Nepal Shiva Temple in Deplorable State

[Guest guest]

Religious shrine in deplorable state

kATHMANDU pOST

RSS

 

SIRAHA, July 14 : The Saswornath Shiva temple, a famous religious

shrine situated at Saswor VDC-1 of Siraha district, has fallen under

shadow for want of necessary preservation and dissemination works.

 

The ancient temple having greater religious significance can be a

centre of tourist attraction if proper renovation and development

works are carried out, opine the local people.

 

Siraha district is lavished with innumerable ancient temples,

shrines, ponds, flower gardens and other structures of religious and

archaeological importance, each of which has their own typical

glorious history, says culture expert Hari Kanta Lal Das of Rajbiraj

Campus, adding that effective programme should be brought about for

their integrated development as some of them including Saswornath

temple have been far from public notice due to the lack of proper

research, preservation and development works.

 

It is difficult to reach the Saswornth temple, which is situated

nearby Kamala river and at a distance of about four km north of

district headquarters Siraha Bazaar, as there is no good motorway and

inundation is usual in monsoon time, says local Bhagavat Chaudhari.

 

The temple is thronged by Hindu devotees on every Monday during the

month of Shravana to offer sacred water and pay homage on lord Shiva.

The devotees, mainly women, go on fasting on the day, said Chaudhari.

 

The Saswornath temple, which is 25 feet tall, 15 feet long and 10

feet wide, is said to be the most ancient among any other existing

religious entities in the district and is the centre for Shaiba

(staunch followers of lord Shiva) community.

 

The temple is in pagoda style.

 

The idol of Saswornath Shiva is underground the temple and a six-feet

staircase should be walked down from the ground surface to reach to

it.

 

The only door of the temple is facing towards west and crowded fair

is observed every Shivaratri and Thulo Ekadashi.

 

The temple has been mentioned by historian Babu Ram Acharya in his

work `Precise Biography of Prithvi Narayan Shah, The Great' thereby

proving the temple should be at least 300 years old. The temple has

28 bigas of land under its name, which is said to have been bestowed

by the then king for continuing prayers in the temple.

 

Despite the religious, archaeological significance and good

resources, the temple is in a decrepit condition, which is a matter

of sorrow, opines expert Das.