- kabita Neupane
Adi Guru Shankaracharya had said after his visit to Baransi: This statement of Adiguru Shankaracharya confirms that Varanasi was developed by the Indian Hindus as a place of pilgrimage as Kaligand is very far and inaccessible. Shaligram, the symbol of Lord Vishnu, is not found in any river in the world except Kaligandaki. The river Kaligandaki has great glory in mythological texts. There are innumerable pilgrimage sites on the banks of the river Kaligand. This article attempts to give a brief overview of the Ruru region, one of the many places of pilgrimage on the banks of the Kaligand. Let’s start the discussion with the Rani Mahal. Why did the then Rana rulers choose the Ruru area as their second place of residence after Kathmandu? The argument is no less important.
Rani Mahal’s
own uncle Ranodeep Singh and the sons and grandsons of Rana’s promoter Jung Bahadur Rana were massacred by 17 brothers and sons of Dhir Shamsher. Which is known as 1942 Sal Parva. After the massacre, the eldest Birshamsher became Shri 3. Mahila Khadgashamsher became Commander-in-Chief. But within 18 months, Birshamsher dismissed Khadgashamsher and deported him to Palpa. In 1945, he was allowed to be the West General In-Chief of Palpa Gowda with responsibilities in Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, Parbat, and Baglung.
As a symbol of love after the demise of his youngest queen Tej Kumari, the then General Khadga Shamsher built a very beautiful artistic palace on the banks of Kaligand near the Ruru area 120 years ago. Which is called the Rani Mahal or Nepal Taj Mahal. Rani Mahal is an important heritage of Nepal. The foundation stone was laid in 1950 BS. However, this property is now in crisis. Rani Mahal is the most magnificent of the physical structures built by the rulers outside the capital Kathmandu after the unification of Nepal.
Spread over an area of 11 ropanis, the palace has 24 rooms. In the palace premises, one can see the garden, Shivalaya, Panipokhari, Shibling, Nag-Nagini’s water sprinkling, kitchen, horse stables, and big bells. The palace has been constructed by raising the foundation from Kaligandaki to reach Kalindi from the steps of the palace. To the left of the Western-style Ranimahal Durbar is the Shittalpati Durbar complex, to the right of the two stone ponds carved for fountains, and to the left of the steps are two temples of the same type, Shiva and Ganga.
The Kalindi, which flows south to Reedy, flows a few kilometers east and flows to the north. It is mentioned in the Himavat Purana that the Tettiskoti deities reside when the rivers of the Himalayan region flow north. Scholars say that this is what really happened. It is not a coincidence that Khadgashamsher chose this place as the site for the construction of the Rani Mahal.
There is no doubt that Rani Mahal, a ‘symbol of love’, is a historical tourist heritage of Nepal. Rani Mahal, also known as the Taj Mahal of Nepal, is situated on a huge rock at a bend in the north of the Kaligandaki River. It is surrounded by landslides from above and Kaligandaki from below. Rani Mahal is in danger of being swept away by landslides from above and floods from below. However, the government has not taken concrete steps to protect it.
Rani Mahal is located not only religiously but also in a natural place to the north of Tansen. To reach this palace, one has to travel 14 kilometers by road from Tansen. The unpaved road is being tarred and widened. Earlier, it was difficult to reach the palace as there were seven kilometers of blacktop and seven kilometers of unpaved roads. Pushing vehicles on the road, After six months, people will be able to cross the muddy road when it is raining and muddy. When this Pantikar arrived in October 2077, there were no hotel lodges to stay. Although it was difficult to reach the palace, it was seen that there was a crowd of domestic tourists. Pantikar also saw a rush of domestic tourists to see the palace, which was closed due to the Corona epidemic. Upon reaching Ranimahal, the loving couple swears to live and die together. Also, enjoy the beauty.
Rani Mahal itself is a beautiful place. Kali Gandaki flowing towards the north, the historical palace turning towards the north attracts everyone’s heart. There are plenty of couples sitting by the river and enjoying cava in the air. It is a pleasure to reach this palace on the banks of Kaligandaki. But the palace is naturally in crisis. The walls of the palace are overgrown with weeds. After the construction of the road through the Baugha Gumha Cherlung Rani Mahal on the North-South Highway under the Kaligandaki Corridor, the road is now broken on both sides of the Rani Mahal. After digging the road, it has become like a landslide around Ranimahal.
Even though there is a three-tier government after the country went to federalism, no one seems to be interested in the protection of the Rani Mahal lately. Although the Department of Archeology is responsible for the restoration and preservation of historical heritage and heritage, the department does not seem to have paid much attention to the protection of the Rani Mahal. Although the department repaired the main part of the palace in 2065 BS, due to lack of continuity and protection, the condition of the palace has reached its old condition.
