Guhyeshwari Temple

Sacred Shakti shrine; one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of Hindu tradition

A ten-minute walk east along the Bagmati from the main Pashupatinath complex, Guhyeshwari is one of the most important temples in the Kathmandu Valley. It is a Shakti Peetha — one of 51 sites across South Asia where, according to Hindu tradition, a part of the goddess Sati's body fell to earth. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Guhyeshwari, a form of the goddess Kali, and is of central importance to Tantric Buddhist as well as Hindu traditions in Nepal.

Non-Hindus may not enter the inner sanctum, but the temple compound and the surrounding area along the river can be visited. The path between Pashupatinath and Guhyeshwari, following the wooded gorge of the Bagmati, is one of the more atmospheric walks in the valley.

things to do sight
A story
According to Hindu mythology, Guhyeshwari marks the spot where the knee of the goddess Sati fell to earth. Sati was the first wife of Shiva; when she died in grief after her father insulted her husband, Shiva carried her body in mourning until Vishnu dismembered it with his chakra, scattering her remains across the subcontinent. Each spot became a Shakti Peetha — a place of potent female divine energy.