Sinja Valley Heritage

Sinja Valley, which lies in remote Jumla district in Karnali Province of western Nepal, bears proximities with Kathmandu in terms of language, art, culture and civilisation. Scholars consider this beautiful valley as the birthplace of Nepali language and many other things of civilisation. It is a welcoming initiative that the efforts have begun to enlist the valley under UNESCO World Heritage list. Detailed studies and research works have started to document Sinja Valley’s cultural and lingual origins and the place is on its way to gaining global heritage status. Sinja Valley, known for its rich historical, archaeological, linguistic, and cultural significance, was the site of the establishment of the Khasa Kingdom under King Nagaraj in the 12th century. Despite its historical and cultural value, it faces challenges in its preservation and promotion. At a time when there was an obvious lack of study and preservation for the historical heritage of Sinja, the local community has welcomed the efforts in a very positive way. 

To lay the groundwork for this, a team from the Department of Archaeology is currently in Sinja to conduct an in-depth study and for an observation of the place. As part of this initiative, the department has held an interactive session at Sinja Rural Municipality to develop a working collaboration with the local government. A seven-member team, led by the Department’s Director General Subhagya Pradhanang, has held an interaction with officials from Sinja Rural Municipality and nearby municipalities of Kanakasundari and Hima. During the interaction session, Pradhanang shared that currently, Nepal’s four heritage sites are on the World Heritage List and Sinja Valley is also being considered for inclusion. For this to materialise, the local governments play a key role. He has expressed serious concerns over the destruction of important heritages here and stressed the need to halt such activities being carried out in the name of modern development. The Archaeology Department has drawn accolades for its proactive approach.

Lumbini and the Kathmandu Valley are already on the World Heritage List, with specific sites like the Pashupatinath Temple, Changu Narayan, the Bouddhanath Stupa, and the three Durbar Squares. The Department has revealed that preparations are underway for 15 new areas in the country to be enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage, along with Sinja Valley and 22 temples of Dullu. According to the Archaeology Department, Nepal's focus should be on showcasing its cultural heritage and prioritising tourism development. While development is underway, the heritage sites must be protected from ongoing destruction, and the inclusion of Sinja on the World Heritage List is a step forward in preserving this place. Sinja Rural Municipality 

Chairperson Purna Prasad Dhital urges for swift efforts to have Sinja's civilisation, a vital part of Nepali identity, recognised on the World Heritage List by offering his firm commitment to cooperate in the preservation and promotion initiative taken by the Archaeology Department in this direction. The long-awaited process to include Sinja in the World Heritage List, which had been discussed as early as 2008, is now moving forward. The efforts of the DoA should be supported by concerned authorities and local people to achieve a positive outcome. Collective support and initiation can yield results for the preservation of ancient and historically important sites of Nepal. People will be happier if all levels of government, from federal to local, take timely action to make the efforts a success.