Cultural heritage of Pokhara

As like natural heritage, Pokhara is also a tourist destination which is full of cultural heritage. These heritages are added attractions over natural heritage and can offer memorable experience for tourists in Pokhara. There are religious sites as well as ethnic and ethnic group-based cultural heritages in Pokhara.

2.3.1   Religious sites based cultural heritage

Table 2.2 below offers a quick look of the various religious sites based cultural heritage in Pokhara.This would be followed by their detailed description in the succeeding paragraphs.

Table 2.2 Key cultural heritages of tourist attractions

Name of the Shrines	Name of the locality	Distance from Mahendra Pool town approximately	Related Religions
Tal Barahi	Baidam- Lakeside	5 km.	Hindu
World Peace Stupa	Anadu hill	about 10 km. There is boat service from Fewa lake, lakeside	Buddhist
Gupteswar Mahadev	Chhorepatan very near from Devis fall	About 12 km	Hindu
Bindyabasini	Moharia Tol, Var patan	2 km	Hindu
Bhadra- Kali	Kundohar- Matepani	2.5 km	Hindu
Bhairav Temple	Bhairav – Tol (bazaar)	1 km	Hindu
Dharmasheela Buddha vihar	Nadipur, ward No. 3	5 km	Budhist
Karmadubgya Chokhorling Monastery	Jyakot Danda Matepani	2.5 km	Lama Buddhist
The Jangchub Choeling Monastery	Hyanja Tibetian Refugee camp	12 km	Tibetan Buddhist
Jame Mosque 'A' (Maszid) ya Aksa	Miya- Patan, Kundahar	2.5 km	Muslim
Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, Christian Church	Ramghat – Ranipauwa	1.5 km	Christian

Source: Compiled by author

Details descriptions of the site based cultural heritages are highlighted below.

a. Tal- Barahi Temple

‘Tal' means lake and 'Barahi' is one of the names of an imaginary goddess name which is named after the Hindu god 'Baraha'. It is located on the tiny island of about 1.5 ropanis (763km2) in the middle of the Fewa Lake. It is 3 km from the Mahendra-pool city and lies to the southern end of Pokhara valley.

There is a fantastic story about the origin of the lake and Barahi goddess. One evening, an old woman came to settlement to pass the night. She went on begging shelter, but nobody gave her shelter, instead the wicked people of the settlement let their dogs chase the woman away. At last she came to the end of the settlement, where poor and old couple lived in a thatched hut. The couple gave her a shelter to pass the night and also offered half of their millet bread (a kind of pan- cake) which was cooked for their evening meal.

Early in the morning just before the day break, the guest woke up the couple and asked to go away from the settlement, saying that the settlement will change into a big lake. She gave them a parcel which looked like a bundle and also asked them to leave their hut immediately. Following her advice, the couple walked away to the hill to the south of the settlement. When they reached to the top of the hill, it was quite a bright day. From the top, as the couple looked to their settlement, it was already changed into a big lake and there was only their hut remaining on the lake. I remember this story told by my grandparents and remember the thatched hut when I visited in my childhood about 50 years ago. It may not be the same thatched hut, but there was a very small about 10'×10' sized hut made of stone and mud. I also remember the goddess Barahi was not a carved statue, but only a small stone raised like a nose.

There is a similar type of fantastic story, but told in a little different way. Shakya (1995, p 73) has said that goddess Barahi in an old woman's form visited the village begging alms from door to door. People who gave her alms were told by her that a few days later, a flood would sweep away the village and that place would turn into a huge lake. People who took her prediction seriously, moved to another place for safety. Certainly, the situation turned into as she had said. It rained heavily for over a week and the village was swept away by the flood. At the same time a part of a hill, where at present the Fish-Tail Lodge is located slipped down and blocked the river. Thus the Lake Fewa came into being.

Whatever may be the fantastic story, the geographical reality was that there was a very big and deep depression on the ground which was filled gradually by rain, flood, and spring water and in course of time this changed into a lake especially around Barahi Temple and its north side where the rivulets like Harpan Khola (river) and Andheri Khola (river) in the north deposited water in the lake. These two rivulets drained all the water in Fewa Lake which was brought by seasonal streams like Beran Khola during rainy season.

