The sightseeing program will start from:
Swoyambhunath Stupa, most ancient and enigmatic of all the holy shrines in Kathmandu valley. Swayambhu has been listed in the World Heritage Sites. The entire valley was an enormous lake, nagdah, out of which grew a lotus with five colored flame (self-arisen). Lotus was transformed into a hill and the flower became the stupa. It is still believed that the self-arisen flame is covered with dome of Stupa. The place is known as Swayambhu, meaning "Self-Created" over which a stupa was later built. Swayambhu is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal known as 'monkey temple' because of the large tribe of roaming monkeys. Located at one of the highest elevations in Kathmandu Valley gives panoramic views of the city. The place is praised by Buddha and meditated by several Buddha's as a pure holy site.
Patan
- City of fine arts
-Three main courtyards
It is one of the three medieval cities in Kathmandu and a destination of fine arts has hundreds of fascinating Hindu and Buddhist monuments scattered in and around. Patan City is an enchanting mixture of palace buildings, artistic courtyards, and former palace complex. Most of the monuments are back to the medieval Malla period 15th to 17th century as the golden period of Nepalese art and architecture. Krishna Mandir- a stone temple of Lord Krishna with its 21 spires and bas-relief art depicting scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana epics and surrounding Hindu and Buddhist temples. The main highlights are the Golden Gate and the Golden Window of the old Palace, the beautiful piece of traditional metal crafts, the famed Krishna temple with 21 golden pinnacles, the Royal bath of Sundari Chowk, a perfect piece of the classic work in stone, Royal Taleju temple, Vishwanath Temple and Char Narayan temple are the finest examples of the unique craftsmanship in wood; the temple of Bhimsen with the magnificent golden balcony overlooking the square outside plus many other shrines and sculptures scattered in and around the square.
Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most sacred Hindu temples of Nepal located at the banks of holy Bagmati River. Every year this temple attracts hundreds of elderly followers of Hinduism. The place for different festival like Maha Shivaratri and Teej where thousands of devotees celebrate. The temple is the ultimate pilgrimage for Hindus throughout the world. The area is swarmed in by the Hindus from different part of the country. The two-storied pagoda temple of Pashupathinath houses the five-faced statue of Lord Shiva. Apart from the main shrine, there are numerous temples dedicated to different god and goddess in and around the Pashupatinath temple area. This temple is an important destination for art historians. It displays a variety of temple design some of which are Dome style, Pagoda style, Shikhara style and so on. Cremation site here draws attention of many who really thrive to explore cultural & spiritual aspects of death rituals of Hindus.
Bouddha stupa is the largest and most sacred Tibetan Buddhist site outside of Tibet forming a religion and culture hub for the Tibetan and people from the Himalayas of Nepal. The Stupa was on the ancient trade route from Tibet. The Stupa is claimed to have the relic of Kasyapa Buddha, the third Buddha of the Bhadrakalpa. Boudha Stupa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site significant for its historic and architectural significance, with sprouting monasteries and craftsmanship. It is said that the stupa is built by the mother Jyajhima, a poultry woman. She was very poor despite her poverty she had an intense desire for building a stupa. The mother passed away after she completed up to the vase, the dome-like structure. She had four sons, and the construction of the rest of the Stupa was completed by four sons. After they finished it, they all stood up in front of it and made prayers. Everyone made their wishes. When they were praying, all the buddhas and bodhisattvas were absorbed into the stupa, which is why the name of the stupa is also “All-Encompassing.” The stupa is a semicircular white dome and the towering spire, with unblinking eyes painted on each side that stares into the four directions. The overall shape represents a Buddhist mandala (a cosmological map) and the path towards enlightenment, as well as the mythical center of the cosmos, Mount Meru. The four Dhyani Buddha signifies the crucial points, and the fifth, Vairocana is enshrined in the central white hemisphere of the stupa. The base of the stupa consists of three large platforms, decreasing in size. The square tower is topped by a pyramid with 13 steps, represents the stages that human beings must pass through to achieve nirvana. The triangular shape is the abstract for the elements of fire. Every portion has a symbolic significance: the base, dome, spire, and pinnacle represent the five elements. It is said that the stupa contains a piece of bone from the skeleton of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha.