Due to the lack of proper protection and security of the palace, even the important and valuable items are gradually disappearing. It is mentioned in the information board of the palace that the precious copper roofs of various temples and shrines in the Rani Mahal premises were stolen in 2063 BS. The structures of Ranimahal Durbar are deteriorating due to a lack of proper protection. The walls of the palace have started to deteriorate and look ugly due to the rupture of the walls. It is said that about a dozen organizations and bodies are working to help in the protection and security of the palace.
Renovated for the first time
2073 was the year of the first Ranimahal restoration. The Rani Mahal Palace has been renovated under the auspices of the Department of Archeology, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Nepal. The department has renovated it at a total cost of Rs 272.37 million. It is mentioned in the information board of the palace that Rs 37.78 million has been spent on the renovation. But due to a lack of proper protection and maintenance, the palace is returning to its old condition.
The information board at the palace complex said, “Even though the Department of Archeology repaired the main part of the palace in 2065 BS, it has returned to its old condition due to lack of continuity and protection. In September 2066 BS. The construction of the gate of the Ranimahal premises and bringing drinking water has been done with the financial support of JIPRA Palpa with the active participation of the Ranimahal Conservation Committee.
In 2067 BS, with the financial support of the Tourism Office Bhairahawa, the upper part of the palace was completely repaired and maintained by the club. In 2068 BS, conservation, and maintenance work was carried out with the help of DDC Palpa and Land Conservation Office Bhairahawa. Besides, the Nepal Army Shri Gorakhdal Battalion is also giving continuity for the protection and promotion.
The shrine of Manimukunda Sen, the king of Palpa, as seen in the Hela shrine near the Ruru region, has an idol of the eternal rock and Rishikesh still on the banks of the Kaligandaki. Indian pilgrims come to explore it. But some Nepalis may not know what is meant by ‘the lion of the field, the vulture of the bridegroom’. King Manimukunda Sen has played a major role in building and preserving the temple of Rishikesh. There are more Indians than Nepalese who come here to bathe in Maghe Sakranti. The glory of Rishikesh is well known to Indians. Especially Indians know a lot about the importance of the Ruru area and Resunga. The historic religious shrine area, which is one of the four shrines in Nepal, has been overshadowed.
Ruru, situated on the banks of the sacred Kaligandaki, the confluence of Palpa, Gulmi, and Syangja, has been overshadowed by its historical and religious significance. It is said that Ruru Kanya, about 30 km west of Palpa headquarters Tansen, forced Rishikesh to live in that place forever by doing penance according to the mythological beliefs. There is an old Rishikesh temple near the banks of Kaligand in this ruru area. The fact that the temple is located here has increased its glory and religious significance.
There are also idols of various deities in the Rishikesh temple premises in the Ruru area. Here, people bathe in the river on festivals like Maghe Sakranti, Vaishakh Sakranti, and Thuli Ekadashi. The religious significance of the Ruru region is further enhanced by the fact that Kaligandaki is the only river in the world where Shaligram is found.
Tapobhumi Resunga
Dattya Rudra Bhujel has made a great contribution to keeping Tapobhumi Resunga alive. He worked tirelessly for almost 30 years, working day and night. Many structures including Resunga Shivalaya, Resunga Kunda, Gaushala, and Vyutavar have been built. The old monastery has been renovated. Currently, Resunga is not only a hotspot but also a major tourist destination in the region. A guest house has also been built in this area. The road has reached Kunda and Shivalaya, and from there to Tapobhumi, an attractive stone staircase has been made with railings on both sides. From the view tower, the view from the mountains to the Terai is breathtaking. The rare wild animals found in Resunga include tigers, red pandas, red deer, and squirrels. Rare bird churungi and kaliz are also found in the area. About 56 kinds of herbs are also found in this mountain.
Especially after the transformation of 2046 BS, the development in the Resunga area has started even though it was not as it should have been. Many efforts were made to make the leaders aware of the importance of Resunga Tapobhumi. That effort was in vain. It is really easy to wake up a sleeping person, but it is not possible to wake up a person who pretends to be asleep. When will these leaders come to their senses?
It is enough to continue the vision of our ancestors. Whose evil will the future PD set on burning our property? Engaged in the audacity to destroy by bombs. Those who call themselves great leaders have to lay a stone to destroy the historical heritage. The hangover between Lelin and Stalin in the Soviet Union has not yet ended.
The monkey does not build a house on his own but destroys what others have built. Our leaders are no different than monkeys. What kind of son was born in Nepal? Not to build, but to destroy. What can future generations learn from such leaders?
There is nothing wrong with considering one’s party more important than the country. Apart from plundering the state and augmenting their wealth, the leaders had no intention of attracting tourists from all over the world.
The news that the historic Nuwakot Palace is being preserved with the help of the Chinese government has brought happiness as well as sorrow. Nepal’s leaders are determined to detonate the bomb, China must build. We are heroic Gorkhali, but now we are engrossed in cutting, destroying, and destroying. Foreigners had to come to protect our property. What a great misfortune.
