Buddhas' abode rues state apathy

ANKIT ADHIKARI & PRAGATI SHAHI
KATHMANDU, SEP 15

The environment around this historic, cultural and religious place is unmistakable. Amid the city’s hustle and bustle, it has maintained its pristine beauty and cultural significance. Thousands of Buddha’s sculptures at Mahabudhha Temple impose a calm and serenity in their own right and draw sizeable number of visitors every day.

At a time when the city seems to be gradually losing its glory in terms of historic art and monuments, six-hundred-year-old Mahabuddha Temple in Lalitpur still stands as a testimony to the history, culture and art that once thrived in the Valley.

The temple houses the images of the Buddha representing three ages—past, present and future. There are images of Dipankara Tathagata facing north and the forthcoming Buddha, Maitriya facing southward in the worship chamber. The image of Shakyamuni Buddha facing eastward is enshrined in the main sanctum. 

Some nine thousand terracotta images of Lord Buddha covering the temple’s outer surface is one of the major assets of the temple. Located some 700 meters south of the Patan Durbar Square, a World Heritage Site, the temple is a popular shrine of Tibetan visitors who call it Sange Tungu in their local dialect.

The temple’s history is even more interesting. According to the locals, the brain behind the construction of this brilliant piece of art was Pandit Abhayaraj, who, however, was not able to complete the work during his lifetime. It took his four successive generations to complete the work. In some ways it may remind foreign visitors of Barcelona’s la Segrada Familia (in Spain), the unfinished work of Gaudi that is underway since 1882 and is not expected to be completed before 2026.

It is said Pandit got the idea while on a pilgrimage to various places including Lumbini, Bodhagaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar. Once during his journey, he dreamt that the Goddess Vidyadhari had directed him to build a temple similar to the one in Kushinagar. Overwhelmed by the intuition, he laid the foundation stone for a temple in 1564 A.D. in his own residential courtyard. After his death his sons and grandsons took over the responsibility. It took 36 years to the master artisans Hakuju the grandson and great grandsons Muniju and Ratna Muni to complete the work.

The 1934 earthquake destroyed the temple badly. However, members of the management committee reconstructed the temple with local resources and Rs. 3,100 fovernemnt loan.

The renovation of this historic temple was carried out four years ago with the locals’ support.

According to Jay Bhai Shakya, who is involved with the Guthi that runs the temple, the Department of Archaeology (DoA) declined to provide money for renovation.

It is high time the concerned authority paid due attention to, at least, maintain the worth and elegance of this cultural artifact that draws more than 100 domestic and foreign tourists every day.

Published in The Kathmandu Post -- September 16