Source::Rss
Bhojlal Choudhary, the priest of the Gangamata temple in the middle of the lake, was found boating to take the devotees to the temple. His daily routine is to offer prayers at the temple in the middle of the Mahadeva Lake in the Behdababa Dham complex of Kailali and take the devotees to the temple by boat.
A fee of Rs 40 per person has been fixed for the devotees who go back and forth to the temple. The priest's income is the offering money of the devotees who come to the temple, and the income from boating. His monthly income will also decrease according to the movement of devotees. Devotees who come to see Behdaba also visit the temple of Gangamata.
This area, located at a distance of about 18 km from Dhangadhi, has started to be seen as the main destination area for religious tourism. In recent years, the number of devotees coming from Nepal and India is increasing. Road construction is going on around this 15 feet deep natural lake spread over an area of about 30 bighas.
With the help of the central government, they are going to build 1,200 meters of road and fencing around the lake. This will increase the number of tourists. The annual fair held at Behdabawa Dham is more crowded with devotees from across the border. A big fair is held here on Ganga Dussehra, Makar Sankranti, etc.
Indian citizens worship Behdaba (Lord Shiva) as their family deity, so they are seen more in the mela. There is a temple of Lord Shiva in the Dham complex. Devotees take the Shivlinga inside the temple, the height of this Linga is believed to be increasing every year, so the religious importance of this area is also increasing.
It is believed that if one worships Lord Behdaba, one's wishes will be fulfilled. There are no Nepali settlements in this area which were Tapophoomi in ancient times and there are Indians of the Ahir caste. It is believed that this area is known as the abode of Lord Shiva after an incident where a cow from India who was grazing cattle in the forest area where Behdababa Dham is located, regularly dropped its milk on the rock of Shivaji.
It is believed that Shivalinga was found at that place when the cow was trying to find out the reason why the milk was spilled on the ground. Since then, the Behada Baba Temple has been built in that area and the Shivlinga has been worshipped. There was also a dispute in the past regarding the use of this lake, which belongs to Urma gavis of Savik and currently belongs to Dhangadhi sub-metropolitan city-16.
"Pooja should be performed in the evening and morning, at other times it is okay to take the devotees who come to the temple for worship by boat." Said Bhojlal Choudhary, the priest of the Gangamata temple.
“Devotees coming from India take water from this lake and offer it to the Shiv Shila of Behdaba Dham. Behdababa is especially the deity of the devotees who come from across the border. Every year they come back after offering new grain (rice, wheat) to Behdababa and worshiping him." Said Khem Bahadur Chand, the former chairman of the Behdaba Mandir Management Committee.
“The efforts are being made to make Behdababa Dham a major religious destination along with lake protection. It is planned to clean the lake from the coming Chait and run two boats regularly for the devotees,” said the Chairman of Behdababa Mandir Management Committee, Padmaraj Joshi._Rss
photo credit: The longest way home
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