Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, the Kathmandu Valley stands as a testament to centuries of rich cultural, religious, and architectural development. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage property, the valley is inscribed as seven distinct Monument Zones, each representing a vital aspect of its historical urban and religious fabric. These zones include the historic Durbar squares of Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur, along with prominent religious ensembles such as Swayambhu, Boudhanath, Pashupati, and Changu Narayan.

The Monument Zones and Their Significance

The Durbar squares serve as the heart of each city, featuring palaces, temples, and bustling public spaces that reflect the political and cultural grandeur of Nepal’s historic kingdoms. Meanwhile, the religious ensembles are crucial for understanding the spiritual landscape of the valley.

• Swayambhu: Home to the oldest Buddhist monument in the valley, a venerable stupa that symbolizes the enduring Buddhist tradition in Nepal.
• Bauddhanath: Contains the largest stupa in Nepal, a major pilgrimage site and a hub of Tibetan Buddhism.
• Pashupati: Encompasses an extensive Hindu temple precinct dedicated to Lord Shiva, highlighting the importance of Hindu worship in the region.
• Changu Narayan: Features a traditional Newari settlement and one of the earliest inscriptions from the 5th century AD, along with a Hindu temple complex that exemplifies Nepalese temple architecture.

Architectural Features and Craftsmanship

Kathmandu Valley UNESCO Heritage

The monuments are characterized by their distinctive architectural typologies, primarily constructed from fired brick, mud mortar, and timber. Their roofs are adorned with small overlapping terracotta tiles and gilded brass ornamentation, showcasing the high level of craftsmanship of the Newar people—the indigenous inhabitants of the valley. Richly carved windows, doorways, and roof struts further exemplify their artistic mastery.

Stupas—symbolic Buddhist monuments—are notable for their simple yet powerful forms, with massive whitewashed hemispheres supporting gilded cubes bearing the all-seeing Buddha eyes. These architectural elements reflect both spiritual symbolism and artistic excellence.

Cultural Fusion and Artistic Heritage

The development of Buddhism and Hinduism in Nepal is marked by a remarkable fusion of religious practices and artistic traditions, especially between 1500 and 1800 AD. This period saw the emergence of intricate and highly developed craftsmanship in brick, stone, timber, and bronze, manifesting in palace complexes, temples, and stupas. The unique urban settlements of the Newars, with their detailed ornamentation and traditional construction techniques, stand as some of the most advanced in the world.

Outstanding Universal Value

The Newar People- Old Inhabitants of Kathmandu

The Kathmandu Valley’s monuments embody several UNESCO criteria:

• Criterion (iii): They are an exceptional testimony to the traditional civilization of the valley, reflecting a multi-ethnic society with distinct cultural traditions. The Newars’ craftsmanship and urban development are unparalleled, and the coexistence of Hinduism, Buddhism, animist rituals, and Tantrism is uniquely manifested here.
• Criterion (iv): The region’s architecture exemplifies highly developed cultural expressions, with palace complexes, temples, and stupas that are unique to the valley and represent a pinnacle of Nepalese artistry.
• Criterion (vi): The sites are directly associated with legends, rituals, and festivals that are integral to the spiritual and cultural life of the local communities, illustrating the tangible connection between religious practice and architectural expression.

Preservation, Integrity, and Management

Buddhism and Hinduism in Nepal

The Kathmandu Valley’s attributes are well-preserved within the boundaries established by the World Heritage designation, with most buildings remaining in good condition. An Integrated Management Plan, adopted in 2007, coordinates efforts among various levels of government and non-governmental organizations to protect these monuments from urban encroachment and development pressures.

While urbanization continues, the authenticity of the historical ensembles is maintained through their traditional forms, materials, and setting. The protection measures are reinforced by national legislation, including the Ancient Monument Preservation Act of 1956, which affords the highest level of protection to these sites.

Boudhanath Stupa

Furthermore, disaster risk management is a critical component of ongoing preservation efforts, ensuring that the valley’s monuments are safeguarded against natural calamities and future threats.

