By Our Correspondent, Khalanga, Apr. 14: Famous shrine of Chandannath in Jumla district is now at risk of falling prey to urbanisation. Local stakeholders have now woken up to the temple’s deteriorating state and have begun taking initiatives to restore it back to its former glory.

In a bid to resuscitate the holy temple, Chandannath Bhairavnath Guthi Sanstha as well as other stakeholders such as political parties, civil society and media are rallying against encroachment around the temple.

Recently, residential homes, corporate offices, and even factories as high as five storeys are being erected alongside Chandannath. To stop this, the stakeholders have urged locals to not build structures taller than three-storey ones. 

Adjacent to the temple, a huge five-storey building belonging to the Industry and Consumer Protection Office is currently under construction, which has greatly diminished the beauty of the religious site. If the building is to be completed, it will completely block the temple.

“With buildings sprouting up indiscriminately all around, we have decided to move ahead with a masterplan to put a stopper to such unplanned construction projects,” said Krishna Bahadur Rokaya, chairperson of the Guthi.

According to him, the Industry and Consumer Protection Office didn’t even consult the Guthi before starting the construction of the building. “We realised that the building was going to be high enough to block the temple, when work on the building’s third floor started. Until then we had no clue,” he added.

Likewise, Purna Singh Kathayat, a local, condemns such large-scale projects as being a deliberate attack on people’s faith and god. “If such offices start rising up, our once glorious Chandannath will shrink to oblivion,” he bemoaned.

But residents like Kathayat also blame the local governing body for its negligence. “The Department of Archaeology and the Guthi committee have not been vigilant enough to stop construction of such buildings beforehand,” added Kathayat.

Chandannath Temple has long been the fulcrum of belief and culture for numerous faithful followers across Jumla. Seeing it being overshadowed by modern concretes has been troubling for countless such believers.

The stakeholders are advocating against the builders by exerting constant pressure on them. Now, the Guthi is trying to limit the construction of the office to three-storey.

“We will not allow the building to exceed this limit. The temple is the foundation of our faith, and we will not let it shrink,” assured Karma Budha, Deputy Chief of the District Coordination Committee.