Bahal · Buddhist
Tukan Bahal
तुकं बहाल
Pancha Dhayani Buddhas - Achhyobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabh, Amoghsiddhi and Vairochana.·At least Lichhavi period·Kathmandu
An old Newar Buddhist courtyard monastery at Hyumat Tole in inner Kathmandu, built by tradition as a 14th-century replica of the Swayambhu stupa.
Dedicated to
Pancha Dhayani Buddhas - Achhyobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabh, Amoghsiddhi and Vairochana.
Period
At least Lichhavi period
Hours
24 hours
Admission
Free
Neighborhood
Hyumat Tole near Jaisideval, inner Kathmandu
Tukan Bahal is one of the old courtyard monasteries (bahal) of inner Kathmandu, tucked into Hyumat Tole — 'the ward of the revolving lamp' — near Jaisideval, in a quarter still lived in by the valley's indigenous Newars. Its everyday Newari name is usually read as 'the mustard-leaf monastery.'
The courtyard is built, in the Newar Buddhist manner, around a central chaitya. Tradition holds that it was raised in the fourteenth century as a scaled replica of the great Swayambhu stupa, so that the merit of that hilltop shrine could be gathered in the heart of the city. Its shrines honour the Pancha Dhyani (Five Wisdom) Buddhas — Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, Amoghasiddhi and Vairochana — who preside over the centre and the four directions.
Like the valley's other bahals it is a living monastery rather than a monument: a working residential and ritual courtyard whose importance is carried by its resident community rather than by any grand scale.
Best visited in autumn.autumn: best, 10°C to 27°C. Ideal weather for old Kathmandu walks. The bahal may host special pujas during festival season. monsoon: possible, 20°C to 30°C. Small courtyard accessible in light rain. A glimpse into daily Newari Buddhist community life. spring: good, 12°C to 30°C. Warm weather for exploring this Hyumat neighborhood bahal. Part of the living Newari Buddhist tradition. winter: good, 2°C to 20°C. Quiet and atmospheric. Morning sun in the courtyard offers a peaceful cultural moment.
The Almanac
Small courtyard accessible in light rain. A glimpse into daily Newari Buddhist community life.
Folio III
Nearby Sacred Sites
Places within a short walk that help turn this stop into a small sacred cluster.
Om Bahal (Brahmachakra Mahavihar)
One of the 18 principal mahavihars of Kathmandu, the 'Wheel of Creation Monastery' lends its name to the surrounding neighborhood.
Musum Bahal (Manisingha Mahavihar)
A unique 'double bahal' in old Kathmandu with inner and outer courtyards, each counted as separate mahavihars, and an active center of Vajrayana Buddhist learning.
Lagan Bahal (Kirtipunya Mahavihar)
One of the 18 principal mahavihars of Kathmandu in the historic Lagan Tole quarter, notable for its ancient Ranjana script stone inscriptions.
Kasthamandap
The legendary three-storey pavilion said to be built from a single sal tree — the structure that gave Kathmandu its name, now being rebuilt after the 2015 earthquake.
Singha Sattal
A beautifully carved Newari rest house near Kasthamandap, guarded by stone lions — one of the finest surviving sattal (pilgrim shelters) in the Kathmandu Valley.
Coda
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