Conclusion

The Kathmandu Valley’s seven Monument Zones stand as a vivid reflection of Nepal’s rich cultural tapestry, architectural ingenuity, and religious diversity. Recognized for their outstanding universal value, these sites exemplify a unique blend of artistic excellence and spiritual tradition that continues to inspire and attract visitors from around the world. Through sustained management and preservation efforts, the enduring legacy of the Kathmandu Valley remains safeguarded for future generations.

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Fairfield by Marriott, part of Marriott International today announced the opening of Fairfield by Marriott Kathmandu, which marks Marriott International’s entry into Nepal and further expands the company’s footprint in South Asia. Fairfield by Marriott is an established leader in the select service segment, with nearly 850 hotels around the world.

“We are very proud to debut in the kingdom of Nepal and introduce the Fairfield by Marriott brand as Marriott International’s first hotel in the country,” says Mike Fulkerson, Vice President, Brand & Marketing Asia Pacific, Marriott International. “As with all Fairfield by Marriott hotels around the world, guests can expect the same high standards of service and seamless experience so they never have to skip a beat.”

FAIRFIELD BY MARRIOTT KATHMANDU

Fairfield by Marriott Kathmandu is located in Thamel, a district at the heart of the capital’s central commercial hub, which was previously known as a bohemian haven before it became a popular shopping destination. Close to all the destination’s popular attractions including the Narayanhiti Palace Museum, Garden of Dreams and the Kathmandu Durbar Square, the hotel is also conveniently situated 5km away from the airport.

Neeraj Govil- Area Vice President, South Asia for Marriott International added: “We believe this is exactly the right product for this market as it fills a much-needed gap in the moderate tier segment with its fresh, contemporary design, service excellence and great value. We are confident this will resonate well with both leisure and business travelers to Kathmandu.”

The hotel offers 115 smart, straightforward and thoughtfully appointed rooms. Kava, the all-day dining restaurant, serves local, Indian and international cuisine. Meanwhile, Kava – The Bar and lobby lounge is a lively spot offering freshly brewed coffee and an array of cocktails in the evening. The Business Centre meeting rooms are equipped with the latest audio visual facilities and all public areas and guest rooms have high-speed Wi-Fi. The hotel also features The Market, a unique 24/7 convenience store within the hotel, where guests can purchase snacks and beverages at any time of the day.

Sharing his thoughts, Prakash Jayadevan, General Manager, Fairfield by Marriott Kathmandu said, “There is a lot of enthusiasm and excitement as we launch the Fairfield by Marriott brand in Nepal. We aim to set the standards of delivering a great hotel experience at an affordable price point, through consistent and reliable service that comes from being a part of Marriott International”.

Fairfield by Marriott Kathmandu is the latest addition to the brand’s footprint in South Asia, with four hotels in India currently open including Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Rajajinagar, Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Outer Ring Road, Fairfield by Marriott Lucknow and Fairfield by Marriott Belagavi.

For more on the hotel and for reservations, please visit www.fairfieldkathmandu.com

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DAY 4

My recklessness has no limits, so I decide to hire a mountain bike and venture into Kathmandu traffic, which is not as bad as I thought. I head to the east and, after dealing with some strenuous ups and downs and the bad attitude of truck drivers disrespectful of any other vehicle, let alone of bicycles, I step away from the traffic and land in the relative tranquility of the suburbs where I am witness of a radical change from the city to the rural Nepal. My butt also experiences a radical change after an hour sitting on the hard seat.

PASHUPATINATH

Baba

After 45 minutes of hard pedaling I arrive at Pashupatinath, the most important Hindu sacred precinct of the country, home to one of the most famous Shiva temples in the Indian subcontinent. Pashupati, the lord of the beasts, has become increasingly important for the Nepalese who visit the site before a trip or an important mission to receive the blessing of this deity. This sacred place is famous for the cremations that are celebrated on the banks of the Bagmati River, a river as sacred to Pashupatinath as the Ganges is to Varanasi. From 6 am to 7 pm funeral pyres are constantly lit under the eyes of hundreds of Nepalese and of some tourists hungry for an original photo reportage. On the numerous ghats – the steps leading to the river – the altars used for funeral ceremonies lay alongside the flow of the water. Some of these altars are used by poor families, while others are reserved for the rich and noble; each caste has its own cremation field. Some cheeky monkeys frolic nearby, waiting.

