Kathmandu, officially Kathmandu Metropolitan City, is the capital and most populous city of Nepal with 845,767 inhabitants living in 105,649 households as of the 2021 Nepal census and 2.9 million people in its urban agglomeration. It is located in the Kathmandu Valley, a large valley in the high plateaus in central Nepal, at an altitude of 1,400 metres.
The Bagmati River flows through the Kathmandu valley of Nepal, separating the cities of Kathmandu and Patan, before flowing through Madesh Province of southern Nepal and joining the Kamla River in the Indian state of Bihar. It is considered holy by both Hindus and Buddhists. A number of Hindu temples are located on its banks.
Hinduism is the main and largest religion of Nepal. In 2006, the country declared itself a secular country through democracy, after the abolition of its monarchy. According to the 2021 census, the Hindu population in Nepal is estimated to be around 23,677,744 which accounts for at least 81.19% of the country's population, the highest percentage of Hindus of any country in the world. Vikram Samvat, one of the two official calendars used in Nepal, is a solar Hindu calendar essentially the same to that widespread in North India as a religious calendar, and is based on Hindu units of time.
Banepa is a municipality and historical town in a valley situated at about 1,500 m (4,900 ft) above sea level in central Nepal which is at about 25 kilometres (16 mi) east from Kathmandu. At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, it has a population of 55,528. The main attraction of Banepa is the temple of Chandeshwori, located approximately 1 km (0.62 mi) northeast of the town along the Rudramati River. The Dhaneshwor Temple is 1km south of the town. Banepa is also known for its eight different temples of Lord Ganesh, Narayanthan, Bhimshenthan and eight different ponds.
The Kathmandu Valley, also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley, National Capital Area, is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal. It lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of the Indian subcontinent and the broader Asian continent, and has at least 130 important monuments, including several pilgrimage sites for Hindus and Buddhists. There are seven World Heritage Sites within the valley.
Dhading District, a part of Bagmati Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Dhading Besi as its district headquarters, covers an area of 1,926 square kilometres (744 sq mi), had a population of 338,658 in 2001 and 336,067 in 2011.
The Pashupatinath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Pashupati, a form of Shiva, and is located in Kathmandu, Nepal near the Bagmati River. This temple was classified as a World Heritage Site in 1979. This "extensive Hindu temple precinct" is a "sprawling collection of temples, ashrams, images and inscriptions raised over the centuries along the banks of the sacred Bagmati river", and is one of seven monument groups in UNESCO's designation of Kathmandu Valley. It is built on an area of 246 hectares and includes 518 mini-temples and a main pagoda house.
Chabahil is an ancient neighborhood in northeast Kathmandu in Nepal. It is famous for its Licchavi stupa, called the Dhando Chaitya, considered by many historians to be the oldest Buddhist Stupa in the valley. Currently, Chabahil has become a thriving residential and commercial area of Kathmandu. Two of the most important temples in Kathmandu, Pashupatinath and Guhyeswari are situated very close to Chabahil. These two temples, dedicated to Lord Shiva and his consort Sati are considered to be more than a thousand years old.
Gaurighat is an ancient Nepalese city at the Bank of Bagmati river in the Kathmandu Valley. Now a part of the Kathmandu District, Gaurighat is located in the northern side of Pashupatinath temple. Gaurighat hosts temples of Goddess Parvati and Kiranteswar Mahadev, the Kirant incarnation of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is considered the principal deity of Nepalese Hindu cult. The shrine of Gaurighat consists of a Hanuman statue, a Ganesh statue and the most important of all - a statue of Goddess Parvati. The temple dedicated to Parvati is called the Guhyeshwari Temple.
Birendranagar officially Birendranagar Municipality is a city in Surkhet District in Karnali Province of Nepal. It is the capital city of Karnali province as well as the district headquarter of Surkhet district. As of March 2022, Birendranagar has a population of 154,886, making it the 17th most populous city of Nepal. Birendranagar is the largest city of Karnali province and 7th largest in Western Nepal. It is one of the fastest growing cities of Nepal and is on two national highways, Ratna Highway and Karnali Highway. It is one of the constituent city of the Ratna Highway Metropolitan Areas along with Nepalgunj and Kohalpur. Birendranagar compromises of panoramic view of Mahabharata and Chure ranges and the plain of the inner Terai. A major trade center in mid-western Nepal, Birendranagar is considered the most expensive city to live in Nepal.
Rani Pokhari, originally known as Nhu Pukhu, is a historic artificial pond located in the heart of Kathmandu, Nepal. The square-shaped tank dates from the 17th century, and was built on the eastern side of the then city limits. It lies just outside a former city gate. The pond is one of Kathmandu's most famous landmarks and is known for its religious and aesthetic significance. Its dimensions are 180m by 140m.
Madhyapur Thimi, also known as Thimi, is a municipality in Bhaktapur District in the Bagmati Zone of central Nepal. Thimi lies between Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu Valley. It is one of the ancient cultural and historical places along the trade route from Bhaktapur to Kathmandu. The city is situated on elevated land and occupies an area of 11.47 square kilometres (4.43 sq mi), divided into nine administrative wards.
Sundarijal is a village and former Village Development Committee that is now part of Gokarneshwar Municipality in Kathmandu district in Province No. 3 of central Nepal.
Bhadrakali Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Devi Bhadrakali. It is located in Kathmandu, Nepal, next to Tundikhel.
Jal Binayak is a Hindu Temple of Lord Ganesh located in the Chobhar, central part of Kathmandu District, Nepal. The Jal Binayak temple is the most important Ganesh shrine of the central region Kathmandu. It is one of the four Binayak of Kathmandu Valley.
Ashok Binayak is a Hindu temple located in Kathmandu district at eastern side of Kathmandu Durbar Square in Maru Tole. This temple is of Lord Ganesha also known as Binayak. The god is worshipped as the god of luck by Hindus. The temple hosts one of the four original Ganesh shrines of Kathmandu valley. It is a popular place of worship for Hindus.It is worshipped both by Hindus and Buddhists. The temple is visited during Tuesdays every week as it is the day which is considered the day of Ganesh.
Siddhikali Temple is a Hindu temple located in Thimi, Nepal. The two storeys roofed temple is dedicated to Lord Kali, Shiva and Ganesh. It is also believed that this Shaktipeeth is formed due to the falling of right eye of the corpse of Sati. This place is located in Inayekwo, in the north west of Thimi. The temple is also known as Inayekwo Dyo in Nepal Bhasa language. And Siddhikali Temple is also known as Chamunda, one of the goddess of Astamatrika. The majestically impressive Siddhikali temple has numbers of Pataa streaming down the front. There's a Satah (rest-house) opposite to temple and multiple Falcha (Inns) and several smaller shrines to the rear and nearby and several stone taps around the place. The artwork around the Siddhikali temple is fantastic and worth a close inspection.
Shiva Parvati Temple is a Hindu temple located in Kathmandu Durbar Square, Nepal.
