Temple · Hindu
Bhadrakali Temple
भद्रकाली मन्दिर
Bhadrakali (Lumadhi Ajima)·Current temple commonly dated to 1817 CE·Kathmandu
A prominent Shakti shrine on the eastern edge of Tundikhel, known as Lumadhi Bhadrakali and closely associated with the Nepal Army.
Dedicated to
Bhadrakali (Lumadhi Ajima)
Period
Current temple commonly dated to 1817 CE
Hours
Dawn to dusk; busiest during Navratri and Dashain
Admission
Free
Neighborhood
Tundikhel / Sahid Gate
Bhadrakali Temple stands beside Tundikhel near Sahid Gate and Singha Durbar, giving it one of the most central civic settings of any goddess shrine in Kathmandu. The temple is dedicated to Bhadrakali, a form of Kali, and is also known locally as Shree Lumadhi Bhadrakali.
Modern references describe it as one of the well-known Shakti shrines of Kathmandu and the patron deity site of the Nepal Army. Its present temple structure is commonly dated to the early 19th century, with local tradition holding that the goddess directed priests to the buried image before the shrine was established on the site.
Unlike many Kathmandu Valley temples embedded in compact courtyards, Bhadrakali's significance is tied to the open ceremonial geography of Tundikhel and the state institutions around it. Navratri and Dashain are especially important here, and the temple remains a living intersection of royal-era goddess worship, army patronage, and public Kathmandu ritual culture.
Folio III
Nearby Sacred Sites
Places within a short walk that help turn this stop into a small sacred cluster.
Te Bahal (Rajakirti Mahavihar)
Kathmandu's largest open monastery courtyard, a Licchavi-era complex housing Buddhist shrines alongside Ganesh, Bhairav, and Matrika — a living museum of Valley syncretism.
Mahankal Temple
A fierce Bhairav shrine in a three-storey white temple on the western edge of Tundikhel, drawing large Saturday crowds seeking relief from hardship.
Pyukha Bahal (Dharma Dhatu Mahavihar)
A quiet branch monastery in Pyukha Tole off New Road — formally Shree Dharma Dhatu Mahavihar, also called Ashok Chaitya Vihar — built around a large central chaitya crowned with Swayambhu-style Buddha eyes. A Nepal Sambat 667 (c. 1547 CE) inscription records its founding.
Sabal Bahal (Mantrasiddhi Mahavihar)
One of Kathmandu's eighteen Acharya Guthi bahals, Mantrasiddhi Mahavihar is a Newar Buddhist courtyard monastery near Indra Chowk, a short walk from New Road.
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