17-day trek to worship Badimalika

By Netra Shahi, Jumla, Aug. 5: Every year, on the full moon day of the bright half of the Nepali month of Shrawan (better known as Janai Purnima), government officials of Jumla perform a special puja at the Badimalika Temple of Bajura. 

Accordingly, a team under Ek Raj Giri, non-gazetted first class officer (Nayab Subba) of the District Administration Office (DAO), and priest Bishnu Prasad Upadhyaya, left the district for Bajura on foot on Tuesday. 

The team, accompanied by dozens of pilgrims, shall walk for 11 days and offer a special worship at the temple on the auspicious day which, this year, will be marked next Friday. 

They will also return on foot, making the total journey 17-day long.

According to local culture expert Ramananda Acharya, the Nepali Army offered a ceremonial salute to the departing team and played music to see-off the special palanquin being taken to Bajura for the worship.

This tradition of government officials worshipping the temple dates back to medieval times when the kingdoms of Jumla and Doti used to perform a joint puja on the day. 

It is customary for officials from the DAO to leave Jumla for Badimalika every year on the day of Nag Panchami. Once at the temple, they are greeted by the team from Doti. 

Together, they perform the joint puja that, in ancient times, was performed by royal officers from the two tiny kingdoms. 

Acharya informed that the DAO team took with them a golden Tika, musical instruments Binayo and Murali, a silver comb and an umbrella to offer to goddess Badimalika.

Chief District Officer Bijaya Kumari Prasain told The Rising Nepal that the DAO had coordinated with the neighbouring DAOs as well as the police to ensure the security of the travelling team. "Only a limited number of people went last year due to restrictions in place to control COVID-19. This year, many people got to enthusiastically participate," she said.