Pashupatinath Temple: A Respectful Visitor's Guide

Pashupatinath is the most important Hindu temple in Nepal, and one of the most moving places a visitor can see in Kathmandu. It sits on the banks of the Bagmati River on the eastern side of the city, a working sacred site where daily worship, pilgrimage and funeral rites carry on whether visitors are present or not. This guide explains what you are looking at, what you can and cannot do as a non-Hindu, and how to visit calmly and respectfully.

What Pashupatinath is

The temple is dedicated to Pashupati, "lord of the animals", a form of Shiva. Records place a temple here as early as the 5th century CE, and the building you see today took its present form in 1692, after termites and earthquakes had damaged earlier structures. The main temple is a Newar pagoda with a two-tiered copper roof covered in gold, a gold pinnacle and four main doors clad in silver.

Inside is a stone mukhalinga, a lingam about a metre high with a face carved on each of its four sides. Only a small group of priests may touch it. The daily rituals are performed by Bhatta priests, assisted by a larger group of caretakers called Rajbhandaris.

Pashupatinath is far more than one building. The wider precinct covers about 246 hectares and holds hundreds of smaller shrines, ghats, courtyards and wooded slopes. In 1979 it was inscribed by UNESCO as one of the seven monument zones of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site, which UNESCO describes as "an extensive Hindu temple precinct".

When the April 2015 earthquake damaged many monuments in the valley, the main temple came through unharmed.

Who can enter the main temple

The main temple and its courtyard are open to Hindus only. This is a long-standing rule, enforced at the gates, and it applies whatever ticket you hold.

Non-Hindu visitors are still welcome in the public areas: the ghats along the river, the gardens and terraces, and the many smaller shrines around the complex. From the eastern bank of the Bagmati you can look across to the main temple's golden roofs, and this is also where visitors are asked to stand for the evening aarati.

Tickets and opening hours

• Entry fee: foreign visitors pay NPR 1,000 per entry, according to the Nepal Tourism Board figures quoted by recent visitor guides. Nepali and Indian citizens enter free. Visitors from other South Asian (SAARC) countries pay the same NPR 1,000. Fees change, so treat this as a guide rather than a promise.
• Opening hours: the Pashupati Area Development Trust, which manages the site, lists the area as open daily from 4 am to 9 pm. Morning worship begins at 4 am.
• Keep your ticket with you, as it may be checked more than once.

The evening aarati

Every evening, priests on the riverbank perform the Bagmati aarati, a ceremony of lamps, bells, incense and chanting offered to the river and to Shiva. It began in 2000 and has been held as a regular tradition since 2006. It usually starts around 6 pm, but the exact time shifts with the season and the trust's own published schedules do not always agree, so ask your guide or hotel on the day.

For a calm experience, arrive a little early, find a place on the eastern bank steps and stay seated through the ceremony. On ordinary evenings it is a gentle, local occasion. On festival days it becomes very crowded.

The cremation ghats: what to expect

Pashupatinath is one of the places where Hindus most wish to be cremated, and open-air cremations take place on the stone ghats beside the river every day. The Arya Ghat, just below the main temple, is where members of the royal family have traditionally been cremated, and the trust provides funeral services there around the clock.

For a first-time visitor this can be a powerful sight. Families are saying goodbye to someone they love, and it helps to remember that you are a guest at a private moment held in a public place.

• Watch from the opposite bank or at a respectful distance.
• Do not photograph mourners, the body or the pyre.
• Speak quietly and do not walk among the family.
• If you would rather not see a cremation, tell your guide; it is easy to plan a route that avoids the ghats.

Dress, photography and etiquette

• Dress modestly: covered shoulders and knees. Shorts and sleeveless tops are not appropriate on the temple grounds.
• Remove your shoes before entering any shrine. Leather items such as belts and bags are not allowed within the main temple complex.
• Walk clockwise around temples and shrines.
• Photography is not allowed inside the main sanctum or during religious ceremonies. Elsewhere it is generally fine, but always ask before photographing people.
• Drones need prior written permission from the trust.
• Many sadhus (holy men) gather on the eastern bank. Some are glad to talk or pose for a photograph and may expect a small offering in return; agree before you lift the camera.
• Monkeys live in the complex and will take food or shiny objects, so keep bags closed.

What else to see in the precinct

Take time to walk beyond the river. On the eastern side, rows of small stone shrines with white domes, each sheltering a Shiva lingam, line the terraces above the water. Steps lead up into the wooded hill behind, where the large Gorakhnath complex sits among the trees and the city noise falls away.

Nearby is the Guhyeshwari Temple, an important shrine to the goddess, mentioned in an 11th-century manuscript. Like the main temple, it is closed to non-Hindus, but the walk along the river towards it is pleasant.

Festivals

Two festivals bring very large crowds:

• Maha Shivaratri, the great night of Shiva, in February or March. In 2027 it falls on Saturday 6 March (Nepal's public holiday calendar). Pilgrims and sadhus arrive from across Nepal and India, and the area is extremely busy for several days.
• Teej, the women's festival in late summer, when women dressed in red come to worship and fast.

Both are fascinating to witness, but expect long queues, heavy security and very slow traffic. If you prefer a quieter visit, choose an ordinary day. For the best months to travel more generally, see our guide on when to visit Nepal.

Getting there and timing your visit

Pashupatinath is in Gaushala, about 5 km east of central Kathmandu. The trust estimates a 15 to 20 minute taxi ride from Thamel, though traffic can make it longer. Most of our guests visit with a private car and guide as part of a wider day in the valley.

A good rhythm is to arrive in the late afternoon, walk the precinct while the light softens, and stay for the aarati at dusk. Early morning is also beautiful, with worshippers, bells and mist on the river and far fewer visitors. Allow two to three hours. A knowledgeable guide makes a real difference here, explaining rituals as they happen and helping you move through the site without intruding.

Visiting with Luxury Retreats Nepal

Pashupatinath features in our Sacred Kathmandu Valley tour, which is timed around the evening aarati and pairs it with dawn at Boudhanath and golden-hour Bhaktapur. On request, a private visit can also be added to the Kathmandu days of longer journeys such as our Golden Triangle.

If your interest is spiritual as much as cultural, you may like our Buddhist heritage tour to Lumbini (read our Lumbini guide), a quiet stay at the Dwarika's Sanctuary wellness retreat, or our meditation retreat in Nepal.

Luxury Retreats Nepal is an independent travel company. If you would like a private visit with a guide who knows the temple well, contact us and we will shape it around your dates.

Frequently asked questions

Can non-Hindus go inside Pashupatinath Temple?

No. The main temple and its courtyard are for Hindus only. Non-Hindus can visit the ghats, gardens and surrounding shrines, and can see the main temple from the eastern bank of the Bagmati.

How much is the Pashupatinath entry fee?

Foreign visitors pay NPR 1,000 per entry. Nepali and Indian citizens enter free; other South Asian visitors pay the same NPR 1,000. Fees can change, so check on arrival.

What time is the evening aarati at Pashupatinath?

It usually begins around 6 pm, but the time varies with the season. Ask locally on the day and arrive early for a good place on the eastern bank.

Is it respectful to watch the cremations?

Watching quietly from the opposite bank is accepted, and many Nepalis do the same. Do not photograph mourners or the pyres, keep your voice low and give families space.

What should I wear to Pashupatinath?

Modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees, and shoes that are easy to take off. Leave leather belts and bags behind if you can.

How long should I spend at Pashupatinath?

Two to three hours is enough to walk the precinct and see the aarati without rushing.