Buddha Park: Monks and Monkeys    


Monks visiting Buddha Park
On the other side of Swayambunath are 3 gold statues in a park named Buddha Park. Walking around the base of the hill we were glad we returned since the first time we visited we walked up to the Swayambunath Stupa and didn't see any of the rows of prayer wheels (279 small ones) that circle the bottom and the large ones enclosed in ornately painted buildings. Monasteries have sprouted up all around the hill as well.

Stupas at the foot of Swayambunath

Woman turning a prayer wheel

Prayer wheels

Painting in one of the prayer wheel shrines
Walking along the street, we saw monkeys had begun to make their way into the city as well-- one brazenly stole potatoes from a store and others, climbed to the roofs of buildings and swung on power lines.


Monkey shoplifting
In Buddha Park the afternoon light glistened off the three statues: A Buddha and two others. One, I think, is Guru Rinpoche. The other (with 4 arms) I think is Sadakshary Lokeshvara who invented the Om Mani Padme Hung mantra. They rose far above the gardens and grounds. Monks, Tibetan men and women walked around them with prayer beads. Monkeys scampered up the statues, using them as refuge from a guy who walked through the park throwing things at the monkeys.


Statue of Sadakshary Lokeshvara in Buddha Park

Tibetan woman in front of Buddha

Statue of Guru Rinpoche
We walked back along the other side of the hill passing stone carved images of Buddha's life, more prayer wheels including one in progress. There were some other stone carvers carving prayers into stones. There were also lots of monkeys. Rowshan found he enjoyed pissing them off.


Stone carving of a scene from Buddha's life

Stone carvers

Baby monkey sticks tongue out at Rowshan

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