Nepal

Nepal, a country with some of the gentlest people I’ve ever met. Rich in both nature and monuments. While the Nepalese are predominantly Hindu, there is nevertheless a conspicuous Buddhist minority, as well as several Tibetan refugees. Therefore, the school of Buddhism prevalent here is Vajrayana. And so it is that, apart from the small temple I saw in George Town (Malaysia), Nepal has been the first country on my ‘pilgrim’s route’ where I have been able to experience Tibetan Buddhism. Apart from its Vajrayana monasteries, temples and stupas (chorten in Tibetan), Nepal has something singularly sublime: it is home to one of the four principal sacred Buddhist sites – Lumbini – the place where the Buddha was born. The next posts will focus on two sites: Lumbini, and the great stupa of Bodnath in Kathmandu.

The long staircase leading to Swayambhunath Stupa in Kathmandu

Swayambhunath Stupa

Swayambhunath Stupa

A monk having tea near Swayambhunath Stupa