From Legends to Historical Archaeology
The historical name of Bajrabarahi V.D.C. is Tistung. Currently Metrang V.D.C. has been renamed as Tistung V.D.C. The residents of this place have not forgotten to call the ancient Tistung as their identity name. Tistung is called ‘Tistun’ in the local dialect. In ancient Tistung it includes Likhudhusingh to the north, Naliwan Daman to the south, Chitlang V.D.C. to the east and present Tistung Deurali Bhanjyang to the west of the old border of current Bajravarahi V.D.C. Till 1980 A.D. the introduction of this village was Tistung Thahchok Village Panchayat. From the year 1981 A.D., the name of this village was changed and named as Bajrabarahi Village Panchayat. Bajrabarahi V.D.C. was named after 1989 A.D. from Bajrabarahi (goddess) Ajima.
Caste groups of Bajrabarahi Village in tistung
Bajrabarahi V.D.C. is divided into nine wards. The historical Tistung Thahchok has been divided into wards by creating it into Ward No. 1. Saraswotikhel, Palchok also belongs in this Ward. Maharjan, Lovet (Shreshta), Joshi, Kushle (Jogi), Khadgi, Acharya (Karmacharya) are living in this ward. Similarly Papung, Lilakhel, Ekundol, Kothani, Upper Tol, Bhattadanda belongs in this Ward No. 2. There are settlements of Maharjan, Joshi, Shrestha, Gopali, Gamal (currently Balami) and Bhatts. Chuliprang, Gaunkhel, Ailakh and Wanshidol lies in Ward No. 3. Here are Bidari, Subedi, Upreti, Chhetri. Sheekharkhel, Bhootdanda and Okhargaon lies in Ward No. 4. Here are Bidari, Subedi, Adhikari, Tamang and Magars. Bhatuwal, Dhalta and Lamidanda lies in Ward No. 5.
Thakuri, Brahmin, Damai, Sarki, Adhikari reside here. Kunchhal lies in Ward No. 6. Only Gopalis live here. Their languages are different. Kulgaun and Gahate lies in Ward No. 7. Gopali and Balami settlements are located here. Tasar lies in Ward No. 8. There are entire Tamangs in this ward. Furkebasanta lies in ward No. 8. There are settlements of Tamang, Gurung and Brahmin. Although Bajrabarahi V.D.C. is small but it has a lot of ethnic diversity. Newar’s are the old and historical inhabitants of this place. Their populations are also more than others. Currently, the government of Nepal has declared 72 Municipalities by merging 283 V.D.C. The Council of Ministers meeting has announced this on Thursday of 8 th May, 2014. Among those 72 new municipalities, Daman, Palung and Bajrabarahi V.D.C. have been merged into new municipalities. It has been named ‘Thaha’ Municipality. There are 15 wards in this municipality. Bajrabarahi V.D.C. is divided into 5 wards.
Bajrabarahi Ajima in Tistung
Barahi Saptmaatrika is one of the Goddess Power. Saptmaatrika are 1) Brahmani 2) Maheshvari, 3) Kaumari, 4) Vaishnavi, 5) Barahi, 6) Indrani, 7) Chamunda. Yoginis of Saptmaatrika were born to help Chandika according to the Markandeya Purana. Puranas describe the end of the Raktabija Asuras from these matriganas.
Barahi has a different form in Saptmaatrika. Her face is similar to the boar and her body is depicted as a woman. It is believed that this Barahi originated from the Goddess Power of Bishnu’s baraha avatar.
Barahi has a troubled and scary face. The baraha Purana describes its icon as having four arms. There are famous four Barahi’s in Kathmandu valley. Dhumbarahi is of historical and archaeological importance while Bajrabarahi of Chapagaon is of religious importance. There is a big and famous shrine called Barahakshetra in Dharan. The Barahi of Tistung is very important from a religious and tantric point of view. This barahi is known as Bajrabarahi.
