STORY OF NAVADURGA

 The popular legend of Navadurga (nine goddesses) states that the goddesses once inhabited a forest that separated Nala of Kavre ct with Bhaktapur. These goddesses were known for taking the lives 3yfarers passing through the jungle. One day, a renowned tantric laktapur, Somraj, was heading for Nala when the local villagers red him about the Navadurga goddesses and their penchant for ; people journeying through the forest Somraj decided to help the villagers and entered the forest, where the giant form of the nine esses faced him. The tantric told the goddesses to prove their divine N. by morphing themselves into the tiniest size imaginable. The idurga goddesses were tricked by Somraj into taking a tiny form, making it easier for him to capture the goddesses with his magic. antric promised the goddesses that he would take them to his house :reat them with respect. Now. Somraj had two wives at his home in nadi, Bhaktapur. He had only allowed his first wife to enter the room e the Navadurga were enshrined. Out of curiosity, his second wife Jay entered the room to see what went on inside the room. Seeing 3 trespasser had entered the room, the nine goddesses left Somrals a. On their way to !nacho, the Navadurga goddesses had killed a When Somraj finally got a hold of the nine goddesses, he learnt hey had taken the life of a boar as sacrifice. He no longer could take lavadurga goddesses back to his home, as boars were considered re in his household. Somraj, therefore, decided to enshrine the goddesses at Gachhe in Bhaktapur. The Navadurga are closely ;iated with the Newari culture. It is said the rituals and ceremonies rmed by the Newari people from birth till death are all linked with me goddesses. It is believed that the Navadurga goddesses, like ins undergo birth and death like humans. Various prayers and rituals erformed during nine months period of a year to mark the birth as as death of the Navadurga. g the Nepali calendar ts of Ashad, Shrawan and a, it is said, the Navadurga the state of after death and he form of fish. There is a • belief that the residents iktapur should not consume ring these three months.