HOLY PLACES

Budhanilkantha:

 It is Situated below Shivapuri hill at the northern end of the Kathmandu
valley, Buddhanilkantha temple is 9 km from Kathmandu city. The temple consists of a pond in which lies a great stone figure of Lord Vishnu reclining on the coils of a cosmic serpent. The huge statue of sleeping Vishnu is carved from the single block of black stone of a type not found in the valley. It is believed that in a by-gone age, many years before there were two hardworking farmers (husband and wife) who maintained a farm here, and one day they discovered the Deity when they were ploughing their field. Iskcon took over the maintainence of the temple and grounds from about 1986-87. there is now even a guest house there. 

  
It is Located here is a Deity of Lord Vishnu, Vishnu (Narayan) Jalasayana, lying on Ananta Sesa, in the cosmic ocean. The Deity is over 1,000 years old. Lord Vishnu is about 5m (17 ft) long and is lying in a 13m (43 ft) long tank, as if floating, with His legs crossed. His four hands hold the four symbols of Vishnu: the chakra (disc), club, and conch-shell and lotus flower. Budhanilkantha literally means “old blue-throat.” Ananta has 11-hooded heads. It is believed that the deity was carved in the 7th or 8th century during the Licchavi period.

  
  Hindus can walk down the steps and touch his feet, but foreigners cannot. The main festival of the year is when Lord Vishnu, who sleeps on the cosmic ocean during Chaturmasya period wakes up on the Haribondhini Ekadashi day in late October or early November. Many thousands of people come on this day.

Three other images of Lord Vishnu were carved at the same time. One is here at Budhanilkantha and is considered the most important and original, one is at Balaju Gardens, and one is at the old Royal Palace in Kathmandu, but can not be viewed by tourist. The king of Nepal is not allowed to see the deity at Budhanilkantha, but he can see the other two deities. It is believed if the king sees this deity of Vishnu he will die immediately.

The deity of Budhanilkantha was lost for a while and was later rediscovered by a farmer. It is believed that the farmers struck the buried deity with his plough and that blood came out from the ground. The morning puja between 9 and 10 am is interesting.

 
Practicalities

Budhanilkantha is about 8km northeast of Kathmandu and 15km from Thamel, at the base of Shivapuri hill. Buses to Budhanilkantha depart every half-hour from Rani Pokhari or the City bus stand in Kathmandu. From where the bus stops the temple is around 100m away. Tempos depart from Jamal on the north side of Rani Pokhari to here.

A taxi is around Rs 175. It is a hard uphill bike ride to here from down town. The ride back is pleasant.

The Mount Shivapuri Lodge, a half hour walk from the temple, has clean room with common bath and hot water for $8.

ISKCON (Hare Krishna) Temple
The ISKCON Temple is located about a ten-minute walk from the Budhanilkantha Temple, in a beautiful rural setting. Buses to Budhanilkantha (8 km) depart from Rani Pokhri in Kathmandu, every half-hour.

GOSAIKUNDA  

Gosaikunda (also spelled Gosainkunda and Gosain Kunda) is a lake in Nepal
Gosaikunda (also spelled Gosainkunda and Gosain Kunda) is a lake in Nepal in Rasuwa district that is the site of regular Hindu pilgrimage. It is situated at the height of 4,380 metres from sea level, and melts and sips down to form the Trishuli river. It is on the way of a popular trekking route of Dhunche-Gosainkunda-Helambu trail. In fact there are 108 total lakes, small to medium in this area and also the challenging Lauribina La pass 4,610 meters on its outskirts. Gosainkunda trek adjoins the famous Langtang trek in the same district. The lake remains frozen for six months in winter October to June. There are plenty of hotels along the route to Helambu trek. The lake is believed to have formed from the digging of the land by the Trishul (holy three-pointed sword) of lord Shiva after he drank the poison from Samudramanthan and desperately wanted cold water to quench the overwhelming heat of the poison.
It is also one of Nepal's most famous religious places of pilgrimage is Gosainkunda lake situated at an altitude of about 4360 meters.

The lake town is surrounded by high mountains to the north and east and the lake itself is worth the trip alone for its beauty and picturesque surroundings. There are nine other famous lakes in the area such as Saraswati, Bhairav, Sourya and Ganesh Kunda. Every year during the Janai Purnima festival in August, thousands of Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims travel here by foot to take a holy dip in the lake. Another site to see when traveling to Gosaikunda, besides its glacial lake, is the large rock in the center of the lake. It is said to be the remains of an ancient Shiva shrine. There is a myth that claims the lake is carried by a channel that stretches all the way from Gosaikunda in the Langtang Region to the holy pond 60 kilometers to the south at the Kumbheshwar Temple in Kathmandu's city of Patan.
The best approach to Gosainkunda for those who do not want to go trekking for too, many days, is through Dhunche. You can take a private vehichle 132 kilometers north-east of Kathmandu or take a bus (regular buses may not be scheduled) to Dhunche. Dhunche is linked with Kathmandu by a drivable yet windy road so those prone to motion sickness should take some medicine before heading to Dhunche by vehicle. You will have to trek to Gosaikunda from Dhunche which takes about two days.