Sightseeing tours of Buddhist Power Places of Kathmandu Valley

Day 01 :

Full Day (7 to 8 hours) Sightseeing tour of Kathmandu Durbar Square, and other power places, which include;

• Tudikhel Mahakala: In Tudikhel there is a particularly sacred, naturally formed stone image of Mahakala. • Maru Satal: This temple was constructed out of a singletree trunk. Inside is an image in the likeness of Gu2a22aru Gorakhnath, and four images of Ganapati. This is the place where Master Padmasamvaba is said to have meditated and hid precious religious books (). • Palace of Goddess Kumari: The 's Palace or Kumari Bahal: To the north of the Hanuman Dhoka palace resides a virgin young girl who is a living Dakini. • Kala Bhairab: Kala Bhairab is located in front of Hanuman Dhoka. Behind this image within a lattice screen of red wood which is part of the palace wall, {and which is built upon} a long straight stone, is a likeness of Mahakala's face fashioned by the hand of the Lord . • Jana Bahal : White Machendranath (The white Lord of Jambudvipa): Jana Bahal: this image of Avalokitesvara, the lord of compassion, arose from Buddha fields and is blessed with the power of speech. It is also referred to as white Machindharanath • The Itum Bahal Talking : This temple is located in Itum Bahal. She is said to have flown there from Tibet and is called the Talking Tara. • The Makhantole Stone Arrow: In the middle of the town of Kathmandu there is a stone arrow thrown from the top of the Vindhya Mountain by Lord Buddha that has remained there until this day. • Santipur: In this temple Manjughosa's emanation, the of Nepal, met 's emanation, the Acarya Santikar, who had obtained the Body of Immortality. • Manjusri Hill: The relics of Manjughosa and his two consorts, are enshrined in a magnificent stupa here. • Bipaswi’s Stupa Observe where the Bipaswi, the first among the Seven Buddhas, had his throne - today a stupa has been erected. In the new monastery in front of this stupa you can see an image of Munindra, the principal image. • Kasyapa’s Stupa The reliquary-stupa of the Perfected Buddha Kasyapa near Sarasvasti Sthan. • Bijeswori On the banks of the river (Bisnumati) just below Swayambhu is the shrine of a group of four Yoginis who spontaneously arose from . Kimdole Vihar: Ancient Monastery • Drive to Thamel Bahal, Vikramasila . The in One Hundred Thousand Slokas lies in Thamel Bahala. This sacred manuscript written in gold is said to have been brought by Arya from the Naga Realm.

Overnight at Schechen Guest House.

Day 02:

• AM: Sightseeing tour Sankhu . Observe the extraordinary, sublime image of Vajrayogini and an eternal flame which gives extraordinarily powerful blessing. The nearby Sankhu caves are considered a blessed place of the Eighty-four Siddhas. Lunch in fine restaurant at Boudhanath. • PM: Half Day Sightseeing tour of Bouddhanath Stupa and Pashupatinath Temple.

Budhanath Stupa: The word stupa refers to mound, a monument. Chaitayas refer to any sacred shrine, temple, sacred object, symbol or place. have been familiar in India since pre- Buddhist times. They were used as funerary mounds for the burial of important persons. Bodhanath is the largest, its diameter is three hundred feet, and its height around 100 feet from ground The Tibetans call the Boudhnath Stupa simply Chorten, The Stupa, or Chorten Chempo, the Great Stupa.

Chabahil Stupa: This stupa was constructed from the gloriously consecrated earth and stone remnants of the Boudha Stupa. The Newar tradition asserts that the Mauryan Emperor Asoka’s daughter, Carumati, who stayed behind to marry a local prince Devapala when Asoka visited the Valley in the 3rd century B.C, built it. Today the Stupa is known as Bhagawan Than. To the west of the stupa is the Carumati Vihara of which Dipankara Buddha is the kwapa-deo(main deity).

Pashupatinath: One of the Twenty Four Great Power Places of the northern spoke of the Wheel of Buddha’s Body (sKu'i dkyil-`khor) called Grihadebata (Grhadeva), or, as it is more widely known from the Sri Hevajra-maharajatantra, Naipala. The Pasupatiswara lingam, which is raised as a symbol for worship of Lord , is protector of Nepal. It is Nepal’s greatest Hindu Temple and a World Heritage site.

Arya Ghat: At this spot, Manjushree cut a third gorge. Later it became known as and 's Cave. Two hundred yards up river from Pasupatinath, on Surje Ghat (Surya Ghat) is the two siddhas' caves, amongst others, carved out of the rock.

Overnight at Shechen Guest House.

Day 03:

Full day Sightseeing tour of Dhakini Kali, Pharping, Taudaha, cave, Chobar gorge and Adhinath

• Chobar gorge : Considered to be the gorge cut by Manjushree. On the west side of the gorge are several meditation caves. An enclosed overhang forms a kuti where Gorakhnath himself is reputed

to have mediated. Bharo Bajracharya and Rawa Lotsawa also are said to have meditated in one of these caves. This is the meditation cave of deity Ymantaka.

• Dhaksinkali: Kamdhateswori.

