Reconstruction of four of the 11 earthquake-destroyed monuments of Bhaktapur Durbar Square has been completed so far, according to the Heritage Department of Bhaktapur.

The gate of Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Shankar Narayan Temple, Hari Har Narayan Temple and Tri Bikram Narayan Temple are the heritage monuments have been renovated and reconstruction of other structures is underway under the supervision of the Department of Archaeology (DoA).

“Rs 37 million has been approved by the government for the fiscal year 2016-17 to carry out the second phase of reconstruction works,” said Surya Kharbuja, an engineer at the Bhaktapur Municipality that is overseeing the reconstruction of the monuments. The municipality said it plans to complete reconstruction of the remaining heritage structures by 2018. 

“Archaeological norms have been closely followed while rebuilding these monuments,” said Ram Govinda Shrestha, chief of the Heritage Department, Bhaktapur. According to Shrestha, undamaged materials recovered from the sites will be reused while reconstructing the monuments.

Meanwhile, the DoA is carrying the reconstruction and renovation works of Taba Sattal that is southeast of the Pachapanna Jhyale Durbar (55-window palace), Silu Mahadev, Pujari Math, Siddhi Laxmi Temple and the National Art Gallery.

Mohan Krishna Shrestha, an engineer at the DoA, said an estimated Rs150 million will be needed to complete the reconstruction and renovation of these monuments. We hope to complete the work by 2020, he said.

According to officials 70 people are working for the renovation of these monuments and of them 60 percent are general workers and 40 percent artisans.

Reconstruction works started in Bhaktapur Durbar Square area on April 25, 2016—exactly a year after the devastating Gorkha earthquake.

Post Photos: Milan Adhikari