Temples and Festivals

Khadga Devi Temple:

This two-storeyed temple can be missed, because it looks like an ordinary dwelling. However, it is the most revered shrine in Bandipur, housing as it does a sacred sword 9Khadga) of historical significance. This sword is said to have been a gift of the divinity Shiva to Mukunda sen, the 16th-century king of Palpa (which lies to the southwest) whose domain included Bandipur. The sword, left by Mukunda Sen to an old women on his way to becoming an ascetic, is revered as a representation of Goddess Durga, who symbolises Shakti (female power). The sword is wrapped in cloth and it is said whoever views it invites instant death.

The temple is open once a year during the Hindu festival of Dasain, in October. On the seventh day of Dasain, known as Phulpati, the sword takes the sacrifice of a sheep and is then carried around the neighbourhoods to be worshipped.

Bindebasini Temple:

Situated in the heart of the bazaar, this pagoda-style temple displays Newar craftsmanship at its best. The temple displays Newar carvings on its struts and windows, while the lintels and torana are done in detailed brasswork. Inside, the idol is that of Bindebasini, also a form of Goddess Durga, the destroyer of evil. During the Bisket Festival, a mid-April celebration with origins in Kathmandu Valley's Bhaktapur, the idol is placed on a palanquin and taken on a tour of the town, accompanied by a traditional band. After the puja ritual, coins are showered on the worshippers from the temple-top.

Mahalaxmi Temple:

This temple, also in the style of a pagoda, is dedicated to the goddess of wealth. The structure also displays exquisite woodwork in its struts, doorways and arches. "We Bandipur Newars enjoy a festival a week", says a local elder, with no exaggeration. The numerous festivals of Bandipur town are mostly Hindu in origin, while some of those enjoyed in the outlying hills have roots in ancient nature worship. The town's celebrations include observances such as Fagu (Festival of Colours), Krishna Asthami (the birth of Lord Krishna, the amorous one), Gai Jatra (to commemorate the dead), Shiva Ratri (the night of Shiva) and Dasain and Tihar. The Magars have their own festivals in the nearby villages, which include the festivals of Chandi Purnima, a full-moon observance in which unmarried daughters dance the Ghatu dance to singing by married women. The dance known as Chudka is popular among Magar youth, and it tends to continue for weeks on the end as a kind of competition.