Visitors to historical Kichakbadh increase

By Bishnu Prasad Pokharel,Damak, Feb. 8: The number of devotees visiting a fair, which is being organised in the historical place of Kichakbadh in Bhadrapur Municipality, Jhapa district, has increased.   

Bhadrapur Municipality has organised the fair with an objective of promoting the historically important site. Bhadrapur Municipality and Kachankawal Rural Municipality gave local holiday on the occasion. 

The fair could not be organised for two years due to the COVID-19. Every year, on the full moon day of Magh Shukla, a religious fair takes place here and people from far and wide attend it. 

According to Dil Bahadur Thebe, president of Kichakadham Preservation Committee, the religious fair will continue for three days at Kichakbadh area.  In the palace, believed to be over 2,000 years old, fort, wall, clay bricks and bricks were found during an excavation. The discovered objects are being preserved as per the master plan, he said.  The clay bricks with the swastika mark were found on the site when archaeologists excavated the area for the first time in 2003.  Since then, the area has been conserved. 

At the area, there were two statues of Bhimsen killing Kichak. The committee has formulated a master plan of Rs. 525 million for the development of infrastructure including forest picnic site, kindergarten, zoo, community building suspension bridge, old age home and pond, said Thebe.  

Kichakbadh area is associated with the story of the Mahabharata period, as evidenced by several archaeological objects found here. There is an attractive pond in hexagon shape. It is believed that people get relief from several diseases and get their wishes fulfilled once they take dip in the pond during the fair. 

Spread over 10 bigas of land, the better part of the area resembles small hill in the middle of the area in the shape of a fort.  

In the period of Mahabharat, there was a king named Virat, who ruled Biratnagar and had army chief named Kichak. In the king’s court, Pandavas were hiding with Draupadi. Kichak, who had evil eye on Draupadi, started abusing her repeatedly.     

Bhimsen, who was powerful among other brothers, had killed Kichak by punching him in an attempt to protect Draupadi from him.