Kathmandu, November 6 India’s Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri today inaugurated Mathadhish building on the premises of Budhanilkantha temple in Budhanilkantha Municipality in Kathmandu. Budhanilkantha Municipality Mayor Uddhab Kharel, District Coordination Committee Chair Shiva Sundar Raj Vaidya, and political and community leaders attended the inaugural ceremony. Budhanilkantha temple is situated at the foot of Shivapuri hill in the northern-most part of Kathmandu valley. The shrine with probably the largest stone statue of Lord Vishnu in Nepal is reclining on a bed of Nagas or serpents, in the middle of a small pond. Shree Budhanilkantha temple has great religious and cultural significance for Hindus all over the world. Thousands of pilgrims besides tourists from India and other parts of the world visit the temple daily. “The newly constructed Mathadhish building on the temple premises would stand as an important icon of age-old cultural bond between India and Nepal,” read a statement issued by the embassy. The new infrastructure constructed with grant assistance of Rs 21.8 million from India, is a three-storey building which will house Mathadhish and several young monks. The project was implemented by the District Coordination Committee, Kathmandu. “The project underlines the importance accorded by India for preservation and promotion of rich religious, cultural and historical heritage of Nepal, which is in the spirit of strong and close bond between the two countries,” read the statement.