Kavrepalanchowk, Oct 13 : President Bidya Devi Bhandari today visited Kavrepalanchowk to pay homage to Goddess Palanchowk Bhagawati on the occasion of the Mahaashtami of the Bada Dashain festival.    

The Head-of-the-State visited the famous temple of Hindus and Buddhists at 10:30 am today and spend around 10 minutes performing puja. This is the third visit of the President to the temple since she assumed the Head-of-the-State post. Last year, there were no puja rituals at the temple on the occasion of the Maha Ashtami due to the COVID-19 infection.    

The Head-of-the-State is traditionally bound to pay homage to the Palanchwok Bhagawati during the Dashain festival.    

Upon arrival here, District Coordination Committee Chief Uddhav KC, Panauti municipality mayor Bheem Neupane, Dhulikhel mayor Ashok Kumar Byanju, Banepa mayor Laxmi Narsingh Bade Shrestha, Palanchowk Bhagawati Development and Service Committee Chair and Kavrepalanchwok Chief District Officer Shivaram Pokhrel and Panchkhal deputy mayor Laxmi Danuwar among others welcomed the President to the district.    

The Head-of-the-State landed at Nepal Army Peace Operations Training Centre via a helicopter and was escorted to the temple some five kilometers away from the Centre amidst tight security arrangements.    

The temple dates back to around 1,700 years, which was built during the regime of Manadev I simultaneously with the Naxal Bhagawati and Shobha Bhagawati temples. The Lichhavi-era myth is that all the three were sisters and the Palanchowk Bhagawati is the eldest one among them. Devotees throng the temple, especially during Dashain, Maghe Sankranti and Baisakh Poornima.