दक्षिणकाली

एउटा पहाडको फेदीमा अवस्थित छ । उपत्यकाको दक्षिणतिर रहेकाले यी देवीलाई दक्षिणकाली भनिएको हो । यिनलाई चामुण्डा देवी पनि भनिन्छ । देवीको मन्दिरका लागि छानो आकाश नै हो भन्ने मान्यता अनुरूप दक्षिणकाली मन्दिरमा छानो बनाइएको छैन । दक्षिणकाली सुरुमा मूर्ति नभएको सादा पीठ थियो । पछि मात्र यहाँ कालीको मूर्ति स्थापना गरिएको हो । यस मन्दिरमा सप्तमातृकाका मूर्तिहरूसमेत छन् । आप्mना उपासकहरूको मनोकांक्षा पूरा गर्ने र आपत्विपत्बाट भक्तहरूलाई जोगाउने देवीका रूपमा दक्षिणकाली प्रख्यात छिन् । यिनको स्थापना प्राचीन कालदेखि नै शक्तिपीठका रूपमा गरिएको मान्यता छ । किंवदन्तीहरूमा पाइए अनुसार, प्रताप मल्लले यी देवीलाई सपनामा देखेकाले उनका सल्लाहकार लम्बकर्ण भट्टको सुझाव अनुसार उनले यहाँ दक्षिणकालीको मूर्ति स्थापना गरेका थिए । दशैंको नवरात्रका अवसरमा यहाँ मेला लाग्दछ । यसबाहेक शनिबार र मंगलबार पनि प्रशस्तै दर्शनार्थीहरू आउने गर्दछन् ।

Lying towards the Southern edge of the Kathmandu Valley, the temple of Dakshinkali -- so named because of its location -- is a famous Shakti Pitha known from ancient times. The temple itself is believed to have been founded after King Pratap Malla saw the goddess in a dream and was advised by his assistant, Lambkarna Bhatta, to establish a temple in her honour. The original object of worship was a simple rock, which was later replaced by a beautiful idol of Kali. The temple, like other Devi temples in the Valley, is without a roof, as it is believed that the sky is the roof of the house of the goddess.

The temple is extremely popular among the residents of the Kathmandu Valley, and large numbers of devotees visit the temple every Tuesday and Saturday and also during the festival of Navaratri.