Spiritual · Khaptad National Park
Triveni, Sahasralinga and Khaptad Daha
A gentle loop to the holy places of Khaptad: the small lake of Khaptad Daha with its wooden Jagannath temple, the Sahasralinga shrine on a high point, and Triveni, where three streams meet and the yearly fair is held.
.jpg){kind=link}
The walk begins at Khaptad Daha, a small lake in the north-east of the park at about 3,050 m, about twenty minutes from the lodge area. Nearby stands a wooden temple to Jagannath, thought to be very old. The lake is calm and dark, edged with grass, and often has mist on the water in the morning.
From the temple, a walk of about half an hour east climbs to Sahasralinga, the shrine of a thousand lingas, where natural stones are worshipped as forms of Shiva. It is one of the highest points of the plateau, with wide views. From there the trail drops for about half an hour to Triveni Dham, the confluence of three streams.
Triveni is the site of the Ganga Dashahara fair, and its shrines and lingas are visited by pilgrims all year. Remove your shoes at the shrines, walk clockwise, and do not wash with soap in the streams. Allow half a day with time to sit at each place.
Good for
Questions
What is Sahasralinga in Khaptad?
Sahasralinga, meaning a thousand lingas, is a shrine on a high point of the Khaptad plateau where natural stones are worshipped as forms of Shiva. It is about a half-hour walk from Khaptad Daha and offers wide views. Pilgrims visit it together with Triveni.
What happens at Triveni during the fair?
On Ganga Dashahara, the tenth day of the bright half of Jestha, usually late May or June, thousands of pilgrims gather at Triveni. They sing Deuda through the night, bathe at dawn, worship at the shrines and offer rites for ancestors. Check current status before you travel for the date.
Can I swim in Khaptad Daha?
No. The lake is small, cold and sacred, and it lies within a national park. Enjoy it from the shore and do not throw anything into the water or wash in it.
Also in Khaptad National Park
More ways to spend the day
SpiritualA quiet hour at Khaptad Baba's hermitage
Visit the hermitage where Khaptad Baba, a Kashmiri doctor turned ascetic, lived for about fifty years and from where he …
NatureWalking the high patans of Khaptad
Spend a full day walking between Khaptad's famous meadows on wide grassy trails, through fir and rhododendron forest, with views …
TrekkingTrek up to the plateau from Bajhang or Doti
Climb from the villages of Bajhang or Doti through terraces, oak and rhododendron forest to the Khaptad plateau, a long …