Finding Your Spiritual High in Kathmandu

In

the rush to see everest in a weekend or trek the Annapurna circuit during a 14-day vacation, many of Nepal's recent visitors have neglected the jewels that have often drawn those seeking a different kind of adventure to the tiny mountain kingdom in the first place. Long before the average traveler felt compelled to experience a trekking high—or the highs from Thamel's mind-altering brownies—Nepal's low-altitude verdant Kathmandu Valley was a rewarding travel destination for those seeking a spiritual lift. At the crossroads of the historic Himalayan trade routes connecting Tibet, China and India, the valley is chockablock with Buddhist and Hindu religious sites and Tibetan and Nepalese traditions richer than the rarefied air of the surrounding peaks.

Nepal is home to hundreds of Hindu temples, shrines and sadhus, the wandering holy men who have taken vows of poverty. But the country, a refuge for 20,000 exiled Tibetans, has also become a center for the study of Tibetan Buddhism. And one of Buddhism's holiest spots is located in Nepal's lowland south: Lumbini, the site of the Buddha's birth in 563 B.C. For those who want to sample such religious diversity, a short taxi ride from the capital's Thamel district can take you to the incense-laden shadows of three of Nepal's most famous shrines.

The village of Boudhanath, or Boudha, about 4 km east of Kathmandu, is an age-old religious center for Tibetan traders. But the past 50 years have seen a considerable influx of refugees, some of whom have become wealthy business people. Now the town is a thriving marketplace, social center and pilgrimage site, making a visit to Boudha feel like a short trip to Lhasa without the political complications. The city's four-tiered stupa is 36 m high and one of the largest in the world. Tibetans—both Nepali citizens and refugees —throng the cobblestone walkway surrounding the shrine. From dawn till dark the devout do kora, a clockwise circumambulation of the stupa, mumbling prayers that echo off the surrounding buildings. But most residents prefer to do kora in the mornings, before the tour buses arrive. Some wear their latest Western gear—flared trousers and platform shoes, while others don more traditional attire. Khampas, men from eastern Tibet, braid red-yarn tassels into their long hair, which they twist atop their heads like crowns. Traditionally dressed Tibetan women wear somber wrap-around dresses, known as chubas, over bright silk blouses. Most advertise their wealth: chunks of gold, coral and turquoise the size of golf balls hang from corded necklaces. It's as much a social scene as a religious ceremony. Grandparents hover over toddlers in crotchless trousers—in lieu of diapers—while teenagers gossip in Britney Spears T shirts. Elderly lamas, or religious teachers, shuffle around the stupa spinning their prayer wheels, while unruly novice monks who have yet to reach their teens play hide and seek among the pilgrims.

After your own circumambulations, and perhaps a cup of bod-cha, Tibetan butter tea, climb to the top of the stupa. Perched below the painted eyes of the golden crown, you can make out a well-worn dirt path that leads from Boudha gate down to the banks of the Bagmati River. This is the way to Pashupatinath, Nepal's most sacred Hindu site, and a sprawling temple complex. While it is possible to grab a taxi, the 1.5-km walk takes you through a small village with friendly locals who will happily put you back on the right path should you stray.

One of the most important Shiva temples on the subcontinent, Pashupati, as it is often called, draws devotees from all over Nepal and India. The Bagmati, one of the main tributaries of the Ganges, is considered holy and is therefore a popular site for bathing and cremation rituals. Husbands and wives who bathe together at Pashupati are said to find one another again in their next lives. Along the river are dozens of small temples where sadhus like to meditate—and some perform snake-charming shows for a few coins. The complex is also home to hundreds of monkeys, so photo opportunities abound.

But put your camera aside if you make your way down to the river, the site of numerous cremation ceremonies. If you sit on the banks and quietly watch the scene, few people will mind. Despite the presence of death, or perhaps because of it, there is an overwhelming feeling of peace. Hindus believe that those who are cremated at Pashupati will be released from the cycle of rebirths. The smoky ghats, or cremation platforms, in front of the temple are reserved for royalty and were recently used after the June massacre of 10 members of the royal family. And until the practice was outlawed in the 1920s, women committed suttee here, throwing themselves on their husband's funeral pyres.

Upon leaving the banks of the Bagmati, take a 25-minute taxi ride across Kathmandu to the steps leading up to the Swayambunath Stupa. Known as the Monkey Temple for its raucous inhabitants, it is the best place to watch the setting sun cast its final rays over the valley. Although the taxi can drop you at the temple, try climbing the 365 steps to the stupa to improve your karma. Then watch Tibetan pilgrims circle the 1,500-year-old Buddhist temple, while Hindus pay homage to deities at the surrounding shrines. It is truly a melting pot—and as much a natural high as any special brownie-induced one from a hippie cafe in Thamel.