HISTORICAL GLIMPSE AND TOURISM POTENTIAL OF TRIPURA SUNDARI BHAGWOTI TEMPLE

Your first impression of Nepal may render you speechless by its cultural and religious richness and diversity. Ancient temples, churches, monasteries and other religious buildings compete for space with urban housing. Marketplaces and religious sites are always crowded with colorfully dressed people. Temple Tripura Sundari is one of the most famous temples of far western Nepal, located in Dasrathchand municipality ward no. 8 of Baitadi district. It is known for its astonishing architectural beauty, stands as a symbol of faith, religion, culture and tradition. The temple is constructed in pagoda style and decorated with red colored marble tiles. It is believed that red color indicate the symbol of goddess Bhagwati. The present pagoda style of the temple came into existence as a result of renovation by local peoples. It is magnificent piece of art and has huge potential of tourism within and outside the country. It is situated at top of the hill and on its base there is small town market or village known as Jhulaghat on the Indo-Nepal border which is about 4 kilometers away from Tripura Sundari temple .The Mahakali river flows from East to West along the Indo-Nepal Border creating international boundary. The town is good business centre for Indian and Nepali people. Indians are attracted to foreign goods available in shops at Nepal side of Jhulaghat.There are regular bus services from district headquarter Khalanga and Jhulaghat to Tripura Sundari. Temple is only 3 kilometer away from district headquarter khalanga.

Tripura Sundari is also known from the name of Ransaini. It is believed that there were seven sisters of Goddess Bhagwati among which one is Ransaini. Word Ransaini is originated from two words ‘Ran’ meaning rice husk and ‘Saini’ meaning Bhagwoti. There are seven such Bhagwati temples in Baitadi representing each sister. There is a myth describing how the Tripura Sundari Bhagwoti temple came to existence which is associated with ancestors of Thapas. It is said that Goddess Bhagwati came to dwell here from a place called Rodi inside a bucket of rice called ‘Dalo’ carried by a poor man. There was an aakaswani and goddess Bhagwoti settled there. Later on an old Brahmin couple (Pujara) on the way to holy place to India rests there and goddess Bhagwati came into their dream and told old Brahmin to marry a daughter of Guru. 

Since the Brahmin couple was childless male Brahmin married the daughter of Guru (Chetri) and settled there. At present Thapas (former Pujaras) being descents of Brahmin are given majority of rights for the proper management of temples. The name of the village in which temple lies is Pujaragaun which is given after the former caste of local dwellers. The local people dwelling in the periphery of temple are divided into several groups known as ‘Rath’. Rath includes castes Thapas, Mouni, Chand and Gurus.

On the special occasions like Sankranti, Poornima, Dashain, Gaura and Jaat thousands of pilgrims from within and outside the country come to this temple with great hope of fulfilling their desires and worship Goddess Bhagwoti. Jaat is the biggest festival celebrated twice a year in the months of Ashar and karthik.During Jaat thousands of devotees and festive lover from different parts of Nepal and India gather here to celebrate festival and worship Goddess Bhagwoti. Hundreds of he-buffalos and thousands of he-goats are sacrificed on these occasions to make goddess Bhagwoti happy. Jaat is festival celebrated with local musical instruments while transferring goddess Bhagwati from main temple to branch temple and again back to main temple popularly know as ‘Sawari’ in local language. This temple is unique piece of art, point of attraction for worshippers and valuable cultural asset for Nepalese people. Therefore, Nepal being very rich in cultural heritages it is necessary to disseminate information on such religious sites for the promotion of tourism, economical development of local people and promotion of the site.

By: Mukesh Singh Thapa