What to do with guests the first day they arrive? Take them to go watch bodies burn. Yeah, baby.
In fact, Pashupati is considered one of the holiest spots in Nepal. It serves many purposes:
1. You can sell goods to tourists as they visit.
2. Watch bodies burn. This is where they cremate all Hindus. In fact, we went to a 'funeral' of a friend's brother a couple of months ago. We went into the 'Hindus Only' section and stayed from the torching to the sweeping of the ashes. It was a little difficult to express my sorrow for their loss as the smoky ashes were blowing in my face. As bad as these pictures look, the smell was much worse. When you first arrive you wonder if you were invited to a pork roast. It is a little scarring.
The Baghmati River where the ashes are swept into. Children are always jumping and playing in this water. Every Hindu's ashes must be put in a body of water that ends up in the Ganges. Many people also wash themselves with this water deeming it to be sacred.
This burning site was prepared for a famous sitar player.
3. Meet strange holy men who love to pose for photos.
4. Observe beautiful stone work on the many temples there.
5. Watch the nasty monkeys being fed.
Also Note:
*If you are Hindu, you must go to Pashupati if you know you are going to die in the near future. You can stay in a home there, wash in the water, and touch cows. All of these things will make you more holy and ensure you will not come back as a worm.
*If you have a relative who has died, you must stay at a hotel in Pashupati for 13 days to grieve. Many of these people simply spend their time watching other bodies burn.
*If someone has died in Kathmandu, the bodies are typically taken to be cremated within 2 to 3 hours from the time of death.
*Burning flesh stinks. And toes bloat up before they burn off.
*All of these photos were taken by my husband and we really were there, even though there isn't one photo of us.
7 comments:
I don't know whether to say Wow, or gross.
Your life is anything but dull. So many questions:
1. The burning site for the Sitar Player? I can't tell from the picture is that a BIG site or a mini site?
2. So I guess employers there are quite generous with their "bereavement leave?" if people have to go to the hotel for 13 days?
3. Did you take the kids to that?
4. Do the people wail when they mourn? They do that in Africa and it's very . . . eerie. They also meet to do it on anniversaries of the death--first couple weeks, every week, month, years, etc.
I was eating lunch, lost it. Thank you for the much needed calorie loss. Once again I am thankful that I live in the USA, as imperfect and materialistic and rotten that it is. But how cool for you that you get to experience the world. I guess I am a wuss.
Part of me wants to ask if I can come visit you, and the other part is still a little horrified by the burning bodies.
Toes? Really????
Do you ever feel embarrassed taking photos of everything and everyone? I do. But I'm sure glad you do take them, so that I can see what you're seeing. I'm Christine in Istanbul. Found your blog through Mormon Mommy Blogs. Just wanted to say hi and that I enjoy reading your blog. How long are you there for?
You could not pay me to go there! I am all for cultural understanding, but I do have my limits, mostly guided by what will allow me to keep my lunch in my stomach where it belongs.
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