Sacred Place
Pashupatinath Temple
Nepali: पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर
Nepal's most important Hindu temple, dedicated to Shiva as Pashupati, "Lord of Animals" or "Lord of All Beings," on the banks of the Bagmati River in Kathmandu.
- Type
- Temple
- Location
- Kathmandu, Bagmati Province, Nepal
History & Significance
Pashupatinath is among the most sacred Shiva temples in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its present main structure dates to the 17th century, though the site's religious significance is attested much earlier, and it has long been a major pilgrimage destination for Hindus from Nepal and India.
The temple complex spans both banks of the Bagmati River and includes numerous smaller shrines, ghats used for cremation, and structures reflecting centuries of Newar temple architecture and patronage by successive Nepalese dynasties.