My last full day in Pokhara, I went up to the Kedareshwor Shiva Temple to conduct a brief farewell and thanksgiving puja. I had been there ahead going to Muktinath and upon returning too.
The temple location is really beautiful, being set upon the banks of Lake Phewa, opposite lush tropical forested hills. It is also a boarding school for young boys aged from around eight years old, where a basic education and upbringing is given, but more importantly, they are educated in the Shivaite tradition, including learning the ancient language Sanskrit and will progress to becoming priests.
Within the precincts of the temple, there are several smaller shrines dedicated to different divine personages, like that to Shree Ganesha (son of Shiva) for example, and each one is set within a small redbrick construction guarded by doors, with bells hanging outside. The main temple itself contains the aniconic symbol of the Shivalinga, a conical pillar shape (phallus) set with an oval base (yoni/womb) which symbolises the balanced unified male-female aspects of Divinity, here as Shiva. The Shivalinga has a cobra entwined around it with the hooded head poised over the top, as one of the signifying images of Shiva, together with drum, trident and the bull Nandi, which is always outside of the main shrine and facing towards the lingum.
Monday is the day sacred to Lord Shiva, so there were several other devotees there performing their own pujas when I arrived to carry out my own simple devotions and making of offerings.
It is usual to anoint the lingum with milk, ghee, honey, spices such as turmeric and leave offerings of flowers, fruits, leaves, bank notes and anything else that you feel inclined to give as your own personal offering. The mantra sacred to Shiva is “Om Namah Shivaya” which devotees customarily chant during the course of the worship. Back in March 2020, I had conducted a full Rudrabishek puja to Shiva at the Shooltankeshwar Temple in Varanasi, which thereafter marked me formally as a Shiva devotee. My principal memory is of pouring continuous libations of milk through brass horns until my arms ached, and chanting this mantra constantly. But nevertheless it was a wonderful and memorable experience.
Kathmandu is known as the city of temples, to many different deities in fact, and you find them, large and small along every street, and particularly in the center of the historical city, Durbar Square. The biggest and most spectacular however is the ancient and extensive Shree Patupatinath temple on the outskirts of the city, dedicated also to Shiva and thence I shall go before leaving Nepal, to mark the end of my time in this amazing and beautiful country.
