Temple · Hindu
Shiva-Parvati Temple
शिव पार्वती मन्दिर
Shiva and Parvati·Late 18th century, built by Bahadur Shah·Kathmandu
An 18th-century temple famous for the carved wooden figures of Shiva and Parvati leaning out from the upper window, gazing at the life of Durbar Square below.
Dedicated to
Shiva and Parvati
Period
Late 18th century, built by Bahadur Shah
Hours
Exterior visible at all times; interior hours vary
Admission
Free
Neighborhood
Kathmandu Durbar Square (north side)
The Shiva-Parvati Temple (also called Navadega) is instantly recognisable by the painted wooden figures of Shiva and Parvati peering out from a first-floor window, looking down at the bustling square with expressions of gentle curiosity. These two figures — the divine couple watching the human world — are among the most iconic and beloved images in Kathmandu.
Built in the late 18th century by Bahadur Shah (son of Prithvi Narayan Shah, the unifier of Nepal), the temple sits on a high plinth on the northern side of the square, commanding views across the entire Durbar Square area.
The temple is a relatively simple rectangular structure compared to the ornate pagodas around it, but the Shiva-Parvati window figures give it an intimacy and charm that the grander temples lack. The figures are periodically repainted in bright colours, maintaining a folk-art quality.
The ground floor of the temple is sometimes used for exhibitions. The temple sits close to the Kal Bhairav statue and the entrance to the old palace, placing it at the spiritual and geographic centre of the square.
Folio III
Nearby Sacred Sites
Places within a short walk that help turn this stop into a small sacred cluster.
Swet Bhairav
A giant gilded head of White Bhairav hidden behind a lattice screen for most of the year, dramatically revealed only during the eight days of Indra Jatra.
Kal Bhairav
A massive 12th-century stone relief of the fearsome Bhairav — Shiva's terrifying aspect — standing six feet tall in the open court of Kathmandu Durbar Square.
Hanuman Statue (Hanuman Dhoka)
The standing stone figure of Hanuman draped in a red cloak at the entrance to the old royal palace — the image that gave Hanuman Dhoka its name.
Taleju Temple
The tallest temple in Kathmandu Durbar Square — a 36-metre triple-roofed pagoda dedicated to the tutelary goddess of the Malla kings, open to Hindus only on Dashain's ninth day.
Kumari Ghar
The ornate 18th-century residence of Kathmandu's Royal Kumari — a living prepubescent girl worshipped as the incarnation of goddess Taleju.
Coda
Continue the Pilgrimage
Part of
Kathmandu Durbar Square
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Elsewhere in this region
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