UNESCO sites amidst the chaos
Trip Start
Mar 04, 2004
1
53
77
Trip End
Jul 02, 2005
Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur,
Nepal
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Historical exploring around Kathmandu seems to centre on numerous red-brick islands of UNESCO World Heritage Sites surrounded by the ever-expanding chaos, smog and urban sprawl of Kathmandu. Kathmandu has grown to envelope the formerly independent city-states of Patan and Bhaktapur, although each of these places manages to retain some of their distinct characteristics, such as Patan's wonderful metal-working and Bhaktapur's much quieter, traffic free streets and its reputation as the very best wood-carvers in the country, making Bhaktapur's inner neighbourhood one of the most pleasant to stroll amonst that I have come across
01 Puja for Tihar
. The ancient centres of each of these cities is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which ensures is preservation. I am really coming to appreciate the work UNESCO does as I meander across the world.I've come across lots of syncretism in the Eastern religions while travelling, particularly in Indonesia, but nothing quite like the fusion of Hinduism, Buddhism and shamanism that exists in Nepal. The Nepalis mix and match Gods, employ priests of both of the major religions and religions disharmony between Buddhists and Hindus is almost unknown (the same cannot be said for Islam, as mosques and Muslim businesses were attacked following the kidnapping of 12 Nepali workers by Iraqi insurgents last month)
Nepal also has an incredible amount of its religious art and craftmanship in full view of the public, not locked away in museums and galleries. The best examples of this are the Durbar Squares (city squares, always with a palace on one side)of each of the cities I mentioned and the Changu Narayan Temple. This temple is perched well above Bhaktapur city and if it weren't for the smog I am sure would have great views of the valley with its villages of pink brick and terraced fields. Just walk into the temple and you immediately see priceless stone statues dating from over a millenium and a half ago. No red velvet rope, no iron cage around them. Go ahead take a picture of yourself with Vishnu flying on the back of Garuda, the same one thats one the 10 rupee note
02 Imogen and Nepali lad
. Speaking of public art, the Nepalese don't shy away from their fair share of public porn. Nothing modern mind, but the lower struts of the Hindu temples are almost always covered with wooden carvings of people going at it in the most remarkable ways. Considering I am away from my girlfriend for so long this is rather torturous for me when sightseeing.
Just walking the streets of these old city-states is a joy. Seeing all the colourful costumes, the different types of tikka (the red marks on Hindus heads), the exquisite wood-worked windown and door frames on the olds houses, people giving puja on the numerous outdoor shrines, particularly to Ganesha, the elephant-headed God (who I now have a wicked tacky shirt of). Mustn't forget the sadhus at Pashpattinath, where they burn corpses in public and throw the remains into the Baghmati River.
While in K-land I've also tried to get into the life and culture of Nepalis, not always easy to do if you are staying in the tourist fantasy suburb of Thamel with its Western food and Irish bars. To this end, I have decided to write another article for the Canadian Social Entrepreneurs Foundation on social entrepreneurs in Nepal. Through Sadhana the extremely likable Director of Ashoka Nepal I was able to make contact with some of the most inspiring people, all working in fields critical to the well-being and development of people in Nepal. They work in fields as diverse as support for and awareness of widows issues, the use of street theatre as a conflict resolution mechanism and the development of micro-hydro power for isolated villages. I've still to do a couple interviews outside of Kathmandu but some of my previous articles on SE can be found at www.csef.ca
Oh yeah, one other thing. Local transport is dead cheap here. Its the standard crush of people and loud Hindi music but when I can get anywhere in the Hindu valley for 15 cents can I really complain?
