Last Sunday I did the touristy thing with a couple of visitors to our office and went to two of Nepal's most revered and popular places, Bodhnath Stupa and Pashupatinath Temple. Now, the difference between the two is that Bodhnath is Buddhist (stupa is temple for Buddhism) and that Pashupati temple, is well...a temple - for Hindu's. For some reason the rain didn't phase me, the temples intrigued me so much; their history, their intricate beauty and the fact that millions of people around the world visit them each year for religious reasons. But one thing baffled me, and continues to baffle me every single day whenever I hear my landlord's family ring a bell at sunrise and sunset to make an offering to their gods (which live on our roof by the way, in a cage - they let them out at sunrise and they go back in at sunset - my theory anyway), is how much people give to their gods: the rituals, the offerings and even the willingness to stay smelly for a week!Now, I'm just giving you my basic thoughts - without any research or proper knowledge on Hinduism or Buddhism (which I will probably do after I write this), this is just my nonacademic-straight down the line- innocent observations since living in Nepal. Being a Christian, has probably skewed my thinking on this topic of effort in religion, but if I were an Atheist and I looked at Hinduism - I believe I would have my grounds for wanting to oppose religion. The amount of effort that goes into being a Hindu tires me just thinking about it.
So on our trip, we went to Bodhnath Stupa first. It was pouring with rain, so the place was empty except for the few devote monks who were spinning the prayer wheels. It was so peaceful. The stupa is surrounded by Tibetan Monastery's and special souvenir stores. Despite the patter of the rain, was the faint sound of humming, a relaxing rhythmic sort of humming which came from a theater-looking-thing at the center point of the circle of shops around the stupa. We went inside this little room in front of the stupa which had massive gold(?) wheels that were spinning - like a big prayer wheel, with people ringing bells around it. Maybe I'm weird but I found it to be a relaxing, holy and spiritual experience despite it going against my own religious norms. The monks smiled at me and I smiled back, they didn't hustle me, just directed me around with soft hand movements. It was nice, I left Bodhnath with a good feeling and of a yearning of wanting to return.
Next stop was Pashupati. It is Nepal's most important Hindu Temple. Now I can't remember the reason for its importance, my simple brain only remembers important facts like that it is where they burn deceased bodies and that once a year they have a big festival where thousands of people from around the world come to worship at the temple and well...burn bodies by the river. It's all a bit morbid really! But maybe first impressions last, people were hounding us the minute we got there selling us things and beggars asking for money. Maybe it was the rain, but the temples didn't look very nice. I thought it was funny how the first place they directed us to was the riverbank where we could see a charcoaled corpse burning. You have to understand the caste system here in Nepal to fully comprehend the processes that they have, but basically there are specific stands for each caste to burn bodies on, and the brahmins (highest caste) get to burn under a cover - how nice. They believe that once they are burnt and thrown into the Bagmati river, they will then reincarnate into...something, like a cow - hence the don't-kill-a-cow thing.
The buildings were old and quite amazing, some of the little temple things apparently had holy men living in them (these men dressed in orange with scarily long dreadlocks), that made us pay for a picture. There was a larger temple which only Nepali's could enter and apparently in the middle of it is a golden calf, doesn't that remind you of one Biblical story involving a golden calf and a man named Moses? Personally, the place had an eerie feel to it, perhaps because people were burning bodies in the same vicinity as us, but I was relieved to get out of there.I get Buddhism. I know it sounds weird but I do. Peace, harmony, pray to the god/s and live a life of spiritual enlightenment. I even pondered the thought of shaving my head and joining. But it makes sense, it's simple and you know what, the monks seem truly happy. Whatever or whoever their god is, they seem to have enough of everything they will ever need. You don't see them on the side of the road begging, do you?
In complete contrast, I don't understand Hinduism at all. I don't get why boys in the family must shave their head when a man in the family dies and why they can't wash for one week (I could be wrong, this could be something cultural not religious). I don't understand why they have to offer food to this statue in our roof, when it looks like to me that the statue is clearly not thankful for the food since he won't eat it and maybe it is much better off given to the beggars on the street or even the stray dogs! And wouldn't the idea of a person just being dead be better than thinking that your grandmother has reincarnated into a cow? How do you relate to a cow? And what happens when the cow dies?
I know I have written this with a lack of knowledge, and I'm sure my understanding of it all will grow the more I learn about all these religious and cultural taboos. However, it personally justifies my faith in my one God. A God that doesn't curse us, that doesn't ask for for food and rituals for the dead. All He asks for is to be remembered, to be a Father to us, to be acknowledged, loved and more importantly shared. He is a just God and all He wants is for us to be reunited with Him in Heaven.
This has not been written to offend. Just one's personal opinion based on limited information.
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