Monkey Temple

Receptionist: “Mr. Donny Suryanto from Indonesia? ”, greeted me when he got closer to his desk.

Me: “How do you know me?“.

Receptionist: “Yes Sir, we are waiting for you. Our last room which we have. And you have kept it via Booking.com “

Me: “Yeaa wright….Hahaha, excellent”, Simultaneously signed a confirmation sheet with a smile.

I entered Holiday House Hotel room for 1,100 Rupee. Planning to stop overnight in Kathmandu. And next morning, I left for Pokhara to enjoy the Himalayas.

Limited time forced me to hurry up. Without taking a bath and immediately took a folding bag to fill it with important items, then heading to Swayambhunath Stupa.

Now I walked along narrow streets of Thamel with inevitable suction of dust with every step. Distinctive smell of dust was obscured by pungent smell of incense which slowly diminished by small embers in pashmina stalls.

I approached a driver who was wiping his tiny taxi from dust, then started a transaction to Swayambhunath Stupa which was 3 km away from hotels where I was staying. I deliberately canceled to walking because I was worried that it was getting late.

400 Rupee was my agreement with him. During trip, Nepali pop songs, which I never understood, made my head nod in following its tune. Every now and then the driver who was the owner of that taxi looked at me with full of smiles and finally we nod together.

Taxi driver advised me to get off at top gate of shrine. He said it took a long time if I had to tread from bottom gate. After I agreed to his suggestion, that tiny taxi slowly drove in a circle following Swayambhu hill contour and dropped me off right at front gate.

Security: “Where are you come from?“

Me: “Indonesia, Sir“

Security: “Oh, I know…. I know…. Jokowi“.

Me: “Hahaha great….You know that“

Security: “He is very famous here“, he said while tore my entrance ticket for 200 Rupee.

It was true, according to its nickname, i.e “Monkey Temple”, area around stupa was often found monkeys which cheering up tourists arrival in front courtyard. Crossing “the peace pool” which full of coins which were tossed by travelers. It was said that they believe their prayers would come true if they throw coins. I continued up the stairs to worship’s main place at hill top.

Rotate it and your prayers would be answered.

Congregation took turns coming and turning prayer wheels one by one…. Of course they hoped that Buddha would grant their request.

Around the stupa, souvenir sellers offered their merchandises to tourists. Souvenirs made fro metal which dull because of were exposed by dust didn’t deter tourists to buying and owning them.

Lots of souvenir were requested by my frends….

Passing through each groove around stupa, dogs as guard animals looked limp and some of them were asleep anywhere. Meanwhile, thousands of colorful prayer flags neatly lined up on a rope which centered on stupa and stretched out in various directions.

Meanwhile, on other side, there was a sunset which splashes the city with a reddish-yellow spectrum. Combination of religious nuances and natural beauty which really spoiled the eyes.

Kek BandLike Bandung City which was seen from Bukit Bintang, right?

Exiting at the same gate, I took time to walk down street, watching activity of street food stalls. My steps stopped when a husband and wife who selling panipuri were busy. Then I redeemed a portion for 100 Rupee and started to enjoying Nepal’ street food for the first time. Spicy taste mixed with sweet and sour, also strong aroma of curry made me a little slow to swallow every piece of panipuri which I bought. In the end, that seller spouse laughed at me when I chewed that snacks while glaring.

After enjoying this famous South Asian folk-style snack, I stopped a taxi which had just dropped its passengers. It was time to go to hotel, took a shower and got ready to enjoy dinner on my first night in Nepal.

Bye Swayambhunath….Got ready to go to Pokhara tomorrow.

Next Story—->

Resepsionis: “Mr. Donny Suryanto from Indonesia?”, menyapaku ketika merapat ke mejanya.

Aku: “How do you know me?”.

Resepsionis: “Yes Sir, we are waiting for you. Our last room which we have. And you have kept it via Booking.com.”

Aku: “yeaa wright….Hahaha, excellent.”, bersamaan menandatangani berkas beriring senyum.

Aku memasuki kamar Hotel Holiday House seharga Rp. 130.000. Berencana singgah semalam di Kathmandu. Dan di keesokan pagi, aku berangkat menuju Pokhara untuk menikmati Himalaya.

