Durga Puja

Durga Puja also referred to as Durgotsab is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi , Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Bijoya Dashami. The dates of Durga Puja celebrations are set according to the traditional Hindu calendar and the fortnight corresponding to the festival is called Debi Pokkho .Debi Pokkho is preceded by Mahalaya

the last day of the previous fortnight Pitri Pokkho ,and is ended on Kojagori Lokkhi Puja
Durga Puja is widely celebrated in the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Orissa and Tripura where it is a five-day annual holiday and in Bangladesh where it is a major Bengali festival (with the last day being a national holiday). Not only is it the biggest Hindu festival celebrated throughout the State, but it is also the most significant socio-cultural event in Bengali society. Apart from eastern India, Durga Puja is also celebrated in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Kashmir, Karnataka and Kerala. Durga Puja is also celebrated as a major festival in Nepal. Nowadays, many diaspora Bengali cultural organizations arrange for Durgotsab in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, and Kuwait, among others. In 2006, a grand Durga Puja ceremony was held in the Great Court of the British Museum.
The prominence of Durga Puja increased gradually during the British Raj in Bengal. After the Hindu reformists resemble Durga with India, she had become an icon for the Indian independence movement. In the first quarter of the 20th century, the tradition of Baroyari or Community Puja was popularised due to this. After independence, Durga Puja became one of the largest celebrated festivals in the whole world.
Durga Puja includes the worships of Shiva, Lakshmi, Ganesha, Saraswati and Kartikeya. Modern traditions have come to include the display of decorated pandals and artistically depicted idols of Durga, exchange of Bijoya Greetings and publication of Puja Annuals

Saraswoti Puja

In the Vedic system is the goddess of knowledge, music and the arts. Saraswati has been identified with the Vedic Saraswati River. She is considered as consort of Brahma.he is the daughter of Durga and is seen alongside her during Durga Puja celebrations along with her sister Lakshmi and her brothers Ganesh and Karthikeya. Saraswati's children are the Vedas, which are the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism.

Ankuri Mahadev Temple

Ankuri Mahadev temple is a Hindu temple located in Mahadeva, Saptari, Nepal. The place has Shiva Linga in the main temple, as well as Goddess Parvati and God Hanuman in other temples. The Shiva Linga has a dent of size of fist on the top. It is said that the place was a crematorium long ago and was an isolated place. Some cowherds from nearby villages used to go there. They brought it several times to their home, but the Shiva Ling used to return to its own place. It is also said that whoever tried to take the Shiva Linga to their home, misery befell upon them and a member of their family fell sick or died. Later the master of the cowherds heard about these and built a temple for Shiva Linga on the same place.
It is a well known site of pilgrimage for Shiva devotees and every year there are big fairs on festivals like Shivaratri and Anant Chaturdashi. It is a holy place to perform sacred yajna.

Bajrayogini Temple

Bajrayogini Temple is a famous Tantrik temple of Kathmandu valley. It is also well known as Bodhisattva(enlightement who is fulfilling the perfection to attain Buddhahood)'s temple. A very famous temple of Nepal of Bajrayogini situated in Sankhu, Kathmandu is supposed to have the greatest power of blessings. The adduced history explains that the king Mana Dev once mediated at Gun Bihar area.
After viewing the fourth century constructed water tap and artistically decorated statue in the area, it is confirm that the Bajrayogini is an ancient religious place of the Kathmandu Valley, the capital of Nepal. It was renovated during the period of Pratap Malla, a famous king of Malla regime in Nepal.
A religious book written in Newari Script about the chronological development of Bajrayogini is kept in the library of Denmark.
The Bajrayogini is 20 km North-east from the Kathmandu downtown and 2.5 km North from Sankhu, a nearby town. It was very famous since Kirat regime and named as Gun Bihar. Literally in Newari language Gun means Forests and Bihar means recreational place. Now it is called Gunbaha.
The temple of the goddess Bajrayogini is of three floored. Near the temple Dharmaghatu Chaitya is located, which is also believed older than the Swoyambhu Chaitya, according to Shidhiwar.
Bajrayogini is a goddess of red faced having three eyes, thumb and the middle finger of the right and left hands have decorated at bodily state Bajrayan tantra with a sword and amethyst work almost in full decoration with ornaments named Shree Shree Shree Prachanda Ugratara; respectively.
Around the area, there are nine caves that refer to the stone age. In one of the caves, there are two rooms. The priest, the ardent lover of the goddess goes into the cave for penance.
The Bajrayogini Fair continues from Chaite Purnima, Full Moon day that lies in March or April of the Gregorian calendar.
A very interesting story about the origination of Bajrayogini goddess written in the holy book is supposed to have brought into memory about 200 years ago. According to the book, at the starting of the Snow age and Bhadrakalpo’s age from the fork of the stone where the temple is now, a five-colored flame came out and after a long time, there a volcanic goddess. The first priest Gyanacharya Yogi who did penance in the cave, Shidikul Mahabihar and was given Bajracharya Dikshya (Super Knowledge) naming Bachashidi Bajracharya with his appointment. The present priest are generated from the ancestopr, Bachashidi Bajracharya.
Upon learning the heritage, the goddess gave order to Jog Dev Bajracharya to establish Shankharapur (conch-shell shaped town) near by the temple area to run the Fair in 1801 Kaligat Sambat. It is now called Sankhu.
It is also necessary to bring the historical, cultural legendary importance into the account in the world heritage list. Now Shree Bajrayogini Service Committee is taking care of the area with the help of Nepal government’s Department of Archeology, Trust Institutions and the public sectors. Chairman and Treasurer of the committee Mr. Govind Prasad Shrestha and Mr. Bishnu Prasad Shrestha; respectively are committed to develop the area.
Recently, District Soil Conservation Office of Kathmandu, Bagmati Integrated Watershed Management Project, Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management is working to conserve the area with the treatment of landslides and gullies.
The area is selected for the spot of 29th Soil Conservation Day celebration. Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management annually organize Soil Conservation day on 24 Shrawan to mark its establishment.