Later, Pokhara started to be an attractive place for tourists from abroad and other parts of Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, because of the development of fast-growing means of transportation and communication. People of Pokhara constructed pagoda style temple on the spot of old, Barahi Shrine. As a cultural heritage, Tal- Barahi is very auspicious and important shrine for Hindus and unique for foreigners too, especially in observing the people who gather and worship the goddess. The uniqueness for the tourists is the sacrifice of animals and birds in the shrine of the goddess. People make lots of sacrifices during the festivals like Chaitya Dasain and Bada Dasain. On other days also people come to worship and sacrifice animals and birds to please the goddess. They believe that the deity fulfills their wishes. There occurs a great fair in the full moon day just after the Bada Dasain festival.

b. World peace stupa

Peace stupa is situated on the plain land of 21.5 Ropanies, on the apex of Anadu Hill-Top, Just above Fewa Lake on the southern side of it. Its height is 1100 m from the sea level. Before the construction of the peace stupa, the land was covered with forest and greeneries.

The history of the peace stupa starts from Japan, the country that suffered the Atom- Bomb blast in the Second World War. The preacher of Buddhism and peace, Nichidatsu Fuji, the chairman of Nipponazam Myhaji of Japan, began constructing the World Peace stupa in the year 2030 B.S. (1973

A.D.) But the government authorities of Kaski District demolished it using military in 2031 B.S. (1975 A.D.).

However,  after  the  successful  people’s  revolution  in  the  year  2046

B.S. (1989 A.D.), which was against the despotic Panchayat (party less)

system, the reconstruction of stupa was considered. The new government

of multi-party system gave permission to rebuild it in the year 2046 B.S.

(1990 A.D.). Accordingly, the Peace stupa was erected having 115 feet

high and 344 feet circumference. Hidico Moriyaka Sony of Nipponzan Myohoji has contributed from the beginning until the accomplishment of stupa. The stupa is painted white to symbolize peace and tranquility.

 

Photo 2.4 The enchanting peace pagoda in Pokhara, Source: Ashess Shakya, Pokhara

The existence of this symbolic peace on this beautiful place of Pokhara spreads fragrance of perpetual peace, pronounced by Gautam Buddha. This is the first- ever made Vishwa Shanti stupa (World Peace stupa) in Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, of such kind. The prayer hall is named after Nipponzan Myohoji. According to the brochure Published by The World Peace Pagoda (stupa) committee in Pokhara, there are two storied guest house and Bihar to provide rest to the Bhikshhus and pilgrims.

This is a holy and pious place for Buddhists as well as all peace loving people. Four majestic statues of Buddha are placed at four directions. The eastern and front side of the stupa is occupied by majestic, splendid statue of Buddha's, wheel of Dhamma from Japan. In the western side the meditative statue of Buddha is erected from Sri-Lanka; the northern side has 6 feet tall grand statue made of metal from Thailand, and in the southern side has the metal statue reflecting the birth of Siddhartha Gautam Buddha. There is golden pinnacle of 20 feet high with 13 segments and at the apex a crystal stone from Sri-Lanka is placed.

Sitting at the lap of the World Peace stupa and viewing scenes of mind- blowing  mountains  as  Dhawalagiri,  Machhapuchchre,  Annapurna  etc,

seem so close as if the mountains are personally whispering some words to us. At the same time, thinking of the images of Buddha, one can realize peace and tranquility in his mind. Many people on Buddha’s birthday come to the stupa to worship Buddha and enjoy the scenic mountains, forest, and Fewa Lake. So, peace stupa has presented itself as both natural and cultural Heritage of Pokhara.

c. Gupteswar Mahadev

Gupteswar Mahadev Shrine lies just below, underneath the Patale Chhango (Devi’s Fall) in Chorepatan. Actually it is a huge, round shaped cave, perhaps made by the waterfall. The water vanishes in the cave, perhaps made by the waterfall, Devi’s Fall. The water vanishes in the cave through a natural tunnel and merges in a rivulet called Phushre Khola about a kilometer away from the site. The huge cave inside is made of enormous blocks of rocks only. The visitors can see the awe-inspiring Devi’s Fall falling down into the cave with a roaring sound. The cave is dark even in the day time and slippery too. So the Managing Committee of Gupteshwar Mahadev has managed railings, flights of stairs and light for the convenience and safety of the visitors. During monsoon from July to September, because of heavy rainfall, the cave or Gupteswar Shrine is unsafe to visit.

