12 Feb 2020 admin
Nepal is not only famous for its natural beauty, but it is also famous for its ancient tradition, culture, and religion. Nepal is a secular country with a majority of Hindus and visible Buddhists minority. Also, Nepal is the home of 32 million Hindu gods and goddesses and the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. On 15th Jan 2007; the Nepal government declared Nepal as a secular country respecting all religions and peoples with different religious mankind. Also, There are numerous Temples, Churches, Mosques & Monasteries indicating the religious equality of Nepal. Nepal is the best destination for those, who want to visit mythical places on an Economical budget. Here are the Top 5 Religious sites in Nepal:
1. Pashupatinath Temple
Pashupatinath temple is a famous sacred Hindu temple that lies on the bank of the sacred river Bagmati of Kathmandu. This is the oldest and undoubtedly most prestigious Hindu temple in Kathmandu. In 1979, UNESCO declared this famous pilgrimage site as a world heritage site. The world Pashupatinath indicates the Hindu lord Siva as the god of all the Pashus (Animals) including all living and non-living beings.
Not only this holy site is interesting & beautiful but also history related to this site is also interesting. There is a myth that once herdsmen saw one of his cows showering the earth with her milk. After digging deep in that site, they discovered mighty Sivalinga. Later, the temple Pashupatinath is built at the same site.
The Pashupatinath temple covers a total area of 0.64 hectares including 518 temples and monuments. The main temple located in the fortified courtyard is a beautiful Nepalese Pagoda architecture temple. Semi-military Nepal police in co-operation with the Nepal army guards the temple areas and living quarters. Surprisingly, only four priests of the temple can touch the idol. Two sets of priests; Bhatta & Bhandari does the daily rituals and take care of Temple. Every year, thousands of devotees visit this pilgrimage site on the occasion of Maha Siva Ratri, Bala Chaturthi festival, and Teej.
2. Swyambhunath Temple
Swayambhunath temple is an ancient, religious architecture located at top of the hill of Kathmandu valley. It is also famous as Monkey Temple. It is one of ten UNESCO world heritage sites of Nepal. According to Mythology, the entire valley was filled with water and a Lotus grew in the middle of the lake. Manjushree the bodhisattva of wisdom, cut a George at Chovar and all the water of the lake drained. There established a settlement in the valley named Kathmandu valley. Lotus later changed to hill and flowers to temples and Stupas.
There are two entry points to the Swayambhunath temple. One is a car way straight from the ring road to the temple. Another is a steep stairway that leads directly to the main stupa of this site. The paranoiac view of the Kathmandu valley from the main stupa is awesome. Many Hindus and Buddhist forms all over the world come to visit this holy site. The religious vibe and surrounding aroma of this place are great. There are many beautiful statues of Lord Buddha and other Hindu lords present on this site indicating religious equality.
3. Manakamana Temple
Manakamana Temple is a famous pilgrimage site & sacred place of Hindu goddess Bhagwati, Incarnation of Goddess Parbati. The word Manakamana is a combination of two words, ‘Mana’ meaning Heart & ‘Kamana’ meaning wish. It is believed that any wish you make in this holy site will be fulfilled. Manakamana temple is a beautiful four-storied Temple with a tiered pagoda-style roof. The entrance to the temple is from Kurintar. A thrilling cable car ride of ten minutes from Kurintar leads to the Manakamana temple. From the Northside of the temple, we can see stunning views of the surrounding hills and up-close views of mountain ranges like Mt.Manaslu, Himchuli & Annapurna. There is a tradition of scarifying animals. Every year, thousands of domestic & international tourists visit this pilgrimage site on the occasion of Dashain and Nag Panchami.
4. Lumbini
Lumbini is a famous Buddhist pilgrimage site located in the Rupandehi district of Nepal. This beautiful place is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, Light of Asia, and the founder of Buddhism. UNESCO world heritage site Lumbini contains no. of old temples including Mayadevi. Also, there are several new temples constructed by the organization of several countries and some of them are still under construction. No. monuments, monasteries, museums, Lumbini international research institute is present within the monastic zone of this holy site. No hotels, restaurants are allowed within the monastic zone.
The holy pond of the Lumbini is where the mother of Buddha took the ritual dip prior to his birth. Also, Buddha took his first bath in the same pond. Mayadevi temple, world peace pagoda, Myanmar golden temple, Ashoka pillar, sacred bodhi tree, ruins of the ancient monasteries is famous places to visit within Lumbini. No. of Buddhist pilgrims visit this sacred place every year.
5. Janaki Temple:
Janaki temple is a historic Hindu temple that lies in the Mithila region of the Dhanusa district of Nepal. This temple is a model of Hindu-Koiri Nepali architecture. This three-storied temple is a bright white-colored temple fully constructed with marvels and stones. It contains sixty rooms and Nepali flags, engravings, colored glasses, paintings, and beautiful lattice windows decorate each room beautifully. Also, the beautiful Mughal and Koiri dome is an eye awing. This temple is also famous with the name of “Nau-Lakha Temple” as the total expense of the construction of the temple was nine lakhs and nine thousand rupees.
According to legends, King Janak ruled this kingdom in the Ramayana period. This is the place where his daughter Janaki (Sita) chose lord Ram as her husband. Janaki Temple is named after the name of the Hindu goddess Janaki. In 1657, locals found the golden statue of Sita there and believed that Sita lived there. Besides, Every year, thousands of pilgrims from several Hindu countries visit there on the occasion of Ram Navami, Vivaha Panchami, Dashain & Tihar to worship lord Ram and Sita.