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Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Pashupatinath is one of the four most important religious sites in Asia for devotees of Shiva. Built-in the 5th century and later renovated by Malla kings, the site itself is said to have existed from the beginning of the millennium when a Shiva lingam was discovered here.
The largest temple complex in Nepal, it stretches on both sides of the Bagmati River which is considered holy by Hindus. The main pagoda style temple has a gilded roof, four sides covered in silver, and exquisite wood carvings. Temples dedicated to several other Hindu and Buddhist deities surround the temple of Pashupatinath.
Cremation of Hindus take place on raised platforms along the river. Only Hindus are allowed through the gates of the main temple. The inner sanctum has a Shiva lingam and facing the temple sits the largest statue of Nandi the bull, the vehicle of Shiva. There are hundreds of Shiva lingams within the compound. The big Maha Sivaratri festival in spring attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees from within Nepal and from India. Further east before the Bagmati reaches Pashupati is the temple of Guheshwori dedicated to Shiva's consort, Sati Devi.
Visit Pashupatinath for an unmatched mix of religious, cultural and spiritual experiences. Located 3 km northwest of Kathmandu on the banks of the Bagmati River, the temple area also includes Deupatan, Jaya Bageshori, Gaurighat (Holy Bath), Kutumbahal, Gaushala, Pingalasthan, and Sleshmantak forest. There are around 492 temples, 15 Shivalayas (shrines of Lord Shiva) and 12 Jyotirlinga (phallic shrines) to explore.
Pashupatinath is also one of the few living cultural heritage sites in the world. Unlike other cultural sites or museums, Pashupatinath is the centre of energy with active participation of people at all times of the day, every day. The daily rituals of Pashupatinath Temple are as follows:
Apart from the daily rituals, special observed are plotted during special dates of the lunar calendar.