Editorial photo #13894160 Religion and Belief

Hāthu Dyah Idol Replica Returns To Kirtipur In Revival Effort

A devotee touches the newly cast replica of the historic Hathu Dyah (Bhairav) idol in reverence as it is transported back to Kirtipur following its bronze casting at a workshop in Thimi, Bhaktapur, on June 27, 2026. The approximately eight-foot-tall idol is being recreated through a community-funded restoration initiative to revive a centuries-old Newar tradition that disappeared after the fall of the Malla period. The project was launched after a copperplate inscription discovered during the restoration of the Bagh Bhairav idol in 2013 documented the historical practice of displaying the Hathu Dyah idol during the annual Bagh Bhairav Jatra and distributing ritual offerings from its mouth. The original idol is no longer extant, but the committee has stated that the tradition gradually disappeared following the decline of the Malla era. The reconstructed idol will undergo final carving and decoration before its ceremonial unveiling during a future Bagh Bhairav Jatra. (Photo by Safal Prakash Shrestha/NurPhoto)