Buddhist delight

The Kingdom of Nepal that sits snugly between the northern periphery of India and the outer Himalayan range is a mountainous country. Blessed with hundreds of tall snow-capped peaks, it is undoubtedly the most favoured destination for adventure seeking tourists.

But Nepal has a rich cultural side too, as is evident from the numerous temples, stupas and chaityas that are well distributed over the Kathmandu valley. In spite of being a predominantly Hindu nation, Nepal is home to several Buddhist temples and stupas. In fact, visiting the two gigantic stupas of Swayambhunath and Bouddha in the Kathmandu valley is not only a
major tourist activity, but also a pilgrimage for Buddhists and Indians alike. Both the stupas are designated UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The stupa of Swayambhunath on the western part of Kathmandu, also called ‘Monkey Hill’, owing to the hordes of monkeys found here, is one of the most revered places of worship for Buddhists, particularly the Newaris of Nepal who follow the Vajrayana tradition.

Situated on a steep hill, the towering stupa with large eyes on four sides quickly draws the attention of visitors. Wrapped in legends and ancient history, this imposing monument casts a divine spell.

According to an interesting myth, the whole valley of Kathmandu was once a large lake. A lotus bloomed in the centre, emitting powerful rays. This was a self-created lake and as such called swayambhu. Majushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, meditating on the sacred hill of Wu Tai in China, had a vision of the lotus and its radiant emission.

At once, he decided to visit the place. Riding his blue lion, he flew over the long mountain ranges of China and Tibet to this lake and was mesmerised by its beauty and spiritual charm. In order to enable visits from a large number of devotees, he cut a gorge on one side of the lake so that all the water would drain out. Thereafter, the lotus transformed into a hill and the light became the stupa.

Historically, however, the stupa is said to have been built by King Vrsadeva in early 5th century AD. This is to some extent supported by the fact that as per a stone inscription, the restorative work on the stupa was carried out some time in 7th century. The laying of the steps to the hill is attributed to King Pratap Malla of 17th century.

The stupa underwent a major renovation in 2010, the 15th since its inception, with nearly 20 kilos of gold being used for the regilding of the stupa alone. Today, the stupa stands as new as ever. At the base is the huge white dome. Above the dome is a cube. The large pairs of eyes on it, eyeing four different corners, represent wisdom and compassion. In between the eyes is a question mark like symbol which, according to the Nepali alphabet, is number one, meaning unity. The cube has five-sided torans above it, engraved with images. The main spire rising centrally is made up of 13 circular tiers.

The architecture of Buddhist stupas is invariably symbolic. Swayambhunath too symbolises many ideas. The white round dome at the base represents the world. The eyes denote a person rising above worldly desires. The third eye emanates the radiation of energy. But there are no ears to suggest that Buddha does not wish to hear the praises of devotees. The 13 rings of the spire are the 13 stages one undergoes to attain spiritual enlightenment, or Buddha-hood, as it is known.

Swayambhunath can be reached either by climbing the 365 steps from the east or by driving up from the western side. The stupa is surrounded by shrines, chaityas, restaurants and souvenir shops.