Bodha!

Namaste!

Boudha or Bodhnath is definitely a pretty spectacular spot. Not too far from Kathmandu is distance, however is quite a nice retreat from the business of the big city. The area is home to exiled Tibetans and is filled with the maroons of the traditional garb of monks all over the city. Central to the Buddhist character of the place is the Bodhnath Stupa, a huge white temple, a dome-like structure atop a square base. There are Buddha eyes near the top and of course, prayer flags and bright coloured murals everywhere. It is pretty neat to join the Buddhists circumabulate the stupa, surrounded by a miriad of maroons, chanting and prayer wheels and beads (ooh, and insense as well). Pretty cool, you can't help but feel a little enlightened!

We also ventured up to Kapan, a Buddhist monastery not too far from Boudha. There are monasteries all over the place, beautiful buildings with stunning murals and gold relics. Kapan offers introductory courses in Buddhism that John and I are considering as it would be a neat spot to learn about the belief system.

It's been a pretty interesting visit thus far and I am completely mesmerized by the sites/sounds/smells here. It's hard to translate into text, but hopefully I've managed to describe it not too poorly... Pictures hopefully will help, but both John and I have been reluctant to take too many, as we find ourselves getting caught up in the experience of it all, but we will try!!

Hope all is well at home! :)

I think it's appropriate to end on... may peace be with you!
Kristy

The above image is Bodhnath Stupa, a huge structure which the Tibetans circumabulate to accumulate merit and good karma. It's pretty neat getting wrapped up in the crowd in the morning at during the evening, with hand-held prayer wheels being twirled around and prayer beads being handled. The wheels on the right hand photo are payer wheels and they have inscribed matras which are rotated counter clockwise. They are found all over the place... the most common inscription in "Om many padme hum" (which means roughly: "Om and salutations to the jewel of the mind that has reached the lotus of the heart", referring to aquiring both wisdom and universal compassion to all sentient beings).