Kathmandu Metropolitan City is all set to start the renovation of Yamaleshwor Temple located in the middle of Ranipokhari in Kathmandu.

The KMC officials said they have planned to complete the renovation by the next year’s Bhai Tika festival. The temple, which remains off limits for 

public for most part of the year is only opened during Bhait Tika. 

But after the temple was destroyed in the April 25 earthquake, people could not visit the temple in this year’s Bhai Tika.

Besides rebuilding the shrine, the KMC also plans to clean Ranipokhari. The pond has not been cleaned for nearly 350 years.

Uttar Kumar Regmi, chief of Department of Physical Development and Construction at the KMC, said the pond cleaning will start from the Baisakh, Nepali new year.

“There could be gold coins and other valuable items tossed by the devotees in the pond, so we have to be careful when pumping out the water and removing the mud,” said Regmi.  

The KMC has allotted 

Rs 116 million for the project.

The quake-ravaged temple was built by late King Pratap Malla in 1670 to console his queen heartbroken at the death of their son. Legend had it that, the water in the pound was collected from various holy sites and confluences of Nepal and India.   

Historians, city planners and tourism entrepreneurs say, Rani Pokhari will have greater value in the near future as the national reconstruction campaign was inaugurated from there. 

The KMC has also announced to take the reconstruction and renovation of Balaju Baisdhara Park for which it has allocated 

Rs 10 million.