Bala Tripura Sundari Temple

Bala Tripura Sundari Temple is located at the Tripurakot on the bank of Thuli Bheri river in Dolpa district of Nepal.[1] About 20,000 pilgrims visit the temple every year, mostly during Dashain festival.[2] The temple structure is said to have been built in the 12th Century.[3][4] The temple is at the hill near the confluence of Bhariavi Ganga, Tamrabarni and Sundari rivers.[5] The temple has statues of five goddesses -Barahi, Chamunda, Bhramayani, Indrayani and Mahakali. There are other 8 metal idols of various god and goddesses. The idols of Chamunda, Chandika, Nusing and Baisnav were stolen by 2029 BS.[5]

Bala Tripura Sundari Temple
बाला त्रिपुरा सुन्दरी मन्दिर
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Dolpa District
Deity	Durga
Location
Country	Nepal
Location in Nepal
Geographic coordinates	29.025°N 82.784°E

According to the legend, a king named Bikram Shahi ruled the area and the temple now where it stands was his palace.[1] His workes when beat rice in okhal, they found the rice was doubled. This mystery led the king to excavate the area in around 1410 BS. He found a statue of Bhagwati standing in a Sadkon Yantra. Many butterflies came out of the excavated pit. One of the butterflies went to sit in the location where the current temple lies. When human tried to catch the butterfly, it transformed into stone.[5] The first priest was Bistas appointed by king Bikram Shahi. Later Chaulagai, Sinkhadas, Neupane and Upadhya Bhramins were appointed as priests.[5]

Due to the renowned exaltation of Bala Tripura Sundari Bhagawati temple PithaDhis Universe Master Shree Shankaracharya of KacnhiKamakoti, India had prayed and worshiped on this temple. Similarly, Shree Khaptad Baba had received YOG SIDDHI from this temple. In 2020, 1008 steps, the Khaptad Baba route has been constructed around the premises of the temple in respect for receiving Yog Siddhi by Shree Khaptad Baba. According to Shree Swosthani Bratakatha of the Hindu religion "HIP"( Kundaulo) of Sati Devi had decayed at the place where Bala Tripura Sundari Bhagawati temple located. So this temple is one of the powerhouses of the Hindu religion and worshiped as a focal point of faith to date.

In 2035 BS, the temple was renovated by the Nepal Government.[5] Again on September 10, 2015, under the leadership of temple trustee, Laxmi Kant Upadhaya, and with the government of India grant assistance of NRs 33.3 million, H.E. Ambassador of India Shri Ranjit Rae inaugurated the renovated temple.[6] The renovation of the temple has upgraded the old structure with improved facilities for 20,000 pilgrims visiting the temple every year and enhanced the cultural looks for which temple trustee brought the woodcarver, a stone carver from Lalitpur and Bhaktapur district as these cities woodcarver, stonecarver have great craftmanship and as Dolpa begin situated as a remote part of Nepal, all the tools, materials, human resources were taken from flight to Dolpa.

Notable events

• In 2018, the Dalit community of Nepal were allowed to enter the temple for the first time in history.[3]

See also

• List of Hindu temples in Nepal

References

1. "Tripura Sundari: The goddess of the rugged hills". OnlineKhabar. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
2. "India renovates temple, constructs school building". India News, Breaking News, Entertainment News | India.com. Press Trust of India. 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
3. DEVKOTA, BISHNU PRASAD. "Dalits enter temple for first time in 960 years". My Republica. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
4. "त्रिपुरा सुन्दरीः ऐतिहासिक सुन्दरता (फोटो फिचर)". Online Khabar. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
5. Devkota, Ratnakar. डोल्पाका प्रसिद्ध त्रिपुरासुन्दरी भगवती (PDF).
6. "Bala Tripura Sundari Devi Temple renovated under India-Nepal Economic program inaugurated". Jagranjosh. Retrieved 2020-09-13.