Puja and dharma in Nepal

One thing that I have been struck by again and again in my time here in Nepal is how vibrant and alive religion/spirituality is here. Of course, it takes many different forms throughout the various regions of the country. But it feels consistent, nonetheless.

Before I came here I did a little reading about religion in Nepal, about Hinduism, Buddhism, even Bön--fascinating! In particular, I read a book called The Snow Leopard, which I highly recommend. Really gives a sense of rural Nepal. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that reading this book helped convince me that this whole adventure was a good idea.

Anyhow, in spite of that reading I really didn't have any understanding of what Hinduism and Buddhism are all about. What is the point? But then I arrived in Nepal. This self-portrait is on my second day in Kathmandu. I walked over to Swayambhunath. A holy man gave me a tika as I started my way up the stairs to the stupa.

Once I finally got up to the stupa--it was hot, and there were a lot of stairs--there was so much going on. People walking around the stupa, always clockwise with your right shoulder to the stupa. Incense, etc., etc., etc... I don't really even have words for what all was happening up there. I like the word puja (also, here). My understanding is still very minimal, but to me puja seems to mean practice, worship, whether it's on a daily level, a yearly festival or a once in a lifetime event. It's so strong here. There are always bells ringing to waken the gods, people making small religious gestures as they pass temples. It's really beautiful, actually.

Up in the mountains, in the Solukhumbu, for example, it looks a bit different. The Khumbu Sherpa, for example, have these small altars outside their homes. They burn juniper in the mornings to ward off evil spirits.

There is so much more than that, though. They are ever chanting under their breath as they count their mala. Their is the omnipresent mantra Om mani padme hum. Every small village has a monastery, with beautifully painted walls, idols, etc.

I'm down in Hetauda now where it is very Hindu. Again, though, there is a consistency throughout, whether in the Buddhist north, the Hindu south or the very confusing mix in between. Tiffany lives right off of Bhairab Road--which is surprisingly hard to pronounce correctly, by the way. On my first day in Nepal, I walked down to Durbar Square in Kathmandu, which is an amazing place. Stunning. Among many other wonderful temples, statues, etc. was a powerful statue of Bhairava, who as best as I can understand is a terrible manifestation of Shiva--most if not all Hindu deities have terrible manifestations--associated with justice. I guess criminals used to be killed at the idol's feet. Now people just come to make offerings. Yes, there are some tourists there. But really--and this is the point of the whole post--it is Nepalis who come, do puja, make offerings, worship. The idol. Wow. That is so different. So profoundly foreign for me. And really, really beautiful, too.

As best I can tell dharma is kind of the sum total of all the puja you do throughout your life. The puja are all of the small acts, the daily practice, etc. But it all adds up to something. That is what I understand dharma to be. Of course, I'm still learning, I'll want to do more reading about this part of the world when I return to P-town. But I feel like I have learned something in my time here. And I like it a lot. I'm a bit surprised by that. But I do. It's profound.