Cremations, animal sacrifice ... and monkeys!

We had a couple of interesting days visiting the sites around Kathmandu! As the title of the post probably gives away, we saw cremations, animal sacrifice, and lots of monkeys...!

The cremations take place in a temple-complex called Pashupatinath. When the bodies are cremated, they are brought out wrapped in sheets to large, flat stone altars next to the Bagmati River... A bed of firewood is made on the altar, into which the body is placed ceremoniously and cremated.

Down by the river:


Stone altars next to the river, where the cremations take place:


Bringing out a body to be cremated:



In addition, we went to a crazy animal sacrifice festival in the town of Dakshinkali! It was insane! There were probably around ten thousand people waiting in line with chickens, goats, sheep, and fruit, all to be sacrificed. Unfortunately, foreigners (ie. us :P) were not allowed down into the actual 'area of sacrifice'. So, we had to settle for a view from the walkway surrounding the temple... After the animals are sacrificed, they are brought home and become dinner for the family! Essentially creating a glorified butcher shop... its amazing how hard you have to saw the get the head off a goat tho :)

People waiting in line to sacrifice their animals:


More people waiting in line! The sacrifical area is on the right-side of the photo, between four Naga statues (serpents):


Actual place where the sacrifices take place:


Incase you forgot your animal sacrifices at home, you can buy them along the way!:



.... and finally, MONKEYS! Who doesn't love monkeys? We went to an interesting temple on the top of a hill in Kathmandu called Swayambhunath, otherwise known as the Monkey Temple.

Some monkeys (they were everywhere!):


Swayambhunath temple: