Adventure in the Himalayas

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Wednesday, 28 August 2019 - Watched sunrise over the Annapurna Massif again in Pokhara, then flew to Kathmandu, met a local guide and visited the giant Boudhanath stupa with its all-seeing Buddha eyes and surrounding temples, stopped at a Tibetan monastery near the stupa, and went on to the sacred Hindu Pashupatinath Temple complex on the Bagmati River witnessing cremation rituals and photographing life along the river.

india2019 — I was successful in convincing our guide to rise early and watch the sunrise for the second day in a row.

india2019 — Machhapuchhare (or Fish Tail) as the sun hits the top of the mountain.

india2019 — Annapurna I in the sun between clouds. It was tough to get good pictures as the clouds hung near the mountains.

india2019 — We then flew to Kathmandu the capital and largest city of Nepal. After meeting our guide, we headed out. First stop Boudhanath stupa.

Boudhanath became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

india2019 — These are the Buddha eyes and the wisdom eyes. The eyes of the Buddha in the stupa symbolize the all-seeing ability of the Buddha.

india2019 — We stopped at a Tibetan Monastery off the Boudhanath stupa circle. I was allowed to take pictures inside.

Decorations inside the temple.

india2019 — An offering of a flower in water.

india2019 — Buddha holding streamers of the five sacred colors.

india2019 — An altar covered with swastikas, an ancient symbol before the Germans.

india2019 — A painting/statue outside the Guru Lhakhang Monastery also on the outside of the Boudhanath stupa.

india2019 — The painting in a stairwell of the Guru Lhakhang Monastery.

india2019 — A small shrine in a wall niche of the Boudhanath stupa.

india2019 — The eyes watch over a statue.

india2019 — Around the Boudhanath stupa are temples and buildings - the buildings are mostly shops and restaurants.

india2019 — At the base of Boudhanath stupa were hundreds of flowers in water - as with other temples I am assuming that the water and flowers are changed every day.

india2019 — Statues in a niche.

india2019 — Cal and Virginia Ann at bells near one of the entrances to the stupa.

india2019 — As you walk around the giant stupa the eyes follow you.

india2019 — There are many (hundreds?) of buddha in niches around the base of the stupa.

india2019 — As we waited for our tour van, I was able to photograph this small shop.

india2019 — Virginia Ann asked this woman to pose for us.

india2019 — We then headed to Pashupatinath Temple a sacred Hindu temple complex that is located on the banks of the Bagmati River.

This is a detail of the gate leading into the temple. We were not allowed to enter the temple.

india2019 — The richly ornamented pagoda houses the sacred linga or holy symbol of Lord Shiva.

From a hill I was able to take a picture inside the temple of the bull, which is Lord Shiva's animal.

india2019 — Cremation of Hindus take place on raised platforms along the Bagmati River. The Bagmati River flows into the Ganges River, both considered sacred to the Hindus.

india2019 — Women carrying wood for cremation fires.

india2019 — The area of Pashupatinath encompasses 518 temples and monuments - a lot.

india2019 — The family at a crematorium.

india2019 — These three men were sitting on the top of a temple's steps. I like how they are all sitting a little different.

india2019 — Virginia Ann braving the wild cow walking across the bridge over the Bagmati River.

india2019 — The cremation stands.

india2019 — While we were there we were able to watch a funeral in progress. Outside the temple the family and friends gather as men lower the body into the sacred Bagmati River.

india2019 — In this picture the women each pour water into the mouth of the deceased.

india2019 — As we were leaving the temple one of the cremations was finished and the men pushed the ashes into the sacred Bagmati River.

india2019 — A huge bull on the Bagmati River bridge gets a flower.

india2019 — A cremation in progress.

india2019 — There was light drizzle as we left the Pashupatinath complex. This little monkey scurried across our path and jumped up onto the entrance wall.

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