Gokarneshwor Mahadev Temple in Gokara

The ancient Newari village of Gokarna has the interesting Gokarna Mahadev Temple dedicated to Siva. It is one of the famous hindu pilgrimage sites. You get to Gokarna by taking the Sankhu road a short distance northeast of Bodhnath and taking the Sundarijal road. After a couple of kilometres you get to Gokarna. Mahadev means “Great God.” The pago da style temple is on the bank of the Bagmati River.

The triple-roofed Mahadev or Gokarneshwar (Lord of Gokarna) Temple contains an important Siva lingam and some interesting woodcarvings. Nandi’s, Siva bull, is next to the temple. The temple has an excellent collections of sculptures located all around the temple. Some of the sculpture are over 1000 years old. Many Hindu deities are represented including a bearded Brahma, Narasingha (half-man, half-lion incarnation of Vishnu), Surya (sun god), Ganesh, Kamadeva (god of love), Durga and Chandra (moon god). The 14th century temple has been recently restored.

Over the entrance of the temple is a golden torana with Siva and Parvati in the center in the Uma Maheshwar position (Parvati has her hand on Siva’s knee).

In a small temple in the compound is an 8th century statue of the goddess Parvati that is considered to be the best statue at Gokarna. It is in a small shrine in the northwest corner of the courtyard.

Pictures of Gokarneshwor Mahadev

Central Zoo of Nepal

The Central Zoo, only zoo of Nepal, was established by late Rana Prime Minister Juddha Shumser in 1932 as a private Zoo. With the political changes in 1950, the ownership of the private Zoo came under the Government of Nepal. Over the years, the management of the Zoo remained under various Departments of the Government. On the auspicious occasion of the Golden Jubilee Birthday Celebration of the Late Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah in December 1995, the Government of Nepal formally entrusted overall management responsibility of the Central Zoo to the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) for 30 years.

The Trust is an autonomous, non-profit making organization, established in 1982 by Legislative Act to work in the field of biodiversity with the peoples participation.

The Central Zoo at present aims at developing it as a centre for recreation, conservation education and wildlife research within the given ideology of modern zoo philosophy. However, the Zoo is also a site of historical and cultural significance for multi-ethnic communities where every year more than a million visitors visit it. In festival like Bhoto Jatra, tens of thousands of visitors visit Zoo in a day. Moreover, with added animals of various species every year has remained attraction to people living far and near. At present the Central Zoo has housed a total of 1,013 individual animals representing 116 different species of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. Big mammals like tiger, rhino and hippo are the major attraction to the visitors. The central zoo is not only the place to see wildlife and recreational center but is also site of historical and cultural significance for diverse groups of people.

Pictures of Central Zoo of Nepal

Kathmandu Durbar Square

The Kathmandu Durbar Square holds the palaces of the Malla and Shah kings who ruled over the city. Along with these palaces, the square also surrounds quadrangles revealing courtyards and temples. The square is presently known as Hanuman Dhoka, a name derived from the statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram, near the entrance of the palace. The preference for the construction of royal palaces at this site dates back to as early as the Licchavi period in the third century. There are around 50 temples in the vicinity including the temple of Royal titular deity, Taleju Bhawani. The Durbar is divided into two courtyards, the outer comprising Kasthamandap, Kumari Ghar, and Shiva-Parvati Temple, and the inner consisting of Hanuman Dhoka and the main palace. It also houses two museums. Important ceremonies, including the coronation of the Nepali monarch, are held in the Kathmandu Durbar Square. Most parts of the palace premise are open for tourists throughout the week during office hours.

Listed as one of the eight Cultural World Heritage site by UNESCO, Kathmandu Durbar Square is a cluster of ancient temples, palaces, courtyards and streets that date back to the 12th and 18th centuries. The square is known to be the social, religious and urban focal point of the Capital City.

Pictures of the Kathmandu Durbar Square Area