also makes to the list of such places.
There’s a place in JK Rowling’s London called the ‘Leaky Cauldron’ which, if not pointed out, won’t be noticed. There are many such places in Kathmandu which, once you blink, are gone. Kalmochan Temple, though being located right at the side of a busy Kathmandu road, also makes to the list of such places.
Commissioned by the then prime minister Bhimsen Thapa shortly before his downfall, and completed by his eventual successor Junga Bahadur Rana, this temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, and situated right next to the Bagmati River along the road linking Tripureshwor and Thapathali Chowk, is no more frequented by devotees. This restored temple, despite its grand white dome in Mughal style, at the centre of the flagstone square is absolutely mislaid if one’s not looking enough. [break]
Bhashwor Ojha
This temple is remarked mainly for its massive, ferocious looking, poised-to-prowl brass griffins that look as if guarding the ornately sculptured dome. The domes of other small six shrines around the main temple are also decorated like thousand lotus petals – one on the other. The temple itself stands on raised platforms like a wedding cake. The platforms are where, especially in the evenings when the sun is brilliant orange and the sky with violent shades of blue and red, elderly people come and sit, sometimes playing games of ‘Baghchal’ and reminiscing about the long gone days.
In front of the temple is a black statue of Garuda kneeling on one leg, hands clasped in pranam. Behind the Garuda is a tall column on a giant tortoise, signifying the common Hindu belief that tortoises can support any structure on their backs. Atop the column is a statue of Junga Bahadur Rana; standing, clad in royal robes with a sword and a rifle hanging from the belt, his hands also joined in a common gesture of gratitude towards the God. Inscriptions in ancient Nepali are written on the column which says that the temple was built around the time of King Surendra.
It’s a wonder how such a place with such cultural and historical importance stands unnoticed. Many people walk by without glancing at that grand white monument of devotion. Traffic lines up right on that road during congestions, but people don’t bother to check if the temple still stands there.
The temple premise, though being an unwilling audience to the usual city hustle and bustle, is amazingly calm and quiet inside. In the evenings, along with the older generations, one can also find groups of young schoolchildren gathering at one corner and talking about things they probably couldn’t talk about at school. The temple these days has provided ample space for small meetings now but it doesn’t open for devotees to pay homage to the deity anymore.
The temple also provides an ideal space for yoga lovers. One can take a yoga mat along and do some exercises on the paved square while the first rays of the sun gradually sweep the earth. There is also an unused ghat behind the temple at the banks of the Bagmati River where small gazebos can be made for people to sit and rest and enjoy the moment.
The ghat also carries historical significance as it is rumored to have been the place where Jung Bahadur cremated many people who had been murdered at the massacre he staged at the Kot of Hanuman Dhoka in 1846.
Now this place is a lost wonder among the extreme busyness that tags our city and our lives, almost like the Atlantis.
And what’s more? This over a hundred years old shrine is no longer as brand new as it had once been. There are renovations to be done, moss to be cleared, walls to be painted. The cracks in the walls are too conspicuous to ignore. But a little attention from the city denizens is all that’s required to restore this peaceful sanctorum to its past self and make it a wonderful public place once again. The effort will surely be worthwhile.
And don’t worry if you aren’t religious or spiritual. You’ll still have sufficient space here for yourself to enjoy what this heritage has to offer.
ashis.d.upadhyay@gmail.com
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