Bhatbhateni

In ancient times, in the vast city of King Brahmadev, there lived a couple named Sudev and Sudevi, whom society called Bhat and Bhateni. They made their living by farming land they had asked of the king.

Once a Siddha tantric Brahmin named Shuddhadev from Tirhut came to visit the pilgrimage sites of Nepal. He stayed at Sudev's house, and before setting out on his journey he left in the keeping of the Bhat-bhateni, as a deposit, an iron staff of his filled with gold.

When Shuddhadev did not return for many years, the Bhat-bhateni sold that iron staff to pay for the upbringing and expenses of their son Bhill.

After twelve years Shuddhadev returned, having completed his pilgrimage, and asked for his deposit. The Bhat-bhateni, who had already consumed the deposit, lied: "Kept for twelve years, your iron staff became worm-eaten and crumbled to pieces."

Shuddhadev remained silent. He knew the truth — that iron never becomes worm-eaten. Shuddhadev, skilled in tantric lore, one morning had the Bhat-bhateni's son Bhill seized by a huge vulture and carried off into the sky.

When their son was lost, the Bhat-bhateni went weeping to King Brahmadev to seek justice. Shuddhadev revealed the secret before the king, saying: "Maharaj, just as an iron staff can become worm-eaten, so too can a vulture carry off a living child."

The king, understanding the dishonesty of the Bhat-bhateni, ordered the deposit to be returned. But Shuddhadev cursed the Bhat-bhateni, who had already sinned by destroying the deposit: "May he who destroys and consumes another's deposit have no dwelling anywhere on this earth!"

Because of the curse, both Bhat and Bhateni came to hang in the air above the ground. The king had that form of theirs installed in a temple, and that sacred place came to be called "Bhatbhateni."