Thousands flock Tinau's Satyawati fair

By Rekhiram Rana, Tansen, Nov. 17: Nearly 300,000 devotees gathered at the Satyawati Temple in Tinau-4, Palpa, from November 12 to 15 to participate in the unique annual fair, where they shout their wishes.

Devotees from across Nepal, as well as from parts of India, flocked to the temple dedicated to the goddess Satyawati, revered by the Magar community.

Devotees came with a unique request, shouting out their wishes.

The ritual is part of a long-held belief that Satyawati, who is said to have gained strength through penance in a dense forest, will grant the desires of those who shout out wishes.

According to Dan Bahadur Gaha, chairman of the Satyawati Lake and Temple Management Committee, this year’s fair saw an overwhelming turnout, with over 300,000 participants. 

“The number of devotees this year was much larger than expected, creating an unmanageable crowd,” he said. 

People from Palpa, Gulmi, Syangja, Tanahun, Rupandehi, Arghakhanchi and Nawalparasi, along with visitors from across the border, came to worship and make their wishes known.

The fair is a time of deep devotion, with a range of rituals taking place. 

One of the most striking practices involves devotees burying a lingo (a type of pillar, often made from Himalayan bamboo or Sal wood) by the lakeside at night, before returning the next day to worship it and shout out their wish. 

Sunvir Gaha, a local senior citizen explains that after their wishes are fulfilled, devotees return to the temple to pay gratitude to goddess Satyawati.

Due to the crowd of devotees, the temple management committee faced the challenges of managing such a large crowd. 

The narrow, one-way road leading to the temple became clogged with traffic, causing long delays for visitors. 

Sita Neupane, a local from Tansen who attended the fair said, “The road leading to the temple is in a dilapidated state, and with so many people visiting the temple this year, it caused hour-long traffic jams.”

The temple management committee said that the sheer volume of devotees this year created difficulties in managing both the transport and the worship process, but the organisers were grateful for the overwhelming response.

Each year, the fair is held after Tihar until the full moon, attracting numerous pilgrims to the Satyawati Temple.