Leaving Kathmandu

That Hasni character, again.

Tiny little cute store on Freak Street.

Typical garbage pile in the street. The stench can be tres formidible!

Street urchins sleeping in. It is @ 0900. Check out the dog!

Maoist agitation.

It is SAT evening and I am just killing time waiting for my flight on MON. My proposed itinerary goes KTM-BAH (Bahrain)-LHR (London Heathrow)-BOS.

There just is not one more thing that I would like to do in Kathmandu that I have not done. One regret is that I didn't get my flight to Lukla. My pilot friend Nic, an Australian expat who flies for Sita air, was going to take me this past THU but my cell phone, for some unknown reason, failed to pick up his message in a timely fashion. So, I missed out on a free KTM-LUK-KTM flight. Ugh!

While I would not describe this Shivani Air venture as a failed mission, it certainly is one that did not meet expectations. I did get 60 hrs of flying giving instruction to the students and I managed to make a few bucks. The students were fun and I did learn a lot. I never did get any pictures from the air because the WX was always poor and I was waiting for the "next" flight. I also wanted to avoid giving the impression to the student that this was a photo op and not serious business. One day, suddenly, there was no "next" flight. On the flip side, I invested 3 1/2 months and no small effort transiting to and from. And, for sure, it was an adventure. Ultimately, I no longer have to wonder. Now I know.

I am appreciative to all those who took the time to read and comment on my blog ramblings. The challenge of writing the blog has made me think a lot. The blog will also serve as a permanent record of this trip.

UPDATE!

I have arrived back in New Hampshire. The flights went smoothly, although very tiring. I'll take a few days to decompress and then figure out what to do next.

I suppose this will be my final blog entry.

Return to Pashupatinath

A slow day.

Stoking the fire.

I felt a return to the holy cremation site on the Bagmati River at Pashupatinath was warranted. Actually, I was as much bored as anything else. I also wondered if some special ceremony might occur if I returned.

Well, I got a bit lucky. A 65 year old women from a very wealthy business family had expired at the Hospital and the van was just offloading her when I arrived. It was obvious that this would be a special ceremony and I was able to view it from the start.

Feet in the holy river water for 15 minutes or so followed by the washing of the body with holy river water. I would imagine that those are the grandchildren by her side.

The husband gets his head shaved. A Hindu ritual, one of many, that the head of family male will perform during the next 30 or so days. Note the left hand of the barber ... one small tuft of hair will be left standing. That Hindu thing again.

The husband performing some ritual at the direction of the fire manager.

Note the white linen clothing worn by the husband. He had started out in Western type shirt and trousers but the ritual required the change of clothing.

Note my Brahmin buddy in the foreground. I just didn't like this guy from the first.

Carry to the pyre. Note the guy at the front. He was referred to as "The Brahmin". I guess that makes him the head funeral director for the wealthy side. He was MOST obnoxious and his face looked like it had wandered into the flames of a burning for an extended period. However, because of his lofty caste position, he wielded great authority.

Pyre, built and ready to go. The little white sticks are sandalwood, which, I am told, burns very hot.

Peaceful.

Lightoff. Good Journey.

I imagine this will be my last visit to Pashupatinath. I don't wish to dwell too much on death. This experience does force one to focus on one's own mortality. But excess is rarely a good thing. I hope my pictures and commentary have given the proper flavor to this place in the eyes of the reader.

Visit to Pashupatinath

And I had been told that there were NO Wishy Washy cows in Nepal! Well, here is proof.


I chose to visit the Hindu sacred temple complex Pashupatinath (on the East side of town), the day following TEEJ. I did not expect to find a sacred cremation site on the Bagmati River that flows next to it. If you are squeamish about death, read no further.

Interesting structure. Put a tarp over it and you have quite the building!

Chapati vendor on the street. These guys are amazing, both for their speed and their art.

In front of the Hospice, I am told the simultaneous cremations of the royal family took place here, after the royal massacre of 2001.


View from the North, looking South. The Bagmati flows South to the Ganges. Nepali Hindus claim this river is more sacred than the Ganges since this Himalayan spring fed river is a primary source of the Ganges. Don't tell the Indian Hindus that.

Note the "fire manager/undertaker" stoking the fire to enhance/insure complete immolation. These guys do this all day, every day. Tough work. They need a Union!

An Italian Sadu. Some Italian guy who came to visit and stayed (dropped out).

View from across the river.

Note the circular piers in the foreground. Those are the old burn sites, no longer used.

Also, note the roof to protect from the rain and sun. Not all were covered. I learned that the pier used is a function of cost. If you desire to pay more rupees, your burn will be assured to not be rained out, your fire manager will be more experienced (and attentive), and more and better materials utilized to ensure a good hot fire. Of course, lower castes are not allowed under the roof, even if they wished to pay.

Better look at the lineup.

Hospice. Behind each door is a small room with a bed and chairs. When it is determined that further treatment is futile and the end is imminent, you can be brought here and wait it out with your family and friends. Then, it is only a short walk to the cremation (to the left in this picture). The shorter the duration between death and cremation, the better the karma, I guess?

Check out the FEET! Do not double click on the image unless you desire greater detail.

A fresh delivery from the hospital.

