Swayambhunath Stupa or Monkey Temple

Swayambhunath Stupa is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in the area of Kathmandu. It lies over a small hill in the west of the Kathmandu. It the most amazing and beautiful structure up on the hill from where you can view almost all the surroundings of the Kathmandu valley. The monkey temple came with the monkeys found there. There are lots of monkeys wandering around on the way to the stupa. The hill is covered with different types of trees and green vegetation. The feeling you have when you go through the stairs is just so awesome and after you reach to the up hill you will soon find all your fatigueness which you got from the climbing relieved with the view of the big hills and mountains and the Kathmandu valley itself. Though the view of the Kathmandu valley is seen so disorganized as the urbanization is not an organized one you will find it interesting and just pleasurable to just view the scenarios seen from their. I personally suggest the nighttime to visit there as you will see all the lights from the houses and the level of pollution is less at that time.

Something about the Swayambhunath Stupa:

According to Swayambhu Purana, the entire valley was once filled with an enormous lake, out of which grew a lotus. The valley came to be known as Swayambhu, meaning "Self-Created." The Bodhisatva Manjushri had a vision of the lotus at Swayambhu and traveled there to worship it. In order to make the site more accessible to human pilgrims, Manjushri cut a gorge through the mountains surrounding the valley. The water drained out of the lake, leaving the valley in which Kathmandu now lies. The lotus was transformed into a hill and the flower become the Swayambhunath stupa.

Swayambhunath is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal. By the 5th century, it had already become an important destination for Buddhist pilgrims. The history of the site itself dates back to long before the arrival of Buddhism in the Kathmandu valley.
Although the site is considered Buddhist, the place is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus. Numerous Hindu kings are known to have paid their homage to the temple including the most powerful king of Kantipur (Kathmandu) - Pratap Malla.

So that quite covers about the Swayambhu stupa, the place that gives me peace in my mind and I find myself in serenity. I still remember going their around my exam time when my mind got disturbed. I just went there with my best friend Bishwo and we actually sat there with our textbooks. You won’t believe when I say that whatever we read there was on our question paper. Well that doesn’t mean that all of you guys should go there with your textbook at your exam time and whatever you read will be on your question paper. I would say it was just our pure luck. The point is I find that place too peaceful and I could concentrate my focus into studies when go there.