Kushmanda Sarowar Triveni Dham ( ne, कुष्माण्ड सराेवर त्रिवेणी धाम) is a sacred

Hindu pilgrimage In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a very long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred area or shrine of importance to innate faith. Members of every major religion participate in pil ...

site dedicated to the

Goddess A goddess is a female deity. In many known cultures, goddesses are often linked with literal or metaphorical pregnancy or imagined feminine roles associated with how women and girls are perceived or expected to behave. This includes themes of s ...

Kushmanda ''Kushmanda'' is a Hindu goddess, credited with creating the world with her divine smile. Followers of the Kalikula (religion), Kalikula tradition believe her to be the fourth aspect in Navadurga forms of Mahadevi. Her name signals her main role ...

Bhagwati. The name ''

'' is formed by amalgamation of three words, meaning ‘a little’, meaning ‘warmth’ and meaning ‘the cosmic egg’. Hence, she is considered as the creator of the universe. She is often shown as having eight or ten hands and holds weapons, rosary, etc. and rides a lion. She is also said to be the happy form of goddess ''Durga,'' the fourth of the Navadurga worshipped in Dashahara. It is believed that her smile ended the eternal darkness that was present before the existence of any creation.

Winter melon ''Benincasa hispida'', the wax gourd, also called ash gourd, white gourd, winter gourd, winter melon, tallow gourd, ash pumpkin, Chinese preserving melon is a vine grown for its very large fruit, eaten as a vegetable when mature. It is the o ...

(Kubindo) is the favourite offering for the goddess. The pilgrimage is located in the outskirts of

Hetauda Hetauda ( ne, हेटौडा, ) is a sub-metropolitan city in the Makwanpur District of Bagmati Province in central Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of the Makwanpur District and the capital of Bagmati Province as declared by m ...

sub-metropolis, in central

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...

. The site is a

Triveni sangam In Hindu tradition, Triveni Sangam is the confluence (Sanskrit: ''sangama'') of three rivers that is also a sacred place, with a bath here said to flush away all of one's sins and free one from the cycle of rebirth. Triveni Sangam in Allaha ...

(a confluence of three rivers) where two right tributaries Karra and Kukhreni flow into the

East Rapti River The East Rapti River flows from east to west through the Chitwan Valley in Nepal, forming the northern border of the Chitwan National Park. It joins the Narayani River inside the protected area.Bhuju, U. R., Shakya, P. R., Basnet, T. B., Shrestha, ...

. The holy site has seen significant development in the last decade. Kushmanda Sarobaar Tribeni Shrine Development Committee oversees the development and promotion of the site. Kushmanda Bhagwati

Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

is the center of homage of the site. Kushmanda Sarowar is the holy pond dedicated to Mother Kushmanda. The river banks provide one of the major ritual Hindu

cremation Cremation is a method of Disposal of human corpses, final disposition of a Cadaver, dead body through Combustion, burning. Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India ...

sites in Hetauda. It sees major influx of pilgrims during the festivals of Kushmanda Nawami,

Makar Sankranti Makar(a) Sankranti (), also referred to as Uttarayana, Maghi, or simply Sankranti, is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on the date of January 14 annually, this occasion marks the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sag ...

and

Teej Teej ( ne, तीज, Tīja, translit-std=ISO) is the generic name for a number of Hindu festivals that are celebrated by women and girls. and welcome the monsoon season and are celebrated primarily by girls and women, with singing, dancing, ...

. It is believed that she and other gods come to bathe in the holy waters of this site. The devotees take a holy bath by immersing themselves into the waters of Triveni itself or by running under the row of a hundred and eight (108) holy taps that have been built in the temple premises. Tens of thousands of people visit the holy site in Makar Sankranti, taking ritual bathes and performing mass Upanayan of young boys, a Hindu rite of passage. Women observing the festival of Teej also take ritualistic baths here on Rishi Panchami to conclude the festival.

References

{{Hindu temples in Nepal Hindu temples in Hetauda Makwanpur District