Sankata Devi Temple

Sankata Devi Temple is one of the holiest Hindu temples of dedicated to Sankata Devi located in Te Bahal, near Newroad of Kathmandu valley. Sankata is a popular divinity (respected equally as divine) worshipped especially on Saturdays in the belief of fulfillment of wishes and getting fed of bad luck and sickness. However, Sankata is also worshipped by Buddhist people and is recognized as the shrine to Chanda Mahoroshan. One of the amazing things about the deity is that Hindu people believe the Sankata as a goddess where Buddhist people take the deity as god Bhairav. There is a tradition of worshipping this shrine along with Mahankal Than and Lumadi than together on a single day.

Moreover, the deity is worshiped by following secret Tantrik rituals which are very strict as well as holy too and also said that priest and statue of the goddess must not be touched at the temple. The statue of the goddess is wrapped in the cloth covering her body except for her head. The temple is crowded mostly on Saturdays, or on one’s birthday besides daily religious rites and deity is believed to ward off troubles and difficulties from one’s life. Everything required for worshipping the goddess is available right outside the temple. In addition, you can also ask the priest over there for carrying out some puja of your own for placating your unfavorable planets and stars (Graha Shanti in Nepali known language), which requires oil, iron, black cloth, and black lentils.

Nevertheless, the priest of the temple worships the goddess in a holy jug along with another jug for Yogini at the Katuwal Daha of Chobhar and then the goddesses are enshrined in the temple, which only once happens in every 12 years. The route of the 12 years Jatra is kept secret for some reason.