Maitidevi Temple Kathmandu

Hardly ever anyone dared project near Maitidevi temple at some stage in the day and all of us, besides tantriks (shamans), perpetually stayed faraway from the region at night time. Dense, thorny timber separated it from the surrounding homes, and a nearby shamshan ghat (cremation floor)—a perfect—area for invoking the spirits—meant that there would be little human interference.

till the beginning of twentieth century, that is, when the Rana prime Minister Chandra Shamsher erected the current structure in pagoda style like maximum different Hindu temples inside the valley. a glance on the shops and homes close by, lots older in appearance, makes you wonder if the temple was constructed lots later after the residents settled within the vicinity. but Tirtha man Bajracharya, the head priest at the temple says, “The oldest edifice become constructed in 628 advert with the aid of Amshu Verma, a warrior beneath Lichhavi King Shiva Dev”—completely 13 centuries earlier than Chandra Shamsher.

The temple of Maitidevi can be reached going west from antique Baneshwor and turning right before approaching Dillibazaar. the other way is to turn right from Gyaneshwor Chowk crossing. Ask a shop-proprietor or locals and that they’ll manual you. in case you are riding your manner up to the temple, look out for the traffic as one-manner rule is applicable on most roads inside the direction.

Going by way of the priest’s declare and what you take a look at of the modern-day structure, its sensitive woodwork and steel craft, all you could conjure up of the vintage days is not anything more than a makeshift vicinity of worship.


no person knows quite what it seemed like at the beginning. the two stone lions guarding the doorway to the sanctum sanctorum, and the big peepal tree with its expanding branches arching over the temple (a divine structure, you could say, to refuge the temple from heat and rain) are some of the relics from the time while Amshu Verma constructed the first temple in 7th century. similarly, tucked a few toes away on the right hand facet of the temple is a crematorium, a small space enclosed inside concrete partitions, the stays of the historic cremation floor (the shamshan ghat).

Locals have entreated the temple committee numerous instances to relocate the crematorium or disallow burning of pyres; just across the wall you may see faculties and houses that almost honestly reeks with smells while the funeral rites are executed. The priest on the temple points out, however, that “The crematorium is an indispensable a part of the temple because the real rituals accompanied by way of the monks of Maitidevi temple are based totally on tantric practices.” The prayer in its unique shape requires us to burn the human skulls, he says, “but that looks too ogrish nowadays, so we make human face on a big dollop of ghee and burn it alternatively.”

Traditions associated with the temple preserve to exchange with each generation, however some had been occurring for a long time. all through Tihar, the festival of lights which falls for the duration of October-November, for instance, prayer to Laxmi (Goddess of Wealth) is obtainable at homes handiest after Maitidevi is worshipped on the temple. The goddess, additionally respected as Mahalaxmi, needs to be reinstituted in the sanctum sanctorum every 12 months in the course of Laxmi Puja via the Munikars of Maligaon. The Munikars, a Newari caste living in Maligaon on the east edge of Kathmandu city, are the designated caretakers of the goddess. “They offer prayer to the goddess with special vegetation referred to as muswon,” says the priest. (Mu implies Munikar and swon manner flower.) till very these days, this flower changed into grown solely with the aid of the Munikars.

Likewise, before and after going to Manokamana, the popular Temple of needs in Gorkha District, humans offer jal (sacred water) to Maitidevi for their needs to materialize. Maitidevi temple, it's far stated, is parental domestic of all goddesses. The call of the temple itself is derived from maiti (parental home) and devi (goddess). during Teej competition, consequently, married ladies pay obeisance to the goddess and collect on the temple to bounce and sing. some thing girls who lived a few 1400 years ago, when Amshu Verma first set up the temple, would no longer have imagined inside the worst of their goals.