Namobudha stands as one of the venerable and ancient Buddhist sites, rivaled in sacredness only by Kathmandu’s Swayambhu and Boudha. Nestled in Nepal’s Kavrepalanchok District, about 50 km east of Kathmandu via the Banepa-Panauti route, this site is steeped in religious significance. Surrounded by tranquil environs and verdant hills, Namobudha is gaining prominence as a pivotal Buddhist pilgrimage destination. Additionally, it is increasingly drawing attention as a favored spot for tourists, both domestic and international, year after year.
Among the rare events that have happened in the world, a prince sitting in the comfort of his palace gave self-sacrificed (benevolent compassion) to a starving wild animal, a tigress and her cubes. Prince Mahasattva, the youngest son of King Maharatha of Panchal (Panauti), has become one of its protagonists. Nepali Greatest Poet Lakshmi Prasad Devkota may have expressed his sentiments by delving into the lives of two princes, Mahasattva and Siddhartha Gautama.
All are searching for happiness; where is that happiness!
Prominent Poet Mr. Laxmi Prasad Devkota
Give yourself to others where it belongs!!

According to Jataka legend, in ancient times (about 6,000 years ago, during the Treta era?), King Maharatha established his capital in Panchal (Panauti) on the east side of present Kathmandu with a population of about 5,000. On the day of Kartik (October) full moon, the king, queen, and three princes, Mahadev, Mahaprasad, and Mahasattva accompanied by the court’s hunting party, went out for hunting in Hiranyagiri Gandhamadan mountain (currently Kusume community forest). One morning, three princes went together to hunt. As they were returning to the royal hunting camp in the evening after their hunt, they saw a thin and weak tigress and five newborn cubs at the foot of a tree in the forest, on the brink of death. The princes decided they would not hunt the weak tigress and her cubs, and quietly went back to the camp (residence).
However, among them, Mahasattva, the youngest prince, felt compassion for those innocent creatures. Unfortunately, he could not express his feelings in front of his brothers. The younger prince went back to the tiger’s cave under the pretense of going to the toilet, while the two brothers went to the camp. Prince Mahasattva set aside his weapons, removed his clothes, and prostrated himself in front of tigress. The tigress did not harm the prince, either out of weakness or fear. Mahasattva offered his own body to the weakened hunger of the tigress and her five newborn cubs by cutting himself with a weapon, feeding them his blood and flesh, ‘donating’ his life to sustain the lives of these hungry creatures, and thus attained enlightenment as a Bodhisattva.

The royal families sat anxiously in the camp all night, awaiting the return of Prince Mahasattva. However, Prince Mahasattva did not return. The next morning, the members of the royal family ventured into the forest to search for the prince. A team found blood spots and human bones at the top of the dense forest. The king was informed of the findings. Everyone, including the king, gathered at the site where the bloodshed and bones were found. It was not difficult to deduce his death from the clothes, weapons, and ornaments found at the base of the tree. The courtiers, including Prince Mahasattva’s brothers, concluded that a hungry tigress and cubs had consumed the prince. However, the court astrologers asserted that the prince was no ordinary person; he had sacrificed himself to ‘save someone’s life’ and had attained the state of a Bodhisattva
According to the advice of courtiers, priests, and astrologers, the remaining body of the prince, along with his clothes, weapons, and ornaments, was brought to the camp where queen Satyavati was staying. The prince’s jewels, weapons, and other funeral items were also taken from the palace. Near the campsite, a pit was dug properly, and the prince’s remaining remains, along with his weapons, jewelry, and clothes, were placed there. After the prince’s funeral, preparations were made to return to the palace, but the queen chose not to do so. With the queen’s decision to stay, both princes Mahadev and Mahaprasad remained with her. The king returned to the palace with the other troops, leaving some guards to take care of the queen and the princes. They stayed at the funeral site for a few months before the queen and the princes finally returned to the palace.
