Sankhu

Sankhu stood on the old trade route from the Kathmandu valley over the hills to Tibet, and it grew wealthy on that traffic, which paid for the brick houses, courtyards and temples that fill its lanes. Above the town in a wooded hollow stands the Bajrayogini temple, a tiered pagoda with a gilded roof dedicated to a tantric goddess, reached by a stone stairway through forest and one of the more atmospheric shrines in the valley; the complex includes older stone images and a spring. The town was hit hard by the 2015 earthquake, losing many buildings, and the rebuilding is visible everywhere. It sees very few visitors and the walk up to the temple is the substance of a visit.

History

According to the Manisaila Mahavadana the Sankhu valley was once a lake, until the goddess Vajrayogini cut through the mountain to drain it, as Manjushri did for the Kathmandu valley. The old name Sakwa is said to join words for Tibet and "below", a town below Tibet on the trade route to Lhasa (Wikipedia, Sankhu).

What's there

• Bajrayogini temple - the gilded pagoda in its wooded hollow above town.
• The stone stairway - the climb through forest to the shrine.
• Newar lanes - the old trading town's brick streets and courtyards.
• Earthquake rebuilding - the visible work of reconstruction.

When to go

October to April for clear weather and the climb. Festival days at Bajrayogini, particularly in spring, bring processions and crowds. The stairway is slippery in monsoon.

Practical notes

The 2015 earthquake destroyed a great deal of the old town and what remains sits among new concrete building. The temple stairway is a steep climb of twenty minutes or more. Facilities in the town are minimal.

Nearby

Kathmandu lies southwest; Nagarkot is southeast on the rim.

Key facts