Car/Jeep 18 hours (760
kms to Kaflepati)
Bus 12 hours
(506 kms to Birtamod)
8 hours (237 kms to Fungling from Birtamod)
Airplane 1 hour (Suketar)
Walk 5 hours (5 kms Kaflepati to Pathibhara)
Taplejung’s Pathibhara Temple at 3,794 m
is a significant shrine. Mountains like Kumbhakarna, Kanchenjunga and many others
are visible from here. Himalayas shine during October- November. Limbu people call Kumbhakarna Himal as Phaktanglung and the mountain
is sacred in the Kirat religion.
There is a belief that a pilgrimage to the mountain-top shrine
of Pathibhara is all it takes to
have one’s wish granted by the gods. According to a popular belief, even those
who are unable to move their hands and feet by birth, they are able to move as
a normal human. And the eyes of the blind are filled with light. Also couples
are blessed with a child. For long and prosperous life, devotes leave many
objects like bells, tridents, flags, or tie threads at the shrine.
British botanist Jedi Hooker arrived in Taplejung in 1848 as the first
tourist. Today, there are pilgrims from Nepal as well as from India and Bhutan.
Manabhara hill looks beautiful
from Pathibhara. It is cold all
year long on the hill. During mid-December to mid-February, the hill receives
heavy snowfall.
There are good hotels in Fungling and Suketar. There are general
hotels elsewhere. There is no hotel above Thulo Phedi. The hill has electricity
while there is a health post and a police post at the base of the hill. A
hospital is located at Fungling headquarters.
The best time to visit Pathibhara is from
mid-February to mid-November.
How to reach
By road:
Kathmandu - Birtamode 506 km, 12 hours by bus. Birtamode - Fungling is 237 km.
Fungling - Suketar is seven km.
By air:
Kathmandu - Suketar is an hour’s flight. The road from Suktar
to Kafle Patti is 9.5 km. Further, three km to Thulo Fedi is covered in two
hours. On a two km uphill trek, Pathibhara can be reached from
Thulo Phedi. This takes another three hours.
पाथीभरा
झट्ट हेर्दा अन्न भरिएको पाथी जस्तो
देखिने डाँडामा देवीको मन्दिर छ । ताप्लेजुङको पाथीभरा (३,७९४ मि.) शक्तिपीठ हो । प्राकृतिक हिसाबले समेत डाँडा निकै
सुन्दर छ । त्यहाँबाट कुम्भकर्ण, कञ्चनजङ्घा
लगायत हिमशृङ्खला देखिन्छ । असोज–कात्तिकमा
हिमाल झलमल्ल टल्किन्छन् । कुम्भकर्ण हिमाललाई लिम्बुहरू फक्ताङलुङ भन्छन् ।
किराँत देवदेवी युःमा र थेःवाको क्रीडास्थल फक्ताङलुङ भएको महागुरु फाल्गुनन्दले
बताएका छन् ।
पाथीभरामा सिंहवाहिनी देवीका मूर्ति
छन् । जनविश्वास अनुसार पाथीभरा दर्शन गरे जन्मै हातखुट्टा नचल्नेका पनि हातखुट्टा
सल्बलाउँछन्, दृष्टिविहीनका आँखामा ज्योति भरिन्छ ।
निःसन्तानलाई सन्तान लाभ हुन्छ । गरिब धनी हुन्छन् । शत्रु निर्बल हुन्छन् । मित्र
पुनःमिलन हुन्छ । पढाइमा सफलता मिल्छ । आयु लामो हुने विश्वासले तल कान्छीथानदेखि
सेतो धागो टाँग्दै पाथीभरा मन्दिरसम्म पु¥याउने चलन छ ।
बेलायती वनस्पतिविज्ञ जेडी हुकर पहिलो
पर्यटकका रूपमा सन् १८४८ मा ताप्लेजुङ पुगेका थिए । त्यहाँ नेपालीका साथै भारत र
भुटानदेखिका तीर्थालु आउँछन् ।
डाँडामा आठवटा धर्मशाला छन् । पानीको
दुःख भएकाले यहाँ तीर्थालु बस्दैनन् ।
पाथीभरा क्षेत्रबाट मानाभरा डाँडा पनि
मनमोहक देखिन्छ । वर्षैभरि चिसो हुन्छ डाँडामा । पुस–माघमा डाँडामा बाक्लो हिउँ पर्छ ।
फुङलिङ र सुकेटारमा राम्रा होटल छन् ।
अन्यत्र सामान्य होटल छन् । ठूलो फेदीभन्दा माथि होटल छैनन् । डाँडामा बिजुली
सुविधा छ । फेदीमा स्वास्थ्य चौकी र प्रहरी चौकी छ । अस्पताल चाहिं सदरमुकाम
फुङलिङमा छ ।
फागुनदेखि कात्तिकसम्म पाथीभरा दर्शन
उत्तम मानिन्छ ।
कसरी पुग्नेः
काठमाडौं–बिर्तामोड ५०६ कि.मि., बसमा १३ घण्टा । बिर्तामोड–फुङलिङ २३७ कि.मि. । फुङलिङ–सुकेटार ८ कि.मि. अथवा काठमाडौं–सुकेटार एक घण्टाको हवाई उडान । सुकेटारदेखि
काफ्लेपाटी (९.५ कि.मि.) सम्म सडक छ । त्यहाँबाट ३ कि.मि.मा ठूलो फेदी छ, समय दुई घण्टा लाग्छ । ठूलो फेदीबाट २ कि.मि. अर्थात्
३ घण्टा उकालो चढेपछि पाथीभरा पुगिन्छ ।
