Life circle in hindu temple Pashupatinat

Pashupatinath hindu temple is located near the airport few miles outside the city of Kathmandu. It is one of the most important Shiva temples in the world and the area is quite amazing. Entrance fee is also higher than to other temples i have visited, here i had to pay 500 rupees just to get in. And of course even this place is in the Unesco World Heritage Site list.

The main temple located in the middle of the area is strictly prohibited  from non-hindus. But you are able to see a glimpse of it through the gate. People going there have to be even born to a hindu family in order to gain the access to the temple. As you can see from the pictures the pilgrims were dressed in beautiful festive dresses looking their best.

Temple area represents the whole circle of life. These lingas or temples have fallos symbols inside and couples who are suffering from childlessness comes here to pray.

Priest or just somebody holy? I don't know about that but the holy men Sadhu's sit there all day long and offer tourists to take pictures with them. After that they will ask you to pay huge amounts of money, here at least 1000 rupees / 11 USD just for one picture! 

Meditation

Caves where sadhu's meditate. They used to meditate even as long as one month without drinking or eating anything. Nowadays they only meditate few hours at a time but they still smoke a lot of marihuana to see the "light" ;)

 Kali temple

Kali - the goddess of death is better known from the Indiana Jones movie where indians offered human sacrifices to this terrible goddess. She is still alive and well but instead offering small children they nowadays offer live animals. There was no sacrifices that day but the guide told me they offer these gifts of blood every week and you can see the blood stains on the rocks. After slaughtering the animal they prepare and eat the meat.

Hospice for people waiting to die.

After their death the family comes to wash them and wrap the body to a linen and prepare to be cremated in the near by river.

 

Cremation taking place

Because of the caste system they still have in Nepal and in hindu religion even after you die you get your spot according to your caste. There are four main castes, first ones are politicians and priests, second army and police, third are local businessmen and fourth are people with no caste.. kind of an outlaws who nobody cares. They will get the last spot along the river which means the dirtiest water to wash away their ashes.

Someone important is burning

retirement home for poor

This place is a kind of a retirement home for elderly who have none to take care of them or who don't have any money to take care of them selves. So the government supports them and gives them a place next to the temple to live there in a community and have a small shared room and food. Mother Teresa organization comes here twice a day to give them free medication.

As a christian it's hard for me to understand how some people live in a faith that seems to give nothing to them but a misery. In christianity the base of all things is in God's love for every single human being regardless of their faith, wealth, status, sex or age. We are all equal and loved by our Creator. But what I see in Nepal is something very different. The caste system is highly discriminating and it gives an excuse not to care about them who have nothing and who would need our help the most. Why is it that every time there is someone helping those who suffer they always comes from a christian country? Is there something different in christian message comparing to all the other religions? 

We do not need to offer sacrifices to our God to please him. We do not need to pray for 13 million gods to get our voice heard. I have only one God who hears me even when I'm only barely trying. He looks after me and accepts me without any demands. I have got everything by believing that Jesus ones took all my sins on he's burden and by that He filled the law that I could never been able to do. My God doesn't need any sacrifices because He already got the only pure sacrifice who filled the task that no other sacrifice can fill. And by He's blood I am free from the law and punishment. I have found nirvana long time ago and live in it every day with my God. 

The more I see this world the more I feel blessed to have all the things I have. I don't take anything for granted anymore but want to share what I have with others. 

This small nepalese girl was walking along a dirty road holding her teddy bear. The picture doesn't show the dirt and smell that is everywhere in the streets. Few hours walking and your skin is covered by sand and god knows what else.. she was so beautiful but so dirty and after taking the picture and seeing her eyes I couldn't help my self crying. We have so much, they have almost nothing.