PADT to clear temple area of graves to conserve holy site

KATHMANDU: In a bid to clean up and conserve the Hindu religious site in the vicinity of Pashupatinath, the Pashupati Area Development Trust has decided to remove remains and tombstones of non-Hindus from the Pashupati and surrounding areas.

“Hundreds of bodies have been buried in the Shleshmantak forest area, and concrete structures are causing deforestation in the area. In addition, bodies of non-Hindus are not allowed to be interred in and around the holy site,” said PADT member secretary Sushil Nahata.

There are around 200 Christian graves in the Sleshmantak forest area.

Non-Hindus started burying bodies in the Pashupatinath forest area after 2006 — the year the country was declared a secular state. However, besides Christians, non-Hindu groups like Kiratis too claim the Pashupati area as their heritage site, and they too started burying the dead in the area about a decade ago. PADT earlier demolished about 67 gravestones.

The government in association with the Department of Archaeology had reached an agreement with Rai-Kiratis about a decade ago in relation to performing final rites of the dead in the area. According to PADT Norms- 2050, non-Hindu activities are restricted in the Pashupati area.

Hindus from Giri, Puri and Dashanami societies and children of Hindus only can be buried in the area. However, there is a restriction on constructing structures on the burial site of any sort. KB Rokaya, general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Nepal, said the community didn’t have any other option but to bury the dead in the area as the government failed to allocate land for them for burial. “The government should provide land for the Christians here,” said Rokaya.

However, Nahata informed that today’s meeting of the PADT Council has decided to form a three-member committee to look into the issue.

The committee headed by Nahata includes Kathmandu Chief District Officer and chief of DoA. “The Committee after studying the situation will find a solution,” said PADT Director Bhola Prasad Sitaula.

Culture Minister Minendra Rijal, who is also the Chairman of PADT, said the government will take up the issue seriously considering the gravity of the situation. Concern raised by non-Hindus, especially the Christians, will be discussed to do the needful to address the problem.

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