Pokhara’s renowned temple ‘Bindhyabasini’ will host its annual Navadurga festival along with Shrimad Devi Bhagwat Gyan Mahayagya from Ghatasthapana to Mahanavami, featuring religious and cultural events that will be well attended by locals and foreigners alike, thus promoting Pokhara as a religious and cultural tourism hub. Bindhyabasini Religious Area Development Committee announced the program during press conference in Pokhara, mentioning Navadurga procession and Bhagwat Gyan Mahayagya as the main attraction. The committee has initiated preparations to conduct the festival in a systematic and secure manner, with the collaboration of government agencies, security, religious groups and the local community.
Navadurga Procession Will Resume After Two Year Gap
Bindhya Basini Navadurga festival has been held annually since 2007, coinciding with Dashain festival, as the temple complex holds great religious and cultural value. However, the traditional Navadurga procession was halted for two consecutive years due to special circumstances, including the announcement of national mourning in 2024 and the Gen Z movement of September 2025 and the subsequent situation.
This year, the committee has planned to resume the tradition of the Navadurga procession along with other major events. “The procession will start from the Bindhyabasini Park on the morning of Ghatasthapana and will pass through many historic and commercial Tole of Pokhara before reaching the temple premises,” said Ganesh Bahadur Shrestha, committee chairperson.
The procession will pass through Mohoriya Tole, Bhairav Tole, Bhimsen Tole, Nalamukh, Tersapatti, Palikhe Chowk, Mahendrapul, Chipledhunga, Siddhartha Chowk, Ram Krishna Tole and Ganesh Tole before looping back through Nalamukh and Bhairav Tole and terminating at Bindhyabasini Temple. The event is expected to draw large crowds of residents, religious groups, and visitors, offering an insight into the local culture and traditions of Pokhara.
Religious Programs and Daily Maha Aarti Scheduled
The Shrimad Devi Bhagwat Gyan Mahayagya will also be a major highlight of the festival, with an array of devotional programs, lectures, bhajans and kirtans planned for the duration of the event. Maha Aarti will be held daily at 6:00 pm, giving the attendees a chance to engage in the religious and cultural activities of the temple. Ganesh Parbat Poudel will preside over the event as the chief narrator of the religious discourse, with Swami Nirbhayananda and Anukul Dhakal as co-narrators.
The programs will be held to promote religious values and devotion while also carrying forward the traditions related to the goddess during Dashain. The daily worship at the temple will continue as usual throughout the festival. The puja will commence at 4:00 am everyday and the temple will open for darshan from 5:00 am. The extended hours are expected to cater to the rising number of people attending the events of the festival as well as the regular puja.
Festival to Promote Religious Tourism in Pokhara
The committee has set the goals of promoting religious tourism, cultural heritage, social service and community participation for this year’s festival. In addition to the religious aspect, the event is also seen as a chance to popularize the cultural heritage of Bindhyabasini and its unique traditions while also encouraging people to follow the local traditions of the area. According to the general secretary of the committee, Sushila Baral Regmi, Bindhyabasini is not only a religious center of Pokhara, but also a transit point for many devotees heading to Galeshwar and Muktinath.
Therefore, developing and promoting this religious site could have a positive impact on the larger goal of promoting religious tourism in Gandaki. The festival will help create synergy between the existing tourism infrastructure of Pokhara, its lake, mountain and adventure sports, the local culture and the religious practices unique to this part of Pokhara. The committee has called for the collaboration of government bodies, security agencies, media, religious groups and the public for an uninterrupted and well-attended event.
Historic Temple is Key Pilgrimage Site in Pokhara
The Bindhyabasini Temple is thought to be around 250 years old and is believed to have been built during the rule of the last king of Kaski, Siddhinarayan Shah. Traditionally, the temple has been one of the major Shakti Peeth in the region which sees thousands of pilgrims and devotees from different parts of the country visiting the place and participating in the events and rituals of the temple throughout the year.
The Bindhyabasini Religious Area Development Committee was formed in 1986 to work for the development and promotion of religious tourism focused on the Bindhyabasini temple and its area. Through the organization of the annual Navadurga festival along with a wide array of cultural and social programs, the committee works to popularize the religious significance as well as the cultural and historical value of the temple and promote religious tourism in Pokhara and surrounding areas. The resumption of the Navadurga procession after a two-year gap will hopefully breathe new life into the tradition as well as the festival, giving the visitors and locals a chance to participate in one of the most important and popular religious events of Pokhara.
Source-RSS
