Nyatapola Temple

The Nyatapola Temple is located in Taumadhi Square, Bhaktapur, Nepal which is about 12 km from Kathmandu city. in Bhaktapur Nepal is ancient city about 12km outside of Kathmandu City. Built between 1701 and 1702 over 5-7 months by King Bhupatindra Malla it has 5 tiers and is one of the tallest temples in all Nepal measuring over 30 meters..

You will be able to see the sky-high rooftop of the Nyatapola Temple long before you reach the square. With five storeys towering 30m above Taumadhi Tole, this is the tallest temple in all of Nepal and one of the tallest buildings in the Kathmandu Valley. This perfectly proportioned temple was built in 1702 during the reign of King Bhupatindra Malla, and the construction was so sturdy that the 1934 earthquake caused only minor damage (the upper storey was rebuilt), and the 2015 earthquake just damaged the very tip of the spire.

The temple is reached by a stairway flanked by stone figures of the temple guardians. At the bottom are the legendary Rajput wrestlers Jayamel and Phattu, depicted kneeling with hefty maces. Subsequent levels are guarded by elephants with floral saddles, lions adorned with bells, beaked griffons with rams’ horns and finally two goddesses – Baghini and Singhini. Each figure is said to be 10 times as strong as the figure on the level below.

The temple is dedicated to Siddhi Lakshmi, a bloodthirsty incarnation of the goddess Durga (Parvati). The idol of the goddess is so fearsome that only the temple’s priests are allowed to enter the inner sanctum, but less brutal incarnations of the goddess appear on the torana above the door, beneath a canopy of braided snakes, and also on the temple’s 180 carved roof struts. In a classic piece of religious crossover, the Buddhist eight lucky signs are carved beside the temple doorways.

Legends and History of Nyatapola Temple

In 1702 CE it is said that the god Bhairava (Hindu -Bhairab) became angry and cause d havoc among the local community. King Bhupatendra Malla prayed to Parbati for help. Parbati came to the area in the form of Siddhi Laxmi and took Bhairab in the palm of her hand. She then began the construction of a temple (Nyatapola) dedicated to Siddhi Laxmi which would be much larger than his own temple and stands close by.

Along the stone staircase leading up to the Nyatapola temple are several guardians on either side. The first are Bhaktapur’s strongest men, Jayamel and Phattu, (famous wrestlers) who allegedly had the strength of ten men. Next are two elephants. Then two lions followed by two griffins. Finally there is “Baghini” and “Singhini”, the tiger and lion goddesses. Each guardian is said to have ten times the strength of the previous. At the top of the temple is a locked shrine where there is a statue of Siddhi Laxmi said to be the fiercest in all Nepal. The only people every allowed in to view it are the local priests. You can however view carvings of her on the Torana above the door. Likewise there are about 180 roof struts which also have depictions of her along with Hindu and Buddhist carvings in line with Newari traditions.

Entrance to The Nyatapola Temple

There is no fee to see nor climb the Nyatapola temple as it is a part of your Bhaktapur ticket price. However you cannot enter into the inner temple as it's reserved for priests only. The current fee for foreigners is covered under the main Bhaktapur entrance fee. If you are planning to stay in Bhaktapur then when purchasing your ticket show your passport and you can get the same ticket extended for one week with no extra cost. You can read more about Bhaktapur ticket prices here.