wherefore art me - september 24, 2006
i've now been into the heart of Kathmandu three times. i'm still not sure i'm ready to brave it on my own, but i don't need to think of that until after the meditation course at Kopan, which starts on Tuesday.
The first (last sunday?) was a quick afternoon tour with Bahadur and Katherine through Durbar Square, Freak Street (after the many hippies who gathered here in the 60s and 70s for the ubiquitous and very cheap weed and hashish, which i understand pretty much grows wild everywhere here) and the Thamel district.
The second was a full day on tuesday, september 19, with Bahadur's cousin, Bim, who is also a trekking guide, but whose English is significantly better. Bahadur and Bim met Katherine and me at Cafe New Orleans, now clearly my favourite nutritional oasis, in Boudhanath. Bahadur and Katherine went off to visit Patan, which is south of the Bagmati River and was once a separate kingdom, but is now part of the larger "conurbation" (not my term, but i kind of like it) of Kathamndu. I hope to visit Patan before I leave Nepal.
Bim had an itinerary already designed, and it started with getting me registered with the Canadian Cooperation Office-Nepal in Lazimpath (north of Thamel), which serves as the Canadian Embassy. then we moved to the the very place i had in mind to start with: Swayambhunath, frequently, though unfairly, i think, referred to as The Monkey Temple owing to the hordes of monkeys inhabiting the hill on which the temple is located. I won't try to recount the legend of Swayambhunath (though check here for a bit of it), but it does involve some role as a kind of geological refuge during the time when the Kathmandu Valley (perhaps 200,000 years ago) was a primordial lake (there is evidence that this was the case).
i was accosted at the base of the steps leading up to the temple by a coupled of saffron-robed sadhus, who, without warning, planted a tikka on my forehead and showered me with marigold petals before asking for baksheesh ("donation"). when i offered a 2 rupee coin, one of them practically hissed at me and muttered "100 rupees", but i wasn't in the mood for extortion and moved on. it wasn't the easiest or most peaceful or most compassionate introduction to one of the most sacred places in the Kathmandu Valley. I was also almost attacked by a monkey when i stopped to take it's photo, so the ascent was fraught with danger. Add to all of that the hawkers selling their wares all the way up the steps as well as among the 108 smaller stupas at the top and you get a flavour for nepali spiritualism. If i'm remembering my history lesson, though, this site has been a buddhist sacred space since the 6th century. There is also a legend, which some accept as fact (i'm leaving the question open) of an 8th century ascetic, Shantikar Acharya, who still lives many levels down in a locked cell in a smaller temple in the complex, called Shantipur.
Bim also took me back to Durbar Square, which is hardly a square, but is filled with astonishing and fascinating architecture, including the building allegedly made from a single tree in the 12th century, which is called Kasthamandap and is probably the source of Kathmandu's name. Kasthamandap was a resting place along the trade route between India and Tibet. (Patan and Bakhtapur also have their own Durbar Squares, just to keep things simple.) The Nine-Storey Palace -- the original royal palace--is particularly mind-boggling: all wood that has been carved so intricately that one wonders how it's survived. the residence of the Living Goddess (the embodiment of Taleju Bhawani), Kumari Ghar, is just as mind-boggling, however the fact that a very young girl is effectively captive for the first tender years of her life before she runs out of usefulness is a bit difficult to swallow.
in a shop in Thamel, we ran into Bim's father, now in his 70s and an ordained monk. Bim helped me purchase a string of prayer beads that he subsequently helped me have properly "kitted out" at another shop in Boudhanath with better string and the counting strings with their sterling silver counters, bell and vajra (or dorje in Tibetan). Bim encouraged me to take them with me to Kopan to be properly blessed by a lama and to receive a mantra.
