Why do the people of Thimi not go near Siddha Pokhari (Napukhu) in Bhaktapur?
According to the story, there were two little boys who were very close friends and no one could separate them. They used to play together from morning till evening. One boy was from Thimi (Madhyapur-Thimi), who did not know that his beloved friend from his neighbor Bhaktapur was a Tantrik (a practitioner of Tantra—an ancient esoteric and occult tradition within Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.). A Tantrik is a person who can assume other forms, in this story the form of a serpent, although Tantriks can also take on various other forms such as Garuda.
One day, while walking together near a pond in Bhaktapur, the young tantrik told his friend that he could turn into a serpent. But his friend thought he was being teased and did not believe him. He challenged his friend to transform into a serpent in front of him on the spot.
Regretting what he had said, the poor Tantric felt he had no choice but to reveal his transformed state and demonstrate his skills to prove his extraordinary powers. So, he plunged straight into the pond, instructing his friend as he did so to offer Rice Grains (Akshata) at the water’s edge the following morning; this would enable him to return to his human form and resume his life with family and friends. The young friend promised to do exactly that.
As time passed, the little serpent grew stronger and became a very large snake. He became so big that anyone who met him was afraid. But Thimi’s young friend was so frightened by the size and power of the serpent that he was too afraid to even offer Rice Grains (Akshata) and ran away. He could not overcome the fear that the serpent would pull him into the water. And so, the young serpent was forced to stay in the pond for years, becoming stronger, more powerful and more depressed, unable to return to his old self.
To till this day, people in the Kathmandu Valley tell this story. And the people of Thimi say they don’t go to Siddha Pokhari (Napukhu) in Bhaktapur. They are ashamed of the careless and dishonest behavior of that young friend, so they are afraid to go there.
