Hindu temple of Shashwat Dham.

© fotoember/Getty Images/iStock

Shashwat Dham

Top choice in The Terai & Mahabharat Range


Burned out on ancient sites? Here's a contemporary take on the temple compound, and it's very impressive. The centrepiece is a Shiva temple that resembles an enormous sandcastle, with every square centimetre intricately carved. In the basement is a religious museum with an interesting visual summary of the top Hindu sites in Nepal, signed in English. A gift shop and a veggie restaurant round out this 5-hectare site. Located on the Mahendra Hwy 23km west of Narayangarh, and unmissable.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Terai & Mahabharat Range attractions

1. Crocodile Breeding Project

11.54 MILES

A few hundred metres past the park headquarters in Kasara is a crocodile breeding project, where you can see both gharials and marsh muggers up close. The…

2. Wildlife Display & Information Centre

19 MILES

Aimed more at school groups than tourists, this educational centre has displays on wildlife, including a rather macabre display of animals in formaldehyde…

4. Tharu Cultural Museum

20.11 MILES

For those with a serious interest in Tharu culture, there’s a tiny Tharu Cultural Museum in Harnari. It has displays of ornaments and a rakshi distillery…

5. Silkworm Farm

21.04 MILES

An offbeat choice, a visit to Silkworm Farm takes you through the fascinating process of how silk is produced. The farm comprises orchards of mulberry…

6. Thani Mai Temple Viewpoint

21.43 MILES

The main reason to climb up to Thani Mai is for the spectacular sunrise views from Gurungche Hill. A clear morning offers some of the most memorable 360…

7. Padma Library

21.58 MILES

There's a random collection of beaten-up books here, including a few English ones, but this small library is better known for its striking 18th-century…

8. Bindebasini Temple

21.6 MILES

At the northeast end of the bazaar (which is the main shopping strip) this ornate, two-tiered temple is dedicated to Durga. Its ancient walls are covered…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "nepal/the-terai-and-mahabharat-range/narayangarh-and-bharatpur/attractions/shashwat-dham/a/poi-sig/1586176/1327537",
      "destination": "The-Terai-&-Mahabharat-Range",
      "continent": "Asia",
      "country": "Nepal",
      "region": "The-Terai-&-Mahabharat-Range",
      "position": "superzone"
    }