Pashupatinath Temple stands in Kathmandu, Nepal, is dedicated to Shiva (as Pashupati, Lord of Animals). It is also known as Pashupati Temple.
Pashupatinath is the holiest Hindu pilgrimage site in Nepal and one of the most significant Shiva temples in the world. It is part of the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1979, where it is described as an extensive Hindu temple precinct comprising a vast network of temples, ashrams, inscriptions, and images along the sacred Bagmati River. The complex spans roughly 246 hectares and includes about 518 smaller shrines and temples around the main pagoda. The temple site is considered pre-Vedic in origin, with references to a shrine here dating back to around 400 CE.
Nepal carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Home to Pashupatinath, one of the holiest Shiva temples in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 4:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
| Evening | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM |
The main temple/inner sanctum closes between roughly 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM daily. Only Hindus (and, per temple authority guidance, Buddhists of Nepali/Tibetan diaspora) are permitted into the temple's inner courtyard and sanctum; non-Hindu visitors are not allowed inside the main temple building but can visit the surrounding complex, ghats, and gardens, and may view the evening Bagmati Aarti from the eastern bank of the river.
Poojas and daily rituals
Daily rituals include a Mangala Aarti in the early morning and an evening Aarti along the Bagmati river banks, generally cited as taking place around 6:00-7:30 PM.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Maha Shivaratri | February/March (per the lunar calendar) | The largest annual festival at Pashupatinath, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and sadhus from Nepal and India for an overnight vigil honoring Shiva. |
| Teej | August/September | A major festival especially observed by Hindu women, who visit Pashupatinath to fast and pray for marital wellbeing; one of the most widely celebrated festivals at the temple. |
History and architecture
Architecture
Newari pagoda style, two-tiered copper roof covered in gold, 23.7 meters high, resting on a square platform with four silver-covered doors and both inner and outer sanctums (garbhagriha)
History
The temple site is considered pre-Vedic in origin, with references to a shrine here dating back to around 400 CE. The current structure was largely rebuilt in 1692 CE after earlier structures were damaged, following earlier medieval reconstructions including work attributed to King Shivadeva around 1099-1126 CE. The temple has been continuously expanded over centuries into a large precinct of temples, ashrams, and shrines along the Bagmati River.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Located about 4-5 km from Tribhuvan International Airport (Kathmandu), roughly a 10-20 minute taxi or drive via Gaushala Chowk on the Ring Road.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. Core history, UNESCO status, architecture, and the non-Hindu access restriction are well corroborated across Wikipedia, Britannica, and travel/pilgrim guides. Exact daily timings and entry fee amounts vary somewhat between secondary sources (no single authoritative official timetable was found), and dress code specifics could not be confidently verified, so those fields are left blank or given as approximate ranges.