History:

Gadhimai Temple is one of the most visited and important Hindu pilgrimage sites in Nepal. It is located in Bariyarpur, Bara District in the south-central part of the country. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Gadhimai, the goddess of power and fulfilment of desires. The temple has been a centre of faith and worship since the 18th century, but its popularity has grown exponentially more recently due to the temple’s hosting of a massive animal sacrifice. Every five years, thousands of devotees from all over the world come to make offerings of crops, jewelry, and animals to the goddess, especially buffaloes, goats, and pigeons. This pilgrimage culminates in a grand festival and the slaughter of these animals, a practice referred to as kurba, that symbolizes man's submission to divine will. In addition to animal sacrifice, the temple also hosts other activities, such as the distribution of prasad (sacred food) and the organization of music performances dedicated to the Goddess. It is one of the best temple in Nepal which you must visit.

Facts:

1. The Gadhimai Temple is located in the Bara district of Nepal, about 100km south of Kathmandu. 2. The temple is dedicated to a Hindu goddess and is held in reverence by both Hindus and Buddhists. 3. The temple holds an annual festival once every five years wherein millions of people from all over the world gather for a week-long religious celebration. 4. During the festival, thousands of animals are sacrificed to the goddess as part of the ritual. This practice has been highly condemned by animal welfare activists and has been the subject of much debate. 5. Animal sacrifices have been banned since 2015 and devotees are encouraged to offer coconuts and vegetables as an alternative to sacrifice. 6. The festival is said to bring good fortune, rain, and an end to natural calamities. 7. During the festival, worshipers also partake in parades, music and dance performances, and firework displays. Here are some facts about the Nepal temple.These facts will help you understand why it is oldest temple list of the best temples in Nepal

Worship Method:

The Gadhimai Festival is Nepal’s largest religious festival which is celebrated by millions of devotees, mostly from India and Nepal. The festival is observed in the honour of ‘Gadhimai’, a local goddess, and is held once every five years in a temple of the same name in Bara district of Nepal. During the festival, devotees from various parts of the country and India come to pay their homage to the goddess. On the day of the festival, devotees from near and far reach the temple and circumambulate the temple three times in the belief that their desires will be fulfilled. After entering the temple, they offer flowers and fruits to the goddess which are then distributed to the temple’s Brahmin priests. After that, the devotees participate in the puja and perform special rituals for the goddess. These rituals include offerings of animals, special prasad, singing bhajans, decorations of idols, offering of sweets and lighting of lamps. After completing all the rituals, devotees offer a few coins, which symbolises their commitment to the deity, and finally prasad is distributed among the worshipers. All Devotees are required to join in singing the Gods Arti and then aarti is performed. At the end of the aarti, Prasad is distributed among all the devotees with a blessing from the deity. This most visited temple in Nepal

Opening Timing:

The Gadhimai Temple is open every day to visitors from 3:50 am to 5:50 pm. top temples in Nepal

How to reach:

Gadhimai Temple is located in Bariyarpur, Nepal and is the largest pilgrimage place for Hindus in Nepal. It is situated about 100 kilometers away from Kathmandu and 20 kilometers from Bharatpur. By Road: You can take a local bus or taxi to reach the temple. Public buses are available from Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bharatpur, Butwal, and many other cities in Nepal. By Train: There are daily trains from Kathmandu to different stations in Bara district where you can take a bus or taxi to Gadhimai temple. By Air: The nearest airport is Bharatpur Airport which is about 12 kilometers away from the temple. There are regular flights from Kathmandu to Bharatpur and other cities in Nepal. You can take a taxi or bus from the airport to the temple. famous temples in Nepal