The historical Temal Jatra (festival) 2023 kicked off today at Boudhanath stupa, world heritage site. Ancient 3-day Temal Jatra celebrations. Celebrating by Tamang community, the three days Temal Pilgrimmage Jatra this year started on 5th April, as thousands of Tamang residents from Timal (Kavre district) headed towards the Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu on foot.

This pilgrimmage begins a day before the full moon joined by both youngsters and adults who pray in the name of deceased family members and relatives for their moksha or nirvana. They lighten butter lamps (nangsal), offers prayers, observed fasts and sang ‘Phapare Geet’ well into the night.

Tomorrow early morning the pilgrims walk to Ba-ish Dhara (22 water slouts) in Balaju where they purify themselves by taking holy bath. It is believed that the place was turned sacred when the roots of the lotus flower sage Manjushree had thrown fell into the area. The pilgrims then walk to Swoyambhu Stupa where they repeat the rituals of lighting butter lamps, prayers and singing.

Come dawn the next day, pilgrims prepare for a full day of walking journey to Namo Buddha where the evening is spent honoring their deceased relatives. This is where the Temal Jatra ends and the following day people head back to their homes in Temal (Kavre).

Thus ancient Temal Pilgrimmage Jatra involves visiting three ‘Nhe’ (sacred ancient Buddhist sites), namely Boudha Stupa, Swoyambhu Stupa and Namo Buddha. #Traveltimes_treks #theNepalNOW #discovernepal #culturaltourism #people #tamangpeople #nepal #nepaltourismboard #himgeo #natgeo #himalayangeographic #nationalgeographic #instanepal #natgeoasia #natgeotravel #himalayas #travel #temalJatra #temal #Kavre #yarinak #termal