Renovation of historical Pashupati Temple on card

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 7

A plan to widen the courtyard of the Pashupatinath Temple, famous shrine of Hindus enlisted in world heritage site, is afoot to renovation after 42 years.

"The premises will be expanded being based on the classical and archeological values," said Sushil Nahata, member-secretary of the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT). "An 11-member renovation committee, which will complete its study within two months, has been just formed," Nahata told this daily.

Nahata said that the temples adjoining to the premises were deteriorated and wall of Mukti Mandap was badly cracked. "Except southern part, the premises on other sides will be expanded," he said. "The woods on the temples are rotten and damaged by mice," he added. "The roof of main temple is also leaking."

Pashupatinath Temple's existence dates back to 400 AD. According to Gopalraj Vamsavali, the temple was built by Lichchhivi king Supus Padeva, as inscribed in the stone inscription erected by Jayadeva on the premises of Pashupatinath in 753 AD. The temple was reconstructed by a medieval king Shivadeva (1099-1126 AD). 

KATHMANDU: The Pashupati Area Development Trust has come up with a new rule effective from January 15 to restrict all the vehicles, shop owners and visitors without permission in the area. "Locals will be issued with five-year pass, shops with one-year, and renting tenants with one-year renewable permission," said Sushil Nahata, member-secretary of PADT. "Parking area has been fixed at Tilganga, Bal Ganesh and Char Shivalaya. The breaching lots will be strictly fined," he added. --

As described in history, this temple was attacked and badly destroyed by Sultan Samsuddin of Bengal in mid 14th Century.  It was only after ten years, in 1360 AD, the temple was reconstructed by Javasimha Ramvardhana.  Renovation work hereafter was taken up by Jyoti Malla in 1416 AD.

The present architectural nature of Pashupatinath temple came into existence as a result of renovation by queen Gangadevi during the reign of Shivasimha Malla (1578-1620 AD). The temple was renovated in 1969 after it had been infested with termites.

According to the PADT, the Pashupati Temple Renovation Sub-Committee includes engineer Shankar Nath Rimal, Prof Biddhya Nath Bhatta, Prof Mukunda Raj Aryal, main priest MahaBaleshwor, Hari Sharan Rajbhandari, Bharat Acharya from Nepal Army, regular devotee Suvas Shanghai, representatives from Department of Archeology and Guthi Corporation each, and Prem Hari Dhungana.

Dhungana said that the preservation planning would be formulated after studying on damaged physical condition of temples. "The classical study is inevitable to preserve the heritage," he said. "Permission from UNESCO is a must to carry out the project."

"The any entry gate of Pashupati premises should not be direct to the main doors of Pashupati Temple. However, the western entry gate was built by then king Mahendra in 1960 stands against the classical value," said Dhungana. "It should be changed," he added.

Narrottam Baidya, treasurer at the PADT, said that there was a need of wide discussion on the issue and to be decided as per the advice and recommendations from all sectors.
Nahata said that the renovation of the temple would begin in the next fiscal. "We need a huge amount for the purpose. We are in search of donors too," he said. "We have already started painting of all the temples inside the PADT area."