Discover peace on a little monkey hillock of the Kathmandu Valley.
The word Swayambhu means self-manifested. Dedicated to Newar Buddhism, this religious complex is known to have existed since the 5th century BC. To my amazement, the main stupa of Swayambhunath is the oldest stupa of Nepal. Just like the Durbar Squares of the Kathmandu valley, even the Swayambhunath complex is a UNESCO world heritage. The site is visited both by Buddhist as well as Hindu devotees. There are also numerous shrines, monasteries and temples built around the main stupa, some of them belonging to the Licchavi era.
Jump Ahead
5. Summary
A Brief lntroduction
The Swayambhunath is nick-named as the Monkey Temple of Kathmandu since the area is occupied by a large number of monkeys. Many cute little baby monkeys that play around throughout the day will steal your heart. So after the devotees, these furry cute monkeys are the biggest visitors of Swayambhunath. When in Swayambhunath, you may want to take care of your belongings since these curious animals are always looking to get hold of food items.
These furry monkeys are considered holy by the Buddhist as well as Hindu devotees
A Look Back into History
The highlight of this location is the main stupa. The dome at the base represents the entire world. On the top, you will find the wisdom eyes of Buddha. Between the eyes, the Devanagari digit “1” is painted as if it were a nose. The digit “1” signifies that everything in this world is unified. The golden spire above the eyes represents 13 steps to reach the enlightenment. The glittering spire is known to have been painted using 20kg of gold and is visible from faraway spots in the Kathmandu city. All the information regarding Swayambhunath including the ones I mentioned formerly are derived from the Swayambhu Purana, a Buddhist scripture that talks about about the creation of the Kathmandu valley including details of first Buddhas who came to Kathmandu.
These wisdom eyes of the Buddha can see beyond the materialistic world
What to visit in Swayambhunath
Apart from the main Stupa of Swayambhunath, there are some important structures that are built around it. The Harati Devi Temple dedicated to Hindu Goddess Harati (the eradicator of smallpox) also has great importance among the devotees. This shrine is a beautiful pagoda and is mainly visited by women and children to seek Harati's blessings. Pratappur and Anantapur are two tall white Shikhara-style temples that were built during the Malla era in honour of the King Pratap Malla, and his wife Ananta Priya. There is a small courtyard nearby that consists of many small chaityas that make a great spot for photographing the whole Swayambhunath complex.
Not only the main stupa, rather many other structures around it will amaze you
Important Facts to know
Well, in order to reach the top of this famous Buddhist site, you need to cover around 365 steps. From the top, you are rewarded with picturesque and panoramic views over the capital of Nepal. As soon as you reach the top, you are welcomed by a huge vajra (thunderbolt scepter) that is said to be indestructible. A common practice by devotees on the site is to circumnavigate the main stupa in a clockwise direction. While doing so, they rotate 211 prayer wheels chanting the eternal Buddhist mantra Om mani padme hum. This practice is believed to wash away all the sins.
Huffing & puffing, you need to walk all the way up covering around 365 steps to reach one of the most famous Buddhist sites
Summary
As always, I would recommend you visit this place early in the morning to avoid crowds or later in the evening to capture the golden sunset. The best reason to visit Swayambhunath is the awesome views over the Kathmandu valley. It’s a great shopping area if you would like to surprise your friends and family with exquisite Nepali souvenirs. I bought some gorgeous Tibetan prayer flags, scented sticks and few Thanka paintings.
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