Major religious sites :
Boudhanath stupa
On the way to discover one of the most gigantic stupas; as well as being the largest of its kind in Nepal, this Bodhnath edifice stands out internationally. It’s enormous! At 40 metres high and around a hundred metres in circumference, the building is as colossal as it is beautiful! This is the site of the biggest pilgrimage in Nepal for Buddhists. During religious festivals, you can see the colourful decoration of the monument with yellow clay and prayer flags. It’s a fascinating sight! You’ll also see crowds of over 10,000 worshippers and onlookers at the sacred site. You will attend or take part in the famous ritual of circumambulation around the stupa. This involves circling the monument in a clockwise direction.
Temple of Swayambunath
Swayambhunath, is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal. According to the Gopālarājavaṃśāvalī Swayambhunath was founded by King Mānadeva’s (464-505) great-grandfather, King Vṛsadeva, around the beginning of the fifth century. This seems to be confirmed by a damaged inscription on a stone found at the site. The history of the site itself apparently dates back to long before the arrival of Buddhism in the Kathmandu Valley.
Although the site is considered Buddhist, it is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus. Many Hindu kings are known to have paid homage to the temple, including the most powerful king of Kantipur, Pratap Malla.
Peace Temple(white gompa / chinese gompa)
Perched on a narrow ledge above the waters of Phewa Tal, the gleaming white Peace Pagoda was built by Buddhist monks from the Japanese Nipponzan Myohoji organisation. Three paths lead to the pagoda, and there are several small cafés on site. It is said that there is one on every continent!
Pashupatinath Temple
The Pashupatinath temple is a Hindu religious building located on the banks of the Bagmati river in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is dedicated to Pashupati, the incarnation of Shiva as “master of animals”, who is unofficially considered to be Nepal’s national deity. This temple is one of the holiest in Hinduism and Nepal.
The temple and its surroundings have been on the World Heritage List since 1979, along with six other groups of monuments, under the name “Kathmandu Valley”. During the earthquake of 2015, it was one of only three to resist destruction.
Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna Mahavihar)
Pragyaparmita of the Golden Temple: Hiranyabarna Mahavihar is not only a religious area, it is also the place where the religious books (Granthas) of Buddhism are recited. This Bihar is famous for one of the nine main Granthas “Pragyaparmita”. This Grantha was written by a monk named Ananda in B.S. 1282 during the reign of King Abhaya Malla. This Astasahashrika Pragyaparmita is written in golden letters. People believe that this Grantha has been preserved in this Bihar to protect people from evil nature. People from various regions come to read this book. Since B.S. 1995, this Grantha has been kept safely in a box. A separate Guthi has been established for reading this religious book. The local people believe that if they ask for this book to be read once, all their wishes will be fulfilled. Nowadays, people have to sign up months in advance for the reading of this book.
Taleju temple, Durbar in Bhaktapur
more trip -ICI-
Maya Devi Temple
The Maya Devi Temple is a Buddhist temple located in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lumbini, Nepal. It is the main temple of Lumbini, a site traditionally considered to be the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. more trip -ICI-
Kopan Monastery
Kopan Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located near Bodnath, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal. It belongs to the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), an international network of Gelugpa dharma centres, and formerly served as its main headquarters.The monastery was established by the founders of the FPMT, the lamas Thubten Yeshe and Zopa Rinpoche, who bought the property from the court astrologer of Nepal in 1969. Kopan became most famous for teaching Buddhism to foreign visitors from the West. The first of what would become annual meditation courses lasting a few months (November-December) was held in 1971. These courses generally combine traditional Lam Rim teachings with informal discussions, several periods of guided meditation and a vegetarian diet.Technically, Kopan is now made up of two separate institutions: the monastery itself, on Kopan hill, and the nearby Khachoe Ghakyi Ling nunnery.
Manakamana Temple
The sacred Manakamana temple is a must-see if you’re in Nepal. It is located 100 km from Kathmandu, on the way to Pokhara in the Gorkha region. The cable car ride is one of the most impressive things to do and see the green valleys of Nepal, all plateaus of rice paddies. A beautiful and very religious place, Manakamana is one of the powerful gods.
Ghar Gompa
Lo Gekar Upper Mustang Monastery, Ghar gompa is the oldest monastery in Mustang, built in the 8th century by Guru Rinpoche “Padmasambhava”, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, and is situated at an altitude of 3931 metres above sea level. It is linked to the Nyingma sect of Buddhism.
Lo Gekar or Ghar Gompa is a very important religious site, decorated with numerous chortens and prayer flags around the monastery. The trek or tour of Ghar Gompa allows you to visit
Dolakha Bhimsen Mandir
Dolakha Bhimsen is a short visit to an important pilgrimage site for Hindu devotees. The temple is located in the Dolakha district. After a 2-3 hour scenic drive from Kathmandu to Charikot, it is only then that the journey to the temple begins.
