Kathmandu city is the capital of Nepal. It is a city with wonders all around its territory. Similarly, it has its unique way of presenting itself to the world. It is the most populous city of Nepal according to the studies done in 2011 AD. Today it is the seat of the Nepalese government. This city holds the residential area of the most powerful people in the country. Along with some ministers also Meetings and seminars are held here. Most importantly, Kathmandu city provides various facilities. These facilities are very hard to find in other cities of Nepal. So, it provides you with hospitals and schools with very good facilities.

Kathmandu

This city is one of the most important and beautiful cities in Nepal. As a result, its importance to Nepalese people is huge. In other words, it plays an important role in the overall development of the country. It has been the center of different art, culture, economy, and history of the country. Therefore, Kathmandu is its heart.

Kathmandu is very rich in natural resources. As a result, it holds the power to run the country. It plays a vital role in Nepal’s economy and development. Then the people of this country will suffer a lot if Kathmandu stops running. Students come to this city for their studies and future. As a result, the city is populated. This city provides you with a lot of opportunities. Therefore people of this country also come to this city in search of jobs.

Kathmandu city is also famous for its tourist destination. In this city, you will be able to explore a lot of things. It is famous for its hills, forest and a lot of things. Kathmandu is famous for its durbar square, temples, and heritage site. As a result, national and international visitors visit this place. According to the studies done in 2013. Kathmandu is among the top 10 destinations to visit and ranked number one in Asia. Therefore, Kathmandu is a perfect destination to visit.

Location of Kathmandu

Kathmandu city is located at the center of Nepal. It lies in Bagmati province in Kathmandu valley. Similarly, the Kathmandu district lies at an altitude of 1400 meters. Lord Krishna and Manjusree according to Hindu mythology. It is the capital city of Nepal, surrounded by hills and Himalayan mountains from all sides. It lies in Kathmandu valley which consists of Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kathmandu. These cities are the brightest in Nepal.

History of Kathmandu

Kathmandu city has a long long history. Lord Krishna and Manjushree found this city according to Hindu mythology. Kathmandu city may have been inhabited in the early 300 BCE. The oldest objects in the valley date to a few hundred years BCE. The oldest firmly dated building in the earthquake-prone valley is over 2,000 years old. But, the history books, Say that it was founded by king ‘GUNAKAMADEVA’ in 723.

The first name given to the city was Manju Patan. However, the name of the city changed many times. But, the current name of the city is Kathmandu. Here Kath means wood and mandu means temple. It refers to the temple made of a single piece of wood. Late king Raja Lachmina Singh built it in 1596. Kathmandu city served as the seat for the shah family from 1768 to 2008. Still, it serves the president and prime minister to run the country.

Climate of Kathmandu

The climate of Kathmandu is mild, warm, and temperate. It certainly gets rainy in the summer season. Kathmandu district lies in the hilly region of Nepal. Which in comparison is much better than the Terai and Himalayan regions. In summer the Terai region gets very hot and the temperature rises like crazy. Likewise, in the Himalayan region, it gets very cold in the winter season. According, to the studies the average temperature of the city is about 16.1 °C | 61.1 °F. People usually visit Kathmandu in September and October. Above all, it provides the best climate and environment for visitors to visit. Likewise, in the winters it snows. The snowfall generally happens at the high peaks such as Champadevi and Nagarkot hike. In short, the climate of Kathmandu helps you travel the city without any problem.

Temples of Kathmandu

Kathmandu city is the city of temples. It provides a wide range of temples that you will like. Most importantly you can visit a lot of temples such as Pashupatinath, Shyambhunath, Boudhanath, etc. People visit the temples of Kathmandu for different reasons. Some of them are:

• To spend quality time with their family and friends.
• Worshiping
• For finding peace of mind (especially for Nepalese people)
• Exploring
• For studies

There are a lot of temples in Kathmandu such as Pashupatinath Temple.

• Swayambhunath Temple.
• Pasupatinath Temple.
• Budhanilkantha Temple.
• Dakshinkali Temple.
• Guhyeshwari Temple.
• Jagannath (Krishna) Temple.
• Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple.
• Kasthamandap.
• Boudhanath stupa.

Swayambhunath Temple

Swayambhunath temple is a holy temple for Buddhists. This temple has a huge value for the people of Nepal. As a result, Even Hindu visit this temple. It is one of the tourist destinations in Kathmandu. You should first take 320 steps from the entrance of the place. This will take you to the top of the Swayambhunath temple. You can enjoy a stunning view from the top. This temple is the ‘monkey temple. The dome of the statue symbolizes the world. Swambunath temple was built in the fifth century CE. It was born out of a lotus that bloomed in the middle. The name means ‘Self-created’. You can visit the place all day. The only drawback is you have to pay 200 rupees as an entry fee.

