Posted on 05/04/2015 10:07:23 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Monkey Temple would be a honeypot for professional art thieves hoping to sell artifacts on the international art market.
Along with a group of volunteers and experts, he is photographing and cataloguing all the artifacts as quickly as possible to thwart them. He also hopes to persuade the Nepalese authorities to block the trade of Himalayan art globally, particularly through prestigious international art houses like Christie's and Sotheby's.
But amid all of the destruction there has also been some good news.
The site's striking centrepiece, a white-domed stupa topped with the painted eyes of Buddha survived the quake.
And inside one of the monuments, the devastation revealed a series of progressively smaller statues -- constructed like a Russian babushka doll -- that would have otherwise remained hidden.
Some unusual coins with Persian inscriptions were also found, exciting the experts who plan to have them investigated.
Despite the risk that the few remaining temple structures could collapse, no one dares make the temple guardians leave.
Tashi Phuntsok, a monk who has lived there for 11 years, chose to pitch his tent facing a panoramic view of Kathmandu and mountains -- a perfect spot for meditation.
"I stay so I can help," he said, with sunglasses perched on his nose.
The temple's namesake monkeys lounge on the steep stairs that go up to the temple, enjoying the absence of tourists, as a group of novice monks begins to clear the ruins.
(Excerpt) Read more at hindustantimes.com ...
The Monkey Temple is located in Baltimore?
Those Amish sure get around.
They have African Nepalese there ?
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