And the day dawns at Pasupathinath ... (Part 2)

Beside the Bagmathi river, the Pagoda of Pasupathinath temple stands distinct with its golden hue. From my room, I could see the morning sky with the backdrop of blue mountains all around, one of which stands tall as the tallest one in the world "Mount Everest". A UNESCO Heritage site since 1979. Many legend have been a part of the folklore and poetry around the world including Tamil poets who have sang in length about the temple. Every story has River Bagmati, the protector of all animals and about the temple which homes the Lord who fulfils all wishes.

The temple complex looks and feels different from far. Among the red roof tops, the golden double layered roof of the temple beckons all those who have faith and lures those who just are curious about the faith people have. The temple is just "walk-able", as we say, but the walk is more fun.

The street side vendors, tourists hurrying towards the temple, kids going to school and all the hustle bustle of an early morning valley town. I was surprised to know that the week people follow in Nepal is different from most of the world outside. Friday is a half day and Saturday is the holiday. The week starts on a Sunday...

As I walked past a busy street in front of the temple, I was greeted by shop keepers who kept saying "full prasad". I never had a choice of full or half in prasad till then. I got curious to know what it would be ... but to my little surprise, spell check played the game again. It was "Phool prasad", flowers for offering Pasupathinath. Exotic flowers arranged beautifully in woven baskets. The shops were busy even early in the morning selling pooja thalis, "Phool" prasad, Rudraksha, incense sticks, singing bowls and much more. A window shopping was not on my list at that time, so I walked past them.

"Get phool prasad from my shop and leave your sandals there" came a voice from behind. I smiled and denied the offer. As I was about to leave he reminded "Keep your footwear safe"... I ignored the warning and walked ahead. The entrance had two small places of worship with the Shivalinga (Phallus form of Lord Shiva) and on my right I could see people feeding doves. A beautiful sight to just stand and watch. I was reminded of Wordsworth's words... oh! listen for the vale profound is overflowing with sound... but here it is the sounds of the chanting and bells, which would make me want to say... "Stop here or gently pass"

I could see small deities all around, Hanuman soaked in vermilion, a math for Aadi Sankaracharya and an array of monks waiting to bless people and canvassing agents for pooja, who made me feel that I better go with them or I will miss out something. Then I realised that it was just a continuum of the phool prasad and abhishek. But the urge to go inside and see Pasupathinath was more and I walked in wading my way through the many who were squeezing to have a selfie with the temple in the background.

You can never miss the huge golden Nandi who welcomes every devotee and the vermilion soaked Hanuman on the right side of the Nandi. I was surprised how ladoo was pushed into Hanuman's mouth as an offering. At least the devotee should consider his divinity.

After a small wait I saw the divine sight of the Mukhalinga, a rare sight... blissful. The one metre high Mukhalinga with faces in four cardinal directions, on a silver yoni, bound by a silver serpent and has . I later read about the idol and came to know that these faces represent Shiva in the elemental form - Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Tatpurusha, Aghora & Ishana, of which the one on the top is imaginative and represents the ether. Each face has tiny hands holding rudraksha mala on right hand and a kamandalu on the other. The queue extending on both sides had no push or pull, other than the pull from within to be engrossed in the bliss within. The four doors on the four directions reveal each face.

After receiving the prasad, I moved on to the other deities around the sanctum sanctorum. The Vasuki Nath Temple, where the lord is seated on Vasuki, The powerful Unmatta Bhairava Temple, which has Bhairava in tall standing posture and has the Buddhist and Chineese influence in the looks. Surya Narayana Temple, Kirtimukha Bhairava shrine, Budhanilakantha shrine, are the few other along with the Saptamaata shrine which has the seven celestial mothers.

A unique experience was the 184 Sivalinga shrine, which gets you to walk a maze with shivalinga on your sides and you reach the central shrine on which you can perform the abhishek yourself. I am still in awe, how I walked through the small door which was hardly three or four feet tall.

 The temple complex has many other smaller shrines and would need more than a month to explore singularly. I heard that there are over a hundred shrines just around the temple itself. You will see tall tridents, huge bells, hundreds of lit lamps, get the fragrance of over a thousand incense sticks and flowers.

You will also see many other deities, rituals and practises. Monks and poojaris all around, the main pooja is performed by the disciples of Jagadguru Sri Aadi Sankaracharya, in the Dravidian Hindu tradition, though the attire would look much varied from what is usually seen on them.

The sights and sounds still linger and I borrow Wordsworth's words for the solitary reaper, though not melancholy, the overflowing sounds of the valley in faith is still ringing in my mind..."Long after it was heard no more..."

The journey does not end here... more in my next. Until then let me soak myself in those blissful thoughts....