Kasthamandap
The story of how Kasthamandap was built from the wood of the Kalpavriksha and the city came to be named Kathmandu.
Kasthamandap
When the chariot procession of Rato Matsyendranath reached Lagan Tole in Kantipur, the Kalpavriksha (the wish-fulfilling tree) himself descended from heaven to earth in human form to watch the procession.
A clever and tantric man named Viset recognized the Kalpavriksha in the crowd and gripped his arm tightly from behind. When the Kalpavriksha begged to be released, Viset said: "I need wood to build a great rest-house for the people to rest in. I will not let you go until you give me a single whole tree."
Accepting Viset's wish, the Kalpavriksha said: "I will give you a single tree, from which a magnificent three-storeyed pavilion shall be built, as grand as you please. But so long as the price of salt and the price of oil do not become equal, you must not install the life-breath into this pavilion. Once the consecration is done, I shall return to heaven."
The next morning, when Viset awoke, a great sal tree lay fallen in front of his house. With the king's permission, a magnificent three-storeyed rest-house was built from the wood of that one single tree, without the use of any iron nails or clamps whatsoever. That pavilion was called 'Kasthamandap' (the pavilion of wood alone), and from the name of this very historic building the city later came to be called 'Kathmandu'.
Because the price of salt and the price of oil never became equal, the formal consecration of Kasthamandap was never performed, and that wood of the Kalpavriksha has remained standing there to this very day.
Note: These are traditional Nepali folk tales (kimbadanti), passed down orally through generations. They may or may not reflect actual historical events, but they are told and believed as part of Nepal's cultural heritage.
Related stories
More from Architecture Names and the threads this story shares.