Kathmandu Nepal

There was news today that 8 USAID projects in Nepal would cease as a result of Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s cutting back on the staff and budget of the USAID. That’s a pity because that country has wonderful people who are prepared to work hard and uplift themselves to give their children a better life. It’s just that it’s a mountainous place and difficult to have factories and industries so they rely a lot on tourism and selling handicrafts.

I was very fortunate last May to be able to visit Kathmandu to give a series of lectures. I have never been there and was initially apprehensive about the trip. I arrived on a Saturday night and I had a Sunday free. The lectures were on a Monday and Tuesday and I was leaving on a Tuesday night. So I arranged for a car and a guide to bring me around Kathmandu on the Sunday and I was so glad that I did.

I didn’t know Nepal had so many world heritage sites and clearly it must have been a historical place of significance looking at the number of old Hindu and Buddhist temples there. It is said that Emperor Asoka visited some of these sites in 300 BC. It is a pity that the country is unable to spend money to promote the place for tourism because there are so many things and places to do and see. They have very talented craftsmen, decent food and good hotels. It’s an ideal place for hiking and about 80% of the country is covered with forests so the air is fresh.

The first place I visited was a very famous Sivan temple called the Pashupathinath Temple by the Bagmati river. The temple is a world heritage site and is considered one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Hindus. It is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu and a very important sacred site for Hindus. By 730am there were thousands of people already there. It is clearly a historical place and from available records, it has been in existence at that location from at least 400 CE. It is a sprawling temple complex and I walked though only the main parts of the temple. There were people praying, singing and chanting everywhere I looked. No cameras, videos or footwear allowed inside the temple.

I next visited the famous Buddha Stupa at Bhodinath. This is another world heritage site and apparently this was the place where Tibetan Buddhism began. It’s a huge stupa and I walked around it 3 times, although I understand some people spend the entire day walking around the stupa. There are bells along the side that people ring as they walk by.

I then visited the Pathan old town. This is an ancient royal city, a lovely site with lots of old palaces and many shops selling arts and craft. This is another world heritage site. Full of beautiful handcrafted items and whilst there I purchased 2 beautiful thangka paintings. I also had lunch with my guide here on a rooftop restaurant. They also have shops selling cashmere sweaters and scarfs. These are made from the goats that are native to that part of Nepal.

Finally in the evening, I visited the famous monkey temple. Another ancient sacred site for Buddhists. It was quite a climb up the hill to visit the temple but once there you get a lovely view of the Kathmandu valley. The place has lots of monkeys!

I was in Nepal where Mount Everest is but I was nowhere near it. Then someone told me there were mountain flights that flew past the Himalayas every morning if the weather was good. So I took a 6am flight on a Tuesday morning. It was a 1 hour flight and I saw Everest from the sky! There are many such flights and these flights were mostly full. The people I met there were friendly and were sharing stories of the various places they had visited in Nepal.

And finally standing on a suspension bridge over a deep valley en route to the airport! The bridge was so long I could not even finish walking to the other end!

I only realized the importance and significance of some of these places I visited after that. I should have read up on these places before I went there. In fact a doctor friend I know well told me that he had been to the Sivan temple and that’s it’s very famous and it was only when he was there that he received a vision for the name for his then newly born daughter. There were also many more places I could have visited. Certainly a place I must visit with more time and more reflection!