Sightseeing · Nepal
Dakshinkali Temple
A forest shrine to the fierce goddess Kali below Pharping, famed for Tuesday and Saturday sacrifices.
Dakshinkali is one of the Kathmandu Valley's most important goddess shrines, dedicated to Kali, the fierce, dark form of the Hindu mother goddess. It sits in a forested gorge at the southern rim of the valley, just below the temple town of Pharping, where two small streams meet — an auspicious confluence in Hindu tradition. The temple is best known for the animal sacrifices offered to Kali on Tuesdays and Saturdays, making it both a powerful place of devotion and a confronting one for unprepared visitors.
The shrine
The temple itself is open-air and relatively modest in scale: a stone-paved enclosure sheltering the goddess's image, set beneath a canopy and surrounded by forest. What gives Dakshinkali its intensity is the worship rather than the architecture. Devotees descend the steps with goats and roosters to offer to the goddess in hope of her blessings, and the priests carry out the rites at the inner shrine. The setting — water, dark trees and steep slopes — adds to the charged, slightly otherworldly atmosphere that draws pilgrims from across Nepal.
Sacrifice and festival days
Kali is honoured above all on Tuesdays and Saturdays, when the crowds and offerings are heaviest, and the temple reaches its peak during the autumn Dashain festival, the great celebration of the goddess across Nepal. To understand the tradition behind these rites, see the overview of Hinduism in Nepal. Travellers who would rather not witness the sacrifices should plan their visit for a quieter weekday, when the site is calm and the forest walk around it can be enjoyed in peace.
Getting there and combining with Pharping
Dakshinkali lies about an hour by taxi from central Kathmandu, at the end of the road that runs south past Chobhar and the Bagmati gorge. The hilltop town of Pharping just above it is a renowned Buddhist pilgrimage centre, with monasteries and meditation caves, so the goddess shrine and the Buddhist sites pair naturally in one trip — a small example of the shared sacred geography seen across the valley. The same blend of Hindu and Buddhist worship marks the Vajrayogini temple above Sankhu on the valley's eastern edge.
How it fits the temple circuit
Dakshinkali is one of the goddess shrines that, alongside the great Shiva and Vishnu temples, make up the famous Hindu temples of Nepal. Pilgrims often pair it over a few days with Pashupatinath, Nepal's holiest Shiva temple, and the Vishnu shrine of Budhanilkantha's Sleeping Vishnu to the north. For practical planning across these sites, the guide to getting around Nepal covers taxis and local transport.
Tips
- Choose your day: Visit on a weekday if you want a calm forest temple; go Tuesday or Saturday only if you are prepared for the sacrifices.
- Dress modestly and remove shoes where asked at the inner shrine.
- Go early to beat both the heat and the worshipper crowds on busy days.
- Combine it with Pharping's monasteries for a half-day in the southern valley.
Featured in
More sights & attractions in Nepal
Frequently asked questions
What is Dakshinkali Temple?+
Dakshinkali is a major Hindu shrine south of Kathmandu dedicated to Kali, the fierce form of the mother goddess. The open-air temple sits at the meeting of two streams in a wooded gorge below Pharping, and is one of the Kathmandu Valley's most important goddess sites.
Why is Dakshinkali known for animal sacrifice?+
Devotees offer animals — usually uncastrated male goats and roosters — to Kali in hope of the goddess's blessings, especially on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the days sacred to her. Sacrifices peak during the autumn Dashain festival. Visitors who prefer not to see them should avoid those days.
Where is Dakshinkali and how do I get there?+
Dakshinkali lies at the southern edge of the Kathmandu Valley, roughly an hour by taxi from central Kathmandu, just below the temple town of Pharping. The road continues past Chobhar and the Bagmati gorge, so the trip can be combined with other southern-valley sites.
Can non-Hindus visit Dakshinkali?+
Yes, visitors of all faiths can walk the temple grounds and the surrounding forest. Only Hindus take part in the worship at the inner shrine. Dress modestly, and be aware that the sacrifices can be confronting for some travellers.