In the year 2049 B.S. (1952 A.D.), some courageous local young people dared to enter into the cave and uprooted the wild bushes of its entrance. While going into the virgin cave, they found rocks shaped like Shivaling, a symbol of God Shiva. Later they placed Shiva's statues in the cave. Since then the name Gupteswar Mahadev or Shiva became very popular. In the very festivals like Shiva Ratri, Ganesh pooja, Balachaturdasi, people rush to the cave to worship the deity.

d. Bindyabasini Temple

This temple is in Moharia Tol, the old bazaar side of Pokhara. Perhaps, it is the most popular Temple in Pokhara after Barahi Temple of the Fewa Lake. It is situated on a flat ground of about 5 Ropani areas on top of the mountain shaped mound. There is grove of big trees which provides quite sacred environment of spiritual feeling while having rest over there. This temple looks of Shikhar style architecture which is traditionally and locally popular in Pokhara.

Bindhyabasini goddess has eight arms holding different weapons in each hand. She is regarded as the Hindu goddess Bhagawati. Every year in

Chaite Dashain and Bada Dashain there is crowd of people who come to worship by sacrificing innocent animals and birds on the name of holy work. Besides Dashain, on other occasions also people come to worship for sacrificing animals and birds. The devotees put Tika (red mark) of blood of the sacrificed animals on their fore- head and pray to fulfill their inner wishes. They believe that the goddess fulfills their wishes. Besides, people come to celebrate wedding also, especially in wedding seasons. So visitors can enjoy the scenes of wedding ceremony and worshipping rituals.

Nobody knows who and when the goddess was established on the top of the mound. People creating its history think that there lived some type of indigenous people. In their social development stage, they believed in some super-natural power and worshipped it which continued in the time to come. Later Kulamandan Shaha (Jagati Khan) ruled in Kaski as a state, defeating the aborigine Ghale (Gurung) Chieftain. "Ghale Mari Shaha Rajayo" ("killing Ghale Shaha reigned"), a local saying, gives the sources (Subedi 2004, pp 25-77). Since then the Shaha Kings ruled in Pokhara valley till the Last King of Kaski state Siddhinarayan Shaha, the

9th   generation of Kulamandan Shaha was conquered by the politically and geographically unified Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, during the regencies of Rajendra Laxmi (the Regent) of her child King, Rana Bahadur Shaha, the 13 generation of Kulmandan Shaha (see Annex 2.1) in 1842 B.S. (1786 A.D.).However the story of Bindhyabasini Statue of today is related to the last king of Kaski Siddhinarayan Shaha. The story goes as follows:

According to the legend, King Siddhinarayan dreamt that a female deity of Bindhyachal Parbat (mountain) in India, asked him to take her and place it on a fine, raised rock somewhere in his state, from where Snowcapped Mountain could be seen. Believing his dream, he went with his attendants to fetch the deity. So he brought the present statue made of fine rock. The attendants and porters who carried the statue had a rest on the place where Bindhyabasini temple lies now. After the short rest, they tried to carry the image, but they could not lift it even an inch. According to another source, king Siddhinarayan asked some masons to make the statue (Subedi 2004, p 30). Thus, the statue was established over there and worshipped by many religious people, especially Hindus coming from India as well. It is locally said that the statue was brought from Bindhyachal Parbat (Mountain), because of which the name is Bindhyabasini. Besides Bindhyabasini, there are other images of Hindu deities which give a complete religious environment.

e. Bhadrakali Temple

This temple is situated on the top of very small, hillock. This hillock was also formed by natural power at the same age when Talbarahi island and Bidhyabasini hillock were formed. The temple is constructed at the height of about 250 feet. There are flights of stairs to reach to the temple. It's a fine visit through a thick forest.

Bhadrakali is also the goddess Bhagawati. So people sacrifice animals and birds to please the goddess Bhadrakali and expect that the goddess will fulfill their wishes. There is Ganesh Temple as well. So these two deities are worshipped by the Hindus. Many people come to this place for wedding ceremony as well. They believe that the blessings of Ganesh and Bhadrakali bring happy and long conjugal life.

f. Bhairav Temple

The shrine where the 12 masks of twelve deities are kept and worshipped is in the Bhairav Tol (locality), a part of old bazaar of Pokhara sub- metropolitan city. It is called temple, but does not look like a temple; rather it is a house. The identity of this temple is that twelve male persons wear different traditional dresses and put 12 different kinds of mask on their faces and dance with beating of Mridanga (a traditional musical instrument which looks like giant Madal). In Newari language, it is called

'Khin'.