Dolakha Bhimsen Mandir or the Bhimeshwar Mandir is dedicated to the God Bhim or Bhimsen. He was the second eldest brother of the Pandavs in the Mahabharata epic. The roofless temple houses a triangular idol made of rough stone. According to legend, the idol resembles three different deities at different times of the day – the god Bhim, the goddess Bhagawati and Lord Shiva.
Namo Buddha (Stupa)
The journey from the centre of Kathmandu in Nepal to the small but beautiful village in the mountains called Namo Buddha is 40 kilometres. Whatever its size, the village is of enormous importance and value to Buddhists because of the ancient history of Namo Buddha (translated as “Homage to the Buddha”). Namo Buddha is located downhill from the Thrangu Tashi Yangtse monastery, which is another amazing site and point of interest. The monastery is home to around 250 monks.The tale of Namo Buddha: more trip -ICI-
The story of Namo Buddha is ancient and well known. As Nepalese and Tibetan Buddhists believe, around 6,000 years ago, Prince Mahasatwo found a tigress lying by a rock on this very spot. The tigress appeared to be extremely hungry, so much so that it almost died of starvation. The prince realised that if the tigress died, the 5 cubs she was nursing would also die. So, out of loving kindness, the prince cut off his own body and gave the flesh to the mother tiger, just to save the 6 cubs. In turn, the tigress accepted the act of kindness and ate her entire body except for the bones. The remains, i.e. the bones, were transported to the village of Buddha Namo, then inside the stupa that is now proclaimed. Prince Gautama Siddhartha Buddha is said to have visited the site 3,500 years later and announced that he was, in fact, the reincarnation of Prince Mahasatwo.
Muktinath Temple
Chumig Gyatsa is the symbol of the religious symbiosis between Hindus and Buddhists. Hindus believe that Lord Vishnu was saved from the curse of Brinda (wife of Jalandhar) here. This is why he is worshipped as Muktinath (literally, the lord of salvation). This sacred shrine, which is said to have sprung up on its own, is one of eight such shrines (the others are Srirangam, Sri Mushnam, Tirupati, Naimisaranyam, Thottadri, Pushkaram and Badrinath). The pagoda-style Muktinath temple is also one of the 108 Vaishnava shrines. In the early 19th century, Hindus dedicated a temple to Vishnu here and named it Muktinath – the Lord of Liberation. In a setting of incredible darkness, you can sit and stare at the snow-capped Annapurna range to the south, or the Tibetan plateau to the north.
Temple Barahi
The Barahi temple is located on an island in Lake Phewa in Nepal.
On this pleasant, lush island, you’ll discover the 2-storey pagoda of the Barahi temple. This Hindu temple in Nepal is dedicated to Ajima in the manifestation of the boar, representing the strength of Shakti. Shakti is the Hindu mother goddess who is the source of universal creativity and power. As a feminine power, Shakti takes on several roles. In the form of Durga, Shakti protects the gods from demons. Durga takes the manifestation of Ajima in the form of a boar called Barahi to pierce her evil enemies with her sharp tusks. Barahi is depicted with the face of a boar with a cup in one hand and fish in the other. As such, the Barahi temple is a very important centre of worship for Hindu devotees. Tourists are likely to see devotees coming to the temple on Saturdays with male animals for sacrifice.
Dakshinkali Temple
The Dakshinkali temple, also known as the Dakshin Kali temple or Dakshina Kali temple, near the village of Pharping, is one of the main Hindu temples in Nepal dedicated to the goddess Kali. Dakshin Kali is generally depicted with her right foot on Shiva’s chest, while representations showing Kali with her left foot on Shiva’s chest represent the even more fearsome Vamakali (generally depicted with her left foot on Shiva’s chest). Animal sacrifices, particularly of uncastrated male roosters and goats, are the main means of worshipping the goddess, especially during the festival of Dashain. The Dakshin Kali temple also has the same religious value as the Pashupatinath temple and the Manakamana temple in Nepal. The temple has more tourist appeal as it is a popular trekking destination located near the village of Pharping in Nepal. Mother Dakshinakali is the most popular form of Kali. She is a benevolent mother who protects her devotees and children from misadventure and misfortune.
Janaki Temple
Janaki Mandir is a Hindu temple in Janakpur, Nepal, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Sita. It is an example of mixed Nepalese Hindu architecture. Built entirely in brilliant white over an area of 1,480 square metres in a mixed style from the Hindu kingdoms of ancient Nepal. It is a three-storey structure built entirely of stone and marble.
Its 60 rooms are all decorated with the Nepalese flag, coloured glass, engravings and paintings, with beautiful latticed windows and turrets. According to legends and epics, King Janak ruled the kingdom of Videha from this part of Janakpur during the Ramayana period. His daughter Janaki (Sita), during her swyambar, chose Lord Rama as her husband and became the queen of Ayodhya. Their wedding ceremony took place in the nearby temple, also called vivaha mandap, which was rebuilt by Amar Singh Thapa.
