Heaven of religious harmony

It was a couple of years ago. I was explaining Nepal to an Australian friend when he asked me a question that took me off guard. He said, ‘What religion are you?’. To which I replied: ‘Hindu and I also added that Nepal was the only Hindu country in the world.’ But then he retorted with this statement; ‘Are not Buddhism and Hinduism separate religions? If Buddha was born in Nepal, how come Nepal is a Hindu kingdom, shouldn’t it be a Buddhist one? Shouldn’t you be a Buddhist? All these questions were unexpected and it took me a long time to understand them. That day I tried to explain to him the reason of this and, as I failed to give him a suitable explanation, I left many questions unanswered. It was when I went home that I really started to think about this fact. Although I was a Hindu, I still worshipped Buddha and it had never occurred to me that, in the eyes of the world, these were two different religions.

The way in which each citizen of Nepal has managed to live peacefully blended by the history of Hinduism and Buddhism is an example that many countries could follow. Nepal is the only country in the world in which two great religions maintain harmony. Temples and monasteries are side-by-side, Buddha shrines and Shiva lingams are seen inches apart, all speak of a wonderful religious tolerance. No iconoclasm has defaced the rich religious art of this country situated on the laps of the Himalayas.

Nepal stretches from the Himalayas. The holy books still mention that the majestic peaks, where the wife of Lord Shiva (one of the great gods who Hindus worship), Parvati was born. Hindu religious books mention many rishis traveled to the Himalayas to meditate and seek enlightenment. In fact, Hindus travel from far across the world just to visit Pashupatinath, the temple of Lord Shiva and various other holy places to purify themselves from evil.

In the terai is the place of Janakpur, where Sita was born. The Ramayana mentions that Lord Ram married Sita. She is taken as an ideal for Hindu women as she depicts the image of a good daughter, daughter-in-law, wife and mother. For Hindus to worship Sita is equal to worshipping Lord Ram and while enchanting prayers they mention SitaRam as one. In Lumbini, Siddhartha Gautam was born and he later became known to all as Lord Buddha. Buddhists around the world dream of coming to Lumbini because for them it is like Mecca for Muslims, Jerusalem for Christians and Banaras for Hindus.

Once upon a time, Kathmandu valley was a lake, considered very holy. One day suddenly a brilliant flame emerged from a flower in its centre. It was no ordinary flower as it shone with gold and precious stone. The flame burnt brighter than the sun was recognized as the miraculous manifestation of Adi-Buddha. As the legend tells, it is believed that the water was drained out of the lake and the sacred lotus still aflame metamorphosed into what is now Swayambhu hill. A large stupa was built on top of this hill dedicated to Lord Buddha and exists in Kathmandu as Swayambhu. Swayambhu’s eyes silently watch Kathmandu valley bringing such peace to the surroundings. While the shrine of Lord Buddha lies on the top of the hill, it is with stark contrast that the Hindu temple of Saraswati (a goddess who is the symbol of education) is situated nearby and yet they seem to belong to each other. Many Nepalese who come to this sacred place visit both the shrine and the temple without a second thought. This is a beautiful example of how Buddhism intermingles with Hinduism to form a place where both live together in peace.

The Newari, Brahmin, Chettri, Sherpa, Gurung, Magar community of Nepal share a strong mix of both religions in their lives and celebrate each religious event with equal importance. People of Patan take out the Machendranath Yatra and although this goddess, Machendranath, is a symbol of Buddhism, it is Hindus who take out this procession. They worship her for she is known to keep peace in the city and also keep the rains away at the end of the monsoons.

There are many other religious places in Nepal and each seems to have a story of its own. What seems to strike many travelers as remarkable is the way in which all these different stories make a book named Nepal. If you read about the many different cultures and traditions it might seem impossible for such a country to be peaceful but it is when a person visits Nepal that he/she realises how they all combine together to become one. I think a Nepali has never thought why a Hindu visits Buddhist shrines or vice versa, because for us it has just been blended into our lifestyle from way back in history.

Nepal has given birth to its people who are soaked with both Buddhist and Hindu teachings. It is perhaps this reason why Lord Buddha, Sita and Parvati were born in Nepal as this country finds no difference between the two religions. Even in the holy books of both religions, Hinduism and Buddhism have been mixed into each other. In Hinduism, the ninth incarnation of Lord Shiva can be seen in daily worship and religious writings. It could be because of such reasons through the course of time, both religions have molded into the lives of Nepalese and turned into their unique identity.

Whatever the case, Nepal from east to west is dotted with temples and shrines and, for the Nepalese, Buddhism and Hinduism are the two pillars of one structure. I now have the answer to that person who questioned me, it is with confidence I say that we Nepalese do not distinguish between a Hindu and a Buddhist, as both are evident in our temples, shrines, lifestyle, religious life, culture and traditions. Majorities of the Nepalese are sometimes Hindus and sometimes Buddhists but most of the time we are both.