National
Restored Manakamana Temple sparkles in gold
Authorities have completed the reconstruction of Manakamana Temple damaged during the earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015.Hariram Upreti
Authorities have completed the reconstruction of Manakamana Temple damaged during the earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015.
The four-storey temple of Manakamana, the wish-fulfilling Hindu goddess popular among Hindu pilgrims, had tilted 9 to 12 inches towards north-east by the earthquake and developed cracks on its pagoda style roofs.
Reconstruction crew removed the damaged structure and started renovating the temple from a new foundation in June 2015.
The renovated temple has gold-plated roof. Renovation Committee Coordinator Narendrababu Shrestha said, “We used 18 kilograms of the precious metal to gold-plate the temple’s roof.”
The committee spent around Rs 90 million to buy the gold, and around Rs 130 million to reconstruct the temple, the official said. The government spent Rs 40 million while devotees and supporters contributed around Rs 100 million.
“We purchased gold for plating the temple’s steeple and roof after obtain permission from the Department of Archaeology (DoA),” said Shrestha.
DoA engineers guided the reconstruction of the temple, committee members said. They used limestone, surkhi, bricks and wood to reconstruct various structures.
“We shall open the temple for devotees for t Dashain festival,” said Shrestha. The committee estimates an additional Rs 40 million to construct other infrastructure in the temple.
The temple, well known to Hindu pilgrims and tourists, suffered partial damage during the devastating earthquake in 1934 in the last century. The temple towers at an height of 1,314 meters above thesea level in Gorkha district.