User:Manish.rajkarnikar/sandbox/Minnath

Minnath Temple

Minnath Temple is located in, Tangal, Patan, Nepal, about 200 meter south of Patan Durbar square. It is located behind Tangle Dungedhara (Waterspout). In Newari, it is called "Chakwa Dyah". It is also called "Jatadhari Lokeshwore" because some of the idols in the temple have long hair. Minnath is considered god of birth and death. When there is death in family, family member visit the temple to light diyo (oil lamp) and worship.

Description

This temple seems to have been built before the Machindranath temple which is located about 200 meter west of this temple. It is two story temple and built in pagoda style. This temple is west facing. Worshippers and visitors enter the temple courtyard through a giant gate on the west which has about 3 feet tall Yama(God of Death) idol on each side. The temple is built on a platform that can be climbed through steps. There are couple of kasyaka singha murti ( lion idol), kasya toran and flags on the either side of the steps. Visitors can walk around the temple on this platform, but the usage has been obstructed with iron bars which were built for protection and temple safety from theft. It is said that a sleeping shiva idol and 5 small gold covered idols from the roofs were stolen from the temple in 2043 B.S(Bikram Sambat, Nepali calendar). Temple has panas where worshippers can light diyos(oil lamps). Inside the temple is Minnath idol well accessorized with jewelries. Also decorating the temple are golden leaves around the roofs, beautifully carved wooden rafters (tundal), The roofs itself is made up of copper. There is gajur, kupakha and jhalar. The temple walls have copper pots hung on the side.

There is also Jestavarna Mahabihar inside the complex. Jestavarna Mahabihar is considered one of the best bihar among 16 best Mahabihars on the south side of Patan. Inside the Jesta Mahabihar there is also idol of Basundhara. Also on the south of the temples are Chaitya, Mandala, big bell, paati and kuwa. The complex has stone pavements, while there are few brick pavements also.Both during the 1990 and 2015 B.S no damage occurred to this temple.

History

According to Devmala, king Anshu Verma had a dream where Yamraj ordered the king to make an idol of him. That why the temple of established in 356 B.S ( Bikram samba). Later his son king Bir dev established lalitpur with 9000 houses and a tradition of "Minnath Loknath" jatra was started. A lot of farm fields were allocated to for a guthi(social organization) to take care of the temple. According to Bhalchandra Sharma king Narendra Dev brought Machindranath only in 579. According to Devmala, at that time there were already many jatras for different god and godesses in lalitpur. In order to make sure that the tradition of machendranath chariot festival does not vanish and to give it more importance, minnath chariot festival was also carried on together with machindranath at around 650 B.S. This festival is held around

Bunga Dyah Jatra(chariot festival)

Minnath is also involved int he Bunga Dyah Jatra along with Machindranaath. Before the jatra, Minnath is kept on dabu and given bath. Lot of other religious activities are carried on. Minnath chariot is built within the temple complex. There are families which has been tasked with building the chariot for centuries. Its the same family members who build the chariot now. Minnath chariot is smaller than machendranath chariot. Chariot is wrapped with special ropes called “Beth". But nowadays normal ropes are also used from time to time. Beth is first made dampened with water from the nearby waterspout. In the chariot where the god’s idol is placed has golden “molamba” clad roof which was built by Jagath Jang Rana, so of Sri tin Jangabahadur Rana. The chariot is pulled with the help of roped which are tied to long wooden trunks attached to the chariot called “Dhamma”. There wooden trunks symbolize naagraj. The chariot is also pulled by small childrens sometimes.

The chariot procession starts from pulchowk. The chariot is then dragged to gahabal, sundhara, lagandkhel thati, and then jawalakhel. When the chariot is pulled from pulchowk to gahabal, Minnath chariot is pulled first, before the Machendranath chariot. From Gahabal onwards, Machendranath is pulled first. After Bhoto guitar, Machendranath chariot is taken to Bungamati, while the Minnath chariot is taken back to Tangal temple. Just 20-30 years ago, this route from lagankhel to jawalakhel was not really developed. The roads were not well built and not many houses were there along the route. It was not really safe. Thats why many priest(paju) where involved to complete the route. The chariot is visited by worshippers more often on special lunar days. These lunar days are sangrati, aastami, aakadashi, purnima and aausi.