After the death of her youngest son, the distraught queen could not stay in the palace. Witnessing her grief, the king abdicated the throne to Prince Mahadev, and the royal couple took retired life. Overwhelmed by memories of the prince, the parents went at their son attained enlightenment and reached the Kankamani (Sankheshwari River) Holy place at the edge of the forest. There, they meditated and renounced worldly life. In their memory, an open temple of the Shankheswari (Kirat regime style) has been established.
According to the Swayambhu Purana, about 3500 years after Prince Mahasattva enlightened with Bodhisattva, Siddhartha Gautama Buddha visited Kathmandu during the reign of the seventh Kirati king, Jitedasti. During this visit, he traveled to the Hiranyagiri Gandhamadan Hill via Thimi, Bhaktapur, Nala, Panauti, Ite, and Shankheswari. There, he sat near the mausoleum where Prince Mahasattva was buried and meditated for a month. After his meditation, he circumambulated the mausoleum three times and humbly proclaimed, “न:म बुद्ध
(Nama Buddha).” It is believed that from that day onwards, the tomb’s name was changed to “न:म बुद्ध”. The Newars of Kathmandu, Rosi Valley, and surrounding areas refer to this place as Nama (Namo) Buddha Namra/Namura Dhyo and simply as Namra/Namura. Recently, nearly everyone has adopted Namo Buddha and the municipality has been named with Namo Buddha Municipality.


According to Kimbdanti (myth), a small chaitya was built on top of the Samadhi (mound) during the Kirat period to honor the great soul after the visit of Gautama Buddha. King Mandev I of the Lichchhavi period, being a follower of Buddhism, had made a stone idol of Princes Mahadev and Mahaprasad placed on the lap of Queen Satyavati. He commissioned the construction of a temple and installed the idol within. Additionally, small chaityas (Chiva Dyo) were built in each of the four corners of the main chaitya. Bajracharya were arranged for the priest and established a Guthi for regular puja ceremonies. Similarly, the temple priests, belonging to the Bajrayani tradition, must have had a close association with the Buddha Stupa, considering that Guru Padmasambhava, who meditated in Timal in the 8th century, was also interdependent associated with it.

The chaitya rebuilt by merchant of Asan Tole, Kathmandu in 1974 AD stands out from other chaityas due to its inclusion of bells and gajurs (cap), similar to other Hindu temples. This chaitya is known as the Nama Buddha mother’s temple. Additionally, merchant built monasteries (gumba), dharmashala (almshouses), and drinking water facilities. At the entrance (forehead of door) of the Chaitya stands a small statue depicting a man holding two women in his arms, symbolizing Bodhisattva Maha Manju Sri and his attendants Barda and Mokshada from Mount Utai in Shanxi Province, China (Some people said this idol is Basundhara). It indicate they also visited homage to Nama Buddha on the way to evaporating the water of Kalidaha (Kathmandu Valley). An idol of Lokeswor is also established. Nearby, a Buddhist monastery has been constructed adjacent to the Chaitya. According to the local lamas here says, Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava who had meditation in Timal, reached Tibet in the 8th century and established Vajrayana Buddhism in Lhasa. Myth says one of the three thunderbolts he obtained while performing penance, he offered to the Nama Buddha. About four hundred years ago, Himetanjen Dharke, Top Ten Syakiya, and Sri—three incarnated lamas—sat meditating at the place where Prince Mahasattva attained Bodhisattva. Later, these incarnated lamas drew a picture of a tiger cutting its body and eating it on a small slate-like stone at the place where it was offered, and now it has been covered with a large picture. Around the chaitya (temple) of the Nama Buddha’s mother, where he was buried, those three incarnated lamas built additional five stupas and expanded the area of the Buddha temple. Their descendants say that more than 400 families have come together to form Namobuddha Ghyangguthi, and the culture of Namo Buddha has been preserved.