after all of that, we had a relatively quick tour of the holiest Hindu complex in Kathmandu, perhaps in all of Nepal: Pashupatinath (pronounced, basically, "posh-potty-naht". Pashupatinath is to Nepal Hindus what Varanasi is to Indian Hindus. it is considered the most sacred temple to Shiva (The Destroyer) in the world. i observed my first cremations at the ghats along the absolutely filthy, but entirely sacred, bagmati river. they were, according to Bim, "poor" cremations, with the wealthier families staging their cremations further up towards the main temple (no non-hindus allowed). although i did take a photo of the pyres from the bridge, we were approached by a young hindu man who wanted to be my guide. i think i set the fox amongst the chickens when i said that i already had a guide and indicated Bim, who is, of course Tamang and Buddhist (both of which would be obvious to the young hindu man). A vigorous discussion took place between the two of them, which led to Bim and I walking up the stone steps to the viewing area well above the complex itself. It started to rain so heavily, though, that we had to make our way into the area of the 108 shrines to Shiva, each containing a lingam, and took refuge in a small structure that Bim said would ordinarily be occupied by priests. i was so fascinated by the downpour and the atmosphere of the place that i didn't try to engage any of the other 5 men in conversation, who were taking similar refuge.
the rain cut short our visit to this magnificent and powerful place, but it is within walking distance from Boudhanath and i plan to return on my own. if i have to pay a couple of hundred rupees to a local to show me everything (that i'm allowed to see), so be it. at least my visit here has confirmed my desire to visit Varanasi once I get to India.
my THIRD visit to Kathmandu was with the grade 4 students from the Child Haven Green Tara school this past Wednesday (September 20), but this time, instead of the relative luxury of taxis, we all crowded onto a local bus at Tintchuli (just south of Aaru Bari where the home is located) and bounced and jostled our way through Chabahil, Mahankil and then into the city itself. It was an hour of amusing discomfort.
we first stopped at the base of the Bhimsen Tower, the tallest structure in Kathmandu, where the attendants very kindly let us all in free (tourists would be expected to cough up 290 rupees, or about $4.) then it was back into the wilds of Durbar square where the children were the very willing recipients of loads of attention from other tourists, who wanted to take their picture. we toured the Hanuman-Dhoka palace and its almost endless series of museums before making our way to the rather threadbare Ratna Park for tiffin (i.e. tea or lunch). Katherine and I bought bananas and a slightly spicy fried dough treat to add to the food provided by the home (crisped beaten rice with a bit of seasoning). After tiffin, we walked past the sadly grand Rani Phokari, which is a small temple in the middle of a large, green pond, reached by a long causeway. It is opened only once during the festival of Tihar, which follows immediately after Dasain. (Dasain commenced yesterday, btw, so many of the children have gone to their families.) A walk by Ghanta Ghar (the clock tower) and it was back to the bus stop and a bone-jarring ride back to Aaru Bari.
yesterday, i ran into Katherine while i was enjoying coffee and "tofu energy" at Cafe New Orleans. we ended up chatting with a lovely young woman, Sarah, from Sydney, Australia, who's also a recovering lawyer. she came along with us to visit one of the tibetan buddhist monasteries ringing the hills around the valley, Pullahari, which is about a 40-minute walk from the Child Haven home. Pretty spectacular, perched on the edge of a hill as it is, so the view was extraordinary. We were even more surprised by the small tuck shop, where we ate samosas and pakodas (pakoras) and Katherine and I enjoyed truly delicious cups of coffee (made with an espresso machine). you gotta love tibetan buddhist monks.
So, I'm now just preparing for my 10 days at Kopan Monastery. I've been reading The Fundamentals of Tibetan Buddhism by Rebecca Novick, which I found much more digestible and helpful than the Dalai Lama's book.
Oh and I do have news: I AM going to to Tibet. I spoke to the travel agent in Kathmandu and he is booking my flight to coincide with Bonnie's, so I will be there from December 16-23. I haven't checked my e-mail yet today to know whether the Ottawa travel agent has been able to get me to Delhi on November 14 to connected with Bonnie, but I'll know more later.
Since I'm heading into relative seclusion for the next 10 days (as of Tuesday), i likely won't be posting for awhile or checking e-mail. I'll check back in as soon as I can.
