Kathmandu Ancient Durbar Squares 2

 In the unified Nepal of today, each Durbar Square is made up of temples, idols, statues, open courts and fountains along with other structures. They are the perfect place to admire ancient Nepali architecture, Newari wood carvings and historic traditions. Oh, and it’s a great place to people watch.

Kathmandu Durbar Square might have suffered more from 2015 earthquake than most Kathmandu tourist sites, but it’s still an essential stop on any self respecting travellers 'what to do in Nepal' checklist.

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Explore The Kathmandu Valley’s Ancient Durbar Squares

No visit to Kathmandu would be complete without visiting the incredible UNESCO World Heritage listed Durbar squares of Kathmandu.

Going back in history, Nepal was actually split into three main kingdoms - Basantapur (Kathmandu), Bhaktapur, and Patan, each of which had a royal palace and surrounding Durbar squares located in the Kathmandu Valley.

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Nepal Travel: Pashupatinath Temple 4 Aarti ceremony

 As night falls gently over the Pashupatinath complex, different hum of activity starts to rise; people line the far bank of the river, and an elaborate offering of music, chanting, incense, lights and camphor to Lord Shiva begins.

The ceremony, known as Aarti, builds slowly until the whole crowd is on their feet, dancing as they chant and sing together in worship, and it’s impossible to resist being swept up in the energy of it all! 

The Aarti ceremony is one of the more important ceremonies in the Hindu faith; it always includes a flame or light, and generally involves the passing of an Aarti plate/lamp around a deity or person, and is accompanied by songs praising that deity or person.

Nepal Travel: Pashupatinath Temple 3 Aarti ceremony

 We recommend hanging around and watching the Aarti ceremony which commences each evening at 6:30pm. The Aarti ceremony is one of the more important ceremonies in the Hindu faith; it’s full of colour, light and chanting and it’s totally worth staying for.

Overall, the temple only suffered minor damage from the 2015 earthquake so can still be seen in all its glory. 

Watching an Aarti ceremony truly is one of the most unique experiences to have in Nepal.

Nepal Travel: Pashupatinath Temple 2

 For westerners, you’ll have to view from outside as the temple is for Hindu devotees only. The main attraction here is the shining Shivalinga and huge golden statue of Shiva’s Bull, Nandi. It’s also home to some pretty colourful artwork. 

Pashupatinath is also the location for many buddhist and Hindu cremations, so you’ll likely see one of these taking place on the banks of the river. It’s a pretty confronting sight but incredibly interesting to witness.

Nepal Travel: Pashupatinath Temple

 While Nepal is constantly abuzz with the intoxicating chaos and bustle of human life, the sacred Pashupatinath Hindu temple is a sobering reminder that all life eventually comes to an end.

Pashupatinath, dedicated to the god Shiva, is one of the holiest sites in all of Hinduism and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. On the banks of the Bagmati river, Pashupatinath has existed since 400 A.D and its main temple is considered a masterpiece in Hindu architecture.

Swayambhunath Stupa 3

 There may be a few stairs (365) and a heap of monkeys to navigate before you summit, but the views at the top are worth it. From there, you’re greeted with an incredible view of bustling Kathmandu going about its day - a sight definitely worth the raised heart rate of the climb.

Unfortunately, during the 2015 earthquake the temple suffered a large amount of damage at the summit however the main structures are still standing and have been renovated over the last few years.