BAJRAVARAHI

Consecrated to the boar incarnation of Vishnu or Narayan, this temple is located in the middle of a small woodland near Chapagaon, about nine miles southeast of Kathmandu city. Located in the district of Lalitpur district, this place is well known as a pilgrimage site and as a popular picnic spot of Kathmandu valley.

BAJRASATTWA

Bajrasatwa is the sixth Dhyani Buddha. Nepalese Buddhists regard him as the priest of the Five Dhyani Buddhas. He is not represented in the stupa like other Dhyani Buddhas, but independent shrines are dedicated to him. His worship is always performed in secret and is not open to those who are not initiated into the mysteries of the Vajrayana. Bajrasattwa is represented in two forms, single and labium. This Dhyani Buddha wears all ornaments, a rich dress and a crown. He is white in colour. He sits cross-legged, in the meditative pose like other Dhyani Buddhas and carries the vajra in his right hand with palm upwards against the chest and the ghant or the bell in the left hand resting upon the left thigh. 

BAJRAPANI

Bajrapani (also spelt Vajrapani) is the Bodhisattva holding a Bajra, which is also his family emblem. One of the Dhyani Buddhas Akshobhya also holds Bajra in his hand. Although Bajrapani is not as popular as Avalokitesvara or Padmapani or Manjusri, yet Bajrapani is often presented together with Lord Buddha or with other Bodhisatwas. He carries a Bajra or Vajra usually placed on top of a lotus, but sometimes held directly in the right hand . He may be shown in a standing position or in a sitting position. The literal meaning of Bajrapani is the one with a thunderbolt in hand and thus, Bajrapani belongs to the family of Buddha Amoghsiddhi, one of the Pancha Buddhas who embodies dauntlessness. According to Buddhist texts Bajrapani is also regarded as a God with magical power who forced Shiva to accept the supremacy of the doctrines of the Buddhas.
Bajrapani with the Bajra symbol is also the spiritual son of the Dhyani Buddha Akoshobhya who is the progenitor of the Bajra family. His spiritual mother is Mamaki. Bajrapani is also known as God of Rain. It is said that when the Nagas (serpents) appeared before Buddha to listen to his teachings, Bajrapani was charged by Tathagata to guard them from the attacks of their mortal enemies, the Garudas. To deceive and combat the Garudas, Bajrapani assumed a form with head, wings and claws like that of Garuda themselves. Hence, Bajrapani as the protector of Nagas is looked upon as the Rain God and so, Northern Buddhists appeal when they need rain or when rain is too much in abundance. One can also find Bajrapani in Garuda form among the various forms of Barapani. Bajrapani, is represented either standing or sitting and usually carrying a lotus on which is placed the family symbol of Vajra. Sometime, he holds the vajra against the chest in one of his hands. Please scan through all entries like Vajra or Bajra and Vajrapani or Bajrapani for all details.

BAJRAJOGINI

Bajrajogini symbolizes Bajra and yoga in her nomenclature, and accordingly, represents those symbols in her role as a protector from evil creatures and the elements. She is presented as a powerful Tantric Goddess in Mahayana Buddhism. Tantrism had strong influence in Hinduism and Buddhism in the early centuries of Christian era, which created distinctive philosophies, Gods and Goddesses. Shakti, or the power, is often the symbol of Tantrism.  Like Shaktism (and also many Tantrik goddesses of Hinduism such as Kali durga and so on), there are powerful Tantrik goddesses in Mahayana Buddhism. Bajrayogini is one of the most powerful and renowned Tantrik Goddess. Her images and temples are often placed in the peripheral towns and vicinities. Bajrajogini is also spelt as Bajrayogini. See Bajrayogini for more information on this Goddess.

BAJRABARAHI

Also spelled as Vajrabarahi is a red-coloured goddess with two sets of arms holding the vajra in one of  her right hand along with the other hand with raised index finger. In her left hands are the kapala and the khatwanga. She is one faced and three-eyed, with dishevelled hair and is marked with the six auspicious symbols and is bare-bodied. She is the essence of the five kinds of knowledge and is the embodiment of pleasure. She stands in the satyalidha, the truthful base and tramples upon the gods Bhairav and Kalratri.    She wears the garland of heads which is wet with blood still dripping supposedly for her to drink and quench her thirst.

BAJRA or Vajra

Bajra is the symbolic representation of the thunderbolt in Buddhist scriptures and sculptures. Such a Bajra is found installed in many places in and around Kathmandu valley, mostly atop a Dharamadhatu (a kind of small pagoda with a flat top). Bajra is the symbol of Buddha Aksyobhaya and the deities of his family. Both, Buddhist and Hindu deities like Narteswar, Avalokiteswar, Shiva and Indra, carry the Bajra with them.Bajra is indestructible. It destroys all forms of ignorance. The Bajra is also the symbol of Indra.  Dorje is the Tibetan terminology for Bajra, which represents the “upaya” or the means or method of achieving enlightenment in Tibetan Tantrism.

BAJHANG

Bajhang is a prominent district of the Seti Zone, well known throughout the country for its traditions and history of noted rulers. It used to be an independent state or a principality of the kings of yore known as Bajhangi Raja. This district has a population of 167026  and its headquarters is Chainpur.

BAITADI

Baitadi is one of the districts of the Mahakali zone with its headquarters in Baitadi Khalanga. This is an important administrative and trading point for several remote districts of this zone. Population of this district is 234418.

BAISAKH

Baisakh is the first month according to Bikram Sambat or the Era based calendar which is the official calendar of Nepal. The first day of this month is celebrated as the New Year’s Day in Nepal and is also an official holiday. This month begins by the middle of April. See months of Nepal.

BAHAL

The Bahal (also Bahaa) are Nepal’s traditional Buddhist Monastery or Vihar. These days, there are hundreds of monasteries representing various schools of Buddhism in and around Kathmandu valley. But going back to the days of yore, there were mainly two kinds of monasteries known as Bahaa and Bahi. By outlook and activities therein, the Bahals look more important, attractive and active. Most of those monasteries replete with works of arts in view of the metal images and idols, wood carvings and other types of art works like paintings and construction works. There are nearly 300 Bahals, Bahi’s and traditional monastries in the towns and villages of the Kathmandu valley.