In Nepal, there are five special Buddhist temples that people really like. One is called Swayambhunath Stupa, another is Boudhanath Stupa, then there’s Lumbini, and two more called Kapan Monastery and Namobuddha Monastery. People visit these places because they are important to the Buddhist religion.
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Swayambhunath Stupa
Swayambhunath is one of the most significant Buddhist Monasteries in Nepal. It is considered as one of the oldest monasteries in the world. It is also known as Monkey temple since there is holy monkey living in the temple. Many Buddhist, Hindus and the tourists come to visit this temple. It is a world heritage site situated at the central hill of Kathmandu from where you can view the whole Kathmandu city. Most of the Buddhist devotees visit this temple in Buddha Jayanti to celebrate the birth of Gautam Buddha by performing ritual puja and chanting mantras.
Boudhanath stupa
Boudhanath Stupa is Nepal’s largest Buddha Monastery situated in Boudha, which is east of Kathmandu. It is one of the important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists in Nepal and is also listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. It has been renovated again after it was destroyed by the massive earthquake of April 2015. Around Boudhanath, there is a large population of Tibetan refugees. It is also one of the most favorite tourist sites in Kathmandu. It is believed that this Buddha stupa was built after the death of Gautam Buddha. There are still disputes about who actually built this stupa.
Lumbini
Lumbini is the birth place of Gautam Buddha. So, it is the world most popular pilgrimage sites for Buddhist. Many childhood events of Buddha is related to this place. There are Sacred Maya Devi Temple, Ashoka Piller, sacred pond, museums on the site. Every year in the Buddha Jayanti which is the Buddha’s Birth date, Buddhist devotees and many Buddhist gurus, monks all over the world come to Nepal to visit this temple, worship by doing some ritual pujas and chanting mantras. This site is also listed in UNESCO World heritage list in 1979.
Kapan Monastery
Kapan Monastery, famously known as Kapan Gumba, is built in Tibetan style on the hillside of Kapan. It is located just behind the Boudhanath stupa. Over 300 monks, especially Tibetan Buddhists, reside in this monastery where they are taught the teachings of Buddha and mantras. From Kapan Monastery, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Boudhanath and the Himalayan range. It is situated just a few minutes’ ride from the ring road of Kathmandu. One can gain knowledge of meditation and spirituality by visiting this monastery. Currently, entry cards are required to visit the temples.
Namobuddha Monastery
Located 38 km to the east of Kathmandu, Namobuddha Monastery is situated in the Kavre district of Nepal, atop the hill of Shyampati VDC. It is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Tibetan Buddhists. “Namobuddha” means “Homage to Buddha.” This temple was designed by Thrangu Rinpoche in 1978 and is considered one of the most beautiful places to visit. Consequently, many tourists are attracted to this location in present times. The main festivals celebrated in this Monastery are Kartik Purnima and Buddha Jayanti. Today, more than 250 monks reside in the Monastery.
