Perched aloft a acropolis on the western bend of the Kathmandu Valley, the age-old Swayambunath Stupa (known to tourists as the Monkey Temple) is Kathmandu's best important Buddhist shrine. The sleepy, all-knowing Buddha eyes that beam out from the top accept become the quintessential attribute of Nepal.
History of Swayambhunath Stupa
When this temple was founded about 2,000 years ago, Kathmandu Basin was abounding with a abundant lake. According to Buddhist legend, a distinct absolute lotus grew in the centermost of the lake. Back the bodhisattva Manjusri drained the basin with a carve of his sword, the lotus annual acclimatized on top of the acropolis and magically adapted into the stupa. Thus it is accepted as the Self-Created (swayambhu) Stupa.
The age-old accounting almanac of the Swayambunath Stupa's actuality is a 5th-century bean inscription, but advisers accept there was apparently a altar actuality as aboriginal as the 1st century. Even afore that, it is acceptable that animist rites took abode on this hill. Swayambunath is one of Nepal's oldest Buddhist temples and it has an age-old atmosphere, abnormally back one approaches on basal with the pilgrims.
What to See at Swayambhunath Stupa
The primary access to the temple is from the eastern side, area 365 age-old accomplish advance up the abrupt forested hillside. The abject is about a 20-minute airing from the centermost of Kathmandu. This access is the abandoned avenue pilgrims would accede and is the best memorable way for any company to acquaintance the stupa. However, an addition is to drive or booty a auto to the west side, area there are abandoned a few accomplish to ascend to the top.
At the basal of the eastern stairway is a blithely corrective aboideau absolute a huge Tibetan adoration caster about 12 anxiety tall. It takes two bodies to about-face it and a alarm sounds during anniversary revolution. About the aboideau are dozens added abate wheels. Devotees circuit adoration auto to absolution prayers and mantras to heaven - visitors are accustomed to do so as well.
The access is presided over by three corrective Buddha statues from the 17th aeon abreast the abject (women accomplish prostrations afore them in the aboriginal morning); addition accumulation added up are from the aboriginal 20th century.
Strewn forth the access are abundant mani stones, inscribed with the Tibetan mantra Om mani padme hum ("Hail to the jewel in the lotus"). Merchants advertise abate versions of the stones to tourists. The stairs run through a admirable forest, which is busy with the hundreds of monkeys that accord the temple its nickname.
The axial barrio and decorations of Swayambhunath are affluent with Buddhist symbolism. The whitewashed arch of the capital stupa represents the abyss of creation, with a phallic accompaniment in the aboveboard tower. Ascent from the belfry is a acme fabricated of 13 aureate disks, apery the accomplish to enlightenment. The awning on top emblematic broad-mindedness itself; some say it contains a basin of adored stones.
The acclaimed Buddha eyes gazing out sleepily from anniversary ancillary of the belfry (oriented to the four basal directions) are those of the all-knowing Primordial Buddha. Between anniversary of the pairs of eyes is a attribute that looks like a catechism mark - this is the Nepali basal "1" and represents the accord of all things. Gold plaques ascent aloft the eyes like a acme characterize the Bristles Dhyani Buddhas, angelic buddhas who are associated with the bristles senses, the four basal admonition additional the center, and abounding added allegorical groups of five.
The Bristles Dhyani Buddhas are added accustomed with appropriate shrines at the abject of the stupa. They face the four basal directions, additional one hardly larboard of east to represent the centermost direction. Between them are shrines to four of the Buddhas' consorts. Linking all nine shrines calm is a alternation of adoration auto and adulate lamps. The bristles capital shrines are amid in admirable gilded chestnut repoussé work, for which the Kathmandu Basin is renowned.
Filling the belvedere about the capital stupa are abundant added shrines and votive structures, best of which accept been donated by kings and lamas in the aftermost four centuries. Bristles of them are associated with the bristles elements: earth, air, fire, baptize and sky.
Notable amid these is the Harati Devi Temple, committed to the Hindu goddess of smallpox and added epidemics, as able-bodied as a protectress of children. The baby brick pagoda is actual accepted amid both Hindus and Buddhists, abnormally mothers gluttonous blessings for their children.
Petitioners bung annual petals, rice, black crumb and angelic baptize over the Harati image, again accept a tika from the citizen priest. Monkeys, devious dogs, and pigeons action over the rice and the aliment offerings, accidental to the anarchic atmosphere. The angel of the goddess dates abandoned from the 19th century; it replaces the aboriginal that was burst by Baron Rana Bahadur Shah afterwards his wife died of smallpox.
Food offerings for Harati (typically stew, rice and bread) are adapted in a kitchen on the basal attic of a gompa (monastery adoration room) on the west ancillary of the complex. Visitors can ascend stairs to the gompa roof, which is akin with the Buddha eyes. From actuality there are accomplished angle over the stupa and Kathmandu valley.
Northwest of the capital stupa is addition important shrine, associated with a alluring legend. Shantipur is a small, plain, box-shaped temple said to accommodate a abundant abundance - a alive angelic man who has been apperception in there for 1500 years. Fable has it that Shanti Shri, who lived in the 5th century, bound himself in a basement below the temple, vowing to abide there until the Kathmandu Basin bare him. Entering a abstruse state, he has accomplished aeon and charcoal there to advice the bounded bodies back needed.
In 1658, Baron Pratap Mella descended into the alcove abandoned to seek Shanti Shri's advice with a drought. The baron appear authoritative his way through several underground rooms, anniversary added alarming than the last. The aboriginal independent ample bats and hawks, the additional was home to athirst ghosts that afraid at him in agony, and the third was abounding of snakes that chased him until he pacified them with milk. The baron begin the saint in the aftermost room, angular as a skeleton but still animate and meditating. Shanti Shri presented the baron with a mandala, which brought the bare rain.
The alien atelier of the rather apocalyptic temple can be visited. It is busy with achromatic frescoes from the Swayambhu Purana, a 17th-century scripture that recounts the conception belief of the Kathmandu Valley. Shantipur is additionally alleged Akashpur (Sky Place) and it represents the fifth element.
The two bullet-shape temples (shikra) on anniversary ancillary of the stupa, accepted as Pratappur and Anantapur, were accustomed by Baron Pratap Malla to advice him acquire a achievement over Tibet in the 17th century. The adventure of his success is inscribed on the accompanying accretion in front.
At the northeast bend of the circuitous is the Shree Karma Raj Mahavihar, an alive Tibetan abbey with a big Buddha brownish and yak adulate candles lit by pilgrims. The citizen monks carol about 3 or 4pm daily. The northwest bend is home to Agnipur, a alone altar to the age-old Hindu blaze god Agni, who relays burnt offerings to heaven. Between these two, arctic of the capital stupa, is Nagpur, a baby catchbasin with a snake idol at the bottom. This helps allay the valley's belled snake spirits.
At the top of the eastern accomplish is a abundant brownish vajra (thunderbolt), a Tantric attribute of power, busy with the signs of the Tibetan zodiac.
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