WE SAW DEAD PEOPLE- A HINDU CREMATION

WEATHER: Hot and 27C

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: Buying my Buddha head and he’s beautiful

BUMMER OF THE DAY: Seeing dead people burn-but it is a celebration for Hindi’s

WORD OF THE DAY:  Garlic

DISTANCE TRAVELLED: 85km

We head out of Kathmandu today and start our tour of Nepal Encompassed in earnest today.  So I finally say goodbye to my fifth floor room (with no lift) that I have had for the last 6 nights and I am not sad to say goodbye to that.  It is also time to say goodbye to the blues and the promise of what could have been.  Kathmandu will always be a reminder of my breakup with Zeme, but it is also a positive reminder that it is where I took back control of my life again.  So with the click of the hotel room door not only is it the start of my new and last tour but the start of my ‘new’ chapter. 

We were on the road at 9.10am.  We had 2 stops on our way to Bhaktapur today.  First was going to be the Boudhanath and then the second was Pashupatinath Temple.  There is a great system here when you are reversing a vehicle, someone taps the back of the car when it is safe to reverse and if it isn’t safe then you get one big tap telling the driver to stop.  It is something that would never take off back home as you would always need someone to be there to tap for you, but the system works well for them here.  The traffic was much worse today as it was officially the first day back for people after the 10 day religious festival finished yesterday.  And I thought the traffic was bad yesterday!  There doesn’t seem to be any tuk tuk’s or jeepney’s here, just lost of mini-vans that are taxis, cars, trucks and a lot of motorbikes.  We did see a group of around 25 men, carrying a dead body on a stretcher that was covered in white and orange cloths.  They were on their way to Pashupatinath, where we were heading later on, to cremate the recently deceased family member.  You know, just another normal day in Nepal, apparently.  Through the course of the day we saw 2 more processions…. How sad.

It took us 30 minutes to arrive at Boudhanath and when we got out of the van, you just saw buildings, no sign of a stupa at all and then we passed through an ornate entrance between 2 brick buildings and your first glimpse of a beautiful stupa stood before us.  Now I have seen a lot of stupas in Sri Lanka, but this was no less beautiful than any of the others and looked magical to me.  I think part of it is Buddha’s eyes on the stupas which the ones in Sri Lanka don’t have and they are always stunningly white.  It was surrounded by what could have been a European village, with cute 2 story buildings surrounding the stupa in a circle that held all sorts of shops from hardware for the locals to the bric a brack shops for the tourists.  Boudhanath is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu.  Located about 11 km from the center of Kathmandu, the stupa's massive mandala makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in Nepal.  The Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath dominates the skyline. The ancient Stupa is one of the largest in the world. The influx of large populations of refugees from Tibet has seen the construction of over 50 Tibetan Gompas (Monasteries) around Boudhanath. As of 1979, Boudhanath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along with Swayambhunath, it is one of the most popular tourist sites in the Kathmandu area.  The Stupa is on the ancient trade route from Tibet which enters the Kathmandu Valley by the village of Sankhu in the northeast corner, passes by Boudnath Stupa to the ancient and smaller stupa of Cā-bahī (often called 'Little Boudnath'). It then turns directly south, heading over the Bagmati river to Patan - thus bypassing the main city of Kathmandu (which was a later foundation).  Tibetan merchants have rested and offered prayers here for many centuries. When refugees entered Nepal from Tibet in the 1950s, many decided to live around Boudhanath. The Stupa is said to entomb the remains of Kassapa Buddha.  After getting our explanation from our guide we went into one of the many monasteries that can be found in the area and then we had free time.  It had a great feel here and it was shame that we were only given 30 minutes.  So we entered the stupa and up a flight of steps found us on what I would call the roof of it.  It was certainly the closest I had come to climbing a stupa and we had a nice view of the people down below.  It was kind of surreal walking where we were, like we were doing something naughty.  It was amazing and with the Tibet prayer flags crisscrossing from the buildings and the stupa we got some cool photos.  There is always time for shopping and we had 10 minutes to have a quick look at what the shops had to offer and what an offering they had.  I may have to make a journey back here in the spare 3 days I have before I head home.  The bric a brac shops have amazing stuff in them, you have to sift through some crap, but it is like a BIG massive trash and treasure, looking through items that used to belong to other people, from jewelry, vases, Buddha’s and a whole lot of stuff in between.  You could spend hours going through it all.  The best thing about this place was they didn’t hassle you for business, they just let you look with no pressure from them.  What a wonderful way to shop. 

