Namobuddha is one of the religious and historical places located in Kavre district of Nepal. It is 43 KM far from Kathmandu (capital city of Nepal) which takes around 2-3 hours by bus. It lies at an altitude of 1940m from sea level. This place is considered as a pilgrimage for the people belonging to Buddhist Religion. The famous Gumba (ThranguTashiYangtse Monastery) is also situated at this place. Therefore, people from Neighbouring districts (Sindhupalchok, Ramechhap, Sindhuli and many more) come to worship Lord Buddha.
Namobuddha is situated at the top of a hill, so the majestic view of the monastery glooming between the forest, is one of the major attractions of this place. The ThranguTashiYangtse Monastery situated between forests has lots of historic and religious evidence. It is one of the famous Buddhist Monasteries in Nepal. This place is located a bit far from the city area and full of natural beauty. The green forest, mesmerizing sound produced by the birds, fresh air, view of different mountains, villages, and many more makes you experience heaven on earth.
Short History of Namobuddha
Namobuddha is the pilgrimage for the people following Buddhist religion. It is said that 6000 years ago, the incarnation of Buddha (prince Mahasatwo) found a tigress with her five babies lying near the forest. As soon as he saw tigress, he realized that she and her five babies were about to die because of hunger. Then, the prince decided to give his life to save the life of tigress. The tigress then shook the blood of Prince and left only his bones. It was later brought into the village and buried in the grave. The buried grave is actually the monastery of Namobuddha. Also, it is said that 3500 years later, Gautham Buddha named the place as Namobuddha. Because of these religious values, this place has become one of the famous pilgrimages for the people following buddhist religion.
What is Namobuddha Famous For?
Picnic Spot
Namobuddha is located in a peaceful place. It is also situated very near to Kathmandu Valley. There is easy access to the road as well. The local government has also established a picnic spot at the top of Namobuddha hill to facilitate the people who want to organize the picnic in the peaceful spot near Kathmandu valley. Therefore, every year schools, colleges and even family members conduct picnics in Namobuddha to enjoy and to find out the historical and religious values of that place.
Hiking
Namobuddha hiking is the best destination for those who want to do short hiking near Kathmandu Valley. It is a short hike which covers a distance of about 13 KM. The actual hike can be started from Dhulikhel (capital of Kavre district). The distance between Kathmandu to Dhhulikhel is just 31.7 KM. We can easily find public vehicles from Kathmandu to Dhulikhel which takes just around 1 and half hours. Then the hike starts from Old Newari Basti of Dhulikhel via 1000 ladders, Santi ban to Namobuddha.
Cycling
Another interesting thing to do in Namobuddha is cycling. The cycling to Namobuddha can be started from the Capital city of Nepal Kathmandu. There are lots of ways to reach Namobuddha. Either way we can go from Dhulikhel which is a very easy way, or we can go through Panauti. But I would like to suggest a way through Panauti to reach Namobuddha through cycling. The way from Panauti (historic Newari village) is off-road. Cycling through the off-road forest will make your journey an adventure. You can even experience the beauty of small villages like Banthali, Sankhu and many more, if you choose the Panauti way.
Detect the views
From the top of Namobuddha, we can view the beautiful rural village Timal. The beautiful people living in a small rural village of Timal following traditional Nepal culture will allow you to experience the lifestyle of ancient Nepal. If the weather favours you, you can even experience the majestic view of the Himalayas including Mt Gaurishanker, Mt Langtang, Mt Choyu (6th highest peak in the world with height of 8188m), Mt Makalu (5th highest peak in the world with height of 8481m) and many more.
-Article Written by: Anita khatri for Land Nepal
