Bagalamukhi and Kumbheshwar

Bagalamukhi and Kumbheshwar

The two temples, one a Shiva temple and the other a Shakti Peeth, are located in the same temple complex, south of the city of Patan. Bagalamukhi is one of the most famous Shakti Peeths of the Kathmandu valley and is visited by a large number of devotees especially on Thursdays. The goddess is known as the one who fulfills the devotees’ wishes. The inner shrine is carved with silver. Navaratra draws large numbers of devotees to the temple from the wee hours of the morning.

Kumbheshwar is dedicated to Shiva, the Lord of Aquarius or Water Pitcher (kumbha). It is a five-storey pagoda temple made of wood, one of just two five-storeyed temples in the valley. The temple dates from 1392, making it the oldest temple in Patan, Lalitpur. There is a large silver Shiva lingam inside the temple. There is a pond nearby whose water is said to flow all the way from Gosainkunda Lake nestled in Langtang Himal in Rasuwa district. A big fair is held here on Janai Purnima in August.