MAHOTTARI, NOVEMBER 22
President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has urged one and all to work towards conservation of national heritage and culture.
Inaugurating a stadium at Matihani Municipality in Mahottari district today, President Bhandari appealed to all sides concerned to take the lead in conserving the national heritage and glorious culture of Mithilachettra, where, she said, scores of ancient sages had mediated.
"Province 2 is known as a place where scholars such as Astabakra, Yagyabakya, Gargi, Maitraiyi and king Janak and other sages meditated. Honouring our glorious past, we should both conserve the heritage and monuments related to the above-mentioned scholars," she said.
President Bhandari argued that our future generation could only get to see and acknowledge our glorious past if we took initiative to conserve religious heritages in Province 2 such as Laxminarayan Math, Laxminarayan temple, saint Tasmaiya Baba's Khanti, Pirbaba Majaristhan, Laxmisagar, and Mahadev Temple at Jaleshwor, among others The head of the state also mentioned the great Maithali poet Bidhyapati, whose works had enriched the country's literature.
"Also the 300-year-old Sanskrit school in Matihani and the current Rajakiya Sanskrit Secondary School had contributed to spreading the light of education," she lauded. On a different note, Bhandari asserted that the sports sector played an important role in development and recognition of any country. According to her, Matihani Municipality had acknowledged this fact and acted wisely by constructing the stadium.
She was hopeful that the newly inaugurated stadium would give birth to sports talents and provide opportunities to sportspersons in the province and hone their skills through regular practice.
President Bhandari pointed out the need of three-tier government to consider providing skills, technology and facilities to attract and facilitate farmers in the Tarai area towards commercial farming, stating that the Tarai area had fertile land for agriculture.
"The poverty arising from caste-based discrimination, gender suppression, superstition and illiteracy has been the major challenge facing Mithila area (now Province no 2) which holds a special place in the overall history of Nepal."
President Bhandari commended on the insurance scheme for daughters and 'Beti Bachau-Bechi Padhau' (Save daughters- Educate daughter) campaign launched by the provincial government to advance the gender cause.
"Our all-out effort should be focused on eliminating harmful practices such as child marriage, unmatched marriage, dowry system and witchcraft accusation among others.
Bhandari spoke of the need to pay due attention to conservation of Chure Area. She said the Chure hills, were interconnected with the lives in Tarai.
She highlighted the need to streamline the river system in the Chure Area and discouraging its exploitation.
Matihani Municipality Mayor Hari Prasad Mandal presented President Bhandari letter of appreciation, while President Bhandari presented letter of honour to locals in Matihani, namely Bimalesh Shah, Binod Mandal and Naresh Mahato for their notable contributions to construction of the stadium spread across around 1 bigha 19 kathha land and built at a cost of around Rs 30 million.
Present at the programme were Province 2 Chief Minister Lalbabu Raut and parliamentarian and Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party-Nepal's Chairperson Mahantha Thakur, among others. President Bhandari, after inaugurating the stadium, visited the 500-year-old Laxminarayan Math, Laxminarayan temple, Mahadev temple at Jaleshwor and the Saint Tasmaiya Baba's Khanti and offered prayers.
The president also reached the 303-year-old Rajakiya Sanskrit Secondary School in the locality where the students welcomed her by chanting mantras. Bhandari was received by Jaleshwor Municipality Mayor Ram Shankar Mishra, people's representatives, civil servants, and locals, among others.
A version of this article appears in the print on November 23, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
