Nepal's capital city, Kathmandu, is a living history, religion, and culture in one. A day tour of its places reveals the true spirit of this urban city. Spend a day with us, early morning sunrise view at Nagarkot, then a series of day out trips to Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Changunarayan Temple, and Pashupatinath Temple, and conclude with the sacred Aarati ceremony on Bagmati River.
05:00 AM: Browsing the Dawn at Nagarkot
We left Kathmandu in the pre-morning hours when it was morning at 5:00 AM. It was serene and peaceful to Nagarkot, a hill station located 32 km to the east of Kathmandu. During climbing the rolling hills, break of day was approaching and pink and orange color could be seen at the horizon. We reached Nagarkot at sun rise time. We were alone in the location and snow topped Langtang range mountains were gleaming in golden brown morning sun color. Enchanting time when all you are left with is nature's beauty and serenity which it spreads around you.
08:00 AM: Changunarayan Temple
The other two were Changunarayan Temple, an ancient temple built during the 4th century in dedication to Lord Vishnu. It is placed on a hill and is ringed by towering forests. The temple walls held magnificent carvings of Hindu mythology that gave us information on Nepal's religion and art back in the nineteenth century. Inside the temple complex, we had the museum, and it was great to have a mix of historical relics, seeds, and the tools used by the locals hundreds of years ago. It was great to observe how much Nepalese culture and heritage rely on its past.
10:00 AM: Bhaktapur Durbar Square Exploring
Having our breakfast in the morning, we visited Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the medieval Nepalese architecture living museum and the World Heritage Site. The square was deserted during the morning hours, and we therefore walked its beautifully decorated temples, palaces, and courtyards without any tourists to disturb us. 55-Window Palace, the Golden Gate, and Nyatapola Temple were works of art and art of the Malla dynasty. Cobblestone streets twisting upwards, the aroma of opened roadside juju dhau (King Curd) tempts us off the street and forces us to pull over and sample some of this Bhaktapur specialty.
1:00 PM: Lunch and Reflection
Noon time for lunch was set to indulge in the Nepali traditional lunch at one of the restaurants making an effort. Gundruk, momo, and dal bhat won the title of Nepali food. Relax during lunch, we enjoyed to relish the morning fruits with wonder at the depth of history and spirituality which we just ventured into.
03:30 PM: The Spiritual Calm of Boudhanath Stupa
As the afternoon light softened into evening, we arrived at Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest and most sacred Buddhist stupas in the world. The white dome, crowned by the golden spire and the Buddha's all seeing eyes, stood peacefully at the heart of the square, surrounded by monasteries, prayer wheels, and pilgrims. We joined the steady stream of people walking clockwise around the stupa, turning prayer wheels and listening to the quiet rhythm of monks chanting from nearby monasteries. The scent of incense drifted through the air while rows of butter lamps flickered gently in front of shrines. Unlike the intensity of the city beyond its gates, Boudhanath offered a sense of stillness that invited us to slow down and simply observe.
6:00 PM: Evening Aarati on the Banks of Bagmati River
We reached in the evening with more than 500 pilgrims and tourists to see the Pashupatinath evening Aarati. Chants were sung, the pilgrims' humming, the orange gold oil lamp spheres dance circles, and the singing all merged together in harmony to create heaven a moment of oneness. Aarati ceremony along the Bagmati River was the icing on the cake as it concluded our day in the most scenic way possible. The river was moving slowly and priests reciting mantras in front of Lord Shiva. It was pleasing and wonderful to witness hundreds of vibrant individuals running with enthusiasm.
Our journey back to Kathmandu was no travel writer's guide of sites; it was a return home in time, religion, and culture. From the peaceful dawn at Nagarkot, through Bhaktapur and Changunarayan's ancient temples, and on to Pashupatinath's sacred center at last, each of our pilgrimages was a testament to Nepalese rich texture. And as we traveled back to Kathmandu, lights of the city glimmering miles away in the distance, within us was a sense of peace and a sense of man. Kathmandu, history, religion, and tradition had imprinted itself on our very soul.
