Guhyeśvarī, Kathmandu

Goddess Guhyeśvarī · Bāgmatī river, Kathmandu, Nepal

Guhyeśvarī stands on the Bāgmatī river close to Paśupatināth, and the two are traditionally visited together as Śakti and Śiva. The Goddess is worshipped not as an image but as a sacred water-filled opening in the ground, covered by a metal vessel, in an open courtyard beneath a gilded canopy.

The shrine is important to both Hindu and Tantric Buddhist traditions in Nepal. Daśaĩ (Navarātri–Vijayādaśamī), Nepal’s greatest festival, is the busiest time. Entry to the inner courtyard is traditionally restricted to Hindus and Buddhists.

Pīṭha traditions say a part of Satī’s body fell here; accounts differ on which part, with “guhya” (the hidden or secret part) and the knees both mentioned in different texts. The name Guhyeśvarī, “Goddess of the hidden”, reflects the secret, inward nature of her worship.

Nepal · Near Paśupatināth · Daśaĩ · Tantric tradition

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