Vajra Varahi Temple

Around the Kathmandu Valley

Set in a shady though litter-strewn woodland, this important Tantric temple was built in 1665 and it attracts lots of wedding parties, pilgrims and picnickers who descend en masse on Saturdays. Visitors pour milk and offerings over the statue of Nandi, the bull, in front of the temple and make similar offerings to the image of Vajra Varahi, an incarnation of the ‘female Buddha’ Vajrayogini.

The Vajra Varahi Temple is about 500m east of the main road on the back route to Godavari (turn left by the Narayan temple).

Suggest an edit to this attraction

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Boudhanath Stupa

8.19 MILES

The first stupa at Boudhanath was built sometime after AD 600, when the Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo, converted to Buddhism. In terms of grace and purity…
Swayambhunath Stupa

7.89 MILES

The Swayambhunath Stupa is one of the crowning glories of Kathmandu Valley architecture. This perfectly proportioned monument rises through a whitewashed…
Hanuman Dhoka

6.89 MILES

Kathmandu's royal palace, known as the Hanuman Dhoka, was originally founded during the Licchavi period (4th to 8th centuries AD), but the compound was…
Golden Temple (Kwa Bahal)

4.77 MILES

This unique Buddhist monastery is just north of Durbar Sq. It was allegedly founded in the 12th century, and it has existed in its current form since 1409…
Golden Gate

7.59 MILES

The magnificent Golden Gate is a visual highlight of Durbar Sq. Set into a bright red gatehouse surrounded by white palace walls, the fabulous golden…
Itum Bahal

7.06 MILES

The long, rectangular courtyard of the Itum Bahal is the largest bahal (Buddhist monastery courtyard) in the old town and remains a haven of tranquillity…
Nyatapola Temple

7.6 MILES

You should be able to see the sky-high rooftop of the Nyatapola Temple long before you reach Taumadhi Tole. With five storeys towering 30m above the…
Garden of Dreams

7.49 MILES

The beautifully restored Swapna Bagaicha (Garden of Dreams) remains one of the most serene and beautiful enclaves in Kathmandu. It's two minutes' walk and…

View more attractions

Nearby Around the Kathmandu Valley attractions

1. Shanti Ban Buddha

2.05 MILES

On the hillside above Godavari is an enormous golden Buddha image, created by Buddhists who were inspired by the Japanese Peace Pagoda movement.

2. Harisiddhi Bhagwan Temple

2.23 MILES

About 7km northwest of Godavari, on the main road, Harisiddhi is notable for the towering, four-tiered Harisiddhi Bhagwan Temple on its brick-paved market…

3. Bungamati Culture Museum

2.28 MILES

On the narrow lane leading from the town's main square is this low-key, dusty museum displaying cultural objects from the area.

4. Bhairab Temple

2.31 MILES

On the east side of the Rato Machhendranath Temple square stood a small temple with a double-tier roof that enshrined a ferocious-looking brass mask of…

5. Dey Pukha

2.33 MILES

If you leave the main square by the northern gate, you’ll pass a crumbling Buddhist courtyard monastery and an assortment of chaityas and shrines, then…

6. Rato Machhendranath Temple

2.33 MILES

Bungamati is the birthplace of Rato Machhendranath, the patron god of Patan, and for six months of the year the deity resides in the main village square …

7. Karya Binayak Temple

2.43 MILES

Halfway between Bungamati and Khokana, this temple is dedicated to Ganesh. Local pilgrims flock here on Saturdays for a bhoj (feast) and some bhajan …

8. Bishankhu Narayan

2.75 MILES

If you’re looking for an excuse to get off the beaten track, the shrine of Bishankhu Narayan may do nicely. Dedicated to Vishnu, this chain-mail-covered…

View more attractions