Kathmandu, Bagmati · 27.7149°, 85.2904°
The 'Monkey Temple' on its hill west of Kathmandu — with Boudhanath one of the two poles of Newar and Tibetan Buddhism in the valley, climbed by 365 steep steps past troops of rhesus monkeys. Hindu shrines share the summit, the valley's syncretism in miniature; the stupa's painted eyes became the emblem of Nepal itself.
The Kathmandu valley was once a great lake in whose centre bloomed a lotus of self-arisen flame; the bodhisattva Manjushri cleft the southern hills with his sword at Chobar, drained the waters, and the flame-lotus settled as this hill — the light enshrined, the valley given to humankind.
coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-26 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Licchavi