Dakshinkali Devsthal Temple
Dakshinkali Devsthal is located at the southern part of the Dhapakhel, Ward No. 23 of Lalitpur Metropolitan City in Lalitpur District, and this Devsthal is constructed in the traditional Pagoda style. Although there is no concrete historical evidence regarding the temple’s establishment, local legends suggest that it might have been built during the early days of human settlement in this area. This legend is passed down by the local elderly residents.
Structure of the Dakshinkali Devsthal Temple
The Dakshinkali Devsthal temple complex covers an area of 250 square meters, and a few years ago, this temple was constructed here in the artistic pagoda style. The Dakshinkali Temple, which is located on the lower level of the complex, is where offerings, including animal sacrifices, are made to the deities. The deities enshrined in this temple include Shree Ganesh, Suvarna Bhagwati, Bal Kumari, Dakshinkali, Manakamana, Bajrabarahi, Bhairav, Bangalamukhi, and several gatekeepers. All these idols are placed on a platform with an octagonal base or Asta Matrika Thali.
This temple has been crafted artistically using wood and features intricate carvings. Tamako Pata (brass) and Pittal’s Gajur (Pinnacle) have been placed in the temple.
History of the Dakshinkali Devsthal Temple
This temple is famous by two names. Some people also know it as the common place of many gods and goddesses- Devsthal. However, among others, it is also famous by the name of Dakshinkali Devsthal. According to legend, it is believed that Dakshinkali Devi stayed at this place for a day when she went South with her followers. Taking this legend as the basis, the name of this place has come to be Dakshinkali Devsthal.
This temple holds the legacy of ancient history and serves as a testament to cultural heritage. It is a place where various festivals are celebrated with special rituals and daily worship and offerings are made to the deities as part of the daily rituals.
It is believed that a Jogi named Ganje Babaji lived here a century ago. According to the same belief, he used to sit in this place and worship the gods and goddesses. Along with this, it is believed that he planted Amala, Gamala, Mango, Timur, Vyakur, Jaamur etc. in his hut and took care of this place.
Jatra, Festivals and Beliefs of Dakshinkali Devsthal Temple
According to the popular name of the temple i.e. Devsthal, the temple is a common place of many deities. Several gods and goddesses are worshiped here on special days.There is also a tradition of offering vows and sacrifices in the Dakshinkali Devsthal temple. People who are unable to go to the main temple believe that it is equivalent to worship the Dakshinkali here and the Dakshinkali of Kathmandu.This temple holds great significance and uniqueness.
It is a place where Hindu devotees celebrate various festivals and Jatras with special devotion. Some of the notable festivals celebrated here include Dashain, Tihar, Shrawan Sankranti, Janai Purnima, Gai Jatra, Maghe Sankranti, Fagu Purnima, Chhath, NewYear, Teej, and other festivals. The local Newar community, in particular, participates in the Fagu Purnima Jatra with traditional musical instruments, and they also perform various rituals and worship at the temple.
Chaturbhasa Story recitation, Shivratri Prayers and Bhajan Kirtan are also performed in this temple. From the day of Bhadra Shuklapaksha Pratipada (Gula Parva) for one month Bhajan Kirtans are performed, and local Newar communities come to light the lamp with different Bajas (traditional musical instruments) in the evening for one month i.e. till the Ashwin Shuklapaksha Pratipada (Alanshwa). This ends on the day of Ghatasthapana (First day of Dashain) after offering meals and feast to the people who come to play musical instruments and for the women who come to light the oil lamps (batti).
On the day of Gai Jatra, in memory of the dead who died that year in the Newar community, it is customary to circumambulate this temple first by dressing as a cow or by donating a cow before circumambulating other temples. Along with this, on this day, Newar community donates various foods and fruits to the people only after offering them to the deities inside the temple premises. On the day of Gaijatra, there is a custom of performing Lakhe dance inside the temple premises with by playing local bajas (traditional musical instruments).
Dakshinkali Devsthal temple is also considered as Pinga Dayo (Pingla Deity) by the Newar community. There is also a tradition of worshipping various deities during the night also known as Chaa Puja. It is believed that if someone is sick due to the various curses, worshiping the deities here will cure those diseases.
In Dakshinkali Devsthal temple, various auspicious ceremonies like weddings, brata bandha, and Pasni (rice feeding ceremony for infants) are performed. The Newar community also conducts Janku (Ratharohan) here, and they worship the temple’s deities and perform circumambulations. Additionally, during important life events such as death rituals, feasts, and other ceremonies the Newars first offer their prayers and worship to the deities of this temple. After these rituals, they then proceed to worship other deities in different temples.
