Popular holy sites in nepal out of the kathmandu valley
Popular Holy Sites in Nepal out of the Kathmandu valley. Nepal has many remarkable religious places, which reflect the long history of Nepali are and architecture. Below we describe some of the famous religious places of Nepal. The Nepal Himalayan Kingdom has the richest and most diverse couture landscapes anywhere. Nepal is the holy land of Lord Pashupatinath and Gautam Buddha where the Hindus and Buddhists have lived together in harmony for centuries. The rich tapestry of the cultural heritage of Nepal is synthesized in the Kathmandu Valley. The three ancient cities of the valley-Patan, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur- represent the epitome of harmony in urban design l elegant architecture, and refined culture. You can join the numerous annual festivals that are celebrated throughout the year in traditional style highlighting enduring customs and beliefs.
Popular Holy Sites in Nepal out of the Kathmandu valley
Balmiki Ashram
The Balmiki Ashram is situated in a forest on the banks of the Tribeni River, at the south-western corner of the Royal Chitwan National Park. It was a retreat used by the great Hindu sage, Balmiki. This is where Sita is said to have lived with her two sons, Labha and Kusha, after separating from Rama. Various statues were unearthed in this area during an archeological excavation in the late 60, s. recently, a Temple of Sita has been built here.
Varahakshetra
Varahakshetra, located at the confluence of the Saptakoshi and Koka rivers, is 20kilometers away from a town in eastern Nepal- Dharan. Varahakshetra is among the four great Hindu Pilgrimages. Here, the boar- Varaha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu is said to have killed the demon Hiranakshya. Apart from the main shrine dedicated to Varaha, there are many other temples with images of the Varaha in Varahakshetra. Every year on the first of Magh (November), a religious fair takes place here.
Devghat
Devghat is situated 6 kilometers to the north of NarayanGhat, the gateway to the Royal Chitwan National Park. On the day of the Makar Sankranti festival in January Pilgrims come here to take holy dips in the Narayani, formed by the meeting of the Kali Gandaki and Trishuli. There is a settlement of a community of elderly, retired people here. Devghat can be reached by taking a daily flight or bus service.
Dhanushadham
Dhanushadham, a historical and religious site, dates back to the time of the great epic-Ramayana. It is located 18 km northeast of Janakpur in the south-central region of Nepal. Dhanushadham was the place where Lord Rama had broken Shiva’s divine bow, a condition for winning the hand of Sita in marriage. According to the epic, one of the three pieces of the bow fell in the present day Dhanushadham.
Muktinath
Muktinath is of religious importance to both Hindus and Buddhists. The main shrine of Muktinath is a pagoda-shaped temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. In the walls around it are 108 water spouts. The Jwala Mai temple nearby has a spring and an eternal flame fed by natural gas. Muktinath is situated at an altitude of 3800 Mt. in the north-central part of Nepal. It is a six-hour walk from the Jomsom airport. Helicopters are also available.
Ridi
Ridi is among the most popular religious places in Nepal. Rameshwar Narayan Mandir, situated here, is the local version of the Pashupatinath temple with its auspicious Ghats (cremation grounds). It is situated at the confluence of The Kali Gandaki and the Ridi Khola, Linked by a 50 km dirt road to the hill resort town of Tansen.
During the Makar Sankranti festival, hundreds of devotees from different parts of the world throng the Dhanusha temple to worship the fossilized bow fragments and to take ritual dips in the river. Here, there are other temples dedicated to Ram and Ganesh too.
Gosaikunda
Alake is believed to have been created by Lord Shiva when he thrust his Trishula (trident) into a mountain to extract water so that he could cool his stinging throat after he had swallowed poison. Where is a large rock in the center of the Lake, which is said to be the remains of a Shiva shrine? People often claim that they see Shiva lying in the water. Devotees gather here in hordes on the full moon night of August to take holy dips in the Lake.
Gosaikunda is situated at the altitude of 4380 mt. to the north of Kathmandu on the Langtang trekking trail. The holy lake is a two-day long trek from Dhunche, which can be reached through an adventurous 118 km mountain road from Kathmandu via Trishuli Bazaar. Small hotels and pilgrim shelters are available here for travelers.
Manakamana
The temple of Manakamana, a very popular pilgrimage in Nepal, is a temple of one of the manifestations of the Hindu goddess Bhagawati. Bhagawati is believed to have the power to fulfill wishes. It lies 125km to the west of Kathmandu. It is a steep three-hour hike from Abu Khaireni on the Kathmandu-Gorkha highway. A cable car also takes travelers to Manakamana.
Simraungadh
The capital of the former Kingdom of Tirahut, is the seat of a rich civilization, which peaked between the 11th and 14th centuries. The ancient city suffered terrible devastation at the hands of invaders but its cultural glory remained in the archeological treasures that are found here. There are many Hindu temples that draw people to this place in large numbers.
Simraugadh is situated in the Terai plains to the south of Kathmandu. The most convenient access to this place, by air, is from Birgunj (270 km away from Kathmandu). Another route to Simraugadh is a flight to Simara(15 minutes) and then a drive to Birgunj (25 km) from where it is 45 km to Simraugadh.
