Snake Lake

by Jeff Greenwald

  Newars—the indigenous inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley, famed for their metal, ceramic, and woodworking skills.

  paisa—a Nepali coin, or coins. There are 100 paisa in a rupee. A 50-paisa coin is called a mohar.

  panchayat—a political district in Nepal.

  Pashupatinath—Kathmandu’s most important Hindu temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, on the banks of the Bagmati River.

  rinpoche—literally “precious one.” This honorific title is often bestowed upon lamas who serve as the abbots of monasteries, or who are believed to be tulkus (see below).

  rupee—the Nepalese unit of currency. In January 1990, the official exchange rate was about 30 rupees to the U.S. dollar.

  samsara—the earthly realm of desire, suffering, and rebirth.

  Shiva—the enormously powerful and revered creator/destoyer of the Hindu pantheon. Shiva dances with the drum of creation in one hand, and the flame of annihilation in the other. He has myriad aspects: omnipotent lover, pure ascetic, source of the Ganges, protector of animals, etc. In his wrathful tantric form, he is the terrifying Bhairab, while his wife Parvati—herself yet another aspect of his power—becomes the fearsome Kali, or the bloodthirsty goddess Durga.

  Shivaratri—the new moon of the Hindu month of Falgun, dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva. Though celebrated by Hindus across South Asia, the festival is especially lively at Kathmandu’s Pashupati temple complex.

  stupa—a Buddhist shrine, usually in the form of a dome. Ancient stupas were probably simple mounds, later covered with brick or stucco. Stupas contain holy relics of past saints or buddhas, and are often capped with elaborate finials. Boudhnath and Swayambhunath are the two most revered stupas in the Kathmandu Valley.

  sutra—a sacred Buddhist text, usually composed of long rectangular pages that are read horizontally and flipped over.

  Swayambhunath—the so-called Monkey Temple, sacred to Buddhists and Hindus alike, atop a high hill near the western edge of Kathmandu city.

  tantra—an esoteric and highly complex path to liberation, developed in Tibet during the tenth through fifteenth centuries.

  tika—a red mark, often made out of dyed sandalwood paste, applied to the forehead. Tikas—unlike purely decorative bindhis—are applied to both men and women on religious occasions.

  tulku—a revered individual who has taken a human rebirth after a previous lifetime as a high lama or buddha. The Dalai Lama, for example, is believed to be a tulku: in his case a direct reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama, as well as a human reincarnation of Chenrezig, the bodhisattva of compassion.

  vajra—a highly stylized lightning bolt, symbolizing in Tibetan Buddhism the indestructible essence and diamond clarity of the liberated mind.

  Vishnu—the great preserver of the Hindu pantheon. Vishnu will be incarnated ten times, to save the inhabitants of Earth from demons and other menaces. His avatars have included Rama, Krishna, and Buddha.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  JEFF GREENWALD IS the author of five bestselling books, including Shopping for Buddhas and The Size of the World. His writing has appeared in many print and online publications including The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, Wired, Tricycle, and Salon. He lives in Oakland, California.

  Copyright © 2010 by Jeff Greenwald. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

  Author’s Note: Snake Lake is primarily a memoir, reflecting my life in Nepal and the U.S. in 1990. The identities of several friends and lovers, however, have been concealed, and their roles in the story recast. The other events in the book—pertaining to Nepal’s political affairs, my Buddhist studies, and my family—are as accurate as my research and memory allow.

  The other events in the book—pertaining to Nepal’s political situation, my Buddhist studies, and my family—are as accurate as my research and memory allow.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Greenwald, Jeff

  Snake lake / by Jeff Greenwald.

  p. cm.

  eISBN : 978-1-582-43863-4

  1. Nepal—Description and travel. 2. Greenwald, Jeff, 1954—Travel—Nepal. 3. Kathmandu (Nepal)—Description and travel. 4. Greenwald, Jeff, 1954—Friends and associates. 5. Nepal—History—Civil War, 1996-2006. 6. Nepal—Social life and customs. 7. Nepal—Religious life and customs. 8. Greenwald, Jeff, 1954—Family. 9. Brothers—United States—Biography. I. Title.

  DS493.53.G75 2010

  915.49604—dc22

  2010017804

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