RAJBIRAJ, Jan. 5: His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev visited the Chhinnamasta Temple at Chhinnamasta of Saptari this morning and worshipped Goddess Bhagawati. His Majesty also received tika and prasad of the Goddess.

Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chanda, Defence Secretary Madan Prasad Aryal and Chief of the Army Staff Pyarjung Thapa were present on the occasion.

The King was heartily welcomed by thousands of local people and officials, including Chief District Officer Ramkrishna Bhurtel, former member of parliament Mrigendra Kumar Singh Yadav, and Satyanarayan Yadav, former president of the VDC.

Late King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya had visited the temple 15 years ago. Then King Birendra had handed over Rs. 500,000 to renovate the temple.

The temple is situated near the Indian border, about 10 km south of the district headquarters. About three decades ago, the temple was known as Sakhada. The idol of the goddess does not have a head, hence, it has come to be known as Chhinnamasta.

About 50 goats are sacrificed every day. During Dasain, thousands are sacrificed. Legend has it that the blood from sacrifices does not stick onto clothes and flies do not touch the blood either. It is one of the famous shaktipiths (shrines of goddess of power) of Hindus in Nepal.