Chitwan, February 4

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari today held that the country was heading towards prosperity and finally getting relief from prolonged political transition.

Speaking at Dhanadhanyanchal Birat Gyan Mahayagya organised at Devghat of Tanahun while inaugurating Narmadeshwor Shiva Temple today, President Bhandari underscored the need of maximum utilisation of resources and means to ensure a sustainable economy. She said that tourism development was the backbone of all kinds of development and stressed the development of Devghat — the confluence of Tanahun, Nawalpur and Chitwan — as a destination of cultural tourism.

President Bhandari highlighted the importance of moral education and consciousness at a time when truth, non-violence and morality were vulnerable. She lauded the contribution of Galeshwor Ashram and other organisations to modernise Sanskrit education.

Tanahun Constituency 1 MP Krishna Kumar Shrestha said that Devghat should be developed as a Hindu Research centre. Head priest Atmananda Giri at Galeshwor Ashram, head priest Gyanananda Saraswoti at Harihar Sanyas Ashram and head priest Ramanananda Giri at Mahesh Sanyas Ashram said that leaders had committed a blunder by declaring the country a secular state and urged reinstatement of Hindu state.

Bhandari inaugurated the Mahayagya by lighting oil lamps. Bhojraj Bhandari, Prem Kumar Ulak, Mahendra Pyakural and Arjun Panta of Galeshwor Ashram were felicitated on the occasion.  The ashram has been building a new temple at a cost of Rs 90 million and an ashram for more than 500 elderly people at a cost of Rs 25 million.

Meanwhile, President Bhandari inaugurated a function organised on the occasion of golden jubilee of Jana Kalyan Secondary School at Thaha Municipality of Makawanpur on Sunday. She inaugurated the golden memorial built with the contribution of SLC graduates since 2002, besides inaugurating the agriculture laboratory established on the premises of the school.