Hetauda, September 5

The historical Makawanpurgadi Durbar has turned into a heap of ruins despite initiatives being taken for its conservation, in Makawanpur.

Last year’s massive earthquake had damaged the durbar’s walls. Now, visitors who gain the site in Makawanpurgadi VDC-3 have nothing to observe but collapsed walls.

“As there is no reconstruction and the remains are also disappearing due to lack of conservation, the site has failed to attract anyone,” said Conservation Committee Chairman of the Durbar Nawaraj Pulami.

The noted landmark, built more than four centuries ago is located about 20 kilometres east from district headquarters Hetauda. According to Pulami, locals and various other organisations have been encroaching the land belonging to the site.

“In fact, the concerned authorities should be doing something to identify the land area of the durbar site and stop the ongoing encroachment of land by locals as well as various other organisations.

However, unfortunately the concerned authority has been apathetic,” he said.

As per history, Makawanpurgadhi served as the capital of Makawanpur state prior to the unification of Nepal by Late king Prithvi Narayan Shah. The palace used to be the then king’s abode.

There are six organisations registered so far for the conservation and development of the site. But locals have accused the organisations of doing nothing over the years. “Every year two to five lakh rupees is allocated for the durbar, but apart from making steps to reach the site from the road and placing wire fence around the durbar site, nothing has been done,” said local Lal Bahadur Thapa.

Further, Thapa called on the stakeholders to move ahead by preparing a masterplan to conserve the historical site.

On his part, Local Development Officer of the district, Laxman Bikram Thapa, also rued the delayed reconstruction of the historic monument. “The department of archaeology hasn’t done any excavation at the site.

The reconstruction has been delayed as we do not have the authority do anything without consent, and the department itself is keeping mum regarding the reconstruction,” he argued.