Early evening stroll around Bodhnath...

On our next to last day in Kathmandu, I decided to venture back to Bodhnath, the huge stupa and Tibetan Buddhist religious center literally outside the back door of our hotel. I paid my 150 rp. entrance fee and joined the hundreds of people out for their early evening circumambulation around the stupa. Following in their footsteps and observing their actions, namely the turning of prayer wheels, chanting prayers, fingering prayer beads, and touching their foreheads to many of the small images of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha that dot the outer wall of the stupa, I came away with a deep appreciation for how this simple stroll plays an important role in the daily religious and social interactions of the community. It is amazing to me that hundreds of miles to the north, people are "restricted" in their ability to practice their faith, while here - in the evening shadow of the Buddha's watchful eyes - the Tibetan culture is both accessible and unhindered…

From all four angles, the eyes of Buddha are watching over the community as day slowly turns to night…

In the Ajima Shrine, the candles burn bright…

These gals were deep in conversation on one corner of the stupa's upper walkway…

Down below the upper walkway and behind the stupa's main wall, these folks were busy cleaning candle holders…

Missed these when I came two days ago...  Platforms were arranged behind the stupa's outer wall and below the upper walkway for the faithful to pray... Some, like this gentleman, read scriptures and chanted while others repeatedly prostrated their selves to Buddha…

Guess there were too many people moving about on the upper walkway… The girls moved around one of the large statues for a bit more privacy…

Two very different approaches to the pursuit of enlightenment… One is deep in prayer while the other is dog-gone tired..

Out for an evening stroll; a bit of prayer with a lot of conversation…

Observing the action down below from a perch on the upper walkway…

Turning the prayer wheels in the stupa's outer wall... I saw (and took a picture) of this gent two days ago, cementing in my mind the notion that these rituals are deeply held traditions that define culture, community and belief…

Temporarily moved due to construction... The wall that these masks and stone carvings were on two days ago was undergoing renovation of sorts, so they were moved to the front of the pile of bricks… 

Behind the Ajima Shrine there is a small but busy courtyard with prayer wheels and bells... These temple dogs are not fazed in the least by all the noise, movement or crowds…

A small prayer wheel of her own in one hand, prayer beads and a handbag in the other, this woman strolls around the stupa clockwise chanting as she goes…

The entire community is out for a stroll, prayer and socialization.... Chunman and I saw this same scene played out when we took our early morning walk around the stupa…

A couple more temple dogs sleeping away the hours before dark…

Prayer flags fluttering in the evening breeze, sending the mantras printed on the flags skyward… while the watchful eyes of the Buddha gaze out over the multitudes strolling around the square...

All pictures taken with Nikon 1 camera and 18.5 lens.

A trip to Swayambhunath (aka the Monkey Temple)

On my third day in Kathmandu,  I took a cab cross town to visit the Monkey Temple… Once there I climbed many steep steps to get to the top… At the top I did my Kora, walking clockwise around the base of the stupa turning the many prayer wheels as I went… Then I wandered about, amongst the many pillars, smaller stupas and through the stalls, looking for interesting camera angles… It was a trip in all aspects of the word, a proverbial feast for all the of the senses - sight, sound and smell…. But one aspect of the trip still sticks with me as I write this almost 24 hours later, that being the physical act of getting to the Temple itself...

My family and I visited the temple on our first trip to Nepal on a brisk December morning back in 1998. On that day we were staying in the Thamel district, and I don't recall the journey to the Temple being anything other than getting into the taxi, driving to the Temple, getting out and seeing the sights - straightforward and uneventful. This time the trip to the Temple seemed to assault my senses in many ways, and thus leave me with a very deep impression of the days journey. 

