page_title: Bagmati River
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Bagmati River / History
caption_attribution_description: English: The Bagmati river is the largest river flowing through the Kathmandu valley and separates Kathmandu city from the district of Lalitpur. The Bagmati originates from the Shivapuri hill (2650m), 25 km north of Kathmandu. According to an ancient tale, the river is believed to have originated from the laughter of Lord Shiva. It has a vital cultural and religious role and is used for ritual bathing and cremation, thus purifying the people spiritually and physically. Photo: Toni Hagen Stiftung Schweiz-Nepal (Inheritance Toni Hagen), Nepal Deutsch: Der Bagmati Fluss ist der grösste Fluss im Kathmandutal, er teilt die Stadt Kathmandu vom Lalitpur Distrikt. Der Bagmati entspringt am Berg Shivapuri (2,650m), der 25 Kilometer nördlich von Kathmandu liegt. Laut einer alten Sage wurde der Bagmati vom Lachen Shivas ins Leben gerufen. Er hat eine wichtige kulturelle und religiöse Funktion, denn hier vollziehen Hinduisten ihre Rituale, indem sie sich baden und ihre Leichen an seinen Ufern einäschern. Der Fluss soll die Menschen spirituell und körperlich reinigen. Foto: Toni Hagen Stiftung Schweiz-Nepal (Nachlass Toni Hagen), Nepal Français&#160;: La Bagmati, frontière entre la ville de Katmandou et le district de Lalitpur, est la plus large rivière de la vallée. Elle prend sa source dans les hauteurs de Shivapuri (2560 mètres), à 25 kilomètres au nord de Katmandou. Selon la légende, la rivière est la résultante des rires du Dieu Shiva. Ses rôles culturels et religieux sont primordiaux&#160;; utilisée pour les bains rituels et les crémations, elle purifie l'âme et le corps. Photo: Toni Hagen Stiftung Schweiz-Nepal (Remise Toni Hagen), Népal
context_page_description: The Bagmati River runs through the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and separates Kathmandu from Patan flowing through the Province No. 2 of Southern Nepal that finally drains into the Indian State of Bihar
  . It is considered holy by both Hindus and Buddhists. A number of Hindu temples are located on its banks.
  The importance of Bagmati also lies in the fact that Hindus are cremated on the banks of this holy river, and Kirants are buried in the hills by its side. According to the Nepalese Hindu tradition, the dead body must be dipped three times into the Bagmati River before cremation, so that the reincarnation cycle may be ended. The chief mourner who lights the funeral pyre must take a holy river-water bath immediately after cremation. Many relatives who join the funeral procession also take a bath in the Bagmati River or sprinkle the holy water on their bodies at the end of cremation. The Bagmati River purifies the people spiritually.
context_section_description: The Bagmati River is considered the source of Nepalese civilization and urbanization. The river has been mentioned as Vaggumuda (वग्गुमुदा) in Vinaya Pitaka and Nandabagga. It has also been mentioned as Bahumati (बाहुमति) in Battha Suttanta of Majjhima Nikaya. An inscription dated AD 477 describes the river as Bagvati parpradeshe (वाग्वति पारप्रदेशे) and subsequently in Gopalraj Vanshavali.
caption: Bagmati River, 1950s
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