Sempitnya waktu memaksaku untuk bergegas cepat. Mengurungkan niat berbasuh dan segera mengambil folding bag untuk kemudian kuisi dengan barang-barang penting, lalu menuju Swayambhunath Stupa.

Kini aku menyusuri jalanan sempit Thamel dengan hisapan debu yang tak terelakkan di setiap langkah. Bau khas debu tersamar dengan bau wangi menyengat dupa yang perlahan memendek terlahap bara kecil di beberapa kios penjual pashmina.

Kuhampiri pengemudi yang sedang mengelap taksi mungilnya dari debu, kemudian memulai transaksi menuju Swayambhunath Stupa yang 3 km jauhnya dari tempatku menginap. Aku sengaja mengurungkan niat untuk menempuhnya dengan berjalan kaki karena khawatir hari kian sore.

Rp. 50.000 adalah kata sepakatku dengannya. Selama perjalanan, irama pop Nepal yang aku sendiri tak pernah faham maknanya membuat kepalaku mengangguk-angguk mengikuti alunannya. Sesekali si driver merangkap si pemilik taxi menatapku penuh senyum dan akhirnya kita mengangguk-angguk bersama.

Si pengemudi taxi menyarankanku untuk turun di gerbang atas kuil saja. Perlu waktu lama katanya jika aku harus menapak dari gerbang bawah. Setelah mengiyakan sarannya, perlahan taxi mungil itu melaju melingkar mengikuti kontur bukit Swayambhu dan menurunkan tepat di gerbang depan.

Penjaga gerbang: “Where are you come from?.”

Aku: “Indonesia, Sir”

Penjaga gerbang: “Oh, I know….I know….Jokowi”.

Aku: “Hahaha great….You know that.”

Penjaga gerbang: “He is very famous here”, ucapnya sembari merobek tiket masukku seharga Rp. 25.000.

Benar adanya, sesuai julukannya “Monkey Temple” maka area di sekitar stupa ini banyak dijumpai monyet yang riuh menyambut kedatangan pelawat di pelataran depan. Melintasi kolam perdamaian penuh koin yang dilempar oleh para pelawat. Konon mereka percaya do’anya akan terkabul jika melemparkan koin tersebut. Aku terus berlanjut menapaki tangga menuju tempat peribadatan utama di puncak bukit.

Para jemaat bergantian datang dan memutar prayer wheels satu persatu….tentu mereka berharap Buddha mengabulkan permintaannya.

Di sekeliling stupa para penjual souvenir menawarkan barang dagangannya kepada para pelawat. Souvenir berbahan logam yang kusam terpapar debu tak menyurutkan niat para pelawat untuk membeli dan memilikinya.

Melewati setiap alur di sekitar stupa, anjing sebagai satwa penjaga tampak lulut dan sebagian diantaranya tertidur pulas di sembarang tempat. Sementara ribuan bendera do’a warna-warni berjajar rapi pada sebuah tali yang berpusat pada stupa dan terbentang ke berbagai penjuru.

Sementara di tepian lain, tersuguh sunset yang menyiram kota dengan spektrum kuning emas kemerahan. Perpaduan nuansa religi dan keindahan alam yang sangat memanjakan mata.

Kek Bandung dilihat dari Bukit Bintang kan?.

Keluar di gerbang yang sama, aku meluangkan waktu untuk menuruni jalanan, melihat aktivitas pedagang kaki lima. Langkahku terhenti pada kesibukan sepasang suami istri penjual panipuri. Lalu aku menebusnya seporsi dengan harga Rp. 12.000 dam mulai menikmati jajanan kaki lima Nepal untuk pertama kalinya. Rasa pedas bercampur asam manis dengan aroma kuat kari membuatku sedikit lambat menelan setiap potong panipuri yang kubeli. Pada akhirnya sejoli penjual itu menertawakanku ketika mengunyah jajanan itu sambil melotot.

Selepas menikmati jajanan ala rakyat Asia Selatan yang terkenal tersebut, aku menghentikan sebuah taxi yang baru saja menurunkan penumpang. Saatnya menuju penginapan, mandi dan bersiap diri menikmati dinner di malam pertamaku di Nepal.

Bye Swayambhunath….Bersiap menuju Pokhara esok hari.

Tag: Monkey Temple

Sweet Spicy Sour Panipuri at Swayambhunath Stupa

Manis Pedas Asam Panipuri di Swayambhunath Stupa.