Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

3031 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Early modern · Hindu · Nepal

Bhadrakali Temple, Kathmandu

Kathmandu, Bagmati · 27.6993°, 85.3168°

Bhadrakali, a form of KaliLicchavi image in an 1817 templePagoda
Sacred since
1817 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
1817; image ascribed to the Licchavi kings
Licchavi image in an 1817 temple

History & significance

One of the best known Shakta pithas of Nepal, standing beside Tundikhel opposite Singha Durbar and formerly called Mudule Thumpko. The temple dates to 1817 and its black stone image is credited to the Licchavi kings; Navaratri, Dashain and Paahacharey are its great festivals.

Sthala katha — the traditional account

What follows is the temple’s own traditional account, transmitted through liturgy and local memory. It is recorded here as tradition, not as attested history.

A farmer is said to have left his bread at the edge of the field he was ploughing here and found it turned to gold, whence the temple's other name, Lumadhi, golden bread.

Open in Google Maps ↗Wikipedia ↗View on the atlas map

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-28 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Licchavi image in an 1817 temple