The shrine and deities have historical value. It is related to the indigenous people, Newars of Kathmandu valley, especially Bhaktapur district. Some Newars from Bhaktapur came to Pokhara more than 200 years ago as traders. They settled in Pokhara permanently and continued to worship the 12 deities regularly as their ancestral deities from Bhaktapur. They perform the dance, popularly known as Bhairav Dance. The dance is performed with Newari ritual songs playing Mridanga. The dancers do not feel tense or exhausted, even if they dance for a long time.

The Bhairav Dance used to be publicly performed once in every twelve years. Now, it is performed after each six years. This dance is publicly performed at the beginning of winter season usually in the month of December or January and continues for four months. The specialty of the performance is that it commences in the evening, lasts whole night and ends next day morning. People enjoy a lot watching and worshipping the deities dancing, item by item and moving in a procession along the road while going to the inviting house and back from the house to its own

shrine in Bhairav Tol. It is a very pleasant moment to watch the dance and procession, as it is the heritage of the Newari Culture.

g. Dharmsheela Buddha Vihar

This Vihar lies in the center of Pokhara sub-metropolitan city.   From Mahendra pool bazaar, it takes a 15 minute walk to the north-west. The vihar is the first Buddhist institution ever established in Pokhara. Actually, the vihar and its ritual and cultural environment are simple, based on real life with humanitarian philosophy. Actually, Mahayan and Bajrayan Buddhist sects are familiar over here than Therabad Buddhism which is based on reality and humanity.

The vihar's name is after the name of Anagarika Dharma Sheela who struggled for the freedom and equality against the totalitarian rule of former Hindu governments who ruled this nation according to the caste system and cultural discrimination. It seems that the vihar was established around 1996 B.S. (1939 A.D.) in an area of about 1.5 Ropanis. The vihar is enriched with very fine metallic images and also terracotta images of Gautam Buddha. There is a gorgeous statue of Buddha given by Thailand, which is really appealing.

Now the vihar is attracting many visitors and tourists day by day and earning popularity among the populace of Pokhara.

h. Karmadubgyu Chokhorling Monastery

It is situated on a hillock called jaykot Danda (hill) in Kahunkot Village Development committee, east-ward of Mahendrapool bazaar (city). It is five kilometers far from the city.

Visitors can drive to the Monastery or one can walk from the bottom of the hillock through the winding and fair weather road to the monastery or reach by climbing the stairs passing through the green trees.

The  Monastery  was  started  to  construct  from  1954  and  completed in 1961. The area is about 10 Ropanis. The walls of the Monastery are painted with Buddha’s symbols in Tibetan art. A huge statue of Buddha in meditating posture flanked by Guru (teacher) Rimpoche and Karmapa is really an awesome sight. About a hundred students and Lama Guru reside there for learning and teaching Lamaism, the Mahayan Buddhism (Subedi

2004).

 

Photo 2.5  Karmadubgyu Chokhorling Monastery as the centre of Buddhist faith, Source: Shreekanta S. Khatiwada, Pokhara

i. The Jangchub Choeling Monastery

After the occupation of Tibet by China in 1951, thousands of Tibetans fled from Tibet following their religious leader, Dalai Lama, the ruler of Tibet. Many of them took shelter in Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, as refugees. A group of them settled in Hyanja, the northern end of Pokhara valley. It is about 12 km from Mahendra Pool town on the Highway to Baglung (Pokhara- Baglung Highway). They established this Monastery to perform Tibetan Buddhist rituals, ceremonies and spiritual rites. Dalai Lama, their holy King who is still residing with his followers in India named the Monastery as "Jangchub Choeling".

It is another eye-catcing spot for the visitors and an auspicious icon for Tibetan refugees to watch and prey the seven-feet tall metal statue plated by gold. Hundreds of other small statues of Buddha are placed on either side of the big statues. Similarly, the walls are decorated with paintings related to Buddhist ceremonies, rituals and culture. It is very attractive, fascinating and heart-moving scene which creates the peaceful environment around the Monastery as it is surrounded with natural forest

with the enchanting views of Machhapuchhre and Annapurna Himalaya. Here, one can learn the Tibetan Buddhism and its culture as well as Tibetan life style without visiting Tibet. Besides, this Monastery (Gumba), there is another Tibetan refugee monastery in Chhore-Patan, Called “Tashilling Monastery."

j. Jame Mosque 'A' (maszid) ya

According to a gentleman, Abdul Kuran of Miyan- Patan, who claims to have studied Kuran and heard about Muslims in Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, and settlement of Muslims in Pokhara, this Mosque is the oldest in Pokhara. But he does not know the date of establishment of the mosque. He says, what he heard from his forefathers and elderly people is there was a thatched house at first representing a mosque at the place where a two storeyed pakka building (Mosque) has been constructed now. Muslims of Miyan- Patan used to pray (recite) Namaj in the thatched house. Later, they built stone and mud house as mosque in place of thatched house. Now, in the modern time, they erected the tine, colorful two strayed Mosque. Now a days, there are two other prominent mosques in Chipledhunga and Nayan bazaar, very near, about ½ km from Mahendra – pool bazaar.

