Boudha—affectionately known as Boudhanath Stupa, Jarung Kashor, or Khasti Mahachaitya—stands as one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this iconic landmark is both a vital spiritual sanctuary and a premier magnet for travelers exploring Kathmandu.
Ever since I moved to Nepal in 2025 to teach English at North Pole Boarding High School in Jibjibe, Rasuwa—thanks to a wonderful opportunity from Mr. Krishna Bahadur Tamang—I had been longing to visit the Kathmandu Valley. So, after four busy months in Jibjibe, I finally set off for Kathmandu to see the iconic Boudhanath Stupa.
It was the first day of great Teej. I got up early in the morning and caught the first EV to Kathmandu. The three–and–a–half–hour drive followed the zigzagging Pasang Lhamu Highway, tracing the Trishuli River through the hills and passing Bidur before ascending Shivapuri Hill. By 10:00 AM, we reached Naya Bus Park in Machhapokhari. From there, I hopped on a city bus, traveling thirty minutes past Pashupatinath to Chahabil Chowk, where Boudhanath Sadak begins. During the ride, a friendly passenger mentioned to me that city dwellers usually call the famous stupa "Boudha" (pronounced boe-da).
Stepping off the bus at Boudha, I joined the bustling flow of people walking toward the stupa’s main entrance. Even though it was still relatively early, the area was already alive with energy. A steady stream of people brushed past me from the opposite direction, including several Tibetan monks clad in striking maroon robes. Shopkeepers along the roadside were busy rolling up their shutters, and traffic crawled heavily along the main road.
As I approached the entrance premises, two security guards standing right in the middle of the gateway stopped me to check for tickets. I pulled out my school ID card and handed it over with a hopeful smile. After a quick glance, they nodded warmly and waved me through. I couldn't help but smile—thanks to NPBS!
As soon as I crossed through the main gate, I caught my very first glimpse of Buddha's Wisdom Eyes. It felt as though they were looking right at me—with pure love and boundless compassion. There was something profoundly mysterious, divine, and heavenly in that gaze. Standing there beneath those unblinking, peaceful eyes, I was washed over by a sense of immense gratitude. According to local belief, if a first–time visitor makes a wish the moment they catch sight of the stupa, their wish will come true.
I walked slowly toward the dome, joining the crowd circumambulating the structure in a quiet, slow tide. Some devotees spun the Mani (prayer) wheels embedded in the surrounding walls, while others performed full–body prostrations—lying flat on the ground with their arms stretched out before them, softly chanting Om Mani Padme Hum. There was a beautiful, rhythmic harmony to it all, as if everyone was guided by a single, sacred motion. It is believed that walking clockwise around the stupa—a practice known as Kora—three or more times brings immense good fortune. More than just luck, though, Kora generates a profound spiritual energy, helping one break free from the attachments of the mundane world.
History and Heritage
Boudhanath Stupa is situated in the northern part of Kathmandu, roughly a twenty–minute drive from Tribhuvan International Airport. As the largest stupa in Nepal, it is a premier tourist destination within the Kathmandu Valley and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. While it has been a sacred place of pilgrimage for Tibetans for centuries, it now welcomes visitors from all over the world.
The road flanking the stupa once operated as a vital trade route between Lhasa and Kathmandu. Tibetan traders, who crossed the formidable Himalayan passes with their yaks to reach the valley, routinely offered prayers at the stupa for a safe journey. The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism notes that alongside Swayambhu and Namo Buddha, Boudhanath forms a celebrated triad of great stupas often depicted together in Tibetan literature. Although the area was historically a Tamang settlement, the modern neighborhood is deeply shaped by Tibetan refugees who arrived after 1959. Today, the monumental dome stands encircled by a bustling marketplace of monasteries, artisan shops, cafés, and restaurants.
The Legend of Jarung Kashor
There are many captivating legends and myths surrounding the origin of Boudha. Among them, the most famous is the tale of Jarung Kashor—a name that translates roughly to "Let it be done, slip of the tongue."
According to this lore, a long time ago, a low–caste poulterer named Majhazima (or Jadzima) lived in the area with her four sons. Through years of honest, hardworking dedication to her poultry trade, she managed to save a modest sum of money. Filled with devotion, she approached the King and requested a small plot of land to build a stupa. The King, perhaps amused or dismissive, granted her only as much land as could be covered by a single water buffalo hide.
