Foreign tourists surge at Kalinchowk

By Our Correspondent,Charikot, Dec. 29; Kalinchok Bhagawati, a religious and touristic site, has recently seen a surge in the number of international tourists. 

Ayush Tamang, a member of the Kalinchok Bhagawati Temple Conservation and Management Committee, said that in the past years only domestic tourists flocked to the temple, but as this New Year approaches, there has been an increase in the number of both domestic and foreign tourists in the area. 

Hari Oli, a local hotelier, said that around 60 hotels in Kalinchok's market area are booked for the upcoming New Year. According to him, about 70 per cent of the hotel bookings were made by Indian tourists.  Local hoteliers say that most Indian tourists booked their hotels for two days while Nepalese tourists booked only for one day. 

Oli informed that the Kalinchok Temple, which receives 600 religious tourists at weekends, public holidays and various festivals, is expecting around 100 Indian tourists to come and visit during this new year. 

“In the past, there were only a few tourists from other countries, but recently the number of international tourists has increased significantly. The number of tourists visiting Kalinchok Temple is increasing because of its natural beauty and religious importance. These features were publicized abroad through social media in recent times,” said Oli.

Tourists from Kerala, West Bengal, Pakistan and Bangladesh have been coming to Kalinchok. Currently, there is an operational cable car and good road connectivity to Dolakha via Ramechhap. Locals say that Kalinchok, located in a small hillock at an altitude of 3,842 metres, receives snowfall every year from March to February, so all kinds of tourists visit Kalinchok, either for religious purpose or to experience the natural beauty.

There is a small pond inside the premises of Kalinchok Bhagawati temple located in Sano Takura. The water level remains the same all year around; according to a legend, it is believed that the water from the pond flowed to Tamakoshi River from a copper stream on the right side and to the Sunkoshi River from a golden stream on the left side.

It is also believed that Parvati, daughter of the Himalaya, performed penance in the Kalinchok Temple premises which later became the abode of Mahadev and Parvati. There are flocks of sheep in the Kalinchok area and a legend says that a pond appeared in the area after a few sheep licked the stones around the Kalinchok Temple.