The Monkey Temple

No, there's no hidden symbolism behind the name. The Swayambunath stupa located on a 1400m high hilltop overlooking the whole Kathmandu valley is indeed home to the monkeys.

I crossed the city and went up the 365 stairs to the stupa, steaming in the humid heat. They say it's best to be there in the afternoon to enjoy the sunset. Well, I was happy for not being rained. No more waiting for a sunny afternoon for me.

The stupa is one of the most important Buddhist temples in Nepal. There is also a monastery there and thus many monks. However, I think I saw more stray dogs than monks, maybe about 3-4 dogs per monk and I'm pretty sure the monkeys outnumber the dogs by far. Then there are the tourists, still a few since the trekking season has not yet begun and the many locals.

As I'm touring the stupa I wonder if really any Westerner can deeply and fully understand this culture. I feel more and more ignorant and I don't think I'll ever be able to understand or keep in mind, for that matter, some of the stories and myths behind.

The Greek legends or the stories in the Bible are all so straightforward,I think. Here, it's all about transformation. Many shapes, many names, many meanings for the same deity or concept. Transformation is all and capturing transformation is impossible. I know someone who would right away mention Heisenberg's uncertainty principle: as soon as you'd try to capture transformation, you'd miss it.
That's why, maybe, so many things in life seem to happen apparently out of the blue - sudden unexpected changes. I guess we missed the transformation.

I'm not much of a philosopher, but I'll be content if I manage to learn at least this much from this cultural encounter - that it's just a transformation and nothing and nobody at any point in time owns anything :-)

The stupa area is not large. There is a courtyard lined up with souvenir shops offering the usual masks, wood carvings, handmade paper cards, thankas and jewellery. There are also lots of small votive stupas in one area. The dogs stroll lazily amidst them whereas the monkeys jump from one to the next.
In a covered area several women and men are busy lighting candles which are nicely placed over rectangle areas. Some are pouring oil in the little copper bowls, while others are lighting them. It's a beautiful pattern. People can do this hour after hour - like a fulltime job. Does it bring them any extra favors in this or the next life, I wonder ?

I tour the stupa several times and take long breaks in between watching the people. I could make this int a fulltme job - sitting and watching people.

The monkeys arrive jumping from rooftop to rooftop and then climb up the stupa and disappear on the other side. On the other side, outside the area walls they climb onto the trees and jump from branch to branch.
As I stop to watch the monkeys I notice something flying over my head. Garbage disposal. As I look up I see a man on the roof throwing the garbage bags in a wide angle over the wall and down in the forest. The garbage bags disintegrate in the air and the contents spreads out in the air before it lands at the base of the wall to the delight of the monkeys. I look down - there's a huge garbage dump.

Again I wonder about my comprehension skills. What separates holiness from garbage - a wall? Is this also part of some transcendent transformation ? From garbage to holiness - that would be extreme waste management. The other way around - hmmm, that would be extreme wasting.

It seems that I am again very lucky, as the sun peaks out through the clouds and I can take a brighter picture. Then I head down the stairs towards the city. The monkeys are everywhere. The litte ones are cute sitting on the back of their mothers or clinging onto their chest. But they have a bad reputation as they tend to grab anything from you. So care is advised and no eating!

As I traverse the bridge back over the Bagmati river I stop among many locals to watch the karate class in the courtyard of the temple below. About a dozen kids are practicing their katas and kicks in the rythm imposed by their sensei. They're very focused, but definitely enjoying it. The audience is impressed. Some are indeed good. A few cows pass them by completely unimpressed.