National
Gotihawa Pillar in a dilapidated condition
The pillar in its original form was 10 feet high with a circumference of 8 feet 16 inch. Today, what pilgrims see is just a stunted bottom half of the pillar that has over time submerged in the pond it was built on.Manoj Paudel
Gotihawa Pillar, an archaeological site believed to be the birthplace of Krakuchhanda Buddha in Kapilvastu Municipality-5, is in a dilapidated condition.
Gotihawa, considered sacred among Buddhists, was where Ashoka erected a pillar during his pilgrimage. The pillar in its original form was 10 feet high with a circumference of 8 feet 16 inch. Today, what pilgrims see is just a stunted bottom half of the pillar that has over time submerged in the pond it was built on.
Basanta Bidari, a senior archaeologist, said, “The pillar that is made of sandy stone is weak as the stone absorbs water. There is a high chance of the pillar completely submerging in the water. The concerned authority so far has not paid any attention towards its conservation.”
According to the locals, recent rainfalls in the area has further weakened the pillar. Himal Uprety, an archaeological officer at the Lumbini Development Trust, said, “The pillar is below the land surface. It gets submerged upto three feet during the monsoon.”
Experts said that the pillar has become weak due to environmental pollution. Birendra Chaudhary, a local, said that the concerned authority should immediately take actions to conserve the pillar.
“If nothing is done to conserve the pillar, it will collapse soon and a part of history will be lost forever,” Chaudhary said.
According to archaeologists, Gotihawa is an important archaeological and historical site. Its significance has been marked by the pillar commissioned by Indian emperor Ashoka during his pilgrimage to the place during the 3rd century BCE. Krakuchhanda is the twenty-fifth of the twenty-ninth named Buddhas, according to Theravada Buddhist tradition.