Pashupatinath Temple

पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर

Nepal's holiest Hindu temple, with open-air cremation ghats and sadhus along the Bagmati River. It is a powerful place to confront mortality.

Pashupatinath Temple sits on the banks of the Bagmati River on the eastern edge of Kathmandu. It is dedicated to Pashupati, a form of Shiva, and is one of the four major Shiva pilgrimage sites in South Asia as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main temple is a two-tiered pagoda with a gilded roof, open only to Hindus. Visitors can only look from outside the west gate or from the steps across the river. What tourists can see is the riverside cremation ghats. Hindus hold open-air cremations here, and the ashes are scattered into the river, which flows toward the Ganges. Ceremonies take place almost every day from morning to night. Across the river, the steps and eleven small Shiva shrines are the best vantage points. They are also where sadhus gather, men with ash-smeared bodies and long hair. Photos with them usually cost 100 to 200 rupees. Around 6:00 p.m. each evening, the Aarti fire ceremony takes place across from the main temple, with priests holding lamps, chanting scriptures, and music filling the air. It is the most rewarding moment to stay for. Foreigners pay an entrance fee of 1,000 rupees. A taxi from Thamel takes about 25 minutes. It is about 2 kilometers from Boudhanath, which you can reach on foot or by taxi, and the airport is nearby. Keep quiet and stay at a distance at cremation sites. Don't photograph bodies or grieving family members. Monkeys are common along the riverbank. Unofficial “guides” and blessing priests inside the temple will ask for money. Wear long trousers out of respect for the sacred site.

Pashupatinath Temple

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