The temple where only Thakuri women are allowed to enter

By Arjun Kafle, Syangja, Oct 14: It is amazing that only Thakuri women are allowed to enter the Aalam Devi Temple, considered to be the main ancestral god and shrine of the Shah dynasty and established some 730 years ago.

Another interesting aspect is that the priest of this temple comes from the Rana Magar community, one whose youthful rituals have been performed within the age of 15 years. This practice has continued since the establishment of the shrine. In many Hindu shrines the priest is from Brahamin community, considered to be the highest in the Hindu caste hierarchy.

Traditionally, bulls, buck, cock, pigeons and sheep are sacrificed in the temple located at Kaligandaki Rural Municipality ward number 3 in Syangja district. When sheep is not available, wax gourd is used.

Puja is performed everyday round the year and Nagara, a type of music, is played during the puja hour. However, animal sacrifice is prohibited on certain days as per the Hindu calendar when eating meat is considered sinful.

Prith Thapa, chairperson of the temple committee, said that there is a myth that the Shah kings would free bulls which would arrive at this temple and the locals would sacrifice. People also hold that performing puja in the temple averts existing or imminent crisis in life.

There is a legend that Aalam Devi came to settle on the top of a high hill here after the Mugal attacked the state of king Rishi Rana in Chitauragadh in India. Another story has it that the Ranas who came from Chitaurgadh made the temple and the placed the idol of the Devi, but the idol disappeared and then the temple was named in course of time as Aalam from Alap (disappearance).

Chairperson of the temple committee Thapa said that although entry of other persons than the Thakuri women was banned in the past, it was no longer a practice now. “But the people refrain from entering it out of the long held practice and for fear of ill consequences,” Thapa said.

Sabitra Koirala, vice-Chairperson of Kaligandaki Rural Municipality, said that she has so far not entered the temple for the sake of tradition, culture and long-held practices.