Nepal has majority followers of Hinduism followed by Buddhism as the second largest religion in Nepal. Along with these two major followers, many other religious groups have been living together in peace and harmony. There are many sacred sites in Nepal which constitutes the belief of the followers, and those sites have been worshipped and respected by the devotees from their inner soul. Let us look at the some of the holy places of Nepal which defines belief as well the serenity of the various religious group.

Pashupatinath

Pashupatinath is a very popular and the holy temple of Nepal. The temple is dedicated to the Lord Pashupatinath, who is the incarnation of Lord Shiva as “the god of animals.” The temple is in the eastern side of the valley in the banks of the Bagmati River. It is also in the list of World Heritage Site, enlisted by UNESCO in 1979.

The Pashupatinath complex comprises temples, images, ashrams and inscriptions which dates back centuries. The main temple of the complex is pagoda styled with all the features of pagoda style like cubic construction, beautifully carved wooden rafters on which they rest. The temple is of two-storey, and the roofs are of copper with gold covering. It has four main doors, and all of them are covered with silver sheets. In total there are 518 temples and monuments in the whole complex of Pashupatinath.

Muktinath

Muktinath is located at an elevation of 3,710 meters in the Mustang district of Nepal. As per the Hinduism, the place is also called “Mukti Kshetra” meaning “the place of liberation.” Muktinath is the holy site for Hindus as well as Buddhist. As per the Hinduism, Muktinath is considered as one of the eight sacred shrines, known as Svayam Vyakya Kshetra. The mention of Muktinath can be found in the Hindu scripture of Vishnu Puran too. And, as per the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Muktinath was used as a place of meditation by Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism on his way to Tibet.

The outer courtyard of the temple has 108 bull faces from which water is poured. The water from those 108 bull faces are considered sacred and the devotees visiting the temple take a bath no matter how freezing the temperature is.  

Manakamana

Manakamana temple is located in the Gorkha district of Nepal at the height of 1,302 meters, and the place overlooks the river valleys of Trishuli in the south and Marsyangdi in the west. You can also get the view of Manaslu, Himachali, and Annapurna range from the northern side of the temple. The word “Manakamana” comprises two words, “mana” and “kamana” meaning heart and wish, altogether the name suggests that any of your heart’s wish can be fulfilled.

The temple is visited by hundreds of devotees yearly as regard to the belief that Goddess Manakamana grants the wishes of all those who make the pilgrimage to her shrine to worship to her. The temple of Manakamana is four storied with tiered pagoda-style roofs.

Boudhanath

Boudhanath is one of the largest spherical stupas of Nepal because of its massive mandala. It is located in the northeastern outskirts of Kathmandu. In 1979, the stupa was added on the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The Boudhanath area is mainly inhabited by the Tibetans, who entered Nepal in the 1950s. It is the most sacred site for the Tibetans and the followers of Tibetan Buddhism. During the earthquake of April 2015, the temple suffered major damage. However, the stupa has reconstructed, and it is in its former look.

Swayambhunath

Swayambhunath, which is also known as “Monkey temple” is an ancient religious architecture situated on a top hill of Kathmandu. Swayambhunath occupies the central position for religious practice for Buddhist Newar. However, it is second after Boudhanath to the Tibetans and the followers of Tibetan Buddhism.

In the Swayambhunath area, there are many stupas, shrines, temples, monasteries, museums, and a library. To add the more charm in your visit, there are many small shops with beautiful handmade artifacts, hotels, and restaurant. The dome at the base of the stupa has a cubical structure painted with eyes of Buddha looking in all the four directions. The domes represent the whole world and when a person awakes (represented by eyes of wisdom and compassion from the bonds of the world, the person reaches the state of enlightenment).

Budanilkantha Temple

Budanilkanthais located in the northern end of the Kathmandu below the Shivapuri Hill. The temple is also known as Narayanthan temple, and the meaning of Budanilkantha is “Old Blue Throat.” The temple is dedicated to the Lord Vishnu and is one of the sacred places for Hindu. But the temple is worshipped by Buddhist, which shows the religious harmony in Nepal despite the difference.

The main statue of the temple is considered as the largest stone craving in Nepal. The statue is a black stone craved from a sing block of black basalt. It is 5 meters tall and is in reclining position on the coils of the cosmic serpent. It is positioned in the middle of a recessed pool of water which is 13 meters. The deity holds the Sudarsana chakra, club, a conch shell and a gem in his four hands. He is also adorned by a crown engraved with multiple Kritimukha images which can often be seen being overlapped by a silver crown. The temple holds a fair of Haribondhini Ekadashi during the 11th day of the Hindu month of Kartik (either falls on October or November) every year. The festival is attended by thousands of pilgrims, and it is the principal festival of the temple in celebration of the awakening of Lord Vishnu from his long sleep.

Pathibhara Devi Temple

Pathibhara is one of the most significant temples of Nepal located in the hills of the Taplejung district. The temple is visited by worshippers from different of Nepal and India as well, as there is a popular belief that a pilgrimage to the temple will ensure the fulfillment of wish of pilgrims. There is a general belief that the Goddess Pathibhara possess supernatural powers and answers the prayer of her devotees. She is considered as the epitome of the divine feminine and is also called by another name like Adi Kali, Maha Maya, Maha Rudra among many other of the divine forms.