Pashupatinath
Also known as: Pashupati · पशुपति
Nepal's holiest Hindu temple, on the Bagmati river, where Shiva is worshipped as Lord of Animals and the dead are cremated on the ghats.
Pashupatinath is one of the most sacred Shiva temples in the world and part of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site. The gilded two-tiered pagoda of the main temple dates in its present form from the 17th century, though worship here is far older; only Hindus may enter the main courtyard.
Everyone can watch from across the river as families perform cremations at the Arya Ghat, see the sadhus, and explore the hundreds of shrines and lingas on the terraces. The evening aarti by the river is beautiful, and the great festival is Maha Shivaratri, when hundreds of thousands of pilgrims arrive.
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