Thirteen Days of Mourning & Release
Thirteen Days of Mourning & Release
SPECIAL FEATURE (Oct/Nov/Dec, 2014)
Ancient tradition meets a changing culture in Nepal.
On the plane from Finland, Komal Poudel imagined how happy her mother would be to see her. Finally, she thought, they’d have time to spend together. She could still picture Mother by the cooking fire, welcoming her home from school by saying, “Eat first, then study.” Few girls in their village had gone to school in those days, so it was a bittersweet irony that her life abroad, which kept them apart, would never have happened without her mother’s pioneering spirit. Now her mother was in the hospital with asthma, but everyone said she was doing fine. Komal couldn’t wait to give her a hug.
Relatives met her at the Kathmandu airport and they all piled into a car. “Let’s go directly to the hospital,” Komal urged. There was a sudden silence. “Auntie,” said one relative gently, “we have to go to Pashupati.” It felt to Komal as if her world went dark; Mother had passed away.
In today’s Kathmandu, Pashupati means a lot of things. The ancient temple to Shiva called Pashupatinath is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Hindu world. Its surrounding grounds are a popular spot for morning walks, a favored place for major family rituals and a frequent destination on casual outings that include a quick stop for darshan. If you’re a Hindu in Kathmandu, you’ll go there often, and it’s usually a pleasant occasion.
Text by Sally Acharya, Kathmandu
Read More:
http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=5542
Read MoreSPECIAL FEATURE (Oct/Nov/Dec, 2014)
Ancient tradition meets a changing culture in Nepal.
On the plane from Finland, Komal Poudel imagined how happy her mother would be to see her. Finally, she thought, they’d have time to spend together. She could still picture Mother by the cooking fire, welcoming her home from school by saying, “Eat first, then study.” Few girls in their village had gone to school in those days, so it was a bittersweet irony that her life abroad, which kept them apart, would never have happened without her mother’s pioneering spirit. Now her mother was in the hospital with asthma, but everyone said she was doing fine. Komal couldn’t wait to give her a hug.
Relatives met her at the Kathmandu airport and they all piled into a car. “Let’s go directly to the hospital,” Komal urged. There was a sudden silence. “Auntie,” said one relative gently, “we have to go to Pashupati.” It felt to Komal as if her world went dark; Mother had passed away.
In today’s Kathmandu, Pashupati means a lot of things. The ancient temple to Shiva called Pashupatinath is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Hindu world. Its surrounding grounds are a popular spot for morning walks, a favored place for major family rituals and a frequent destination on casual outings that include a quick stop for darshan. If you’re a Hindu in Kathmandu, you’ll go there often, and it’s usually a pleasant occasion.
Text by Sally Acharya, Kathmandu
Read More:
http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=5542
