Gorkha Travel Guide
Little-Visited Gem of Central Nepal
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Head 25km off the main Pokhara / Kathmandu highway and wind your way up to ancient Gorkha. One-time independent kingdom of King Prithvi Narayan Shah, founder of Shah dynasty which runs Nepal today, unified Nepal into one kingdom and his palace was here at Gorkha. The local Newars regard him and his successors as a living incarnation of Vishnu and the palace/temple complex is a place of pilgrimage. Add in some excellent trekking and the town is well worth a look for those wanting to get off the beaten track.
The road from the main road twists and turns up to Gorkha whose name today is synonymous with the fierce Gurkhas of the British Army. The town sits at 1000m or so and was the one-time seat of King Prithvi Narayan Shah who by 1769 had united the many independent kingdoms of Nepal into the modern state we recognise today.
Attractions in Gorkha
The main place of interest is the Durbar. The east wing is the palace where King Prithvi Narayan Shah was born and parts of which date from the reign of King Ram Shah (1606-36), but additions have been made successive rulers. The building displays excellent 18th century brick and woodwork and is executed in the traditional Newari-style. Looking through the lattice window on the east side of the palace, you can see what is believed to be King Prithvi Narayan Shah’s throne. Upstairs is a flame which has been burning since he united Nepal.
Close by the palace are two bells; that on the left is by steps that led down to a cave where the sage Gorkhanath lived and who gave his name to the town. Past the bells is a four-sided Shiva-lingam.
The west wing of the palace is the Kalika Mandir, a temple dedicated to the goddess Kali – look for the carved ‘Star of David’ window. The only people permitted to enter are the king and a specific caste of Brahmin priests. Sacrifices are made in front of the temple as is common at temples dedicated to this deity.
Activities in Gorkha
A visit to Gorkha can easily be made en route to or from Pokhara. Allow around 2 hours to visit.
Relaxing
It’s not hard in traffic-free Gorkha to find a quiet spot and enjoy the views of the Annapurnas and Ganesh Himal
Getting Around
The town is best approached with private transport from Pokhara or Kathmandu
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