Nepal, Oct. 20 -- Writing

# Gifts, Offerings and Sacrifices: Exploring Newar Rituals in Nepal

Who would have thought that votive offerings, sacrifices and feasts could be the subject of a sociological study? Yet that is precisely what German heritage conservationist and architect Niels Gutschow has done in his book, _Gifts, Offerings, Sacrifices: The Art and Practice of Ritual Offerings of the Newars in Nepal_.

The book is a detailed, if somewhat clinical, documentation of rituals, exploring their cultural and religious significance.

It begins by defining the terms _gift_, _offering_ and _sacrifice_, explaining how they differ. A gift is given voluntarily, without the expectation of anything in return. An offering is an act of worship...