Pasupatinath Temple

Pasupatinath temple is one of the oldest temples in history. It has very high value for the people of Nepal. Pashupatinath temple is at the bank of the Bagmati river. It is a reincarnation of shiva. The meaning of ‘Pashupatinath- The protector of animals’. It is a pagoda-style temple. It has four main doors. Legends say that the origins of Pashupatinath Temple lie in a mound where a cow offered her milk daily. Out of curiosity, a farmer dug at the spot and discovered a linga(a unique statue worshiped in the name of lord shiva) with Shiva’s faces carved on it, emitting a very bright light. Later, a shrine is said to be the incarnation of Shiva. As a result, many visitors visit here.

Boudhanath Stupa

Boudhanath stupa is one of the oldest stupa/temples in the country. Firstly, Boudhanath watches Kathmandu like a guardian angel. Secondly, this stupa lies at the center of the city. This temple provides a great view of the city. The design of the stupa is a treat to the eye. Boudhanath temple is also a holy place for Buddhists. Therefore, daily thousands of Buddhists visit this place to worship. Very few places in the world can match the beauty of the Boudhanath Stupa. You can visit this temple to find peace for your heart and mind. Above all, It is an important tourist destination in Nepal. In conclusion, many national and international visitors come to this place to see the beauty including peace of mind and heart.

Budhanilkantha Temple

This temple is famous for its stone-crafted statue of Lord Vishnu. The stone is carved from a single stone. The stone is 1000 years old. To sum up, this temple is also famous for its architecture. According to old legends, a farmer with his wife once stuck the statue while cultivating the land and suddenly the blood started to flow. This led to the finding of the water figure of the Budhanilkantha deity. Similarly, another legend says that Vishnu Gupta brought this statue to Kathmandu in the late seventeen century. Consequently, thousands of people come to see this place. As they celebrate the awakening of Lord Vishnu from a long sleep.

Dakshinkali Temple

Goddess Kali’s dedicated temple is located in Kathmandu city. This temple is a holy place for Hindus. Consequently, daily thousands of people come to this place to worship. Daily thousands of uncastrated goats are sacrificed in this place. These rituals are done on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Most importantly, his temple is fully crowded in Dashain and Tihar. People come to this place for the fulfillment of their wishes. Above all, at the celebration, Dakshina kali is decorated beautifully. As a result, this temple has a huge significance in the Hindu community.

Guhyeshwari Temple

Guhyeshwari temple is at the bank of the Bagmati river. It lies near Pashupatinath. It is called the Shakti Peeths of Nepal. Consequently, this temple holds a huge impact on Hindus. This temple was built by king Malla in the 17th century. According to the holy books of Hindus, after the death of Sati Devi, lord shiva wandered carrying her corpse on his shoulder. Similarly, Guhyeshwari got its name from Sati’s knowledge (Guhya) which fell here after her death.
Above all, only Hindus are allowed to enter the shrine to worship the goddess. This shrine is in a water container called Kalash. in addition, the temple is a Bhutanese pagoda-style architecture.

These are the most famous temples in the country. Which holds a huge value for the country is because it helps the country to generate revenue.

Festival of Kathmandu

There are a lot of festivals in this city. Festivals are an important factor for the city as it helps to represent the city to the world. In addition, there are about 20 festivals each year. Some famous festivals of Kathmandu are:

• Holi Festival.
• Vijaya Dashami Festival.
• Tihar Festival in Kathmandu.
• Chhath Parva Celebration.
• Gaijatra.
• Maha Shivaratri.
• Indra Jatra.
• Bisket Jatra in Bhaktapur.

Dashain

Vijaya Dashami is a religious festival celebrated in Nepal. This festival is also celebrated in India. It is Dussehra in India. It is celebrated for several reasons according to Hindu mythology. This festival is about the victory of good over evil. It is mainly celebrated in the month of Ashwin (September). According to Hindu mythology, Ravana was defeated by the hand of lord ram. People of our country mainly celebrate this festival by having different kinds of delicious food. Above all, this festival is celebrated for 10 days. So this is a long festival.

The First Day – Ghatasthapana.
Ghatasthapana is the first day, where Dashain begins.
The Seventh Day – Fulpati.
The Eighth Day – Maha Ashtami.
The Ninth Day – Maha Navami.
The Tenth Day – Vijaya Dashami.

Tihar

Tihar festival is celebrated in Nepal. It is known as Diwali in India. This is right after the festival of Dashain. Most importantly, This festival is for five days in Nepal.

Kaag Tihar
Kukur tihar
Gai tihar and laxmi puja
Goverdhar puja and Mha puja
Bhai tika

Kaag Tihar

Kaag Tihar is the first day of Tihar. People celebrate this by feeding some food to the crow(kaag) before they feed themself.

Kukur Tihar

Kukur tihar is the second day of tihar. People celebrate this by feeding food and worshiping them by making garments made of flowers. Most importantly They also provide some food to the Street dogs (kukur).

Gai Tihar

Gai Tihar is the 3rd day of the festival where people worship the cow(gai) by feeding them food. Later in the day, mainly girls of the family make an art called rangoli. Children along with some adults play Vailo too.

Govardhan puja

Govardhan puja is the 3rd day of the festival. On this day people worship Govardhan the same way they do in GAI Tihar.

Bhai Tika

Bhai tika is the fifth and the last day of the festival. On this day brother and sister put tika on each other’s heads for better health.

