Devghat

Devghat (often written Devghat Dham) is where the Kali Gandaki and the Trishuli meet and become the Narayani. On a clear winter day you can see the two currents side by side: the Kali Gandaki greyer with glacial silt, the Trishuli greener. They run together for a few hundred metres before the line between them disappears.

Hindu tradition holds a confluence to be especially sacred, and Devghat is one of the most important in central Nepal. Its banks are lined with small temples, shrines and ashrams. Many older people move here to live out their lives by the river, and some ashrams are homes for them.

What you'll see

• The confluence from the long pedestrian suspension bridge between the Chitwan and Tanahun banks.
• Temples and shrines on both sides, many of them small and family-run.
• Bathing ghats, busiest at sunrise.
• Ashrams where elderly devotees live.

Makar Sankranti

On the first day of the Nepali month of Magh, in mid-January, tens of thousands of pilgrims come to bathe at the confluence. A large fair fills the banks. It is a remarkable day to visit, but expect crowds and slow roads.

Visiting respectfully

• Dress modestly: shoulders and knees covered.
• Take off your shoes where you see others doing so.
• Cremations take place on the ghats. Don't photograph them, or people bathing, without permission.
• Some temples are open only to Hindus. Your guide will tell you which.

Getting there

Devghat is a short drive north-west of Narayangadh; the time depends on traffic in Bharatpur. There is no entry fee. Our Devghat sunrise trip and Narayani River Day Tour both include it.