I sit on a long flight of steps on the opposite bank, where dozens of curious tourists have already positioned themselves to attend a ceremony that is being prepared. The waiting is long and allows me to stroll amongst beautiful temples with enigmatic shapes and inscriptions, tantric images and erotic scenes. At some point, those who seem to father and son carry the body of an old man down the steps, dipping his feet in the water in order to sanctify it. The scene is slightly grotesque, the dead man’s expression is absorbed and his mouth is open; his skin has already assumed a pale color.

On one of the platforms people are dutifully preparing woven wood for a pyre; I mistakenly think it is for the body of the elderly, but all of a sudden a group of people carries a young woman and lays it on the wood. What is probably her husband sprinkles the body, covered almost entirely by a white veil, with colorful spices while a pair of women do the same with flowers. The young woman’s beautiful face is uncovered and the man, after filling the pyre with small twigs for easing ignition, sets fire by putting one of the lit twigs into her mouth, and says his last prayers. Everything takes place in complete silence, family members do not shout or cry, just meditate and observe, and this makes death seem the most natural thing in the world. Tourists take pictures from the other bank of the river, but discretely and with zoom lenses so as not to offend the mourners.

pashupatinath sadhus

Smoking has now completely covered her body and the smell of burning flesh permeates the air. There is a flat, perceptible silence. I decide to visit other temples within a radius of 500 meters from the ghats. In one of these I make the acquaintance of one of the many sadhus, the holy Hindu ascetics, with their orange robes and their faces tainted by the many pujas. One of them, a yogi – yoga teacher – who calls himself Baba Kalabar, delights me with some yoga postures that make him look like a circus contortionist. He has a mouse-like face, a blissful and genuine smile, he is dressed in yellow and carries along all his possessions, which consist of a small crumpled and half-empty backpack and an iron bar with a ring at each end that helps him in his impossible body postures. His face is almost completely painted in yellow, as well as his hair, long and smeared with a strange oily substance, while the palms of his hands are stained in red. His body is covered with a patina of indelible dirt, and around his neck he wears a couple of thick coral necklaces for Hindu prayers. I take the opportunity to immortalize him several times, along with his companion, a sadhu dressed in red with a okra yellow turban on his head, also smiling and very helpful. I take my leave, promising to send the pictures taken via post. I write down the address, Baba Kalabar, Pashupatinath, Kathmandu, while I wonder if the postman delivers mail to these dedicated hermits.

Once I am back on the banks of the river, the woman’s body is reduced to a heap of ashes and most of the onlookers are gone, while smoke continues to cloud the air and the various pilgrims tend to their activities of all time, regardless: the offers, the purifying bath in the holy waters, the incenses and so on. Her ashes are later assigned to the Bagmati River and will follow its course until it flows into the sacred Ganges.

BODHNATH

I get back the bicycle, take a stroll in the local market and then move further away from the city, destination Bodhnath, home to the largest stupa in all of Nepal and one of the largest in the world.

Finally, after a good hour of cycling through paths full of stones, I arrive in Bodhnath main street. Various little roads lead to the square entrance, in the center of which lies the famous stupa, resembling that of the Swayambhunath  but with a much broader perimeter. I leave the bike tied under a portico, pay the entrance fee and dive into a multitude of small shops that surround the majestic sanctuary, adorned with hundreds of prayer flags.

This is the religious center of the Tibetan population in the country, and it is where most of the Tibetan community lives. The presence of monks and devotees is high, they come from all over Asia. Several dirt roads lead to various gompas – the monasteries – some a couple of miles away, others only a few hundred meters. I choose one close enough and almost deserted, no tourists around, and I take the opportunity to take my shoes off, as the custom requires, and enter. I sit down in silence amongst meditating monks, and in doing so I enjoy the mystical atmosphere amongst people who radiate an addictive peace and tranquility that you breathe in the air, and it fills the spirit.

