[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27548] 'Courtyard of Vishnu Temple in Changu Narayan.' A man looks up at the roof struts of the Pashupatinath Shrine in the courtyard of the Vishnu Temple (ca. 1700) at Changu Narayan. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27538] 'Elephants at Changu Narayan.' The southern entrance of the Vishnu Temple (ca. 1700) at Changu Narayan is guarded by two elephants. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27408] 'Dattatraya Temple.' From the pigeon crowded gallery of the Dattatraya Temple two women stand gazing across Bhaktapur's Dattatraya Square, after having paid their respect to the temple's god. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27388] 'Tailor in Bhaktapur.' A tailor is working in front of his house in Bhaktapur. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27200] ’Whitewashing Swayambhu stupa.’ Watched over by the all-seeing eyes of Adi-Buddha (primordial Buddha) a boy is whitewashing the central stupa of Swayambhu, at the western outskirts of Kathmandu. The eyes are attached to the gold gilded cube (harmika) that surmounts the stupa. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27581] 'Holy metalwork at Naubise.' A small hilltop shrine at Naubise in the valley of the Mahesh Khola, just west of the Kathmandu Valley, holds several metalwork statues and reliefs covered in red powder. In the centre we see Shiva with his trident. Behind him the sun god Surya. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27577] 'Meditation at Naubise.' A holy man sits meditating under a tree near a small hilltop shrine at Naubise in the valley of the Mahesh Khola, just west of the Kathmandu Valley. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27572] 'Ganesh near Sankhu.' A statue of Ganesh decorates a road-side shrine north of Sankhu. Photo Paul Smit & Mick Palarczyk.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27563] 'Vishnu at Changu Narayan.' A relief from the 8th century AD shows Vishnu Vishwarup (Vishnu in his Universal Form) reclining on the snake of infinity in the ocean of existence. Above that, the god rises from the waters with his thousend heads and arms symbolizing omnipotence. The relief can be found on the grounds of the Vishnu Temple at Changu Narayan. Red and yellow powder has been smeared on it during puja offerings. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27555] 'Roof strut at Changu Narayan.' A roof strut of the Vishnu Temple (ca. 1700) at Changu Narayan shows Vishnu in his incarnation of Narasimha, the lion-man, ripping open the belly of the demon king Hiranyakashipu. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27536] 'Griffins at Changu Narayan.' The eastern entrance of the Vishnu Temple (ca. 1700) at Changu Narayan (north of Bhaktapur) is guarded by griffins. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27524] 'Shiva behind curtain.' A statue of Shiva in Thimi is partly hidden by a curtain. Red and yellow powder has been smeared on the sculpture during puja offerings. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27540] 'Elephants at Changu Narayan.' The southern entrance of the Vishnu Temple (ca. 1700) at Changu Narayan is guarded by two elephants. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27529] 'Griffin at Changu Narayan.' The eastern entrance of the Vishnu Temple (ca. 1700) at Changu Narayan (north of Bhaktapur) is guarded by a griffin. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27345] 'Buddhas in Patan.' A statue with four buddhas facing the directions of the compass occupies a small square south of Patan's Durbar Square. During puja offerings the sculpture has received donations of coloured powder and flowers. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27271] ’Sadhu on Kathmandu's Durbar Square.’ A sadhu, or holy man, is basking in the morning sun on the west side of Kathmandu's Durbar Square. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27199] ’Whitewashing Swayambhu stupa.’ Watched over by the all-seeing eyes of Adi-Buddha (primordial Buddha) a boy is whitewashing the central stupa of Swayambhu, at the western outskirts of Kathmandu. The eyes are attached to the gold gilded cube (harmika) that surmounts the stupa. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27582] 'Ganesh at Naubise.' A small hilltop shrine at Naubise in the valley of the Mahesh Khola, just west of the Kathmandu Valley, holds a metalwork relief of Ganesh covered in red powder. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27576] 'Meditation at Naubise.' A holy man sits meditating under a tree near a small hilltop shrine at Naubise in the valley of the Mahesh Khola, just west of the Kathmandu Valley. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27565] 'Narasimha at Changu Narayan.' A relief from the 7th century AD shows Vishnu in his incarnation of Narasimha, the lion-man, ripping open the belly of the demon king Hiranyakashipu. The relief can be found at the northern side of the Lakshmi Temple on the grounds of the temple complex at Changu Narayan. Red and yellow powder has been smeared on it during puja offerings. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27557] 'Roof strut at Changu Narayan.' The roof struts of the Changu Narayan Temple show several incarnations in which Vishnu (also called Narayan) destroyed and (in the future) will destroy evildoers. Here we see Kalki the Horse (Vishnu's tenth incarnation) who at the end of the present age will destroy the enemies of Dharma. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27549] 'Children at Changu Narayan.' Local children and a griffin are enjoying the morning sun at the eastern entrance of the Vishnu Temple (ca. 1700) at Changu Narayan (north of Bhaktapur). Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27526] 'Shiva behind curtain.' A statue of Shiva in Thimi is partly hidden by a curtain. He is flanked by a smaller version who is holding a Damaru drum and a trident. Red and yellow powder has been smeared on the sculptures during puja offerings. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27516] 'Covered in red powder.' On the second day of the Nepalese New Year people in Thimi throw clouds of brilliant orange-red powder over themselves, friends, neighbours and the gods that are carried through the town in palanquins. For to drown one's fellows in vermilion powder is a token of respect, just as it honours the gods and goddesses. Photo Paul Smit.