Indra Jatra

Indra Jatra is the biggest street festival in Kathmandu. This celebration consists of two events Indra Jatra and Kumari Jatra. Indra Jatra was first introduced by king Gunakamadeva, to celebrate the founding of Kathmandu. Likewise, the festival is celebrated by wearing a scary mask on the face and dancing. Indra- the king of heaven is celebrated in this festival. Most importantly, Those who have died in the past year are also remembered at this festival. So, the celebration is based on the lunar calendar. (calendar based on the cycle of moons). This festival runs in Kathmandu durbar square. So, it is very busy at the time.

Kumari – The Living Goddess of Kathmandu

Kumari is the tradition of worshiping young prepubescent girls as manifestations of the divine female energy or Devi in Asian religious traditions. Trishna Shakya is the current Kumari of Kathmandu who took over from Matina Shakya on 27 September 2017. Consequently, this tradition runs through ages. This is an important festival in Kathmandu. It is a prevalent practice in Kathmandu valley. Believed to be the incarnation of Taleju, a manifestation of the goddess. It is believed that when she had her first menstruation it is believed that the deity vacates her body. It causes a major loss of blood from an injury and also causes loss of deity

Losar

This is a festival of Buddhist people in Nepal. Losar runs in Kathmandu city too. Tamang sherpa and Gurung people celebrate this festival. It is celebrated as a new year. Nepal celebrates three types of Losar. Sonam, Gyalpo, and Tamu Losar. This festival follows the cycle of 12 years called Lohokor. So, people from mountain and hilly regions celebrate this festival. As a result, it is one of the biggest festivals in Nepal.

Tamu Losar

It is the main festival of the Gurung community. As it means Gurung in their language. It is the main festival for their community. Also, this festival comes on Poush 15, according to the Nepali calendar. Every year people of the Gurung community gather together and they celebrate this festival. They sing, dance, and enjoy consequently they get time with their loved ones.

Sonam Losar

Sonam losar is the festival of tamang. They celebrate this festival grandly. As we all know this festival is their main festival. Unlike Tamu Losar, this festival carries a traditional value. ‘ Lo means age and Sar mean new’. That is to say, this means a new start. Yearly people of the Tamang community celebrate this festival by dancing, singing, and eating.

Gyalpo Losar

This festival is also one of the main festivals of our country. Gyalpo Losar is for the Sherpa community. Most Himalayan people celebrate this festival. However, few areas of the hilly region also celebrate this festival. It is the Tibetan new year. This Runs for almost 2 weeks. People dress well for the preparation for this festival.

Things to do in Kathmandu

There are a lot of things you can do in Kathmandu. Here are some things which you will find interesting to do when you visit Kathmandu. Here are some.

• You can pray at Swayambhunath.
• Visitors can visit Pashupatinath and seek blessings at the Temple.
• Tourists can visit Boudhanath Stupa and see the beauty of it.
• You can explore different things at Narayanhiti Palace.
• Go hiking at Langtang National Park.
• Visit the Casino Royale.
• Visit Durbar Square and explore new things
• Explore Bhaktapur and have juju dhau

Related Article: Top 10 Things To Do In Kathmandu

Some of the most popular tourist activities in Kathmandu

Kathmandu is a tourist destination. consequently, yearly thousands of tourists visit Kathmandu city to see the beauty and the architecture of the city. According to the stats from 2019 Kathmandu is on the top 20 list of places to visit. So, a lot of tourists come to Kathmandu daily. So, here are some activities that you will like if you decide to visit Kathmandu.

You can go hiking

Kathmandu city provides a lot of hiking destinations for you to hike. The best hiking spots in Kathmandu city are Nagarkot, Champadevi, Chandragiri, Shivpuri, etc.

Visit religious places

Kathmandu city provides you with a lot of religious sites. Kathmandu city is rich in temples that you can explore. Some of them are:

• Swayambhunath
• Pashupatinath
• Boudhanath
• Dakshinkali

Go cycling

Kathmandu is in the hilly region of Nepal. Consequently, it will help you get a feel of adventure. Moreover, The sloppy road adds to that. Here are some places you can go for cycling in Kathmandu.

• Balaju – Kakani route
• Chobar – Champadevi
• Patan – Lakuri Bhanjyang

Go sightseeing

Kathmandu city provides you with a lot of places where you can go sightseeing. Whether you are a foreign or a national tourist you should go to these places for sightseeing. You can visit different high peaks such as Chandragiri and Nagarkot or you can go to Swayambhunath to see the beauty of the city. Daily many tourists visit Kathmandu for the same reason.

Exploring the architecture of the city

The architecture of the city is the main reason for tourists to visit the city. We all know Nepal is very rich in its art and culture. Similarly, Kathmandu city is also very famous for its architecture. Kathmandu city provides a great example of architecture for example Swayambhunath, Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Changunarayan, etc. As a result, most students visit this place as it provides a lot of information about the history of the city. Many researchers also visit these places too. It is a valuable source of information for everyone within or outside the country. Our late kings are the reason for this beautiful architecture.