There are temples and idols of other deities within the Dakshinkali Devsthal temple complex.
1. Saraswati Temple:
The Saraswati temple, artistically built in the style of a small pagoda, is situated within the premises of the Dakshinkali Temple, facing northward. Inside the Saraswati Temple, there are idols of various deities, including Pancheshwar Mahadev, Shiva Parvati, Saraswati, Mukti Nath, Buddha, Krishna, Satyanarayan, Surya Dev, and Ram Sita. Daily worship and rituals are conducted in the Saraswati Temple, with special emphasis on the worship of Goddess Saraswati. On the occasion of Saraswati Puja, people of all ages, from young children to adults, gather to offer prayers, worship, and pay their respects to Goddess Saraswati.
2. Nateshwor Idol (Murti)
The Nateshwor deity, represented in the form of a stone inscription, is also located on the southern side of the Dakshinkali Temple during the circumambulation. This deity is mentioned to have been established in 1385 B.S. (approximately 600 years ago) as per the information inscribed on the stone inscription. The use of Sanskrit and Devanagari script in this inscription suggests its age and historical significance. The lower part of the stone inscription features a triangular symbol.
Nateshwor deity holds a special significance and uniqueness in this region. The local community here reveres Nateshwor as their guru (teacher) and worships him during important activities such as teaching, dancing, learning music, drama, and various other artistic endeavors. As part of this tradition, worship and offerings are made to Nateshwor on Wednesdays, highlighting the role of Nateshwor as a revered teacher and patron of the arts in the local culture.
The temple complex also includes statues of various deities. Inside the complex, there is a statue of Lord Hanuman. In the open area between Dakshinkali Temple and Saraswati Temple, a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva has been established. To the west and north of the temple, you can find statues of Lord Brahma, Lord Buddha, and Goddess Saraswati. Additionally, in the northernmost part of the Saraswati Temple, local Newar kul devatas (clan deities) are established and worshipped.
The Dakshinkali Temple holds great significance in its local community. Recognizing its importance and identity, efforts have been made to preserve and enhance the temple’s glory. A committee known as the “Devasthal Tatha Samaj Sudhar Samiti” has been formed to work towards the conservation and development of the temple. In the southwestern part of the temple, a three-story building (sattal) has been constructed, where daily worship, bhajans, kirtans, and religious studies take place, further enriching the spiritual and cultural environment of the temple.
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References
