Tamghas, October 23

Ammonite stone, popularly known as Shaligram, is awaiting conservation.

The precious dark stones that are usually available in the Kaligandaki River are in a sorry state due to lack of conservation efforts.

Frequent erosion of the Kaligandaki River and the traditional belief that one should not go around the ammonite stone has limited conservation efforts, complained Keshab Raj Neupane, a local.

The black ammonite stone is considered the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. There is a myth that ammonite stones do have gold mine in their inner part.

Hindu pilgrims from Nepal and India throng the Kaligandaki area to observe the precious stones, which have religious value.

Bhuparaj Adhikari, chief of Halyang municipality, Syangja, admitted that he had also not paid any attention to the conservation of ammonite stones. However, he has seen opportunity to develop the ammonite stone as something that will spur religious tourism through proper publicity of the black stone.