By Kailash Lama, Charikot, Feb. 1: Located at Ward No. 8, in Jiri Municipality, in Dolakha district, Rambole Kalidevi Temple is a sacred site for Hindus from across Nepal and beyond. Thousands of pilgrims throng the temple asking for blessings from goddess Kali, as well as wishing for their wellbeing and good fortune, every year. 

The fact that the temple in question diverges from the rest when it comes to who is in-charge of the temple makes it an interesting case. While in most, if not all, of the Hindu temples, priests, typically from the Brahmin background, are appointed to conduct the religious rituals happening in the temple, there is a priest named Kami Bahadur Tamang, 88, who is a follower of Buddhism, to solemnise the happenings -- be it daily puja, rituals, weddings, among others -- there.

"I am a seventh-generation priest of the temple, which is a centre of beliefs for thousands of devotees who come here to pray throughout the year," said Tamang.

Rambole, is an ancestral home to over 2,000 families of Thokar, Pakhrin and Lopchan families -- all belonging to Tamang community. Regarding the origin of the temple, the folklore has this to say: Long time ago, the cattle reared by their ancestors started going mad and some even died, and for those that died, they dug the ground for burial. It was during that time they discovered the idol of goddess Kalidevi lying beneath the ground.

"It was then when the temple was established and our ancestors started conducting rituals here. Since then, we have been following in their footsteps by conducting rituals during marriage and death in the village for years, in addition to daily prayers," said Tamang.

Crowds of devotees mainly from the Kathmandu Valley, Ramechhap, Okhaldhunga, Sindhuli, Sindhupalchok, Kavrepalanchok districts visit the temple, according to priest Tamang.

The temple also hosts a grand fare during the full moon of the Nepali month of Kartik every year. "Thousands of devotees from near and far reach the temple during that time. Kalidevi Temple is also a symbol of unity among different communities and religions," said Dhan Bahadur Tamang, chairman of the Temple Management Committee.