Cremation Ceremonies

Going to the cremation ghats was a little as I expected it to be, and at the same time nothing like I could have imagined.  It wasn’t the easiest thing to watch, BUT definitely an experience I will always remember.....along with the smell of burning bodies, which I hope I never have to smell again.  There are many different rituals and beliefs that go into an open air cremation.  All along the Bagmati river (which is by far one of the dirtiest rivers I have ever seen and at the same time the holiest) is where these cremations take place.  I was able to watch the entire process of a family who prepared their loved one’s body to be cremated, in hopes and faith that their soul would be carried on into another life.  From watching them wrap the body up, to making many offerings, to starting the body on fire through the mouth, to watching the ashes get brushed into the river, is more than enough to take in for a day.  To say that this place is full of emotion is quite an understatement.  And as hard as it was to watch it, their customs were still unbelievably beautiful.

Many women placing offerings on the body

Blessing the body with the holy water from the river

Little boy pulling a magnet in the water in search of coins

Although it is hard to believe that despite the massive amounts of garbage all over the city, there ARE in fact garbage men here.  Instead of using a big garbage truck to drive through the cities, they walk around with a dust pan and little broom and sweep up whatever garbage they might find.   They even had garbage men near the cremation sight, which was a little weird considering the river was full of garbage and the ashes of dead bodies.

platform along the river

On a lighter note, here is the reason I am a vegetarian in Nepal.  :)

enough said

Life on a Bus

After many, many bus rides here in Nepal, I think I am finally able to block everything out and ignore the chaos that is ALWAYS happening.  And what does that include you might be asking?  Well, here is what some of the bus rides here have entailed.   

Overbooked buses, which require me to sit up front with the bus driver and all the locals.  Which is fine, until the small children begin puking and then proceed to toss their puke bags out the window.  Just because it’s raining doesn’t mean the windshield wipers need to be turned on.  Stopping alongside the highway (more like cliff side) to have a bathroom break.  Listening to the sound of the horn throughout the ENTIRE journey.  Praying with closed eyes just because it’s necessary.  And of course the boxes of live chickens who wouldn’t stop chirping for the life of them.  I eventually learned that the reasons for taking Dramamine are two-fold.  One, I don’t get sick.  And two, it completely knocks me out and I actually have a chance of sleeping for oh….about 7 minutes before I either hear another horn or find out we’re stopped on the middle of a high mountain road bcuz the cows have decided they don’t want to move. 

Up front w/the locals and one other foreigner who wasn't happy

Cliff-side driving

I dont think there is a "right" side of the road to be on

 

 After finally making it to my destination of Lumbini, I somehow ended up staying at Korean Monastery for a few nights.  I honestly don’t even know how this happened, but it was pretty rad.  For $3/day, that got me a bed…or maybe it would be more accurate to say a pad on the floor with a net over it, a bucket shower, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Granted it was the exact same food for every meal, which of course meant rice and vegetable curry for breakfast….but it somehow still tasted amazing. 

Korean ceremony in my home for a few days :)

our nets :)

 Lumbini, which is the birthplace of Buddha, was a pretty peaceful place.  There were a whole lot of monks, Buddhist temples from a bunch of different countries, and quotes from Buddha scattered all along the gardens.  Oh and prayer flags galore.  Definitely was a cool little place and worth the 16.5 hour roundtrip bus ride that wuz a journey in itself.