nepal: kathmandu

here are some photos from my trip to nepal this past weekend. there are three main cities in the kathmandu valley - kathmandu, patan, and bhaktapur. there are dozens and dozens of temples and palaces. during the medieval period, the valley was ruled by the malla dynasty, and a lot of the structures were built during this time. many places of worship, however, are centuries older.

in addition to the imposing and historic structures, there are small temples and shrines throughout these cities. many are tucked into a corner or along a walking path. people tend them and use them regularly, ringing a bell on the way to school or placing a flower on a buddha statue before going to work. even the most famous of the sites, such as swayambunath and boudhanath, are active places of piety (and not just tourist destinations). going to boudhanath in the morning, one finds hundreds of people walking clockwise around the stupa, saying prayers, offering candles, and turning the prayer wheels. 

kathmandu durbar square

boudhanath stupa

morning prayer at boudhanath stupa

prayer wheels

woman preparing candles at swayambhunath temple

view from swayambhunath stupa