I could sit here for hours, listening to these songs that follow the rhythm given by the elder lama who is sitting on an elevated stool. Behind him, huge golden statues depicting the Buddha fill the back wall, and under each there are several burning candles and a large photo of the Dalai Lama. The other walls and ceiling are decorated with paintings on cotton with strong outlines that recall life scenes of the enlightened, already seen in the famous Thankas, the traditional paintings on canvas framed in fabric depicting subjects related to Buddhism. Often, the murals show scenes from mythological times: ancient lamas and mandalas, the diagrams that help the art of meditation and represent the various forces of the universe. Another of the classic subjects of the murals is the ‘wheel of life’, which represents Buddha’s infinite knowledge and wisdom, and the road that the human being has to take in order to get out of samsara, hell, and enter nirvana, heaven. Colorful silk banners with flaps showing inscriptions in Tibetan and Chinese language hang from the ceiling and on the columns. Occasionally a monk leaves the monastery only to return with bowls full of food, mostly seeds, legumes and rice, which he distributes amongst those present. I find the whole thing moving and I feel very fortunate to be able to share with them, if only for a few tens of minutes, a crumb of their disciplined lives devoted to self-sustenance, prayer and worshipping of the Buddha.

Outside, the sun is setting relentlessly, and this is a great time for Bodhnath. The hordes of tourists go back to town and the place regains its Buddhist character of all time: the inhabitants gather to chat while they perform the ritual of walking around the stupa clockwise, as tradition commands. The shops selling Tibetan handicrafts are closing their doors.

The trip back to the city is less hard than I thought – the legs are strong now – but it is characterized by much more traffic than on the first leg. I spend the evening in the hotel, resting from the heavy day.

To learn more click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pashupatinath_Temple or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudhanath

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DAY 3

Swayambunath

After the usual earthy breakfast, I leave for an interesting walk to the Buddhist temple of Swayambhunath, called the Monkey Temple for the many primates living in its vicinity. Swayambhunath is one of the symbols of the city, located on top of a hill two kilometers west of the center. Swayambhunath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other sites included in the Katmandhu Valley. The walk is pleasant and takes me from the chaos of Thamel shops to the dirt roads on the outskirts of Katmandhu. I cross a long bridge in the company of several locals; in the dry river bed below, several women wash and spread out to dry wool that has just been sheared.

The entrance to the staircase that leads to the top of the hill is suggestive; a high and colorful arch sits before a huge and multicolored statue of a seated Buddha. On the walls nearby, dozens of prayer wheels with inscriptions depicting the mantra ‘Om Mani Padme Um’ are turned continuously by various visiting pilgrims. Inside the buildings that fence off the hill there are majestic prayers cylinders at least four meters high; when turned, different bells attached to the ceiling start to emit sounds, a spectacular scene. Outside, dozens of religious devotees light candles and pray without stop.

The 365 steps staircase is quite steep; on the sides along the climb there are various stalls selling Tibetan handicrafts. Some of the artisans can be seen at work while inlaying thin sheets of stone with minutes chisels, an art that requires practice and lots of patience. Every now and then I cross temples that feature animal figures in colorful stones, invaded by insolent and mischievous monkeys; I was warned that some may even attack people, but I did not notice any aggressive behaviour, yet it is advisable not to take with you food or drinks easy to spot!

At the top you can enjoy breathtaking views of the city; just past the entrance to the temple is a bronze trident symbol of male power in Buddhist belief, and to its side a bell, in turn symbol of feminine wisdom. Behind, majestic and very tall, the stupa of Katmandhu’s most famous and sacred temple with its classic form of an inverted funnel – in Nepal there are three main types of temples: pagodas are used by Hindus, those shaped like a mountain are for both Hindus and Buddhists, while stupas are purely Buddhist.

Swayambunath steps

Long crisscrossed lines of prayer flags hang from the top of Swayambhunath stupa; upon swaying, they issue imaginary sacred chants into the air. The stupa base, painted in white, symbolizes the four elements – earth, fire, air and water – while the 13 copper rings that make up the perimeter of its top are the steps needed to reach nirvana, here symbolized by the very tip of the stupa. The Buddha’s eyes painted on the stupa facades observe the valley in its entirety; between the two eyes, above the eyebrows, there’s a third eye, symbol of Buddha’s clairvoyant powers, and the nose painted in the shape of a question mark is no more then Nepalese number one (ek), symbol of unity.

