Pashupatinath Temple

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Today was a really good day. I met the last of my Gap trip friends for breakfast and we headed to the powerhouse of Hindu spirituallity - Pashupatinath Temple. A short taxi ride later, we were there and we quickly befriended a guide who was full of interesting facts.

Sadly no non-Hindus are allowed in the temple, but I managed to snap a few photos from outside. Pashupatinath Temple worships the God Shiva as the Lord of the Beasts. On the front of the temple was Shiva's son, Ganesh and on the other side, Ganesh's brother (who's name I forget). Apparently all Hindus at some point in the lives, make a pilgramage to this temple from all over the world.

Despite not being allowed in the temple, the grounds were huge and we walked to the main attraction, the river where Hindu cremations took place. The place was buzzing and there were funerals taking place all over the place. It was a long river, with steps eitherside and podiums where the cremations took place. They were loading logs of wood on the podiums for fresh cremations, the air was thick with the smell of smoke and plumes of smoke drifted up everywhere. I was semi grossed out and semi fascinated.

In Hindu religion there are four main casts and they all have different ways of doing the cremations and the rituals of washing the body (purifying it) and lighting lamps all around it to protect the body. At different stages of the river, are places for different cremations. If you are high up in the food chain, you get to be cremated at the top of the river and the layman further down. In the past, certain casts were only allowed to use certain podiums. What I couldn't believe is that 64% of Hindus in Nepal are all cremated here at this temple!

Apparently, in the past, if a woman's husband died, she was required/pressurised to burn with him. This doesn't happen anymore but can you imagine having to be burned alive with your dead husband?!? Apparently the ones that refused to burn, were never allowed to wear any colour ever again - which in this country is a BIG deal. Fascinatin stuff.

The temple, or should I say temples, were really beautiful and very ornate. There is a lot of erotic art, normally at the bottom of the engravings, I watch out for them! There were Sidhus (holy men) and general Nepalese dotted around everywhere. It was a really amazing place. I found the Shrine of Kali - the goddess of death and decided to make an offering. I bought some flowers and a candle and offered it to Kali - hoping for a good death and better karma in the next life. It was actually very cleansing - comes highly recommended!

At one point we went into the house where the Sidhus live. We had the option of seeing one of them practicing yoga. Or should I say the "11 finger" move where basically, we could have watched him pulling a pile of rocks with his sexual organ! Horrified by the idea, I quickly moved on.

As we left the temple, we saw a whole hoard of monkeys! I find them very frightening, especially when they show their teeth and hiss at you! Next we walked to the Boudnath Stupa. It's a huge Stupa with Buddha's lovely big eyes staring down at you. I circumnavigated the Stupa, clockwise a few times, I do love Stupas, I turned the prayer wheels, repeating my mantra each time, happiness, health, joy, peace...

After some vegetable pakoda, a sprite and a great conversation on philosophy and religion, we headed back to Kathmandu. When we arrived, we were surprised to see that there was a festival. This mean that crazy Kathmandu was EVEN MORE crowded than usual!!

Tomorrow I am truely alone for the first day in Nepal. Me thinks it's time to have that massage at last and take it easy :-)

Lots of love,
Namaste xxx

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