The Guheshwari Temple is dedicated to Shiva-s shakti in her terrible manifestation as Kali. Entry is banned to non-Hindus, and the high wall around the temple prevents you from seeing anything except the four huge gilded snakes arching up to support the roof finial. Guheshwari was built by King Pratap Malla in 1653 and the temple stands in a paved courtyard surrounded by dharamsala (pilgrims resthouses).
The temple-s curious name comes from guhya (vagina) and ishwari (goddess) — it-s the temple of the goddess vagina! Legend has it that when Shiva was insulted by his father-in-law, Sati was so incensed that she burst into flames and it was this act of self-immolation that gave rise to the practice of "sati" , where a widow is consigned to the same funeral pyre as her deceased husband. The grieving Shiva carried off the corpse of his wife Sati but as he wandered aimlessly, the body disintegrated and this is where her yoni (genitals) fell.