Trip Description
Manakamana, the wish-fulfilling goddess. In 1614 to 1636 AD Gorkha King Ram Shah’s queen possessed divine powers known only to her devotee Lakhan Thapa, her religious preceptor. One day, the king found the Queen as Goddess and Lakhan as a lion, So he mentioned it to the Queen and suddenly he died. He was cremated, and when the Queen approached the funeral pyre to commit sati as was the custom back then, she consoled her lamenting devotee Lakhan by saying that she would reappear soon near his home. Six months later a certain farmer plugging a field hit a stone, cleaved it and saw blood and milk flow forth. When the news got around to Lakhan, he knew that his wish had come true. The flow ceased when Lakhan worshipped the stone using his tantric knowledge. When the ruling king of Gorkha learnt of this incident, he donated land and a grant to perpetuate the worship of Manakamana. This deed was invested with a lal Mohar and the present Thapa-Magar pujari is the 17th generation descendant of Lakhan Thapa.
Manakamana, the wish fulfilling goddess, this belief is so ingrained in the collective consciousness of the Nepalese that many makes a trip to Manakamana every year without fail. Stories abound of people’s wishes coming true: lost sons returning home, lovers finding romance against all odds, people finding success in their business ventures, students excelling in their exams, etc.
