Nala Bhagwati temple is located at Nala Ugrachandi in
Nepal. The shrine is dedicated to Goddess Bhagawati, a popular name of
Mahishasura Mardini Durga in this region. This is a four-tiered pagoda temple.
The murti of Bhagawati worshipped here is one among the four Bhagawati murtis
found in various temples in Nepal.
The original murti of Goddess Bhagwati was beautiful but now
it has undergone numerous changes due to pujas and other rituals. The murti is
carved in stone or shila.
The temple has rest houses on either side. There are also beautiful
stone and wooden sculptures. The shrine is also a rare surviving four-tiered
temple. There is also a fountain which used to serve the water needs of the
area adjacent to the temple.
There is a beautiful Ganesha murti within the temple
complex.
There is a belief that the murti of Nala Bhagwati sweats
indicating an upcoming disaster.
The annual festival in the temple is known as Nala Jatra.
Special festivals are held in the shrine on Bhadrapada Krishna paksha tritiya
and on Vijayadasami day.
Saturday is the most important day in the temple.
The ground floor, which is semi
open, consists of wooden arches with toranas of the goddess Mahishamardini. The
first and fourth roofs are supported by figure struts which show Bhairab and
the Saptamatrikas, and the Ashta Matrikas. In the courtyard are images of Ganesh
and Ashtadasabh, three dhwaja stambha, a dhungedhara, and a stone inscription
from the Lichchhavi period. The temple was built in 1646 by Suthandal Vishva
and renovated in 1934.