Namobuddha to be listed as World Heritage Site

• Rajkumari Parajuli

The process of listing the historical and tourist Namo Buddha in Kavrepalanchok in the World Heritage List is going to be started.

As the Namobuddha Municipality is a historical, tourist, and religious place, the second Municipal Assembly has decided that the additional process necessary to be listed in the World Heritage will be carried out.

The long-term master plan built by the city to maintain the original form of the world-famous Namobuddha temple complex located in Ward No. 11 of the city, which has religious, historical, archeological, cultural, environmental, and ancient significance, has been modified further with the cooperation, cooperation and coordination of the relevant stakeholders, and the necessary process has been carried forward to be listed in the World Heritage List.

The initiative was passed by the city council on Thursday. The city has already made a master plan and proceeded with the work and has also held discussions with the stakeholders at various stages.

Since the criteria for being listed as a heritage site has been reached, it has been included in the city plan, so a plan was made to make a formal visit to the Nepalese representative of the United Nations (UNESCO). Tourist place Namobuddha is also considered as a place of pilgrimage, especially for Buddhists.

Namobuddha is considered the place where the “Prince” renounced his body. It is believed that after Buddha was reborn in Lumbini, the land where he gave up his life in his previous life was named Namobuddha after ‘Namobuddhaya Namah’. According to legend, the skeleton chariot of the same prince of the Dwapara era was built and at the place where he renounced his life, a large crowd of Buddhists gathers to worship and light the lamp on the occasion of Kartik Shukla Purnima.

Similarly, Panauti, a historical, religious, cultural, and archaeological city of Kavrepalanchok, will be listed as a world heritage site after the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers in Nepal. Panauti is an area proposed by UNESCO 25 years ago to be listed as a World Heritage Site. The final process of listing is awaiting the decision of the cabinet meeting in Nepal, said city deputy chief Geeta Banjara.

UNESCO lists heritage sites that have special cultural significance for any nation (eg forests, mountains, lakes, islands, deserts, monuments, buildings, or cities), which is selected by the World Heritage Committee.