Temple Day

Owen and I at the monkey temple, Swambunath.
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It was temple day. Kathmandu has three major temples that it is famous for...Swambunath (the monkey temple), Pashupatinath (the largest Hindu temple), and Baudanath (the largest Buddhist Stupa.) We decided to do all three in one feat. As Owen said, this would be some "serious temple hopping." All three are in Kathmandu but can take awhile to get to depending on traffic.

As we selected our taxi, a woman named Nana, from Ghana, stopped us to ask about our plans for the day. She was leaving town the next day and wanted to see all three temples that day. So, we had our team of three and we were off. First we went to Swambunath, the monkey temple. You can probably see from the pictures why it is called the monkey temple. It actually a buddhist stupa (temple) set on the top of a long hill. The proper way to get there is to take the stairs that wind themselves through statues, trees, and clusters of prayer flags. It’s about a 15 minute hike uphill which Owen wasn’t quite up for yet with his cold. So, we paid the extra money to have the driver take us all the way to the top.

It was one of those days that makes traveling several thousand miles to experience something new, absolutely worth it.

Why it's called the "Monkey Temple."
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As we approached, the first thing you notice is the massive quantity of prayer flags swaying above you in the breeze. The distance they span and the sheer quantity seem like an impossibility for the delicate structure of these strands. But, there they are, like a multi-color cloud hanging above you as you climb the final stairs to the top. From the moment you enter this enchanting little complex monkeys dart in front of you, pigeons fly overhead, the prayer flags blow in the wind, you hear the sounds of bells chiming from the stupa, dogs and monks wind their way through the compound, and you just stare, mouth agape, at this amazing menagerie. I don’t know if you can tell yet, but this was one of my favorite places in Kathmandu. The energy and sounds of this place were just incredible.

More monkeys....holy water maybe?
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The center of the complex is the stupa itself. People circle, always clockwise, spinning the prayer wheels and lighting candles. There are many building all around the stupa consisting of a monastary, small shops, and cafe’s. As we circled to the back of the complex I started looking in one of the shops. Thanka paintings are a famous buddhist art of which many stores here sell. I finally bought a gold painting set on a red background. (Katie- you’d be proud of how much my haggling skills have improved, but I’m still nowhere near the skill of my big sister.)

Prayer wheels at Swambunath. You are supposed to spin each one as you walk around the stupa. Each spin counts for one prayer that is written on the wheel.
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I agreed not to try to pet or feed the monkeys, but when Owen wasn’t looking I found some absolutely adorable fuzzy puppies to play with. One of the Nepalese women who had made the puppy cry by kicking it when she shooed it away tried to sign-language that it was dirty or sick and I shouldn’t pet it. It was just too cute, I couldn’t resist. I think the buddhists would have been proud of me, compassion for all and whatnot.

Next we were off to Pashupatinath, the largest Hindu temple in Nepal. This place was much more of a small city than a simple temple. It is famous area for Nepalese Hindus to bring their dead or dying relatives. A river runs through the center of the complex which makes it a prime location for cremations and the floating away of the ashes to the river Ganges. There is even a white house near the cremation area where you can bring a relative who is close to dying and they have a doctor on site who will give you an estimate of how long it will be until their demise. Once dead, the bodies are covered with cloth and laid on holy stone slabs with their feet in the rushing river water. I don’t know how long they are left there, but the loved one’s next stop are the cremation pires on the other side of the bridge.

The statue behind the monkey is a very common Buddhist symbol. I am afraid I don't know what it is though.
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I know we have cremation in the United States, but seeing it displayed so openly was a much more uncomfortable situation than I had expected. You just stand on the bridge starring at loved ones mourning the dead as the body is in flames in front of them. Then you see the ashes floated into the river and, for me, discomfort was replaced by more of a feeling of "gross." Sorry, I can’t think of a more eloquent word. In India you always hear about how poluted the Ganges is. I never considered that we’re not only dealing with pollution from India, but apparently all the Hindu dead of the Kathmandu Metropolitan area are also loaded into the river. It all adds up for Bangladesh being in a very bad area....downstream.

Outdoor shopping ladies? The basic fare around the temples are buddha statues, beaded necklaces and prayer chains, bells, and thanka paintings.
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It was a beautiful complex however. The jungle atmosphere with monkey jumping through the trees made me feel like I was in Thailand or Cambodia. But the familiar stone pillars of Shiva gave the place a definite Hindu feel. You will also see in the photos that each Shiva temple has an accompanying statue of a bull in front of it, facing the building. Each Hindu god has a form of transport. Shiva rides on a bull, Ganesh (the elephant god) rides on a mouse, etc. Yeah, funny that the elephant rides on a mouse, especially by Western mentality.

holy monkey
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Our last stop was Baudunath, the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal. If you saw the movie "Little Buddha," with Keanu Reeves, you have seen this stupa. In the movie it is one they take the boy from the U.S. to on their way to Bhutan. From the main street you will see a decoratively painted gate leading down a small alley. As soon as you walk through the gate (and pay your 100-200rp) you see the incredible stupa before you. People walk around all levels of it. At the very base is a brick sidewalk and the prayer wheels. It will take you about 5 minutes to circle the base going at a brisk speed (again, always clockwise.) Once you enter the gate on the far side you can begin to climb up the stupa itself. There are a few steps, but for the most part you just walk on the slighty rounded, but smooth surfaces of whitish- yellow.

Us with the buddha at Swambunath. The hand position was owen's idea. Do we look zen?
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The way that the stupa created a kind of social environment around it reminded me very much of Italian piazza’s. The buildings near by are all very old and medieval looking with tiny, wooden doors and windows. People do come to pray and worship, but the stupa is in the middle of a neighborhood. So, you also see many older folks sitting on benching talking. Younger people lounge in the sun on the smooth parts of the stupa. Around 5pm the area really fills up with people and a clockwise whirlpool of people appear along with the fruit and vegetable sellers.

That's a lot of prayer flags.
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The weather was absolutely perfect. Nana and I just walked around the stupa enjoying the gentle breeze and warm sun. It had been raining for several days before, so it seemed the whole population of Kathmandu was out in this small square, just rejoicing in the sunshine. It was one of those days that makes traveling several thousand miles to experience something new, absolutely worth it.