| |
Bouddhanath
Bouddhanath is among the largest stupas in
South Asia,
and it has become the focal point of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal.
The white mound looms thirty-six meters overhead. The stupa is
located on the ancient trade route to
Tibet,
and Tibetan merchants rested and offered prayers here for many
centuries. When refugees entered
Nepal
from Tibet in the 1950s, many of them decided to live around
Bouddhanath. They established many gompa's, and the "Little
Tibet " of Nepal was born. This is still the best place in the
valley to observe Tibetan lifestyle.
Bhaktapur
The city of the devotees is the marvel of
Kathmandu Valley. It is also known as Bhadgaon and was founded
in 889 AD by King Anand Dev. Today it covers an area of four
square miles and is flanked by Khasa Khusung and Hanumante
Rivers. Baktapur is perhaps the most popular of the three Newar
towns of the Kathmandu Valley.Baktapur is perhaps the most
popular of the three Newar towns of the Kathmandu Valley. Newar
art and architecture here rival the best craftsmanship of the
Malla period (from the 12th to the the 18th century). Though a
massive earthquake of 1934 destroyed many temples,
bahals(monastery courtyards), and residences, the city is still
a living proof of the highest craft standards in this part of
the world. As the visitor wanders through the narrow brick paved
streets, many alleys will show hidden shrines and statues. Clay
craftsmanship as well as cloth weaving is still practiced here
very much as in the past. Fourteen kilometers east of Kathmandu,
this peaceful, conservative town stands in sharp contrast to the
bustle of its two adjacent cities.
After seeing one or all of these monuments of the Kathmandu
Valley, the visitor needs to realize that, of course, the world
Heritage sites are only the trip of the iceberg. There are
countless other monuments to see in the Kathmandu Valley, as
there are shrines, statues, and religious images in almost every
alley. Only the gods know how old most of these are. There are
many pleasant walks and hikes around the Valley, with the
Himalayas
as a grand backdrop. And the original charm which lured Lord
Shiva still welcomes you. Welcome to
Nepal,
the country where the gods come to holiday!
Budhanilkantha
The Vishnu statue at Budhanilkantha was found buried in the
ground in its original state. The statue is estimated to be a
thousand years old and shows Vishnu lying on the cosmic water
before the universe was created. Shivapuri looms over
Budhanilkantha and visitors find much peace there. You will be
able to observe local people perform
Changu Narayan
Changu Narayan: Narayan, or Vishnu, is the preserver of creation
to Hindus. His temple near Changu village is often described as
the most ancient temple in the
Kathmandu
Valley. a fifth century stone inscription, the oldest to be
discovered in Nepal, is located in the temple compound and it
tells of the victorious King Mandev. The temple, now covers
sixteen hundred years of Nepalese art history. The temple, built
around the third century, is decorated by some of the best
samples of stone, wood, and metal craft in the valley. In the
words of one tourist guide,"When you look upon Changu Narayan,
you observe the complete cultural development of the Valley".
On the struts of the two-tiered Changu Narayan Temple, are the
ten incarnations in which Narayan destroyed evil-doers. A
sixth-century stone statue shows the cosmic from of Vishnu,
while another statue recalls his dwarf incarnation when he
crushed the evil King Bali. Vishnu as Narsingha disemboweling a
demon is particularly stunning. The western bronze doors sparkle
in the evening sunlight, dragons decorate the bells, and
handsome devas stare from the walls. Garuda, half man and half
birds, is the steed of Vishnu, and his life-sized statue kneels
before the temple. The favorite of many tourists is the statue
of Vishnu sitting astride his steed.A couple of hours' drive
from
Kathmandu takes you to the hilltop temple. Baktapur, a
medieval city and aWorld Heritage Site, is en route and is worth
a trip. puja every morning and evening.
Daksinkali
The temple at Daksinkali is dedicated to the ferocious mother
goddess who has much energy an power. It is said that she gives
strong will power and energy to those who come to her and she
loves sacrifices. The temple is tantric in nature and is a
favorite worship place of the Hindus. Saturdays are good days to
visit as there is always a massive crowd of worshippers who come
from all parts of
Nepal to offer prayers.
Kathmandu Durbar Square
It is easy to be overwhelmed by the seemingly unaccountable
monuments in the
Kathmandu Durbar Square.
The house of the Living Goddess, the ferocious Kal Bhairab, the
red monkey god, and hundreds of erotic carvings are a few
examples of the sights at the Square. The buildings are the
greatest achievements of the Malla dynasty, and the resulted
from the great rivalry between the three palaces of
Kathmandu,
Patan and Baktapur. For visitors today, and for the Nepalese, it
was serendipitous that they and later their offspring's, began
an artistic warfare trying to outdo each other in splendid
constructions. Kathmandu Durbar Square is amongst the most important sights for
travelers to see.
