The Pathibhara temple located on the Pathibhara hill in Taplejung district is a popular deity that has been in much discussion lately. It is at a height of 3,794 meters above the sea level and it is difficult to come and go.
Pathibhara temple
The place where the temple is located, the atmosphere there as well as the religious faith also play a big role in Pathibhara becoming popular.
The current idol of the goddess was not installed until two decades ago. Valuable materials offered by the devotees at the place of the goddess, gold, silver, jewelery and rupees were scattered here and there.
As there is a popular belief that if someone takes the offerings, it will bring bad luck to that person, so it was not customary for anyone to take or touch the offerings at the deity.
Earlier no priest lived in Pathibhara. A few years ago, on the initiative of the district residents, the temple was built by collecting all kinds of trinkets and cash offered to the temple, and a priest was also arranged in the temple along with some residences to develop a religious tourist site.
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The story of the establishment of Pathibhara Devi
It is believed that even people of any religion who have religious faith and worship the Goddess without interruption will fulfill their wishes.
Thus, when and how Goddess Pathibhara was established, there is curiosity in the public mind. Some legends have been heard since ancient times.
According to a legend, a shepherd used to graze hundreds of sheep around the now established Pathibhara Mata temple. At the same time, one day in the evening, his hundreds of sheep did not return to their home.
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Thus, when none of his sheep returned, he ran to find them. But no matter how much he searched, he was sad when he could not find it. Tired, he fell asleep in his abode after nightfall. On the same night, the goddess appeared to him and he had a dream that all the sheep would return and the rest of his life would be happy.
Believing in the dream, the next morning he completed all the procedures, worshiped with a pure heart, offered sacrifices and established the temple of the goddess. Shortly thereafter, all his lost sheep returned.
Later, the talk of that matter is spreading throughout the village. It is believed that from that time, the tradition of worshiping, worshiping, vowing for a happy life and making the goddess happy by offering sacrifices started there every year.
However, it is also necessary to end the tradition of animal sacrifice for the protection of animals. Some people take pigeons and fly them after fulfilling their wishes and also offer valuable jewelry such as cash, coins, gold. It is reported that in the last one year, 7 crores of offerings were made in cash and in kind to Pathibhara.
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Story Behind the Name
How the name of the goddess came to be Pathibhara, before explaining this context, it is necessary to take a deep look at the Pathibhara mountain, where the goddess originated.
Pathi means a vessel used in the village to measure paddy, rice, wheat, millet etc. In some villages, Mana and Pathi are still being used. When food is measured in Pathi, it becomes full like a stove, so the shape of the place where the statue of the goddess is installed is seen in the same shape, hence the name of that hill is filled like Pathi, that is Pathibhara. And it is believed that the name of the goddess there is also derived from the same name Pathibhara Devi.
Pilgrims come here not only from Nepal but also from India, Bhutan, Burma and other countries of the world. Pathibhara region is not only a religious place but also an important destination for hiking and trekking, where one can get a sense of heavenly bliss by looking at abundant natural beauty and scenic spots.
Generally, during Chait, Baisakh and Dasain, there is a tradition of visiting the goddess for darshan, but due to the increasing popularity of the goddess and the convenience of transportation, now a crowd of devotees can be seen in the temple of Bahraimas Devi.
But it is considered above mentioned to go there within 12 noon as much as possible. After 12 o’clock strong wind speed will affect it.
Other popular beliefs
There is a popular belief that Goddess Pathibhara brings welfare to all those who have faith. At a time when there were no medicines or hospitals, worshiping the goddess was believed to cure all kinds of ailments, which is still the case.
One can hear and see many examples of children who have not been able to speak for a long time becoming speechless after seeing the Goddess, and children who cannot walk have started walking. There is a deep religious belief that through devotion, worship and adoration of the goddess, one can gain power for truth and virtue.
