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Monte Cassino monastery

Monte Cassino monastery

Gurkha Museum’s tales of Ghouls and Ghost 🦇🕷️🎃👻💀

Gurumapa (गुरुमापा) is a man-eating monster who roams the forest, waiting to devour disobedient children. He is hard to miss, with long, sharp fangs gleaming against his terrifying, demon-like face. Simply calling his name can summon him, as he is always ready to snatch and eat naughty children.

Gurumapa is a well-known mythical creature in Nepali folktales, especially within Newar culture. His story begins with a man named Kesh Chandra, who lived in Itumbaha, a sacred courtyard in central Kathmandu. After gambling away all his wealth, he went to live with his sister but gambled away even the plate his lunch was served on. To teach him a lesson, his sister served his rice on the floor. Hurt, Kesh gathered the rice in a handkerchief and left for the woods outside the city.

When he tried to eat, the rice had turned into maggots. As he dried it out and napped, pigeons ate everything. Seeing his despair, the pigeons left droppings that turned into gold. But his fortune attracted Gurumapa. Instead of being eaten, Kesh persuaded Gurumapa to carry the gold home in exchange for a feast and the right to take naughty children whenever their parents called his name. Gurumapa lived in Kesh’s attic, and soon children began to vanish.

The community decided it was unsafe to keep him nearby. They promised him an annual feast of boiled rice and buffalo meat if he moved to the Tinkhya field (Tundikhel). Even today, locals prepare this feast on the night of Holi and leave it on the field, where Gurumapa is believed to still reside.

#GurkhaMuseum #Gurumapa #NepaliFolktales #HorrorStories #CulturalHeritage #TalesOfNepal #KathmanduLegends #MythicalCreatures #MuseumStories

🎖️Dress like a Gurkha at The Gurkha Museum th

🎖️Dress like a Gurkha at The Gurkha Museum this autumn family activity day! Visit The Gurkha Museum for a fun-packed session of dressing up, constructing, creating and competing against the clock on this Wednesday (29 October) from 1100 hrs to 1400 hrs.

✔️Try on our uniforms and dress like a soldier! You can take your own photos while wearing them.
✔️Can you fill the webbing against the clock, deciding what to include and what to exclude under time pressure?
✔️Create your own Gurkha soldier and choose how to dress your paper soldier.
✔️Build a Lego camp in the jungle. Can you make it light up?

Find out more about fun-filled family event in our website

#Gurkha #MuseumFun #FamilyDayOut #WinchesterEvents #GurkhaHeritage #britisharmy #VisitWinchester #OctoberHalfTerm #WhatsonWinchester

Happy Bhai Tika! 🙏 Today marks the fifth and

Happy Bhai Tika! 🙏

Today marks the fifth and final day of Tihar, a special celebration that honours the bond between brothers and sisters. On this day, sisters apply saptarangi tika (seven-colored tika) to their brothers' foreheads, offer garlands made of marigold flowers, and perform rituals for their long life. In return, brothers give gifts and blessing to their sisters.

According to legend, when the goddess Yamuna’s brother was about to die, Yama, the god of death, came for him. Yamuna asked Yama to wait until she finished her last prayer for her brother. During the ritual, she put a tika on his forehead, poured oil on him, and placed garlands of Makhamali flowers around his neck. She then asked Yama not to take him until the tika faded, the oil dried, and the flowers ( known for its long life) wilted.

How many Victoria Crosses have been awarded to Gur

How many Victoria Crosses have been awarded to Gurkhas? 🎖️

Victoria Cross is Britain’s highest award for gallantry and 26 have been awarded to Gurkhas. The first award presented to a Gurkha was in 1858 to a British Gurkha Officer, John Tytler.

Kulbir Thapa was the first Gurkha solider awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery during the First World War. Thirteen VCs have been awarded to native Gurkhas, with the most recent one awarded in 1965 to Ram Bahadur Limbu

To learn more about Gurkha and learn about their incredible history, sign up to our newsletter and get Gurkha facts and knowledge straight to your inbox: https://thegurkhamuseum.co.uk/newsletter/

#Gurkhas #VictoriaCross #MilitaryHistory #BritishArmy #GurkhaHeritage #GallantryAwards

Happy Kukur Tihar and Laxmi Puja. On Kukur Tihar,

Happy Kukur Tihar and Laxmi Puja.

On Kukur Tihar, all dogs, both stray and pets, are offered treats and worshipped. People across Nepal place tika (a ceremonial mark) and flower garlands made of marigolds around their dogs in honour of their loyalty and their spiritual connection with Yama, the god of death.

Laxmi Puja is a day dedicated to Goddess Laxmi, who represents wealth, happiness, and good fortune. On this day, people welcome Laxmi into their homes, which should be cleaned and decorated. Doorways and windows are adorned with marigold garlands, and Diyas (oil lamps) are placed throughout the houses, based on the belief that the goddess will not visit dark homes.

Happy Tihar! 🙏 Today marks the beginning of Tih

Happy Tihar! 🙏 Today marks the beginning of Tihar, also known as Yamapanchak, a five-day festival. Tihar is a time to celebrate and honour four creatures associated with Yama, the god of death.

Today is Kaag Tihar, the day dedicated to the worship of crows. Crows and ravens are believed to be messengers of Yama. Many devotees across Nepal offer grains, seeds, and sweets to crows, placing these offerings on rooftops or along the streets. Through these offerings, individuals aim to placate them and avert death for the upcoming year.

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