Banepa Chandeshwori Temple is located at Banepa in Nepal. The temple is dedicated to Chandeshwari, one of the Nine Durgas (Navadurgas) as per Nepali tradition. The three-tiered pagoda style temple has a murti of Chandeshwori and a Shivling is worshipped in a separate shrine in the compound.
Banepa Chandeshwori Temple Story
A demon named Chanda unleashed reign of terror in the region after getting a boon of invincibility from Shiva. Human beings, saints and demigods approached Brahma for a solution. He directed them to the Chandeshwari form of Mother Goddess Shakti who was residing in the Raktachandana forest.
The prayers of human beings, saints and demigods were answered by Goddess Chandeshwori. She agreed to free the region from the rule of the demon. At this very moment, demon Chanda reached the forest. The devas took the form of birds and flew away.
A battle ensued between the demon and Goddess. The battle destroyed the forest leaving behind a rocky landscape. Finally, Chandeshwari annihilated the demon by piercing her trident (trishul) through the stomach of the demon. A shivling emerged from the stomach and it can be seen on the north side of the Chandeshwori Temple. The shivling is known as Chanda Lingam.
The main festival in the temple is held on Purnima or full day in Vaishakh or Baisakh month.
A unique aspect of the temple is that it has an asymmetrical façade which is explained to satisfy some particular ritual. Sculptures of Ashta Bhairav and Ashta Matrikas are seen in the temple. There is a also mural painting of Bhairab poised over a corpse and flanked by black dogs.
During the annual Chandeshwori Jatra festival the deity is taken atop a chariot to Bhaktapur and back to the accompaniment of temple music and dance.