Travel Notes from Budhanilkantha in Bagmati, Kathmandu, Nepal

I’ve been to many places outside Kathmandu but i haven’t been to Budhanilkantha. It seems this trip is all about visiting places i haven’t been to before. I read in my horoscope before to finally get out of my shell and start discovering new places again. I baby myself to go to the same places that are in my comfort zone. I didn’t plan it this way but i feel like ticking off the list of every Nepali tourist place there is. And thankfully, i’ve been blessed to have been to a lot of places. If you get to read this, feel free to browse through my travel notes section of Nepal. There’s a lot. And because i am simply staying in and around Kathmandu, i have plenty of time to soak in the senses and just relax in every place i go to.

This place reminds me so much of Dakshinkali, 22KM from Kathmandu, and it’s infamous Hindi God Kali sleeping in a reclining position in a water shed. As always, non-Hindu and non-Buddhists aren’t allowed to go inside and see Lord Mahavishnu, as they should be out of respect. People are taking off their shoes, worshipping and praying, coming out of the place blessed. I sat down in one of the benches trying to remember every butter candle, every lotus, the kids studying to be monks, and occasional besties chatting and taking photos. There was not a single tourist in sight in this place. I reckon everyone’s in Pokhara now.

I realized how it would really be nice to be able to speak actual Nepali and have a long conversation, and not the usual Jerik Gurung. If i really want to formalize the once a year visit to Nepal in January, then i have to widen my vocabulary. I get a couple of stares because i look like everyone else but i take photos like a tourist, and i sound so different. Also, i wasn’t able to go inside the sleeping Hindu God Mahavishnu water tank. Later on, i discovered that it’s actually the largest stone carving in Nepal at 5 meters.

I don’t know if there’s a ticket to get inside Budhanilkantha, but i wasn’t asked. Later on, even in Boudhanath and Kathmandu Durbar Square. This has always been status quo. And Nepal understands. I hope so.

The ride going there was bad as expected but what made it a whole lot worse is the fact that it has become more dusty times ten. With no air condition on, i still had to close the windows because the air has become too dusty. Pollution has become a lingering problem eversince i arrived. And yet, Bangkok has worse pollution. And i’m going there after Kathmandu.

I want to know what Nepal is doing to eradicate this huge of a problem. Pollution is really Nepal’s biggest problem. And 10 years have passed, and it has become worse. How about 10 years from now? In Sagarmatha, we trust.