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Kathmandu,Sunday January 16, 2000 Magh 2nd, 2056.
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Preserve Changu Narayan
to up tourism
-By Gopal Tiwari
CHANGU NARAYAN, Bhaktapur, Jan 15 - Changu
Narayan temple, one of the world heritage sites and the first historical monument of
the country, 22 kilometers east of the capital, is losing its affinity due to its
deteriorating outlook.
Locals and experts alike are worried about
preserving it to enhance cultural importance to attract more tourists to the site.
Changu Narayan temple situated at an
elevation of 5,500 meters from the sea level is in a sorry state. Hence, in dire need of
renovation. If maintained in time, it would definitely lure more number of tourists across
the globe. Currently, 60 tourists visit the site in a day on average.
The view of the himalayas from temple is as
perfect as your eyes can ask. Listed at the World Heritage Site in 1979, the temple has
been losing its historical, archaeological, religious and cultural attraction because of
degrading condition.
Furthermore, landslides in the west-north
side of the temple and increasing extraction of sand from the Manahara river has made its
future uncertain.
Professor and life member of Nepal Heritage
Society Sudarshan Raj Tiwari worries that the situation of the site worsening day by day.
Tiwari calls for long-term measures to save it from further ruins.
The temple was spread to a total of 620
ropanies of land but its premises has shrunk today and no record of its land holding
is maintained.
Priest of the temple Chakradharananda says
his entire family is devoted to the upkeeping of the temple since the reign of Rana
Bahadur Shah.
However, the situation of the temple is
worsening by and by.
But the government and the locals alike are
indifferent to its upkeeping. Shova Shrestha, Chief Exploration Officer at the Department
of Archaeology has her own limitation. Government has a limited budget, and the department
has to allocate fund to other temples across the nation. She is aware of the fact that the
temple badly needs maintenance.
“Locals too should cooperate in the
renovation of the temple. The government has planned to renovate the temple as soon as
possible,” she says optimistically.
Locals complain that even the main roof of
the temple is leaking since four years. “Traditional water taps around the
temple have also gone dry.”
Chairman of Changu Narayan Village
Development Committee Mohan Bir Shrestha informs that the VDC has been planning to
renovate the temple.
President of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN)
Gautam Das Shrestha calls for urgent measures to preserve world heritage site for
promoting Nepalese culture as well as tourism industry. There are many historically
important places in the country which need support for their upkeeping, he said.
It is reported that the entire hillock of
Changu Narayan was maintained as a forested-fort during the medieval period as the site is
termed as Dolasikhara, Garud Narayana, Champakaanya, Dola Parvat, among others.
An inscription on the victory pillar set up
in the year 464 AD is the oldest authentic record so far discovered from this monument.
According to religious point of view, the
lord residing the site is worshipped by the Hindus as Garuda Narayana and by the Buddhists
as Hari Hari Hari Vahana Lokesvara. Records of copper plates, stone slab inscriptions
throws more light on endowments, donations and other charity works during the reign of
kings Abhaya Malla, Jayarudra Malla, Jayasthiti Malla, Yaksha Malla and so on.
As the site is religiously and culturally
important, all the rituals being performed at the temple relate to its region in a
traditional way. Different religious activities are performed in the temple complex round
the year. The Changu Narayana is enriched by more than 350 pieces of historical documents
that speak at length about Nepalese history.
The government and the concerned should
make every possible effort to preserve the one of the world heritage sites that is on the
verge of losing its attraction and glory. |
