Travel Information about Dakshinkali Temple Kathmandu Nepal
18 km (11 mi) south of Kathmandu
The only time to visit this bloodbath of a temple is Tuesday
or Satur-day morning, well before noon, preferably around 9 AM. Dedicated to
Kali, the goddess of destruction, this is where Hindus come to slaughter male
animals as offerings to the deity. The eerie setting, in the woods on the
southern side of the valley, at the confluence of two rivers, makes the events
all the more ominous to first-time viewers.
The temple was built 300 years ago by a Malla king whose
people were dying from a cholera epidemic. In a dream, Kali told him to build a
temple for her in Dakshin, south of his kingdom, and then to sacrifice 108
buffalo. The king obeyed Kali's command, and the epidemic ended.
Follow the lane from the hillside parking area, past stalls
selling Nepali fast food, including khuwa (sweet milk-and-cheese curd served on
a large leaf); vendors pushing handicrafts and garlands; and, no doubt, at
least one praying Shivite sadhu in an orange dhoti (a cloth garment worn like a
sarong and drawn up between the legs), his face smeared with ash. Go under an
arch, and take the steps leading down to a bridge that crosses over a stream.
From here, you see Hindus queued up for the temple, plus numerous others
bathing, picnicking, and washing their animals by the stream. If you have ever
been to a Hindu movie and witnessed locals push to get in, you will be
surprised at the sight of the lines at Dakshin Kali. The people are very quiet
and subdued, as thousands reverently wait in a relatively hushed silence for
their turn.
The temple is designed as a female tantric triangle, point
aimed at the ground. Lion figures, vehicles of the goddess, guard the temple. A
Bhairov idol stands under the canopy. On the side wall is a Ganesh idol. On the
left side of the main temple entrance is the idol Dakshin Kali, with eight
arms, lifting her body onto Shiva, who lies motionless.
The priest, nearly hidden, sits inside the inner sanctum and
sprinkles holy water on each animal as it is presented to him. The barefoot
temple butcher, with his trousers rolled up and covered in blood, grabs the
squawking animals, usually roosters, walks over to the images of Kali and Shiva
on the side wall, and very efficiently lops off their heads. Blood drenches the
statue red. The butcher hands the headless creature to its owner and sometimes
dabs a speck of its blood onto his own forehead, sanctifying himself. Look up
at the surrounding pigeons who usually hang about the area; invariably there is
at least one white one that has turned pinkish-red from the squirting blood.
Non-Hindus are allowed to stand back to the side and
observe. Usually there are a few who push forward with their cameras, trying to
take the blood thirstiest, goriest shot. Try to remember this is a religious
event, not a carnival.
In the midst of the ruckus and huge crowds, holy men sit
under a covered pavilion reading aloud from Holy Scriptures. On the staircase
back up to the exit, beggars line the path. Some street children from Kathmandu
commute the 18 km (11 mi) to this site twice a week for the alms—proof that
begging is a full-time job for many children.
Lodging
Dakshinkali Club
Resort - Just up the road, 4 km (2'A mi) from the temple (and the last
kilometer is on a rough-and-tumble road), this much-advertised hotel is
situated in a horseshoe-shape area of forested hills. The gardens are well
tended, and the air is much fresher than in the city, but there isn't much to
do here. The rooms are basic, with twin beds and Formica furniture. Bathrooms
have showers but not tubs.
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