Peaceful Weekend at Namobuddha

So here we are, after a wonderful week although a little tiring for all of us, at the Old Buspark in Kathmandu. It’s 9 AM in the morning and we have packed our bags. It’s still a sunny day and we’re aware of the fact that it can begin to rain and hailstorm at any time after noon. It’s just been the story of this entire month- bright and sunny in the morning, mildly cloudy starting from afternoon and painfully gloomy at the evening. Waiting for the bus had ended, and after an hour and a half we had noticeably escaped the “Kathmandu-ishness” for the weekend.

In the 1 night 2 days camping that had been planned, we managed plenty of time for students to explore the beautiful Dhulikhel, from where we had hiked upto the famous Namobuddha which was our ultimate destination. It was like a dream, the hike, passing through gorgeous landscapes all the while enjoying the mildly strenuous walk. Rural communities that are so abundant right after you step out of the capital city, were a good backdrop to indulge in for our students.

Upon reaching Namobuddha, perceivably one of the biggest monasteries in Kathmandu, we shook off the heat as the clouds were starting to pop up. Students were fascinated by the monks’ lifestyle at the monastery as they were able to stay for a night studying their daily lives. Buddhism is more of a behavior than religion, or so students learned, of bringing the best out of a being.