We were back on the road at 10.40am for Pashupatinath Temple.  This place is one of the most significant Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world, located on the banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu.  The temple served as the seat of the national deity, Lord Pashupatinath.  The temple is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.  The temple is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams (Holy Abodes of Shiva on the continent). Over the past times, only born Hindus were allowed to enter the temple. Others could look at it from other side of the river. However, the norms have been relaxed due to critical incidents pertaining every human being. If the individual is destined, he/she takes and completes the journey to reach these footsteps without any resistance or obstructions along the way, is believed to be under the fiercely compassionate grace of the lord, the devotee is led by his instincts. Pashupatinath Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu. The temple's existence dates back to 400 A.D. The richly-ornamented pagoda houses the sacred linga or holy symbol of Lord Shiva. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the world come to pay homage to this temple that is also known as 'The Temple of Living Beings'.  We weren’t going to visit the temple as you have to ne Hindi to be able to enter, but today we were coming to see the other side of the river and the chance to see a Hindu cremation.

The Pashupati area is regarded as one of the most important places of pilgrimages for the followers of Hinduism. Thousands of devotees from within and outside the country come to pay homage to Pashupatinath every day.  Thousands of devotees take ritual baths in the Bagmati River on the day of festivals and observe a fast for the whole day.  We were dropped off in a large dusty car park and walked past stalls selling all the souvenirs and brick brac we had seen at Boudhanath.  I did spot a marvelous Buddha head that I have been looking for since my arrival, so if I have time on the way out I will check the cost.  There are so many around, when you see one that you actually like, you just need to bite the bullet and pay what you think is reasonable.  I always have a price in my head and what I would like to pay and then I use that as a guide, because 95% of the time they will ask what your best price is.  I couldn’t stop thinking about the piece, so I know I will definitely get it on my way out.  So we walked a paved road for about 10 minutes that got us to the edge of the Bagmati River.  The river runs next to Pashaputinath Temple, and is said to have highly sacred properties. Thus the banks are lined with many ghats (bathing spots) for use by pilgrims. The main cremation site is Bhasmeshvar Ghat, which is the most-used cremation site in the Kathmandu Valley and that is where we found ourselves this morning. 

Now to try and paint this picture for you is a little surreal.  We were on the other side of the river to where the pyres we located.  A pyre also known as a funeral pyre, is a structure, usually made of wood, for burning a body as part of a funeral rite or execution. As a form of cremation, a body is placed upon or under the pyre, which is then set on fire.  So there must have been about 6 pyres, and 3 of them were currently burning.  It is like a weird out of world experience to think that under the white cloud of smoke that was emanating from the pyre was the burning of a human being, flesh-a person who was alive hours before, now finalizing their rite of passage to a religion that is foreign to you and I.  The air smelt of smoke, like from a normal fire, there was no yucky smell to it, but the thought that we were breathing in smoke from a burning body was an off putting feeling.  An adult body takes about 4 hours to burn and members from the deceased family sit and wait for the burning to be complete before the ashes are swept into the Bagmati River, that flows through Varanasi in India, and then into the ocean.  Witnessing, let alone photographing, a cremation is not easy. It feels like bad taste but seems to be accepted and not once did we get a black stare, a look or a tut.  We checked several times with Padma and also Satya, and they said it was no problems for us to be taking photos.  We also weren’t the only tourists here, there were groups coming and going the whole time we were there, so we didn’t look so conspicuous either.  Women do not go to the cremation ground. They stay at home while the men take care of this terrible but essential ritual work.   

