Kumbheshwar Temple is one of the oldest Hindu temples, situated 200m from the northern part of Patan Durbar Square. It was built in the 14th century by King Jayasthiti Malla that makes it the oldest temple in Patan. It is one of the two free-standing five-storied temples, the other being the famous Nyatapola temple of Bhaktapur. The temple is noted for its graceful proportions and fine woodcarvings and is dedicated to Shiva, as indicated by the large Nandi, or bull, facing the temple. The Kumbheshwar Temple lies in a complex that includes many other structures: Bagalamukhi, Ulmanta Bhairava and two hiti ponds among the most notable ones. It is a popular belief that the water spring that fills the ponds originates all the way from Gosainkunda, which is located 43 kilometers north of Kathmandu. So taking a dip in the pond during the festival Janai Purnima is equivalent to doing the same in Gosainkunda. Shiva’s mount, the bull Nandi is kneeling in front of the main Kumbheshwor Temple. High above the wooden roof tiers look as if they might topple over on this five-story building.
How Patan (Lalitpur">Lalitpur District, Nepal">Lalitpur) got its name from Kumbheshwar
The story goes that a farmer with leprosy from Kathmandu came here because the grass was better for his cow. One day he struck his wooden pole into the ground and discovered a water source. That evening on his way back he saw the king passing by. He stepped off the road as was the custom for someone with leprosy. The king, however, saw no trace of the disease. Indeed the king found the man so handsome that he gave him a new name "Lalit" or handsome. The king knew a miracle had occurred and asked Lalit what happened. Lalit showed the king where he found the water source and the king pronounced that a hiti should be placed there. Thus, the place was called Lalitpur . Another story tells of a man who lost his water vessel on a pilgrimage who found it again at the Kumbheshwar. The wordKumbha in Kumbheshwar means "water vessel". Whether any of the above is anything more than legend is up for debate. The fact that there is a water source from the Himalayan mountains at Kumbheshwar may yet be another contributing factor. Perhaps Patan got its name from all of the above combined.
Gallery
Images of Bangalamukhi Temple, situated inside the complex.
