Dakshinkali & Pharping

Religious, Cultural, environmental place and Maha Tapo-bhumi for Spritual practioners.

Located at 16 Km south of Kathmandu, linked with narrow and mountainous but black topped road where famous temples Shesh Narayan, Vajrayogini, and Dakshinkali are there.
A few hundred metres beyond Shesh Narayan, PHARPING is unexpectedly large and lively for this distant corner of the valley. It's divided between an unattractive modern commercial strip along the road and the more villagey original centre, reached by a side road where the main road swerves left. Nepal's first hydroelectric plant was built Sokhel just downhill from Pharping, in 1911, but the power generated all went to light Singha Durbar only ignoring locals in kerosene Tuki.

Phurping town is the Combination of 7 historical streets (Toles) named as;
1. Kotal tole, Gopaleswor community
2. Kochhu tole (Jhamkeswori ancient Durbari Area : Haa Lachhi square), Balkumari community.  

3. Tipi tole, also called Maiko tole, Dakshinkali community
4. Thalkhu tole, also called Thado dhunga, Neel Barahi community
5. Yalkhu tole, also called Haatisar , Indrayani community
6. Tharpu tole, also called Naran Dabli, Shesh Narayan community
7. Korpu tole, Mahalaxmi community

Each tole has well constructed Stone sprout, a Stage (Dabali) for the presentation and Show purpose and open chatting place or Dharmasala (pati). In the late evenings most of Patis are full of traditional Musical Programs ( Bhajans).

On the southern base of Dhinacho (Champadevi hill) where Shikhi Buddha meditated there to view Soyambhu when Kathmandu Valley was a big lake. Since Phurping is nestled on the lap of the hill-top, also called Shikharapur termed "Shikar" as top of the hill and "Pur" as town. Phurping is spreadout like ‘Fan’ (Cobra-breast like shape) so that it is called Fan-Pin-gu. In Newari it is called Phampi. Sometime during 1890 B S Phurping was housed of 60 thousand and Gopaleswor Shiva Temple was in the middle of city.

Gradually Stone sprout, Stage (Dabali) and Dharmasala (Paati) have been disappearing followed with the modern concrete constructions going on in Phurping.

Village tourism attractions
· Located 1500 meter above the sea level
· Nepal-India old trade route
· Famouse place for fruit - Pears and vegetables
· Non polluted and fresh air atmosphere, as such King Tribhuwan established “Paradise Garden” in BS 2008 presently the property is run by boarding school.
· Engraved in the stone at Jhanmkeshwori “B.S. 43 – King Amsuverma allotment of expenses for Buddha Bihar Puja (worship) which confirms this is an Ancient Buddhist Land. Also emphasizes that many places are named on the basis of Buddhist terms such as Baha, Bahi, Noni viz; Digu Bahal, Gol Bahal, Khaa – Baha, Haja noni, Gachhe Noni, Yon Tse, Matan Tse.
· According to the ancient chronology – Ishlamic Year 787 or 83 years before BS started, Phurping was well ruled by King Bhimarjun Dev and extended it properly.
· Sacred place where Naro-pa, Pharping-pa, Tilo-pa and Odiyani teachers meditated and did Tantric Yog Sadhana related to Bajrayogini temple.

Pharping has to offer number of short hikings to near by villages.

Chaukotdevi : A small shrine located at an altitude of 6300 ft. above sea level, 30 min walk from Humaney Bhanjyang - Tea stop while drive from Kathmandu to Hetauda, or 2 hrs hike from Dakshinkali temple.

Lamagaun and Dandikhel : : Small villages  dominated by Tamang and Lama and few of them are Chhetri and Newars. Could spend 5 to 6 hrs for hiking with spectacular view of Himalayan range from Chautara on the way to Dandikhel.

Champadevi and Hatiban: It is situated at an elevation of 2285m southwest of Kathmandu. Champadevi is a pilgrimage site having a Buddhist Stupa and a Hindu shrine.

Its surroundings:

1. North - Shesh Narayan Temple, Satikhel and Dallu village connets and enroute Kathmandu - Pharping road, 3 km/10 min drive from centre and on the hill top there is Haatiban Resort.

