Uma-Maheshwar Temple

The temple of Uma-Maheshwar is situated near the Malla-period palace on the top of the Kirtipur hill. To this three-storeyed Shiva-Parvati temple, the local Newars call it the Kwa: Cho Dega:. This temple was built around 1655. According to a copper inscription found in the temple, the temple was built by Patra Vamsha Raut Vishow Nath of Ta: Bahal of Kirtipur in Baisakh of Nepal year 775. In his Temples of Nepal, foreign scholar Ronald M. Bernier has written that this temple was built in the year 1673. According to him, it was four-storeyed. But he has not given any sources.

Uma-Maheshwar Temple(Kirtipur Height)

In the southern part of this temple, there is a historical Kwatha home, and hence the name of the place Kwa:chwo. This home is still run by Pradhans, a sub-caste of Newars, who had once obtained powerful positions in the palace. On the day of Vijaya Dashami, the greatest festival of the Hindu Community, an important festival, Paya: is celebrated there. According to Raj Bhog Vamshawali, this historical Kwatha home was built around 1690. 

The temple has been repaired many times. After the damage by the great earthquake of 1993, it was roofed with zink plates. It was redamaged and its wood also collapsed by the heavy storm of 1947. It was built into its present form b the local people of that place in the year 1982.

Before the eastern door of the temple, there are two heavy stone statues of elephants, which were erected in the Nepal era 782.

Watchmen of Uma-Maheshwar(Bhimsen & Kuver)

Above the statues, there are two figures, one of the Bhimsen and another of Kuver, which are thought to the watchmen of Shiva-Parvati or Uma-Maheshwar. It is believed that they have been keeping guard there since the sixteenth century.

In the area of the temple, there is a stone statue of Uma-Maheshwar, which is one of the famous seventeenth-century Kathmandu Valley statues. The large bell of this temple is the bell of the Clock-Tower of Kathmandu. As the tower was left uncared after its damage done by the great earthquake of the year 1934, the then watchman of Kirtipur, Jagat Bahadur Pradhan(Sipai Bajya), hung it in the temple as the gift of Shree 3(Tinn) Prime Minister Judda Shamsher. Among the four bells of the Clock-Tower which were a quarter of an hour time indicators, it is the smallest one. And it was made by a Company in London.

Present Bell of the temple

It is said that the temple's original bell was taken by one king of Bhaktapur in the eighteenth century. It is also said that the king sent his men to steal the bell as they found the sound of the bell very pleasing, The thieves left it in the field as they could not reach their home before dawn. Then the king of Patan took it and hung it in the temple of Taleju.

The sculpture carved on the wood used in the temple is very attractive. The worshippers believe that if a childless couple worships the Goddess of this temple, they will have children. 

As the temple is situated on the top of the hill, mountains like Lamtang, Sisapangma, Dorjelapka, Chowabhamare, Gaurishankar, the number can be seen from the northside of the temple. A large number of tourists visit this place every year, for these added attractions.