Tongba is the traditional and indigenous drink of the Limbu people of eastern Nepal. To Limbus, Tongba is analogous to what vodka is to Russians, wine to French, Guinness to Irish and saké to Japanese.
-Wikipedia
Photo Courtesy davidheidebrecht
What to do when in Kathmandu when it rains? Drink tongba, of course! Tongba is the traditional alcoholic drink made from millet. It’s cooked and fermented, then dried and stored for about 6 months.
Tongba is drank out of large wooden containers (also called tongba) with tall straws crimped at one end to filter the hot water thats poured on top. As you drink, more water is added to top it off and keep the taste from becoming too strong.
They are great for cold and rainy days, since the drink really warms you both, both physically and in spirit.
According to legends, chhaang is also popular with the Yeti, who often raid isolated mountain villages to drink it.
Photo Courtesy in.beleza
3 comments ↓
Hi,
I was in Nepal last year and, after enduring a particularly hazardous mountainside road trip to Tatopani in a run-down car with bald tyres, I was brought back to life with a large mug of tongba. This is an ale rather than a beer (no hops) or wine (very short fermentation) and is very low in alcohol. This doesn’t matter as clearly something else is going on to provide a low-level though extremely pleasant buzz. Since then I have searched www for a recipe but can’t find one. If anyone has one please let me know.
Thanks,
John Mac
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According to Chinese mythology, the 5th level of hell is called the Chamber of Cauldrons. It’s where sex offenders such as rapists and adulterers are fried in oil.
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Lalejin, one of Iran’s two most important centers for the production of pottery, has been invaded by shoddy and cheap ceramic imports from China.
Pottery making is the main source of the livelihood of the 55,000 inhabitants of the city of Lalejin, which is located 20 kilometers northwest of Hamedan.
A total of 925 modern and traditional workshops are currently producing pottery and ceramics for 280 small and large shops that exclusively offer such handicrafts.
The people of Lalejin have called on central government and provincial officials to stop the imports of inferior ceramic ware from China, the Persian service of the Mehr News Agency reported on Friday.
In addition, Lalejin Mayor Abolfazl Dehleii has warned the Iranian government about the unnecessary importation of Chinese ceramics.
Dehleii said the Chinese products have seriously undermined the city’s pottery industry.
Hamedan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department Director Asadollah Bayat has also asked Iranian cultural officials to organize exhibits and workshops on the pottery of Lalejin in order to inform people about the high quality of the handicrafts created in the city.
According to archaeologists and historians, the people of Lalejin have been making pottery for several millennia.
Based on a story that has been handed down from generation to generation, the craft of pottery making was almost entirely wiped out during the Mongol invasion of the area in the 13th century.
Only seven craftsmen survived the invasion and these artisans managed to revive the city’s ceramics industry.
Meybod, located in the south central province of Yazd, is Iran’s other important center for pottery making.
Over the past decade, Chinese goods have infiltrated into the Iranian market, leading to many bankruptcies in the agricultural sector and in various industries, such as the textiles, shoe-making, and handicrafts industries.
Photo: In an undated photo, a craftsman makes pottery in his workshop in Lalejin. (Mehr/Nima Dimari
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