Nepal. If I Ever Get Out of Here, I'm Going to Katmandu
Katmandu (aka Kathmandu) is a vibrant city of pagodas, temples, and shrines associated with Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Positioned along an ancient trade route between India and Tibet, the city occupies a high (4,600m) valley, near the confluence of the Vishnumati and Bagmati Rivers. Katmandu was founded by Raja Gunakamedeva in 723 as royal capital of the Kingdom of Nepal. With its name derived from kath, meaning wood and mandi, meaning temple, Katmandu is among the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth. Seven buildings or other structures within Katmandu Valley are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Today, Katmandu is Nepal’s largest city (population 845,000) and the principal staging area for Mount Everest climbing expeditions.
Arriving on a flight from Mumbai, India’s capital city, I was transported by airport shuttle to my hotel in one of Katmandu’s suburbs. My original plan for a self-guided walking tour of the city involved a cab ride to Durbar Square. Unfortunately, bus and taxi drivers had organized a city-wide strike, so each day began with an eight-kilometer walk past protestors and makeshift barricades. Durbar is one of three royal squares in Kathmandu Valley with each belonging to one of three independent kingdoms that existed before Nepal’s unification. Surrounded by fountains, statues and courtyards, the square has been the site of many royal coronations. One of Durbar’s most iconic temples is Taleju, built in 1564 to honor Taleju Bhawani, royal goddess of the Malla Dynasty (1201 to 1779). Soon after its construction, Nepalese King Mahendra Malla ordered that no other building in the city could be taller. Taleju is made of wood and brick topped with a copper roof. Surrounding the main structure are 12 miniature temples with four small temples located inside the main building. Damaged by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on April 25, 2015, Taleju remains an important shrine that is open to practicing Hindus one day each year (on the ninth day of Dashain).
Boundha (aka Boudhanath) Stupa is a seven kilometer walk from Durbar Square. It is believed to house the tomb of Kassapa Buddha, the 27th of 29 named Buddhas. Forming an enormous dome sitting on platforms of decreasing size, the stupa reaches a height of 36 meters. Above two large eyes are 13 steps representing the ascent to Nirvana. Constructed by a Tibetan king in 600, Boundha continues to serve as a Buddhist shrine. Inside its courtyard are prayer bells rung each day at sunrise.
On my return to Durbar Square I stopped at Pashupatinath, a Hindu temple named after Lord Pashupatinath that contains more than 500 smaller shrines, ashrams, and other structures. Non-Hindus are not allowed into the temple, so I viewed Pashupatinath from Pandra Shivalaya, a complex of 15 temples located on the opposite side of the Bagmati River. Looking across the river, I witnessed cremation ceremonies underway at Pashupatinath where funeral pyres were built on stone platforms along the river.
In the Hindu faith, the deceased’s body must be cremated within 24 hours of death. The cremation process is believed to assist the dead move from their earthly experience to a spiritual one. At Pandra Shivalaya I met two Sadhus, Hindu holy men who have renounced material possessions. Dressed in bright yellow robes, the Sadhus have dedicated their lives to achieving moska (liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth). Sandus may also wear paint on their forehead to channel divine energy. Moist Sandus spent their time visiting temples and other religious sites. As holy men, they are highly respected and supported financially through donations.
Before departing Katmandu, I boarded a one-hour flight on Buddha Air to see Mt. Everest and other high Himalayan peaks on the border between Nepal and China. At 8,850 meters, Everest is (arguably) the tallest mountain on Earth. Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary made the first documented ascent of the mountain in 1953. Since that time more than 6,300 climbers have reached the summit. Everest presents unique and dangerous challenges ranging from altitude sickness to weather and avalanche-related hazards. Regrettably, 322 people have died on the mountain since 1922. One-by-one we were invited to the front of the aircraft to talk with the pilots and enjoy an unobstructed view of the top of the world.
