Back to Kathmandu, Nepal 2004-C familiar strange 2

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The next day or ram, with our two sitting on the Toyota to some places in Kathmandu.

I certainly would not object to a time, this is we say a good part of the trip.

That morning departure, I also have no energy to sit in the back row was silent, gradually become familiar with the outside of the street.

In the hotel have been through the day's newspaper headlines has not changed, just the time added for the day. There are more photos, more detailed reports. "In a procession to continue ratna park, uniformed and popular violent clashes, someone whose heads were taken to the hospital, there is nothing to passing from work were accidental. ”

These words in my mind, I did not even want to ask where the ram is the car, where we are today.

I face some very badly, even the ram is also noticed. However, he was obviously on these things indifferent, used, just as his guide.

That morning I even went to the two places of worship.

Boudhanath is Kathmandu suburban community in exile Tibetans to a Tibetan Buddhism Buddhist pagoda, a giant rolls white stupa. Also look at the top of the Buddha's eye, the Quartet and the monkey Temple of the color, the expression is the same. Stupa surrounded cloth with several seat gompa, Lama Temple, the gate has enormous prayer wheel. Take off shoes, monks formed a team around the temple, aside from afar. I also follow their walk clockwise, just remember the Palace on the Dalai Lama's photo, but forget photos behind the high pay, what bits of the bodhisattva.

By contrast, is the Hindu pashupatinath more feel familiar to some, after all, a few months to reach a lot of India and Hinduism.

Pashupatinath Temple is dedicated to shiva, the Hindu world of a sacred place. In February of each year, shiva's birthday has numerous monks not miles, from every corner of India sub-continent to this pilgrimage. About shiva, I was not a stranger, he destroyed the mana world, his spouse, his symbolic pavati linga, he as head of the person of the son, ganesh, his mount Holy cow nandi ... India Christians guide ram several times about fairy tale has just opened a head, I nodded, I know I know ... So he didn't know what to say.

Because not India Christians, we are unable to enter the temple, only from the River, a long row of stone carving linga and nandi, far at the temple, the crowd scrambling of the tika dedicated pilgrimage point.

Bagmati River flows from the temple, the gate is the dry season, little water in the River, only a few small shallow reservoirs. A few "nandi" slowly walking between the reservoirs, looking around, waiting for the cremation platform shines under the ashes.

Like all India Christians, they select one can flow into the sacred Ganges River as the flesh of the end of the gray later.

In Kathmandu, bagmati is a river in front of pashupatinath cremation platform is the city all India last end-Christians. There are two sets of the Royal family of dedicated, others belong to the public. Square cement terrace along the River, has a neat pile of firewood. Deceased wrapped huangbu, carried by male relatives to cross the River. In order to express condolences to the relatives of the dead will be raised in a river in the shower and shave. A ceremony later, their burning firewood, placed on firewood, flames and smoke and flames, usually lasts two to three hours, and finally all swept into the River.

But does not think so filthy dirty.

In Chinese tradition, the dead and the funeral is the most unlucky things go on the road are far from met. On the other hand, is the most was not the practice of things, big things, do a little ritual that rules can not be broken. By contrast, the Hindu rule seems to be more bellicose, secular. Here is from morning to night, a ceremony of spectators not only foreign tourists and local people. Members or standing on the bridge, or sitting on the steps of the River. Tourists in photography enthusiasts will up the tripod, quietly adjusting the camera to capture images. Local people, chat chat, suntan in the Sun, the trance trance. Nandi on the bridge and pass under the bridge, leisurely kids romp across the reservoir. Like all river, not far away is also a laundry washing dishes and housewives.

It is a most uncommon of mortal world.

Students bustle is crowd crowded pilgrimages pashupatinath, dead silence off the bagmati River perennial of stifling soot, life and death so natural mixed together. I have asked babu and ram, they are all India Christians, although babu claims that he himself does not believe in God. But this is not important in the life of such things, they and those in the surrounding coming and going of people, and all the followers of India Kathmandu, a year and a month, and here the end of the old reincarnation, start a new life. The so-called dead, but is part of the fruit, not a destination, not the starting point is the reincarnation of a short, nothing more. Therefore, life and death can do exist, not exaggerated or bypass, will be accepted into our daily lives.

Even I the GEHE expectant Pagan, foreigners, but also very quiet.

If it is not too thick soot, choke badly, I'm afraid will continue in the River seated, looking at the flame. While this calm, about is the Hindu, from birth to death, and by the dead into the health of samsara, the pursuit of harmony. I am certainly not eligible on religious issues or what comments and death issues, just a mortal heart felt that at this very moment in pashupatinath, I can feel, Hindu gave a very harmonious.

No matter what faith is good.

Live time with guidelines, die can also fully entrusted,You do not have to fear. What is the most feared also do not believe that it is "dead space" original know everything, so sad!

More about is suddenly a calm or to smoke, I finally not so bad, and the long-term concern.

After all, all the way down, so far did not see anything special. As usual, living or dead, I continue to get tha?