MANAKAMANA (GORKHA), JUL 17 - The reconstruction of the Manakamana temple, a popular Hindu pilgrimage site which was damaged by the April 25 earthquake and its aftershocks, has been initiated.
The damaged structure has already been pulled down and workers are digging a new foundation. Members of the Manakamana Temple Renovation Committee (MTRC) said the new temple will be exactly similar to the previous one in terms of its shape and style. The four storeyed temple of Manakamana , the wish-fulfilling Hindu goddess, had tilted 9-12 inches towards north-east due to the earthquake and had also developed cracks on its pagoda style roofs.
“The reconstruction work will gain momentum after we lay foundation stone on Wednesday,” said Krishna Bahadur Shrestha, MTRC treasurer. He said 22 local workers and 11 craftsmen have been working to rebuild the shrine.
Meanwhile, the main statue of the temple has been kept safely inside a small hut and the priest has been performing a puja on it daily. “We have placed another statue at chautara (a rest stop under a tree) near the temple so that the devotees can offer prayers temporarily,” Shrestha said.
The steeple and other valuables of the shrine are kept safely in a building used to store temple’s belongings. Assistant Sub-inspector Navaraj Tiwari said that the valuables are kept amid tight security.
MTRC members said the required construction materials, including six kilograms of gold, have already been procured. They said Rs 100 million will be spent on the reconstruction work that will be completed within two years.
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