Cycle ride journey through Sindhuligadi to kick off

Kathmandu: Setting for cycle ride journey through Sindhuligadi going to commence from Friday is ready. Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai is to inaugurate the cycle ride journey from the Pashupatinath temple premise. 

According to the coordinator of Ride through Sindhuligadi Deepika Gyawali, as many as 167 cycle riders will participate in the cycle ride journey. Of the total number of participants, 148 are males and 18 are females. The total participants including supporters may reach up to 204 said Gyawali.

The female participants have increased this time as British Council and United Nations have sponsored them under which United Nations is to bear the cost of 10 female participants and British Council to bear the cost of 5 female participants, said Leelanath Ghimire, who is the chairman of Samridha Sindhuli campaign.

Samridha Sindhuli campaign has been hosting this campaign every year for four years to promote the Sindhuligadi. Even the foreigners will participate in the cycle ride campaign.

Nepal Tourism Board will also support the promotion of this cycle journey. The world-famous cyclist Puskar Shah and Devendra Basnet will be leading this cycle ride journey. The cycle journey will pass through Bhaktapur, Kabre, Sindhuli, Mahotari and Dhanusa districts once it starts at Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu.

Other local organizations including the Nepal army, police and schools will be ready to provide water, snack and health facilities to the participants said social mobilizer Hari Krishna Shrestha.

The Sunkoshi Rural Municipality will be organizing a festival to welcome the participants on November 23. The participants will stay overnight at Mulkot of Sindhuli. One of the goals of this campaign is to promote the historical site of Sindhuligadi to the outside world, said Shrestha.