Chobhar Village

Chobhar Village is an ancient hill village located about 8 kilometers outside of Kathmandu. The streets are rubble filled, with chickens pecking for seeds, dogs sleeping on front steps, laundry hung out to dry in front of windows and shingled roofs that have become dented after years of being exposed to the elements. Everywhere, bundles of corn are hung up to dry in the sun. But the old Newari settlement isn’t only well known for being a picturesque village with quiet streets and spectacular views over Kathmandu Valley, but also for the adjoining gorge, the only outlet for the Bagmati river and a cave, once an important meditation spot for monks and one of the longest caverns in Nepal.  Maybe the most curious attraction in Chobhar Village is the small Adinath Lokeshwar Temple dedicated to Adinath, a deity found in both Buddhism and Hinduism. The three-tiered wooden pagoda is believed to be very old, although a date can’t exactly be determined, as reliable records only started showing up in the 15th century. The temple is completely covered in hundreds upon hundreds of pots, pans, knives, forks and big soup ladles, which the inhabitants of the surrounding villages have hung up here. In fact, there are so many kitchen utensils studding every inch of the Adinath temple, that they have simply become part of the facade. The origin of this curiosity is still debated, some say that newlyweds hang them up wishing for luck in their new marriage, others claim it’s simply to please the gods and some tell a sadder story: that when a spouse dies, the partner left behind can’t bear seeing the utensils at home and brings them to the temple.
Please note that the Chobar Village suffered significant damages in the earthquakes and subsequent aftershocks in Nepal in late April and early May 2015. Authorities have said they will do all they can to restore historic and cultural sites in Nepal and are assessing the extent of damages.

Practical Info

To get to Chobhar Village you can either hire a taxi or rickshaw to take you all the way there, or get on a bus headed to Pharping or Dakshauli. The busses won’t go all the way, but they will be able to drop you off at the turnoff to Chobhar, from where it’s only a short walk up the hill.