

Posted on June 23, 2024 | Leave a comment

I have a delightful and unique tradition when it comes to celebrating my kids’ birthdays: I celebrate them three times! Yes, you read that right—three times. And honestly, I feel like I have no other choice!

First up is their actual birth date. They get so excited about it that I can’t bear to skip a celebration. Their eyes light up with joy, and it’s such a heartwarming sight. So, we always do something special, even if it’s just a small family gathering.

Next, we throw a big birthday bash on the weekend. This is when friends and family join in on the fun. There are games, laughter, and of course, lots of cake. The house is filled with happy chaos, and it’s wonderful to see my kids revelling in all the attention and fun.

Lastly, we celebrate their Tithi birthday. Since we follow the Nepali calendar, our birthdays don’t always match up with the Gregorian calendar. The Tithi birthday is determined by the positions of the sun, moon, and planets. For this celebration, we embrace our cultural roots and have a traditional Nepali celebration with puja and sagun.

This year, for Chhora’s Tithi birthday, I wore a kurta and we performed a traditional puja. Chhora, who has been eagerly anticipating turning five, was thrilled to be a part of this beautiful tradition. We decorated the house, set up the puja area, and once everything was ready, Chhora sat down, eyes wide with curiosity and excitement.

I started with a puja for Lord Ganesh, followed by a special puja for Chhora. I explained each step to him as we went along. He listened intently, followed all the instructions, and didn’t complain or fidget even once! I was so proud of his patience and interest.

After the puja, Chhora received sagun and gifts, his face lighting up with happiness. He could hardly wait to dig into the cupcakes we had prepared. His joy was infectious, and it made all the effort worthwhile.

I truly hope that by celebrating in this way, we’re instilling a deep appreciation of our culture and traditions in our children. I want them to understand their roots and recognize how amazing and rich the Nepali culture is. Seeing Chhora so engaged and excited gives me hope that we’re on the right track!

M from Nepaliaustralian

XOXO

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Posted in Celebrations, Nepali Culture, Our son, Personal

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Nepali Buffet at Muglan

Posted on June 5, 2024 | 3 comments

It’s getting cold here in Sydney and it was raining on Saturday. We spent the afternoon at home, but on Sunday it was a beautiful sunny day, so we decided to enjoy a family outing.

Our first stop was a Nepali buffet brunch in Rockdale. Rockdale is like a mini Nepal in Sydney where you can find anything and everything that reminds you of Nepal. The suburb has become a hub for the Nepali community, offering a vibrant mix of cultural experiences. From a variety of authentic Nepali restaurants to grocery stores stocked with Nepali spices and ingredients, you can find everything you need to feel at home. There are also Nepali clothing boutiques with traditional and modern designs, jewellery shops with beautiful handcrafted pieces, and many more specialty stores. It’s common to hear Nepali spoken all around making you feel like you’ve been transported to Kathmandu.

We decided to go to a restaurant called Muglan for a buffet breakfast. I’ve been there once before for dinner, but this was our first time for brunch.

Their website mentioned these varieties on the menu:
Jerry, Puri, Chana, Kerao, Mlah Khu, Roti, Egg, Fried Rice, Jimbu Potato, Finni, Samosa, Pakora, Nimkin, Halwa, Chowmein, Nuggets, Fries,Juice, Local Tea & more…

We arrived at the venue around 12, and there weren’t many people. I loved the decor. As my eyes moved towards the Dhaka wallpaper, I noticed many more Nepali decorations like the statue of Goddess Tara and traditional Thangka paintings.

The intricate designs and vibrant colours of the Dhaka wallpaper added a touch of Nepali authenticity to the space, making it feel warm and inviting. The clay lamps and the mirrors adorned with traditional motifs further enhanced the cultural ambiance.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have nuggets on the menu that day, so we decided to get the kids’ food from the à la carte menu. The kids got sausages and chicken wings while we indulged ourselves with the variety of food. I started with puri and aloo tarkari, followed by eggs, pakora, Nepali tea, halwa, and jerry.

The food was good with plenty of variety, but it was unfortunate that they didn’t refill Sel and samosa, which are my favourites. When asked, a nice Nepali waitress mentioned that some food items are not refilled once they’re finished. This was a bit disappointing, but the overall quality of the food made up for it.

After our meal, we took a stroll around Rockdale. The area was bustling with activity, and it was heartwarming to see so many families enjoying their Sunday. We visited a few shops, picking up some Nepali spices and snacks to take home. The kids were fascinated by the colourful displays of traditional clothing and jewellery.

Overall, we had a good family time there. I definitely would have preferred to have nuggets on the menu for the kids and the availability of samosa and Sel. Regardless, we had a good brunch and the kids loved their food too.

Have you been to Muglan for brunch? Share your experience!

M from Nepaliaustralian

XOXO

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Posted in Australia, Nepali food

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Where Do We Belong?

Posted on May 23, 2024 | 2 comments

Ever found yourself caught between two worlds, not quite sure where you truly belong? I think many of us can relate to that feeling, especially if you’ve been born in one country, spent part of your life there, and then moved to another to settle down. The sense of belonging can be incredibly confusing.

