Pashupatinath Travel Guide

 
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Things to Do  

Sadhus.

Sadhus., Pashupatinath

 euzkadi Says:  Again as in other sacred cities of Nepal, the omnipresent Sadhus, some of then holy, some of them friendly, some of them fake (asking for money) a different perspective of life. 

Swiming in the Bagmati.

Swiming in the Bagmati., Pashupatinath

 euzkadi Says:  The Bagmati river is a Holy river so is very common to see ritual bathing taking place in it. But most of the time the swimmers are just young children having fun. 

Monkeys.

Monkeys., Pashupatinath

 euzkadi Says:  As in other temples in Nepal, monkeys (rehesus macaque monkeys) wander freely around the viewpoint, the Gaths and the temples. 

Panch Deval.

Panch Deval., Pashupatinath

 euzkadi Says:  Crossing the river and in front of the main entrance of the Vishnu temple is located the Panch Deval, a complex of five shrines, decorated with golden domes. 

Arya Ghat.

Arya Ghat., Pashupatinath

 euzkadi Says:  This gath located below the Shiva temple (with stairs connecting it) was built during the reign of Pramata Malla and is reserved for the cremation of the Nepalese royalti. 

Cremation Ghats (Bhameshvar Ghat).

Cremation Ghats (Bhameshvar Ghat)., Pashupatinath

 euzkadi Says:  The Ghats are long platforms located along the Bagmati river, where cremations take place. Hinduists cremate their dead (except young babies without a name, these are buried). To burn the body is an act of sacrifice, a way of purifying with fire the offerings to the gods.... 

Pandra Shivalaya.

Pandra Shivalaya., Pashupatinath

 euzkadi Says:  Across the Bagmati river, behind the viewpoint is located the Pandra Shivalaya complex (votive shrines), 15 shirines built to enshrine the lingas in memory of deceased important people from late 1,800´s. 

Shiva Temple.

Shiva Temple., Pashupatinath

 euzkadi Says:  Also known as the The Temple of Living Beings, this temple located on the shores of the Bagmati river is an old construction from the 400ad. This pagoda style temple is around 50 feet, the building has three floors with roofs of cooper with hanging bells and a gold pinnacle.... 

around pahupatinath

around pahupatinath, Pashupatinath

 bluedook Says:  The temple is the most important Hindu temple in Nepal. On the riverbanks of the Bagmati cremations take place. Monkeys and cows wander around the banks. Sadhus await donations from the tourists. 

SHIVARATRI FESTIVAL

SHIVARATRI FESTIVAL, Pashupatinath

 pink63 Says:  Shivaratri, the night of Lord Shiva, is held between February/March and is one of the major festivals of Nepal. During this festival more than 100,000 of Hindu devotees from India and Southeast Asia arrive to Pashupatinath temple to pay their homage to Shiva on his... 

Walk to see Bodhnath white stupa

Walk to see Bodhnath white stupa, Pashupatinath

 BarbaraForza Says:  From Pashupatinath, you can walk for about one km and be enchanted by Bodhnath stupa. It is the religious centre for Tibetans in Nepal. Walking around it, you can hear their chants coming from many small shops selling Tibetan artcrafts, there is also a Tibetan... 

Transportation  

Pashupatinath – Bodhnath

Pashupatinath – Bodhnath, Pashupatinath

 josephescu Says:  Maybe because I needed to further reflect at the powerful cremation ceremonies or just in need of fresh air to continue breathing, I took the walking path through the park uphill towards the Goraknath Temple and further on, to Bodhnath stupa. A nice half an hour walk through... 

Thamel - Pashupatinath

Thamel - Pashupatinath, Pashupatinath

 josephescu Says:  A rickshaw from Thamel asked me 200 Nr to give me a ride to Pashupatinath, but we bargained down to 120 Nr. During the 30 minutes ride in heavy traffic, most of it easy but nevertheless with some hard times cycling uphill, I was thinking at the irony of the whole thing – the... 

Local Customs  

The Riverbanks
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BarbaraForza 34 reviews
Pashupatinath

Pashupatinath is a popular place to be cremated and Bagmati is a holy river just as Ganges at Varanasi.
Immediately in front of the temple, there are burning ghats reserved for the cremation of royalty as well as for ritual bathing.
Common people are cremated on the four square ghats near the bridges.
The log fires are laid, the body lifted on top and the fire is lit with a very little ceremony.
Photography is permitted, but tourists are asked to be sensitive.

Written Oct 10, 2004

Related to:
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Who is Pashupati?

Who is Pashupati?, Pashupatinath

 josephescu Says:  Of the many incarnations Shiva has in the pantheon of gods, Pashupati is a peaceful one, being the lord of the beasts, a shepherd of both animals and humans. Thus, it is generally considered that Pashupati shows the Shiva’s most pleasant and creative side. Pashupathi is... 

A ceremony

A ceremony, Pashupatinath

 josephescu Says:  A cremation ceremony can take some time, but I think it a memorable experience if you have the stomach - everything starts with a ritual bath (seems the dead are entitled to it as well, not only the living), then moving the body to the designated cremation ghat. A little... 

Cremation platforms

Cremation platforms, Pashupatinath

 josephescu Says:  The cremation platforms (aka ghats) immediately in front of the Pashupati Temple, north of the footbridges, are for the cremation of royalties, though you’ll often see ritual bathing taking place in here.Cremation of non-royalty takes place on the 6 ghats south to the... 

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Map of Pashupatinath