2. Northwest - Hoodu village also called Talku Dundechaur VDC 3 km/10 minutes drive

3. West - Talku, Kharpa, Dandikhel, Dathuban village - 6km/20 min drive from center.

4. Southwest - Lamagaun, Phulchowk Balami village - where located sacred goddess Manakamana Devi temple is popular place for local worship and attractive picnic spot for others, Humane Bhanjyang, and Chaukot Devi temple on hilltop.

5. South - Thasigaon Pine forest village, Bhatter chaur, Ramche from where Kathmandu - Hetauda alternative shortcut rough road continues.

6. Southeast - Youtiki, Simpani, Katuwal Daha from where entire water of Kathmandu valley drains to terai.

7. East - Gopaleswor Jungle, Kopugaon close by Bagmati river.

8. Northeast - Sokhel Bhanjyang, 100+ years old, Asias first Powerhouse, Nainkhandi village.

Major temples around Pharping are ;

1. Dakshinkali – medium to attain Tantra sacrificing animals, Jatra - Festival takes place on Shrawan Krishna Triyodashi. Dakshinkali is dedicated to one of the most important Hindu Goddess Kali and is one of the most popular places of worship in Kathmandu. Located 25 km from the city center on the southern rim of the Valley past Pharping village, the shrine is especially crowded on Tuesdays and Saturdays when animal sacrifices are offered to the deity.

2. ASURA CAVE where Gorakhnath or Padmasambhava meditated

The ASURA Cave is the spot where ACHARYA PADMA SAMBHAVA is said to have appointed the 12 TENMAS as the protectors of Tibet. Generally, it is believed that the great practitioners of India, Nepal and Tibet visited this site and turned the wheel of dharma. To the left and right side of the cave, there are some meditation cells founded by Tibetans later. Because GURU GORAKHNATH stayed here for sometime, many people call it GORAKHNATH. The hand impression on the right side of the external door and the footprints on the frontal face of the rock cave are known to be of Ascetic GORAKH. The local people call this sacred site GORAKHNATH GUFA.

 

3 .THE SELF EMERGED STATUE OF TARA (Saraswoti Temple)
Below the Asura Cave, on the side of a small rock there is a statue of Ganesh and a statue of the self emerged TARA – (Saraswoti Devi) which originated from the small rock cave itself. Both the Buddhist and Hindus come here to pray.







4. Vajrayogini –
medium to attain Tantra peacefully, Jatra – Festival of this goddess takes place based on lunar calendar on Ashwin Krishna Ekadashi. A fifteen-minute walk uphill brings you to the golden-roofed Pharping - Vajrayogini , one of the valley's four tantric temples dedicated to the angry female aspect of Buddhahood. Foreigners usually aren't allowed to enter, but the upstairs sanctum contains two prancing images of Bajra Jogini, each holding a skull-cup and knife.

A staircase just to the left of the Vajrayogini temple entrance leads further up the hill to a monastery sometimes used as a retreat by Buddhist Westerners. Introduce yourself and the monks will show you the Padma Sambhava Cave (also known as Asura Cave) in the courtyard; the irrepressible guru, whose image stands among butter candles, apparently meditated in this grotto as well as at Yanglesho. Buddhists say the handprint to the left of the cave entrance and the "footprints" in the centre of the courtyard are those of Padma Sambhava (Hindus claim they were left by Gorakhnath).

5. Panjal Ganesh – The temple located at Thalkhu tole (Tharo Dhunga) with big playground offers view of large paddy fields. The festival takes place on Kartik Purnima carrying on small sedan go throughout Phurping to accept puja and offerings.

6. Mahalaxmi sthan :  A small temple dedicated to tantrik devi Mahalaxmi - specially celebrated all the festivals by Balami community from Phurping, Phulchowk and Thasi gaon Chhaimale.  A famouse and wellknown tantrik dance of Astamatrika takes place only during night time starting from Kartik Purnima (November).  The theater lasts for about a week time venue at Maiko (Tipi) tole and Jhamkeswori (Kochhutole) the city centre.

