Swayambhunath Stupa

The famous stupa known as Swayambhunath Temple, and more recently referred to as the Monkey Temple with troops of the furry creatures running amok, is over 2500 years old, brims with Buddhist and Hindu iconography and offers a bird’s eye view of the city.

Swayambhu literally means “self-existent one”. Believed to date back to 460 A.D., it was built by King Manadeva and by the 13th century, it had become an important center of Buddhism. Legend has it that Swayambhu was born out of a lotus flower that bloomed in the middle of a lake that once spread across the Kathmandu Valley once was. The largest image of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Nepal sits on a high pedestal on the western boundary of Swayambhu beside the Ring Road. Behind the hilltop is a temple dedicated to Manjusri or Saraswati – the Goddess of learning. Chaityas, statues and shrines of Buddhist and Hindu deities fill the stupa complex. The base of the hill is almost entirely surrounded by prayer wheels and deities. Devotees can be seen circumambulating the stupa at all times.

According to Swayambhu Puran, the entire Kathmandu valley was once filled with an enormous lake, out of which grew a mystical Lotus. The valley came to be known as Swayambhu, meaning ‘Self-Created’ or ‘Self-Existent’. The Bodhistava Manjushri had a vision of the lotus at Swayambhu and traveled there to worship it.

In order to make the site more accessible to human pilgrims, Manjushri cut a gorge through the mountains surrounding the valley. The water drained out of the lake, leaving the valley in which Kathmandu now lies. The lotus was transformed into a hill and the flower become the Swayambhunath stupa.

Interesting Facts About Swayambhunath Stupa

1. The huge gold-plated Vajra ‘thunderbolt’ set in the east side of the stupa.
2. Buddha statue on the west side of Swayambhu.
3. The Sleeping Buddha.
4. The Dewa Dharma Monastery, noted for a bronze icon of Buddha and traditional Tibetan paintings.
5. The temple dedicated to Harati, the goddess of all children. It is said that she was an ogress before Lord Buddha converted her to be the caretaker of all children.
6. Swayambhunath stupa is home to abound monkeys. There are more than 200 monkeys around Swayambhunath residing in the lush forest to the northwest of the stupa. Its called Monkey Temple.
7. While there are two entrances, the main entrance will lead you to the stupa through 365 stone steps. You will have to climb 365 stone steps with few buddha statues, stone chaitya, and souvenir stalls along the way. And most of the time, you have to walk past the troop of monkeys along the stairway.

Entrance Fees

Stupa entrance fee is Rs 200 for foreigners, Rs 50 for SAARC nationals.The entrance ticket price of this place is the official fee for entry to and visit of the place during its opening times.