Welcome to Batulechaur Temple.
It is said that the name Batulechaur was given to this place because of the round shape of this hill. In the year 1800 B.S., after the outbreak of an epidemic, another Maha Yagya was performed at this place for 6 months with unbroken kirtans. It is said that later in 1900 B.S., Kritinath’s descent established a Kalika Bhagwati Devi Mandir in Batulechaur after seeing baglung devi in his dreams. It is believed that if there is a crisis like famine, heavy rainstorm or drought, performing oli here resolves it.
According to the legend, Batulechaur is the holy place where King Dasharatha performed Mahayagya in remembrance of Baglung Devi to atone his sin of killing Shravan Kumar. As mentioned in the ancient Hindu text Ramayana, Shravan Kumar was accidentally killed by King Dasharatha. Shravan Kumar was known for his devotion towards his parents, Shantanu and Gyanvanti, who were hermits.
He used to put each parent in a basket and tied each to an end of a bamboo pole and carried them on his shoulder while on their journey to the four most sacred places of Hindu pilgrimage to purify the soul. On his way he had gone to the Dahare lake to fetch some water for his thirsty parents. When he dipped the bamboo utensil to fetch some water, he was hit by an arrow. That arrow belonged to King Dasharath. He had fired that arrow on the basis of the sound he heard, thinking that it was a deer. But it hit Shravan Kumar.
When King Dasharatha went to Kailash to get the medicine and herbs to save Shravan Kumar but Shravan Kumar died at a place called Ratadada. So, the king shot an arrow into the majhapani and fed the water that came out to Shravan Kumar. It is said that for this reason that palace is now called baanapani. As per the legend, King Dasharatha donated 108 cows at the Batulechaur Devi Temple for the atonement of killing Shravan Kumar.
From ancient times, worshiping in the temple has been performed by the Guthi of the Batulechaur temple. The daily worship is held in the temple throughout the year but the crowds of devotees increase on Sananta Triadashi, Chaite Dashain, Teej and Bada Dashain. The priest recites the Vedic text from the day of Ghatasthapana to Dasami. Sacrificial worshiping is done on Bada Dashain and people of all castes are welcome here without discrimination to receive tika and blessings.
Since ancient times, fairs have been held in this place on various occasions. In these fairs, traders from various places like Kathmandu, Pokhara, Baglung, Beni come to sell their products.
Around the Batulechaur temple premises there are 108 small squares of bar pipal. The huge idol of Lord Shiva present here looks like it is on the laps of the mountain. On the east side of the temple is the Parshunthum Dada, place where Parshuram meditated. The height of the temple gives an amazing view of the whole Parbat district as well as some parts of the Baglung district. This beautiful view and the religious importance of the temple makes this place an important tourist and religious site.
This area is not only known for its religious significance but also for its potential as a tourist destination. Panchase, located on the border of Parbat, Kaski, and Syangja, offers breathtaking views of the Himalayas and the surrounding landscapes. Moreover, the Dahare Deurali Bhagwati Temple is a revered site where the goddess is worshiped as Shakti Peeth Deurali, and sacrifices are made.
Visitors can also explore nearby attractions such as the Baglung Balewa Bhairab Temple and Balewa airport which can be seen from its height. Overall, the area surrounding Kalika Bhagwati Devi temple is a perfect blend of natural beauty, cultural significance, and tourism prospects.
