Kathmandu · NP

Sankata Temple

Hidden within the bustling maze of Kathmandu’s Asan and New Road districts lies Sankata Temple, a site where the lines between Hindu and Buddhist traditions blur into a unique spiritual tapestry. This is not a grand palace-temple like those in Durbar Squares, but a compact, intensely atmospheric shrine located in Te Bahal, the city’s largest monastery courtyard. The primary reason to visit Sankata Temple is to witness one of Kathmandu Valley's most fascinating examples of syncretism. Here, the same deity is worshipped by Hindus as the goddess Sankata and by Buddhists as Bhairav. Devotees flock here, particularly on Saturdays, believing that worship at this shrine can ward off illness, bad luck, and astrological misfortunes (Graha-Dasha).