Thakurdwara Temple (Thakur Baba Temple)

Thakurdwara Temple (Thakur Baba Temple), located in Thakur Baba Municipality of Bardiya district beside the Bardiya National Park, is an extremely important religious and cultural center of western Nepal. Lord Vishnu is worshipped here in his 'Thakur Baba' form.

History and Legend

There is an interesting legend about the origin of this temple. It is said that about 300 years ago during the Malla period, a farmer found ancient stone idols of Lord Vishnu and Hanuman while plowing the field. Since those idols were extremely heavy, worship was started by making a small shrine at the same place, which later developed into a grand temple. According to another story, a Shivalinga found in the Karnali River was also brought and established here. Since Lord Vishnu is called 'Thakur' in the Tharu community, its name became Thakurdwara.

Tharu Culture and Priest Tradition

A unique feature of this temple is the priest tradition here. There is a tradition of a person from the Tharu community remaining as the 'Mahant' or priest here for generations. This shows the deep relationship between Tharu culture and Hinduism. In the Tharu Cultural Museum near the temple, the traditional costumes, ornaments, and lifestyle of this community can be observed. Tharus are also nature worshippers, so this temple in the middle of the dense forest of the national park is a unique confluence of nature and spirituality.

Maghe Sankranti Fair (Maghi)

Maghe Sankranti (Maghi) is the largest festival and new year of the Tharu community. A grand fair is held here on this occasion. Devotees bathe in the Khaira River early in the morning and visit Thakur Baba. Especially couples who do not have children come here to worship wishing for children. Traditional Sakhya and stick dances (Lathi Nach) of the Tharu community are performed in the fair.

Architecture

The current temple is built in the pagoda style, in which the influence of Tharu handicrafts can be seen. Artistic idols of Vishnu and Hanuman made of black stone are in the sanctum of the temple. This temple is a mandatory destination for tourists going to visit the Bardiya National Park.