Not only were the temples architecturally stunning, but they were all over a thousand years old and I could sense the centuries of devotion that permeated from the walls of these places.
As we climbed up the 320 steps to the Swayumbanath (Monkey) Temple, I was fascinated by the monkey’s and stray dogs that were accompanying us. Deepak told me that both dogs and monkeys coexist at the temples and that the locals respect this union. They showed little interest in us, probably because of the incessant rain and lack of food lying around.

Magnificent white coloured stupas with the eyes of wisdom and compassion seemed to follow my every move. Thousands of pigeons had also gathered both on the temple roofs and grounds. Their movements and calls added to an already calming atmosphere. I watched as monks made their rounds walking in a clockwise direction as they chanted incessantly repeating various mantras.

By far the most powerful experience came at the Pashupatinath temple on the banks of the Bagmati river. As we walked up, I could see that there was smoke emitting from the side of the river where a crowd of people were gathered.
“They are burning the bodies here Ritchie,” commented Deepak.
I had always thought that I would witness this ceremony in Varanasi, India, but here we were, just stone’s throw away from witnessing a powerful reminder of the cycle of life.

Deepak took me upriver where I witnessed a husband washing his dead wife on the riverbank. She looked younger than I was and at first, I was unsure that she was in fact dead!
“Is she dead Deepak?” I asked uncertainly.
“Oh yes sir, she probably died in the last two hours. Here it is a short journey from the mortuary to the ceremonial grounds”.

I watched as the woman was placed carefully by her family onto a wooden pyre before they walked clockwise around her sprinkling orange petals over the body. The pyre was then carried over to the burning grounds. I watched as priest did his ritual and prepared the body for the burning process. Then, the eldest son of the dead women took a torch and lit his mother’s body, first placing the burning torch in her mouth, before lighting the rest of the pyre as he walked in a clockwise direction. As the flames ignited, I turned to watch another priest cast the remains of a finished corpse into the river with the family looking on. Deepak informed me that this process takes between 3 – 4 hours for the flesh to be burnt. I found witnessing this ceremony to be evocative, powerful and sobering. I wasn’t expecting to be observing something of this magnitude so early in my trip.

The rained poured incessantly. Mr Anjun drove us through the narrow streets as he struggled to keep his windscreen from misting over.
“You are a yoga man, I will take you to see the healing bowls Ritchie.” Deepak exclaimed proudly as I asked him to explain to me his Vipassana experience.

“During the first few days of Vipassana, I felt nothing, then in the middle it was like – oh god, why are all my demons and fears coming to haunt me…. then the final days were complete bliss,” he said cheerfully with a sparkle in his eye.
He led me into a shop located down a back alley of the impressive Kashtamandapa Temple. Here I was introduced to Abhishek. A warm and gentle Nepali who sat me down and gave me an introduction into the traditions of the Nepalese healing bowls. Not only were the bowls stunning, but they resonated from them the most delicious vibrations that I had ever heard.

“Please sir, take off your shoes and step into the bowl in front of you,” instructed Abhishek as he pointed toward the huge bowl that he placed in front of me. He instructed me to close my eyes as he struck a bowl that he held in his hands placed just centimetres in front of my temple. The vibrations reverberated throughout my entire body. Abhishek struck the bowl and relocated it to various parts of my body. I felt a tingly sensation wherever the bowl was positioned, and I swayed from side to side as the vibrations seeped into my bones. Then he struck the bowl that I was standing on. This gave a deep vibration that flowed from my feet and travelled up my spine and into my brain. It was like nothing else I had experienced before.
“These vibrations are subtle and help one to gain peace and equilibrium in both the mind and body,” Abhishek explained. “My work is connected to Dhyana yoga with the use of these healing bowls. I want to use my family’s tradition of making these bowls to help heal others”.

Feeling energized and calm, I thanked him and before leaving, I asked Abhishek if he could tell me what was his take on finding purpose in one’s life…

Click on the link to listen to Abhisheks interview