Dharmalal Maharjan
दक्षिणकाली देवस्थल
ललितपुर जिल्ला ललितपुर महानगरपालिका वडा नं. २३ धापाखेलको मुल सडकसँगै प्यागोडा शैलीमा दक्षिणकाली देवस्थल अवस्थित छ। ऐतिहासिक महत्व बोकेको यस मन्दिरको स्थापनाको कुनै पनि तथ्य देखिँदैन। तापनि यस क्षेत्रमा जुनबेला बस्तीको सुरुवात भयो त्यहि समयमा यस मन्दिरको स्थापना भएको हुनसक्ने स्थानिय बुढापाकाहरुको भनाइ रहेको छ।
मन्दिरको वनावट
२५० वर्ग मिटर क्षेत्रफल रहेको यस मन्दिर परिसरमा केही वर्ष अगाडि मात्र कलात्मक प्यागोडा शैलीमा नयाँ मन्दिर निर्माण गरिएको छ। दुई तल्ले दक्षिणकाली मन्दिरमा भोग खाने अर्थात् बली दिन मिल्ने देवताहरु श्री गणेश, सुवर्ण भगवती, बालकुमारी, दक्षिणकाली, मनकामना, बज्रबाराही, भैरव, बंगलामुखी र द्वारपाल स्थापित गरिएको छ भने सबै मूर्तिको तल अष्टमण्डल थाली राखिएको छ। यस मन्दिरलाई कलात्मक रुपमा काठको प्रयोग गरि बनाइएको छ। छानामा तामाको पाता प्रयोग गरिएको छ भने गजुर पित्तलको राखिएको छ
मन्दिरको इतिहास
मन्दिरको नामाकरण र इतिहासलाई हेर्ने हो भने यस दक्षिणकाली देवस्थललाई देवीदेवताको साझा स्थलको रुपमा मानिन्छ। यहाँ परापूर्वकालमा दक्षिणकालीदेवी आफ्ना गणहरुसँग दक्षिणतर्फ लाग्दा यो स्थानमा एक दिन बास बस्नुभएको भन्ने किंवदन्ती रहेको छ। त्यसैले त्यस समय देखि नै दक्षिणकाली देवस्थलको रुपमा नामाकरण भएको भन्ने धारणा रहेको छ।
यो मन्दिरलाई प्राचीन इतिहासको धरोहरको रुपमा लिइएको छ। यस मन्दिरमा विभिन्न चाडपर्वमा विशेष पूजा र दैनिक नित्य पूजा अर्चना हुँदै आइरहेको छ।
करिब एक शताब्दी अघि यस मन्दिर परिसरमा एक गंजे बाबाजी नामक जोगीले कुटी बनाई बस्नु भएको भन्ने जनविश्वास रहेको छ। उहाँले यस मन्दिरमा दिनहुँ पूजा आराधना गर्नुहुन्थ्यो भन्ने भनाई रहेको छ। उहाँले यस मन्दिर परिसरमा अमला, गमला, टिमुर, भ्याकुर, ज्यामुर आदि बिरुवा रोपी हेरचाह गरि बस्नुभएको भन्ने भनाई पनि रहिआएको छ।
जात्रा, पर्व र विश्वासहरु
यो देवस्थल धेरै देवीदेवताको साझा स्थल हो। यहाँ धेरै देवी देवताहरुको आराधना गरिने गरिन्छ। विभिन्न देवीदेवता रहेको कारणले यहाँ विशेष दिनमा विशेष पूजाहरु हुने गर्दछ। काठमाडौंको दक्षिणकाली मन्दिर जान असमर्थ भएकाहरुले यहाँको दक्षिणकालीलाई पूजा गर्दा पनि आफ्नो मनोकामना पूरा हुने जनविश्वास रहिआएको छ। यस दक्षिणकाली मन्दिरमा भक्तजनहरुले भाकल गर्ने र बलि दिने चलन पनि रहिआएको छ।
यस मन्दिरको आफ्नै विशेषता र महत्व रहेको छ। यहाँ हिन्दु धर्मावलम्बीहरुको चाडपर्वहरु, जात्राहरु विशेष गरी बडादशैँ, तिहार, श्रावण संग्रान्ती, जनै पूर्णिम, गाई जात्रा, माघे संग्रान्ती, फागु पूर्णिमा, चैते दशैँ, नयाँ वर्ष, तीज तथा अन्य पर्वहरुमा स्थानियहरुले पूजा अर्चना गर्ने गर्दछन्। स्थानिय नेवार समुदायले मनाउने फागु पूर्णिमा जात्रामा स्थानिय बाजागाजा सहित मन्दिर परिक्रमा, पूजाआजा गर्ने गर्दछन्। यस देवस्थलमा चतुर्भास कथा वाचन, शिवरात्रीमा पूजा अर्चना जाग्राम बस्ने, भाद्र शुक्लपक्ष प्रतिपदादेखि (गुला पर्व) एक महिनासम्म बिहान भजन किर्तन गरिने र आश्विन शुक्लपक्ष प्रतिपदा (अलांश्व) देखि एक महिनासम्म बेलुका स्थानिय नेवार समुदायहरु बाजागाजा सहित बत्ती दिन आउने चलन रहिआएको छ। जुन घटस्थापनाको दिन सम्पन्न गरि बाजागाजा खलक र बत्ती दिन आउने महिलाहरुले भोज समेत खाने चलन रहिआएको छ।