In the nearby monastery there is the statue of a Tibetan goddess, and her story is nothing short of original: it is said that the valley in which Katmandhu is located was previously occupied by a lake. This Tibetan goddess would cut an entire hill with her sword, allowing water to flow eastward and make room for what would later become the site of the present city.

I’m lucky and I happen to get here on a festival day; hundreds of people, mostly Tibetans, celebrate, sing, eat and play cards sitting on thick carpets and under colorful and vivid tents that protect them from the warm rays of the winter sun. The view of the city from up here is special. Inside the Tibetan monastery, a dozen monks recite prayers to the ceaseless and rhythmic sound of huge and elongated brass instruments and loud gongs. The entrance is crowded, everyone wants to take pictures, but unfortunately my camera misfires and the shutter gets stuck. I am consoled by the fact that the best pictures are shot by our own eyes, or so they say. Outside, a group of bored children monks dressed in yellow shirt and crimson robe, wander absorbed and thoughtful, throwing crumbs to the dozens of birds around. Some of them feature luxurious-looking wrist watches, which spoil a bit the homogeneity of the place.

I am satisfied with the visit and decide to get back to town. It was a beautiful day, which culminated unfortunately in an awful dinner at an Indian restaurant…

To learn more check en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swayambhunath

See Unesco page: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/121

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DAY 2

tibetan items at basantapur durbar square

My daily exploration takes me first to Thamel Chowk – the Thamel Market – then to a square called Thahiti Tole, where I admire a stupa in its center and the medieval-looking Nateshwar Temple on one corner. I then reach Asan Tole, which is notoriously the most chaotic crossroads in the old city; here, at the intersection of six major roads, there is a market where from dawn to dusk sellers of spices, of fruits and vegetables, buyers and passers-by gather. Hindus temples are not to be missed: a small one, dedicated to Vishnu, one with two floors to the elephant-god Ganesh, one with three floors to the goddess of abundance Annapurna, who also gives its name to one of the highest Himalayan mountain range, and one octagonal dedicated to Krishna. From here I continue to another Kathmandu market, the Indra Chowk, meeting point of fabric merchants and stones and bracelets dealers.

Just before I get to the historic Durbar Square, while I wander through messy narrow streets where prayer flags wave and a cow eats advertising posters affixed to the walls, I make the acquaintance of a shopkeeper wearing the puja on the forehead. He insists in teaching me how to play Bagh Chaal. This, I learn, is the national game of Nepal; it looks like draught but instead of pawns there are four tigers and 20 sheep. The aim of the player with the tigers is to climb over the opponent sheep and by doing so, eat them. The other, in order to defend himself, must in turn trap the tigers to make them harmless, blocking their passages within the web of the board. The pieces and the board are generally hand-made with bronze, and they come in different sizes. To my playmate astonishment, as well as that of a friend of his and of various passers-by gathered around the table at the edge of the road, I cunningly manage to win two games out of three, helped by beginner’s luck but also due to a couple of mistakes by my opponent, who congratulates me. I say goodbye and I continue my stroll.

Nateshwar Temple

Basantapur Durbar Square, UNESCO World Heritage Site, is vast and majestic, and hosts lots of buildings in typical Nepalese architecture: temples, stupas (Buddhist religious monuments containing relics of the Buddha), gompas (Buddhist monasteries) and every type of monument; they all look well kept and in good conditions, only some are closed for restoration. It is worth mentioning the old building around which the city is located, the Kastamandap, the palace dedicated to Lord Hanuman, temples dedicated to various deities, the Taleju Temple, the Jagannath Temple, the Nautale, and a temple in honor of Lord Shiva. A couple of cows wander around the square undisturbed; tourists and locals share the space with the numerous and ubiquitous rickshaw.

