Pandra Shivalaya

Entering the sprawling grounds of the Pashupatinath Temple is like taking a step back in time, to a land of deep religious faith, and perhaps a hint of mysticism. This sacred Hindu temple is home to Sadhus, monkeys and the occasional cow. On the banks of the Bagmati river the cuts through the temple grounds, the dead are prepped for cremation.

Slightly higher up the banks of the river, are a line of votive shrines, the Pandra Shivalaya. Built to enshrine lingas in memory of deceased persons between 1859 and 1869. The visual effect of never ending Linga reminds me of a spot within the Angkorian Bayon temple in Cambodia.

The linga represents the male, and as seen here, is often represented within a lipped, disc-shaped platform called a yoni that is its feminine counterpart.