Nepal Diary ii - Phewa Lake

I took these pictures at 'Phewa Lake' in my hometown Pokhara. It is a beautiful lake that is famous across the country, particularly, tourists and travellers as it is right by the tourist centre of Lakeside. For others, it is also famous for a religious purpose as an island in the middle of the lake is where the famous 'Barahi Temple' is and you will always see boats of people carrying offerings (coconut, sweets, flowers, tika) all placed in a beautiful plate made out of dried tree leaves that are sewed together.

Going to Phewa lake during my visit made me quite upset. The reason being that when I had lived in Pokhara for the most part of my life, I had only been there twice! Going back as an adult and being able to appreciate the beauty of the lake and the tranquility and peace it offered, I felt upset that I had not been able to fully embrace that while I was actually living there. I sat by where many of the boats were docked and watched as religious devotees flocked them, some excited, some nervously jumping on the boat and holding tight to both sides. Afterwards, I walked along the shore and found a quiet area of the lake where there weren't many people and you could see many empty boats floating on the soft waves and you could see the surrounding hills enclosing around the lake. It was so quiet you could hear the boats rocking gently with the calm of the water. I am grateful that such a place of serenity is in my hometown and I was and am truly moved by its beauty.