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Gunla
The monsoon has arrived and the fields have been planted it time
for Kathmandu valley Buddhists to observe Gunla. The month-long
festivities celebrate a retreat-initiated twenty-five centuries
ago by Buddha. It is time for prayer fasting meditation and
religious music. Worshippers climb past jungles stone animals
great statues of the Buddha and begging monkeys to Swayambhu's
hilltop where daily prayers begin before dawn. Oil lamps prayer
falgs religious statues and scroll paintings adorn the
monateries as temple bells chime and powerful scents fill the
air. Important Buddhist statues and monasteries are on display
at the monsateries and the teaching of Lord Buddha are
remembered as the rains nurture the rice NEpal's most important
crop.
Janai
Punima
On Janai Punima a full moon day high-caste Hindus chant the
powerful Gayatri mantra and change their Sacred Thread (Janai)
while a raksya bandhan a red or yellow protection cord is tied
around the wrists of other Hindus and Buddhists. Pilgrims
journey to the mountains north of Kathmandu. Here they emulate
Lord Shiva by bathing in the sacred lake of Gosaikunda. Those
unamle to make the trek celebrate at Shiva's Kumbheswar Mahadev
temple. Here a pool with an image of Shiva at its center is
filled with wate |
