Temples: Kathmandu

Taken during March-April 1970 these photographs focus mainly on the remarkable Buddhist stupa at Bouddhanath. It is seen as it was located then, in the middle of fields surrounded by a single ring of houses, a huge contrast with its situation today. It was and still is a focal centre for Tibetan Buddhists who have revered Bouddhanath for over a thousand years. Also seen are images of the broad breadth of things which occur in temple precincts, including monks seeking alms , laypeople making offerings and performing circumambulation and other day to day activities. At Chovar the affixing to the temple of household utensils is said to guarantee household harmony. Also seen are a selection of the erotic art on the roof struts of certain temples said to protect the temple from lightning strikes (the goddess of lightning being virginal would not approach such a temple with erotic displays) but they also possessing a more occult tantric meaning. In the town of Bhaktapur there is an image of the massive and extremely sacred Bhairav temple with the cart wheels and beams used in the Macchendranath festival lying next to it.