Trip Overview
Some of the important monuments to be seen here are:
- Taleju Temple :tallest of all structures built by king Mahendra Malla in 1549 A.D.
- Jagannath Temple : built in the 16th century, known for fascinating erotic figures carving I the wooden struts eaves.
- Kal Bhairav : one of the largest stone idol in Kathmandu representing the terrifying aspects of Shiva.
- Statue of King Pratap Malla in praying gesture to Digu Taleju the royal family deity right across.
- Kumari Ghar : 17th century Kumari temple, an example of the highly developed Nepalese temple craft.
- Kasthamandap : built from the timber of a single tree. The Kathmandu City derives its name from Kasthamandap.
Swayambhunath Stupa(The Monkey Temple): One of the world’s most glorious, ancient, enigmatic and the holiest of Buddhist Chaityas, dating back more than 2000 years. Situated on a hillock Swayambhunath, literally “the Self-Created or Existent”, is a mosaic of small stupas and pagoda temple contributed over time by the succession of kings and noblemen. The main structure of the stupa is made of a solid hemisphere of brick and clay, supporting a lofty conical spire and capped by pinnacle of copper gilt. Painted on the four sides on the base of the spire are the “All Seeing Eyes” of Lord Buddha. The main features of Swayambhunath in brief are “The Five Buddhas.”
Pashupatinath Temple (Hindus Divine): Just a small walk takes you to the temple of Lord Shiva-Pasupatinath with a two tiered golden roof and silver doors. This structure is famous for its superb Newari architecture, situated near the banks of the sacred Bagmati River. Entrance to the temple precinct is permitted to the “Hindus Only”, however visitors can clearly see the temple from the eastern bank of the Bagmati River. Pashupati, literally, “Lord of the Animals” is the patron deity of Nepal and believed to have been unearthed by an obscure herdsman while one of his cattle was showering the earth with milk. Across the sacred river, above the array of decorated monuments, is the “Slasmantak or Mrigasthali Ban (forest)” where legends has it that Lord Siva dwelled in a form of an antelope to evade the hordes of demigods.
Bouddhanath Stupa: This colossal and ancient Stupa, one of Nepal’s most unique monuments and said to be the world's biggest, attracts Nepalese pilgrimage of Tibetan stock from as far as Dolpo and Mugu as well as Tibet, Ladhak in India and Bhutan. Baudhanath Stupa, with all seeing eyes of primordial Adi Buddha on all the four sides of the stupa, is said to hold the remains of Kasyapa - the Buddha of the previous time. The Stupa is 100 meters in diameter and was built on an octagonal base. Inset into the base are prayer wheels established by the Lichchivi King Mana Deva in the fifth century. The stupa rises to 36 meters above the base including the spire, “all seeing eyes” and the pinnacle represents the stages of enlightenment, symbol of royalty, compassion, knowing and nirvana. There are many myths about the origins of the stupa.
