Five of her cubs appeared, sleeping beside her. Among them, the youngest, Semchen Chenpo (the Great Being, also Mahakaruna), humble and endowed with high intellect and divine wisdom, had committed himself to serving all sentient lifeforms with infinite compassion and empathy.ĭuring a tour of the hills, the three brothers stumbled upon a tigress in a cave, prone on the floor, motionless. Legend has it that the Panchali King had three sons. “According to ancient lore, the story goes back 6,000 years, during the reign of King Shingta Chenpo over Panchali Desh (the present-day Panauti),” the priest began while recounting how Namo Buddha came into existence. Pleasantries over, the priest shed light on the ancient history of Namo Buddha, the site previously called Hiran Giri, a forested hill for ascetics and hermits to practice meditation and seek wisdom. We were in for a big surprise when the priest told us he was 87. Dressed in a maroon monk’s robe, what struck us most was his black bowler hat. Curious to gather some info, we dropped by a tea shop.īy a stroke of luck, we met the shrine’s chief priest, Kanchha Lama. At the furthest end, we could see the town of Panauti. The shrine, clinging to the brow of a forested hill, dropped abruptly to a lush valley with rice fields and clusters of villages to the west. The shrine looked deserted but for a handful of devotees. Prayer flags made the surrounding explode in a riot of colors, lending the area a tranquil and hallowed ambiance. While mini chortens with the crest painted gold dotted the main stupa, manis (prayer wheels) skirted the platform. With a gilded tiered lotus and a gajur (pinnacle), and below it the harmica or four-sided block, painted with half-closed eyes of Buddha, the vajradrishti (wisdom eyes), it was reminiscent of Swayambhunath and Boudhanath. Closer, it appeared more of a chorten with a miniature dome. We imagined the shrine would occupy a quiet site, but tea shops and shops, selling everything from incense sticks and ghee lamps to souvenirs and bottled dalle khursani (red cherry pepper chili) among other miscellaneous items flanked the stone-paved path.Īs we entered the premises, the white-painted structure on an elevated platform looked like the Swayambhunath stupa’s replica. The next day, after quickly dusting off our mountain bikes, we rode to the stupa. We had only toured the grand Yangtse Monastery, built in 1979 with pagoda-style gilded roofs, chaityas, and vihars (chambers) sitting on a hilltop overlooking a stunning landscape.Īlthough I had been to Namo Buddha before, I took the Yangtse Monastery to be Namo Buddha. We hadn’t but hearing him made our jaws drop. Our late August cycling escapade included a stretch from Kathmandu to Dhulikhel and the final leg, an uphill ride southwest, to Namo Buddha (totaling 45km) from an intersection called Kabhre Bhanjyang on the Banepa-Bardibas highway.ĭuring our evening meal, Palden Tamang, the lodge owner, asked us if we dropped by the Namo Buddha stupa, erected by a king in memory of his youngest son in 4,000 BC. We'll spend the night at the Namo Buddha Resort, in a small cottage room.Following a tour of the Thrangu Yangtse Monastery in Namo Buddha, Raju, my cycling companion, and I checked into a guesthouse. We'll have a delicious breakfast at the hotel and head to Kathmandu, where our adventure will conclude around 11 am. Then, before returning to the hotel, we'll watch the sunset from the monastery's viewpoint, a magical moment that will remain etched in your memory forever. We'll then start our climb to the top of the stupa, a route rewarded with breathtaking views of the terraces and the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas.įollowing a 30-minute walk, we'll arrive at the stupa of the Namo Buddha, where we'll explore and learn about its famous legend, both historical and spiritual. With our appetites satisfied, we'll go on a stroll through town and witness the day-to-day life of the locals. After about an hour and a half drive, we'll arrive in the vicinity of the Namo Buddha monastery, one of the most important places for Buddhists in Nepal, welcoming countless pilgrims every day.Īfter dropping off our things at the hotel where we'll be spending the night, we'll head to a local restaurant for a delicious meal.
We'll pick you up at your hotel in Kathmandu.
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