Things to see and do Bodnath

In the heart of the densely populated suburbs 6 km from the center of Kathmandu lies a historic Buddhist sanctuary: the Bodnath (or Boudhanath) stupa. For this reason, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is not only an important prayer site for the faithful, but also a major pilgrimage site for Tibetans, as it is closely linked to the creation of Lhasa. It was the culmination of the difficult Himalayan route for pilgrims who, over the centuries, left many offerings here to thank Buddha for their safe journey.

The original stupa was built by King Licchavi Amshuvarma in the ^11th century, then considerably enlarged in the ^14th century. Its spire was damaged in the 2015 earthquake, but has since been renovated and replaced. Today, it stands proudly at 40 metres high and 100 metres in circumference, its golden spire pointing skywards. It is encircled by the roofs of Tibetan monasteries, and below, along the circular square, a multitude of small religious and tourist stalls line up. Bodnath leaves no one indifferent. Could it be because of the whirlwind of pilgrims reciting " Om Mani Padmé Hûm ", coupled with the sound of prayer wheels? Whatever the reason, visitors will want to join the crowd and walk in circles around the giant white dome.

The stūpa, architecture and symbolism. In the Buddhist religion, the stupa is a religious sanctuary consisting of a white dome housing the relics of Buddha or a holy man, topped by a golden spire pointing skywards. Seen from the air, the imposing edifice, built on five descending terraces, forms the geometric diagram of a three-dimensional mandala symbolizing the universe and spiritual powers. This terraced structure symbolizes the Buddhist doctrine of the primordial elements: earth(Vasupara), water(Nagpura), fire(Agnipura), air(Vayapur) and the celestial vault(Akashpura). It also represents the five directions south, north, east, west and zenith. At the base, on the ground, a belt of prayer wheels in niches encircles it, forcing pilgrims gravitating around it to focus their attention on turning them, as is religious custom. These mills contain Tibetan mantras written inside, which are scrolled through as they are symbolically turned. At the entrance to the stupa, a chapel houses a large prayer wheel that chimes with each turn, illuminated by a multitude of small butter lamps. Note the two statues of warriors on elephant backs above the entrance. The dome rests on a circular base punctuated by 108 (the sacred number) medallions of Amithaba Buddha. The two blue eyes painted on each gilded side of the cubic harmika, set on the white dome, seem to scan the horizon. The arrow represents the path to enlightenment. Multicolored prayer flags float in the air, forming an aerial marquee. They undulate, casting their shadows against the bright white of the stupa. These colorful pieces of cloth, printed with mantras, float in the wind, symbolically diffusing them in the air and transmitting them to the gods. Blue, white, red, green and yellow, they are considered good luck charms. Here again, they represent the five elements. Blue: the sky, white: air, red: fire, green: water and yellow: earth.

Along the main road leading to Kathmandu, you'll see the Chabahil stupa, much smaller than the one at Bodnath. Legend has it that in the ^3rd century BC, King Ashoka's daughter Charumati had this stupa built before retiring with her husband to a monastery. The niches around the stupa are now empty, and all that remains is a superb statue, considered one of the most remarkable in the valley, of a standing bodhisattva with curly hair and full lips, reminiscent of the Lichavi style (^5th-9th century).

Tsamchen Gompa is the onlyTibetan Buddhist monastery to open directly onto the stūpa. It houses superb paintings and a Buddha from the future. But many other gompas surround the stūpa: Tamang Gompa, Kagyupa Gompa, Chinya-Lama Gompa, Nyingmapa Gompa, Tarik Gompa... Most can be visited, except in the middle of the day. Further east, Samtenling Gompa is the oldest. The large Kopan monastery (in the nearby mountains) and Shechen monastery provide accommodation for visitors. The latter is famous for one of its monks: the Frenchman Matthieu Ricard.