Kalika Bhagawati Temple Baglung

Baglung Kalika Temple (also known as Kalika Bhagawati Temple) is a significant and famous Hindu temple situated on the bank of Kali Gandaki River and located in Baglung district of western Nepal. The temple is dedicated to goddess Kali (consort of Shiva) and considered to be one of the biggest forms of Shakti. The temple is located inside the dense forest has four entrances in each direction and the temple is compounded by various other small temples dedicated to Shiva, Radha Krishna, Lakshmi Narayan, and others. According to local people over there, Pratap Narayan Singh Malla (King of Parbat District) received an idol of goddess Kalika as part of the dowry in his marriage with King Manimukunda Sen’s daughter. While returning from the marriage ceremony, the marriage crews decided to sit in the forest and on the following day, not a single person was able to move the idol, as a result, the King constructed a temple on that spot which is now popularly known as Baglung Kalika temple.

Baglung Kalika temple is visited by thousands of pilgrims, not only the normal Hindu devotees but also Tantric all over the country and foreign countries as well. Furthermore, the marriage ceremony is conducted inside the temple with a belief of obtaining a happy married life. Traditionally animal sacrifices were practiced by devotees at the temple in the belief of fulfillment of their wishes but lately, in 2016, the sacrificing of pigeons was stopped and instead they are released from the ground of the temple. During the festival of Dashain on its 9^th day (Navaratri), the temple is crowded with devotees coming from every corner of Nepal to celebrate the festival there.

However, the temple is religiously as well as historically important and is believed that, if devotees could please or impress the goddess, she will surely fulfill their wishes and desires as she is also known as “Bhavatarini” which means ‘rescuer of the universe’. People from different part of the country come to this temple to perform puja, to get victory over their enemies and for the protection from black magic.