People think that explosives will be used to widen the gorge, which is not true. No wonder then that protests have erupted in the form of black banners at the site
Even a mild shower has started to send a chill up the spine of the people living in the capital city Kathmandu, particularly those living in the lowlands. It is because of the heavy rain last August when the underlying areas were marooned in the floodwater. The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology has forecasted the possibility of 35-65 per cent more rain than average this year, and people are naturally worried that they may have to undergo a similar kind of trauma any time during the monsoon period.
That this problem has arisen from our unscientific settlements and land use planning is clear from the study of traditional settlements. Whether it be Kantipur, Lalitpur or Bhaktapur and the lesser cities, they were all located on elevated land away from the river. But now the buildings can be seen constructed virtually by the banks of rivers. So, it is not that the river has entered the settlements, but it is the settlements that have entered the rivers.
Several interventions have been mooted regarding what to do in the event of a flood like last year following the requests of the ward chairmen of Chobhar and Kirtipur. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) as well as the High-Powered Committee for Integrated Development of Bagmati Civilization (HPCIDBC) wanted to clear the flood debris of last year along the Chobhar gorge by mobilising the army because of the difficult terrain of the site based on a preliminary study made by the HPIDBC.
The gorge has been the target because it is the exit for all the precipitation and the discharge of all the rivers – Bagmati, Bishnumati, Rudramati, Yicchumati and Manohara – flowing into the valley.
The Chobhar gorge may appear like any other gorge, but its history goes back to that of Nepal. It is said that the valley was a large lake. According to Buddhists, Bodhisatwa Manjushree came from the north and cut a portion of the Chobhar landmass, converting it into a gorge. The water drained through the gorge and the valley became habitable. Hindus on the contrary believe that it was Pradhumna the son of Krishna that slit the Chobhar area by a powerful sword rendering it into a deep gorge.
Geologists, however, opine that the south face of the valley rose up due to the tectonic movement by 3mm per year. As a result, a lake came into being with a depth of up to 200 meters around Tri Chandra College. Due to the existence of lime stones and the pressure of water, the limestones gave away forming three gorges at Gokarna, Pashupati and Chobhar.
Later on, four Ganesh temples were incepted in the valley. Ashok Binayak in Maru Tole, Rakta Binayak in Chabahil, Surya Binayak in Bhaktapur and Jala Binayak in Chobhar. The practice of worshipping Lord Ganesh appears to have begun from the first century AD after a Ganesh figure was found in one Sri Lankan stupa of that time. So, a modest temple must have emerged in this area in the beginning.
But later in the time of Siva Simha Malla in the year 1602, a better temple of Jala Binayak appears to have been constructed. Again, during the reign of King Sri Nivas Malla of Patan, the temple was built to the present three-tiered form. Later, in the year 1750, King Rajya Prakash demolished the temple and constructed the present beautiful one in the temple compound. The surrounding shed with arcades was constructed by Dev Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana in the year 1917.
It is said that this area was a dumping site after the completion of feasts. So, it was a haven for dogs, the vehicle of Bhairab. Later Bhairab also began to stay in this place. When Ganesh came to protect the gorge here, Bhairab asked for a place to stay. In response, Ganesh provided a place by raising the hand at par with the shoulder. So, the Bhairab and Ganesh can be seen located in the upper and the lower portion. There are several such stories surrounding the temple.
Probably because of the sensitive nature of the site, people were forbidden to fell the trees here, and anyone found doing so would have to face a sin equivalent to cutting the nose of both Ganesh and Lokeswore Gods. This is mentioned in the inscription of the year 1759 installed during the regime of King Biswajit Malla.
It is said that the gorge can bear a discharge of 2800 cu meters per second when the discharge was only 1100 in the time of the last flood. So, it may appear that there is no need to make the gorge wide. However, studies need to be made regarding what will happen if there is a cloud burst like in Dodhara Chadani or Tika Bhairab last year and in Texas, USA recently.
One such study has been carried out in New Zealand for two of its rivers named Rakaia and Waiau entitled "Channel widening Downstream of Valley Gorges Influenced by Flood Frequency and Flood Roughness" by Thomas Croissant et al. In this study, one of the aspects addressed is on new insights on channel widening at the bedrock Gorge/Alluvial Plain Transition. This study is worth referring to before undertaking any intervention.
The Kiwi study shows that such works need extensive study before being initiated. An informal gathering held in the NDRRMA last Monday revealed that the concerned institutions – the NDRRMA and HPCIDBC – are making similar efforts. But the people appear to have understood from media coverage that radical intervention like the use of explosives is being undertaken, which is not true. No wonder then that protests have erupted in the form of black banners at the site. It is worth remembering that it is like running after the crow instead of touching the ear when told that the crow has taken it.