My starting point was the eastern side of town, "closer" to the airport than the center of Kathmandu. The taxi I rode in was a tight fit and rattled and shook with every bump, pothole, or rock we encountered on our way. Oil and gas fumes swirled about the interior of the car and opening the windows brought in a fine layer of dust mixed with a heavy aroma of exhaust fumes. As we made our way across town, traveling in anything other than a straight line, it appeared that we hit every obstacle that the road put in our way. And believe me, we encountered plenty of them on the drive across town. With my limited knowledge of Kathmandu city planning it seems that all roads in the city are either in a state of permanent repair or disrepair. Piles of dirt, gravel and rock were evident everywhere on our route. The road bed itself was a jumble of rocks, potholes, elevated manholes, construction materials and debris, and massive ruts running with and against the direction of travel. As we made our way I was jostled about with every inch of forward progress. And if I wasn't jostled by travel over the road surface, I was tossed about as the driver tried to avoid the other traffic on the road. And the traffic that tried to occupy the same patch of unnavigable roadway was simply amazing! Pedestrians walking with or against traffic on what passed for sidewalks, suddenly changed course and jumped into traffic in order to cross to the other side of the street. Taxis maneuvered three abreast, horns blaring, each trying to get ahead of the other and only giving way at the last minute to oncoming or overtaking buses or heavy trucks. There was a steady stream of scooters and motorcycles threading the traffic needle at every opportunity. Then there was the occasional cow or dog placidly sleeping in the middle of the road or in the gutter, further taking up precious space in the path of traffic, resulting in everyone swerving to avoid hitting them. An occasional traffic policeman tried to keep everything organized, or at least moving. The one or two traffic lights seems mere suggestions as to how to proceed. A sign in a traffic circle said in english "Drive Fine, Avoid the Fine". Right...

For 40 + minutes my senses were jarred with unexpected movement, noise, smells, dust and rapidly moving colors in a manner which on reflection seemed more harrowing than my previous trip to the Temple. But I guess that simply means that my journey to the Monkey Temple will be etched in my bones and senses very deeply until my next return visit…

At the base of the hill, by the entryway to the long climb, there are several prayer wheels and place where yak butter candles are lit... This woman is offering her prayers before ascending the stairs to the stupa…

Lots of merchants line both sides of the walkway all up and down the stairs; this one is carving religious images onto a slate of stone…

The eyes of Buddha painted onto a stone slab…

They don't call it the monkey temple for nothing…

The stairs to the top get steeper and steeper as you ascend the hill... First they are like a green ski run, then blue, and finally finish with a section of double black diamonds… 

The soaring central stupa, looks out over the Kathmandu valley in all four directions... The worker appears to be adding some "color" to the whitewashed dome… 

Even the dorje, or thunderbolt, is not exempt from the antics of the playful monkeys... The thunderbolt symbolizes male force, and the accompanying bell symbolizes female wisdom…

Around the base of the stupa is a continuous series of prayer wheels; the inscription on each wheel is the sacred mantra "om mani padre hum", which translates as "hail to the jewel in the lotus"…

Another view of the top of the stupa with prayer flags fluttering in the breeze, scattering mantras printed on the flags to the heavens…

One of the many temple dogs resting at the side of a statues... Guess Buddha's best friend is a faithful pup… 

At rest in the shade of a statue…

Carving of one of the many gods and goddesses seen on the statues in the plaza surrounding the stupa...  I might be mistaken but I believe this is Tara, who is making one of the many gestures of charity… 

Buddhas watchful eyes inscribed at the top of one of the many stone pillars…

Preparing more yak butter candles…

Interesting bronze figure next to one of the many bronze statures at the top of the temple…

Bronze prayer wheel… 

Bronze figurine; the face of benevolence wrapped in the hands of a serpent…

The monkeys have moved on; another look at the large dorje at the top of the long stairs…

Kathmandu Valley in the mid morning haze…

At the base of the stairs is a series of mani walls with the phrase om mani padme hum, hail to the jewel in the lotus, colorfully inscribed into the stone…

Buddha eyes, and the sacred mantra, painted and inscribed on stone, covered with a fine layer of monkey dung...

Pictures taken with Nikon 1 camera and 18.5 lens.

Kathmandu - A Day at Pashupatinath & Bodhnath

On a bluebird day, I ventured out to see more of the sights of Kathmandu. Today I wanted to see something new and something old. First off, I decided to visit Pashupatinath, a temple I first saw when we were here 15 years earlier. Pashupatinath, one of Nepal's most important Hindu and Shiva temples, stands on the banks of the Bagmati River, between Kathmandu and the airport, and slightly southwest of the hotel where we are staying. It is also one of the more popular places to be cremated and there is almost always a cremation taking place on one of the many ghats that line the Bagmati River. 

