Month-long Purushottam month fair begins at Machhegaun’s Matsyanarayan Temple
The festival is expected to draw millions of devotees from across the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of Nepal.
KATHMANDU: A month-long religious fair marking the auspicious Purushottam month, also known as Adhik Maas or “Malmaas,” has begun at the Matsyanarayan Temple in Machhegaun.
The festival is expected to draw millions of devotees from across the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of Nepal.
Rooted in Hindu tradition, Purushottam month is considered highly sacred, with devotees believing that worshipping Lord Vishnu during this period helps cleanse sins and earn spiritual merit.
In line with this belief, large numbers of pilgrims are visiting the temple daily for prayers and rituals.
The temple complex, known for its striking architecture, features a gold-plated entrance gate adorned with a Garuda figure.
A major attraction is the revered idol of Lord Matsyanarayan—an incarnation of Lord Vishnu—depicted with four arms holding a conch, discus, mace, and lotus, emerging from a fish-shaped form.
According to Hindu scriptures, Matsya is the first of Lord Vishnu’s ten incarnations.
Mythology holds that during a great deluge, the Matsya avatar protected the Vedas by guiding a sacred boat through the cosmic flood, symbolizing preservation and renewal of knowledge.