Just before we moved further up the river, a body arrived for cremation.  So I stopped to witness first-hand the removal of the body onto the pyre, headed downstream.  The family members surrounding the body and then the lighting of the body.  The men, kinsmen and friends of the dead man, did almost all of the ritual work. They opened the shroud to expose his face to the sun, also a god. Each man circumambulated the body, adding ghi [clarified butter] and sprinkling a little purifying water on the face of the corpse.  The son then walks around the body 3 times and then lights the wood.  I’m telling you, for my brain to comprehend what was happening was so weird to what our western ‘customs’ have installed in us.  It is Hindu custom for the body to be cremated within hours of the passing, so looking at the prye’s now, these people were alive yesterday, and now they weren’t.  We then moved a little further up the river onto where we could get a better view of the Pashupati Temple and to see 15 votive shrines, the Pandra Shivalaya, which was built to enshrine lingas in memory of deceased persons between 1859 and 1869.  There were also a large contingent of worshippers that had arrived at the same time, around 100-150, and they sat, with a view of the temple on the other side of the river as a ‘preacher’ man spoke to the group and something was drunk from a small cup that was passed between them all.  Women, children and men, all in the group.  From here apparently they would then walk over the bridge and visit the Pashupati Temple, but for now they were giving their thanks and offerings from the other side of the river.  It was also here that we saw the ‘Holy Men’.  This is the classic picture of saffron clad, dreadlocked men that you see in picture relating to India and Nepal and we were able to get our photos with them (for a fee of course) and as touristy as it was, I had to get the ‘classic’ shot and it was worth the 1.20AUD I paid.  Later Padma said that out of the 8 that we saw, 3 of them were ‘real’ Holy Men’ the other were fakes as such.  But what a great photo opportunity all the same. 

The long stretch along the Baghmati River is devoted to cremations. We passed the bridge that divides the royal site upriver, from the commoner cremation sites downriver. The Baghmati feeds into the Ganges, which spills out into the Indian Ocean, the ultimate point of dissolution and regeneration for king and commoner alike.  From this section of the river we could see 3 bodies waiting for the pyre.  They were left in the sun, the corpse was wrapped in a white cotton cloth overlaid in an ochre one. A garland of small white flowers stretched along the length of the body. It had been deposited at the top of the steps leading down to the Baghmati River, as if abandoned. No one seemed to be tending to it, no one sat beside it grieving, and passers-by did not glance at it. A few yards away women were shampooing their hair and washing pots in the river, indifferent to its presence.  This was where the body, as part of the ritual, had its feet washed in the holy river, before being taken to the pyre.

This stark Hindu funeral has deeply impressed me. Once I thought this must be a grotesque custom, but I have come to respect Hindu cremation. Nobody is ever taken to a sterile lab where its fluids are drained by an expert class of morticians and replaced with chemicals, nor does it lie in a commercial parlor tended by businesspeople. Their way of death is an act of family love and powerful religious ritual. The body is burned within the day of death, the soul is released to new life, and the heat by which the gods brought the universe into being is rekindled.  No matter what you think about the whole process, there must be respect given to people’s different religions, cultures and what they believe.  But what a moving experience and surreal experience all at the same time.  I think I will never see anything like that ever again and it definitely left an impression on me that I will carry forever.

On our way out we had time to stop at the small curio stalls that we had passed coming in and I saw my Buddha head again and stopped to ask for the price.  It is far easier for me to ask in US dollars than in rupees as my 83 times tables are not quite up to scratch.  I was happy to pay 20USD for the piece, so with this price in mind we started the bartering.  And lucky I like to barter as his starting price was 55USD.  So back and forth for the next few minutes I walked away with the head for 25USD and I was happy with the purchase.  It is a beautifully carved Buddha head out of a dark wood and the quality is really good.  The only thing is I have to carry it now for the next 2 weeks, but I saw it, I liked it and I bought it.  If I wait till I get back to Kathmandu, I won’t see one the same and I had of wished I had of bought it.  Yes I am happy with my buy. 

