Kathmandu, April 8

Locals of Basantapur area and members of ‘Kashtamandap reconstruction campaign’ have demanded a role in the reconstruction of Kashtamandap, which was destroyed in the 2015 earthquake.

Campaigners today organised a gathering at the site and demanded that they be involved in the reconstruction process.

A few days ago, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari had directed the agencies concerned to expedite reconstruction of the iconic structure.

Baikuntha Manandhar, who leads the campaign, issuing a press statement today said, “We are ready to provide all kinds of manpower including technicians, architects, artists, historians and religious mentors for reconstruction of the historic temple. If we do not have a sense of belonging to the heritage which is so much connected with our identity,religion and culture, we can’t accept it.”

Campaigners have also said that they will not accept foreign financial assistance for the reconstruction of Kashtamandap.

Although National Reconstruction Authority, Department of Archaeology and Kathmandu Metropolitan City had promised to reconstruct the temple either independently or through joint efforts time and again, not a single brick has been laid even almost three years after the earthquake.

The reconstruction of the temple was halted in 2016 when Department of Archaeology started rebuilding the temple using steel, concrete and other modern construction material.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City then took charge and decided to rebuild the temple on Public-Private Partnership model, but the decision was opposed by the public after the it published an advertisement calling for bids from private companies.

In December 2017, Kathmandu Metropolitan City again decided to reconstruct the temple on its own. It had also allocated Rs 190 million after preparing the design and architectural framework, which were approved by the Department of Archaeology. However, no progress has been made on the reconstruction project since.

Kashtamandap is believed to have been built during the seventh century as a shelter home. Traders from as far as India and China used to stay in the shelter home in the past, according to historians.

Historians and conservationist after the 2015 earthquake discovered large foundation walls at the site linked by double rows of timber pillars.

They also found that the original pillars had rested on a copper plate and the saddle stones had a gold foil mandala in them which supported the belief that the temple is the oldest in the city and was built during the seventh century.