Matepani Gumba — Attraction in Pokhara

Opening time: 7 am Closing time : 5 pm Entrance Fee : Non (free) Famous for : good view of pokhara city, artistic statues and wall paintings.

Rules to be followed by the visitors: Please keep quiet inside the gumba premises No camera, no photos inside the main gumba. No shoes inside the main gumba. No littering inside the gumba premises.

Matepani Gumba (Buddhist Monastery) was established in 1960 A.D. by Nyeshang people who migrated to Pokhara from Manang.

It is a splendid Buddhist Monastery on the top of the small forested hill above Matepani east of Mahendra pul. It overlooks a large section of the Pokhara city and once there on we can find ourselves lost in time amid the mantra chanting buddhists, There are colossal guardian images of the Buddha accompanying two other gurus and a prayer house with exquisitely carved columns and friezes.

Situated on a small hill, east of the Pokhara city, the monastery is about five kms from downtown Pokhara. The visitors can get there by local means of transport. Apart from its religious importance, the monastery has striking scenic beauty and ideal vantage point to view the valley and Mt. Fishtail. Several eye-catching wall paintings, magnificent monuments, a huge statue of Lord Buddha in meditation flanked by Gurun pinpoche and Karmapa are an astonishing sight. The statues are about 11 ft. tall. No entrance fee is charged to visitors. The monks are very hospitable and pleased to receive visitors regardless of the caste...

Visible from my house in Pokhara, this place is located in one of the four key hills that I consider part of my community: Bhadrakali Temple Hill, Gumba Hill, Mudula Karki Temple Hill, and Kahun Danda.

Matepani Gumba is a peaceful place. I remember visiting it with my friends when I was a schoolboy. We had access to the prayer rooms and the rooftop, from where I could see the areas around Kundahar, Dhikalethar, Matepani, Fulbari, and Kahun. When I visited last year, the building (a residence hostel for Lama priests) was quite old, and reconstruction work for a new temple building had just begun.

When I visited today, after more than a year’s gap, a new building for worship was close to completion, but the residence building was still quite old. I didn’t find the prayer wheels in the place where the new building was standing. It was clear a huge construction project was underway. Until last year, there were uphill stairs, though in dilapidated shape, but now half of the stairway was gone, and you have to walk around the road. In the upper section, there are remnants of the remaining 50% of the stairs.

Standing atop this forested hill, Matepani Gumba offers more than just peace, tranquility, and wisdom; for me, it's a cherished journey back to...

Matepani Gumba, established in 1960 by the Nyeshang community from Manang, is a serene Buddhist monastery perched atop a lush hill in Pokhara's Kundahar area. Located approximately 5 km east of Mahendrapul, the monastery offers panoramic views of the Pokhara Valley and the Annapurna range. The main prayer hall is adorned with intricate murals depicting scenes from Buddha's life, and houses statues of Lord Buddha, Guru Rinpoche, and Karmapa. Visitors can witness the monks' daily rituals, characterized by rhythmic chants and the resonant sounds of traditional instruments. The tranquil ambiance, combined with the monastery's spiritual significance, provides a peaceful retreat for both devotees and tourists seeking reflection...