A VISIT TO BAGLUNG KALIKA BHAGWATI TEMPLE

Baglung Kalika Bhagwati Temple is a must-visit destination for one and all.

 

A VISIT TO BAGLUNG KALIKA BHAGWATI TEMPLE

A temple in the dense forest

Around the year, scores of people travel to Baglung Kalika Bhagwati Temple for different reasons. Most people visit there to worship the deity Kalika Bhagwati. These devotees think that Kalika Bhagwati listens to their prayers, and by her grace, things start turning in their favor. 

Many foreign visitors, too, visit Kalika Bhagwati temple to see the unique ambiance around the temple. The temple is located on the banks of the Kali Gandaki River in the Baglung district of western Nepal. Surrounded by high hills and dense forests, the location of this temple is unique. Most probably, no temple in Nepal has a similar kind of location. Some foreigners simply enjoy the grandeur of the temple, but many of them will appreciate the heartwarming location of the temple. 

Photo: LB Thapa

I have visited this temple a few times, but the present visit could only be possible after five years. In these five years, I found many changes around the temple premises. They were good changes. 

The distance from Pokhara to Baglung Bhagwati Temple is about 80 km. The bus, taxi, or motorcycle are the most popular modes of transportation. But as usual, I invariably choose a motorcycle for most of the journey. You have many advantages while traveling by motorcycle. I'm sure everyone knows that. 

The temple is built in the pagoda style. It has three storeys and on top of it has an attractive chandelier. Most of the surface of the roof has metal plates, which further enhance the beauty of the temple. Big and small bells and light pans around the temple increase the aesthetic beauty of the temple. The entire premise of the temple arena is filled with the smell of burning incense and the chanting of the holy slokas. In the center of the temple resides the deity Kalika, or Kali. Deity Kali is one of the fiercest forms of Shakti. 

Photo: LB Thapa

Photo: LB Thapa

Photo: LB Thapa

Before I take you on a wonderful tour of Baglung Bhagwati Temple, I would like to tell you its brief history. The legend has it that Parbat King Pratap Narayan Singh Malla got married to the daughter of King Mani Mukunda Sen. While departing; King Mukunda Sen gave the idol of the deity Kalika to his beloved daughter and instructed her to worship the deity every day. He assured her daughter that as long as the deity was worshiped with complete devotion, her kingdom would remain safe and secure from enemies. 

When the marriage procession was returning to home, they stayed at the same location where the temple had been erected. The following morning, the king, queen, and soldiers got ready to resume the journey to their Palace. The soldier who was appointed to take care of the idol tried to lift the idol to keep it on the back of the horse. But he was shocked. He was unable to lift the idol. All of a sudden, the idol has become too heavy. All the soldiers joined their hands together, but still, they could not budge the idol from its place. Then the king decided to build a temple around the idol. After the construction of the temple, he named Kalika Bhagwati Temple. Thus, it is believed that the temple was built around 1534. Once the temple had been constructed, King Pratap Narayan Singh Malla, along with his queen, continued worshiping the deity for years to come. 

The temple was renovated in the late 1990s. Thereafter, a regular renovation was followed by new constructions of temples such as Lord Shiva, Radha Krishna, Laxmi Narayan, and Goddess Saraswati. In recent times, the entire pathway leading to the main temple from the highway road has been paved with flat stone. A proper drinking water facility, sitting benches, a zoo, and a few other facilities have also been added. For safety and security purposes, the entire temple premises have CCTV cameras. 

Photo: Goma Gurung

Photo: LB Thapa

Photo: Read 2b Happy

The hotel where we had lunch. Photo: LB Thapa

Chaite Dashain is celebrated with much fanfare at this temple. The devotees gather at the temple, light oil lamps, and perform sacred puja. The sacrifice of animals is also performed at the temple. By sacrificing animals, the devotees think that the deity will be happy. However, now many Hindus have started abandoning the practice of animal sacrifice. The temple management committee has also stopped the sacrifice of pigeons in 2016. Now devotees can bring pigeons to the temple, only to release them after the puja is over. 

The interesting fact about the temple is that the government of Nepal has mentioned Baglung Bhagwati Temple among the 100 best destinations in Nepal. 

If you intend to visit this temple to worship the deity, then you do not have to carry any worship materials with you. There are several shops at the main gate of the temple where almost everything that you need to worship is available. 

Walk up to a hilltop, and there is a restaurant where you can get snacks and lunch. However, if you are looking to have a quality lunch, you are advised to drive up to Kushma, where some quality hotels and restaurants are available. We had our lunch at the Hotel Kali Gandaki, located in Kushma (exactly on the highway). We had a vegetarian meal, and its taste was simply great. The quality of cooked rice, pulses, pickles, curd, and vegetable curry made a Thali set. Thus, I can recommend this hotel for your lunch. 

Photo: Stories of Dang

Photo: Trip.com

Photo: Trip.com

When you are already at the Baglung Bhagwati Temple, how can you miss the opportunity of not seeing the Gandaki Golden Bridge? The bridge is located a stone's throw away from the temple. The bridge brings Parbat district and Baglung district together. The bridge is 567 meters long and spreads over the Kali Gandaki River. Its height from the river is 122 meters. The construction work on the bridge was completed in 2020. The engineers say that the bridge can carry up to a load of 612 people at a time. However, it is believed that the bridge is completely safe to carry around 500 people at a time. 

The Gandaki Golden Bridge is now the second-longest suspension bridge in the world. In 2022, the Sky Bridge, with a length of 721 meters, was built in the Czech Republic, and now this bridge is considered the world’s longest suspension bridge. 

The road condition from Pokhara to Baglung is not so bad. Overall, it is okay. In some places, roads are damaged, while in other places, damaged roads are being repaired and blacktopped. 

I hope you like this article. If yes, then please make your comment. I will appreciate your constructive comments.

LB Thapa is the publisher and editor of The Hemingway Post, a literary magazine. 

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