Kandevsthan stands as an example of one of the simple temples with no significant architecture but with a very interesting myth behind it. Located a few steps away from the Kupondole bus stand at the end of Bagmati Bridge, it is not hard to spot as it lies just beside the main road on the right side as you head towards Lailtpur from Thapathali. [break]
Asmita Manandhar
Every festival, temple and holy ground in Nepal bears a background story that’s held as a legend and gives a history of the origination of a particular place or cultural activity. Kandevsthan also has one such fascinating tale behind its origination.
According to the legend, it is said that during the rule of King Sriniwas Malla, Patan was prospering in every sector. But its growing development in administration, economy and culture was perceived as a threat by then King of Kathmandu, Pratap Malla.
Though Sriniwas Malla was Pratap Malla’s nephew, the two kingdoms shared a long history of political rivalry and the King of Kathmandu was getting anxious over the strategic plan of its neighbor kingdom. Unable to appoint any spy within Sriniwas Malla’s palace, Pratap Malla sought help of his Rajpurohit, the official priest.
During that period, Kathmandu Valley was supposed to be a golden era of Tantrism, the teaching of Tantras, religious writings that bear mysticism and magical rituals. People who took up Tantrism were respected and feared at the same time. Many myths regarding festivals within Kathmandu Valley have Tantrik connotations.
Likewise, the legend of Kandevsthan says that Pratap Malla’s Rajpurohit asked the King to choose an object which could allure the King of Patan. After much discussion and brainstorming, the King decided that a mesmerizing painting should serve the purpose. And so, he assigned the task to one of the finest artists in his kingdom.
The artist, being ordered by the King, to paint such an artwork, which would not only draw people towards it, but would transfix their gaze once they had laid their eyes upon it, was in a fix. But after months of failure, he finally drew inspiration from his wife, who one day came to him freshly bathed and wrapped only in a thin layer of cloth.
After the painting was completed, the Rajpurohit equipped it with special powers through Tantrism. The painting was then gifted to King Sriniwas Malla. Enchanted by the beauty of the painting, he ordered that it be installed inside his private chamber.
Meanwhile, the Rajpurohit also sent a group of people with a peculiar stone, influenced with Tantrik powers to Patan. Soon after crossing Bagmati River, the border between Patan and Kathmandu, the group established the stone at Kupondole, convincing the locals that it held the remains of a very powerful deity. The stone which had a peculiar shape resembling that of a human ear was, in fact, a tool similar to modern antenna that had a direct connection with the painting at Sriniwas Malla’s quarters.
Pratap Malla had a similar tool with which he was able to eavesdrop on every conversation Sriniwas Malla carried within the confines of his quarter. This went on for years, with Pratap Malla sabotaging Sriniwas Malla’s strategies in one way or the other. Sriniwas Malla, on the other hand, was oblivious to it. But that did not last long.
During a festival dinner at Pratap Malla’s palace, where Sriniwas Malla was also invited, he accidently mentioned a private conversation between Sriniwas Malla and his wife that he’d overheard through the painting. Sriniwas Malla figured out that the gift from the King of Kathmandu was bugged and destroyed the painting.
Though Pratap Malla’s spying was thwarted after the painting was destroyed, the antenna or the stone set up at Kupondole remained there. The locals had started worshipping the stone and had built temple structures around it.
As time passed, due to the shape of the stone that resembles a pair of human ears, people named it Kandevsthan and assumed that any ailments regarding ears can be solved by worshipping the revered stones.
The temple lies beside the main road at Kupondole and though the place is named after the very temple, it is likely that you may have easily ignored its presence. But it may bear a different charm now that you’re aware of the myth behind its establishment. Therefore, the next time you are around that area, be sure to explore the temple and look at its ear-shaped stone deity.
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