Local, Indian tourists visit Saligram Museum

By Thakur Prasad Acharya,Baglung, Aug. 29: Religious tourists from Nepal and India have flocked to the Saligram Museum located at Kudule Phedi in Baglung Municipality-4.

 A significant number of Indian tourists have visited the museum, which was established five years ago to preserve the rare Shaligrams found in the Kaligandaki River.

A tunnel was constructed at a cost of around Rs. 60 million to preserve the Shaligrams.

 In addition, the Muktinarayan Temple, Muktinath Vedavidyashram and Tirupati Balajidham have also been constructed.  

The museum was established inside a 100-foot-long tunnel where 1.25 million Shaligrams of different forms and shapes are on display.

 The entrance of the museum has been artistically decorated in the shape of a tiger.

Swami Rishi Prapanacharya said that the museum has been named after the late Swami Sridharacharya, who was active in preserving Shaligrams and promoting their universal significance.

 A total of 1.25 million Shaligrams, collected over nearly 40 years, have been preserved here. Vidyashram Sanskriti Pathshala is also operating on the museum premises.

Religious tourists who visit Muktinath, Baglung Kalika, and Panchakot of Mustang also visit the Shaligram Museum, said Dandapani Upadhyaya, a devotee living in Tirupati Balajidham.

 “Indian pilgrims come here a lot. Daily, 50 to 100 devotees visit. However, the number of devotees visiting Tanahun has decreased after a bus carrying Indian tourists met with an accident recently,” he added.

Shrijana Sharma, a museum employee, said that the depiction of the route from Damodarkunda to Trivenidham, the source of the Kaligandaki River, attracts many devotees. Visitors are required to purchase a ticket costing Rs. 100 to enter the museum.

Around Rs. 100 million has been invested in the construction of the Shaligram Museum, surrounding temples, and other religious structures, according to Sharma.