Pashupati
One day Lord Shiva got tired of his glittering place on
Mt.Kailash, his armies of ghosts and spirits, and even Parbati -
his beautiful wife. Through his cosmic powers, he searched for a
perfect place where he could holiday. Without telling anyone, he
ran away from his place and came to live in
Slesmantak
Forest in the Kathmandu Valley. He gained great fame here as
Pashupati - Lord of the animals - before other gods discovered
his hiding place and came to fetch him.
The Pashupati where he stayed has received the attention of
worshippers for at least fifteen hundred years;it is the holiest
Hindu pilgrimage destination in Nepal. There are linga images of
Shiva along with statues, shrines, and temple dedicated to other
deities in the complex. A temple dedicated to Shiva existed at
this site in AD 879. However, the present temples was built by
King Bhupatindra Malla in 1697. A gold-plated roof, silver
doors, and wood carvings of the finest quality decorate the
pagoda construction. Guheswari Temple, restored in AD 1653,
represents the female "force". It is wife, who gave up her life
in the flames of her father's fire ritual.
Lord Shiva once more escaped from Kailash and came back to
Pashupati as a hunter, but Parbati followed him disguised as a
beautiful huntress. Shiva tried to seduce her, and discovering
her true identity returned home shamefully. Kirateswar Temple
commemorates this rather unfortunate jaunt.
A circuit of the Pashupati area takes visitors past a
sixth-century statue of the Buddha, an eighth-century statue
Brahma the creator and numerous other temples. Some other places
to visit are Rajrajeswari Temple, built in 1407, Kailash with
lingas more than 1,400 years old, Gorakhnatemple, and the
courtyard of Biswarup. There are rows of Shiva shines and Hindu
pilgrims from all over
South Asia offering puja worship to Shiva, the Lord of
Destruction.
The
Bagmati
River flows close by and the Arya Ghat cremation grounds are
here. We strongly advise photographers not to take photos of
cremations and of bereaved families. Sadhus, sages who follow
the lifestyle of Shiva, may be seen covered in ashes and loin-
cloths. They ask for money in case you want to take their
photos. The main Pashupatinath courtyard may be entered by those
of Hindu faith only.
Patan
The ancient city is situated on the southern bank of the river
Bagmati and is about 5 km southeast of
Kathmandu. The city is full of Buddhist monuments and Hindu
temples with fine bronze gateways, guardian deities and
wonderful carvings.
Patan Durbar Square
The square boasts of many famous sites and unique
architecture.Krishna Mandir in the
Patan Durbar Square was built to honor the incarnation of
Vishnu. The Bhimsen temple which honors Bhim, a great wrestler,
brother of the Pandavs, and the deity to Nepalese businessmen,
contains fine samples of metal craft. The best place however to
see metal sculpture is the Hiranya Karna Mahabinar, the
Golden
Temple. The Sundari Chowk contains exquisite samples of
woodcarvings, stone and metal sculptures. A must to visit !
Swayambhu
The history of the valley, according to the legends, begins with
Swayambhu, or "the self-existent". In times uncharted by history
Bodhisattva Manjusri came across a beautiful lake during his
travel. He saw a lotus that emitted brilliant light at the
lake's center, so he cut a gorge in a southern hill and drained
the waters to worship the lotus. Men settled on the bed of the
lake and called it the
Kathmandu Valley. From then on, the hilltop of the self-existent
Lord has been a holy place.
Swayambhu's light was covered in time because few could bear its
intensity. By the thirteenth century, after many layers were
added to the original structure that enveloped the Lord's power,
a dome-like shape had been acquired. The stupas central mast was
damaged and replaced at that time. Peripheral sources of power
were discovered on the hilltop as well and stupas, temples and
rest houses were built to honor them. Images of important
deities, both Buddhist and Hindu, were also installed. Today,
ago-old statues and shrines dot the stupa complex. Behind the
hilltop is a temple dedicated to Manjusri of Saraswati the
goddess of learning.
Swayambhu is, perhaps, the best place to observe the religious
harmony in Nepal. The stupa is among the most ancient in this
part of the world, and its worshippers are diverse from Newar
nuns, Tibetan monks, and Brahmin priests to lay Buddhist and
Hindus. The largest image of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Nepal is in
a monastery next to the stupa. Other monasteries here have huge
prayer wheels, fine Buddhist paintings, and special butter
lamps, which may be lit after presenting monetary offerings.
Swayambhu is a major landmark of the Valley and looks like a
beacon below the Nagarjun hill. It provides an excellent view of
the Kathmandu Valley. Devotees have climbed the steps on the
eastern side for centuries. Statues of the Buddha, mini stupas,
monasteries and monkeys make the climb to Swayambhu - which is
fairly steep - worthwhile. But for someone who is physically
disabled or is pressed for time, the western road allows you to
get off your transport almost at the base of the stupa. |