The first (last sunday?) was a quick afternoon tour with Bahadur and Katherine through Durbar Square, Freak Street (after the many hippies who gathered here in the 60s and 70s for the ubiquitous and very cheap weed and hashish, which i understand pretty much grows wild everywhere here) and the Thamel district.
The second was a full day on tuesday, september 19, with Bahadur's cousin, Bim, who is also a trekking guide, but whose English is significantly better. Bahadur and Bim met Katherine and me at Cafe New Orleans, now clearly my favourite nutritional oasis, in Boudhanath. Bahadur and Katherine went off to visit Patan, which is south of the Bagmati River and was once a separate kingdom, but is now part of the larger "conurbation" (not my term, but i kind of like it) of Kathamndu. I hope to visit Patan before I leave Nepal.
Bim had an itinerary already designed, and it started with getting me registered with the Canadian Cooperation Office-Nepal in Lazimpath (north of Thamel), which serves as the Canadian Embassy. then we moved to the the very place i had in mind to start with: Swayambhunath, frequently, though unfairly, i think, referred to as The Monkey Temple owing to the hordes of monkeys inhabiting the hill on which the temple is located. I won't try to recount the legend of Swayambhunath (though check here for a bit of it), but it does involve some role as a kind of geological refuge during the time when the Kathmandu Valley (perhaps 200,000 years ago) was a primordial lake (there is evidence that this was the case).
i was accosted at the base of the steps leading up to the temple by a coupled of saffron-robed sadhus, who, without warning, planted a tikka on my forehead and showered me with marigold petals before asking for baksheesh ("donation"). when i offered a 2 rupee coin, one of them practically hissed at me and muttered "100 rupees", but i wasn't in the mood for extortion and moved on. it wasn't the easiest or most peaceful or most compassionate introduction to one of the most sacred places in the Kathmandu Valley. I was also almost attacked by a monkey when i stopped to take it's photo, so the ascent was fraught with danger. Add to all of that the hawkers selling their wares all the way up the steps as well as among the 108 smaller stupas at the top and you get a flavour for nepali spiritualism. If i'm remembering my history lesson, though, this site has been a buddhist sacred space since the 6th century. There is also a legend, which some accept as fact (i'm leaving the question open) of an 8th century ascetic, Shantikar Acharya, who still lives many levels down in a locked cell in a smaller temple in the complex, called Shantipur.
Bim also took me back to Durbar Square, which is hardly a square, but is filled with astonishing and fascinating architecture, including the building allegedly made from a single tree in the 12th century, which is called Kasthamandap and is probably the source of Kathmandu's name. Kasthamandap was a resting place along the trade route between India and Tibet. (Patan and Bakhtapur also have their own Durbar Squares, just to keep things simple.) The Nine-Storey Palace -- the original royal palace--is particularly mind-boggling: all wood that has been carved so intricately that one wonders how it's survived. the residence of the Living Goddess (the embodiment of Taleju Bhawani), Kumari Ghar, is just as mind-boggling, however the fact that a very young girl is effectively captive for the first tender years of her life before she runs out of usefulness is a bit difficult to swallow.
in a shop in Thamel, we ran into Bim's father, now in his 70s and an ordained monk. Bim helped me purchase a string of prayer beads that he subsequently helped me have properly "kitted out" at another shop in Boudhanath with better string and the counting strings with their sterling silver counters, bell and vajra (or dorje in Tibetan). Bim encouraged me to take them with me to Kopan to be properly blessed by a lama and to receive a mantra.
