Kathmandu, 20 October (H.S.): Long queues of devotees began forming early Tuesday morning at Kathmandu’s Taleju Bhawani Temple, which opens to the general public for only one day each year.

Located in the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the temple opened to the public at 5 a.m. on Tuesday. Devotees had begun gathering in long queues even before its doors were opened.

Jayanti Shrestha Pradhan, chief of the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Management Office, said arrangements had been made for worship and darshan from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The temple is opened to the general public only once a year, on Mahanavami, the ninth day of Sharad Navratri. However, it remained closed to ordinary devotees in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The temple, which opens exclusively on Ashwin Shukla Navami, or Mahanavami, attracts thousands of devotees every year.

According to the auspicious timings prescribed by Nepal’s Calendar Determination Development Committee, the idol of Taleju Bhawani was brought to Mul Chowk within the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar complex at 7:37 a.m. last Saturday. The deity was installed on the designated seat at 10:39 a.m. the same day.

Taleju Bhawani remained enshrined at Mul Chowk, where the Kalaratri ritual was performed on the night of Maha Ashtami. According to the temple management, the worship included the sacrifice of 54 goats and 54 buffaloes as an offering to the goddess.

The deity will remain at Mul Chowk for worship and rituals until Vijayadashami. On Wednesday, the day of Vijayadashami, a ceremonial procession for the goddess will begin at 10:51 a.m., in accordance with the auspicious timing set by the committee. Taleju Bhawani will then be reinstalled on her designated seat in her original temple at 11:52 a.m.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar