Numismatics Museum still non-operational in Dolakha

By Our Correspondent,Dolakha, Jan. 9: The Numismatics Museum established in the historical city of Dolakha in Bhimeshwor Municipality-2 is yet to come into operation. 

Harka Bahadur Shrestha, a local social worker, said that the Numismatics Museum was constructed after the ancient minting house located on the premises of Rajkuleshwor Taleju Temple was encroached upon. 

 The museum building could not come into operation as the finishing works remain incomplete.   

According to him, the construction of the museum building had started as a multi-year project. In the first phase, the compound wall was constructed for Rs. 500,000. Bagmati Provincial government constructed the structure of the building at Rs. 37.38 million.   

To complete the remaining works, Rs. 16.2 million has been proposed. According to the DPR, the first phase of work started in December/January 2020 completed in May/June 2022. 

The remaining works of the building built on 1,153 square metres of land have been stuck due to a lack of budget.

The encroached mint house, which is now in a dilapidated condition, was used as a storehouse during the Malla and the Rana periods. 

Before 1605 BS, the first coin was printed in Dolakha during the reign of King Jayinder Singh Dev of Dolakha. It is said the coin was minted in Dolakha before the Malla kings of the Kathmandu Valley started minting them.

A book titled Coinage of Nepal published in London in 1989 claims the coin of Jayaindra Singh Dev to be the first coin of Nepal. The book, published by three British men with facts, also mentions that the coin brought by King Jayinder Singh was found in Tibet.