The maintenance and reconstruction work of the almshouses has been carried out by Buddhist pilgrims from Kathmandu, especially the Manandhar community. In monasteries and almshouses, colorful paintings depicting the life of Bodhisattvas were drawn since the time of Nama Buddha’s royal life. Considering the flow of pilgrims, three artistic stone carvings and sculptures were restored. Due to lack of protection and modern development, properties built by ancestors have been encroached.
According to the belief Prince Mahasattva imparted on wednesday, special pujas are performed on Wednesdays in addition to the daily routine pujas. Furthermore, on every full moon day that falls on a Wednesday, a special puja is conducted. Annually, a grand fair takes place on Kartik Purnima night, which commemorates the occasion when Lord Buddha departed from his physical body. In addition to this, there is a festival held annually on a specific day of the year. On such special days, Buddhist pilgrims from the world and followers of other religions commemorate the memory of their deceased family members, relatives, and friends by praying for the peace of their departed souls and lighting candles in front of the Nama Buddha.
Every year, three days before Father’s Day, sculptures made for the festival of Nama Buddha are brought from Dyochhe (Shankheswori warehouse) and temporarily stored in Panauti Dyochhen, known as the palace of King Maharatha (Prince Mahasattva’s birthplace), and displayed outside in Taha Falcha (Long Inn) near Davali (public square) the day before the festival for public worship. The following day, a circumambulation ceremony is performed in Panauti city, after which the sculptures are returned to Nama Buddha Dyochhe at Shankheswori.
The Malla dynasty were followers of traditional customs and culture. They established a week-long Nama Buddha festival every twelve years in Kathmandu to educate and raise awareness among people about the importance of Abhayadan (benevolent compassion), helping animals, showing sympathy, and the significance of life for those who could not visit the Nama Buddha temple at Hiranya Gandhaman Hill. For this purpose they built a Nama Buddha Guthichhen and an inn at the bank of the Eichchumati (Tukucha) river between Maitighar and Bhadrakali. The Jatra (carnival) statue of Nama Buddha is decorated every twelve years on the full moon of January for one week for public worshiping. Additionally, at Nama Buddha Guthichhen and in Pati, fairs featuring Buddhas from other places were also held in. The aforementioned Nama Buddha Guthichhe (inn) and Dyochhen are situated nearby the Nepali army headquarters. During the armed conflict, the road was closed from Bhadrakali to Maitighar for the purpose of securing the military headquarters. The twelve-year fair of the year 2070 was held within the Bhadrakali temple premises. Just as excellent works like Abhaydan contribute to world peace, it would be appropriate for the nation to prioritize establishing this place.
In the Tunghang Valley, Gansu Province, China, near Mongolia and at the starting point of the Silk Road, lies the Mogao Caves, also known as the Thousand Buddha Grottoes, the largest Buddhist repository in the world. It is said that the endeavor to fill these caves with Buddhist art began in 366 AD under the patronage of the Wei Dynasty, and completed in the 13th century, during the reign of Emperor Kublai Khan of the Yuan Dynasty. Interestingly, during the reign of Emperor Kublai Khan around 1274, a team of Nepali artisans led by Araniko arrived in Mongolia, and the thousand Cave was completed. Even more intriguingly, in Cave Number 245 among the thousand caves, alongside the Nama Buddha Temple (Chaitya), there is a cave wall painting depicting a royal hunting scene around the Chaitya and the life events of Prince Mahasattva as he attained Bodhisattva status. Araniko possibly depicted scenes from his homeland with Na.Ma Buddha Chaitya and paintings. Similar ancient thankas have also been found in monasteries in Russia and India.
