Kirtipur Bagh Bhairav is a globally renowned temple located at the hilltop in Kirtipur. It is a historical cultural site that has been preserved very well by the local people in Kirtipur as a heritage site. The Bagh Bhairav temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Bhairav, a fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva. Bagh is ‘Tiger’and Bhairav is ‘the fearful manifestation of Lord Shiva. The temple is a renowned pilgrimage destination for both Hindu and Buddhist devotees, as well as cultural enthusiasts around the globe.
Background of the Temple and it's Date
The ideal Bagh Bhairav Temple is located at the central part of Kirtipur. This is the main temple of the Kirtipur cultural heritage premises. It has been built in the Pagoda style, consisting of three stories with 18 Gajur (pointed top part). The temple is a prominent example of wood craftsmanship in the early medieval era.
The first floor of the temple has several illustrations of Ramayana and Mahabharata myths. The main statue of Lord Bhairav in the temple is made of clay and covered with a silver image. The exact date that the temple was built is not clear.
In one myth, a year after the Kirtipur town was settled, the temple was built. In between Nepal Sambat Calendar- 219-246, Shivadev-II had reigned Kathmandu valley, and it is believed that he built the temple in the then period.
Story/Myth about the Emergence of Bagh Bhairav Kirtipur
The statue of Bagh Bhairav has its mouth wide open and no tongue. It has a beautiful story about it.
A very interesting myth about the statue of Lord Bhairav goes like this. Once, a few girls went to graze their sheep in the northern forest of Kirtipur. They used to play some games during their shepherd life. One day, they built the statue of a tiger from clay. As they were finishing the statue, they searched for a leaf to make the tongue of the tiger.
When they came to the place with a leaf, they didn't see any sheep. They searched everywhere, but could not find their sheep. Being tired, they went to the statue of the tiger and asked if it ate the sheep. The statue of the tiger opened its mouth fully, and they saw a red mouth and blood inside the mouth. They confirmed that the toy tiger ate all their sheep. Being angry, they did not put the leaf in the mouth of the tiger.
After this incident, the tiger started to search for its prey throughout the village. 'The villagers were terrified, and they went to the tantric prophet and asked for a solution. He suggested taking the statue of a tiger in the temple and conducting Puja because the fearful form of Lors Shiva (Bhairav) has come in the body of that clay-made tiger. Then they
The locals of Kirtipur regard Bagh Bhairav as their protector. Every year on Bhadra 01 (Nepali date), local people conduct Jatra and encircle the temple 108 times, which signifies good luck for the people. There are also several statues of other deities in the premises.
Location-Where?
Kirtipur Bagh Bhairav is located about 10 kilometers from the central part of Kathmandu (Thamel). The heritage site of Kirtipur is a renowned site for cultural exploration and historical research.
How to Book Kirtipur Day Tour?
You can simply contact Nepal Kameleon Holidays, who expertise on the cultural research tour in Nepal via,
WhatsApp: +977 9851159455
Email: [email protected]
Can I Add a few more Places on the Kirtipur Tour?
Of course, you can add two amazing destinations to the Kirtipur day Tour, they are Khokana and Bungmati. They are impressive ancient Newari towns with an abundant number of attractions, including Rato Machhindranath Temple, Karyavinayak Temple, Traditional Mustard Mills and many more.
