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Pokharaतालबाराही मन्दिर

Tal Barahi Temple

A small two-tiered pagoda temple to the goddess Barahi on a wooded island in Phewa Tal, reached only by boat.

The island temple of the goddess Barahi in Phewa Tal, Pokhara, not the other Barahi shrines elsewhere in Nepal.

Plan a trip here
The small wooded island of Tal Barahi with its pagoda-roofed temple reflected in the calm water of Phewa Lake.
Photo: Shadow Ayush (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Altitude
742 m*
Best months
Feb-Apr, Oct-Dec
Type
Temple, monastery or heritage site
District
Kaski, Gandaki
Permit
None needed

Why go

Tal Barahi stands on a tiny tree-covered island in Phewa Tal, a few hundred metres off the Lakeside shore of Pokhara. It is the city's most important Hindu shrine and one of the first places visitors see from the lake. The only way across is by boat: rowing boats and a ferry leave from the Barahi ghat in Lakeside, and the crossing takes only a few minutes.

The temple itself is modest, a stone shrine with a two-tiered pagoda roof, bells and a small courtyard that fills most of the island. The setting is what makes it memorable: water on every side, pigeons on the roofs, and on a clear morning the Annapurna range behind the hills. Saturdays and festival days are busy with local families bringing offerings, and the queue for the shrine can be long; weekday mornings are calmer.

Most visitors combine the island with a longer boat trip on Phewa Tal, or carry on across the lake to the trail up to the World Peace Pagoda on the southern ridge.

The two-tiered pagoda roof of the Tal Barahi temple with bells and a railing at the water's edge.
Photo: Maesi64 (CC0)
The tree-covered Tal Barahi island sitting low on Phewa Lake with green hills behind.
Photo: Dipeshakya (CC BY-SA 4.0)

History and culture

The temple is dedicated to Barahi (Varahi), a protective mother goddess, one of the Ashta Matrika and linked to the boar avatar of Vishnu. In Pokhara she is regarded as the guardian of the lake and a form of Ajima, the female divine force, and Tal Barahi is counted among the city's main Shakti shrines alongside Bindhyabasini and Bhadrakali. Local tradition links the temple's founding to the rulers of the Kaski kingdom, but reliable dates are not established. The original structure was built of stone with a pagoda-style roof.

Pilgrims come throughout the year, with larger crowds during Dashain and in the Nepali months of Baisakh (April-May) and Kartik (October-November). Many visitors make offerings of flowers, coins and red powder. A folk legend tells that the goddess, disguised as an old woman, was turned away by the valley's villagers except for one couple, and that the valley flooded to form the lake while the couple's home was spared; this is told as a legend.

Things to do in Tal Barahi Temple

  • Take the boat across

    Hire a rowing boat or join a shared ferry from the Barahi ghat; agree the price and return arrangements first.

  • Visit early

    Go soon after sunrise for calm water, fewer people and the best chance of clear mountain views.

  • Continue across the lake

    From the island, row on to the south shore and walk up through forest to the World Peace Pagoda.

Weather and the best time to visit Tal Barahi Temple

Weather in Tal Barahi Temple

Forecast for 742 m. Conditions change fast in the mountains.

Weather data: MET Norway, licensed CC BY 4.0. A forecast, not a guarantee.

Best time to visit

Feb-Apr, Oct-Dec

  1. Jan
  2. Good month: Feb
  3. Good month: Mar
  4. Good month: Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Good month: Oct
  11. Good month: Nov
  12. Good month: Dec
Autumn (Sep-Nov)
October and November bring clear skies and the Dashain festival, when the temple is especially busy with pilgrims.
Winter (Dec-Feb)
December to February is dry and calm, with cool mornings and occasional mist on the lake.
Spring (Mar-May)
March to May is warm and pleasant for boating; Baisakh (April-May) brings many devotees.
Monsoon (Jun-Aug)
June to August is wet, and boats may pause during storms or strong wind, but the temple stays open.

Where to stay

HotelsGuesthouses

There is no accommodation on the island. Stay in Lakeside, within walking distance of the boat ghat.

No partner stays are listed here yet. List a property.

Getting there

The island lies just off Lakeside in Phewa Tal; boats leave from the Barahi ghat on the shore.

Nearest hub: Pokhara

  • walkWalk to the Barahi ghat and boat stands in central Lakeside, Pokhara.
  • boatA rowing boat or ferry takes a few minutes, roughly 5-10 minutes each way.
Mount Everest 8,848.86Kangchenjunga 8,586Dhaulagiri I 8,167Manaslu 8,163Annapurna I 8,091Tal Barahi TempleKathmandu
Boundary: Government of Nepal, Survey Department (2020). Peak data: Wikidata.

Permits and fees

None needed

There is no entry fee for the temple. You pay for the boat crossing.

  • Boat fare: Paid to the boat operator; life jackets are provided.

Verify before travel: permit rules and fees change. Checked 2026-10-06 against Taal Barahi, Kaski (Nepal Tourism Board).

Practical tips

  • Remove shoes before entering the shrine area and ask before photographing worshippers or the inner sanctum.
  • Non-Hindus are welcome on the island; follow any signs at the shrine itself.
  • Wear the life jacket provided on the boat.
  • Saturdays and festival days bring long queues; go on a weekday morning for a quieter visit.
  • Carry small notes for the boat fare and any offerings.

Questions about Tal Barahi Temple

How do I get to Tal Barahi Temple?

Take a rowing boat or ferry from the Barahi ghat in Lakeside, Pokhara; the crossing takes only a few minutes.

Is there an entry fee for Tal Barahi?

The temple has no entry fee, but you pay for the boat across.

Which goddess is worshipped at Tal Barahi?

Barahi (Varahi), a protective mother goddess regarded locally as the guardian of Phewa Tal.

When is Tal Barahi busiest?

Saturdays, Dashain and the months of Baisakh and Kartik draw the most pilgrims.

More in Pokhara

All of Pokhara
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A forested hill at about 2,500 m west of Phewa Tal, with a temple and pond on top and views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges.

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Lake · 742 m

Phewa Tal

Pokhara's main lake, with rowing boats, an island temple and Machhapuchhre reflected on still mornings.

Rupa Lake seen through trees from a path on the shore, with forested hills beyond.

Lake · 600 m

Rupa Lake

A small, shallow lake beside Begnas in the east of the Pokhara valley, managed by a local fisheries cooperative and rich in waterbirds.

Nearby

Evening light on the peaks above Annapurna Base Camp, with the lodges of the camp on the moraine below.

National park or conservation area

Annapurna Region

Nepal's largest protected area, from Gurung hill villages and rhododendron forest to the dry valleys behind the Annapurna range.

Editorial draft: facts are being checked against the sources below. Last checked 2026-10-06. Sources: Tal Barahi Temple (Wikipedia), Phewa Lake (Wikipedia), Taal Barahi Mandir (OpenStreetMap)