after all of that, we had a relatively quick tour of the holiest Hindu complex in Kathmandu, perhaps in all of Nepal: Pashupatinath (pronounced, basically, "posh-potty-naht". Pashupatinath is to Nepal Hindus what Varanasi is to Indian Hindus. it is considered the most sacred temple to Shiva (The Destroyer) in the world. i observed my first cremations at the ghats along the absolutely filthy, but entirely sacred, bagmati river. they were, according to Bim, "poor" cremations, with the wealthier families staging their cremations further up towards the main temple (no non-hindus allowed). although i did take a photo of the pyres from the bridge, we were approached by a young hindu man who wanted to be my guide. i think i set the fox amongst the chickens when i said that i already had a guide and indicated Bim, who is, of course Tamang and Buddhist (both of which would be obvious to the young hindu man). A vigorous discussion took place between the two of them, which led to Bim and I walking up the stone steps to the viewing area well above the complex itself. It started to rain so heavily, though, that we had to make our way into the area of the 108 shrines to Shiva, each containing a lingam, and took refuge in a small structure that Bim said would ordinarily be occupied by priests. i was so fascinated by the downpour and the atmosphere of the place that i didn't try to engage any of the other 5 men in conversation, who were taking similar refuge.
the rain cut short our visit to this magnificent and powerful place, but it is within walking distance from Boudhanath and i plan to return on my own. if i have to pay a couple of hundred rupees to a local to show me everything (that i'm allowed to see), so be it. at least my visit here has confirmed my desire to visit Varanasi once I get to India.
my THIRD visit to Kathmandu was with the grade 4 students from the Child Haven Green Tara school this past Wednesday (September 20), but this time, instead of the relative luxury of taxis, we all crowded onto a local bus at Tintchuli (just south of Aaru Bari where the home is located) and bounced and jostled our way through Chabahil, Mahankil and then into the city itself. It was an hour of amusing discomfort.
we first stopped at the base of the Bhimsen Tower, the tallest structure in Kathmandu, where the attendants very kindly let us all in free (tourists would be expected to cough up 290 rupees, or about $4.) then it was back into the wilds of Durbar square where the children were the very willing recipients of loads of attention from other tourists, who wanted to take their picture. we toured the Hanuman-Dhoka palace and its almost endless series of museums before making our way to the rather threadbare Ratna Park for tiffin (i.e. tea or lunch). Katherine and I bought bananas and a slightly spicy fried dough treat to add to the food provided by the home (crisped beaten rice with a bit of seasoning). After tiffin, we walked past the sadly grand Rani Phokari, which is a small temple in the middle of a large, green pond, reached by a long causeway. It is opened only once during the festival of Tihar, which follows immediately after Dasain. (Dasain commenced yesterday, btw, so many of the children have gone to their families.) A walk by Ghanta Ghar (the clock tower) and it was back to the bus stop and a bone-jarring ride back to Aaru Bari.
yesterday, i ran into Katherine while i was enjoying coffee and "tofu energy" at Cafe New Orleans. we ended up chatting with a lovely young woman, Sarah, from Sydney, Australia, who's also a recovering lawyer. she came along with us to visit one of the tibetan buddhist monasteries ringing the hills around the valley, Pullahari, which is about a 40-minute walk from the Child Haven home. Pretty spectacular, perched on the edge of a hill as it is, so the view was extraordinary. We were even more surprised by the small tuck shop, where we ate samosas and pakodas (pakoras) and Katherine and I enjoyed truly delicious cups of coffee (made with an espresso machine). you gotta love tibetan buddhist monks.
So, I'm now just preparing for my 10 days at Kopan Monastery. I've been reading The Fundamentals of Tibetan Buddhism by Rebecca Novick, which I found much more digestible and helpful than the Dalai Lama's book.
Oh and I do have news: I AM going to to Tibet. I spoke to the travel agent in Kathmandu and he is booking my flight to coincide with Bonnie's, so I will be there from December 16-23. I haven't checked my e-mail yet today to know whether the Ottawa travel agent has been able to get me to Delhi on November 14 to connected with Bonnie, but I'll know more later.
Since I'm heading into relative seclusion for the next 10 days (as of Tuesday), i likely won't be posting for awhile or checking e-mail. I'll check back in as soon as I can.
posted by allan at
1:15 a.m.
1 Comments:
*insert peaceful 'Big Love Buddha' smile here*
Namaste Gurilla
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Anonymous, at 6:25 p.m.
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