Numerous religious building are also located on the eastern bank of bagmati, most of them are devoted to lord shiva. The majority of these buildings are small single storey constrctions made from stone. From the outside these building are reminding crypts but in reality these are sacral buildings, created for holding the symbol of the deith shiva lingam ( erect phallus ). Lingams can be found all over the complex.
Along the right bank of Bagmati numerous platforms for funeral pyres are built. The cremations on these platforms are a common activity. Usually tourists have the chance to see at least one open air cremation. The majority of religious rituals are culturally unusual thing in pashupatinath is the specific smell of cremated bodies unlike any expectation.
The smell has nothing in common with the smell of decaying flesh, but rather reminds the smell of clabber mixed with different spices. Another culturally shocking thing in pashupatinath is the image of local women washing clothes downstream the river. The water of Bagmati contain animal fat because of the ashes of cremated shiva followers and easily wash the dirt from linen. It is believed that this is how the soap was invented. As far as shiva is considered the patron of animals and all living organisms, monkeys and deers are wandering all around the temple complex on both banks of Bagmati. Monkeys are very often unfriendly, they beg for food, Snatch things from careless tourists and may aven be dangerous. It is also very common to meet sadhus in pashupatinath. Sadhus are wandering ascetic yogis, who are trying to acquire liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth by meditating.
They have very unique appearance with specific yellow paintings on their bodies.
