Pashupatinath

Pashupatinath is considered the holiest site for all Hindus all over the world. The name Pashupati means ‘Lord of Animals’ and is the patron deity of Nepal. Locals and devotees from different countries come to visit this temple all year round. The photo below is the main gate of the temple.

I couldn’t go inside the temple because I am not Hindu. But there is a certain point outside the main gate that you can take a peek of what the temple looks like inside.

Another way to view the temple is to go on the opposite side of the river bank. There is a viewing deck where you can see the pagoda style temple of Pashupatinath with devotees coming in to sing hymns and say prayers. You also get to see monkeys roaming around as shown on the photo below.

Coming down from the viewing deck, you will also see sadhus hanging around the area. I couldn’t resist, so I had my picture taken with them. 😀

Along the banks of the holy Bagmati River, one can find the Crematoria. It is every Hindu’s wish to be cremated here, the holiest river and temple for all Hindus. I posted a picture of the Crematoria on one of the weekly photo challenge.

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Observing the cremation process was something that I always wanted to witness. There were different points where they do the burning. It was winter time when I visited and the Bagmati River’s water level is very low and as my tour guide said, “It’s more like a stream than a river.”

Before leaving the place, I couldn’t resist taking a photo of the sun almost setting.

Til the next exploration! 😀

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I booked my tour with Alpine Club of Himalaya. Thanks to Sujan for all the help and for allowing me to personalise my tour.

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The Golden Temple

A few steps away from the Patan Durbar Square is the Hiranya Varna Nahabihar also known as the Golden Temple. This is a unique Buddhist monastery built in the 12th century by King Bashkar Verma.

The entrance is flanked by lions and that’s Dinesh my tour guide. 🙂 Going inside the entry way, look up to the ceiling and one will see a mandala.

There is a little courtyard where you can see carvings on all the windows and then there’s an entry way going to the Golden Temple.

This is the Golden Temple.

This is inside the temple.

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I booked my tour with Alpine Club of Himalaya. Thanks to Sujan for all the help and for allowing me to personalise my tour.

 

 

Photo of the Day – Wat Arun Temple

Also known as Temple of the Dawn, Wat Arun is one of the famous landmarks of Thailand. It was named after Aruna, the Indian God of Dawn. This photo was taken while the boat was cruising along the Chao Phraya River. I was able to take a photo of this place during the day (Meandering in Bangkok) but it’s prettier and more mysterious at night.

Angkor: Temples And What Nots

Angkor Wat is one of the places that I really want to visit. My curiosity was piqued when I heard a rumor that they will close down the UNESCO World Heritage Site to the public. I swore to myself that I will visit the place before this will happen. I was fortunate enough to visit the Angkor Wat twice. I was excited when I first set foot on Cambodia way back in 2010 and I still am excited on my second visit to the country. The place still amazes me. Below are some of the pictures I took of the Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples.

Aerial view of the Angkor Wat.

The beautiful Angkor.

Prasat Bayon located at the center of Angkor Thom.

The Baphuon Temple located at the Angkor Thom complex.

The Entrance of Ta Prohm Temple aka Tomb Raider.

The East Mebon Temple.

Ta Som is a small temple built by King Jayavarman VII to honor his father.

One of the ponds that surrounds the Neak Pean Temple (The Coiled Serpent). You can’t get any closer since the area is fenced.

A rainy visit to the Preah Khan Temple.

The Banteay Srei Temple sometimes referred to as “Jewel of Khmer Art.”

Have you ever been to the Angkor area? Which one is your favorite temple? Leave a comment below. 🙂

Meandering in Bangkok

I have always loved Thailand mostly because of the food, the culture and the shopping. On my first visit to Bangkok, I visited some temples and enjoyed shopping a LOT! On the second visit, I still went to the night markets but mostly to buy souvenirs for folks back home and to visit some temples. On my third visit last January, my goal was to do the things I missed on my first two visits. 🙂

My first goal was to go to the floating market. For convenience, I joined a tour going to the Damnoen Saduak floating market which is in the province of Ratchaburi.

There is a series of canals where the boats can roam around and there are stalls on either side.

Some sell stuff on the stalls while others peddle on the boat. You can buy an assortment of stuff like decorations, clothes, paintings, food and even plants!

We had some time to kill before going back to the city and the tour guide asked if anyone wants to go on an elephant ride. YES! We went to the Elephant Village a few minutes away from the floating market.

I was sooooo excited that I will be able to ride an elephant ( my second goal for the trip) and be able to do one thing on my bucket list, hooray!

My last goal is to check out the temples. I went to Wat Arun and revisited Wat Phra Kaeo and The Grand Palace.

There are still a couple of things that I want to visit and all I can say is, I’ll see you again Bangkok!