According to the myth, It is believed that the people who do not have their children, once they please Lord Shiva, Santaneshwor Mahadev Temple then their lap would not get barren. According to the holy book of Hindus “Shree Swasthani Batra Katha”, which is a very popular ritual observed in Nepal in the Poush month (January – February) during winter. According to this book, Lord shiva lost his beloved wife. As he can’t tolerate the death of her and carry her dead body everywhere he goes, thinking it to be alive. By seeing the pathetic condition of Lord Shiva, the Gods of heaven have a serious discussion. They finally come to the conclusion of decaying the dead body by sending the flies with their supernatural powers. As the body starts decaying, all her body parts started falling on earth. All the places where her body parts have fallen had become the famous holy places of Hindus. As it was believed that the breast parts have fallen on the top of the hill, where Santaneshwor Mahadev is located today. Thus the name of the temple was given the name Santaneshwor, which means a boon for having a baby.Santaneshwor Mahadev Temple is one of the famous Hindu religious places located at the south-east of Kathmandu Valley. It is situated at the border of Jharuwarasi VDC. It takes approximately a 1-hour drive (about 11km away) from Lagankhel. In order to reach the holy place, we have to come across Satdobato chowk, Dholahiti, Sunakothi, Thecho, and Chapagaon(also known as Champapur) VDCs, [Sunakothi, Thecho & Chapagaon VDCs have the majority of Newar communities]. These days the vehicles have made it easier to reach the destination. But if you really wanted to enjoy the nature and the culture of Newars, it is better to walk from any of the above-mentioned villages. These days it has become a famous place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Everywhere you can see a clean and green environment with dense forest where we can hear the sweet whispering of beautiful birds. A huge masses of Hindu followers can be seen in the special occasions of “Ekadasi”, “Maha Shivaratri”, “Teej”, “Bada Dashain”, and other Hindu festivals. The Temple is worshipped by people, especially on Monday & Saturday.
The structure of the roads to the temple is random, as you’ll find some roads to be peached and some graveled. But the surrounding green environment won’t let you exhaust. You have to climb about 400 horizontal & vertical curved concrete stairs to reach the top of the temple. There are several places for taking a rest at the side of those stairs. Once you get tired you can take a rest for a while and can start climbing the stairs again. This holy place has become the junction of the morning walkers, joggers, meditators, and yoga too. If you want to jog in the fresh air and warm up your body in a clean environment then this is the right place to keep yourself healthy. You’ll get a kind of soul satisfaction jogging early in the morning. The number of joggers and morning walkers are increasing day by day. Most of the joggers are from the local area. The people have become much aware of their health as some of them are foreigners too. Every morning you’ll get a chance to meet new faces. Even being unknown to each other, people greet with the slogan “JAI SAMBHU”, makes the environment more spiritual and creates a tied bond of being Hindu.
Once you reach the top of the hill, you’ll feel as if you are in heaven. From the top, you can see the concrete jungle of the entire valley. You can also view the Sunrise from the top. From the east, you can catch the shortcut to Bade gaon, Godawari, and west to Pyanggaoun, and Lele. The Santaneshwor Mahadev Temple doesn’t just end up at the top of the hill. From the east-north side of the hill, you’ll see a concrete slope way to another hill with idols of different Gods and Goddess. You’ll also find different animals shaped stones (elephant’s toe, horse, etc.) which were of the pre-historic time, which carry their own distinctive identity. The place is highly religious with the majority of Brahmin & Chhetri communities. While walking through the road you’ll see people are still attached to mother nature, there isn’t any sign of pollution nor encroachment of modernization. Most of the houses were built in a traditional way. Thus, if you are thinking of visiting a place full of natural beauty then Santaneshwor Mahadev Temple is one of the best places to visit. So give time for yourself, enjoy nature, and make yourself free from all the worries.
