Rato (red) Machhendranath
The famous temple of Rato Machchhendranath stands in the middle of a spacious quadrangle at Tangal north of Lagenkhel, Patan. Historians are of the opinion that this three story pagoda temple was built by King Narendradev. The temple stands on a platform of the single tier. Its two upper roofs are made of metal and the lower one is made of tile.
The image of Machhendranath enshrines the sanctum of the temple. The image is held in reverence by both the Hindus and the Buddhists. The Hinds worship the deity as Viranchi Narayana and the Buddhists call the deity Lokeshwora. Pilgrims from various parts of the world come here to pay homage to the deity Lokeshwora. Pilgrims from various parts of the world come here to pay homage to the deity. People of the valley of Kathmandu show great respect to Rato Machhendranath as the deity is believed to have saved people from a fearful draught in the time immemorial. People still worship him for good rain and fertility. Annual chariot festival, Ratha Jatra, is held to pay homage to the deity.
Kumbeshwar temple
The temple of Kumbeshwar stands near a road between Mangal Bazar and Sankhamul of Patan. The temple has five stories and it stands on a single tier platform. The main sanctum of the temple contains a Shiva Lina and the struts and tympanums depict various forms of lord Shiva. There is a natural spring in the vicinity of the temple. It is commonly believed that the source of the spring is GosainKunda.
Exact date of the construction of the temple is not known so far. Some historians suggest that Jayasthiti Malla, a famous Malla King, built the temple and others point to the possibility that it was built long before his regime.
This Article and upcoming posts are extracted from the book, TOURIST INFORMATION DIRECTORY, 1997. by my Late Father Journalist, Sociologist & Anthropologists, Er. Ramesh Chandra Bandhu Bhattarai.
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