Human body being burnt on cremation Ghats, Bagmati riverbank at Pashupatinath Nepal Asia. Vertical 90498_Nepal
Pashupatinath temple (पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर) is a Hindu temple located on the banks of the Bagmati river in the eastern part of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The temple served as the seat of national deity, Lord Pashupatinath, till Nepal was secularized. The temple is listed in UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site list. Believers in Pashupatinath are allowed to enter the temple premises. Non-Hindu visitors are allowed to have a look at the temple from the other bank of Bagmati is regarded as the most sacred temple of Shiva in Nepal. Pashupatinath is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu. According to Nepal Mahatmaya and Himvatkhanda, one day Lord Shiva grew tired of his palace atop Mt. Kailash and so went in search of a place where he could escape to. He discovered Kathmandu Valley and, without telling anyone, he ran away from his palace and came to live in the Valley. He gained great fame there as Pashupati, Lord of the Animals, before the other gods discovered his hiding place and came to fetch him. He disguised himself as a majestic deer and would not help the other gods when they asked for his help. When Shiva did not yield to their pleas, they planned to use force. Vishnu grabbed him by his horns and they shattered into pieces. Vishnu established a temple and used the broken horns to form a linga on the bank of the Bagmati River. As time went by, the temple was buried and forgotten. Then a cow was known to have secretly sprinkled her milk over the mound. Apparently, when the cow herders dug around the spot, they found the lost lingas and again built a temple in reverence. However, Shiva once more escaped from Mt. Kailash and came back to the valley as a Kirati hunter. Parbati, his wife, followed him disguised as a beautiful huntress. Shiva tried to seduce her, discovered who she was and returned home shamefully.
Size: 3744px × 5616px
Location: Pashupatinath temple .Kathmandu .Nepal Asia
Photo credit: © Daniel Valla FRPS / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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