Freak Street and Durbar Square

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Today, on our last full day in Nepal, we went to Hanuman Dhoka, or Durbar Square, the ancient royal residence quarter. Here we visit a street called Freak Street, so named for the many hippies that flocked to this place in the 60's and 70's. There are still shops with those reminders and we actually saw a couple of old hippies still there walking around.

We ran into a local parade of girls and boys in traditional Kathmandu Valley costume playing traditional instruments leading a wedding car with the groom.

We visited Kumari Ghen, the house of the Kumari, a little girl worshipped as the reincarnation of Dourga. She is selected when she is 4 or 5 and lives here until she has her first period. Then she is no longer considered pure and another girl is selected. If the former Kumari remains in Nepal, she can never marry. The Kumari must be perfect in all her features, no blemishes, no crooked teeth, eyes must be perfectly round and dark. While we were inside her house she came to the upper story window to bless us. Unfortunately, no photography of her is allowed but we got a postcard with her picture. We all felt a great sympathy for the girl.

The royal palace here was built in 1908 in the neoclassical style after the king went to England and was amazed by the architecture.

We saw more Hindu temples, one shaped as an octagon dedicated to Krishna.

One thing to point out is that Buddhism is not a religion, it's a philosophy. You can be Christian and still be Buddhist. It's a way of living your life to reach inner peace.

We saw a guard dressed in the 1st soldier uniform for the 1st Nepalese military.

The king here in the 17th century was worried about the low literacy in his kingdom. He had written on a wall of his palace a phrase in 12 languages and asked that anyone who could translate all 12 would receive a huge reward. No one could but it made people start learning and the literary rate improved. As a result, this is called the Wall of Inspiration.

We saw the tallest Buddhist temple and the People Tree which can never be destroyed. The tree is thought to be a form of Lord Vishna.

There was an image of Lord Vishna as Kala Vairav. He is show as black when he is meant to be destructive. Criminals were brought to this placed and told to confess. To lie in front of this image meant an ugly death.

Finally we saw a 3 story temple made completely from only 1 tree.

The afternoon was spent at our leisure as we prepare for long trip home tomorrow.

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Photos

Freak Street
in ( ) on sign