300-year antique Kot temple renovated

Myagdi: Reconstruction of the 300-year-old antique Siddhidatri Goddess Kot Temple of Beni municipality-5, Pulachaur in Myagdi has been completed.

Reconstruction of the Kot Temple – which had established a direct relation with the historical Dadekot Palace of then Parbat State was inaugurated on the occasion of Ram Nawami (the birthday of Lord Ram) festival.

The then Parbat King Dimba Bam Malla used to worship the goddess as a symbol of power and store his arms and ammunitions in the temple. King Malla routinely offered prayers to the goddess by constructing a Kotghar nearby Dadhekot Temple. The temple – also the storehouse of weapons was devastated in a fire that broke out in Dadhekot Palace.

According to a book entitled ‘Nepal’s Brief History’, Dholethan was the most powerful state under the Parbat State. Then King Malal used to govern the state from Dholethan during the summer season while Beni was made the winter-time capital, shared historian Chandra Baniya while explaining several anecdotal evidences.

Locals have protected the Kot Temple located nearby the palace. The Kot has depicted various archeological materials including stone-carved idols and antique weapons.

It has not been established who renovated the temple after the fire but the locals had placed the idol of goddess in a bid to preserve the archeologically importance of the area in 2024 BS, said Tempel Renovation Committee Chairperson Ram Prasad Poudel.

The current artistic temple was reconstructed in 2076 BS with its deteriorating status. The temple has showcased the fifty-year-old idol of the goddess.