Bouddhanath Stupa is the center of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal–and one of my favorite places in the city. As soon as you enter the gate, the chaos of the streets recedes. Prayer wheels spinning, monks chanting, and prayer flags fluttering…a quiet peace infuses everything.
Beneath the eyes of the Buddha
We climb the whitewashed tiers beneath the eyes of the Buddha and find a lama with protective charms laid out before him. Offering a small donation, we each pick a square containing a folded Tibetan drawing which brings good luck and has had scriptures recited over it as it was bound with colorful ribbon. One by one, the lama places the necklace over our heads, removes his prayer beads, and touches them to the charm as he recites a blessing. He folds his hands together in namaste as he sends each of us on our way.
Video: Bouddhanath Blessing