Since ancient times, Buddhist pilgrims from Tibet, China, Mongolia, Taiwan, and various other places have come to offer peace lamps and prayers flags (Lung ta – Wind Horse) to their ancestral lords, seeking peace for the souls of their family and friends. They call Prince Mahasattva as Semchen Chempo and Nam Buddha as Takmo Lujin in Tibetan language. Especially Tibetans come every year according to their capacities. In Tibetan interpretation, “Takmo Lujin” means surrendering self-body to a tigress. After Nepal’s transition to democracy in 2007 BS (Bikram Sambat), the country opened its doors internationally, resulting in pilgrims arriving from various parts of the world, particularly from India and other South Asian countries such as Malaysia, Japan, and Cambodia etc. Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims who understand the significance of the Nama Buddha’s Samadhi (mausoleum), where the prince Mahasattva’s Avayadan attained enlightenment as a Bodhisattva, paying homage to the place where Siddhartha Gautama Buddha meditated, have been instrumental in the development of this area. Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery began construction in 1978 AD and was completed and inaugurated in 2008. Similarly, the development of Phulbari Resort, Namo Buddha Resort, and local hospitality services has enhanced the appeal to foreign travelers, attracting visitors not only from Asia but also from Europe, America, and Africa. In remembrance of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha meditating at the Nama Buddha’s tomb, a metal idol of Gautama Buddha was gifted to the locals by the family of Sri Tara Shakya, residents of Lalitpur, on Buddha Purnima day in 2045. Unfortunately, the statue was stolen. Undeterred, the family provided another idol in 2049. A temple has since been erected removing the idol of Bajra Dhatu in front of Nama Buddha temple to house the statue of Lord Buddha, casting its shadow over the Nama Buddha temple. According to history, Gautama Buddha meditated while seated face to face to the Nama Buddha’s Samadhi, accompanied by his charioteers. However, the newly constructed temple, which overshadows the Nama Buddha Temple and the idol also placed incorrectly. The statue’s back facing the stupa suggests a diminished reverence for the Nama Buddha’s glory.If the statue of Gautama Buddha and his charioteers could be installed in a meditative posture, it would provide justification and imbue historical significance. From the perspective of Buddhist culture, it would be appropriate to made statues of Gautama Buddha and his charioteers and place them face to face to Namo Buddha Chaitya in a respectful manner. Good news! The local government has removed the temple that housed Siddhartha Gautam, restoring the original site in 2023 AD. However, the idol of Bajra Dhatu still needs to be installed.
In the national survey of 2031 BS, a small part of the land at the Chaitya complex of Nama Buddha Guthi was transferred to an individual’s name, and some parts of the forest were similarly transferred. Following the referendum of 2036 BS and the political changes of 2046 BS, in an institutional effort to cater to devotees and pilgrims, structures have been built using modern materials, without due consideration for the importance of preserving the heritage of Nama Buddha. Namo Budh Municipality has been making repeated efforts to enter in the World Heritage List. It could progress by integrating the minimum infrastructure required for World Heritage and managing Nama Buddha Guthi (land, etc.), the budget expenditure would be meaningful and would add more value to the journey towards World Heritage status. The birthplace of Prince Mahasattva, Panauti, and the place where attained Bodhisattva enlightenment at Hiranya Gandhaman Hill are both located approximately ten kilometers distance. These mythological sites boast beautiful natural landscapes and historical settlements such as Itey, Sankhu, Patichour, and Shankheswari, all within a favorable climate.
Tourists from all over the world may find interest in witnessing the pinnacle of medical science through organ transplantation and the heartwarming story of a human, who lived six thousand years ago in happiness, saving an animal and its newborn babies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh5mOvfwqvQ (Namo Buddha Stupa). If this area can be developed in the concept of a "sanctuary" for nature lovers, a peaceful environment, before settling in a pollution-free area, both the pilgrims, tourists and service providers would benefit. If the federal to the local government including local communities are positively involved in the restoration, promotion, preservation and protection of the ancestral culture, traditions and structures, the glory of the Nama Buddha and Bodhisattva will spread, it will be comfortably listed in the world heritage site and it will become a major religious destination for Buddhist pilgrims as well as philosophers.

About the Author
Biswo Ulak Khopasi, Kave District,
Nepal GCPW.Nepal@gmail.com
Cell No: +977 9841456477