Kindo Bahal

Kindo Bahal, located at the southern foot of Swayambhunath hill, holds a unique place in Nepal's modern religious history. Founded in 1687 CE (Nepal Sambat 807), the monastery became the unlikely epicenter of the Theravada Buddhist revival movement that transformed Nepali Buddhism in the 20th century.

In the 1920s-1940s, when Nepal's Rana rulers actively suppressed religious reform movements, Kindo Bahal became a hub for pioneering Theravada monks including Dhammalok Mahasthavir, Pragyananda Mahasthavir, Kumar Kashyap Mahasthavir, and the nun Dharmachari Guruma. In 1926, five monks were exiled from Nepal for their preaching activities, and in 1944 the prime minister ordered monks to stop teaching — yet the movement persisted and ultimately succeeded.

This history of peaceful resistance gives Kindo Bahal a significance that transcends its modest physical presence. While most Valley bahals preserve the ancient Vajrayana Newar tradition, Kindo Bahal represents the moment when Nepali Buddhism began engaging with the broader Theravada world.

The monastery's location near Swayambhunath provides a natural pairing for visitors — after climbing the stupa hill, a short walk downhill leads to this historically important site where a quiet revolution in Nepali Buddhism began.