This is the only one biggest religious fair in Nepal, which takes place only in every twelve years at Godawari pilgrimage in Kathmandu. Millions of devotees swarm there to take the holy bath in the Sidheshower Mahadev Kunda at this time. The fete lasts for the whole one month; and last year, the 2060 VS(2003AD) was on it’s turn; where according to the data received from there one million and two hundred thousand devotees visited to attend the Mela which is surprisingly an unbelievable gathering till to date in the history there. Mythology believes that in every twelve years the Jupiter Planet sets in the Leo sign in the month of Bhadra dark forthnight(aug 15 to sept 15) and the rays of sun at this time  belong with very much powerful devices to heal our diseases at some certain places; and the place is believed to be the Godawari kunda of kathmandu at this time. In every twelve yar the Leo sign subjugates to Zodiacs, among the zodiacs when this zodiac subjugates to the signs, this sign and capricon sign have got the highest importance among the others signs’ subjugations.So millions of devotees herd there to take the holy dip and to get relief from many kinds of disease since the sun is believed to be the source of God which we call the Surya Narayan Bhagawan in the Hindu religion. Also the devotees believe that since taking the holy dip there in the kunda , all of our vices will go away, then we get the sacred life as like the other reputed rivers’ holy bath.

Also the legend believes that when the lords and demons had churned the ocean to take out the nectar at that time some of the nectar’s drops had fallen in that Godawari Kunda so due to the reason also this place has been believed to be one of the most sacred pilgrimages of Nepal. So this is also the reason for why the devotees flock here to millions in number? So this fair has got a great significant value in Nepal. Sidheshower Mahadev’s temple also is situated near the Godawari Kunda (sacred pond). There is a very interesting anecdote regarding to this Mela:

In thirteen century period, a renowned Hermit named Bahadur puri used to stay there doing a very complicate penance and he had an Ashram (shelter) also at that place. He was a very virtuous and pious man. For his purification, he used to go very often to take the holy bath at the famous Godawari River in eastern India where the Panchawati Ashram also is situated there. Because of his tireless effort to visiting for holy bath there, one day the Godawari Ganga mother told him that, “ he is not necessary to visit there any more since he is getting a lot of trouble to get there and instead of this she will flow there itself in Godawari Nepal where his Ashram has been located”. She told him to leave his pincer, jug, rosary, and pain cloth there itself at the  panchawati Ashram of Godawari Ganga in India. He did these all as per the Ganga’s command and returned back to Nepal. After coming from India he prayed and worshiped a lot to the Godawari Ganga to flow there itself via his Ashram at Godawari Nepal. Since then the Godawari Ganga mother originated automatically there via his Ashram and started to flow relentlessly. All of his previous left materials the jug; pincer, plain clothes and rosary there in India also appeared there along with the flow of the river. By looking the Hermit Bahadur Puri’s miracle, all the people there started to sing his glory and the day was the first date of the Bhadra month and the phenomenon lasted there during the month. Also the Nymphs, Gods had come there to take the holy bath. Then slowly the river changed to be in a small kunda(pond) to flow. That’s why it’s believed that this place changed to be in a famous pilgrimage later for the devotees and the huge fair started to take place in the commemoration of the renowned sage Mr Bahadur Puri there since that time.

In the fifth century at the time of Lichhivi king Shivadev, this place had been declared as one of the prominent pilgrimage in Nepal. According to the historical myth when Manjushree came to destroy the valley, which was completely filled with water by that time he had taken rest in this Godawari with his tow wives Keshini and Upakeshinu. He spilled out all the water of the valley by cutting the Chovar hill which is situated to the southern side of kathmandu and rehabilitated the people which we call the kathmandu, Bhaktapur and patan cities of the valley in these days. So this place has got a very high historical importance as well. Also Bhosombhu Budha when he had come to take the audience of Swoyambhunath, he had offered the 125000 varities of flowers of Swoyambhunath plucking them from the Fulchowki hill which is in the vicinity of Godawari area. So in this reason also this place has become the historical place. At present the Godawari conservation park is located there where different God’s and Goddesses idols are also consecrated there in side.

Near the Godawari kunda sidhesower Mahadev’s Temple also is there in side. There are five stone’s spouts in the pond, a little bit down the pancha deval temples has been built in the name of the five dignitaries assassinated in the historical kot parva. An ancient Ashram of Gautmi Hermit is still as yet there and the Gauri kunda is a little bit far from there. It’s believed that a devotee doesnot get the real grace of the God unless he visits there the Gauri Kunda since visiting the Godawari pilgrimage. There are some other important historical valued temples also to visit. Recently in 19 Jestha 2059 VS twenty feet high lord Budha’s idol also has been consecrated there in the santiban area. Because of situated at the high place this place looks very lovely forever all view, through where the whole kathmandu valley can be seen clearly. The Godavari site is highly important as a it’s minerals point of view also, since the marble and limestone mines are appeared there. The Royal botanical garden, which occupies a big area of 82 hectare of land and a fish breeding site, are also located there in this place.

Comments (1)

... : Kevin : http://www.sanjaal.com Enjoyed this article about the nepali Festival. thanks for posting. September 07, 2009

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