A beautiful Pagoda style temple situated in Kathmandu, the temple of Chamunda Devi has a large area that houses several other small temples of god and goddesses. Among these temples stands one temple of Maha Durga which is built inside a Pipal tree and the roots of the tree has covered the temple taking it inside the roots.

Goddess Chamunda is the one who destroys the evil feelings that lies within us. On one part of the temple, horns of Buffalo are hanged and a mirror is placed above it. The idea is to view one’s own image on the mirror and analyze if there is a devil inside him. Time is considered as life and life is one’s movement in time and through the life-force or Prana, people experience time. Kali is considered as time that makes it Prana or life-force and Chamunda, the Divine Mother is our life. She is the secret power behind the working of our bodily systems and vital energy and it is only through her that we live. She is the state of the dissolution of desire, Nirvana, as she is also the power of death. She removes our wants and craving leading us to Nirvana.

The temple of Chamunda is a great example of ancient Nepali handicrafts with everything inside the being beautifully and skillfully built and carved. Her image is dark blue in color and she wears a garland of skulls. Her long tongue is sticking out of her mouth and she is laughing and sometimes, instead of tongue, two fangs could be seen sticking out. She has four arms and four hands one holding a head chopper, a severed head dripping blood on the other, while with her other two hands, she makes the mudras (gesture) bestowing boons and dispelling fear. Her cloth, a skirt she wears is made of human arms and she is often portrayed as dancing in a cremation ground and stepping on a corpse (which is the body of Lord Shiva).

Hundreds of devotees come to visit the goddess and especially during the time of Navaratri and Dashain, the temple is crowded devotees.