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Shambhunath Temple (शम्भुनाथ)
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- another one of the famous temples of Eastern Nepal
- is situated in Shambhunath VDC, Saptari, 12 km from Rajbiraj and also near to Mahendra Highway
- This Temple is the main attraction for Nepal and Indian Pilgrims
- People are likely to come here in Bada Dashain
- During month of Baisakh (The first month of Bikram Sambat), the people are celebrating here with joy and happiness
- A month-long fair is observed at the premises of the temple to usher the New Year and pay obeisance to Lord Shiva
- Sambhunath is one of Lord Shiva’s many avatars
- However, the Tharus call the deity Semnath and the month-long fair Semnath Dham
- On the very first day of the year (first of Baishakh), locals and pilgrims from surrounding districts and India come here to worship and offer “jal” (water) to the Shiva Linga which is continuously growing (as believed by local people)
- During the month-long fair, people worship Sambhunath and offer jal from the nearby pond
- People with warts offer a pair of brinjals to the deity to get rid of the skin disorder
- Miraculously, many people get cured of the warts
- The fair at the temple premises offer you everything from edible items to entertainment like theatrical performances
- There are two ponds near the temple
- Worshippers take bath and take water for offering to Shiva from the one situated in the western part of the temple
- It was a huge wetland in the past
- Still, the wetland attracts migratory birds and bear lotuses
- It is in dire need of conservation
- It has not been ascertained how old the Shiva Linga is
- The ruins at the southern part of the temple indicate that the Lingam belongs to a very old settlement
- The pieces of pillars and columns suggest there was an ancient kingdom in that area
- It needs further study and research
- The locals need to attract archaeologists to this site to delve into the history of the area
- Meanwhile, some people have been stealing away the precious pieces of ruins
- It needs to stop and the area needs preservation measures from the state
- There are many myths surrounding the Sambhunath temple