• Pharping Bajra Jogini Pham:thing rDo-rje rNal-`byor-ma: Pharping Bajra Jogini: this image of Vajra Yogini is the embodiment of pure awareness (, Ye-shes), and is considered to be a speaking Yogini. She is an image of the heart-vision of Pham-thing-pa and others. Tsoknyi said in one of his teachings, that for practitioner Pharping is as holy as Bodhgaya.

• Asura Cave Asura-yi- brag-phug: Gorshanatha Gupha (Gorakhnath's Cave): is considered to be the meditation cave of Yanglesho, Do-rje Phur-ba (Vajrakilay) destroyed obstacles and obstructing spirits . Guru is said to have gained - there. This place possesses the blessings of supreme Buddha speech.

• Lake Taudah: When Kathmandu Valley, then a big lake, was drained, the remaining water settled in this lake. Pal-rgyal (King Pala) set out for the Naga realm from here. Lake Taudaha (Great Lake) is the residence of the Nagaraj Karkotaka. It is one mile south of the Chobar gorge on a broad terrace above the river level. The local belief is that the wealth of Karkotaka and his Nagas lies concealed within the lake, which is of great depth.

• Adhinath Lokeshwor: On the top of the Chovar is the Adhinath Lokeshwor temple, one of 4 Lokeswors of Kathmandu.

Overnight at Shechen Guest House.

Day 04:

Full Day sightseeing tour of Bhaktapur & Changunarayan.

• ChanguNarayan: The famous temple of Harihara vahana Lokeswora, located south of Bhaktapur city is existing oldest temple of Nepal. The is generally believed to have grown out of Arya Nagarjuna's rosary. It is highly praised for the relief of Naga-related diseases.

• Bhaktapur Dipankara:Bhaktapur Talking Tara. The talking Tara had told the King of Bhaktapur to invite the venerable to the city.

Overnight at Shechen Guest House.

Day 05:

Full Day sightseeing tour of Namobuddha and Chandeswori, Nala/Banepa:

• AM: Drive to Namo Buddha: This is the spot where Buddha in his previous life offered his flesh to a dying Tigress and her cubs.

• PM: Sightseeing tour Chandeswori or Candika - a form of Durga or Gauri, the Consort of Lord Siva; she is one of the astamatrka and the navadurga who destroyed her demonic offspring, the , and particularly the buffalo demon, Mahisasura. As the slayer of the buffalo demon she is called Mahisasuramardini. This temple is located a mile north east of Banepa

Nala Karunamaya is one of the four Lokeshwors on the way back to Kathmandu.

Overnight at Schechen Guest House.

Day 06:

Full Day sightseeing tour to Patan city and Bungmati.

• Guided tour of Patan Durbar Suare and Mahaboudha Patan - Known as the thousand Buddhas of Patan, Mahabuddha is an attractive stupa made of stone and mud. • Golden Temple of Patan The Vihara of Sakyamuni Buddha is known as Hiranyavarna Mahavihara or Golden temple. Minnath and Macchendranath of Patan • PM: Bungmati is a famous Newari village known for the famous temple of red Macchendranath. Padmapani lokeswor, the image of the Macchendranath resides for 6 months at this temple.

Overnight at Schechen Guest House.

Day 07:

• Drive to Nargarjuna Hill: Located north-west of Kathmandu, it takes 15 minutes by car than 2 and half hours walk up to the Nagarjuna hill, which is also called Jamacho Peak (6,300 ft.) The mountain is called Nagarjuna hill because Nagarjuna's cave-residence is found there, where he is said to have meditated. Besides Nagarjuna cave there are some other caves and Stupas in this area. On the way back visit Maipi Ajima - which is power place of Yogambar deity.

Overnight at Schechen Guest House.

Day 08:

• Visit Bagdwar - the source of the Bagmati River. It is whole day program including short walking of approximately 2 and half hours. Carry Pack lunch. Visit Mani cuda where Buddha in his previous life is said to have given his crest jewel away to benefit others Visit Budhanilkantha

Overnight at Schechen Guest House, Boudha.

Our Quotation for December 2014/January 2015: 2 pax: USD 655 Per Person on double room occupency basis. 3-5pax: USD 595 Per Person on double room occupency basis. 6-9pax: USD 535 Per Person on double room occupency basis. 10-15pax: USD 475 Per Person on double room occupency basis. 16+pax: USD 410 Per Person on double room occupency basis.

Single Supplement:: USD 50 Per Person EXTRA, if single room required.

Package cost includes:

• All Transportation in a private vehicle for the sightseeing tours as per the itinerary. • 8 Nights accommodation at Shechen Guest House on BB basis • All sightseeing tour of Buddhist power places as specified in the program from Day 01 to Day 08. • All entrance fees in the sightseeing spots • Pack Lunch on Day 08 during visit to Bagdwar

EXTRA are: • Any costs incurred due to reasons beyond our control, • Any other arrangements except mentioned above, • Luch and Dinner except on Day 08 where we have included Lunch Packet. • All personal effects, such as bar bills, laundry, tips, telephone etc..