Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu (must see)

Pashupatinath Temple is Nepal’s most sacred Hindu shrine and one of the world’s most important places of worship dedicated to Shiva, one of the principal deities of Hinduism. Standing on the banks of the sacred Bagmati River, just east of central Kathmandu, it has attracted pilgrims for well over a thousand years.

The exact date of its foundation is uncertain, although references to a shrine at this site appear as early as around AD 400. According to tradition, it was established by the Licchavi king Prachanda Deva, while the present structure largely dates from about 1692.

The main temple is an outstanding example of traditional Nepalese pagoda architecture. Its two-storey structure rises above the surrounding shrines and is crowned by a two-tiered copper roof covered with gold. Silver-plated doors lead into the sacred interior, while a golden pinnacle completes the richly decorated exterior. Because only Hindu practitioners can view the temple's structures from up close, non-Hindu visitors can cross the pedestrian bridge over the river and ascend to the elevated stone viewing terraces on the opposite bank to look directly across at the gold-plated pagoda roof. Considering you're facing the temple's entrance, turn right and then walk in an eastern direction toward the river until you meet two pedestrian bridges. Cross the one placed more to the south then climb the staircase at its other end for about 80 meters until you notice a viewing terrace on your left.

Inside stands the principal object of worship, a stone Shiva lingam approximately one meter (or 3.3 feet) high, set on a silver base and carved with faces looking in four directions, representing different aspects of Shiva.

Daily worship is conducted by two distinct hereditary groups of caretakers: the Bhattas and the Rajbhandaris. Crucially, only the South Indian Bhattas serve as the high priests allowed to physically touch the sacred lingam and perform inner pujas, while the Rajbhandaris serve as temple treasurers and assistants who are strictly forbidden from touching the deity. Another important feature of the complex is the riverbank cremation site, which is split between Arya Ghat and Bhasmeshwar Ghat. In the evening, visitors may witness the atmospheric Bagmati Aarati ceremony, accompanied by chanting, bells, incense, conch shells, and glowing oil lamps reflected in the water.