Surya Binak Temple (Bhaktapur)

On the way to Surya BinayakThis is a shrine of Ganesh, the elephant-headed God, situated in the beautiful surroundings of Bhadgaon, placed in a sylvan setting to catch the first rays of the rising sun. The view of the city of Bhaktapur is seen from here with snow-capped peaks in the background. Nestled in a thick forest, it is a good picnic spot flanked by many attractive landscapes. For an easy stroll, go down to the highway past the trolley-bus and then head up hill. From here you can photograph an unbelievable view of the city backed by the movie-like sets of gigantic Himalayan peaks. Past this about twenty minutes lies the Surya Vinayak Ganesh temple. This is an auspicious place to start your exploring around Bhaktapur, because Ganesh is worshipped before starting any new endeavor. Here the elephant headed good is known as the ‘Sun Ganesh’, because this is the first place in the Valley that the suns rays hit each the Earth morning. People come here to pray if their children are having trouble learning how to speak, or for just about any activity that requires a little luck. At the top of the hill, a steep flight of stairs leads up
Surya Binayakto the shrine itself, which is set in a shady forest. Ganesh dwells beneath a golden torana and a big white shikhara. Mounted on a pillar in front of his image is a statue of a large and very realistic looking rat, the god’s vehicle. At the top of the hill, about another five minute walk, is a shrine to Ganesh’s mother, Parvati. Surrounding the temple is a small beautiful forest. People from all over the Valley come and picnic here, especially on Tuesday, Ganesh’s auspicious day and Saturday. Don’t forget to bring Ganesh’s favorite offerings: radishes, ladoo and sesame seed balls.

Bhadra Kali Temple

Bhadrakali is according to legends a fierce form of Kali. Bhadra in Sanskrit means blessed, auspicious; fair, beautiful; good; fortunate, prosperous.Bhadrakali is the popular form of Devi worshiped in Kerala. In Kerala she is considered the auspicious and fortunate form of Kali.
She is generally considered the consort of Shiva in the form of Rudra. But there is also a story that she is the consort of Virabhadra, who was himself born of the wrath of According to Vayu Purana and the Mahabharata, she came into being by Devi's wrath, when Daksha insulted Shiva, during the great Ashvamedha Yagna (Horse-sacrifice) .According to Tantra Rahasya, she arose from the North (Uttaramnaya) face (Amnayas) of Shiva, which is blue in color and with three eyes.It is believed that Bhadrakāli was a local deity that was assimilated into the mainstream Hinduism, particularly into Shaiva mythology. Sometimes she assumes terrible aspect, and is represented with three eyes, and four, twelve or eighteen hands. She carries a number of weapons, with flames flowing from her head, and a small tusk protruding from her mouth.
Kshatriyas like the Kodavas and Nairs would ardently worship this deity. They worship certain weapons at their temples which they believe to be the weapons used by the goddess Bhadrakali.

Kasthamandap

Kasthamandap is three storied temple which is situated in the Kathmandu, which is the capital of Nepal. This temple is one of the oldest wooden buildings in the world. This temple is built in pagoda style design. It was built in the early sixteenth century by King Laxmi Narsingha Malla. The whole temple is built from just wood of a single tree, and covered with the shrine. The name of capital city is named after this temple. Once a year a huge ceremony is performed in the temple. On that day people gather around the temple, and they stay up all night. The people share the legendaries stories about the temple, and enjoy themselves with different varieties of foods. This temple is one of the major tourist attractions too. Everyone is allowed to visit inside the temple, but people are not allowed to take photographs inside the temple. The temple is open after mid day until midnight. The unique feature of Kasthamandap has made it the most noted pagoda of Nepal.