The drive to Bhaktapur from Pashupati was 1 hour and 45 minutes getting us to the ancient city at 12.45pm.  We were dropped off at the main gate and walked into the city that was busy with temples and structures just like Durbar Square in Kathmandu.  We headed to lunch first and then we were going to get a walk around the city and then free time for the rest of the afternoon.  I haven’t really embraced the Nepali food.  It reminds me a lot of Indian food, and after getting super sick on my last day of my Indian tour 5 years ago, I am not a fan of the food anymore, if I ever was.  So I am boring and I stick to western food and today I ordered a chicken cordon blue and when it arrived and I started eating it was full, and I mean FULL of garlic.  Luckily I won’t be kissing anyone on this trip and I hope that this will keep me healthy for my last few weeks on the road.  A few people are getting ailments of some sort, so I ate 90% of what I could just based on that.  I do NOT want to get sick.  The arrival of the food here has not improved and is something I think that is just part of their culture.  We never get out of anywhere in less than 1.5 hours as we wait for all of us to receive our meals, sporadically, and get them eaten.  That is just how they roll here and you have to learn to factor this into the day’s timings. 

After lunch we were shown around the main section of the city, which was quite compact and cute, with its cobblestone streets, passing bikes and a few cars on the larger road arteries.  Bhaktapur is an ancient Newar town in the east corner of the Kathmandu Valley.  It is the third largest city in Kathmandu valley and was once the capital of Nepal during the great Malla Kingdom until the second half of the 15th century.  Bhaktapur is listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO for its rich culture, temples, and wood, metal and stone artwork.  It is the home of traditional art and architecture, historical monuments and craft works, magnificent windows, pottery and weaving industries and excellent temples.  Bhaktapur is still an untouched as well as preserved ancient city.  From time immemorial it lay on the trade route between Tibet and India. This position on the main caravan route made the town rich and prosperous.  It occupies an area of around 119 km² at an altitude of 1,401 meters above sea-level.

The main square and the most impressive is Bhaktapur Durbar Square which is a conglomeration of pagoda and shikhara-style temples grouped around a 55-window palace of brick and wood. The square is one of the most charming architectural showpieces of the valley as it highlights the ancient arts of Nepal. The golden effigies of the kings perched on the top of stone monoliths, the guardian deities looking out from their sanctuaries, the wood carvings in every place — struts, lintels, uprights, gateways and windows.  The main items of interest in the Durbar Square are:

Lu Dhowka (The Golden Gate) is said to be the most beautiful and richly molded specimen of its kind in the entire world. The door is surmounted by a figure of the goddess Kali and Garuda (mythical man-bird) and attended by two heavenly nymphs. It is embellished with monsters and other mythical creatures of marvelous intricacy. The gate was erected by King Ranjit Malla and is the entrance to the main courtyard of the palace of fifty-five windows.  The Palace of Fifty-five Windows was built during the reign of King Yaksha Malla in 1427 A.D. and was remodeled by King Bhupatindra Malla in the seventeenth century. Among the brick walls, with their gracious setting and sculptural design, is a balcony of fifty-five windows, considered to be a unique masterpiece of woodcarving.  The Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla in the act of worship can be seen on a column facing the palace. Of the square's many statues, this is considered to be the most magnificent.  Batsala Temple: The stone temple of Batsala Devi depicts many intricate carvings; however, it is most famous for its bronze bell, known to local residents as "the bell-of barking dogs," as when it is rung, dogs in the vicinity begin barking and howling. The colossal bell was hung by King Ranjit Malla in 1737 A.D. and was used to sound the daily curfew. It is nowadays rung every morning when goddess Taleju is worshiped.  The Pashupati Temple is a replica of the famous temple by the Bagmati river in Kathmandu and is widely noted for the erotic carvings on its struts. It was built by King Yakshya Malla.  I think the most impressive was Nyatapola Temple.  This five-storied pagoda was built by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1702 A.D. It stands on five terraces, on each of which squat a pair of figures: two famous wrestlers, two elephants, two lions, two griffins, and Baghini and Singhini — the tiger and the lion goddesses. Each pair of figures is considered ten times stronger than the ones immediately below, while the lowest pair, the two strong men Jaya Malla and Phatta Malla, were reputedly ten times stronger than any other men. This is one of the tallest pagoda-style temples in Kathmandu Valley and is famous for its massive structure and subtle workmanship.  It was quite impressive. 

