The temple of Dakshinkali
is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali and
is one of the most popular places of worship
in Kathmandu. Located 22 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. According to a mythology the Goddess
Durga has killed the demon and drank the
blood of animals. This is the reason blood
is scarified to her. The temple was built by
Pratap Malla during 17th century, but the
construction, seems to be very new. The
preparation before and after the offering is
very interesting to see.
On the way back, we stop at Chobhar gorge.
Legend has it that Manjushree cutout the
gorge to drain out Kathmandu valley was then
a lake. There is a small but picturesque
temple of Adinath on the top of a hill. From
this top one can have a completed view of
snowcapped mountains peaks.
