Picture of Detail of Swayambhunath temple: guardian animal, prayer wheels and candle holders (Kathmandu, Nepal)

Guardian animal, prayer wheels and candle holders

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Towering high above Kathmandu on a green hill, Swayambhunath temple is a great place to visit, not just for the stupas and pilgrims, but also the many monkeys.
Whatever its history, Swayambhunath is one of the most oldest religious sites in Nepal: it was an important destination for Buddhist pilgrims already in the 5th century CE. The view from the top could be nice, but even in the morning, the haze over Kathmandu, caused by smog makes it much less interesting. Fortunately, there is enough going on on the temple platform. Although the temple is Buddhist, it is also revered by Hindus. In fact, you can find Hariti Temple here, which is a Hindu goddess, a sign of how Buddhism and Hinduism intertwine in Nepal. Apart from looking at pilgrims going around the stupa, swirling the prayer wheels in a display of bright colours and devout faces, you will inevitably see many monkeys here. They are very playful, slide down roofs of temples, jump from one temple to the other, steal food left just before for offering, and have a great time climbing over the stupa roof. Surprisingly, I did not see pilgrims chasing the respectless monkeys away from their holy sites. It is not surprising, however, that Swayambhunath temple is dubbed Monkey Temple.
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