by Mason

Screech, hoooonk, honk…we are slowly making our way through the bustling streets of Kathmandu in a cramped taxi. The traffic in this city is very extreme.  The streets are filled with vendors, motorcycles, people, buses, dogs, trucks and cars all going somewhere.  I am looking out the window and excited to arrive at Swayambunath Stupa.

Swayambunath has a very interesting story about its creation.  The legend says that Kathmandu valley was once a lake with a lotus flower blooming in the center.  From the lotus flower a self created stupa appeared.  A great enlightened being named Manjushree traveled to the lake to worship and wanted other people to be able to see its beauty.  He used his sword to cut a gorge and drain the lake.  While Manjushree was raising the hill for the stupa to sit on, lice from his hair transformed into sacred monkeys, which now roam the hill and live all around Swayambu.  

Even surrounded by a big, modern city, I could feel why Manjushree felt that this place was sacred.  This stupa is worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhist, so there are statues and relics from both religions.  I also got to see a monkey drinking sprite and sadly I saw some people hand-feeding them.