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Published: March 31st 2012
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What to do in Kathmandu?
And so it is that even when travelling one must sometimes just wait it out as I have been doing this past week in Kathmandu. I’ve come to the conclusion that waiting is a lesson in patience and if one doesn’t lose her patience or become bored then she has mastered the art of waiting. So while I waited for the next organized part of my adventure, I embraced Kathmandu with all of her many faults but have seen the light even through the smog and have come to appreciate her beauty.
Kathmandu is situated on the banks of the Bagmati River. It is not only the capital of Nepal, but in fact the only city in the country. It’s a lively, bustling place where the old world of stupas and temples is melting into the new world of concrete and motorcycles. Although the power goes out every day in the morning (while I was blow drying my hair) until the evening, the people somehow continue to plough ahead and go about their daily business.
Most of my time was spent in an area of Kathmandu called
Thamel. It’s a backpacker and trekker’s haven. Here you will find German bakeries with every kind of pastry or cookie and Illy coffee too. There are cafes, clubs, pubs and every kind of cuisine imaginable from Nepali, Indian, Chinese, Bhutanese, Continental, Thai, Mexican and yes even a couple of sushi bars. For the shopaholic, there are bargains galore to be had: cashmere scarves, book, jewelry, gems, hand- made paper, hippie/granola clothing and high end trekking gear and The North Fake galore. Bargaining is an art form and I believe that I have finally mastered it. Buyer beware when a vendor says to you, “You are my first or last customer of the day. It’s good luck for me to make a sale” or “For you, I have a special price” or “Where are you from? Oh! Canada, I love Canadians”.
The heart of the old city is Durbar Square where the Nepal Royal family used to be crowned. The buildings here date back to the 17
th and 18
th centuries; many of the structures were much older but suffered from the effects of the earthquake in the 1930s. Durbar Square houses an overwhelming number of temples, too many
to mention. One of the most intriguing is the Kumari Bahal. It’s a three story building which is home to the Kumari, the girl who is selected to be the town’s living goddess until she reaches puberty and then once again is transformed into a mere mortal. The building itself was built in 1757. It is enclosed by beautifully carved balconies and windows, making it quite possibly the most beautiful courtyard in Nepal. Even though photographing the goddess is strictly forbidden, she does make an appearance daily between 4:30pm and 6pm. I waited along with the other tourists and some locals for her to make her appearance. After waiting in the company of a very polite Nepali man for over an hour, I finally asked if she would be making an appearance today. He took me into the courtyard and shouted out to the Kumari’s guardian to ask when the kumari would be appearing. Thanks to him, I saw the living goddess of Nepal. There are many legends as to the background of the kumari, in fact there are a few living goddesses in Kathmandu but the Kumari Devi, or Royal Kumari of Kathmandu is the most important. She is
selected from a particular caste of Newari goldsmiths and silversmiths. She is usually between four years old and puberty and must meet 32 strict physical requirements. Her horoscope must also be favourable. Several candidates are chosen and then gathered together in a dark room where men dance in frightening masks making horrific sounds. The real goddess, the incarnation of Durga, will remain calm and this young girl will be declared the new goddess. She then chooses items of clothing and decoration worn by her predecessor. She then moves into the temple with her family and only goes out into the world once a year for three days during the Indra Jatra festival. Her reign ends with her first period. She then becomes mortal again. She is paid a substantial dowry and it is said that marrying an ex-Kumari is unlucky! What an honour and very, very “different” ritual.
Swayambhunath, the Monkey Temple
Visiting this temple is a must since it is famous for the monkeys that hang around this temple, hence its nickname the “Monkey Temple”. Visitors and worshippers must take care of their belongings and never take any food out otherwise the monkeys
attack. I, of course, was foolish enough to take out a tangerine and monkeys literally came out of the trees and almost pounced on me. I quickly put the tangerine in my backpack only to have two of the bigger monkeys come closer to me and bear their teeth.
Fortunately, two young Nepali men came to the rescue and scared off the monkeys for me. It was the scariest moment I’ve experienced in a long while. Doesn’t sound like much but visions of rabies were dancing through my head all the while. The temple is located on a hilltop at 77m that looks over the Kathmandu Valley. It’s one of the holiest sites in Nepal and is the best place to observe religious harmony since there are both Buddhist and Hindu temples here, and the famous all seeing eyes of the Buddha overlook the Valley. The white stupa is topped with a gilded spire painted with the eyes of the Buddha; these eyes are depicted all over the Kathmandu on cards to t-shirts. Getting to the temple was no easy feat as one must climb a steep stone stairway (perfect preparation for a trek in Nepal).
According to legend, the Kathmandu Valley was once a lake and geological evidence proves this. The hill where Swayambhunath is built rose from the waters. This is how the temple got its name swayambhu which means self-risen. The stupa is one of the most recognizable structures of the Kathmandu Valley. From the spire, four faces of the Buddha stare out from the hilltop over the city. There is a squiggle below the eyes which is the Nepali number one which signifies unity, and above is a third eye which signifies the insight of the Buddha. All of the different parts of the stupa have symbolic meaning – the white dome represents the earth, the 13-tiered structure at the top symbolizes the 13 stages that man must pass through to achieve nirvana. At the base are prayer wheels engraved with the sacred mantra “om mani padme hum” (hail to the jewel of the lotus). The worshippers walk in a clockwise direction spinning these prayer wheels as they go along. The stupa is surrounded by thousands of prayer flags; these prayers are carried by the wind to the heavens.
Another day, I visited both the Pashupatinath Temple and the Boudhanath
Temple. The Pashupatinath Temple is the largest Hindu temple in Nepal and is dedicated to the Lord Shiva. Although only Hindus are allowed inside the temple, visitors can see the decorated outer temple and watch pilgrims around the temple. Locals worship here daily and receive blessings from the Lord Shiva early in the morning. Near the temple at the edge of the Bagmati River is Arya Ghat, where cremations are performed.
From the Hindu temple we travelled to the Boudhanath which is the focal point of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal and is the largest stupa in South Asia. The name Boudhanath is derived from two different words Boudha and Nath. Boudha means wisdom and Nath stands for Lord. My next stop Baktapur……
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Keontor
Kevin Finlayson
If It's Four P.M. in Kathmandhu, It Must be Four A.M. in Toronto!
You sure did have lots to do...like wake me up!!! All kidding aside was lovely to hear from you and this blog (photos and all) really captures the magic and majesty of this place. I always thought it was overcommercialized from what I had heard...you have managed to capture its inner soul. I'm inspired! But you'll have to excuse me...I'm going back to bed! xoxox