Dakshinkali Temple
दक्षिणकाली मन्दिर
One of the most important Kali temples in Nepal, set in a forested gorge south of the valley, famed for its Tuesday and Saturday animal-sacrifice rituals.
Deity
Goddess Kali
Location
Kathmandu
Bagmati
Tradition
Hindu
Main festival
Dashain
Dakshinkali honours the fierce goddess Kali at the confluence of two streams near Pharping. Devotees offer animal sacrifices — especially uncastrated male goats and roosters — on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and in great numbers during Dashain.
The forested setting and nearby Pharping monasteries (a major Tibetan-Buddhist pilgrimage centre with the Asura and Yanglesho caves of Guru Rinpoche) make the area sacred to both faiths.
Highlights
Major Kali shrine with Tuesday/Saturday sacrifices
Intense Dashain pilgrimage
Forested gorge setting south of the valley
Nearby Pharping Buddhist caves and monasteries
How to reach
About 22 km south of Kathmandu via Pharping; taxi or local bus.
Best time to visit
Tuesdays and Saturdays; peak during Dashain (Sep–Oct).
Dakshinkali Temple, answered
Which deity is worshipped at Dakshinkali Temple?+
Dakshinkali Temple is dedicated to Goddess Kali (a Hindu site) in Pharping, southern Kathmandu Valley, Kathmandu, Bagmati Province.
How do I reach Dakshinkali Temple?+
About 22 km south of Kathmandu via Pharping; taxi or local bus.
What is the best time to visit Dakshinkali Temple?+
Tuesdays and Saturdays; peak during Dashain (Sep–Oct).
What is the main festival at Dakshinkali Temple?+
The main festival at Dakshinkali Temple is Dashain.
Other temples & pilgrimage sites
Sources & data note
Temple histories, deities and festival associations are drawn from the Nepal Tourism Board, temple trusts and the Department of Archaeology. Altitudes and coordinates are approximate. Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and shift each year. Several sites (Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Lumbini) are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List — see the heritage section for the formal listing.