Preservation work of Aadikabi’s house making no progress

By Amar Raj Naharki,Tanahun, May 24:No progress has been made in the reconstruction of Aadikabi Bhanubhakta Acharya's house in Bhanu Municipality-4, Tanahun, even eight years after its foundation stone was laid. 

The Pashchimanchal Development Forum laid the foundation stone on April 4, 2017, to reconstruct the house which was destroyed by a wildfire 21 years ago.  

The then Chief Secretary Som Lal Subedi, former Chief Secretary Lilamani Poudel and Pashchimanchal Development Forum Chairperson Ramkaji Kone had laid the foundation stone of the historic house.

At that time, the reconstruction cost was estimated at Rs. 6.8 million. However, the reconstruction work could not be carried out due to a lack of budget allocation, said the Adikavi Bhanubhakta Birthplace Development Committee (BBDC).

Tourists visiting poet Bhanubhakta's birthplace are disappointed after seeing his house in ruins.

Baikuntha Neupane, Mayor of Vyas Municipality, said Bhanubhakta's house should be rebuilt immediately. 

Mayor Neupane proposed that Bhanu's residence could be built with financial support from 10 municipalities of Tanahun district. He mentioned, "Vyas Municipality is willing to contribute to  building Bhanu's house."

The ruins of Bhanu's house are now buried under bushes. The fire had destroyed the wooden windows of the house. Although a plan to develop it as a literary pilgrimage and linguistic centre was floated, no attention has been paid to the reconstruction even years after the fire gutted it. 

Acharya made a significant contribution to Nepali literature, but the nation has not been able to honour him. They urged the government to pay attention to reconstructing the house.

Bharat Pokhrel, a local from Bhanu Municipality-5, said that people's representatives did not give interest in reconstructing the house. 

Pokharel said, "We have to demand a budget from the federal and provincial governments, and if they fail to allocate the budget, the municipality would carry out the construction work on its own." 

However, Shankar Ranabhat, Executive Director of the BBDC, said that the reconstruction work has resumed with the active participation of the Forum. Preparations are underway to call for a tender, he added. The Forum has collected financial support for the construction of the house. "Eight years ago, the reconstruction cost was estimated at Rs 6.8 million which has now increased to Rs. 10.5 million," said Ranabhat.

With the assistance of Bhanubhakta Birthplace Development Committee, film director Yadav Kharel, reconstructed the house at the cost of Rs. 100,000 in 2060 BS to shoot his movie ‘Aadikabi Bhanubhakta’. In an excavation carried out at the initiation of Dr. Ramraj Subedi of  Tribhuvan University, the foundation stone of the house,  silver bangles and the fireplace of the house were discovered and handed over to the committee office. 

Bhanubhakta Acharya was born on 13 July 1814 (29 Ashadh 1871 BS) in the village of Chundi Ramgha, Tanahun district, to Dhananjaya Acharya and Dharmawati Acharya. Bhanubhakta translated Ramayana written in Sanskrit language in simple Nepali language making it accessible to the general public. 

His prominent books include Prashnottar, Bhaktamala, Badhusikshya and Ramgita. After poet Moti Ram Bhatta found the manuscript of the Ramayana and published it, Bhanubhakta Acharya became distinguished as one of the most prominent poets in Nepal.