Monastery construction work stalls

By Our Correspondent,Khotang, Sept. 24: Construction of a monastery that began in Khotang six years ago for Rs. 210 million has been left in limbo. 

The foundation of the monastery was prepared in Nunthala, Diktel, Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality-13, six years ago, but no progress has been made since then. 

Sherdhan Rai, the then Chief Minister of Koshi, laid the foundation stone of the monastery named 'La Jyalo Wang Thope' in 2017.

The construction of the monastery had started at Sansaridanda, a tourist destination in Nunthala by forming a consumer committee. 

The construction of the big monastery along the Mid-Hill Highway was started with the budget of the municipality and donations from various donors. The monastery was designed to be 60 feet tall. 

Initially, Majhuwagadhi Municipality had allocated Rs. 1.5 million and the Consumer Committee managed Rs. 200,000. From the budget, the plinth was prepared by soling stones and completing the PCC slope work.

After that, additional work of the monastery was carried out with Rs. 10 million provided by the provincial government and labour donation equivalent to Rs. 1 million by the consumer committee.

An agreement was also signed between the provincial government and the consumer committee in 2017 to complete the construction. 

Secretary of the Monastery Management Committee, Dhan Kumar Tamang, said that the work has been halted due to a lack of budget.

According to Nunthala Ward chairperson Bhageshwor Rai, some people had even raised questions about the budget expenditure of the monastery.

There is a plan to install 108 Buddhist-related idols and 100 statues of Sitho Lajo in the monastery.

Similarly, according to the Management Committee, 100 clay idols and brass idols will be kept in the monastery as per the religious belief that clay idols are sacred in Buddhism.

The construction of the monastery was started to perform all the rites from birth to marriage and death of the Buddhists. Chairman of the Monastery Management Committee Menuka Tamang Rai provided one ropani and seven annas of land free of cost for the construction of the monastery.