Pashupatinath Temple, Hindu temple in Kathmandu, Nepal

Pashupatinath is a Hindu temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, with a main pagoda crowned by gilded copper roofs that rise above the Bagmati River. The grounds include smaller shrines, stone platforms beside the riverbank, and several terraces connected by steps and narrow pathways.

Pashupatinath is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu, with its existence recorded as early as 400 CE. The Gopal Raj Vamshavali credits the Licchavi king Prachanda Deva with building it, and Shivadeva reconstructed it between 1099 and 1126 CE. Ananta Malla later added a roof, and the present form dates from a renovation in 1692 CE after termites and earthquakes damaged earlier structures.

The name honors Pashupati, a form of Shiva as protector of animals, and devotees bring incense and flowers each day for prayer. Visitors can watch priests perform ritual washing in the river and ring bells while ascetics in orange robes move through the grounds.

The site opens early in the morning and closes late in the evening, but non-Hindu visitors cannot enter the main inner shrine. Exploring both banks of the river requires several hours and sturdy shoes for the steep steps.

The inner sanctuary holds a stone Mukhalinga wrapped in a silver serpent and displaying four different faces. Each face represents a different manifestation of Shiva and is oriented toward one of the four cardinal directions.