Badimalika Temple is one of Nepal's main temples, situated in the Triveni Municipality of Bajura district of Sudurpashchim Pradesh. The temple shrine is dedicated to the devotion of the Hindu Goddess, Bhagwati.
Malika Chaturdashi is the biggest annual festival which takes place in this temple. Two priests operate the rituals in the temple; one from the district of Kalikot and the other is from the region of Bajura. Today in this article, we discuss all the aspects of Badimalika Temple.
How to reach Badimalika Temple?
To reach the temple of Badimalika, one has to make a challenging trek from Martadi, the district headquarters of Bajura that lasts for 2-3 days.
Badimalika: Sacred Temple Majesty
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The Badimalika temple is at a remote location, and there is a shortage of lodges and restaurants for the travellers to rest and eat because the trail to the temple is not well built. So the travellers/trekkers themselves need to bring all the requisite facilities.
Throughout the walk, different species of wildflowers and numerous domestic animals such as pigs, goats, horses and buffalos can be seen grazing on the hills.
By Flight
To reach Badimalika Temple one can catch a direct flight from Nepalgunj Airport to Bajura. A day's trek from Kolti can take you to Martadi, the district headquarters of Bajura which takes longer.
Now there is a flight from Dhangadi & Nepalgunj to Achham's Sanphebagar followed by a few hours bus trip to get to Bajura from there.
By Roadway
Badimalika can also be reached by taking a bus to Budhiganga Municipality's Bamka Bazaar and going to Triveni Municipality, either by taking the Maure Kailashmandu or Maure Chhatara route.
The shortest route to Badimalik is known to be Maure Kailashmandu road pursuing Nateshwori Temple path.
You can also enter Badimalika through Martadi road which lies about two hours away from Bamka Bazar Station. To get to Martadi by highway, first, you have to reach Dhangadhi or Nepalgunj or Tikapur and then take a direct bus.
History of Badimalika Temple
According to Hindu scriptures, Daksha Prajapati, Sati Devi's father held a Yagya where he invited all the gods, except Lord Shiva. So Sati went to the ritual and questioned her father why she hadn't asked her husband, Mahadev.
Daksha Prajapati answered that Shiva consumed beer, smoked ganja, dwelled in cemeteries, wore a snake around his neck, had dreadlocks, smeared his body with ash, and wore tiger skin. So he was not a fitting person to invite for such a vital ceremony.
Unable to bear such harsh remarks of her husband from her father, Sati leapt into the yagya fire and gave up her estate.
Mahadev was so furious with the news of her demise; he sent Birbhadra and Bhoot to kill Daksha Prajapati and break the ritual.
Badimalika Trek: Sacred Mountain Journey
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Once he had gained his vengeance, Mahadev started to lament his wife's passing. Mahadev travelled the earth bearing the dead body of Sati on his back.
At this time, Vishnu released his Sudarshan chakra and wounded the body of Sati, so that flies and other insects could rot her carcass.
The places where Sati Devi's body pieces fell were regarded as Shakti peethas and considered essential sites of worship. Her left shoulder fell in mountain Mallagiri in this process. This peetha in Mallagiri was called Malika after that event.
According to another Hindu legend, after executing the demon Mahisasur, Goddess Bhagwati rested in a place called Dwaredhunga in Kalikot district.
During this time one low caste individual went to gather firewood at that location. The individual felt so weak that he begged the goddess for some meat and bread.
In return, the goddess offered him everything he wanted. There was so much food that he was not able to finish it all by himself and called out for other people to join him in the feast.
Badimalika: Weather's Sacred Embrace
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As his house seemed to be far from the place, his shouting could not be noticed by the citizens at his home, and nobody followed him. This enraged the individual, and so he asked the goddess to kill everybody in his residence.
The goddess granted the person's dangerous wish. On reaching home, he found all his relatives dead, which angered him furthermore, and he returned to Dwaredhunga. On seeing him back, the goddess opened the temple gate and fled.
Locals say that the impression of the blow delivered to the temple door by the wrathful individual can still be seen. The goddess left the place forever because of this occurrence, going through Triveni, Panchpur Patan, Mallapuri Patan, and finally settled in Badimalika.
Itinerary of Badimalika Temple
- Day 01: Kathmandu (1,400 m) to Dhangadi (109 m) via flight and then to Jadga by jeep or a private taxi
- Our trek starts from the second day.
- Day 02: Jadga to Karala
- Day 03: Karala to Tribeni Badimalika (4,300 m)
- Day 04: Tribeni Badimalika (4,300 m) to Natshwori
- Day 05: Natshwori to Mourya
- Day 06: Mourya to Dhangadi
- Day 07: Fly back to Kathmandu from Dhangadi
The itinerary may vary depending on the type of package.
Major Festivals celebrated in Badimalika Temple
An annual fair is held at the Badimalika Temple during the Nepali month of Bhadra. Pilgrims come from all over Nepal and India with hopes that if they pray at the temple, their wishes would be fulfilled.
The festivals of Ganga Dashara and Janai Purnima also features two official fairs in the region.
For more information on temples and festivals of Nepal, do visit hopnepal.com.