Dadeldhura has the tallest statue of goddess

By Puskar Bhandari,Dadeldhura, Dec. 18: The worship of Masta Bhagwati, a key religious and cultural practice of the Sudurpashchim Province concluded on Monday. With this, the fairs and festivals, which began after Tihar at various temples of the province, also concluded.  The last fair of this season was held at the Masta Bhagwati Temple located on Bhadivan Hill in Navadurga Rural Municipality-1. Worship of Masta Bhagwati is held during several events, including Bishu Janat on Baisakh 1 (Nepali New Year), Dashain Janat on Dashain day and most notably during the full moon.

As part of the religious rituals, the Bhaka Baijali ceremony is performed after the Neja flag is taken from five villages in the region. Laxmi Prasad Awasthi, Chairperson of Navadurga Rural Municipality, explained that people from the villages of Nwaghar, Setigaun and Bajadi participate in the worship. The tradition is completed with the Chhala dance and Deuda games.

The region once faced a famine following a hailstorm that destroyed crops and fruits. In response, a tradition of worshipping Masta Bhagwati was started to protect against famine, said Awasthi. The worship includes the sacrifice of goats and water buffaloes, during the Bishu festival at the beginning of the New Year and during Dashain.

Each year, the local Bohra family from Koteli, Navadurga-1, offers a goat and a buffalo as part of the worship during the Bishu festival. Other devotees also offer sacrifices after fulfilling vows, hoping that their wishes get fulfilled.

The Masta Bhagwati temple houses a statue of the goddess, which is claimed to be the tallest in the world. The statue, standing at 45 feet, is depicted as a lion.

Devotees from various districts of the Far-Western Province and neighboring Indian regions have traveled to Masta Bhagwati to offer prayers, particularly after the recent hailstorm that threatened local crops.