Koteshwor Mahadevsthan () is one of the holy places of

Kathmandu District Kathmandu District (; Nepal Bhasa: ये: जिल्ला) is a district located in Kathmandu Valley, Bagmati Province of Nepal. It is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal, covers an area of , and is the most densely populated dist ...

in the

Bagmati Zone Bagmati Zone ( ''Bāgmatī Añcal'') was one of the fourteen zones of Nepal until the restoration of zones to Provinces. Its headquarters are Kathmandu. It was named after the Bagmati River. It was in the Central Development Region of Nepal. T ...

. It lies in Koteshwor, Kathmandu, Ward No. 32 (previous 35) of

Kathmandu Metropolitan City Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...

. This place is popularly known as Koteshwor Mahadevsthan, and the

Shiva lingam A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, wher ...

here is believed to have appeared divinely. But there are no written scriptures about the exact date of its appearance. This temple also has another name: Kotinath. According to a popular legend, the

Shiva Lingam A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, wher ...

here is believed to be one of the 64 sacred

The exact date when this temple was constructed remains unknown. The temple premises have a stone inscription that will help to find out the history of Koteshwor Mahadev, but no any research has been conducted. But myths point out that this place started being worshiped in the fifth century BC, though the concrete structures and pillars, as they now stand, were built much later. Near the Koteshwor Temple is a place known as Shankhamul. It is believed that Lord

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

, while wandering in his boundless grief carrying Sati's body on his back had rested his one foot on this place. And from the very land where Mahadev had tapped his foot sprang an incessant stream of water. It is said that in the

Treta Yuga ''Treta Yuga'' (IAST: ''Tretā-yuga'') (Devanagari: त्रेतायुग), in Hinduism, is the second and second-best of the four '' yugas'' (world ages) in a '' Yuga Cycle'', preceded by '' Krita (Satya) Yuga'' and followed by '' Dvapara ...

, Bhimsen (deity), the brother of Ravan, the powerful king of Lanka, used to fetch water from Shankhamul and carry it up to the Koteshwor Temple to offer it to Lord

. Inside the temple periphery, there is also another

, popularly known by the name of Khileshwar Mahadev.

Temple complex

In addition to the Mahadev Temple, there are many other deities inside the temple periphery. One important deity is Chhinna Masta Bhagwati, who is supposed to be an incarnation of

Changu Narayan Changu Narayan is an ancient Hindu and Buddhist temple, located on a hilltop of Changu (also called Dolagiri) in Changunarayan Municipality of Bhaktapur District, Nepal. The temple is considered to be built in the 4th century AD and is one of ...

in Bhaktapur. Legends have it that she was transported from Bhaktapur and resettled in Koteshwor via elaborate Vedic tantras and mantras. Next, there is a temple of

Saptarishi The Saptarshi ( ) are the seven seers of ancient India who are extolled in the Vedas, and other Hindu literature such as the Skanda Purana. The Vedic Samhitas never enumerate these rishis by name, although later Vedic texts such as the Br ...

, one of the very few in Kathmandu. As a result, hundreds of devotees gather around the temple on Rishi Panchami Day every year. Each of these temples and deities has its own story behind their origin and significance.

Gallery

File:Sati Temple.jpg, Koteshwor Mahadevsthan Temple is the spot where Sati left hand had supposedly fallen here File:Garud Narayan.jpg, Garud Narayan Temple File:Gopaleshwor.jpg, Gaganeshwor Temple File:Gopaleshwor Stone Inscription.jpg, Gaganeshowr Stone inscription File:Shiva Parbati status.jpg, Statue of Shiva Parbati File:Koteshwor in Tihar.jpg, View from Koteshwor Mahadesthan on Tihar festival

References

{{reflist Populated places in Kathmandu District

Temple complex

Gallery

See also

References