Pashupatinath Temple

About Pashupatinath Temple

A golden spire rises from the top of the main temple of Pashupatinath.

It is considered one of the finest Hindu architectural works on the Western bank of Bagmati.

Featuring four main doors covered with silver sheets, it is a cubic construction.

Copper and gold are used to construct the two-story roof of this richly decorated temple with wooden sculptures. Standing outside the temple is an enormous golden statue of Shiva’s bull, Nandi.

NOTE: From the eastern bank of the river, visitors can see the main temple in all its beauty. Only Hindus are allowed inside the main temple, but all the other buildings may be viewed by foreigners. On the western bank of Bagmati is also the Panch Deval (Five temples) complex, which was once a holy shrine but is now a refuge for the elderly.

All the Donations, made to the temple are supposed to manage by Pashupati Area Development Board, and they are the authority to look after the Temple and, facilitates the devotees by maintaning cleanliness, Sanitation and making easy access to visitor.

Religious Temples in the Surrounding of Pashupatinath Temple

The eastern bank of Bagmati is also home to many religious buildings, most of which are dedicated to Shiva. The majority are stone structures of a single storey construction. In reality, these buildings are sacral structures, which hold the Shiva symbol, a lingam (erect phallus) – which is found throughout the complex. Although they look like crypts from the outside, they are actually sacral structures.

Cremation – Religious Rituals

In Bagmati, numerous platforms for funeral pyres are constructed along the right bank. The cremation of deceased individuals often takes place on these platforms.

There are usually at least a few open-air cremations, which tourists can observe.

There are many culturally unusual and even mind-boggling religious rituals in Pashupatinath, but the smell of cremated bodies probably stands out as the most culturally unusual thing. In contrast to what you might expect, the smell is not like decaying flesh at all; rather, it smells like clabber mixed with spices mixed together.

The image of local women washing clothes downstream the river in Pashupatinath is another culturally shocking thing. It is believed that the soap was invented because the Bagmati water contains animal fat because ashes from Shiva followers are dissolved in it.

Note: On both banks of Bagmati, monkeys and deers are roaming around the temple complex, since Shiva is considered the patron of all living creatures. A monkey can be very unfriendly, begging for food, stealing things from tourists. We would suggest you not to tease any Monkey. Wanna Know Why? Monkeys may slap you if you tease them.

Sadhus of Pashupatinath Temple

Pahsupathinath is also famous for its sadhus.

Meditating on death and rebirth has been described as a way for sadhus to achieve liberation from death and rebirth.

The yellow paint on their bodies gives them a very unique appearance.

Although sadhus are usually very friendly to visitors, they do not charge a fee for taking photos with foreigners. There are many sadhus living in caves or small cells on Pashupatinath’s territory. Sadhus live an extremely ascetic life, and in many ways they are miserable, but in westerners they may seem strange due to their independence and unrestrained behavior.

Major Attractions

If you’re planning to visit Pashupatinath as a Religious Tour, you mustn’t missed the following Major Religious Attractions near Pashupatinath Temple

Guhyeshwari

This Shakti Peeth is near the Pashupatinath Temple on the Bagmati River and is one of Nepal’s most famous Shakti Peeths. As with the rest of Nepal, non-Hindus are forbidden from entering. Her image is depicted in the form of a silver-plated waterhole, which is covered by an auspicious water jar (kalash).

A tragedy prompted Shiva to wander aimlessly through the earth after his beloved consort Sati Devi self-immolated in a fire, as her body lay on his shoulders. The Swasthani Brata Katha traces the temple’s history. While he wandered aimlessly, the corpse began to rot, and pieces fell to different places as a result of his directionless wandering.

When the body parts fell, Shaktik Peeths were formed, and Lord Shiva began residing there as the mother goddess. These places were made holy by divine beings, sages, and celestial beings during penance or worship of Ishwari. The Guhya (anal portion) of the corpse fell here as a result of this fall, leading to the establishment of Guhyeshwari.

Kirateshwor Mahadev

In the Pashupatinath region is the Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple. On the east bank of the Bagmati, it is situated between Pashupatinath and Gujeshwori. The sanctuary isn’t the only thing that attracts people, but also the full-moon traditional music show that takes place every full moon night.

