Lurking tragedy: Collapse fear clouds Pashupatinath Temple
Lord Shiva forbid, if disaster fell upon the temple of Pashupatinath, will the holy Hindu shrine be able to save itself from collapse?
At a time when speculations are rife that the Valley is in danger of natural calamities like land subsidence and earthquake, experts claim the abode of lord Shiva, which is already on the verge of collapse, could crumple if a disaster hammers it.
If the potential collapse occurs before the temple sees any renovation, the biggest tragedy that experts fear is that the sanctuary will never be able to see the revival of its original structure.
As there are no inventories of what the temple actually looks like from inside, the original inner structure of the temple will remain a mystery forever if the temple collapses.
Since none except the senior priests are allowed into the main temple, the inventory formation of the inner structure and documentation of temple’s make-up from inside have been impossible so far.
Nevertheless, a committee formed to look into the problems of Pashupatinath has proposed to the Ministry of Culture (MoC) that the work of documentation and inventory keeping of the temple’s minute inner structures be carried out at the earliest. The committee—Shree Pashupati Adhyayan Byawasthapan Swatantra Adhikar Sampanna Samiti—was formed under the MoC as per a Supreme Court ruling last year.
The preliminary report submitted by it on July 21, which puts prime emphasis on “elaborate” renovation of the temple, also states that the inventory keeping of the temple’s internal structure should be conducted before starting renovation.
“There is neither any photograph nor drawing or structural inventory of the temple’s inner structures,” said committee Spokesman Ram Prasad Dahal. “If the temple collapses in the near future, nothing will be left to us to erect it again. Documentation of the structure can largely help in preserving the existence of temple.”
According to Dahal, the collapse of the temple, if it occurs, is also likely to damage priceless objects that are said to be inside the temple. The report proposes that highly expensive materials inside the temple including idols and jewellery of pearls, gold and diamonds be put on exhibition by setting up a separate museum on the Pashupati premises.
The proposal also includes the exhibition of other “priceless” objects like Nagmani, Gajmani, Naramani (jewellery worn by serpentine gods) and the one-faceted Rudraksha among others that are reported to be inside the main temple since times immemorial.
MoC Secretary Mod Raj Dotel, meanwhile, said the ministry is preparing to immediately form an administrative body under the ministry itself to study the report in detail. “Renovation of the temple and minute inventory formation of the inner architecture of the temple are important issues of public concern mentioned in the report,” Dotel said. “Once the administrative wing completes its study, we will move forth with what should be implemented. The committee that is due to be formed at the earliest will first differentiate issues that are to be immediately addressed against those that can be looked into later.”
Posted on: 2011-07-31 08:23
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