Nepali Temple

The Nepali Temple, also known as Kanthwala Temple, is a 19th-century Hindu temple located at Lalita Ghat in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on the banks of the Ganges River. Built in traditional Nepalese pagoda style entirely of wood and stone, it is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is a replica of Kathmandu's Pashupatinath Temple. Commissioned by the King of Nepal, Rana Bahadur Shah, it is renowned for its intricate wood carvings and cultural connection between Nepal and Varanasi.

Visitors can expect a small, distinctive pagoda-style temple made of wood, stone and terracotta situated directly on Lalita Ghat overlooking the Ganges. The temple features tiered wooden roofs, intricately carved wooden pillars and erotic and mythological wood carvings. The sanctum houses a Shiva lingam. The surroundings include stone steps of the ghat, river views, and narrow lanes of old Varanasi. The site is relatively quiet compared to larger temples and is visited for sightseeing, photography and worship.

The temple was commissioned in the early 19th century by Rana Bahadur Shah, King of Nepal, during his exile in Varanasi, and completed in 1843 by his son Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah. Constructed by Nepali craftsmen, it was built in the traditional pagoda style using wood and stone and is considered a replica of the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu. It reflects the historical cultural ties between Nepal and Varanasi.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and holds religious importance for Hindu devotees and the Nepali community in Varanasi. Its Nepalese architectural style and detailed wood carvings depicting mythological scenes make it culturally distinctive among Varanasi temples. It is located at Lalita Ghat, a sacred bathing ghat on the Ganges, and forms part of the pilgrimage and heritage circuit of the old city.