Pashupatinath and the Bagmati aarti
Pashupatinath is dedicated to Shiva as Pashupati, lord of the animals, and draws pilgrims from across Nepal and India. The main temple, a gilded two-tiered pagoda, is open only to Hindus. Everyone else views it from the terraces on the east bank of the Bagmati River, which in any case give the clearest view of the whole complex. Hindu guests may enter the main courtyard, and our guide arranges this while other members of the party wait on the terraces, where the view of the roof and the river is best.
Along the river are the ghats, stone platforms where Hindu cremations take place through the day. It is an open and public part of life here, and families accept respectful visitors at a distance, but it is not a spectacle. We watch from the opposite bank, keep cameras down and speak quietly. Behind the terraces are rows of small Shiva shrines and the courtyards where sadhus, Hindu ascetics, gather in ochre robes and painted faces. Some ask for money to be photographed, and a small note is the custom if you do.
As dusk falls, priests on the ghats below the temple begin the aarti, swinging tiered brass lamps in time to bells, drums and devotional song. It lasts about an hour, and the crowd, mostly Nepali families, sits on the stone steps across the water. Monday, Shiva's day, draws the largest crowd, and Maha Shivaratri in February or March brings vast numbers of pilgrims; check current status before you travel. From Dwarika's Hotel the temple is about 10 minutes by car, which makes this an easy first evening.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
Can non-Hindus enter Pashupatinath Temple?
No. Entry to the main temple courtyard is restricted to Hindus, and guards at the gates enforce it. Non-Hindu visitors can walk the east bank terraces, the smaller shrines and the riverside, which give a full view of the temple roof, the ghats and the evening aarti. Foreign visitors pay an entry fee for the wider complex; check current status before you travel.
Is it appropriate to watch cremations at Pashupatinath?
Watching from a distance is accepted, as cremations here are public and open. We view from the opposite bank, stay quiet and avoid photographing grieving families at close range. Many visitors find the experience moving rather than uncomfortable. If you would prefer not to see the ghats at all, we can time the visit to focus on the shrines and the aarti only.
What time does the Pashupatinath aarti start?
The evening aarti begins around dusk, usually between 5.30 pm and 7 pm depending on the season, and lasts about an hour. We arrive an hour before to walk the complex in daylight, then take seats on the terraces facing the ghats. Timings shift on festival days, so our guide confirms them on the day; check current status before you travel.
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