We also got to walk some of the original cities alleyways that now had small shops selling curios, paintings and jewelry.  Jess and I wanted to come back here after our tour was over so we could have a more leisurely look around.  I think I have now added paintings on my list of things I would like to get while I am here.  There are some nice Buddha ones, but I think they look like ones you could buy from Ikea or Freedom, so I want to find something a little different.  I did see an amazing painting of a Nepali woman, but it was massive and I think it would have cost more than I would want to pay, so I didn’t even bother to ask.  90% of shop keepers are interested in bartering with you, that’s the price, you like it, buy it, you don’t then leave.  They aren’t the friendliest people in the world and they really don’t budge off their prices.  At the southern section of the city we came across Pottery Square.  Pottery is known as one of the world’s oldest professions and in Bhaktapur many potters can still be seen working with their traditional wooden wheels.  We saw a man in action, molding the clay on his wheel and the muscles in his arms were amazing!  We saw the women moving the pots around in the sun and hundreds of them. All different sizes, drying in the sun.

It was 4pm by the time we checked into the hotel.  Our bags had been delivered and were waiting for us in the lobby.  And thankfully Satya has gotten onto getting our bags delivered to our rooms for us, especially when we are given a key that says room 704.  Man if we were on the 7^th floor of a hotel that doesn’t have a lift then I would be saying something.  But apparently room 704 was on the second floor, so with our bags behind us we climbed to the room and what a cure room it was.  I am guessing that Satya is tipping the hotel staff from money from our trip as we haven’t been asked to put in money for the drivers or the bag handlers and I am not going to argue when they are carrying my bag up flights of steps, and it isn’t even the monster, I have left 25% of that in Kathmandu. 

Jess and I went for a further walk around the city and then found a roof top bar/restaurant right next door to our hotel and had a beer as we watched the sunset over Nyatapola Temple and the square.  My Facebook status for this was “beer on the roof as another sun sets.  Cheers to safe travels, new friends and lost love xx”.  What a great way to finish off an extraordinary day.  The beauty of having the beer at the Sunny Hotel was that we obtained their Wi-Fi code and as it worked out there Wi-Fi signal stretched as far as far as our hotel room and we were sneakily able to get onto the internet when we got home after dinner.  The sneaky cats that we are.  Dinner was at 6pm at a hotel just across the square and again I couldn’t bring myself to eat anything local so I ordered, while I could, garlic steak.  Two things that ring with that statement.  One is garlic steak, you think I would have had enough of garlic at lunch, but no and secondly beef in a country where the cow is sacred is unusual, but there it is on the menu, so they must import it from somewhere, but it isn’t the first time I have had beef here and it is tasty, not tough and it really isn’t that much more expensive than the other items on the menu.  I love my meat and while I can get it I am going to order it. 

   

So Bhaktapur is an interesting city.  We leave tomorrow morning for Nuwacot and a bit of rural living with no internet and no TV for 2 days, and with this I am totally happy with.  I enjoy these stays and I am hoping that Famous Farm will be no different.