गाईजात्राको दिन नेवार समुदाय भित्रका त्यस वर्ष मृत्यु भएका मृतकहरुको सम्झनामा गाईको रुप धारण गरि वा गाई दान गर्दा यस मन्दिरको परिक्रमा गरेर मात्र अन्य मन्दिर परिक्रमा गर्ने चलन रहिआएको छ। यसको साथसाथै यस दिन नेवार समुदायबाट विभिन्न खानेकुरा, फलफूल दान दिने क्रममा मन्दिर परिसर भित्र रहेका देवीदेवतालाई चढाइसकेपछि मात्रै मानिसहरुलाई दान गरिन्छ। गाईजात्राको दिन स्थानिय बाजागाजा सहित लाखे नाच ल्याई मन्दिर परिसरमा नचाउने चलन छ।
यो देवस्थललाई नेवार समुदायले पिंग दयोको (पिङ्गला देवता) रुपमा पनि मान्ने गर्दछन्। यहाँ विभिन्न देवीदेवतालाई रात्रीपूजा (चा पूजा) गर्ने चलन पनि छ।कोहि बिरामी हुँदा देवी देवताको दोष देखाएमा देवीदेवताको पूजा आराधना गर्नाले दोषबाट मुक्त भई रोग निको हुने जनविश्वास रहिआएको छ।
यस मन्दिरमा शुभकार्यहरु विवाह, व्रतबन्ध, पास्नी आदि अर्ने गर्दछन्। नेवार समुदायले गरिने जङ्कु (रथारोहण) गर्दा पनि यस मन्दिरको पूजाआजा र परिक्रमा गर्ने गरिन्छ। यहाँको नेवारहरुको कुनै पनि मृत्यु संस्कारका पूजाआजा, अन्य शुभकार्य, भोज गर्दा पहिले यहाँको देवीदेवतालाई पूजाअर्चना गर्ने चलन रहिआएको छ। यहाँको पूजापछि मात्र अन्य देवी देवताको मन्दिरमा पूजा गर्ने चलन छ।
दक्षिणकाली देवस्थल मन्दिर परिसरभित्र अन्य देवी देवताको मन्दिर र मूर्ती पनि रहेको छ।
१. सरस्वती मन्दिर:-
सानो प्यागोडा शैलीमा कलात्मक ढङ्गले निर्माण गरिएको सरस्वती मन्दिर नाटेश्वर देवताको मुर्ती हुँदै दक्षिणकाली मन्दिरको परिक्रमा गर्दा मन्दिर परिसरको उत्तरतर्फ रहेको छ। सरस्वतीको मन्दिरभित्र पंचेश्वर महादेव, शिव पार्वती, सरस्वती, मुक्तिनाथ, बुद्ध, कृष्ण, सत्यनारायण, सूर्यदेव, रामसिताको मूर्ती स्थापना गरिएको छ। सरस्वतीको मन्दिरमा पनि दैनिक पूजा अर्चना हुने गर्दछ भने विशेष गरि श्री पंचमीको दिन बालबालिका देखि ठूलासम्म सरस्वती माताको पूजा अर्चना र आराधनाको लागि भिड लाग्ने गर्दछ।
२. नाटेश्वर मूर्ती
दक्षिणकाली मन्दिरलाई परिक्रमा गर्ने क्रममा मन्दिरको दक्षिणतर्फको भित्तामा नाटेश्वर देवको प्रतिकको रुपमा शिलापत्र समेत रहेको नाटेश्वर देवता रहेका छन्। यी देवता विं.सं. १३८५ मा स्थापित भएको कुरा शिलापत्रमा उल्लेख गरिएको छ। यसलाई आधार मान्ने हो भने यो करिब ६०० वर्ष अघिको रहेको बुझिन्छ। संस्कृत, देवनागरी लिपि प्रयोग गरेर लेखिएको यो शिलापत्रको तल्लो भागमा भने त्रिकोण कुँदिएको छ।
विशेष गरि नाटेश्वर देवताको आफ्नै महत्व र विशेषता रहिआएको छ। यहाँका स्थानीयहरुले विभिन्न बाजागाजा सिकाउँदा, नृत्य, नाटक आदि सिकाउँदा नाटेश्वरलाई गुरुको रुपमा मान्ने चलन छ। यस्तो कार्यमा नाटेश्वरको पूजाआजा बिहिबारको दिन गर्ने चलन रहिआएको छ।
मन्दिर परिसरभित्र हनुमानको मूर्ती स्थापना गरिएको छ। दक्षिणकाली मन्दिर र सरस्वती मन्दिरको बिच खाली क्षेत्रमा बसाहा सहितको महादेव स्थापना गरिएको छ। मन्दिरको पश्चिम उत्तर क्षेत्रको पर्खालमा ब्रह्मा, बुद्ध, सरस्वती स्थापना गरिएको छ। यस्तै सरस्वती मन्दिरको उत्तरतर्फ स्थानिय नेवारहरुको कुल देवताहरु स्थापना गरिएको छ।
दक्षिणकाली देवस्थलको आफ्नै महिमा छ। आफ्नै पहिचान र महत्व रहेको यस देवस्थलको संरक्षण, संवर्धन गर्न देवस्थल तथा समाज सुधार समिती गठन भई देवस्थललाई अझ बढि सुन्दरमय बनाउन देवस्थलको दक्षिण पश्चिम क्षेत्रमा तीन तल्लाको सत्तल निर्माण गरिएको छ। जहाँ दैनिक रुपमा भजन किर्तन, पाठ पुराण समेत हुने गरेको छ।
सन्दर्भ
धर्मलाल महर्जन
