Among most of the places that I’ve visited and explored that are located mostly in Baglung, if you are traveling on the same route from Pokhara to Baglung, then you might get to know the names of those places which the locals suggest you visit nearby. So, for that, I visited some places on my way, to these beautiful destinations which helped me to gain some insights that I’ve shared here.
You can also get some information before you explore, here are the top 5 must-visit beautiful destinations that you might have visited or will visit later. Help yourself bring some energy, experience, and memories back home by visiting those places if possible.
And, if you are a resident of the places around here, then help me add up more facts and details if you know more about the places I’ve mentioned here.
Kalika Bhagwati Temple (Baglung Kalika)
Introduction
Widely known as Baglung Kalika situated in the Baglung District of Gandaki Province with Kalika Bhagwati as its specific name, located inside the dense forest just above the northern side of Kali Gandaki, it is one of the significant temples where a lot of Hindu devotees visit for worshipping and to pledge their vow making Baglung district the most visited district for this purpose.
The place is not that far, and easily reachable from Pokhara as it is around 80 km away from Pokhara city. Pilgrims reaching Pokhara can drive early in the morning which would take a couple of hours to reach the temple location and quench their thirst for receiving the blessings of goddess kali.
Just when you cross the Maldhunga Bridge and keep going, it’s on the left side that you’ll see the gate to enter the temple. Inside the temple, the smell of incense sticks, candles dipped in ghee, and clanging bells will simply pleasure you and make you feel happy about being there and a chance of not wanting to leave the place as well.
History
Myths say that the idol of goddess Kali was given to the King of Parbat, Pratap Narayan Singh Malla as dowry in his marriage with King Manimukunda Sen’s daughter. After the completion of the marriage ceremony, they headed their way to the palace.
While they rested in the middle of the forest and placed the idol on the floor, the next day, nobody could pick up the idol or even move it. So the king thought of leaving it there and constructed a temple at that place so that every person could worship the idol.
From the name, we can easily say that the kali goddess, one of the fierce goddesses according to culture and myth, is worshipped here. Not only Kali but the temple area also contains idols of shiva, Laxminarayan, and Radha Krishna. Festive season crowds the temple mainly on the Eighth day of Chaite Dashain, Shukla paksha, and also in the Main Dashain festival that falls usually under the month of Asoj or sometimes Kartik.
Beliefs and Initiations
Since then, Hindu devotees visit the place to worship not only on occasion but also when they have placed a wish and it gets fulfilled. People also perform marriage and other ceremonies at the temple thinking they would receive the blessings of Devi as eternal happiness throughout their life. Moreover, sadhus and tantriks from different places visit this place to gain Siddhi (Knowledge) in their field.
Sacrificing pigeons were common there but since April 13, 2016, this was banned as the thought that pigeon symbolizes peace and they were doing a misdeed led them to stop it and instead, releasing the pigeons on the ground or letting them fly away was practiced since then. Well, it is supposed to be a good deed to perform being close to god.
Also, It is believed that one’s wishes are fulfilled if he or she is able to please the goddess. She is also known as “Bha-wa-taa-ri-ni” which means “The Rescuer of the Universe”.
A green, clean, and peaceful environment with belief in the first place is what draws most of the pilgrims here to visit, and also those who are unknown to this location even if they are far away though in a different country would surely visit this pilgrimage to satiate their soul if they get a chance to know and explore the place.
Panchakot Viewpoint
Introduction
Attracted by its beautiful temple and a huge idol of Hanuman along with the view one can see from being in the place, Panchakot is being renowned to people around the country as a tourist destination.
After the establishment of Panchakot Ekikrit Basti in Ward-6 of Baglung Municipality, Panchakot has turned into one of the most attractive destinations for domestic and international tourists as well. Access to the place is swift and easy as Panchakot is a 30 minutes ride from Baglung Bazar.
History
Muktinath Baba, A Hindu Sage who had a dream of changing his hometown into a pilgrimage where one could worship all gods has also been a dream of all the residents of Baglung, which turned into a reality at present that promotes the tourism of Baglung as well as makes the place renowned to every corner of the country. The Temple of the Gandaki goddess can also be seen if reached there.
The Mulpurush (primordial man) of all communities of Nepal has been established in Panchakot with a vision to develop the place into a common religious site for everyone including Adivasi, Janajati, and Arya communities so that the place becomes a religious place for all to visit, which also signifies a kind of religious equity in a definite way.
How the Place Got its Name
Panchakot is known for its name from the sum of Pancha Kot (place), made by ceremoniously blending the names of five different places such as Karikot, Majhkot, Tatajalkot, Sansarkot, and Raynaraynakot. These five places as a sum make the place to be known as Panchakot.
