Light a Candle – Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu Nepal

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

– The Buddha

The end of the year – according to the Gregorian calendar is drawing near…

Of course, the more you travel, the more you realise that many people in the world march to different calendars, marked with different celebrations and holidays!

I was used to the idea of Orthodox Christmas and Easter falling on dates different from the conventional Western Christian days because many Orthodox Christians continue to use the Revised Julian calendar. In Thailand, where I lived for many years, the year is currently 2561 BE (Buddhist Era). Theravāda Buddhist holidays are more important than Christian ones, and because they line up with moon cycles, the actual dates change yearly.

The official calendar in Nepal is based on ancient Hindu traditions; at the moment, the year is 2075 BS (Bikram Samvat). Last year, I was lucky enough to be in-and-around Kathmandu for several Buddhist and Hindu religious and cultural holidays that corresponded with various full moons (more on those one day, when I get back to the photos). 

I was also lucky enough to be staying within a short walk of Boudha (or Boudhanath) Stupa, one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world. This huge, iconic, structure with its all-seeing eyes facing in four directions, stands tall over the surrounding skyline. It is considered the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside China’s Tibetan Autonomous Region, and is visited by thousands of domestic and international tourists and pilgrims every year. Badly damaged by the horrific April 2015 Nepal Earthquake, this UNESCO World Heritage-listed site is of such local importance that repairs costing 230 million Nepalese Rupees (about $USD2,000,000) were begun almost immediately, and it was reopened just 19 months later.

One of the things that impressed me most – beyond the structure itself – was the devotion of the pilgrims who visited. Holy days, of course, were packed! But even on “ordinary” days, devotees and pilgrims took time out to come and light candles, spin prayer wheels, say prayers, and circumambulate the base of the stupa – some performing prostrations along the way.

In Nepal, giving thanks, and saying prayers asking for protection, inspiration, wishes, and even miracles, are an integral part part of everyday life.

As the light came up over the stupa, my mornings at the temple – and my stay in Kathmandu – drew to an end. But, I left feeling quietly restored, having lit a few candles myself.

As this year draws towards a close – whatever calendar you are using, and whatever you celebrate this season – I hope you enjoy some time for candles and quiet reflection.

“Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.”

– Anne Frank

Pictures: 27-28March2017