Thursday, November 29, 2007

Kathmandu Valley

We've had a great time hopping around the Kathmandu Valley over the past few days on day trips to Bhaktapur, Bodhnath, Pashupatinath, and Patan. Bhaktapur is the smallest of the three major towns in the Kathmandu Valley and seems like it hasn't changed in a long time. The narrow, cobblestone streets are too small for cars so the town is very quiet and children wander around on the streets - it was a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu.



The town is probably best known for its traditional Newari architecture in Durbar Square area but I thought the Kathmandu Durbar Square was more impressive - later I would learn that Patan's Durbar Square trumped both of them. We enjoyed walking around the back streets and stumbling upon some craftsmen still using traditional methods - potters throwing clay, knitters letting their yarn dry, etc.

Nayatapola Temple just south of Durbar Sq is notable as one of the highest and holiest temples in all of Nepal! The Nepalese believe spiritual purity increases with each higher floor - so the fifth story of this building is very holy!

Our stop at Bodhnath could have been very quick and probably would have if we didn't get terribly lost. Fortunately we ran into an American expat living in Nepal named Josh, it was interesting to hear his perspective on the area after having been around for a while. The area is home to a very holy Tibetan Buddhist stupa and is filled with many refugees from the Cultural Revolution.

The culture was vibrant and unfettered - monasteries were overflowing with monks whereas in Tibet most monasteries were only one tenth the size they had been in the 1950s! The contrast between the two places couldn't be more distinct. Video: Monks chanting at Bodhnath Stupa.



From Bodhnath, we took a stroll along the holy Bagtmati river to Pashupatinath, Nepal's most important Hindu temple. The monument to Shiva, the destroyer and creator of the Hindyu pantheon, attracts wandering Hindu holy men, or sadhus, from all over India.


We witnessed a ritual funeral on the river banks - a family burned their patriarch on a pyre alongside the river. I was so disturbed by this sight that we left shortly thereafter. Fortunately we were able to check out some of the temples before hand - the stone temples were oddly reminiscent of Myan ruins.


Today we checked out Patan, the second largest city (next to Kathmandu) in the valley. Our departure for Bandipur tomorrow and some routine chores meant we only had a few hours to get through the whole city - fortunately the two main sites, Durbar Square and the Patan Museum were right next to each other!


Durbar square was roughly the same size as Kathmandu's but there were a greater number of more interesting temples in that space. The museum contained a number of well restored Buddha statues and an interesting exhibit on the statue making process but the real gem was an photo exhibit of the area circa 1900. Photo: Durbar Sq



Below: The touristy Thamel area of Kathmandu near our guest house

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas Matt! We miss you, but have been avidly reading your amazing and wonderful blog ever since you left. You do a great job of it. I want to be you guys and see everything and do all that you are doing. Keep having the best time. Have you heard what I got for Christmas? A baby donkey!! Could there be a better present? Take good care of each other. Lots of love, Prue and all the rest of the Osborns