Chabahil Attractions
Chabahil
The little community of Chabahil, between Kathmandu and Bodnath, grew up at the crossing of two important trade routes, one from India via Kathmandu to Tibet, the other from the south via Patan. The junction acquired additional significance with the building of a stupa. Chabahil is one of the dozen or so communities in the Valley to have a Kumari (living goddess).
Judging by the dates of some of the chaityas (votive stupas) and images, Chabahil's heyday was in the 6th/7th c., when it must have been among the foremost Buddhist centers of its day.
The stupa is said to have been founded by Ashoka's daughter Charumati who, according to the legend, saw an iron arrowhead transformed on this spot into a stone. The presence of so many ancient Buddhist sculptures certainly testifies to the importance of the shrine.
The little community of Chabahil, between Kathmandu and Bodnath, grew up at the crossing of two important trade routes, one from India via Kathmandu to Tibet, the other from the south via Patan. The junction acquired additional significance with the building of a stupa. Chabahil is one of the dozen or so communities in the Valley to have a Kumari (living goddess).
Judging by the dates of some of the chaityas (votive stupas) and images, Chabahil's heyday was in the 6th/7th c., when it must have been among the foremost Buddhist centers of its day.
The stupa is said to have been founded by Ashoka's daughter Charumati who, according to the legend, saw an iron arrowhead transformed on this spot into a stone. The presence of so many ancient Buddhist sculptures certainly testifies to the importance of the shrine.
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