Nepali Symbol

Nepali Symbol, originally uploaded by spearhawk.

Taken in Kathmandu Swayambhunath Temple.

Swayambhunath is an ancient religious complex atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. It is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy monkeys living in parts of the temple in the north-west. Swayambhunath is one of the most sacred sites of Buddhist pilgrimage in Nepal, second only to Boudhanath.

The Swayambhunath complex consists of a stupa, a variety of shrines and temples, including a Tibetan monastery, a museum and a library. The stupa has Buddha's eyes and eyebrows painted on. Between them, there is something painted which looks like the nose - but is the Nepali symbol of 'unity', in the main Nepali language dialect.