In addition to showing old-style music, the Kirateshwar Sangeet Ashram arranges full moon shows. It was built in 1991. Other activities include vocal and instrument demonstrations and rivalries among students.

Gaurighat

Kathmandu’s Guhyeshwari temple is located on the right bank of the Bagmati river near Gaurighat. Among the most important pilgrimage sites in the Pashupati region is Gaurighat, where an artistic stone lines the bank of the Bagmati. There on the same stone, devotees worship a beautiful white stone idol of Gauri – Parvati.

It is for this reason that devotees visit Kirateshwar after bathing in this Gaurighat in the month of Magha. Parvati performed hard penance at this ghat to obtain Kirantarupa Mahadev. Due to the fact that the Swasthani Brat story is being told here in January, the Swasthani recitations are extremely busy, while Kirateshwar receives a large number of pilgrims at the same time.

Gauri Ghat has idols of Pati, Pauwa, and other deities in addition to a large statue of Hanuman in the middle and also a shrine to the memory of the father, which is known as the shraddha of the Sorha shraddhas.

Pashupatinath Aarati Time

Aarati at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, is a beautiful and popular Hindu ritual.

Aarati is a daily ritual performed at the temple that is widely regarded as being of great importance.

Lamps are lit before the statue of Pashupatinath, and mantras are chanted before the aarati begins.

After the aarati is complete, the lamps are extinguished, and the temple is closed for the evening. The aarati is a beautiful and moving ceremony that is regarded as a very important part of Hindu worship.

You should not miss the Pashupatinath Aarati if you are ever in Kathmandu, Nepal. This is an integral part of Hindu worship.

Best Time To Visit Pashupatinath Temple 

In addition to its large devotee population year round, the Pashupatinath Temple is decked with lights and garlands during the festivals Maha Shivaratri, Teej, and Bala Chaturthi.

Being Hindu, We were taught not to eat before worshiping in the temple. So, By taking your Health, and importance of Worshiping with Empty Stomach into Consideration, The best time to visit Pashupatinath Mandir is early morning i.e. Before 8-9 AM.

If you want to visit the temple and its surrounding without any rituals, you can visit this Pashupatinath temple throughout the year.

If you wish to take part in the daily aarati ceremony at Pashupatinath temple, please visit the temple before 6 pm in the evening.

Legend of Pashupatinath Temple 

Hinduism is an undeniable religion no matter how you look at it. The legends and stories that accompany the establishment of religious shrines are enthralling to both believers and non-believers. Similar to this, Pashupatinath Temple holds a number of legends.

The Cow’s Tale

Upon visiting the dense forest on the eastern bank of the Bagmati River, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati once transformed themselves into antelopes, but the beauty of the scene enchanted Lord Shiva, who decided to stay back as a deer.

When the other gods found out about his mischief, they grabbed hold of his horn, which snapped, and begged him to return to his divine form. The herdsman dug deep into the site to find the divine Shivalinga, a broken horn that was worshiped as a Shivalinga but had been buried and lost, and discovered it several centuries later.

The Legend of the Lichchavi

Supushpa Deva, one of the Lichchavi rulers who ruled before King Manadeva, constructed the Pashupatinath Temple according to the oldest chronicle of Nepal, Gopalraj Aalok Vamsavali.

The Devalaya Discourse

Moreover, there is also a myth to the effect that Pashupatinath Temples were already present before the arrival of Supushpa Deva in the form of linga-shaped Devalayas before Supushpa Deva arrived. A few days passed before the holy shrine had to be renovated, and when King Shivadeva finally reconstructed it, king Ananta Malla added a roof over the shrine. 

Architecture of Pashupatinath Temple 

Pashupatinath Mandir is built in a Nepalese pagoda architectural style. From cubic constructions to intricately carved wooden rafters, all aspects of the temple conform to this particular style. A gold pinnacle, known as Gajur, and two Garbhagrihas are erected in the magisterial temple, which is made of copper and gilded with gold.

