Buddha Scapes ~ Kathmandu

All for the love of Buddha Scapes…. Shilpa took you to Ladakh, Brinda to Dharmsala and now I’m going to take you to Kathmandu….

This place is called Swayambhunath and is one of the oldest and most enigmatic of all the holy shrines in the Kathmandu valley. Its white dome and gliterring gold spire are visible from miles away. This stupa is an important Buddhist pilgrimage destination. The place is adorned by gorgeous prayer flags… There are stories of a miraculous lotus, planted here by Buddha himself, which blossomed from the lake that once covered the valley. 365 steps lead you up the hill, to the temple which is guarded by two lions at its entrance. On the main stupa there are a pair of big eyes. I believe the eyes is a symbol that God can see ‘all’. And the third eye signifies the wisdom of looking within. The are surrounding the stupa is filled with small temples, smaller monasteries, a little museum, images of deities and numberous other religious objects. There are also the prayer wheels which the Tibetan Buddhist use. There is also a small hindu temple on this hill. There is also a smaller temple called the place of peace, inside which monks practise meditation and prayer. The small temple is unique, mysterious and slightly ominous. Saying that, the place was peaceful and it totally loved being here… This is the view of the city from the Swayambhunath!! Hope you are joining in ‘Buddha Scapes’ which is the link party for June! ~ Patricia