TANAHUN, DEC 10 - An ancient palace constructed atop a hillock in Bandipur of Tanahun district by Mani Mukunda Sen, a legendry king of Palpa, is on the verge of extinction due to lack of repairs.
Situated at the height of some 5,000 feet, the 500 year- old palace is now in a highly dilapidated state. Shrubs surround the palace, while its courtyard and squares are covered with lichens and moss.
The woodwork of the stable is decaying and a well within the premises of the ancient palace is almost buried.
"The site needs urgent restoration work for the preservation of the ancient palace which is the living proof of Nepalese history," said Mani Kumar Pradhan, a historian.
The locals had constructed a temple near the palace and installed the swords from the palace inside it, according to Rudra Bahadur Kunwar, the priest at the temple.
"This hillock was named Mukundeshwori, following the construction of the temple a long time ago," said Rudra Bahadur Kunwar, the priest of the temple.
People come to the temple twice a year, once during the Chaite Dashain to offer animal sacrifice to the deity and during August/June to pray for water at the time of drought, according to the priest Kunwar. Besides these two events, people do not visit the palace, added the priest.
Towards the 16th century, when the mighty king Mukunda Sen reigned from Palpa, ancient Nepal was as large as the present one. The king had constructed two palaces in Tanahun district, one in Bandipur and the other in Tanahunsur for his sons, according to the historian Pradhan.Posted on: 2003-12-11 04:41

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