The Baraha Chhetra Temple - Sunsari

The Baraha Chhetra (Kshetra) Temple lies in the east of Nepal around 20 km from Dharan at the confluence of the Sapta Koshi and Koka rivers and is one of the most holy tirtha's of Nepal.

The Baraha temple contains statues from the 5th century and in front of the temple is a stone where you can test how free of sin you are, since anybody who is able to lift the stone is without any sin. When five or seven people can lift the stone with one finger they are all without sin.

One of the main festivals celebrated at the Baraha Chhetra temple is Makar Sankranti.

Vishnu's fight as the boar Varaha / Baraha with the demon Hiranyaksha

The temple is built to mark Vishnu's victory over Hiranyaksha the demon in the form of Varaha a boar which happend at this site. Hiranyaksha (which means goldeneye) took the world to the bottom of the cosmic ocean. Vishnu took the form of a white boar (Baraha)and dove to the bottom of the ocean to lift the earth back to the surface. Eventually he kills Hiranyaksha in a battle that last for thousend years and the earth is saved.   

His older brother Hiranyakashipu is also killed by Vishnu in the form of Narasimha.

References:
Hiranyaksha Wikipedia
Varaha Wikipedia


'Top Story'