Walking the circuit
The most direct way to take part at Boudhanath is to join the kora, the Tibetan word for a circumambulation. People walk around the stupa on a paved path, always clockwise, usually at an unhurried pace. Many go around three, seven or a larger number of times, while others simply walk once. There is no required number for a visitor, and there is no need to hurry or to keep count.
Clockwise movement is the standard direction in Tibetan Buddhist practice, with the monument kept on the right-hand side. Walking the other way is generally limited to followers of the Bon tradition, who circle counter-clockwise. At Boudhanath you will see almost everyone going the same way, and you should do the same. The wider custom of circumambulation practice is found across Buddhist traditions, in various forms.
What you will see on the circuit
The path draws a mixed crowd: elderly residents, monks and nuns in maroon robes, families, pilgrims who have travelled from the Himalayan regions, and visitors from elsewhere. Some people recite mantras quietly or hold a mala (prayer beads). Others spin handheld prayer wheels as they walk. A small number perform full-length prostrations, usually in a designated spot, which is a physically demanding practice that you should watch from a respectful distance.
Shops and cafes line the outer ring, and the buildings around it include monasteries and houses. The atmosphere is lively but not rowdy, and walking in the early morning or around dusk tends to give the clearest sense of local devotional life.
Prayer wheels
Set into the walls around the base of the stupa are rows of metal prayer wheels, which are cylinders typically filled with printed mantras. The most commonly seen mantra is Om Mani Padme Hum, associated with Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. Practice is to spin each wheel clockwise with the right hand as you pass, by touching the wheel lightly and letting it turn. In Tibetan tradition, turning a wheel is understood as a way of joining the mantra it holds with one’s own intention. The meanings given to the practice vary between teachers and communities, so it is best to describe it in general terms. Prayer wheels and flags are a familiar part of Himalayan Buddhist life, and the wheels at Boudhanath are among the most visited.
Do not push wheels hard or spin them with excessive force. Some are old and delicate, and a gentle touch is all that is expected.
Butter lamps
Butter lamps are a common offering, and there is a lamp house at Boudhanath where devotees can light them or arrange for them to be lit. In tradition the lamp represents the dispelling of ignorance and is offered with a wish for the benefit of others. The lamps traditionally burn clarified butter, though modern alternatives are also used in some places.
If you wish to offer a lamp, follow the practice of those around you or ask the attendant politely. Donations are voluntary and should be handled quietly. Nothing is required of a visitor, and there is no obligation to make an offering. The thinking behind shrine offerings is broadly similar across traditions, with differences in detail.
Etiquette on the kora
These points reflect common practice. Customs vary, and local guidance and signs take priority.
- Walk clockwise and keep to the flow. If you need to stop, step to the side.
- Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, and keep your voice low.
- Do not touch monks or nuns, particularly if you are a woman, and do not touch sacred objects without invitation.
- Avoid pointing your feet at the stupa or at images, and do not climb onto the stupa’s lower platforms unless it is clearly allowed.
- Ask before photographing people, particularly those who are praying or prostrating.
- Do not smoke, and take your rubbish with you.
- Do not step over prayer beads, offerings or texts left on the ground.
Practical considerations
Hours, any entry charge and any restrictions on access to the upper platforms can change, so check current local information before you travel. The circuit can be crowded on festival and full-moon days. The surface is generally paved, but it can be uneven in places, and wet weather may make it slippery. If you have any mobility or health concerns, plan your visit with these in mind, and seek current medical and travel advice. This website provides general information only.
For visitors who are not Buddhist, joining the kora respectfully is generally welcomed as long as one remains quiet and considerate. Many people who walk it describe the experience as calming, but that is a personal response, not a promise, and it should not be treated as the point of the practice for those who do it as devotion.