Balkumari Temple (Nepali: बालकुमारी मन्दिर) of
Bhaktapur District
Bhaktapur district ( ne, भक्तपुर जिल्ला; Nepal Bhasa : ख्वप देश (जिल्ला) located in the eastern part of Kathmandu valley, is the smallest district among the seventy-seven districts of Nep ...
is one of four Kumari temples in
Kathmandu Valley
The Kathmandu Valley ( ne, काठमाडौं उपत्यका; also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley ( ne, नेपाः उपत्यका, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः)), ...
. The temple was built in the 17th century.
In 2015, the original idol of Digu Bhairav from the 17th century was stolen from the temple.
Sindoor Jatra starts form this temple.
The festival is carried out in the temple in Nepali New Year Day. The pilgrims throw Vermillion powder (''Sindur'') in sky during the festival hence the name ''Sindoor Jatra''. During the Jatra, 32 chariots are built containing the idols of various gods and goddesses.
Architecture
The Balkumari temple has a square base and has three stories. A column with a peacock on its top decorates the temple in front. The peacocks are also welded on the corners of the temple. A
Bhairab
Bhairab( bn, ভৈরব, also known as Bhairab Bazar) is a city in central Bangladesh, located in Kishoreganj District in the division of Dhaka. It is administrative headquarter and urban centre of Bhairab Upazila. About 118,992 people live here ...
temple also lies in the premise.
Mythology
According to mythology, a merchant from
Thimi
Madhyapur Thimi, also known as Thimi, ( ne, मध्यपुर थिमि) is a municipality in Bhaktapur District in the Bagmati Zone of central Nepal. Thimi lies between Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu Valley. It is one ...
fell in love with the princess of
Lubhu. The princess got pregnant and asked the merchant to take her with him. The merchant agreed in the condition that she bring the goddess Balkumari along with her. The princess brought the goddess with her and then the Balumari temple was shifted from Lubhu to Thimi.
See also
*
List of Hindu temples in Nepal
References
{{Hindu temples in Nepal
Hindu temples in Bagmati Province
17th-century establishments in Nepal
Buildings and structures in Bhaktapur District