PASHUPATINATH

                     Situated 5 km east of Kathmandu city center, Pashupati literally means "lord of animals" and is considered to be the patron deity of Nepal .Pashupatinath is regarded as one of the holiest sites for Hindus all over the world.

Pashupatinath temple is a pagoda style two-tiered golden roof with exquisitely carved four silver doors containing in its sanctum a phallic idol with four faces facing each direction and the other fifth one is looking up toward the zenith .A temple is claimed to have been built by king Bhupalendra Malla in 1697 A.D. Legend has it that a cow would frequently escape from its herds and offer milk on a jyotirlinga (phallic symbol of Shiva ) which denotes the point where the temple stands today. It is said that a certain cowherd much to his surprise found the self-generated Jyotrilinga (phallic symbol of Shiva) when he dug the spot where the cow would give milk. the spot immediately became the center of worship that has been continued till today.

Legend also mentions that the pandavas after the great Mahabharata battle were told that only by sighting Shiva would they be absolved of their sins and it was at this very spot that they saw the lord. Hence,this most scared abode of Shiva ,who is the God of the gods- Mahadeva-merits a visit by all Hindus,at least once in a lifetimes ,to be truly blessed and cleansed .It is believed that pilgrimage to the four dhams like Dwarika, Kedar ,Rameshwor and Jaganath of India becomes meaningful only after a final darshan of pashupatinath and by taking a holy dip in the BAgmati River and conducting a proper puja . There are temples of other Hindu deities in Pashupati premises like Bhairavnath , Vasuki nag, Parbati temple ,Ram mandir ,Vishwo rup ,gorkhnath ,Kirateshwor temple and dozens of temples dedicated to different gods and goddesses.

A consisderable part of the temple vicinity is converted to rest and prayer areas. Behind the temple on the banks of Bagmati is a crematorium for Hindus . IT is the wish of every Hindu to be cremated on the bank of the Bagmati river near the temple. At the other end of the Pashupatinath temple across the Bagmati river.It is also interesting to watch the monkeys roam in and around the temple freely .One may also observe Sadhus smeared with ashes and dressed in lion-cloths and the hindus Brahmins offering Tika and blessing to the visitors .Pashupatinath attracts thousands of piligrims on spring festival Maha Shivaratri(feb-March) The day dedicated to shiva ,Hari ralika/Teej (aug- sept),Janai purnima (july-aug) and all monkeys of the month of shrawan (july- aug). PLACE TO VISIT. 

DAKSHINKALI

Dakshinkali Temple; is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali and is one of the most popular places of worship in Kathmandu. The word Dakshinkali is made up of Dakshin and Kali. Dakshin means south and Kali is derived from one of the Hindu goddess Kali. So it basically means the goddess Kali of the south. Located 22 km from the city center on the southern rim of the valley past Pharping village, the shrine is especially crowded on Tuesdays and Saturdays when animal sacrifices are offered to the deity. According to a mythology the Goddess Durga has killed the demon and drank the fresh blood of animals. So lots of devotees gather there in a huge mass especially on Tuesday and Saturday where they usually sacrifice rooster and he goats. This is the reason blood is scarified to her.

The temple was built by Pratap Malla during 17th century, but the construction, seems to be very new. The preparation before and after the offering is very interesting to see. On the way back, we stop at Chobhar gorge. Legend has it that Manjushree cutout the gorge to drain out Kathmandu valley was then a lake. There is a small but picturesque temple of Adinath on the top of a hill. From this top one can have a completed view of snowcapped mountains peaks.

On the way, the sight of the gorge is impressive and it is worthwhile to walk down and across the old suspension bridge, throwing a glance down into the very narrow and deep chasm. In the midway near the village of Pharping, lies the the pleasant spot. Place to visit.

CHANGU NARAYAN

                  Changu Narayan is located on a magnificent hill top commoding a fantastic view of KATHMANDU VALLEY . Changu Narayan .The temple of lord Vishnu  lies 6km north of BHAKTAPUR .The temples is full of magnificent art works in metal and wood .

                      In fact it is one of the finest Example of Nepalese history found in the temple premises during the region of the Lichivi King Maha Deva dating back to 464 AD shows that changes had already been established as a sacred site in the 3rd Century though older elements have been incorporated during the restorations. the pagado Style temple has serval master piece of 5th & 12th  century Nepalese art.

 SOME OF THE IMPORTANT SCULPTURE HERE ARE AS FOLLOW :-

• VISWA ROOP :- This Sculpture dates and back to 8th century.
• VISHNU VIKASANTA  :- The stone bas- relief images is dated back to 8th century.
• VISHNUN MOUNTED IN THE VEHICLE  GARUDE :- Mythicalman Bird
• NAR-SINGH :- Vishnu is his half human and half lion's Form..

NAGARKOT

            

             Nagarkot, located 32 km east of Kathmandu, is one of the most scenic spots in Bhaktapur district and is renowned for its spectacular sunrise view of the Himalaya when the weather is clear. Visitors often travel to Nagarkot from Kathmandu to spend the night so that they can be there for the breathtaking sunrise.Thickly vegetated hills, lush green valleys, authentic villages, welcoming hospitality and breathtaking Himalayan views are what await you in Nagarkot, the premiere Hill Station on the Kathmandu Valley Rim. Situated above the Kathmandu Valley to the north of the city at an altitude of 2300 m. Nagarkot has become famous as one of the best spots to view Mount Everest as well as other snow-topped peaks of the Himalayan range of eastern Nepal. It also offers an excellent view of the Indrawati river valley to the east. With an elevation of 2,195 meters, Nagarkot also offers a Mind blowing view of the Valley .

