On the Road to Kathmandu?

In the vedas long long ago it was written in prophecy the signs of the initiation of the rule of Kali - She dances fiercely with sword in hand and the heads of many around her neck, nothing can hide from her firey eyes, the cycle of chaos and spiritual awakening is upon us . . . . from the west will return the Aryans - not as conquerors not as the holy Brahmins but clothed in the rags and versed in the ways of the untouchables . . . justice will be served.

It seems like a dream to me now . . . . a foggy yet at times such a vivid dream. The days of tales from the infamous pudding shop in Istanbul about the high adventures on the road to Kathmandu. I welcome fellow TIME TRAVELERS to share a story and scan what you can. I believe we can collectively weave a piece of living history at RanchoBozo.com, alive within virtual space. The cyber back pack will be opened. We're waiting to hear from those who lived to tell about it. Peer through the doors of perception . . . . . words and photography by wayne elkin . . . . BOM SHIVA SHANKAR

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KATHMANDU in 73


walking in Kathmandu

NAMNASTE'
The Who abandoned their PA system and generator to sustain the full moon fire dancing madness of Anjuna Beach, Goa, India. Was there truth to this or any of the other legends and rumors? All tropical possibilities ride on only a two week trek with a second class ticket on the Tehran Express (the Istanbul Express heading East belching smoke on frozen tracks) assorted ox carts, camels, jam packed buses, and taxis on treacherous mountain roads in the dead of winter. Sleeping vertical and eating solid hard eggs fried in motor oil never felt or tasted so good. Who could you trust? Anyone? Everyone? the sounds-the smells Anyone? Everyone? Look deep into those hollow heptic eyes next to you. Yet we came to Kathmandu like moths to an unfrosted light bulb in the darkness of night.

Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal; the most sophisticated populated modern cosmopolitan city in the entire theocracy. The Kathmadu Lodge was in the heart of the city. The hotel opened up into a beautiful courtyard. Buildings were often hundreds of years old. The Kathmandu Lodge was excellent (always serving boiled water). Rufus the rooster provided daily wake up service. The lodge had two real working showers with hot water and served perfect soft boiled eggs for breakfast (see [ELKIN's DIET]). When I think about it now the Kathmandu Lodge was like a Rancho Bozo for three life altering months.

Lord Shiva the greatest of all Sadus meditates at a temple built in his honor. There are more temples in Kathmandu than there are any other type of public structure. Which is what one might expect in a theocracy. Kathmandu is ruled by her king an incarnate of Vishnu the Sustainer. Vishnu? nothing, Vishnu with you?* With appologies to Vishnu the originator of that line. Nepal is a very Holy place embracing Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam for centuries. The theocracy of Nepal has protected and supported Tibetan Buddhist refuges for a half of a century (commendable for a country as poor as Nepal). Please pray daily for the people of Nepal. They pray daily for all of us. Don't you rebels listen to John? "if you carry pictures of Chairman Mao your not going to make it with anyone anyhow" * actually from the National Lampoon Radio Dinner LP

The TEMPLE is a part of nature

There is an organic quality in the temples of Kathmandu. The weathered earth tones of the temples and rich patenas on the bells and gongs look as though they grew slowly from the ancient earth itself. The people use the natural shelters in every way imaginable. Giant stalagmites of colored wax grow from the thousands of devotional candels lit year after year. Every moment day or night a distant temple bell chimes somewhere in the great city of Kathmandu. After all Vishnu is their King.

WHY WE ARE VEGETARIAN (the logic)

All living things are respected as a physical manifestation of God. Cows are living things more over cows provide the milk for Krishna's milk maids. Is more needed to be said?

WHY WE ARE VEGETARIAN? Holy Cow!

There is a sacred quality of the mother child relationship be it gods, bovine, or human. Cows still and always will wander the city streets in the hard pack pastures of Nepal and India. If cows run free then why can't we? How does it veal?

The story of Ganesh was revealed after having lunch with Vikash my supervisor at Goodman Building Supply. According to Vikash, Shiva who perfered solitude and meditation did not want to give his wife Parvati a child. Parvati rubbed herself with an ointment of the gods and created Ganesh . . . Shiva was upset when he found a strange young man was guarding his bedroom door . . . a fight ensued and Ganesh lost his head his replacement head was from an innocent elephant bystander . . . Shiva soon adopted Ganesh. Genesha became the god of overcoming obstacles, new beginings and the god of wealth. Ganesha is a very popular god of modern Hinduism.

There was a little web exploration and it is clear that the once infamous book The Road to Katmandu is now religated to the silicon dusty confines of back water regions of cyber space and yet.

. . . . still writing like a rebel without a clause . . . . was it a hippy trail to paradise?

This photo is unsetteling (yeah, the poor guy looks like he's lost his head when you tilt your's while watching an LCD screen) . . . I shot before asking questions . . . this is the outskirts of Kathmandu . . . just past the Bagmati River . . . .

The road to Kathmandu is dotted with roadside buisnesses TATA truck repair, chia and snack shops, and plenty of trinketts and bobles that rarely go bling bling?

On the road again . . . satchel in hand departing from the metropolis near the top of planet earth . . . Will he ever return to Kathmandu? I never have . . .

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