Nepali Mandir

Nepali Mandir नेपाली मंदिर
Nepali Mandir in Varanasi
Nepali Mandir नेपाली मंदिर Temple location on Varanasi district map
Name
Devanagari	नेपाली मंदिर
Tamil	நேபாளி கோவில்
Bengali	নেপালি মন্দির
Geography
Coordinates	25°18′35″N 83°00′46″E / 25.309821°N 83.012859°E / 25.309821; 83.012859Coordinates: 25°18′35″N 83°00′46″E / 25.309821°N 83.012859°E / 25.309821; 83.012859
Country	India
State	Uttar Pradesh
District	Varanasi
Location	Lalita Ghat, Varanasi
Elevation	78.161 m (256 ft)
Culture
Primary deity	Lord Shiva
Important festivals	Mahashivratri Nag Panchami
Architecture
Architectural styles	Pagoda
History and governance
Date built	1843
Creator	Rana Bahadur Shah & Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah Deva (King of Nepal)

Nepali Mandir (Hindi: नेपाली मंदिर), also known as (a.k.a. Kanthwala Mandir and Mini Khajuraho) (Kanthwala in Hindi means wooden), is one of the oldest and most famous temples in the holy city of Varanasi. This temple has great religious importance in Hinduism and is dedicated to the Lord Shiva. Constructed in the 19th century A.D by the King of Nepal, the temple is made of terracotta, stone and wood and is replica of the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu.

King of Nepal, Rana Bahadur Shah took exile in Varanasi from 1800 to 1804 and titled himself as "Swami Nirgunanda". During his exile, he decided to build a replica of Pashupatinath Temple in Varanasi. Construction of the temple commenced during his exile / stay in Varanasi. During the construction, Shah moved back to Nepal. On April 25, 1806, Rana Bahadur Shah was stabbed to death by his stepbrother, Sher Bahadur Shah. His son Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah Deva completed the project 20 years after the deadline. The land was later transferred to Rana Bahadur Shah by Kashi Naresh in the year 1843. The temple, adjacent area, Lalita Ghat and a dharamshala, belongs to the Nepal government.