NAWALPARASI, JULY 20

Locals have planted paddy at the historical and archaeological place, Ramgram Stupa area, in Nawalparasi ( Bardaghat-Susta West).

It is said the place has many types of artifacts and remnants of archaeological importance. There is also the relic of Lord Gautam Buddha at Ramgram Stupa. Locals said they had been planting crops in this land west of the stupa for many years.

The land belongs to Lumbini Development Trust.

Khaderu Harijan, a local, has planted paddy saplings in more than two kattha land. Daughter-inlaw of Khaderu , Rashmi Harijan, said no one had asked them not to cultivate the land. She said, “We have been cultivating the land here for the past many years. We have planted paddy this year too. We will stop it once the area is fenced.”

Lumbini Development Trust has already given them compensation for the land it had acquired for preservation.

Locals have been cultivating the land and grazing cattle as they do not know the importance of the land. Stakeholders have emphasised protecting the land by stopping such activities in this area. A local said artefacts and other things of archaeological importance in the area might get damaged or lost if the area was not fenced.

A survey team had suggested not to construct any infrastructure in the area as there are different types of archaeological structures.

Archaeology Officer of the Trust Himal Upreti said, “We recently knew about paddy plantation in the area. One cannot cultivate land acquired by the Trust. We will stop locals from doing this.” The stupa covers 24 bigha land. The Trust has also made preparations to acquire more land in the stupa area.

An intensive research was conducted to collect evidences to enlist Ramgram area in the World Heritage Site last year. The study was also centred on completing the master plan developed for the development of the region and the stupa.

The Ramgram area was discovered by historian Dr W Hood in 1997. A geological survey was carried out in 1999 during which remnants of the monastery and different structures built by the Maura regime were discovered.

After the survey, the area was excavated by archaeologist Shukra Sagar Shrestha’s team and they found various structures dating back to the Buddha era, said officer Ram Kumar Kunwar.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on July 21, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.