India and Nepal - 2025

Video diary

Holy Sites of Northern India and Nepal

01 - Flower Offering at Savathi, Jetavana
A group of pilgrims led by Ajahn Achalo made a flower offering at the site of The Buddhas dwelling in Savathi, Northern India.
02 - Pilgrimage in Lumbini, Nepal
Our group completed the Four Holy Sites pilgrimage in Lumbini. We actually meditated in each of the beautiful temples that we visited in this clip as well, but there is no footage of the group meditation for obvious reasons. Some of the group will return to their homes tomorrow, while more than half will continue onto Pokhara and then to the Kathmandu valley. I look forward to sharing more details of our experiences and practice upon my return to Thailand. (Life permitting:)
03 - Pokhara, Santi Stupa, the Annapurna ranges
About half of our pilgrimage group returned to their homes 2 days ago. Our now smaller group took a short flight to Pokhara from Lumbini, to enjoy a couple of days of clean air, after weeks on the dusty Ganges plain of India. Today we will travel on to the Kathmandu Valley. The lake and views in Pokhara are lovely. As kany of the pilgrims will likely only visit Nepal this one time, it is good to see the Himalayas.
04 - Buddhist Pilgrimage, Kathmandu Valley
In the final days of our pilgrimage our group has been able to visit, circumambulate and practice meditation at the ancient Swyambunath and Boudnath Chedis, as well as visit and meditate at Sechen and Kopan monasteries. Although we are predominantly practitioners in the Theravada tradition, it is good to understand a little and develop mudita for the good practice in other traditions. Paying respects at Chedis and to senior practitioners in other traditions also produces helpful merits that nourish the pilgrims individual progress along their path towards liberation.
05 - Resolve after the retreat/ pilgrimage
06 - Pilgrimage in Patan, Kathmandu Valley
07 - Charitable Outreach in Kathmandu Valley,