Those five religious places were built by the Kings of ancient times so that they could worship the divine energy of God and achieve power from it.
Attractions
Panchakot camping is also famous for people visiting from outside the place where they go and visit the temples and reside there for a day or two until they are satisfied with being there and return happily.
The flow of domestic tourists is rapid and sure to increase more if the place is promoted more widely around the country. Along with this, the flow of the number of foreign tourists can also be expected clearly.
Kaligandki and Its Shaligrams
Introduction
Kaligandaki is a tributary of the Gandaki river, originated by separating the major peaks of Dhaulagiri being a gorge flowing through the ancient kingdom of Mustang slowly getting wider as it approaches Kagbeni and flows on its own through Jomsom, Marpha, and Tukuche.
It is famously known as the river where one can find Shaligrams, one of the five non-living forms of Bishnu. Shaligram, also known as Shaligram Shila is a type of stone mainly found on the banks of the Kaligandaki river, a tributary of the Gandaki River in Nepal.
Historical Facts
According to religious books, it is said that Lord Vishnu who got a curse to be a stone being emotionless stone from Tulasi, turned himself into a large rocky mountain known as Shaligrama on the bank of the Gandaki river.
There, it is supposed that a type of worm having strong teeth as vajra carve out various markings on his body and the carved stones, which fell down the surface of the mountain on the riverbanks of Gandaki, turning to be the Shaligrama Shila. Shaligram is used as a statue of Vishnu worshiped by Hindus.
Shaligrams are believed to be a sacred idol representing Lord Vishnu according to Hindus which devotees place at their homes or at temples and perform their rituals.
The stone is a typical fossil of ammonite shells meant to be a holy stone as the shape of the stone symbolizes Bishnu’s natural form.
Tatopani Kunda (Hot Water Spring)
Introduction
Well, not in Baglung but Located slightly farther, in Beni Municipality Ward No. 4, of Myagdi District of Dhaulagiri Zone, Tatopani Kunda is a hot spring that lies on the bank of the Myagdi River.
West of Beni Bazar, Tatopani is about 9 km away. If the distance is calculated from Kathmandu and Pokhara, then it is 297km and 92 km from the places respectively.
History and Beliefs
There is a belief that bathing in the hot water of Tatopani relieves every kind of pain, and washes away sin. The temperature of water in the hot spring ranges from 45° c. to 48° c. and is 54° c. to 57° c, at the foundation.
The spring is said to cure the diseases like gastric, rheumatism, uric acid, backache, skin disease swelling, goiter, and arthritis as many people have recovered after visiting and bathing in that place.
In accordance with the type or condition of the disease they have, people bathe in the hot spring a couple of times a day or even a full week.
Facts
A great amount of black salt and phosphorus is said to be contained in the hot spring which is a self-natural antibiotic that makes the diseases non-transferable from one another, even if it is shared continuously with multiple people to bathe.
The hot spring can possibly occupy about 300 people at a time.
The place was unmanaged before as there was no infrastructure that could help in connecting people to the place. No facility for drinking water, proper excretion area, and not even hotels and lodges but later on with the increase in the number of visitors, to fulfill their demand and to amplify their belief in the hot spring, everything was made available as per the visitors’ needs by the municipality.
Gupteshwor Mahadev Temple
Introduction
And you might not have to reach Baglung to explore this place as it is located slightly nearer the way before you reach Baglung, which is located in Kushma, Parbat. Gupteshwor is a peculiar cave near the Kaligandaki river where one can find statues and portraits of Hindu Gods and Goddesses.
The unexplored cave was found with natural portraits of gods and goddesses. These included the statues of Mahadev, Parvati, Nageshwor, and Saraswati. Further, inspection led them to find a statue that resembled Lord Shiva. The cave got its name Gupteshwor from the statue of Lord Shiva they found as the cave had its name ‘Bhaludulo’ in the past. Gupteshwor is one of the longest caves in Nepal.
History
According to mythical beliefs, it is said that in around 1940, local people discovered this cave which was covered with grasses, weeds, and debris brought by the river where they could hear a peculiar sound of water falling inside. While they explored out, it turned out to be the water that came from Davis Falls.
Since the exploration of God’s idols inside the cave, the place has been popular as a pilgrimage site for Hindu devotees where they pay a visit during special occasions and festivals like Dashain and Maha Shivaratri. People also visit the place on normal occasions as well.
Conclusion
Some places that I’ve explained haven’t been visited by me in person but the understandings I could get with the locals around there so that when you search to know information about those places, this may help. Hoping that you receive as much information from these top 5 beautiful destinations as you go up from Pokhara.
Are any of the places you’ve visited is in the list? Let me know in the comments.