Ranipokhari opens twice first time in history

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, October 20

Gaurishankar temple at the centre of the Ranipokhari (a lake), which usually opens one day a year on Bhaitika, remained open two days for the general public this year for the first time. However, both Newars and non-Newars visited the temple today in course of celebrating Tihar.

"This happened because some people of the Newar community celebrated Bhaitika today," said Harsh Narayan Guruji, the priest of the temple. "People who do not have sisters and brothers come to this temple to worship gods and receive Tika and blessing of long-life here," he added.

Majority of the people celebrated Bhaitika yesterday. This time, the five-day Tihar festival had only four days in calendar. Bhaitika falls on the last day of the festival.

The temple opens on the Bhaitika for the general public once a year. Gaurishankar temple, built at the period of King Pratap Malla (1641-1674) in seventeenth century, stands at the centre of the Ranipokhari with the idols of Bal Gopal (child form of Lord Krishna), goddess Mahalaxmi, Shiva Lingum and goddess Parvati.

As per the rule it had already been opened on Monday as other communities celebrated Bhai Tika on Monday. This time a number of the Newars celebrated Tika today and therefore the temple remained open for them today as well.

However, people from all communities visited the temple and received Tika whether they sisters and brothers. It was more interesting when a man who received Tika from his sister yesterday got Tika from a sister (woman) at the temple.

Kiran Rana, hailed from Birgunj, received Tika from Bimala Kapali, 45, who has been offering Tika to those without sisters for 28 years. "I am very happy today as I got an opportunity to visit the temple first time in my life," said Rana, whose grand-grand parent family was forced to leave Kathmandu after the murder of then prime minister Ranodeep Singh (Rana), brother of infamous PM Jung Bahadur Rana about 260 years ago.

Kiran, 51, said that he received Tika from his sisters yesterday in Kathmandu. "I believe there is no boundary to celebrate festival and our culture with great respect," said Rana.

Men who do not have sisters receive Tika from professional sisters sitting around the temple while women without brothers enter the temple and pray Bal Gopal. Another 77 year-old Ram Manandhar from Kalanki also visited the temple and received Tika from professional sister.

"I have not had Tika for about a decade although I have my sisters," said Manandhar, who is grandfather of about two dozens of grandchildren and from Newar family. "This is the first time I came here and received Tika from an unknown sister," he added. "All of my family members put on Tika yeasterday."

Bishnu Adhikari, a staff of Malla Hotel in Kathmandu, said that it was a great oppurtinity to visit the temple. "I had Tika yesterday with my sister and I am here today to pray in the temple and roam around the historical Ranipokhari," he said. "But I am shocked when I saw the dirty and filthy water of the lake."

People were alloed to visit the temple from 5AM to 5PM. Thousands of people visited the temple yesterday while 20 per cent of them came to the Ranipokhari today.