Where to stay;

1) Dakshinkali Village Inn
Dakshinkali entrance gate
Phurping,  Nimtole.
Phone : 977-1-4710053

2) Hattiban Resort/Himalayan Height Resort
Champadevi Hill,
Sokhel, Bhanjyang,
Phone : 977-1-4710122/223/131/129

Sales Office : 4371-246

3) Dakshinkali Club Resort
Dallu, Phurping
Phone : 977-1-4710072

4) Ashoka Resort
New Road, Dakshinkali
Phone : 977-1-4710057/067

For more details please contact K B Balami, Kundalini Travel Nepal, Sundhara Kathmandu, Nepal, Tel : 4253128, 4254398 email : kundalinitrv@ntc.net.np

More information on Pharping......

This is a popular village amidst a lovely setting by the hillside. It is situated at the southwest corner of the Valley. Inhabited mostly by the Newars and Tamangs both of whom are Buddhists by faith, the village is dotted with numerous Mahayan (Lamaism) monasteries. Another important sight is the Buddhist temple of Bajra-Yogini pertaining to the authentic philosophy of Bajrayan.

A few hundred metres beyond Shesh Narayan, Pharping  is unexpectedly large and lively for this distant corner of the valley. It's divided between an unattractive modern commercial strip along the road, the more villagey Newari centre (reached by a side road where the main road swerves left), and a Tibetan Buddhist boom town which seems to throw up another fantastically gilded gompa every year. Nepal's first hydroelectric plant was built just downhill from Pharping, in 1911, but the power generated all went to light Singha Durbar.

A fifteen-minute walk uphill brings you to the Tibetan area, dominated by the huge white-and-gold stupa of Tharik Gompa, built in 1997 by followers of Tharik Rinpoche, a Sakyapa lama based in Boudha. Less grandiose but more significant is the golden-roofed Pharping Bajra Yogini, which sits above the newer monasteries and is one of the valley's four tantric temples dedicated to the angry female aspect of Buddhahood. Foreigners usually aren't allowed to enter, but the upstairs sanctum contains two prancing images of Bajra Yogini, each holding a skull-cup and knife.

A staircase just to the left of the Bajra Yogini temple entrance leads further up the hill to a monastery sometimes used as a retreat by Buddhist Westerners. Introduce yourself and the monks will show you the Padma Sambhava Cave (also known as Asura Cave) in the courtyard; the irrepressible guru, whose image stands among butter candles, apparently meditated in this grotto as well as at Yanglesho. Buddhists say the handprint to the left of the cave entrance and the "footprints" in the centre of the courtyard are those of Padma Sambhava (Hindus claim they were left by Gorakhnath). The site has grown to be a major pilgrimage stop for Tibetan Buddhists, and has spawned several other nearby gompa of Padma Sambhava's Nyingma-pa sect, all connected by strings of prayer flags that from a distance make the hillside look like it's covered in a gigantic spider web. Red-robed monks are a common sight around Pharping.

A couple of small restaurants, the Asura Cave and the Snowland, cater to the monasteries' residents and visitors. They're located just downhill from the Bajra Yogini temple, so if you find them you'll know you're on the right track for the temple and cave. The Asura Cave has basic rooms (less than Rs200).

Pharping is one of the few Buddhist power places of Nepal which is historically important as an ancient settlement. It is a Buddhist power place because it was the home of a Newar Buddhist scholar Vagisvarakirti and the seat of Padmasambhava, the founder of Lamaism, who meditated on one of the caves there. Pharping is a very frequented place because it lies on the way to Dakshinkali, the principal Tantric deity Kali. As Pharping is situated on the eastern, western and southern lap of a mountain called Dhyanocha, a place where Shikhi Buddha (Manusi Buddha) had mediated, the Buddhists of the Kathmandu Valley consider it as an important pilgrimage. The aged people say that when Swayambhu-Jyotirupa (self-existent light) in the middle of the Kathmandu Valley (then snake-infested lake Nagadaha,) Shikhi Buddha came to that spot for the Darshan (view) of Swayambhu Jyotirupa. After this Shikhi Buddha chose to settle in Pharping to meditate.

