Nourishing the Heart

Image above: Children dressed in colorful traditional costumes perform a play in honor of Krishnajanmastami. They bring the story of Lord Krishna to the stage.
Image on the left: Teacher Durga walks through the Advent spiral at the Waldorf School in Kathmandu to light a candle. The celebration of the Advent garden is intended to convey inner peace, hope, and the light of Christmas.
Image in the center: A student receives a tika, a red blessing mark on her forehead. It symbolizes protection and the connection to the so-called third eye.
Image on the right: At the end of the school year, the children put on a show for their parents – dressed in traditional Nepalese clothing that highlights their affiliation with the Newari ethnic group. The focus is on tradition, joy, and togetherness.

Nepal is a country of extraordinary diversity, where people of many traditions live side by side. Nepal's beauty lies in the unity of its diversity. It is the birthplace of Buddha, home to Mount Everest, and known as Tapo Bhumi—a sacred place for meditation and spiritual practice.

It was in this vibrant context that the Tashi Waldorf School was founded in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu in 2000. Since its inception, the school has accepted children from all walks of life, regardless of their social or religious background. Today, children learn and develop here up to fifth grade.

At Tashi Waldorf School, we believe that a child never comes to school alone. Every morning, when a child enters the classroom, they bring a whole world with them: their family, their community, their culture, and the values of their religion. The task of teachers is not only to teach lessons from books, but to accept and acknowledge the vibrant background that each child brings with them. We want to support children in developing into good and well-rounded individuals who carry within them a reverence for life, respect for others, and love for the world. In this way, we hope to strengthen each child's roots so that they can carry humanity into the future.

Cultivating the spiritual dimension

Most of our students come from Hindu families, some are Buddhist, and a few are Christian. In Nepal, religion is not something abstract or hidden—it is present every day in family rituals, community celebrations, and the rhythm of life. We do not teach religion as a doctrine. Instead, we offer children experiences that nourish their hearts and feelings. Through artistic activities, rhythmic routines, working in nature, celebrations, and, last but not least, storytelling, we cultivate universal values that are common to all religions: truth, love, reverence, compassion, gratitude, and caring for one another.

Celebrating holidays together

Holidays occupy a special place in our school year. In autumn, we prepare for Dashain, the great Hindu festival of renewal, with songs, dances, and the blessing of the forehead with a red dot called tika or jamara. Shortly after Dashain comes Tihar, the festival of lights, when the children decorate the school with colorful mandalas and sing songs to each other to celebrate the bonds of love and friendship.

In May, we celebrate Buddha's birthday and remember his life and teachings through stories, flower offerings, candlelight, and quiet moments of reflection. In December, we gather for Christmas, tell the Christmas story, prepare the Advent spiral, and walk along its winding path. This symbolizes the descent into the darkness of winter and the inner journey to discover our own light and hope within. Singing Christmas carols together helps the children feel the warmth of this tradition here in Nepal. We also joyfully celebrate Holi, the festival of colors, Krishna Janmastami, the birthday of Lord Krishna, and Lhosar, the Tibetan New Year. At Tashi Waldorf School, we believe that every festival inspires children and families to live with joy, kindness, and harmony.

Each celebration is prepared in a simple way so that all children can immerse themselves in the spirit of the celebration—regardless of whether or not it originates from the religious background of their families. The holidays also bring with them the joy of sharing special foods prepared for each occasion and sometimes wearing colorful, culturally influenced clothing that brightens the day. 
Traditional games and music fill the air with laughter and rhythm, allowing children to experience the lively spirit of each holiday through food, songs, and games.

Stories that touch the heart

Stories are at the heart of our teaching. For young children, they are not just entertainment, but food for the soul, conveying truth, beauty, and goodness.

Children learn about courage, truth, and devotion from Hindu epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata. From Buddhist traditions, they learn about mindfulness, compassion, and the path to peace. From Christianity, we tell parables, legends of saints, and seasonal stories. Folk tales from Nepal bring the wisdom of the country to life. We also tell world myths, cultural epics, historical legends, biographies, heroic tales, fairy tales, and seasonal stories. Puppets are used in kindergarten because children under the age of seven find it easier to understand stories through pictures. Each story is told not as part of a particular religion, but as part of humanity's treasure trove, teaching children universal values that they can feel, understand, and learn to appreciate.

Everyday moments of wonder and respect

We also practice reverence in our everyday lives. We give thanks before meals. In the garden, we care for the earth and the plants. Lighting a candle in the classroom creates a quiet moment of reflection. Through these small but meaningful practices, children learn that life is sacred and that they themselves possess dignity. Religion is not a subject on the timetable at our school, but rather a living part of everyday life. It is evident in the celebrations, in the stories, in the reverence for daily life, and in the way we strive to treat each child as a whole person. We hope that by strengthening their roots through culture, spirituality, and humanity, the children will grow up to be free, creative, and compassionate individuals who are deeply connected to their own traditions and at the same time open to the diversity of the world. By integrating the celebrations, stories, and customs of different traditions into our everyday school life, we help children grow up with a sense of inner freedom that is rooted in their own background yet open to others.