Kathmandu, April 19: Restoration works are presently underway to revive the outer appearance of the Jayabageshwori Temple located in the Pashupati Area. As part of the renovations, new clay idols of Goddess Jayabageshwori and Gods Ganesh and Bhairav are being crafted.
According to Anita Bhatta, Information Officer at the Pashupati Area Development Trust, the temple’s physical structures are renewed every 12 years. This restoration works are expected to complete in less than two weeks.
The Jayabageshwori Temple houses the idol of Adi or Nara-Mukha Vinayaka, which represents the original human-faced form of Lord Ganesh before Shiva replaced his head with that of an elephant. The Ganesh idol here does not have an elephant head.
Historical accounts suggest that construction of the temple began in 3232 Kaligat Sambat and was completed 47 years later, in 3274. The temple suffered damage during a major earthquake in 1990 BS and was subsequently renovated. It was again significantly damaged in the 2015 Nepal earthquake and later restored.
In Hindu tradition, Jayabageshwori is worshipped as a goddess of knowledge and is considered a form of Saraswati, Kali and Lakshmi. Practitioners of Tantra Sadhana revere Jayabageshwori as the deity marking the culmination of their spiritual practice.
The Sundhara (golden tap), established along the river, is now on the verge of extinction. In front of it stands the temple of Taleju Bhawani Temple. The Jayabageshwori area is also considered one of the oldest settlements in the Kathmandu Valley.
According to local resident Sandesh Manandhar, Jayabageshwori was the earliest human settlement in the valley. It is believed that the settlement once consisted of nine castes, nine ponds, nine resting places (patis) and nine gates. The area is said to have served as the capital during the Gopal and Kirat dynasties. During the Lichhavi period, the capital shifted to Handigaun, and later, during the Malla period, it moved further to Hanuman Dhoka.