The spread of Buddhism also contributed to the development of this place. Due to the exotic natural beauties, historic temples, monasteries and simple folks etc somebody rightly compared Pharping with Kashmir, Spiti and northern Kumaon. The history of Pharping laying 16 kilometers south of Kathmandu adjacent to the Chandragiri mountain range is dated back to the Gopala dynasty, the first dynasty in the history of Nepal. The word Pharping is coined during the Kiranti period which bears testimony to the fact that Pharping had then become an important place. In the Buddhist text Swayambhu Purnana, it is said that Manjusri came from Mahachina and cut the ridge of the Kathmandu Valley, and then a lake called Nagadaha, at the corner of katuwaldaha with his sword and drained out the water of the lake. But the major pointer to the antiquity of Pharping is its link with the Gopala (Gwala or cowherd) dynasty. There is a temple of Gopalsewara (god of Gopalas) in Pharping. This is the only temple in Nepal with the name of Gopaleswara. Gopalas regard this deity as their Ishta Devata, patron deity. Gopaleswara is the Saivite temple. This also points out to the antiquity of Saivism in Nepal. Pharping was therefore an established place even in the time of the Gopala dynasty. Not much is known about the history of Pharping during the Kiranti dynasty except the naming of the rivers, streams and places of Pharping in the Kiranti language. It can be guessed that the development of settlements had taken place in Pharping during the Kiranti period. If we make a survey of the development of ancient settlements in the world as a whole, we find that the ancient civilizations had developed and flourished on the banks of rivers.

For example, the Indus Valley civilization and the Egyption civilization which were rooted in the Indus and the Nile rivers respectively. In a certain measure, Pharping was a strategic place linking the Kathmandu Valley with the road to India along the banks of the Bagmati river. It is said that Red Machhendranath was brought to the Kathmandu Valley from Kamaru kamachhya (Assam) through the katuwaldaha of Pharping at the time of Lichhavi King Narendra Deva in the 7 th century. It is believed that the deity called Sankata, the temple of which exists at Tebahal locality of Kathmandu, was brought there from Pharping. The ritual of taking bath at Katuwaldaha in Pharping and invoking Lord machhendranath and Sankata on the occasion of ascending the deity to the chariot and 12 year festival of Sankata respectively is still prevalent. The strategic location of Pharping has also contributed to the growth and development of Pharping economically and culturally. While tracing the history Pharping, we find that it was never a political stronghold. During the Lichhavi period, Pharping was directly controlled by the centre. During the period of Malla kings around the 11 th century, Pharping had the status of a district governed by a feudal ruler. During the time of Diddhinarsingh Malla (16 th century), Pharping was under Lalitpur. Something it was under Kathmandu. The unique feature of Pharping was its cultural aspect. It was virtually a seat of learning since the ancient times. According to Buddhist text Swayambhu Purana Manjusri, one of the eight principal Boddisattva disciples of the Buddha, and also the goddess of learning passed into oblivion in the shrine of Gopaleswara of Pharping. To the Buddhists of Nepal and Tibet and the Lamas all over the world Pharping was and is still a very important place hallowed by Padmasambhava (717-762), who meditated in a cave near Shikharnaryan temple.