However, the astute old lady outsmarted the decree. She painstakingly sliced the buffalo hide into razor–thin strips, tied them together to form a remarkably long rope, and used it to encircle a massive perimeter. Within this grand boundary, she began constructing the stupa.
Meanwhile—likely just as the massive base was taking shape—the local villagers grew envious. Resenting her ambition, they appealed directly to the King, protesting, "How dare a poultry seller construct a monument of this scale? Why did Your Majesty grant her such vast lands?" The King, however, refused to go back on his word. Upholding his royal decree, he simply replied, "I have given permission. Let it be done; it was a slip of the tongue." Thus, the construction continued, and the stupa came to be known as Jarung Kashor.
The Stupa of a Million Dewdrops
Another fascinating legend comes from the Newar Chronicles, which identifies Boudha as Khasti Mahachaitya, or the "Million Dewdrop Stupa."
According to this account, during the reign of Vrsadeva—the great Licchavi king who ruled Nepal around 400–425 CE—a catastrophic drought gripped the entire country. Deeply troubled by his kingdom's suffering, the King sought the counsel of his royal astrologers and oracles. They delivered a grim solution: the drought would only break if they sacrificed a man possessing thirty–two distinct virtues. Realizing that only he and his son fit this description, the King made a secret, selfless choice.
He summoned his son, Prince Manadeva, and commanded him to go to the royal well at dawn and decapitate a shrouded figure he would find sleeping there. Manadeva obediently carried out the order under the cover of the morning mist. However, when he pulled back the shroud, he stood petrified with horror—the severed head belonged to his own father.
Overwhelmed by grief and guilt over this accidental patricide, the young prince fled the court, abandoning his royal status to live as an ascetic in a distant temple. One night, the Goddess Bajrayogini appeared to the prince in a dream, offering a path to redemption. She instructed him to build a monumental shrine to the Buddha, promising that this act of deep devotion would finally absolve him of his crushing guilt. Heeding her divine guidance, Manadeva set out to construct a massive stupa on a site designated by the goddess—the place "where the white birds settle"—which is where the Boudha stands today.
However, the relentless drought still gripped the land, threatening to halt the construction before it could truly begin, as there was no water available to mix the mortar. To overcome this, the workers devised an ingenious method: each night, they spread large cloth sheets across the valley floor to catch the heavy evening mist. In the early morning, these sheets were carefully wrung out, drop by drop, to collect the water needed for the day's building. Because it took twelve long years of gathering morning dew to finish the monument, it earned its enduring Newari name: Khasti Mahachaitya, the Stupa of a Million Dewdrops.
Triumph Over Tragedy
"Over the centuries Boudhanath has been embellished, fallen into disrepair, and again added to by saints and kings," writes Desmond Doig in his book In the Kingdom of the Gods. Indeed, the Great Stupa has weathered countless adversities, from environmental hazards and historical turbulence to the relentless pressures of modern urbanization. Yet, through it all, the monument has surmounted every obstacle, standing firm as an eternal beacon of Buddhism.
On April 14, 2015, a magnitude of 7.8 earthquake striked Nepal which killed 9000 people and caused nationwide destruction. Boudhanath was also hit by the quake: its gold spire that sits atop the dome was severely damaged; however, the Wisdom Eyes were spared.
In the wake of the disaster, the local community showcased an extraordinary display of self–reliance. Refusing to wait for slow–moving government funds to arrive, residents, monks, and devotees took the initiative to restore the sacred site themselves. Their grassroots effort quickly went global. As The Guardian later reported, "Local and foreign donors contributed more than $2m (£1.6m)..... Donors also gave 31kg of gold, which covers the structure’s pinnacle."
Thanks to the unyielding generosity of the people of Kathmandu and the enduring blessings of the Buddha, the Great Stupa was fully restored in just eighteen months, triumphantly regaining its former glory.
Refrences:
- A Voyage to Nepal by Gustave Le Bon (1886)
- Legend of the Great Stupa of Boudhanath by Keith Dowman (1973)
- In The Kingdom of The Gods by Desmond Doig (1999)
- Lonely Planet's Nepal
- The Princeton dictionary of Buddhism (2014)
- The Guardian: Nepal's earthquake-hit Boudhanath stupa reopens after restoration
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