मरातिक गुफा

Maratika Gufa - Maratika Cave - Haleshi - Halesi - Manjushree Cave Halesi

Useful Information

Location:	Diktel Sadak, Mahadevsthan 56200. Maratika Monastery, Khotang District. 185 km southwest of Mount Everest, near Lamidanda. (27.193345, 86.622356)
Open:	All year daily 6-17. [2023]
Fee:
Classification:	Cave Church
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Maratika Gufa, Maratika CRF, PO Box: 13379, Besigaun-6, Jorpati VDC, Kathmandu, Nepal, Tel: +977-1-4479022. E-mail: Halesi VDC, Khotang-4, Koshi Province, Nepal, Tel: +977-36-429220.
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History

1982	visited by King Birendra, who subsequently launched a development plan.

Description

मरातिक गुफा (marātika guphā, Maratika Cave) is part of Maratika Monastery, located only 185 km south-west of Mount Everest. It is also known under the name हलेसी महादेवस्थान (Halēsī mahādēvasthāna, Halesi Mahadevasthan). It was according to legend the retreat of Mahadeva while he was hiding from the monster Bhasmasur.

In the 8th century, Guru Padmasambhava came to Halesi Maratika and meditated for a long time. He meditated in the cave of Halesi Maratika, but he lived in the nearby Manjushree Cave Halesi, which is about 5 to 10 minutes walk. In this Manjushree Cave, Guru Rinpoche had left his handprint in the rock, one of several in Nepal. It seems Guru Rinpoche had a pretty strong handshake. As a result there are several Manjushree Caves in Nepal.

For Kiratis, Hindus, and Buddhist it is a famous pilgrimage centre. The locals are Kirati Rai and worship Halesi as an ancestral deity of the community. So the different names are actually a result of the different religions.

The hillside around the cave is full of long ropes with thousands of colorful flags, placing them is thought to bring luck. A trail and then a metal staircase lead up to the small cave which was transformed into a temple by placing a statue inside. The stairs in the caves are a result of a development plan by King Birendra, who visited the place in 1982. However, there was a lot of bureaucracy, corruption, and massive political changes and most of the plan never came to fruition. Part of the entertainment are monks hitting bongos and singing holy chants.