Kasthamandap
Public shelter in Nepal
title: "Kasthamandap" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["hindu-temples-in-kathmandu-district", "dharmshalas", "7th-century-establishments-in-nepal", "newa-architecture"] description: "Public shelter in Nepal" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasthamandap" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Public shelter in Nepal ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox Hindu temple"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Kasthamandap |
| image | Kasthamandap Kathmandu (2023).jpg |
| caption | Front view of Kasthamandap, 2023 |
| map_type | Kathmandu |
| coordinates | |
| country | Nepal |
| state | Bagmati |
| district | Kathmandu |
| location | Kathmandu |
| architecture | Pagoda |
| :: |
| name = Kasthamandap | image = Kasthamandap Kathmandu (2023).jpg | alt = | caption = Front view of Kasthamandap, 2023 | map_type = Kathmandu | map_caption = | coordinates = | other_names = | native_name = | country = Nepal | state = Bagmati | district = Kathmandu | location = Kathmandu | elevation_m = | deity = | festivals= | architecture = Pagoda | temple_quantity = | monument_quantity= | inscriptions = | year_completed = | creator = | website = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Kasthamandap_–Kathmandu-_01.jpg" caption="[[Gorakshanath]] shrine inside the Kasthamandap"] ::
Kasthamandap (Sanskrit: काष्ठमण्डप, Nepal Bhasa:मरु सत: Maru Satta:; literally "Wood-Covered Shelter") is a reconstructed three-storied public shelter which was built by Lila Vajra. There is also a shrine consecrated to Gorakshanath situated at Maru, Kathmandu, Nepal. Several myths and stories about the date of the construction of the Kasthamandap have been resolved with the recent archeological findings: newly discovered objects during the excavation in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake have suggested that the older Kasthamandap may have been built in the 7th century during the Lichhavi era.
2015 Nepal earthquake and subsequent excavations
A team of international and national experts from the Department of Archaeology (DoA), Government of Nepal and Durham University had excavated beneath the Kasthamandap and found coal and sand in the foundations. The foundation soil, coal, and sand were taken to the University of Stirling, Scotland for carbon and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) tests. Nearly seven months of lab tests showed that the Kasthamandap was built in the 7th century, said Ram Kunwar, spokesperson at the Department of Archeology (DoA).
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Basantapur_Temple,_Kathmandu_13.jpg" caption="Kasthamandap premises after earthquake in April 2015"] ::
On 25 April 2015, Kasthamandap along with many others on the Kathmandu Durbar Square, was damaged and collapsed by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake, which had an estimated magnitude of 7.9 ().
During the excavations, copperplate inscriptions mentioning of Jayasthithi Malla, Jyotir Malla and Yogmati Bhattarika have been recovered from a pillar of the Kasthamandap. In the manuscripts dated Nepal Sambat 499, 454 and 543, (AD 1288, 1243, 1332) it is written that the person responsible for operating the Pachali Bhairav Jatra has to organise the festival following the specific regulations.
References
Second phase of work begins at Kasthamandap in Kathmandu - Durham University
References
- "Dipesh Risal: Kasthamandap: Microcosm of Kathmandu's Living Culture and Storied History".
- "Ramesh Jung Thapa. ''Kasthamandap''".
- "Archaeological findings prove the Kasthamandap was built in the 7th century, Rising Nepal, Binu Shrestha, Nov. 18, 2016".
- "Excavation works continue at the Kasthamandap, Rising Nepal, Kathmandu, Dec 1".
- "Rajesh Gurung's photos for The Himalayan Times".
- "Nepal earthquake collapses buildings in Kathmandu and northern India killing more than 1,300, officials say".
- "A Report on the Salvaging, Screening and Inventorying of Carved Wooden Elements of Hanuman Dhoka Palace Complex (Organized by the Department of Archaeology with support from the UNESCO Kathmandu and in collaboration with ICOMOS Nepal), p. 35".
- "Malla-era manuscripts found, Rising Nepal, Oct. 27, 2016".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::