We were rarely able to explore Thimi in a single day.
We were unsure of what to see and do in Thimi at first. However, as soon as we started exploring it, it continued to astonish us with its hidden delights. I believe the quote “the city of temples” is more appropriate for Thimi than any other Nepalese city.
Even I, who daily crosses the temple-packed alleys of Bhaktapur Nagar, was astounded when I saw the number of temples at Thimi. I’m not claiming that Thimi has more temples than Bhaktapur Nagara, but the area and number of temples packed into such a small space is quite impressive.
We began our excursion in the heart of Madhyapur Thimi, at the Balkumari temple, as do most visitors. It is one of Thimi’s most valuable temples. There won’t be a single person in Thimi who is unaware of this temple.
Whatsoever, when I was last there, the temple was completely encircled by metal bars. However, it has now been withdrawn, which has caused us some confusion in numerous areas (about is this really the Balkumari temple we know or not). The temple, on the other hand, appeared to be in much better condition than before. They removed it at the last Biska Jatra. A local sitting near the pati of Balkumari temple (Sindoor Jatra) briefed us.
After a little wandering, we make our way to Sungaa Tole’s Shree 3 Vishnu Bir Mai temple. It can be visited from the Balkumari temple’s western side. We arrived at the temple by following the nearby pond and narrow lane.
Despite the fact that the temple was located within the Madhyapur Nagara, we felt as if we had travelled quite a distance from the Nagara. Furthermore, while this temple appears to be ordinary, it holds a great deal of significance. By clicking the highlighted terms, you may learn more about this temple.
We were there to explore Thimi, so we were moving as quickly as we could to see everything there was to see. We then returned to the Balkumari shrine and headed north. While on our way to Lokeshwor temple, we ran into a friend there. My friends were Thimi residents, so they served as our guide for the day.
We were able to cover practically all of the available thimi locations thanks to them. We next proceed to Vishnu Kunda from Lokeshwara temple. We passed by the newly renovated gate, stone spout and the restored pond on our way there. There wasn’t much information about that precise location, but a passerby informed us that a Kalash is halted here during Biska Jatra.
We eventually arrived at Vishnu Kunda after continuing on that stairwell path. There was also a park and a well nearby. Vishnu Kunda was recently restored as well. It used to be regarded as a holy pond, but following an unfortunate incident, it was no longer regarded as such. Someone is said to have committed suicide there. People stopped going over there after that.
We then return to the Balkumari temple after seeing Vishnu Kunda. From there, we take a walk around Thimi’s outskirts. On the outskirts of Madhyapur Thimi, we pass via the recently erected Wamune Ganesha Temple, Bramayani temple, and then the Prathama Ganesh temple.
We arrived at the Siwa Ganesh temple and the Bakhachhen Mahadeva temple from there. These temples have been identified as the oldest in the thimi. We arrived at Thimi Layaku, Thimi’s cultural centre, after following the same road to the west.
Despite the fact that Thimi layaku is now a secondary school, it retains its status as the layaku (the provisionally important place like a palace). The Taleju temple is still located inside the school, and numerous religious events are still held there.
We next proceed to Lokeshwora temple after watching the thimi layaku being renovated. The Lokeshwara temple is well noted for its Vihara. We then proceed to the dui pokhari or twin ponds. The people refer to it as Nigoo puku, which translates to “two ponds.”
In the larger pond, there were also a pair of white swans. I didn’t spend much time wandering around because I had already been there. As a result, we proceed to the Mahalaxmi temple. My acquaintance informed me that the sculptures had only recently been installed and that the temple had only recently been refurbished. However, the atmosphere was very relaxing. We used to spend our time over there guessing the names of surrounding hill stations.
Following that, we travel to Digu Tole, Madhyapur Thimi’s pottery square.
And this concludes the first instalment of my blog. The thimi blogging series will continue, but this is the end of this blog. In the next blog, I’ll continue writing more about thimi. There’s so much to say that it’ll keep coming out again and again. Keep an eye out for updates.