Read Stories of other places of Kushma …
References:
Jhalak Rimal, Ward Head
बाटुलेचाैरमा तपाईलाई स्वागत छ ।
बाटुलेचाैर डाँडाको आकर गोलो भएको कारणले यसको नाम बटुलेचौर रखिएको हो भन्ने गरिन्छ । वि.सं. १८०० सालमा महामारी लागेपछि यसै स्थानमा ६ महिने अखन्ड कृतन गरि महायज्ञ गरिएकाे थियो। वि.सं. १९०० मा कृतिनाथका बंशले राति सपनामा बाग्लुङ देवी हूँ भनेकाे देखेर बाटुलेचाैरमा देवीमन्दिर स्थापना गरिएको थियो । अनिकाल, आँधीबेहरी वा खडेरी जस्ता संकट आइलाग्दा यहाँ महायज्ञ लगाइयो भने संकट टर्दछ भन्ने जनविश्वास रहेको छ ।
किम्बदन्ती अनुसार यो स्थल राजा दशरथले श्रवण कुमारलाई मृत्युको मुखमा पुर्याकोले र यसको प्रयास्चितका लागि बाग्लुङ देवीको स्मरण गर्दै महायज्ञ गरेको प्रवित्र स्थल हो । पुरातन हिन्दू ग्रन्थ, रामायणमा उल्लेख गरिए अनुसार श्रवण कुमारलाई राजा दशरथले संयोगवश मारेका थिए। श्रवण कुमार आफ्ना सन्यासी आमाबाबु, शान्तनु र ज्ञानवन्ती, प्रतिको भक्तिभावका लागि चिनिन्छन्। उनले बुबा र आमालाई हिन्दू तीर्थस्थलका चारवटा पवित्र स्थानहरूमा आत्मा शुद्ध गर्न लैजान अभिभावकलाई टोकरीमा रखेर बाँसले छेउमा बाँधेर काँधमा बोक्ने गरेका थिए। त्यस यात्राको क्रममा डहरे तालमा बुबाआमालाई खराे भएर पानी खुवाउन बाँसको भाँडो डुबाउँदा उनी माथि अचानक तिरको प्रहार भएको थियो । त्यो तीर राजा दशरथले हानेका थिए । राजाले आवाजको आधारमा मृग भनेर तीर हानेका रहेछन् तर दुर्भाग्यवश त्यो तीर श्रवण कुमारलाई लाग्न पुगेछ । श्रवण कुमारलाई बचाउन राजा दशरथले कैलासमा बुटी खुवाउन लान लाग्दा राताडाँडा भन्ने स्थानमा श्रवण कुमारकाे मृत्यु भएकाेले कुमारलाई पानी खुवाउन पानी कहिं नपाएपछि माझपानीमा बाण हानेर पानी निकालि श्रवण कुमारलाई पानी खुवएकाले उक्त स्थानकाे नाम बाणपानी रहेको भनाई छ। राजा दशरथले श्रवण कुमारलाई मारेकाे प्रयास्चितका लागि बाटुलेचाैर देवी मन्दिरमा महायज्ञ गरि १०८ गाई दान गरेकाे किम्वदन्ति रहेकाे छ।
मन्दिरमा पुजापाठ परपुर्वक कालदेखि मन्दिरको गुठिले नै गर्दै आईरहेको छ । यहाँ १२ मासै दैनिक पुजा भए तापनि सनन्त त्रियादशी, चैते दशैं, तीज र बडादशैंको बेला भक्तजनहरुको भिड बढ्ने गर्दछ । यस मन्दिरमा घटस्थापना देखी दसमी सम्म पुजारी चोखो र निष्ट भएर वेद पाठहरु पढ्ने पनि गरिन्छ । बडादशैंको अवसरमा यहाँ बली पुजा गरिन्छ भने भेदभाव बिना हरेक जातजातिका मानिसहरुलाई टिका र आशीर्वाद प्रदान गरिन्छ। यस स्थानमा परपुर्वक कालदेखि नै विभिन्न चाडपर्वमा मेला लाग्दै आएको छ । यस मेलाहरुमा काठमाडौं, पोखरा, बाग्लुङ, बेनी लगायत विभिन्न ठाउँका व्यापारीहरु व्यपार गर्न आउने गर्दछन् ।
बाटुलेचाैर देवी मन्दिरको परिसर वरिपरी १०८ वरपीपलको स-साना चौताराहरु छन् । यहाँ शिव भगवानको एउटा विशाल मुर्ति छ जुन हिमालको काखमा अवस्थित भए झै देखिन्छ । मन्दिरको पुर्वतिर पर्शुरामले तपस्या गरेका पर्शुनथुम डाँडा रहेको छ । मन्दिरको उचाइले पर्वतको अधिकांश छेत्र साथै बाग्लुङ जिल्लाका केही भागको मनोरम दृश्य देख्न सकिन्छ। यहाँबाट देखिने यो मनमोहक दृश्य र मन्दिरको धार्मिक महत्वले यस ठाउँलाई महत्वपूर्ण पर्यटकीय र धार्मिक स्थल बनाएको छ ।
साथै, पर्वत, कास्की र स्याङ्जाकाे सिमानामा पर्ने पन्चासे, तालकाे दृश्य पर्वतकाे सिमानामा पर्ने डहरे देउराली, डहरे ताल पनि नजिकै दृश्यमा भएकाले पर्यटनको हिसाबले यो क्षेत्र अति उत्तम छ। डहरे देउराली भगवतीकाे मन्दिर पनि नजिकै पर्छ जहाँ देवीलाई शक्ती पिठ देउरालीकाे रुपमा पुजा पाठ गरिने र बलि पुजा दिइने गरिन्छ। बाग्लुङ बलेवा भैरब मन्दिर र वलेवा एयरपोर्ट पनि नजिकै देखिन्छ। समस्त रुपमा, पर्यटन प्रबर्दन राम्रो, भरपर्दो अनि रमणिय बाटुलेचाैर कालिका भगवती शक्तिपिठ मन्दिरको जय हाेस् ।
कथा संकलित: झलक रिमाल, वार्ड अध्यक्ष