Afterward I struck out to see something new. Northeast of Pashupatinat, and literally at our backdoor of our hotel, is the Bodhanath Stupa, the largest stupa in Nepal and the religious center for Nepal's considerable population of Tibetans. Ringed by a large market with lots of stall selling art and artifacts, and nearby to several thriving monasteries, Bodhanath is a Tibetan town of sorts where the faithful circumambulate the large stupa in the morning and the late afternoon performing rituals handed down from generation to generation…

(1) Pashupatinath:

One of four burning ghats used for cremations at Pashupatinath. The log fires are laid, a shrouded body lifted on top and a fire is lit with little apparent ceremony. Once the cremation is complete the ashes are then swept into the Bagmati river…

Logs in place, a ghat is readied for another cremation…

There is a cow in the middle of the road... A COW??? Holy cow…

Reflecting on life on the banks of the Bagmati River, while a body is prepared for cremation on the opposite shore…

Monkeys have the run of the Hindu Temple grounds... But even the monkeys seem to be respectful of the funeral procession that takes place on the opposite bank of the river…

These ladies are descending the stairs from the temple itself down to the river bank. The temple, one of the most important Hindu temples in Nepal and one of the most important Shiva temples on the continent, is off limits to non-HIndus…

Observing the activity on the river from the upper terrace of the temple… 

An NBA starting team worth of sadhus working the crowd… A couple of rupees will buy you a picture and conversation… 

Stone carving on one of the 11 chaityas or small stupas that overlook the river…

The view from the highest terrace looking down on the Bagmati River, the cremation ghats, and a number of the smaller stupas and shrines that dot the temple grounds…

Cremation complete, the remaining ashes are pushed into the river…

Bringing in more straw for the funeral pyre…

A quiet calm seems to descend over the grounds as a couple of ghats are readied for the next cremations…

Two ladies sitting in the sun watching the action on the opposite bank of the river…

This gent looks to be settling in for the afternoon on the bank opposite the ghats…

Not sure if these four ladies find the activity amusing, tiresome or…

Man: Should I feed the monkey something? 

Monkey: Will he feed me something tasty?

A meal and a prayer on the banks of the Bagmati River...

(2) Bodhnath: 

And for a change of pace: The upper half of the giant Bodhnath Stupa, with prayer flags fluttering the early afternoon breeze…

One of the many bronze prayer wheel that ring the stupa…

Yak butter candles inside one of the rooms in the Ajima Shrine, honoring the goddess of smallpox, at the base of the Stupa…

Under Buddha's watchful eyes, a worker replaces a string of lights that will be lit up at dusk…

A decorative statue on one of the tiers of the Stupa; in the background, the roof of one of the gompas, or temple, of which there are several surrounding the Stupa…

Sleeping temple dogs… 

The niche in the wall above the dogs contains five small prayer wheels, which are turned by the faithful as they walk on their Kora, or devotional clockwise circumnavigation around the base of the stupa. There are 147 niches which means a lot of wheels to turn… 

To the left of the prayer wheel is a small image of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha... Around the base of the stupa are 108 such images, which the faithful first touch with their hands and then place the hand to their forehead as they chant a prayer to the Buddha…

Beads and other religious artifacts for sale in one of many shops around the Stupa…

Festive masks are also for sale…

This woman is filling the candle holders with fresh yak butter wax and cotton wicks…

Turning the prayer wheels as he circumnavigates the base of the stupa on his kora…

Taking a break, he watches the faithful on their trip around the Stupa... This man told me he was going to make three trips around the Stupa as he said he had a lot to be thankful for…

As the afternoon gives way to evening, this man is walking toward the Bodhanath Stupa in time for the evening festivities…

Helping their mother or grandmother make her way to the Stupa…

Buddha sees all, even through a tangle of wires… 

Just before dusk, the narrow path leading to the Stupa is full of people coming and going…

Checking out some reading material at a local book store opposite the Stupa… 

Nightfall and one of the smaller spires is festively lit up... So is the base of the Stupas dome in the background…

All pictures taken with a Nikon 1 and a variety of lenses...