Pahupatinath

After visiting Bodhnath, we proceeded to the Pahupatinath, Nepal's most important Hindu temple that stands on the banks of the hoy Bagmati River. This site is a 'powerhouse' of Hindu's spiritual power. Elsewhere in Nepal, Shiva is worshipped in his wrathful form as the destructive Bhairab, but at Pahupatinath, he is celebrated as Pashupati, the lord of beasts.


Pashupatinath


Devotees of Shiva and sadhus flock to Pashupatinath from across the subcontinent and many Nepalis choose to be cremated on the banks of the holy river. While we visited this place, there were cremations occurring. It is truly a scared place in terms of thinking about our lives.

Funerals of ordinary Nepalis take place daily on the ghats of the temple. Bodies are wrapped in shrouds and laid out along the riverbank, then cremated on a wooden pyre. Yes, it is a powerful place to contemplate notions of death, mortality and life. After this extremely powerful experience, we proceeded to Patan.



Pashupatinath-holiest Hindu site-cremation at the river

Patan is now almost a suburb of Kathmandu, separated by the 'murky' Bagmati River. We came to Patan to visit its Durbar Square. Here, the Square is a concentrated mass of temples described as perhaps the most visually stunning display of Newari architecutre to be seen in Nepal.


Durbar Square