Pashupatinath #11

Audio : Cosmic Tantra

The Bagmati river is a holy river. Pashupatinath is a popular place to be cremated. The burning ghats immediatly in front of the temple are for the cremation of royalty. Six square cremation ghats south of the bridges are for the common people and there is almost always a cremation going on here.
The log fires are laid, the shrouded body lifted on top and the fire lit with remarkably little ceremony. It's a powerful place to contemplate notions of death and mortality.

I hope nobody will be shocked by those images. This is a religious ceremony often marking a family tragedy. It's a part of their culture like we have our own way for funerals. It's respect for the dead !!!

comments (4)

carololerud says ...

This is so interesting to follow.... Great photos!

cheers,
Carol.

13/11/08 | 10:10 pm

Aeki says ...

Hola Yvette,
Viendo esta serie de fotos uno tiene la sensacion de estar observando otro momento en el tiempo. Veo que tengo que conocer mas mundo pero de momento tus fotos ayudan a ello.
Abrazotes,
SAL

13/11/08 | 05:49 pm

Stoop says ...

Elke cultuur eert zijn doden op zijn eigen manier. We kunnen er alleen maar respect voor hebben.

De tempel is een ongelooflijk complex. Als een heilig labyrint, dat de complexiteit van elke godsdienst lijkt te symboliseren.

Heel mooie overzichtsfoto, die een plek geeft aan de voorgaande foto's.

13/11/08 | 10:09 am

Suman says ...

Dear Yvette,

Your pictures and your explanation about Pashupatinath Temple make it more important to those people who have not seen this temple and who donot know the value of this temple in the life of Hindu people.

And as you said: “Cremation is a religious ceremony often marking a family tragedy”. Pashupatinath temple is very religious temple and even if someone dies abroad, their family tries to bring the dead body in Nepal so that they can do the cremation here in Pashupatinath temple to give a peace for the dead person and sometimes I feel that my parents also must have had a same wish to get cremated in Pashupatinath Temple because they both died in India and their cremation was also done in India in the holy river Ganga. Whenever I go to Pashupatinath temple I always remember them and today your picture especially reminds me of my father because his death anniversary is coming very near.

I hope you are fine and doing well.

Big hug and kisses for you,
Keep smiling,
Suman

13/11/08 | 05:10 am