Heritage walk along Bagmati organized

It drew the participation of about a hundred people from different walks of life. The walk started off at around 8:30 am from Chintamani Ghat near the Teku Confluence, and, more than three hours later, ended at the Panchayani Temple in Thapathali. Before commencing on the walk, the participants joined hands, and facing the Bagmati River - a stone’s throw away - observed a two-minute silence to reflect upon the glory of the holy river in her heydays, the veritable sewerage it has now become and the urgent need to revive her past grandeur.Nepal River Conservation Trust (NRCT) and Sustainable Tourism Network (STN) were the major organizers of the event with Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) chipping in its support. The route the heritage walk traced along the original northern bank of the river, was relatively clean, thanks to the cleanup drive spearheaded by NRCT with the enthusiastic participation of the residents of Thapathali for well over a month. Three members of TOURGAN (Tourist Guides Association of Nepal) explained the historical and religious significance of the temples along the way, mostly built by the Ranas in the 19th century. Among the temples are Krishna Mandir near the Teku Confluence; the three-storied Laxmeshwor Mahadev built in the 1870s in the name of Junga Bahadur Rana’s wife Laxmi Rani; the three temples of Bikateshwor Mahadev built in a style combining the indigenous pagoda architecture with the sikhar archetype from India; Ram Mandir; Tripureshwor Mahadev, named after queen Tripura Sundari; Bishnu Mandir, built by King Surendra Shah, successor of King Prithvi Narayan Shah; and, finally, Panchayani temple in Thapathali.Some of these historic temples are in need of renovation while the few where it is underway, the restoration does not do justice to the original architecture. Eminent social activist Huta Ram Baidya, who, for decades, has doggedly campaigned for cleaning up the Bagmati River, was also present. "It’s an encouraging sign," was his observation about the ongoing cleanup campaign and today’s heritage walk. (Source : The Kathmandu Post.)

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