Bajrabarahi Ajima (Goddess) of Tistung is the protector of this area. She is also the original village goddess here. The place where the Bajrabarahi is located is called the Peeth. Local residents also call Barahi as Ajima. Being a tantric deity, its Peeth is located in the valley of a hill far away from human habitation. It is considered mandatory to have a mashan (lamp) and a river in the Peeth .
Origin of Bajrabarahi Peeth in Tistung
There is a story about the origin of the Peeth of Bajrabarahi Ajima of Tistung. According to this, one of the Jhwas (shepherds) killed a grasshopper on the hill of the present barahi forest and kept it on a stone there. Suddenly, divine power arose in that stone. A strange power also arose in the shepherd who killed grasshoppers and in stone. The shepherd said that the stone has the power of Bajrabarihi Ajima. One day, someone said a human should be sacrifices in the place where Bajwarahi’s divine power resides and brings a simple dull boy by seducing him to the Barahi Danda forest. Utensils (khasi) were also brought to cook it after the sacrifice. The khasi (Utensils) on top of the hill suddenly overturned and fell down into the khoch of the hill. Bajrabarahi, who came to perform the sacrificial puja, has also been sitting in the same khoch and saying that Ajima did not even like human sacrifice, the priest cut off his own finger and offered human blood and completed the puja according to the Tantric method. It is said that from that time, Bajwarahi Peeth became famous in this place forever.
Bajrabarahi and Pode in Tistung
Bajravarahi Devi (Ajima) in Tistung has religious and cultural ties with the Pode caste. There is a popular belief in Tistung regarding this. One day Barahi Ajima was asking for a place to stay in the village to know the love of people. The villagers of Tistung did not want anyone to live there. When she reached Dhami tole, Dhami said that she will get a place to stay in Pode tole and then she went to Pode village. Without saying anything, the pode’s respectfully let the old woman live in their house. The old woman teach Tantric knowledge to the pode who arranged for her to live with respect.
It is said that she cursed the other villagers of Tistung (Papung) who insulted her by calling her an old dirty woman, saying that they can have enough food to eat but no one would be rich. Even now, if anyone sees an old woman with her white hair and wearing torn clothes in Tistung, it is remembered that the goddess Bajrabarahi has come. There is a small temple of Bajrabarahi in the Pode village where the old woman stays. The podes here play an important role in the three year Jatra and 12- year dance of Bajrabarahi.
Bajrabarahi and Bhairava in Tistung
Bhairav are related to Matrikas Power. Bhairava has only the power to normalize turbulence and ferocity or able to control Matrikapower. Bajrabarahi is also one of the Matrikapower. She is the goddess of fearsome appearance of blood color. Therefore, Bhairava is also with her to keep her calm.
Bhairava is the fierce and terrible form of Mahadev. Although Brahma is the creator, it is found in religious stories that Mahadev assumed the form of Bhairava to punish him for his mistakes. When Power peeth was born, Bhairava was also born along with her. For this reason, Bhairava is related to Bajrabarahi Peetha. Dhami is considered to be the symbol of Bhairava in Tistung.
Shiva Linga in Tistung (Statue of Shiva):
Out of the 64 Shiva Lingas of Nepal Mandal, the three Shiva lingas are Gaukhureshwar in Kunchal, Nandikeshwar near the river Saraswatichaur and Unmatteswar in Bhatuwal of this ancient Tishtung. All these Shiva linga are connected with the culture and social customs of Gopali.
Lichhavi Period Records in Tistung:
There are important records of history here. Among them, there are two inscriptions of Anshuvarma and one of Vasantadeva of the Lichchavi period. Inscriptions of Basantadev and Anshuvarma are inside the school of Palchok, while another inscription of Anshuvarma is in the middle of the field of Bhatuwal.
Characteristic of Ancient Tistung
Natural beauty: Ancient Tistung is an important area from historical, religious, cultural and archaeological point of view which is close to Kathmandu. Small hills, green forests, incessantly flowing rivers, cool weather, small valleys, cultivated land etc. are the characteristics of natural beauty here.