This temple complex is home to a sizable golden statue of Lord Shiva’s vehicle – Nandi the bull – located inside the garbhagriha, which also houses the idol of Lord Shiva.

The SacroSanctum

Mukhalinga is a stone deity bound with a silver serpent, and rests on a silver yoni base. Each face represents a different aspect of Lord Shiva, namely Sadyojata or Varun, Tatpurusha or Aghora, and Vamadeva or Ardhanareeswara. It stands one meter high and is divided into four parts.

There are five primary elements in the universe – air, earth, ether, fire, and water – represented by each of Ishana’s imaginative faces. These faces are regarded as representing the Zenith. Those hands protrude out from each face, holding a kamandalu in each hand and rudraksha malas in the right. As you can see, the idol is dressed in golden attire.

Priests of Pashupatinath 

The most extraordinary feature of the Pashupatinath Temple is that the main idol can be touched only by four priests. Two sets of priests carry out the daily rites and rituals in the temple, the first being the Bhandari and the second being the Bhatt priests. The Bhatt are the only ones who can touch the deity and perform the religious rites on the idol, while the Bhandaris are the caretakers of the temple.

The Pashupatinath Temple is considered one of the most sacred shrines in the country because it fulfills the wishes of devoted worshippers. The temple is vibrant and colourful, full of life and sanctity. Besides being a destination for believers, it is also an excellent place for history buffs to explore.

A Journey to The Afterlife 

A sacred space of worship is especially attractive to elderly people in their twilight days, when they can breathe their last breath in peace, knowing that their remains will be buried along the riverbank, allowing them to move anywhere the river takes them, based on their cremated remains.

During the day, the astrologist offers blessings to the visitors for a nominal fee and predicts the future of those who approach them.

Most of the rituals performed in the Pashupatinath Temple are centered around the phenomenon of death.

Pashupatinath Temple Abhishekam 

In the temple during the Abhisheka period during which the Shiva Lingam’s four faces are visible to pilgrims, all four doors are opened from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

There is a basic Abhishekam ticket available for NPR 1100 at the entrance counter. It covers a number of pujas, including Rudrabhisheka. Abhishekams are performed depending on the location of the deity. If your ticket says east, then you must queue in front of the eastern entrance in order to perform the Abhisheka on the Shivalinga’s eastern face.

Entry to the Pashupatinath Temple – Only Hindus

As a result of its geographical position, it has four entrances. It is the west entrance that is open daily; the other three remain closed except during festival seasons. There is only one entrance to the temple courtyard for practicing Buddhists and Hindus from the Nepali Diaspora.

With the exception of Jains and Sikhs who are Indian ancestors, practiced Hindus from the west, as well as all other non-Hindu visitors, cannot enter the temple complex. From the Bagmati River bank, they can view the main temple, but there is a nominal charge for visiting the numerous smaller temples surrounding the external grounds of the Pashupatinath temple.

In the outer sanctum, devotees are permitted to see the idol, but not to enter the innermost Garbhagriha.

How To Reach Pashupatinath Temple 

There are public and private transport options available to reach the Pashupatinath Temple, which is located in the outskirts of Kathmandu. By taxi, it takes around 10 minutes to reach Tribhuvan International Airport or Boudhanath Stupa.

The temple is located around 20 minutes by Taxi from Thamel Street and Kathmandu Durbar Square. Local buses are also available, but tend to be crowded and it will take about 40 Minutes and, you may have to change the vehciles. You should drop off at Gaushala if you’re traveling by public Vehicles.

Contact Us for Guidance

As mentioned Earlier, Almighty Pashupatinath temple lies at Kathmandu, Capital City of Nepal. So, We don’t have any special package to visit this temple. But, If you need any help regarding your visit to Pashupatinath, Feel free to call us at +977-9863655576 or, write us at ddmelamchi@gmail.com.

If you would like to expand your stay and, want to enjoy somewhere near Kathmandu, Sukute Beach (Rafting), Dhulikhel Resort (Relaxation), Manakamana Temple (Religious, & Sight Seeing), Lakeside Pokhara (Boating, & Paragliding), etc, are Highly Recommended.