Sankhu and the Vajrayogini temple

North-east of Sanothimi, at the head of the Manohara valley, lies Sankhu — an old Newar town that was once an important stop on the trade route from the Kathmandu Valley to Tibet. Above it, in a forest of old trees on Manichuda hill, stands one of the valley's most sacred tantric shrines: the temple of Vajrayogini.

Legend and history

According to legend, the goddess Vajrayogini drained a lake from this valley with her curved knife and instructed King Sankhadeva to build a town in the shape of a conch shell — sankha — which gave Sankhu its name. Long before the present temple, a Buddhist monastery called Gum Vihara stood on the hill, and tradition says it played a role in carrying Buddhism to Tibet.

The temple

The main temple, associated with King Pratap Malla of Kathmandu in the 17th century, is a three-roofed pagoda with gilded roofs and richly decorated doors. Vajrayogini is revered by both Buddhists, as a female deity of Vajrayana practice, and Hindus, as a form of Ugratara. Around the temple are smaller shrines, a stupa, rest houses and meditation caves in the rock.

Sankhu town

The town below has narrow brick lanes, old gateways and small squares. The 2015 earthquake hit Sankhu extremely hard, destroying a large share of its traditional houses. Many families have since rebuilt; walking through today you can see both new buildings and restored traditional ones.

Festivals

The eight-day Vajrayogini Jatra in spring carries the goddess's image through Sankhu in a palanquin. In the month of Magh, many people come for the Madhav Narayan fast and the Swasthani recitations along the Salinadi river.

Getting there

Buses run to Sankhu from Kathmandu (Ratnapark) and via Jorpati. From Sanothimi, a taxi takes around 45 minutes. The climb from the town to the temple takes about 20–30 minutes up a stone stairway through the forest.