Thimi Tourist Attractions

The New Year Festival at Bore (or Bode, a village on a steep bank overlooking the River Manohara, 1 km (3/4 mi.) north of Thimi), is marked by an astonishing ritual in honor of the goddess Mahalakshmi. A man, body and soul purified by innumerable preparatory ceremonies, has his tongue pierced with an iron needle. He is then led through Bore with the needle still in place, a bamboo frame holding burning torches resting on his shoulders. At the Mahalakshmi Temple the needle is removed and the wound stopped with earth scraped up from the hallowed ground. Any bleeding is considered a bad omen. A sin-free man, it is said, suffers no pain, instead reaping countless blessings.

Thimi's Bal Kumari Mandir, at the center of the town, is one of the four principal Kumari shrines in the Kathmandu Valley. As goddess of fertility farmers petition the child Kumari for rain while women intercede with her for the blessing of pregnancy. Coconuts, symbols of fertility, make a welcome gift; dozens adorn the temple façade. The three-tiered pagoda with its gilded roofs dates from the 17th c. though the site is believed to have been in use considerably longer. In front of the temple stands a peacock, the living goddess's bearer.

To celebrate the Nepalese New Year the Thimi Kumari is carried through the streets by palanquin in the company of 31 deities. Highpoint of the proceedings is the arrival of Ganesh from the neighboring village of Nakdes. Vast quantities of brightly colored powder, liberally applied, add to the fun at this joyous, lively festival, the most eagerly anticipated event in Thimi's calendar.