Kathmandu, Nepal
Om Namah Shivaya.
—Ancient Sanskrit mantra dedicated to Shiva
The square pagoda-style Pashupatinath Temple, built over an older temple dating to the ninth century A.D., has been erected and razed several times. Still it remains the holiest pilgrimage site for Nepalese Hindus; devotees descend the temple’s ancient stone steps daily to immerse themselves in the sacred Bagmati River. Dedicated to Lord Shiva (Hindu god of destruction), every inch of the temple astonishes visitors with its beauty: carved lattice windows from Bhutanese monasteries, a gold-plated roof, jewel-embellished doors, spectacular floral motifs carved in wood, and an inner sanctum where the four-sided 3-foot-tall lingam (phallus) of Lord Shiva is venerated.
If you have experienced the end of a relationship, desire reconciliation, or feel as though your life needs a major shift in a new direction, go to the incomparable Pashupatinath Temple that honors Shiva, who oversees the breaking down of old structures so that new ones can be created (Shiva’s lingam or phallus symbolizes generative power). Access to the temple interior is for Hindus only, but there are areas open to tourists and visitors.
Travel to this World Heritage site on the “rooftop of the world” and find a quiet place to say a prayer for forgiveness or reconciliation.
Thousands of Hindu pilgrims visit the temple daily, but during festivals dedicated to Shiva, the crowds grow large. During the annual Maha Shivaratri, the temple remains open all night to accommodate ochre-clad sadhus (or mystics), devotees, pilgrims, and tourists from Nepal and elsewhere in the world.