The biggest and holiest performance in Mohammadaism is reciting Namaj (pray) which is held every day, five times, between 12.30 – 1.30 P.M. On Friday it is done with more participants. This Jame Mosque reflects the Muslim life and culture. An imam is the highest authority of the Mosque. No Muslim can do anything without the permission of Imam. Muslims of Miyan- Patan used to play Hidas (a performance) in a procession of gathering, holding swords and Lathis (long and thick stick and other weapons) from the Jame Mosque which ends in Ramghat. This no longer exists in practice for some decades.

So far I studied in history of Gorkhali King, Prithvi Narayan Shaha, at the start of his campaign for unifying Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, politically and geographically into one state, he had brought 3 Muslims from Banaras to manufacture weapons and to train the soldiers. The 3 Muslims were Shokha Jabar, Bekha Sing and Mohammad Taqui (KC 1992). My logic is that the Muslims of Miyan- Patan are from the generation of those 3 Muslims brought by Prithivi Narayan Shaha. The base of this logic is the Muslims of Miyan- Patan  are  called  "Churauta"  derived  from  the  Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, i  word  "Chura" which means wrist bangle. From my very childhood I had seen both male and female Muslims selling and putting Chura on women's wrists as their traditional profession. The name chureta was not applied to

other Muslims whose ancestors were the Kasmiri Muslims who entered Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, for the first time for trade in 13th  century. Hence the Churauta is the particular name in western Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, given to the Muslims of Miyan- Patan. Another base of the logic is that Gorkha was much nearer from Pokhara than Kathmandu on foot. Pokhara's climate is not as cold as Kathmandu. It is rather more pleasing than Kathmandu. So the Muslims of Gorkha were more attracted to Pokhara than Kathmandu. According to Mr. Abdul Karim, their forefathers had got land as Birta ((land given by the government as Contribution) in Kundahar and Ramghat. The Birta was called Karbala in Muslim language. All these bases logically show that the Muslims of Miyan- Patan have their ancestor in Gorkhali Muslims.

k.  Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, Christian Church

The seed of Christianity was shown in Pokhara in 1952 with the opening of the Missionary Hospital in a vast open ground, called Miruwa (Bagar) Tundikhel. Now it lies in Pokhara sub-Metropolitan city, ward No 1. This hospital was locally popular as 'Shining Hospital'. Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, Christian Church at Ramghat is the oldest Church established in 1969 B.S. (1913 A.D.) very near to Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara. It has already celebrated its Diamond Jubilee. There are two other main Churches. They are Nayan Gaun  Nadipur  Church  and  Lamachaur  Church.  In  addition  to  these, several Churches have come into existence in almost all wards of the sub- metropolitan city and other places of Pokhara.

After the popular movement of 2062- 063 B.S. (2006-2007 A.D.), Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, has been declared a secular country. Since then Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, has not been a Hindu Kingdom or Hindu Nation. Because of the declaration of Hindu Nation in the 2047 B.S. (1991 A.D.) constitution or before the popular people's movement Hindu religion had suppressed other religions. Even the Buddhist religion which had already spread before the introduction of Hindu religion in Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, and is believed to be in religious tolerance with Hinduism was dominated and discouraged by the Hindu conservative society and the government. So we can guess what might have happened to Mohammadaism and Christianity. But after the declaration of secularism, all the religions in Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, got emancipation from the rule of suppression and oppression of Hindu religion. Thus, Christians also enjoyed freedom of religion as the other religions. One encouraging example for Christianity is that, even Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, government has accepted to give equal rights and even donation to all Christians in Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, . The point number 4 of the historical agreement signed between Federation of National Christian, Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, and

Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, Government on 2068/1/18 (May 1, 2011) reveals about this similar status to Christians like other religious communities (Parajuli 2012). So the number or population of Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, i Christians is growing in leaps and bounds.

The attraction of Christian religion is that it does not believe in social discrimination such as caste system, untouchability and gender inequality, which are the fundamentals of Hindu religion. Praying in front of the God's son, Jesus Christ is the most important culture of Christianity.