Pashupatinath

1 Oct 2010

With just one day left in Kathmandu we decided to check out Pahupatinath. The first port of call in the morning however was the travel agent to try and get rail tickets to Rishikesh (our planned first port of call after Delhi). The ticket price we were quoted was 100% more expensive than the price of the ticket, making it prohibitively expensive. (We are having trouble booking online annoyingly so have to use travel agents.)

With the idea of booking in Nepal for an Indian train firmly out of the window we made tracks to Pashupatinath. Since it wasn't that far we chose to get a cycle rickshaw, the price for which Olivia expertly drove down to 200 NRs. As the minutes passed we began to realise quite how far we were going and began to feel quite bad about haggling the driver down, especially as he had to get off and push on more than one occasion (the cycle rickshaws don't have gears and the chaps driving them must only weigh about 50 Kg so often their full weight on the pedals wont make the thing go along!). We did pay 250 NRs in the end and got him to take this photo into the bargain:

The cycle rickshaws are somewhat more ornate than in Delhi!

What awaited us we hadn't quite bargain for. When we arrived two funerals were either underway or just beginning. Another four or so cremations were underway. It was a shock to see dead bodies being lifted onto pyres, family members surrounding them following the traditional preparations. To watch something as intimate as this as a tourist felt odd, but also a privilledge. 

The process involves cleansing the body in the river, then those who carried the body into the river cleansing themselves. The river is very sacred - although extremely polluted, and flows into the Ganges later on down stream. Pahupatinath is the Nepali equivalent of Varansi in India.

Following the cleansing the body is placed onto the pyre (unlit) and all memebers of the funeral party then pour the holy river water into the mouth of the diseased. A gold coin is then placed in the mouth, followed by rice. The funeral we saw was very moving as the dead man had left behind his two young sons and his father. The fire is lit traditionally by the eldest son, although in this case the grandfather and the two grandchildren (the dead man's sons) lit it. Just before they lit it the two sons were guided round to pay their respects, done by bowing their heads until they touched the feet of their late father. The fire was then lit, starting with the mouth. Once it had taken hold, the ' firemen' covered the body with straw. The body of a man takes two and a half hours to burn to ash, a woman just a little longer. Once fully cremated, the ash is swept into the water and the process is complete.

Interestingly the eldest son, when in mourning, wears white and not black and cannot be touched for 13 days.

There are a number of spin off oportunities created by the cremations which the street children make the most of. I saw a boy floating/paddling a coffin down the river and then over to the shore. What they do then is break it up and sell it as firewood. Also, remeber the coin that goes into the mouth of the dead? Boys sift through the ashes in the river searching for these coins. Apparently both these practices are accepted and normal.

Boy paddling an empty coffin downstream

Another sifting through ashes for gold

The guide, who was self appointed I may add, decided to show me the Sadu (holy person - a bit like a priest) who demonstated his ability to pick up a 90 pound rock with his willy to Michael Palin when he visited. I was enthusiastically introduced as a being from the same country as Michael Palin, obviously he is some kind of hero here, and two seconds later the sadu in his orange loin cloth showed me how he wraped his willy round a stick in order that he may perform this little trick! What a day of surprises!!!

The Sadus are allowed to smoke marajuana - no wonder he looks so chilled!

Olivia found the whole idea of public cremations quite uncomfortable and I had seen more that I had really wanted to so we decided to head back. It was very interesting and humbling to have seen the ritual and I'm pleased we made the effort to take a look, especially as we have decided not to go to Varanasi.

As an aside, on the way back to our hotel we saw this chap:

One way to move a fridge...

Quite amazing strength these people have, especially considering their size and apparent sleekness.

COMMONWEATH GAMES!!:

Since we are in Delhi as the Commonwealth Games open we decided it would be a waste not to see something. We initially looked at getting tickets for the opening ceremony on the 3rd but soon discounted this when we found out the cost - 50,000 Rs, about 700 pounds! We settled for watching the gynastics on the 4th instead! Really looking forward to seeing the games, especially after all the hype. Amazingly, even in the light of the poor organisation and rubbish ticket sales, all the polls in India still show that a huge percentage of Indians think the games will be a success and will make the country a lot of money! Ever the optimistic crowd.