Nepal, Oct. 10 -- Writing

# Deities of Nepal III: Where Myths, Art and Everyday Life Intersect

One day, about two years ago, I woke up with my face covered in itchy blisters. I had contracted chickenpox, an illness that usually affects children but can be much more severe in adults. As I recovered, my mother shared a piece of folk wisdom with me. When the blisters appeared on my feet, she said, it meant the infection was leaving my body because the feet were its exit points.

Although I had consulted a doctor and was taking medication, my mother's story brought me comfort. As I healed, I began reflecting on how myths, folk wisdom and deities are woven into Nepal's sociocultural fabric and everyday life.

This month, as I wandered from o...