Krazy Kathmandu

Asia » Nepal » Kathmandu
December 3rd 2006

Published: December 26th 2006

Edit Blog Post

brettandshiv

Shrine in market square

One's like this are scattered throughout the city

Like India, Katmandu exists as a shrine to contrast. In my opinion, the most stark, and interesting of these lies in the collision of history with the frantic modernity of the 20th century. Walking through the old city provides strange and fascinating glimpses into the centuries of religious history that lie inconspicuously amongst the artistic sterility of today’s materialism.

Getting lost in the maze of alley-ways and cobbled streets, with quiet, forgotten courtyards offering ancient temples and shrines, was a true delight. A God seems to exist for every occasion, and of course so too does his or her place of offering. Little children play on priceless statues, and this seems more fitting than their existence in a stuffy museum.

I loved going to Durbur square, a World Heritage Site in the centre of the city, sitting on one of the pagodas, and just watching life go by. The beauty and age of the many temples in the area is matched by the character and charisma of the people, who exude a quirky stubborness, and a gentle humour that touched me.

Indeed, often, just as I was falling into a meditative reverie, some kid would come and ask

Buddhist monastery

my name, or a man would sit next to me and start a conversation. In one afternoon, I made friends with a villager, was interviewed by some Sri-Lankan journalists and invited to stay at the home of a school teacher from a nearby village.

There's a pulse, a heartbeat to Nepal, that reminds me very much of Africa. It's that appreciation for life that comes from living in poverty, that humour that comes from hardship and that love that arises from a deep connection to the earth. For sure, there are many that have forgotton their connection to mother nature, but that heartbeat still exists and can be felt.

Additional photos below

Photos: 44, Displayed: 23