Swayambhu - a Buddhist temple

World Heritage site number 2.  
Swayambhu Temple and Stupa

Namaste
After an interesting taxi ride, three of us in a very small Skoda, along lanes I would be anxious about driving my car in because of the deep ruts, we arrived at the main gate of this temple.  We now have VSO passes which grant us resident status, which means that we no longer have to pay the tourist rates for entry to special places, the locals rate being much lower.  

The lower part of the temple by the entrance.

Swayambhu is sited on top of a small hill, and our guide book informed us it was a really good place to visit early on in your stay in Kathmandu, as from the top there are excellent view out over the city.  Our first impression was of many large trees, millions of prayer flags and monkeys!! They roam wild over the site, and we were told, as we arrived, not to touch or feed them. Because of this they ignore the human visitors as they do not expect food from them.  (Someone should have dealt with the seagulls in St. Ives in the same way!!)

Having refused a guide, we remembered to walk clockwise around the site. (anti-clockwise is disrespectful!)  Monkeys everywhere, many family groups with very young clinging on around their mother's belly.

The path led us spiralling gradually upwards towards the top of the hill, viewing various devotional statues, bells and prayer wheels at regular intervals during our climb.

One of several bells we saw.
Each was inscribed with many symbols.

This statue in the middle of a small pool, very green, which seemed to be being used as a wishing well. People were throwing coins, trying to get them into the small pot below the foot of the golden statue. There was much excitement from the crowd when a coin actually went in!

 

A grid of small Stupas near the top of the hill.

At the very top of the hill is a large white Stupa, surrounded by many strings of prayer flags. It is very old and inscriptions on it are said to date from the fifth century. Buddhists consider this a very holy place, in fact the chief 'powerpoint' in the Kathmandu Valley, and one chronicle states that an act of worship here carries thirteen billion times more merit than anywhere else. (Wow! I should have sent up some special prayers!)

The eyes painted on the golden cube at the top, on all four sides, represents the all seeing Buddha staring in all directions.  Set around the stupa are statues of 5 meditating Buddhas, representing earth, fire, air, water and the sky. 

After spending time looking around the Stupa, we then turned our attention to retail therapy!

Incongruous to us, in this very holy site, were the many traders situated at the top by the stupa, all anxious for us to see and buy their wares. They are mostly exiled Tibetans, and have many interesting Tibetan and Buddhist things for sale.  We had a demonstration of using a singing bowl for massage in one shop and left with prayer flags, embroidered bags and other small items.

The views of Kathmandu from the hillside were good, as suggested in the guide book, although it was hard to decide where the places we knew were, with this sea of house.

From this photograph, the hills which surround the Kathmandu basin can be clearly seen, and also how built up the flat plain is. Planes taking off from the airport here have to circle above the city to gain altitude before they can fly over the surrounding hills. Likewise planes coming in to land need time to lose altitude once over the hills.

Another interesting place in this fascinating city. 

Ta ta