Balkumari Temple of Thimi

There are four kumaris that people of the valley do worship, as a shrine, not the living goddess Kumari. And the balkumari temple is one among them. The local people praise her as their guardian deity, which exactly locates in the middle of the city, for instance. They perform their livelihood ceremonies over there like the marriage, Barthabandha, and more.

The Balkumari temple has a brick-paved rectangular courtyard. Also, the minor and major deities within it like the bhairava temple. The temple itself is of a three-falsehood which has amusingly impressive hanging Pataas. It also has a column in front of it, which has a beautiful representation of a peacock. There were more peacocks in its tier corners. But they all were stolen, leaving one among them. That’s why it is now sealed with strong iron bars. Including the Balkumari temple itself.

The legends

The temple has a long story, nearly dates back to the 17th century. Of course, cause the temple was established at that time. The legends say that a Madhyapurian, actually a trader usually went to Lubu for trading purposes. Along with his group. But he somehow fell in love with the princess of the Lubu and vice versa. Soon, the princess also got pregnant. For that reason, she asked the merchant to take her away with him to the thimi. The merchant happily accepted her proposal but at the same time put a condition too.

The condition was as if she wants to come to thimi with him, she must bring the balkumari with her. That the princess also happily accepted and brought the deity to the thimi. From that time, the deity was permanently shifted to thimi. Plus, there is the womb-like structure right above the idol of the deity. That, in some way, justifies the story of shifting the deity by the pregnant women.

Balkumari temple and the biska jatra

The Balkumari temple became a course of titling and tattling when it comes to the Biska Jatra. Yes, because this temple is foremost related to the vermilion festival, ordinarily known as Sindur Jatra. The jatra initially starts from this temple. But her chariot is not rounded to the whole city as other chariots do. Her chariot is taken up to the temple of Prachanda Bhairva. Since it is believed that the ancient thimi was bordered up to that place in the north.