Nag Dhunga

A Nag Dhunga (or Nāga Dhunga) is a sacred stone worshipped by the people of Nepal. These stones - often basalt rocks or erratic boulders - can be found in the centre of many major cities, as well as in remote villages. Sometimes they are enclosed within an ornamental wrought iron fence, with a gate that can only be unlocked by the local priest or elder. In some places, such as Kathmandu Valley or Pokhara Valley, the Nag Dhunga can be found on the premises of a shrine, or a small pagoda-like temple. These temples are often popular with tourists.

The Nāga of Hindu mythology are serpent deities, and are the caretakers of lakes and water sources. Lord Shiva has a close association with the Nāga, and is often said to wear them as ornaments. The Nag Dhunga is a rock on which Lord Shiva once rested, identified as such by ancient Vedic priests, at a time when Brahmanism was spreading out from the Indian Subcontinent into the mountain regions of Nepal's Himalayas and to Mount Kailash in Tibet.