Panchkoshi locals want sacred flame intact amid petroleum exploration

By Our Correspondent,Dailekh, Sept. 29: A mysterious flame has been continuously burning in the Panchkoshi area near a river in Dailekh, even during the rainy season. Locals believe this fire to be divine and have been worshipping it for years, considering it a manifestation of God's presence. 

Many people from different parts of the country come to this sacred site, believing that performing rituals in the Panchkoshi area will fulfill their wishes.

While the scientific explanation for the flame suggests that it could be due to underground petroleum deposits, the locals remain focused on their religious beliefs. Petroleum exploration work is currently underway in the area, but locals insist that the sacred flame should not be extinguished in the process.

Pandit Tilak Prasad Rijal of Bhairavi Rural Municipality stressed that while exploring petroleum resources is beneficial for the country and the Dailekh region, it is essential that the flame, which has religious and archaeological significance, is preserved. 

“The flame has been burning since 1873 and holds deep religious and touristic importance. The concerned authorities must take measures to protect it,” said Rijal.

Similarly, Gorkannath Yogi, Mahanth of the Shiristhan Temple since 1985, emphasised that the Chinese technical team conducting the exploration must ensure the flame in the Shiristhan and Navisthan temples is not extinguished. 

"This flame is the centre of our faith. Let the petroleum come out, but the flame must not be put out," he said.

Nabin Yogi, Chairman of the Navisthan Mandir Management Committee, echoed these sentiments. He called for a balance between research and the preservation of religious, cultural, and social beliefs that have been passed down through centuries. 

He urged local temple leaders and authorities not to let the flame die out. The petroleum exploration in Dailekh began after a bilateral agreement was signed between Nepal and China in March 2016 to explore petroleum resources. 

In February 2020, an economic and technical agreement worth Rs. 2.4 billion was signed between Nepal's Department of Mines and Geology and the Chinese Geological Survey Company for the exploration and extraction of petroleum. 

Under this agreement, the Chinese team has already completed the first phase, which included seismic, geological, magneto-telluric, and geochemical sampling surveys.

Prakash Luitel, a geologist from the Department of Mines and Geology, informed that 60 per cent of the drilling work has been completed. He added that while the drilling, which started last May, was initially expected to be completed by October, the work has been delayed due to hard rock formations. 

Now, the drilling is expected to finish by mid-November. Experts are currently collecting data from the stones and soil samples extracted from a depth of 2,700 metres. Former President of the Dailekh Industry and Commerce Association, Shanti Prasad Sharma, expressed his optimism regarding the petroleum exploration. 

“This discovery will not only bring economic progress to Dailekh but will also help propel the country forward. However, we must find a way to extract the petroleum without extinguishing the sacred flame,” he said.