Gompa (Trek 1)
Religious beliefs and practices are an integral part of life in Nepal. To comprehend the country’s culture would be impossible without a basic understanding of the religious concepts.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the main faith of Nepal; until recently the country was a Hindu kingdom. Evidence of the Hindu faith in the Annapurnas manifests itself mainly through the festivals and celebrations of the people, rather than in an abundance of elaborate temples; it is as much a way of life as a religion. A very definite attitude of fatalism is conveyed to the visitor meandering along the populated trails. The monsoon often brings the destruction of a hillside or village by a giant mudslide, for example; these are seen traditionally not so much as resulting from the uncontrollable actions of nature but from the vengeance of the gods. Your own bad actions might be the cause of such misfortune.
Many Hindu religious ideals have come from the ancient Indian Sanskrit texts, the four Vedas. In essence, the ideas of Hinduism are based on the notion that everything in the universe is connected through Karma. This means that your deeds in this life will have a bearing on the next.
Despite the apparent plethora of Hindu gods, they are in essence one, worshipped in many different aspects. The trinity of Hindu gods are Brahma, the god of creation; Shiva, the god of destruction; and Vishnu, the god of preservation. They manifest in many forms, both male and female. Brahma is rarely seen – his work is done. Shiva is the god of destruction but has special powers for regeneration. Shiva can manifest as Mahadev the supreme lord, or as dancing Nataraj, representing the rhythm of the cosmos. As Pashupati he is the Lord of Beasts. Bhairab is Shiva in his most destructive form, black and angry. In his white form he is so terrible that he must be hidden from view, daring only to be seen once a year during the Indra Jatra festival. (He lurks in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square behind a gilded wooden screen.)
Parvati is Shiva’s wife, with many aspects. As Kali and Durga she is destructive. The festival of Durga takes place during the trekking high season of the autumn, so don’t offend her or you may not get your trekking permit on time. Taleju is another image of Parvati.
Other popular gods and goddesses include Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and the humorous elephant god Ganesh, worshipped for good luck and happiness.
The third God, Vishnu, is also worshipped in Nepal as Narayan, the preserver of life. Vishnu has 10 other aspects. The eighth avatar, the blue Krishna, plays a flute and chases after the cowgirls. Other notable avatars are Rama, of the Indian epic Ramayana, and the ninth avatar, the Buddha.
Hanuman is the monkey god, sometimes appearing as a rather shapeless stone and often sheltering under an umbrella. Machhendranath is a curious deity, the rain god, hailed as the compassionate one, and has two forms: White (Seto) and Red (Rato).
THE LEGEND OF GANESH
Ganesh is Shiva and Parvati’s son. But why does he have the head of an elephant? Parvati gave birth to Ganesh while Shiva was away on trek. When he returned, he saw the child and assumed that Parvati had been unfaithful. In a furious rage, he chopped off Ganesh’s head and threw it away. After Parvati explained, Shiva vowed to give Ganesh the head of the first living being that passed their home – it was an elephant.
Buddhism
Buddhist gompa in upper Pisang (Trek 1)
Buddhists are found in the Kathmandu Valley and in the northern regions of the country. Buddhist monasteries (gompas) and culture are encountered on the Annapurna Circuit beyond Tal, around Muktinath and south along the Kali Gandaki River as far as Ghasa. Mustang and Nar-Phu are also Buddhist.
Buddhism is a philosophy for living, aiming to bring an inner peace of mind and a cessation of worldly suffering to its adherents. Reincarnation is a central theme; the essence of the soul is developed through successive lives until a state of perfect enlightenment is attained. Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the earthly Buddha, was born to riches but his daily life was one of spiritual torment. He left his wife and newborn son to become an ascetic, wandering far and wide, listening to sages, wise men and Brahmin priests. However, he found no solace until he achieved enlightenment through the Middle Path.
Buddhism has two branches: Hinayana and Mahayana. The latter path is followed in Nepal and Tibet, where it has evolved into a more esoteric philosophy called the Vajrayana (Diamond) Path. It blends ancient Tibetan Bon ideas with a phenomenon known as Tantra, meaning ‘to open the mind’. Tantra basically asserts that each person is a Buddha and can find enlightenment from within.
The dazzling proliferation of Buddhist artistry and iconography is startling. Even the most sanguine atheist will surely find something uplifting about Nepal’s rich and colourful Buddhist heritage.
The following Buddhist sects are found across the Annapurna region:
Nyingma-pa is the oldest Buddhist sect; its adherents are known as the Red Hats. Guru Rinpoche was its founder in the eighth century AD. Today the Nyingma-pa sect is found across the high Himalayas of Nepal, in Tibet, Spiti and Ladakh.
Kadam-pa was developed by Atisha, a Buddhist scholar from northern India, during his studies at Toling Gompa in the Guge region of Western Tibet. He suggested that followers should find enlightenment after careful reflection and study of the texts.
Kagyu-pa is a sect attributed to the Indian mystic translator Marpa (AD1012–97), a disciple of Atisha. Adherents concentrate their meditations on inner mental and spiritual matters, following the wisdom of their teachers. The Kagyu-pa sect split into a number of sub-groups, such as the Drigung-pa, Druk-pa, Taglung-pa and the Karma-pa.
Sakya-pa began in the 11th century under Konchok Gyalpo from the Sakya Gompa in Tibet. Followers study existing Buddhist scriptures and created the two great Tibetan Buddhist bibles, the Tangyur and Kangyur.
Gelug-pa is the Yellow Hat sect of the Dalai Lama. Tsong Khapa, the 14th-century reformer, redefined the ideals of Atisha and reverted to a more purist format, putting more emphasis on morality and discipline.
Bonpo
Bon idol, Kunzang Gyalwa Dupa, Naurikot (Trek 1)
In 1977 the Tibetan government-in-exile recognised and accepted the ancient Bon as a Tibetan sect. The Bon’s spiritual head is the Trizin, and its spiritual home is the Triten Norbutse Gompa; anyone interested in Bon should visit the complex near Swayambhunath, such is the rarity of any active Bon culture today. The Bonpo worshipped natural phenomena, like the heavens and mountain spirits, as well as natural powers such as rivers, trees and thunder. The chief icon of the Bon is Tonpa Shenrap Miwoche. The Bon seek the eternal truth and reality of life, as do Buddhists.
See Appendix B for further details. Other religions with a limited following in Nepal are Islam, Christianity, Sikhism and Shamanism.
Festivals
Nepal has an extraordinary number of festivals – any excuse for a good celebration! During the high season for trekkers, the Dasain and Tihar festivals can occasionally disrupt those trying to obtain the necessary trekking documents. During Dasain, the goddesses Kali and Durga are feted and the terrifying white Bhairab is allowed out of his cage in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square. (Blood sacrifices are the most noticeable aspect of these celebrations; these are not for the squeamish.) Tihar is a much more light-hearted
