Shobha Bhagwiti Temple

For Hindus, 32 lachin is a trait that holds great significance . It is be lieved that there are 32 attributes to perfection, emphasized mostly on women, leading to prosperity and luck. The name ‘Shobha’, in the same regards, means ‘brilliance’ (derived from Sanskrit) or someone bestowed with ‘32 lachin.’ As the name suggests, Shobha Bhagwati, is believed to be a goddess of perfection and brilliance.

One of the myths of the Shobha Bhagwati temple says that the place was covered with dense forest before it was constructed, and that a particular spot in the forest, a place made out of few stones, radiated immense light. Nearby residents came and worshipped the site and called it “shobha” referring to the light or ‘brilliance’. The Bishnumati river by the side of the temple was regarded as ‘Baytaal’, the goddess’s protector or guard, and devotees bathed the goddess from its water (jaal). It was later, sometime between 1000 and 1050 of the Kaligat Sambat (era), that queen Navasagar established the goddess’s idol and constructed the temple. It is also believed that the goddess Palanchowk Bhagwati, Naxal Bhagwati and Shobha Bhagwati are sisters, with Palanchowk Bhagwati being the eldest. The artisan who crafted idols of all the three Bhagwati was said to have had his hands cut off after the completion of his work, thus rendered unable to surpass this particular creation.

The goddess Shobha Bhagwati is considered to be very powerful in fulfilling the wishes of her devotees. The temple is a three-tiered structure with copper roof, and has all the forms of Durga enshrined in the temple’s periphery. Prominent deities such as Agala Mukhi, Bagala Mukhi and Jwala Mukhi are placed within the body of the main goddess. Devotees throng the temple during Dasain and sacrifice animals on ‘Nawami’, the ninth day of Dasain. Among the sacrificial animals are water buffalos, goats, ducks, hens and mountain goats (called chyangra). 
The sacrifice consisting of all these animals is called ‘pancha bali’ (five sacrifices), which is considered extremely powerful. Apart from Dasain, the day of Bala Chaturdarshi on the 14th day of the lunar fortnight is celebrated with a two day long jatra (festival). It commemorates the significance of eight deities believed to have been discriminatedduring other rituals. These deities are brought to the Shobha Bhagwati temple from their original site with grandeur and returned with the same grandeur the following day. Gyani Guruju is the official priest of the Shobha Bhagwati temple, whose family has been performing its rituals for the last four generations.