Kathmandu, Dec 8

The reconstruction process of quake-damaged Rato Machchhindranath temple at Bungamati of Lalitpur district has been impeded in lack of timber to rebuild the temple to the God of Rain and Harvest.

According to Rato Machchhindranath Temple Consumer Committee Chairperson Amir Shakya, reconstruction process has already achieved 70 per cent physical progress. Shakya explained that one-storey has been built for the Temples so far. He shared that four types of timber in various shapes and sizes are needed to rebuild the Temple that was damaged in the Gorkha Earthquake on August 25, 2015.

“We found out that various 33 types of bricks of archeological importance used in the Temple. We need to arrange such types of timber and bricks to rebuild the Temple in its original style.” A team comprising House of Representatives member Pampha Bhusal had inspected the reconstruction process and had held meeting with the concerned authorities regarding reconstruction. The Rato Machchhindranath Temple here believed to be built in ‘Sikhara’ style some 1,500 years ago. The Rato Machchhindranath chariot procession is a huge festival in Lalitpur among both Hindus and Buddhists.

The Rato Machchhindranath Temple was badly damaged by the Gorkha Earthquake in 2015. It was said to be reconstructed with financial assistance of Rs 50 million from the Sri Lankan government. With none of the government bodies showing interest in its reconstruction, the consumer committee and the Department of Archaeology signed an agreement for Rs 32.1 million for the same in July and works on the reconstruction of this temple have been moved ahead since then.

This temple was constructed nearly 1,500 years back in the ancient ‘Shikhara’ architectural style. As per the agreement, the reconstruction works would have to be completed by Mid-July 2021.