The clean up. The fire manager, sometimes with the help of family, will sweep the smoldering ashes into the sacred river (after picking through the debris for "rememberences". The young assistant (red shirt) will make a number of trips with the pail to the bottom of the steps to refill the bucket. The rising steam indicates the heat generated by these fires.

Awaiting their turn for the burn! When a pier becomes available, the family will open the shroud and wash the body with river water (usually at the direction of the fire manager), say a prayer or two, rewrap and carry to the newly built pyre of wood (built by the fire manager and his youthful assistant). They will perform a few quick ceremonies, again usually at the direction of the fire manager, then light it off. A slow initial burn seems desirable.

Ah, the life of the Sadu (aka Holy Man). I think if you can't make it out there in the real world, you drop out and become a Sadu. You simply roam the shrines, asking for alms. Great work if you can find it.

Former airline management convention. Sorry assed collection of Sadus!

Visit to Swayambhu (Monkey Temple)

Women, dressed in red, on their way to Pashupatinath (a large sacred Hindu temple complex on the East side of Kathmandu) to celebrate TEEJ. TEEJ is a Hindu holiday where the women fast for 24 hrs, dance, and pray for the longevity and good health of your husband. Well, all right then. Now you're talking!

Actually, all kidding aside, I find no humor in this celebration. In this patriarchal society, there is no comparable celebration for the women, who are considered more as slaves and property. The woman's fate is tied directly to the husband. If the wife loses her husband, regardless of the circumstances, her life is effectively over. You are reminded of this frequently out on the street. So, sure the women pray for their husbands health, regardless of his worthiness of such benedictions.

The news reported the crowd at 300,000 + at the temple. I decided to go the next day and, instead, head to Swayambhu, aka Monkey Temple, located on the West side of town. I always walk to these places. This gets me out on the streets and allows me exposure to "the culture". Not always a good thing.

Long climb up on a hot day. It is a LOT steeper than it looks.

That fascinating all purpose Russian pull thing again. I should have one of these!

Prayer wheels. Hope they work.

They don't call it the Monkey Temple for nothing. I had heard many reports of tourists being attacked and bitten by these guys. They didn't bother me, perhaps because I looked capable of biting back and likely to do so.







Ice Cream vendor with monkey and Kathmandu in the background.

I imagine that there is great religious significance to this temple, as there is to all Hindu Temples. Quite frankly, I am all templed out, churched out, museumed out, etc. I just don't have the interest.

I made the pilgrimage to Swayambhu because I was bored and all the Nepalis ask if you have been there. Well, yeah, I was there in 1973 with the same level of interest. I wanted the exercise of the walk but that puts me out on the street to view the filth, poverty, and hopelessness that is engendered by the Hindu religion and the Nepali government. It is better that you not ask how I really feel!

Please keep in mind that much my cynicism and skepticism is likely due to my extensive exposure to and experience with this culture in the early 70's. A long time ago, admittedly. But little, if anything, has changed. Perhaps I will write more when I am less pissed off.

Journey to Bhaktapur & Patan

500 year old Peacock window in Bhaktapur.

Typical school uniform. Each school has its own combo of colors for shirt, trouser, skirt and tie. What can she be thinking?

You gotta love those hats.

On the bus to Bhaktapur. These two were very shy.
Well, you can see why they were shy. What would you think if THIS was trying to take your picture.

Another former airline manager, becoming a sadu, in vain attempt to atone for his sins (i.e. screwing airline employees)

A penholder. Who would have thought?

After just passing the Prime Minister's Office, a big to do occurred. A much anticipated first visit by the PM to India. This is his motorcade on the way to TIA (airport).

The political ins & outs of this trip are enormous here in Nepal. Recall that the Maoist government that resigned in MAY made its first trip a visit to China. The effect of China and India on the buffer state of Nepal and the jockeying for influence is the prime fodder for the editorial pages and the conspiracy theorists. The current gov't got most of its education in India and spent many years there. So, there is little doubt about where their political loyalties lay. The Maoists, who still claim that it is they who should head the current gov't (they did win the last election), are constantly threatening agitation against this "puppet" (pro Indian) gov't. Recall that plus 10,000 were killed during the ten year (1996-2006) agitation last time.

Anyhow, I am glad to leave because I can feel the political heat rising. At some point, it WILL boil over and I wish to be elsewhere when it does.

Road Nazi! Note the knock off handbag. These girls drive their scooters around with scant regard for other traffic. They simply lean on the horn and proceed forward, with zero thought of giving way or, gasp, stopping. One would do well to give them a wide berth.

How's this for an example of scaffolding?

Other school uniforms.

More examples of school uniforms.

A dog's life. They seem to be owned by nobody. They just roam free and scavenge the garbage.

These dogs have taken up residence at the entrance to the Parliament building and Royal Palace. A rather mangy lot but I won't be messing with them.



These pictures were taken during my trips to Bhaktapur and Patan. There are three Durbar Squares that are meant to be seen. One each for Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan. Each was built by different dynasties in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries in an attempt to outdo the other. For me, they are just more sacred Hindu places. And, there are NO shortage of those!

I have arranged for my travel on 07SEP and will arrive BOS late on 08SEP.