Looking inside...in Lumbini

As I sit here sipping masala chai in the aptly named “Sweet Memories” restaurant in Pokhara (a city about 200km north west of Kathmandu), my laptop charger plugged into a socket in the wall and free WiFi I realise, I either have electricity and internet connection or something to say, but never the two together. However, I now realise the importance of making the most of these fleeting moments when you have it all (no deeper meaning intended, but feel free to read into this). So here goes an attempt to tell you about the last place we were in...

Two nights ago we were in Lumbini, which is the birthplace of Buddha and therefore a pilgrimage site for Buddhists. It's an ancient town with not much non-religious activity going on as far as I could tell. Seeing the tree under which Buddha was born was perhaps the highlight of our visit, but other than that I think visiting the excessive amount of monasteries in the area may have been overkill, not least because a lot of them have only just been built by various countries (some are still under construction). Although pretty to look at, these modern monuments lose their appeal to the European eye that is forever in search of historical relevance. Perhaps this isn’t true when we visit a “new” country where we know the latest skyscraper is the thing to see, but I think we have greater expectations for India’s neighbour.

Nevertheless, I felt a sensation of peace when we sat under the tree, despite being surrounded by many people, mainly Buddhists on pilgrimage. But looking back now, I wonder if I felt this way because I am supposed to feel this way. It seems that differentiating real feelings from those that tour guides almost impose on us is becoming more and more difficult, at least for me. I'm just "thinking out loud" here, but if someone now told me that the tree was just an ordinary tree, and that the adjacent Maya Devi temple was actually just another crumbling building with no historical or religious significance whatsoever… how would I feel (apart from a bit ripped off!)? Can you ever truly feel something that’s already expected of you (when you are aware that it’s expected)? I guess what I am trying to say is that a lot of the time peace and happiness and love and all of those other "lightning bolt" emotions that we look for and want in our lives actually find us, not the other way round. It’s about going to the Retiro in Madrid with friends and unexpectedly realising after lying in the sun that you just feel completely… content. Or being in a flat in rainy Manchester (or sunny Seville) and feeling as though you don’t need anything else at all in that moment.

Some say that it was the first Buddha, Siddartha Gautama who said: "Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without." Others say this is a misquote... but maybe it doesn't matter.

The power has just been cut in Sweet Memories restaurant; it seems I did have something to say after all.

Guess what I found out in Lumbini?

1. Buddhism and Hinduism have very few important differences, but the most notable is the notion of Artha: the Hindu belief that material prosperity, widespread fame and an elevated social standing should be aimed for. (I think that explains this blog).

2. When praying, both Hindus and Buddhists make a symbolic offering of flowers to the gods. For Hindus, the flowers represent the good that has blossomed within, whereas for Buddhists they act as a reminder of how nothing in life is permanent.

3. Nepal is the only nation with a flag that isn’t rectangular or square. It is made up of two triangles which symbolize the Himalaya Mountains and represent the two major religions in this country: Hinduism and Buddhism.