                         Between October and March a trip to Nagarkot will nearly always be rewarded with a view, but you will be very lucky to catch more than a glimpse through the monsoon clouds between June and September. During the summer, sweaty valley residents escape the heat for the resort's cool mountain air; in winter they rush up if there's even a chance of being able to throw a tiny snowball. It can get very cold at Nagarkot in autumn and winter, so if you're staying overnight come prepared with warm clothing.

PATAN

The square, situated in the heart of the city, consists of enchanting melange of palace buildings, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples. The former royal palace complex is the center of Patan's religious and social life and houses a museum containing an array of bronze statues and religious objects. There are three main courtyards or chowks, so named central Mul Chowk, Sundari Chowk and Keshav Narayan Chowk in the square. The Sundari Chowk holds in its center a masterpiece of stone architecture, the Royal bath called Tushahity.

PLACE TO VISIT IN PATAN :-

• Krishna Mandir : is Nepal's finest piece of stone architecture. Siddhi Narsingh, a passionate devotee of Krishna, built this temple in the 17th century when he dreamed Krishna and Radha being union at this spot. This magnificent temple is a delicate, airy creation which defies its heavy material. 
• Mahabouddha : A little further east from the southern end of Durbar Square and then turning right at the sunken water taps lies this Buddhist monument. The temple, made of clay bricks with thousands of images of Lord Buddha engraved, is an excellent example of terra cotta art form. 
• Kwa Bahal (Golden Temple) This Buddhist monastery is a three storey golden pagoda of Lokeshwor (Lord Buddha). The monastery, built in the 12th century by King Bhaskar Verma, is embellished with exceptionally fine woodcarvings and repousse work. 
• Temple of Machhendranath and Minnath : The pagoda of Red Machhendranath was built in 1408 AD and is situated in Tabahal. For six months the deity is taken to its other shrine in Bunmati. The temple of Minnath is situated in Tangal on the way to Tabahal. 
• Surya Binayak Temple :This temple, located between Bungamati and Khakna, is dedicated to Ganesh. Ganesh is a natural stone. There are some great views from the temple of the Bagmati Valley and of Bungamati.Etc are some place to visit.

MANAKAMANA

It is the name of a Hindu Goddess. It is believed that the Goddess fulfils the wishes of the people. The term ‘mana’ means the ‘heart’ or ‘soul’ and ‘kamana’ means the ‘wish’.

The most popular temple of Manakamana is in Gorkha. The others are in various places like manakamana. It is said that a King of Gorkha was blessed by the goddess to get victory over small kingdoms and make a big Gorkha. Manakamana of Gorkha is a popular place for a specific fair called Panchami. The temple was initially inaccessible and one had to ride on horseback for 2–3 days. Now it is easily accessible by cable car.

History :-The queen of Ram Shah, the king of Gorkha , born in 1614 AD, was a goddess known only to her devotee, Lakhan Thapa. One day the king saw his queen in the form of a goddess. He told about it to Lakhan Thapa and he died instantly, in 1636 AD. The queen committed Sati (commit cremation with the husband's pyre as per custom of that time). Lakhan Thapa lamented on her Sati.The queen consoled her devotee by telling him that she would reappear again. Six months later, a farmer hit a stone while ploughing his field. Blood and milk came out from the stone. When news about this spread to Lakhan thapa, he realized that his had come true. came to know the news. He worshipped the place with 'tantric' rituals and the flow of blood and milk ceased. The ruling king of Gorkha, upon learning about the incident, donated land and money and the site became the foundation of the present-day shrine- Manakamana Temple. The current pujari, Priest, is the 17th generation descendant of Lakhan Thapa

NAMO BUDDHA

It is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site of Nepal, and one of the 3 main stupas of ktm valley. Situated about 40 km to the south east of Kathmandu city, the stupa built on the bones and hair of prince Mahasattva, stands on the slopes of the Gandha Malla hill.

According to the jatakas and several sutras,Mahasattva was one of buddha shakyamuni's former incarnations. He was the youngest of the three sons of king Maharatha. One day as the three brothers were walking through the forest, they saw a tigress with the five cubs she had given birth to. She was so hungry she could hardly move. The three princes went away, but Mahasattva decided to go back and started to cut his flesh to give it to the tigress to eat. When his brothers went to look for him they found only his bones and hair. The stupa was built on top of these remains.Following the ridge to a second summit on the same hill, there is also a small stupa which is said to mark the den of the tigress. There, pilgrims lie down on the ground as if giving their bodies, and hair and pieces of cloth are hung to the branches of the tree for protection.The Tibetan name Takmo Lujin derives from the events that took place on the site (stag mo means 'tigress',lus 'body', and sbyin 'to give'). Local people call it Namo Buddha (Lit. 'Homage to the Buddha!'). Because the region was infested with tigers, the local people wouldn't call it by its actual name, which contains the word 'tiger', and so, as a way to protect themselves, they got into the habit of calling it “Namo Buddha.”Walking up the hill from the stupa, one can reach a place where the scene of the Buddha giving his body to the tigress is engraved in stone. According to the oral tradition, this is the actual place where the Buddha gave his body.