Here are some photos I took while hanging out in Durbar Square yesterday and Pashupatinath last week. Some cool things I saw that I did not take pictures of out of respect and/or it was illegal
- The Kumari - the virgin living goddess. She's about 8 years old and lives in a little house in Durbar Square. Her feet aren't allowed to touch the ground and as soon as she starts puberty, she's replaced. There are a bunch of signs (that I have little info on) that lead to the next Kumari being chosen. She came to the window while I was there and looked bored and pissed off, frankly. Apparently, there's a curse on the Kumaris that leads to the death of any sons they bear, so they rarely get married. I'd be pissed too!
- Funerals at Pashupatinath. Pashupati is a huge temple in which only Hindus are allowed. You can walk up a hill, though, and overlook the temple and the bank of the Bagamati River (which is connected to the Ganges and, therefore, sacred). Bodies are brought to the edge of the Bagamati and the whole family participates in preparing it for the pyre - purifying it with water from the river, applying the tika (the circle of red powder on the forehead), etc. Then the body, wrapped in a sheer-ish white cloth, is brought to the pyre. **Queasy stomachs read no further** It's the eldest son's job to make sure the skull cracks open in the fire - as that's how the soul escapes the body. Apparently it needs to be helped along sometimes.
