DUPCHESHWOR (NUWAKOT), April 22: A group of visitors from Kathmandu and the local litterateurs on Friday arrived and read out stories and poems at the Dupcheshwor temple, which is known as the second Pashupatinath in Bagmati. 

During the visit organized by Shashaka monthly newspaper, litterateurs paid homage and offered prayers and worshipped the Dupcheshwor Mahadev. 

Located 60 km north of Kathmandu's Gangabu and 35 km east of Nuwakot's district headquarters of Bidur, Dupcheshwor is perched on the banks of the Suryamati (Tadi) river, which itself is a place of worship for Hindus. 

The Samudrafini rice of Shikarbensi – the village where Dupcheshwor is located – is famous across Nepal. A special carnival takes place at Dupcheshwor annually on the full moon day of the Nepali month of Mangshir, but the tourists and devotees from other districts have been visiting the religious site on other days and occasion, according to Dupcheshwor temple's Priest, Ram Hari Khatiwada. 

Legend has it that a Kamdhenu (Devine) cow used to pour its breast milk over a Shila – a unique stone projection of cylindrical shape viewed by Hindus as representing God Shiva. After coming to know of this, the entire villagers started worshiping it as 'Dudheshwor Mahadev'. 

Later it became known as 'Dupcheshwor Mahadev'. The temple located on a remote and inaccessible cliff has not only contributed to the popularity of Shikharbensi, but the Nuwakot district as a whole. 

Teacher, Shiva Prasad Acharya, of Dupcheshwor Secondary School at Ramati area of Dupcheshwor – 6 says humans started worshipping stones after they worshipped the nature and Dupcheshwor's genesis took place in the pre-historic period. 

The locality known as Dupcheshwor – 7, Shikarbensi and Dupcheshwor – 2 across the river is home to Bhramin, Chhetri, Newar and Tamang communities and has a Sanskrit school, Dupeshwor Secondary School and Dupcheshwor Himchuli Adarsha Campus. 

Dupcheshwor Conservation Society Chairman, Tanka Raj Mahanta, called for completing the path leading towards the temple and building Dharmashala and other facilities to provide shelter to the pilgrims and tourists visiting the temple. 

The team led by Nepal Academy Member Secretary, Prof Dr Jivendra Dev Giri, included Dr Satya Raj Thapaliya, Dr Shailendu Prakash Nepal, Bhagyashali Adhikari, Damodar Pudasaini Kishor, Shyam Rimal, Tara KC, Radha Karki, organizing Shashaka monthly's Publisher and Editor, Umesh Pandey, and local poets Krishna Moktan, Sumitra Shrestha, Jandhavi Acharya and Shradha Acharya. The team also included dramatist Bipul Pandey and literature lover Parbati Giri. RSS 

 
• dupcheshwor
 
• a centre of belief for hindus and buddhists