Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal

Boudhanath: The Stupa That Was Rebuilt After an Earthquake and Became More Significant

The 2015 Gorkha earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people in Nepal and damaged the Boudhanath Stupa significantly, the spire tilted, the upper structure cracked, and sections of the whitewashed dome surface fell away. The reconstruction was completed in 2016, funded largely through donations from Tibetan Buddhist communities worldwide. The restored stupa looked newer and cleaner than it had before, and this bothered some visitors who preferred the patina of age. What the reconstruction demonstrated was that Boudhanath is not primarily a heritage site, it is a living religious centre, and its community treated the restoration accordingly: as maintenance, not museum preservation.

The stupa is one of the largest in the world, 36 metres tall with a 100-metre diameter base, and has been a pilgrimage site for Tibetan Buddhists since the 8th century. The all-seeing Buddha eyes painted on each face of the tower look in the four cardinal directions; the base of the tower represents earth, the dome water, the spire fire and air.

The Kora

Walking the kora, the clockwise circumambulation around the stupa, is the central practice. You join a continuous stream of pilgrims and locals who walk the circuit through the day, spinning the prayer wheels embedded in the stupa wall as they pass. The circuit is about 350 metres. Early morning (6-8am) has monks in maroon robes, butter lamps burning, and a specific quality of light and sound that midday doesn’t have. Dusk is also worth it: the butter lamps are lit and the chanting from the surrounding monasteries carries across the square.

The stupa sits in its own neighbourhood, surrounded by white-painted buildings occupied by Tibetan monastic institutions, shops selling thangka paintings and Buddhist supplies, and rooftop cafes. The entry fee is around NPR 400 for foreign visitors.

Where to Eat

The cafes on the upper floors of the buildings surrounding the stupa courtyard serve decent Nepali and Tibetan food with direct views of the stupa. Stupa View Restaurant is the most established. Dal bhat (rice with lentil soup, vegetable curry, and pickles) is the standard Nepali meal and costs NPR 250-400. Tibetan bread (tsampa-based) and butter tea are the specific local alternatives.

What Else to See

Pashupatinath Temple, 3km from Boudhanath, is Nepal’s most sacred Hindu site. The cremation ghats on the Bagmati River are active throughout the day. Non-Hindus cannot enter the main temple complex but can observe the ghats from the opposite bank. This is a working cremation site rather than a tourist attraction, and the appropriate response is quiet observation.

Getting There

Boudhanath is 6km from Thamel, Kathmandu’s main tourist district. Taxi takes 15-20 minutes and costs around NPR 300-400. Micro-buses run from various Kathmandu points. Many visitors combine Boudhanath with Pashupatinath in a half-day excursion from Thamel.

The standard Kathmandu airport is Tribhuvan International (KTM), 8km south of Boudhanath.