Kathmandu "Monkey" Temple Site

On Friday, we went to a hill top site that contains both Hindu and Buddist temples and religious sites. The site has a name I can't remember, but is commonly referred to as the monkey temple site. The two religions almost seem blended to some degree in many parts of Nepal, in part I would guess, due to the many shared religious sites. It was an interesting place and oriented as much to the tourist as to the devote worshipper.

Sister Tanner added a cool teapot to her collection and we purchased a brass healing or singing bowl. You rub a piece of dowl around the top end and it resonates similar to the crystal glass trick only the sound is much lower and pleasant. I won't post any more pictures of monkeys, but on the way down, Sister Tanner stopped to talk and was standing by the hand rail and one of them grabbed a bag she was carrying with both hands and ripped it open. She yelled and it took off when it was obvious there was no food inside. Fortunately, only the singing bowl's wooden dowel piece fell out.

Prayer flags with the prayer written on the fabric. The belief is that as the flag waves it sends its message into the cosmos to the god or gods it is intended for. I noted at least 2 practices that make prayer less personal. This is one. See prayer wheels below for another.




More prayer flags. The flags fly by the way for a price.










And some more.









Chilling by a statue of Buddha








This is a Buddist shrine with Hindu structures all around it.











If you left click on the picture to get a larger view, you can read the "money changers" sign. Interesting touch for a temple complex.

L-R (sorta) E/S Earl, back - E Weeks, E Zaugg, President Jackson, E Tanner, middle - E Borland, S Weeks, S Zaugg, S Tanner, front - S Borland, S Jackson

A Buddist monk gracious enough to allow me to photograph him and he did not put his hand out for money. I offered him some later anyway and he accepted.

Gold leaf on one of the Hindu temples.

L-R S/E Tanner, E Zaugg, President Jackson

Sister Tanner beside prayer wheels. Worshippers walk by them dragging a hand across them to set them spinning. Same principle as the prayer flags.

Close up of the prayer wheels with the prayer inscriptions and polished by hands moving across the lower part.

The following is a panoramic video of the Kathmandu Valley from the temple site.