Where has the year gone?

Where Has The Year Gone? 

  
Today it has been an entire year since my visit to the beautiful Nepal and India. I have found myself thinking a lot about my time there and what I have carried with me the most in reflection. There are many people that come to mind, the made my travels so vibrant and enriching, there are experiences not to be missed when learning the culture of this part of the world. And there are places, majestic, mind blowing sites that for me opened my eyes to all the wonder of the world and how lucky we are to be able to experience it. So as I reflect on the year past, I shall try to impart some knowledge and information of my experiences that have been the groundwork for a transformational year for me, in the hope that others shall seek out the adventure. 

Boudhanath Stupa (also known as Boudha)  

For centuries, Boudhanath has been an important place of pilgrimage and meditation for Tibetan Buddhists & local Nepalis. It is also an incredibly worthwhile place to visit for tourists for its beauty and the opportunity to gain and intimate look at the Buddhist culture in Nepal.  Many maroon clad Tibetan Buddhist monks & nuns can be seen walking around the Stupa as they offer their daily prayer. This ritual entails walking three or more times around the stupa while repeating the mantra 'Om Mani Padme Hum'. 

Patrons and worshipers spin the prayer wheels inset in the Stupa wall and clutch their prayer beads are they meditatively follow the circular wall of the Stupa. Overlooking the prayer and pilgrimage at Boudhanath, are the all-seeing eyes of the Buddha that watch from atop the Stupa.

During the day, Boudhanath is bustling with the busy life and work in Nepal, street sellers, Momo makers and Monks alike walk through the square. At night however, an entirely different atmosphere envelops the Stupa as the air is filled with the rich sent of butter lamps that glow in the hundreds in and around the temple. The square is filled with incense and prayer and the spirituality of Nepal swells with the number of people who make their way to pay their daily homage.

 

Pashupatinath Temple

Pashupatinath, the Hindu Cremation site, is one of the most holy and revered places for Hindu's and Buddhists alike. It also draws the masses from neighbouring regions who make their pilgrimage here or come to commit their dead to the next life. 

 

The holy Bagmati River, which runs next to Pashaputinath Temple, is believed to have highly sacred properties. The banks are lined with many Ghats (bathing spots) for use by pilgrims who come here to be blessed and cleansed by the holy water. 

The temple itself displays some of the most intricate and beautiful Hindu temple architecture. The pagoda style buildings are adorned in gold and silver on the doors and the surrounding grounds have some of the most holy and extravagant statues. Some of the highlights to fit into a walk around Pashupatinath are Gold-painted images of guardian deities, Chaturmukha (the four-faced statue) and Gauri Ghat (holy bath).

One of the most valuable insights I gained from visiting this holy place, was the amalgamation of two religions existing and functioning peacefully together. The holy site, in my experience there, represented the truth and values upheld in Hinduism and Buddhism; to practice peace, tolerance and love for ones neighbours, culture and beliefs. 

 

Pokhara and Sarangkot  

"Imagine a perfect triangular mountain, capped by snow and buffeted by the icy winds of the Himalaya. Imagine a millpond calm lake, perfectly reflecting the snowy peaks. Now imagine a village on the lakeshore, thronged by travellers and reverberating to the sound of 'om mani padme hum' from a hundred shops selling prayer flags, carpets, masks, singing bowls and CDs of Buddhist mantras. That's Pokhara"   

That is the Lonely Planet advertisement for Pokhara and the enticement they present is not over exaggerated. Pokhara could be seen to be the focal point of a clash between western 'needs' and comforts and the frugal and self-sufficient way of mountain living. 

Pokhara and the main high street and tourist area of lakeside offer every comfort to travellers from Kathmandu, or trekkers who are in need of a good massage and relaxing drinks and dinner after days or weeks in the mountains.

Pokhara is the end point for the famous Annapurna Circuit trek and the starting point for a dozen more treks through the mountains of the Annapurna Rang.  It's unashamedly touristy but the setting is spectacular, Pokhara also has numerous museums and there are some fascinating caves, waterfalls and Tibetan villages in the surrounding hills to keep passing tourists busy.

One of my favourite things to do around Lakeside was to take a boat out on to Lake Phewa Tal and get a tour of the mountains as reflected on the still surface of the water. Away from the lake, a day trip to the World Peace Pagoda is only a short walk and offers stunning views of Pokhara and the mountains looming over the city. 

If you do have a whole day to use Pokhara as a base for a trek, a day trip to climb up to the village and point of Sarankot should definitely be on your list. It is not a walk that requires any training and can be taken at a steady pace. It is breathtaking at both dusk and dawn and has plenty of accommodation and tour guides on the way to take you to the highest peak for the most stunning views. You can also make a short journey back down to the flat by paragliding from this 1,592 meter high point.  

 

Jaipur and the Red Fort  

Jaipur an exhausting but beautiful place, the kind of city that is mazed with bustling streets and markets and presents the kind of chaos expected of an overpopulated Indian city. It offers the chance however, to experience the sheer volume of people in this colourful country, without the suffocation that I experienced in other cities such as Varanasi and India. 

Jaipur is one of the first planned cities in the world is surrounded by architectural grandeur within its four city gates. One of the best examples of this and a highlight of this city visit is The Red Fort. As the fort opens it gates, the rich history of this region escapes and offers the chance to understand a history that has experienced conflict and invasion that has been etched into the walls of this great monument. 

Jaipur highlighted just how much I had underestimated India for its full and diverse history and how well the history has been preserved for generations to experience. The mixture of Mughal, Muslim, and Hindu architecture is particularly beautiful and intricate and one of the many outstanding qualities of this region.