Pashupatinath Temple

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Kyle and Jake went Bungee Jumping today, the happy fools. They rode a bus for Six Hours for the privilege. I stayed behind in Kathmandu.
I took a taxi to the Bagmati river and was lucky enough to find a Hindu festival.
Small pyramids of bamboo were anchored in the mud of the river, several sheltering small idols of Shiva and Shivaratri. The banks were covered by tents supported by bamboo poles, covered in a mess of "Christmas" lights. The tents were crowded with discarded shoes, crowds preparing offerings (garlands of flowers, fruit, clay candles, jars of milk) and, strangely, televisions. Women wearing saris would step into the river with plates loaded with bananas, melons, sugarcane, garlands of marigolds and red petals. Knee-deep in the muddy water they would pour milk over the offering and then stand silently in meditation or prayer. Some would dip under the water. A boy who gave me firecrackers said the mothers prey for their family's prosperity, but who knows what they ask for.
I also watched cremations on the Arya Ghats at Pashupatinath.

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