The whole stupa is a complex of chaityas, temples, images and numerous
other religious objects. There are many small shrines with Tantric and
shamanistic deities, prayer wheels for the Tibetan Buddhists, Shiva lingams,
and a popular Hindu temple dedicated to Harati, the Goddess of smallpox and other epidemics.
The presence of the Harati Devi temple signifies the intermingling of the pantheons of
Hinduism and Buddhism in the development of the religious trends of Nepal.
As Buddhists had no deity in their own pantheon to protect against the dreaded smallpox,
they adopted the Hindu deity for assistance.

A prayer shrine inside Swayambhunath temple complex. 10/14/2000

Thanks to Martin Gray for the use of some of the text from his web site
PLACES OF PEACE AND POWER The Sacred Site Pilgrimage of Martin Gray.

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