Temple · Hindu
Baraha Kshetra
वराहक्षेत्र
Lord Baraha (Varaha, incarnation of Vishnu)·Ancient kshetra in Hindu pilgrimage tradition·Sunsari
One of Nepal's four great kshetras, a major Vishnu pilgrimage complex near Chatara where the Sapta Koshi leaves the hills and enters the plains.
Dedicated to
Lord Baraha (Varaha, incarnation of Vishnu)
Period
Ancient kshetra in Hindu pilgrimage tradition
Hours
Open daily; pilgrimage activity peaks on festival mornings
Admission
Free
Neighborhood
Barahachhetra, near Chatara
Baraha Kshetra is one of Nepal's four principal Hindu kshetras and one of the country's most important Vaishnava pilgrimage sites. It stands in Sunsari district near Chatara, close to the confluence of the Sapta Koshi and Koka rivers, at the symbolic threshold where the river system descends from the mountains into the Terai plains.
The complex is dedicated to Lord Baraha, the boar incarnation of Vishnu, who in Hindu mythology rescued the earth from the demon Hiranyaksha. Nepal Tourism Board describes Baraha Kshetra as a major pilgrimage centre set on a gradually rising hillock above the confluence, with multiple shrines dedicated to Baraha and a long association with river purification rituals.
Its sacred geography matters as much as its architecture. Pilgrims come for darshan, ritual bathing, and festival gatherings, especially during the Ardha Kumbha Mela held here every six years. The site's riverside setting, mythic Vishnu associations, and status within Nepal's char kshetra tradition make it one of the country's foundational sacred landscapes.
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