adventures at temples

After going in the field Jenna and I needed a day off to collect our thoughts and also cool our bodies down some. So on Friday we just stayed around the guesthouse and did some work but mostly read our books. We had plans for the weekend made for us. On Saturday we were to go to a temple in the hills right outside of Narayanghar. I think the temple is named Rammundid but I do not think the spelling is right because I can not find it online. Apparently the major 'attraction' of this temple is that you have to haul yourself up something like 1500 stairs up the mountain to the temple.

Jenna, Cynthia, and I all started to travel up the stairs at about 7:00AM. We were immediately aware of how crowded it was. A lot of people were walking up and we also noticed that there seemed to be lots of young people, mostly high school students. We did not think much of it then but we found out more about the age discrepancy later. We were taken on this day because it was a special holy day and many people would be going to that temple to pray and have their problems solved. Bamdev, our cook who was accompanying us that day, explained as best he could that people with any 'big problem' come here on this day to pray for its resolution. In the morning it was cool and the stair climbing was refreshing because we had not actually been doing that much walking up to that point. However, as the day wore on and the sun peeked out the stair climbing became increasingly uncomfortable. Meanwhile, groups of 80 year old woman are briskly coming DOWN the stairs from the early morning visit to the temple. I was struck by how maladapted my body was to this kind of heat. I must have several times more sweat glands as well because I felt as if I were actually soaking my REI shirt specially designed to wisk sweat away. We finally reached the top of the temple. It was a practical looking temple and was not the grand spectacle that you may expect to see after such a climb. I have a feeling that there is some greater historical significance of the temple and I will continue to look for it online to discover any more information about it.

Almost as soon as we arrived at the actual temple and sat down to catch our breath a young couple came up to Jenna and I and without saying a word took our picture with a cell-phone. They were all smiles. Then the girl sat down next to Jenna. In fact, I had to move over a little to let her in on the bench. The boy then took a picture of them. Finally, he sat next to me and had the girl take a picture of us. Then they showed us the pictures on the phone and with a single word of 'thanks' they walked off apparently pleased with the pictures. Jenna and I had no idea what just happened. I was trying to piece something together. As we had been walking up the mountain almost everybody looked (stared) at Jenna. They did not pay me much attention. It had something to do with her. Earlier that morning Jenna was concerned about wearing a tank-top up to the temple but she was more concerned about how hot she was going to be and so decided to wear it regardless. At first, I was afraid people were staring because they were offended by the outfit. However, why would that couple have wanted a picture of us? I was perplexed.

Bamdev bid us to the temple and said we could enter. I am not sure if I mentioned this earlier but you can not wear shoes into the temple. I think there are probably two reasons for this. One, I think the temple can stay much cleaner if people do not drag their muddy shoes but also it has to do with leather in most shoes. Cows are, of course, holy and so wearing their skin inside a temple is offensive. I saw a sign which explicitly requested people take their shoes off at a temple in Kathmandu for just that reason. We entered the small room and a Hindi priest put a 'tika' or blessing on me and then Jenna. He then put a red ribbon over my head and handed my half of a coconut. I do know the significance of any of these things. However Bamdev was insistent that we not dispose of the coconuts. He put them in a bag and I do not know what eventually happened to those coconuts. Bamdev also told us that the ribbons the priest put over my and Jenna's head were especially significant for us because it strengthens the relationship. After exiting the temple I was given another reason why I am not adapted well to this climate. The 'tika' composed of red-dyed rice was melting immediately and streaking down my nose making me look foolish. Of course, none of the Nepali people had that happening just sweaty me. All of us sat back down on a bench. We were approached by 4 or so young boys. They spoke to Jenna and asked if they could take her picture. It was awkward but we did not know what to say. Bamdev stood up and began interrogating them like a father would the boyfriend of his young daughter. I heard him repeatedly ask them why and apparently their answer was not sufficient because he literally shooed them away. It was pretty cool. Bamdev is short and a little rotund but I personally think he has a tough looking face. I would not want to mess with him.

When we started walking back down the stairs he told us that it was alright for a couple to take pictures of us but that a group of boys was not appropriate. I thought that might be something like a Universal Truth.

After that temple we were taken to another temple nearby. Actually we went to the Devghat area which is a collection of temples and is apparently (I found out on Wikipedia) one of the most holy places for Hindus. We crossed a huge footbridge that spanned the Narayani river but when we got to the other side all the energy needed to walk to the temples seemed to dissipate. So we never saw the temple on the other side. Instead, we walked back over the bridge and explored a little neighborhood directly on the other side of the river that looked at the temple on the other side. We were told that this neighborhood is sort of like an old folks area. The people that live there are very religious and have moved there to practice there religion 24/7. Ancient temples are interwoven in the neighborhood. As we walked around we heard the deep drumming and chants of some Hare Krishnas. We also saw this huge statue of Hanuman, a human with a monkey's head. Of course, it is more complicated than that. On wikipedia it says that Hanuman was made famous in the epic story about Lord Rama of ancient India. Hanuman is a follower and plays lots of crucial parts in the story.

That night, Bamdev and Rishi bought a couple hindi movies for us to watch. I set up my computer to the projector and started the movie but it did not have any english subtitles. Not that it made any difference because 'Bollywood' movies are these eccentric musicals where it is not difficult to get the general outline of the plot. In fact, this movie, Vivar, was probably easier than most. The subtitle was 'a journey from engagement to marriage'. It was very Disney. Everybody was fairly wealthy and happy. The beautiful daughter that has been very deliberately kept away from boys by her mother is now at the marrying age. A son from another family is also ready to marry. So, very naturally, the fathers arrange a marriage! Then the journey of love begins...