Loading trekking gear on a bus in Pokhara, Nepal

Trekker guides load backpacks on the roof of a bus carrying people outside the city of Pokhara to start on a foot journey across the mountains. The man seen in the bottom right of the picture is wearing a colorful Nepali cap on his head. This cap, called Dhaka topi, is a national symbol which has religious significance for many Hindus. Now worn mostly during religious festivals and ceremonies, wearing the Dhaka topi was once mandatory in government offices and parliament.