Bajrayogini Temple in Nepal, Religion, Tourist Attractions
There are a number of beautiful temples in Nepal which are definitely worth a visit whether you are Hindu or Bhuddist or even if you belong to some sort of western religion. The temples themselves are so old and intricate in design that they definitely merit attention from any traveler. One such temple is the Bajrayogini Temple. This temple is actually a sort of temple complex, with the main temple having being built by King Pratap Malla in 1655. The Bajrayogini Temple in Nepal is a tantric temple dedicated to Bajrayogini. Bajrayogini is the Hindu goddess of wisdom of which Ugra Tara is the Buddhist equivalent. Thus the temple is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists and must be treated with the utmost respect.
The Bajrayogini Temple is situated in Sankhu which is in the Kathmandu Valley. The temple is situated roughly 20 kilometers north-east of downtown Kathmandu. It is considered to be a very sacred temple because it is believed to have one of the strongest abilities to bless its worshipers. The area where it is located is often referred to as Gunbaha which can be roughly translated from Newari as ‘recreational forest place’. The area is very pretty and this adds to the allure of the temple. The main temple is a three-story high building which was obviously carefully constructed with the utmost attention to detail. You will likely find a statue of the goddess Bajrayogini in this temple which will feature a red face with three eyes as well as hands which have the thumb and middle finger carefully decorated. Her statue is surrounded by ornaments and it helps to hear her story to better understand the significance of the statue.
According to a holy book which was once discovered long ago, the site of the temple was once a forked piece of stone which spouted fire. This was quite significant when the rest of the world was covered with snow and before long there emerged a five-colored flame which came to be the volcanic goddess. The goddess ordered that a temple be built on the sight of her emergence and priests have been making use of the nine surrounding caves for centuries to serve this temple ever since. The first priest to serve here was supposedly given superior enlightenment and Bajrayogini is considered to be one of the wisest and strongest gods able to grant this gift. There is a beautiful water tap complete with decorative statue in the area which dates back to the fourth century. The attraction here is not only the various temples but also the many other interesting temples and caves which surrounding it – some of which are considered to be older than the temple itself.
