After a few days of trekking, it’s nice to come back to Pokhara and rest our muscles. Pokhara is a popular and touristy city; it’s a starting point for many treks and is also a hit among the locals. There’s water rafting, paragliding, and other adventurous sports to engage in nearby as well.
That being said, you can count on finding a nice selection of western cafes and restaurants, as well as traditional Nepali and Indian food. We had our first big breakfast at a cafe nearby (David’s Restaurant) — their organic coffee is pure goodness..
We head over to Phewa lake and walk along the lakeside to scope out our options for boating. We pass by many people playing on ping swings, seesaws, and one giant wooden mill. Everyone is feeling the spirit of the holidays.
Taking a short 5-minute boat ride, we reach a small island that is crowded with many Nepali families. There is a long line stretching from the Tal Barahi Temple — a mid-sized shrine in the center of the island. It is Saturday and the end of the Dashain holiday, so the island is bustling with people as they line up to pay respect to the Goddess Durga, the protector of Gods.
We don’t stay long before heading to our next stop — Peace Pagoda. The bus ride up is tumultuous, and the driver blasts a Hindi club song on loop. As if it is the source of motivation for the driver to make it through the rocky roads up the steep hill. It’s hilarious and it works.
After a short walk up, we reach the Peace Pagoda. A modest white stupa on the hill top — a magnificent sight on the hill top amongst a grove of bushes with small orange flowers. It is a smaller model of the original stupa in Lumbini (birthplace of Buddha). There are signs everywhere that demand silence in order to maintain and respect the sacredness of the site. There is a description board:
Places such as this Peace Pagoda were made on earth and modeled after the Pureland. No one gains or loses anything there. I have erected this Peace Pagoda with the sole intention of creating a world of joy. No one shall be enraged at seeing the Peace Pagoda or worshipping the Lord Buddha in this way. Everything that we have here, the flowers, adornments of the alter, and drums, are tools prepared to arouse a heart of joy. Thus, tranquil shall become this realm of ours, and the life here will be ever filled with celestial beings. The celestial beings do not come from some other realms, but rather all the people who stay here step into the world of joy. — Nichidatsu Fujji.
Good intentions but of course, maintaining this tranquil atmosphere was difficult with the families and crowds chattering away. Excitement with the holiday, the last weekend before work starts up again. We rested on the second level of the pagoda and shared some peace with other visitors. A little Nepali boy waddling through with a cookie in one hand. His golden yellow shirt with a colorful elephant embroidering. Me and Deepa laughing at his playfulness and sassy attitude.
Walking clockwise from the topmost level of the pagoda, there are golden statues imbedded in the white stupa that depict Buddha’s life. The stone floor is warm from the sun, but not too hot for my bare feet. I already miss the cool mountain air, fresh and crisp.
October 14, 2016
