Temples in Nepal

Yesterday there wasn't much to do at work after my first assignment so I ventured out on my own for some standard tourist sightseeing...

I went to the Pashupati Temple, which is the holiest place in the world for Hindus. You are greeted by a 250 rupee charge if you have white skin like me, and lots of monkeys. A tour guide quickly comes up to you, eager to take you around, for a charge of at least 500 rupees. I let him, because I knew I wouldn't get as much out of the experience if I wasn't told about the history of the place.

It is a large compound made up of statues and temples thousands of years old. The Kamma Sutra temple is there, where human sacrifices used to be preformed, and now animals are still sacrificed there. Some intresting engravings and statues, if you know what I mean... This temple is also the place where people are creamated, or rather burned under a pile of straw outside. I saw about three bodies being burned with families watching their loved ones turn to ash. It was very intense. I didn't want to take photos up close, out of respect for the families, but took some from viewpoints across the river, where the bodies are first cleansed before being burned. I never thought I would know the smell of burning flesh, but now I do. You can't go into the actual temple unless you are Hindu, but I was thrilled just to see the outside.

There are holy men who cover themselves in the dead's ashes and live in the many smaller temples on the compound. Their dreadlocks alone were older than I am, some growing their hair for more than 25 years. They have devoted their lives to their gods, and are gauked at by tourists like me. They wanted me to pay them to take their picture, which I did, because hey, it was less than a dollar, and these guys need to eat somehow.

After walking around everywhere there, seeing the hermit caves, and the golden bull, my tour guide took me on the half an hour walk to the Bouda Stuppa, which is one of the holiest places in the world for Buddhists. The Budda's eyes look over the area and look like they are staring right at you. When I got there, I left my tour guide, pay him off and entered in my myself.

You walk in the gate and in the middle is the Stuppa, which is a huge circular temple. You can walk around the outside, but also cannot enter in it. Surrounding it were many shops, restaurants, alleys etc.; it reminded me of a Little Tibet, not that I have seen the real one, but anyway... Many Tibetan monks and flags surrounded the temple, people worshipping and spinning the prayer wheels on the entrance gate. I walked around the loop a few times, did some shopping and caught the bus for a long ride back to my neighborhood.

It was a wonderfully, culture-enriching afternoon, for only about $30 dollars (including wine and groceries for dinner). Gotta love Nepal.