Day 5: Pashupatinath Temple

Weather Update: Sunny. High 20°C

Elevation Above Sea Level:

Morning Walk to Pashupatinath Temple

Day 5: I left around 10:30 am for a 5 km walk to the temple. 12.74 km later, I was back at the hostel and not too sore, which was a positive. The roads were quite dusty with lots of traffic. Just like in other cities, you have to navigate the roads with basic traffic regulations. It's a matter of stepping off the curb and hoping you don't get hit by something. I have been nudged a few times in my travels but nothing serious apart from a bruise on my upper left arm I received sometime today. Although not exceptionally high at around 4500 ft, breathing is difficult when climbing slopes at my age.

Visiting the Temple

The temple is a very big complex for Hindus. Hindus are allowed into the temple, but foreigners are not. Entry NPR 1000 is $12.76 NZ, which is expensive here. As soon as you step through the gates, you are hounded by every Tom, Dick, and Harry.

Tip:

Be prepared to be approached by numerous vendors and guides. It’s best to politely but firmly decline if you’re not interested. It took me 75 minutes to get there and 5 minutes to leave. You are not given any peace to sit and relax. Even when you say no, they still follow you around, trying to ply you with cannabis, hashish, hookah, or trinkets. It got to the point I stopped, turned around, and walked straight out, saying to myself I wasted part of my life today.

Pro Tip:

Sometimes, it's best to do a little research and find a quiet spot where you can take it all in without interruption. Hopefully, there are enough photos on the internet. It seemed a lot quicker going back, even though I relied on my senses to find the correct path, which I did a great job of doing. I found a shop that sells postcards, so postcards are on the way tomorrow.

Historical Significance

This temple is situated on the banks of the holy River Bagmati and is the most revered Hindu temple in Nepal. The main temple complex is open only to Hindus; non-Hindus must satisfy themselves by observing from the terraces just across the Bagmati River to the east. As a mark of reverence and tradition, leather items, including shoes, belts, and cameras, are forbidden within the temple complex and must be left outside. Photography is strictly prohibited.

The most important festival observed here is Shivaratri, or ‘the Night of Lord Shiva’—the night Lord Shiva self-originated—when devotees and pilgrims from far and wide across Nepal and India, including sadhus (barely attired holy men with long locks of hair and smeared in ashes) and ascetics, throng to the temple to have a darshan (glimpse) of the sacred Shiva lingam. The other holy occasion when devotees descend to the temple in large numbers is Teej (a festival solely observed by Hindu women) in mid-September. The whole temple complex and the adjoining areas turn into a sea of red as women draped in their bridal red sarees and wearing yellow or green bead necklaces offer prayers for the well-being, prosperity, and longevity of their husbands.

The Bagmati River

The Bagmati River flows from the Shivapuri Hills in Nepal, through the Kathmandu Valley, and into the Indian state of Bihar. It eventually joins the Burhi Gandak River.

Flow Path:

The Bagmati River originates in Bagdwar, at an altitude of 2,690 meters.

It flows south through the Kathmandu Valley, separating Kathmandu and Patan.

It passes through Chovar Gorge.

It flows south through the Shivalik Range, the southernmost range of the Himalayas.

It flows across the Tarai plains into Bihar.

It flows southeastward to join the Burhi Gandak River.

Pollution

The Bagmati River is one of Nepal's most polluted rivers. Solid waste mismanagement, such as open dumping and littering, contributes to the pollution. Other factors that contribute to the pollution include sand mining, industrial operations, and government incompetence.

Reflection:

Think back to the picture I took a few days ago of the gyre that is just spinning garbage in the river. It’s a stark reminder of the challenges we face in protecting our natural resources.

Cultural Significance

The Bagmati River is considered holy by both Hindus and Buddhists