When I first came to Australia, I felt like I would go back home to Nepal one day. At that time, Nepal was home. But now, when I think about home, it’s Australia. You know that feeling you get when you reach home? It’s definitely Australia for me.

Nepali flag

I’ve touched on this topic before, but as I grow older and add kids to the mix, the complexity of it all only deepens. I’ve been living in Australia for over two decades now, which means I’ve spent more time here than in Nepal, where I was born. So, when people ask me if I’ll ever go back to Nepal to live, my answer is a straightforward “No.” This response often surprises people, as it comes out so easily and without hesitation. But it’s the truth.

My emotions and feelings about this are usually pretty black and white, and in this situation, “No” seemed like the obvious answer. There’s no need to be diplomatic or politically correct about it. Some people might get offended by my answer, while others are simply surprised. But how can I be true to myself if I say “Yes” when I know in my heart that it’s “No”?

Australian Flag

Yet, there are moments when I question if I truly belong in Australia. Sometimes due to some people’s reaction to the the colour of my skin I feel a pinch in my heart. I occasionally find myself not getting the humour, which can make me feel like an outsider.

If you ask my Chhori (daughter), she’ll say I’m Nepali and she’s Australian. That’s the general perception people have of us. But then, when I visit Nepal, everyone tells me I’m more Aussie than Nepali because of the way I think, talk, and view life. This contrast only adds to the confusion as I grow older.

The concept of belonging is complex and personal. For me, Australia is home now. It’s where I’ve built my life, my family, and my future. That doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten Nepal or that it doesn’t hold a special place in my heart. It always will. But when it comes to where I belong, where I feel most at home, it’s undeniably Australia. And that’s okay. Each of us has our own journey and our own definition of home.

I think one of the main reasons for starting this blog was because of this same feeling. I want to connect with people in similar situations. As the world gets smaller and we travel and migrate more, sharing how we feel will help us stay grounded and feel like we are not alone in this complicated world.

If you’re in a similar situation, tell me how you feel. How do you manage your emotions? How do you find contentment amidst the confusion? Sharing our experiences might help us all feel a little more at ease in our chosen homes.

M from Nepaliaustralian

XOXO

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Posted in Australia, Emotions, Nepal, Personal

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Happy New Year 2019

Posted on January 17, 2019 | 5 comments

Hello everyone, 

First of all, a very Happy New Year 2019. 

Hope all of you had a great holiday and are looking forward to an amazing 2019. 

Thank you everyone who sent me emails, dm on Twitter and Instagram. I really appreciate all the love you have been sending my way. 

I know I have been MIA for a while but life has been so busy that it is hard to sit down and write but I have decided to make at more effort this year. 

So much has happened in the last few months so I thought I will give you a quick update. 

In August, we bought a new place and moved in and that is one of the biggest reason why I am so busy. Before moving we were busy packing and I couldn’t have imagined how much stuff we had accumulated. It took us more than two weeks to pack, a whole day to move and I am still unpacking boxes and fixing stuff in our new house. 

One of the reason we decided to move was to get a place with a backyard. Now that Chhori is growing up, we realised that she needs more space to be active so our unit was feeling too small. 

After moving, Chhori has been really happy enjoying the stairs and the backyard. 

In September, we celebrated Teej with friends and family.

We also celebrated father’s day which was great. Chhori helped me bake and we surprised AS with breakfast in bed. 

We also celebrated Nepali Father’s Day.

October was super busy with Dashain as we had so many things to do and so many people to visit but I am not complaining as we are able to celebrate this big festival even though we are not in Nepal. 

Then on 28 October, we celebrated my birthday with visit to a circus and an amazing lunch. AS organized the surprise for us and Chhori and I had a great time.  

In November, we did Ghar Puja for our new place as we had for the previous one.

It was followed by Tihar. We had great time as Chhori is old enough to understand and she enjoyed each ceremony.

She loved her gift from her brother for Bhai Tika. 

December was busy at both work and home. We celebrated Christmas with friends and family and it was AS birthday on 28. We celebrated the traditional way with sagun and of course cake 🙂 .  

At the end of the month, we went to Melbourne for our holiday. I will write more about it in my next post. Till then please keep reading my blog and sending me your love and support. 

Take care. 

 M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO 

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Posted in Nepali Culture, Nepali Festivals, Nepali food, Newari Culture, Newari Food, Personal

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Double Father’s Day Celebration

Posted on September 23, 2018 | 2 comments

As we celebrate both Nepali Father’s Day and Australian Father’s Day, we had a great time with both the celebrations.

For the Australian one, Chhori and I baked a cake and surprised AS with breakfast in bed.

Chhori helped me with cooking and baking and was over the moon with her cupcake.

With Nepali Father’s day, I prepared Sagun and Chhori followed the ritual with AS.

I am so proud to say that she is such a good girl that we don’t have to worry at all. All I have to do is instruct and she will do the process and enjoy the whole thing too.

Please click the link if you are interested in knowing more about the Nepali father’s day.

Hope all the fathers had a great time celebrating Father’s Day.

Happy Weekend everyone 🙂

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

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Posted in Australia, Celebrations, Nepali Culture, Nepali Festivals, Nepali food, Our daughter

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