On the steps of the largest temple, as I contemplate the grandeur of the square and watch the dozens of young people and tourists who take pictures of the surrounding beauties, I make the acquaintance of one of the many Sherpa guides around. He is very friendly, a small and thin man who offers me his experience to take me on a trek in the mountains; he shows me his book of written recommendations from the various tourists he accompanied in the past as proof of his skills and reliability. He gives me his phone number before descending the stairs and disappearing behind the stairs.

I sit watching the comings and goings in the square below, and I take the opportunity to read about the various monuments in my guide. The colorful entrance in front of the royal palace, where the Nepali King and the royal family members lived before the massacre carried out by the prince heir to the throne a few years ago, is properly guarded: physically by well-armed Nepalese army soldiers in uniform and white helmet, and spiritually by a pair of huge limestone tigers ridden by gods, duly painted in bright colors, whose task is to drive away the evil spirits. Perched on one of these sculptures, a deft monkey is fast in grabbing peanuts handed over by a holy man passing by.

The Author at Kathmandu

I enter the temple of Kumari, the Kumar Ghar, and wait for thirty minutes to see her appearance without success, risking the continuous guano bombardment of the pigeons that populate the ancient attics and the beautiful wooden balconies of the residence. The Kumari, or ‘living goddess’, is nothing more than a young child, chosen amongst many, who symbolizes purity. Occasionally, she overlooks from one of the windows, and her appearance can mean good fortune for years to come, so hundreds of locals try their luck every day with a visit to the palace courtyard. The girl remains as Kumari until her body gives off blood, and due to this she is forced to lead a life of semi-seclusion and full of care and precautions to prevent her from hurting. Inevitably, she will be replaced in any case at the time of her first menstruation.

The visit to the historic Basantapur Durbar Square greatly impressed me. The colorful market at the side of the square is well stocked and has an aura of times past; the sellers are all Tibetans, selling replicas of relics of ancient Himalayan civilizations. It is here that I buy my beautiful bronze Bagh Chaal at a reasonable price after an interesting negotiation with one of the nice sellers.

I continue south of Basantapur Durbar Square and up to the legendary Jochne, renamed Freak Street in the 70s for the influx of hippies in the city during those years, when the smell of incense, the children turning the prayer wheels, the cheap inns and spiritual restaurants and shops were the standard. I sit in a cafe, I order a snack and I look around me; certainly Freak Street has lost much of its genuine charm, but its history and its location in the heart of Kathmandu makes it extremely popular and appreciated by tourists .

I return to the hotel and I consider an out-of-town schedule for the next few days…

To learn more browse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basantapur_Durbar_Square

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THE ARRIVAL

Baba in Kathmandu

The long flight is almost over and I am about to land in Nepal. From the top of my seat, the views of the Kathmandu valley, the Terai jungle and the Himalayan mountain range makes me wince. November is climatically the best month to visit Nepal, especially if you plan to go hiking. At the airport arrivals there is a lot of people; I wait in a queue for more than an hour to get the visa, another hour to pick up my luggage from a messy conveyor belts area with baggages from the several incoming flights. At the exit, I contract a taxi for the ride to Thamel, the heart of the tourist area of Kathmandu. After checking-in at one of the several affordable guest-houses, I undo the backpack and go out to familiarize with my new surroundings.

Kathmandu is situated at 1300 meters above sea level, in a basin surrounded by a valley full of lofty hills that are home to small villages at a height range of 2000 to 2700 meters, Hindu temples and Tibetan monasteries. Since China took control of Tibet, Tibetans have made of Nepal their second home. The streets are relatively clean, the shops are many and for each there is a character that politely invites passers by to enter without hassling them. Tourists are so many on the streets, by the hundreds; restaurants, bars, cafes and bakeries alternate each other on either side of the narrow streets, that are mostly pedestrian.

Kathmandu is fascinating and spiritual, a lively city made ​​of tiny streets and alleys paved with pebbles and stones. The buildings are of medieval architecture, with wooden balconies carved with exquisite motifs; there is little traffic, mainly composed of bicycles and rickshaws. The air is quite clean, it is only five in the afternoon and it is already chilly. No wonder a t-shirt is not enough to warm one’s body, we are at the foot of the Himalayas. A number of women and children sell handicrafts and musical instruments from the road sides, all ready to give you a smile and a Nepalese hello, the namaste. The evening is rather cold, so I retire to my room, I cover with a quilt and try to sleep.

