Bhaktapur:President Ramchandra Paudel visited the Nawadurga Temple in Bhaktapur on the occasion of Kojagrat Poornima, which marks the concluding day of the Bada Dashain festival. During his visit, he paid homage to the Hindu deity Nawadurga.
According to National News Agency RSS, President Paudel performed special pooja dedicated to the Nawadurga goddess and received tika and prasad from the temple’s main priest, Indra Bahadur Banmala. Ramesh Karmayacharya assisted the President in performing the Sankalpa Pooja of Nawadurga.
Following the rituals, President Paudel made monetary offerings to 28 symbolic demigods known as Devaganas, including the priests. The President was welcomed by Bagamati Province Chief Minister Kiran Thapa Magar, Minister for Industry, Tourism, Labour and Transport Rajendra Prajapati, federal lawmaker Rukesh Ranjit from Bhaktapur-1, Bhaktapur’s Chief District Officer Binod Bahadur Khadka, district chiefs of security agencies, and the chief of the Guthi Sansthan Office, Bhaktapur.
Chief Minister Thapa Magar presented Rs 100,000 to Bhaktapur’s Nawadurga Devagana Jatra and Temple Management Committee to support the Nawadurga Festival celebration. The President also honored the committee with a letter of appreciation. Chief Minister Thapa Magar stated that the assistance was intended to support the conduct of the Nawadurga Festival.
Narayan Prasad Banamala, an advisor to the Nawadurga Temple Management Committee, noted that following the 2045 BS earthquake in Nepal, the then Head of State initiated the continuation of these religious rituals and prayers, wishing for the nation’s well-being and protection from natural disasters. The Navadurga deities worshipped on this occasion include Brhamayani, Maheshwori, Kumari, Vaishnavi, Barahi, Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, Tripurasundari, and Bhadrakali.