Celebrations in honor of the deity Shiva & more

During our last Saturday hike, we experienced and saw a few things...

We hiked to the highest point in the area and wanted to enjoy the view from a tower. Coincidentally, there was a ten-day festival honoring the deity Shiva taking place there. One person embodied the deity as part of the celebrations. While we were there, the story of Shiva was narrated and accompanied by live music. Sacrifices were also made, followed by dances. There was a central sacrificial site where the faithful received their Tika as well.

During our hike, I also managed to catch a glimpse inside one of the Hindu temples with my camera.

In addition, on our Saturday hike, I had my first encounter with Buddhism in Nepal. We visited a large Buddha statue on a mountaintop, which was donated by a Tibetan monk. The cylindrical golden structures on the left and right of the Buddha statue apparently serve a similar function as the bells at Hindu temples. The colorful flags contain Buddhist prayers in Tibetan language.

Aside from these attractions, I also enjoyed the beautiful nature that surrounded us during our hike.