DAY 1

Ugratara temple

The next day I wake up and I glance out of the curtains: it is a gorgeous sunny day. I have decided to follow the Kathmandu city trail recommended by the guide on foot; here everything is nearby and you can walk to mostly everywhere. Some of the temples that I find along the way are really big, while others are so small and hidden that if you are not careful you are likely miss them out. They are hidden in a maze of alleyways and narrow passages, often indicated only by small piles of ash, by consumed candles and flowers, the offerings to the gods from the daily ceremonies.

I visit large squares with their central traditional stupa – a Buddhist shrine – where groups of hard-working women spread rice on jute rugs to make it dry in the morning sun. I make the acquaintance of a nice gentleman mostly clad in rags yet orderly; he wears a full beard and carries an aluminum container to receive offers. He paint a red dot on my forehead, a puja, a respect ritual for worshipping the gods that serves as a good omen; he then waits patiently for my tip. They are many here who have let go of all their material possessions and have devoted themselves to prayer, living off food offerings that they collect from the streets and in the markets.

In one of the squares I catch sight of a stupa that looks larger and more decorated than others; several colorful prayer flags hang from it. The various pagodas that are spread around its circumference have effigies and statues of gods enclosed in niches; on their doors are guardian dragons painted in white, blue and yellow hues. Several devotees walk around the stupa lost in thought, spinning the dozens of bronze prayer wheels supported by ancient metal structures in the process, stopping in front of each niche to touch the deity and pray. At the top, a section over which the mystic symbol of the Buddha’s eyes are painted forms the base of the wooden conical structure that culminates in a magnificent top.

At the foot of the shrine sits a priest dressed entirely in white; he wears a long garland of orange carnations around his neck, and his head is covered with a cap made of six large petals of red cloth, each of which has an image of the Buddha painted on canvas stitched to it. He is sitting on the ground cross-legged, peaceful and surrounded by a dozen people who follow his sermons, for which he uses many symbolic objects placed on the ground around him: he  tinges his fingers with a natural red powder stored in a wooden box, then goes to touch and stain various bronze dishes, phials containing liquids, bowls filled with rice and flower petals. Chunks of coal and resins burn in a brass plate at the side of which lie an apple, an orange and a pile of leaves; they give off a faint smoke and a bearable smell. Each of his followers carries a basket containing food to be offered to the Buddha; I look at them while they move slowly, and I ask myself what kind of procedures they are following, and how many symbolisms every action encompasses.

Among the various temples described by the guide, there is one that particularly intrigues me: the Temple of Ugratara. It is said that this small temple, with its triple canopy pagoda from which creased drapes and golden bells hang, has the power to heal eye blemishes and eye diseases; it appears that it is enough to touch the inside of it through the protecting bronze and wrought iron railing to improve eyes conditions, be it a simple conjunctivitis or a serious case of myopia. The important thing is to believe. In its vicinity there is a large crop of solid wood fixed to a wall to which thousands of coins have been carefully nailed; carved in the center there is an image that represents the deity in question, which has the power to heal the toothache of anyone who makes the offer of a coin, which needs to be nailed to the stump.

And if this method does not work, do not worry, the dentists’ neighborhood is conveniently located in the vicinity! Their insignia, skillfully hand-painted, show giant dentures containing the name of the surgery written in Nepalese characters. The dentists wait patiently in front of the windows behind which are on display baskets full of (real) teeth divided by type, the molars in one, the front teeth in another, and so on, as well as (used) dentures of various sizes and forms, and instruments of the trade. I ignore their origin, but someone said they are the teeth of dead people, or teeth extracted from other patients. Let’s just hope I will not need them.

Brimming with information and tired from the long walk, I eat a Dhaal Baht and I am off to bed, but not before having planned tomorrow…

To know more browse https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathmandu

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