Kathmandu:

Today we will not even venture out of the Valley. We will visit Budhanilkantha. It will only take you only around 30 minutes or so on a motorbike or a micro-bus to reach Budhanilkantha. Two places you can visit here are Budhanilkantha Vishnu Narayan and ISKCON.

Let’s set our sights today on ISKCON or the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

To get to ISKCON, go past the Budhanilkantha school, across the bridge that you will soon come to, and when you reach the crossroads, take the right lane.

Serenity welcomes you at ISKCON. The surroundings are really beautiful with

lush green compounds, a stream flowing next to huge stone structures and the hills behind — it is indeed a rivetting sight.

Once there, you can also visit the temple, which is open in the morning and evenings, but closed from 1:00-4:00 pm.

The first thing that you will surely notice is the cleanliness that has been maintained in this temple. ISKCON was an initiation by Swami Prabhupada in 1966, and since then has

had thousands of followers the world over.

According to Patri Das, guru at ISKCON, “This is a spiritual institution where anyone can get real peace. By peace we mean physical, mental and spiritual peace.”

You could go there just for a visit or to attend the classes conducted by them. The classes mainly revolve on reviving people’s belief in the supreme creator and the finding of answers to questions like Who am I? Educate and guide people to live responsible and happy lives.

It’s the monsoons, so don’t forget to take your raincoats and umbrellas. Also be careful of what you eat and drink. It’s safer to pack your own food and carry your own water in this weather.