"Pashupati Kshetra"
Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most sacred Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva in the world. Situated on the banks of the Bagmati River, this ancient complex encompasses over 500 temples, shrines, ashrams, and stone monuments.
Featuring a golden-gilded roof, silver-embossed doors, and four-faced Shiva Lingam, Pashupatinath serves as the spiritual heart of sacred rituals, daily open-air cremations (Aryaghat), and evening Bagmati Arati ceremonies.
How Pashupatinath Temple was built and used over time, what happens there during festivals, and what to know before you arrive.
Though the current pagoda structure was reconstructed in 1696 by King Bhupalendra Malla after termite damage, historical records document worship at Pashupatinath dating back past 400 AD during the Lichhavi period.
On the night of Shivaratri, over 1 million Hindu pilgrims, ascetics, and sadhus gather from around the world to offer prayers, butter lamps, and sacred chants.
The inner main temple complex is strictly reserved for Hindu devotees.
Non-Hindu visitors are welcome across the Bagmati River vantage points and outer courtyard grounds.
Pashupatinath Temple (Pashupati Kshetra) lies at 1,350 m in Gaushala, Kathmandu, KATHMANDU DISTRICT, within the Kathmandu Valley region. Its setting is described as Bagmati River Banks, and the monument is associated with 5th Century AD (Lichhavi Era).
Most travellers reach Pashupatinath Temple from the nearest town in KATHMANDU DISTRICT by road, then explore on foot. The recommended window is Year-Round (Best Oct–March); early morning is quieter and cooler, while late afternoon offers softer light for the carved facades.
The monument represents Classical Hindu Temple Architecture, within the Shaivism Sacred Sanctuary tradition. Brick, timber, stone, and metal are worked together in a way that has survived earthquakes and centuries of use, and restoration at Pashupatinath Temple continues to rely on local craftspeople.
Pashupatinath Temple is still a working religious and community space rather than a ruin. Offerings, repairs, festivals, and everyday traffic all take place among its historic structures, so visitors should expect the site to be busy with local life as well as tourism.