It is said that at Yanglesho, the way leading to Pharping, Padmasambhava had to fight with gods, spirits and demons. When he was meditating, a number of venomous snakes appeared hanging down from above. Being disturbed Guru Padmasambhava struck the Naga on his head with a Vajrakila and turned the menacing serpent into stone. Even today several serpentine shapes overhanging the temple can be seen struggling to come down”. Another myth popularly remembered by the people of Pharping and the Buddhists is that while Padmasambhava was meditating in Pharping, some Tantric master created a storm to disturb his meditation. Then, he hid himself in a cave. Pharping was also a home of Buddhist saints and scholars. Vagisvarakirit, the resident of Pharping, was very popular in Tibet because he was a great Tantrik teacher and an expert in Guhyasamaja Tantra. He has a large following among the Tibetans. He was a disciple of Naropa of the Nalanda University. He studied under Naropa for nine years. It is said that he had two brothers who were also experts in the Tantric practice. The remnants of ancient cultural heritage in the form of inscriptions, stone and metal plates, chronicles about temples and monasteries, works of sculpture, stone art and architecture found here and there in Pharping lend it historical importance. Pharping is much more than this. It is also a place lavishly gifted by nature. It is an enchanting place full of natural beauty with panoramic lush green plains and hills. The temperate and climate and the bounties of nature make Pharping an ideal place for saints and yogis. This ancient city is not only a melting pot of Hinduism and Buddhism but is also a melting pot of Theravada, Mahayana, Vajirayana and Lamaism. Despite the existence of Hindu shrines like Gopaleswara, Shesh Narayan, and various other monuments of Saivite and Vaisnavite faiths, it is also studded with Buddhist monuments and sites for pilgrimage. This ancient city was inhabited by a large number of settlements. It is said that there existed about 48,000 dwellings during the time of Licchhavi King Bhumi Varma. In those days Pharping was called Shikharapur (city at high place). It is so called because it is situated at a higher altitude than the Kathmandu Valley. Due to political and administrative changes in different periods of history, Pharping has undergone several changes. It was a part of the Bagmati zone in the past and now it has been amalgamated into the Narayani zone. The presiding deity of Pharping is Shikhar Lokeswara, one of the principal Buddhist divinities of the Kathmandu Valley. In tune with the spirit to religious toleration in Nepal, Hindus call Shikhar Lokeswara as Shikhara Narayan. Another popular Buddhist deity of Pharping is Varayogini. People of Pharping call it Hyengu Vajrayogini considering it as the protector of Buddhism.

It is said that Pharping was densely populated at the time when the Kathmandu Valley was a lake where Nagas (serpents) dwelt. Then it was called Chikwatha. Some inscriptions of historic importance have been found in Pharping. One inscription dated 1660 A.D. mentions the existence of Kuti Bahal (monastery of Vajrayani Buddhists of the Kathmandu Valley), which is constructed by Baliram, of Thakkuri (Varman) caste and where the people of several localities of Pharping gather to celebrate s festival called Diwali. Diwali is an annual festival observed by the people of the Kathmandu valley, mostly by Newars, by visiting temples mostly vihars where their patron deities reside. While visiting the localities of Pharping one easily comes across the premises and courtyards very much resembling the bahas and bahis of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, This is unmistakably an evidence of the spread of Buddhism in Pharping since the ancient times and that its inhabitants were followers of Buddha Dharma Sangha.

The presence of monastic sites and monuments Lokeswara, Vajrayogini and Lamaism shows the prevalence of all major sects of Buddhism in Pharping. In the sixth century A.D. at the time of Sivadeva the First, according to a chronicle, various monasteries of Pharping were populated by the Buddhist monks. These monks not only gave religious discourse but also provided social service such as construction and maintenance of water taps and drinking water facilities. Water sources can be seen even at present at the Shikhar Lokeswara vihar (now the courtyard of Shesh Narayan in the process of Hinduisation). There are ponds with varieties of fish in the greenish cold flowing water. To beautify the area, fountains have been constructed by using the water resources. In the Licchavi period, the government sanctioned certain amount of money for the maintenance of vihars. The process of Hinduisation which started notably since the Licchavi period (from the 3 rd to 7 th century A.D.) picked up recently. The monastic complexes have been occupied by the Hindus. The remnants of monasteries are disappearing. Local residents are at a loss to know about the monasteries and their history. In the past, monasteries and other Buddhist monuments had tremendously suffered during the time of Jayasthiti Malla, (14 century A.D) the king of the Kathmandu Valley who was remembered for the introduction of Hindus caste system and values based on Manusmriti. A new awareness has developed among the residents of Pharping in realization of the need to reconstruct and renovate the dilapidating Buddhist monuments and to identify the monasteries. If one visits Pharping one can easily see the process of Hinduisation in Pharping. The cave where Padmasambhava meditated has been converted into the place of Gorakhanath. It is because of the cave and home of Vagisvarakirti and proximity to Dhyanocha that Tibetan monasteries are flourishing around the cave area. In order to revitalize Buddhism in Pharping a trust has been established to renovate the old monasteries of Pharping. 

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