Two Contrasting Scenes on Buddha Jayanti in Kathmandu

Kathmandu. Two different scenes were seen in the federal capital Kathmandu on Friday as the 2570th Buddha Jayanti was being celebrated. 

 The federal government, in coordination with the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, bulldozed a Buddhist monastery in Balkhu, claiming it was built on public land. In Kathmandu Metropolitan City Ward No. 19, a grand Buddha statue was unveiled. 

The metropolitan city's bulldozer reached the Sangye Choeling Monastery in the Sukumbasi settlement in Balkhu, Kathmandu, on Friday morning. This monastery, registered on Kartik 13, 2078 BS, and the temple within its premises, were bulldozed by the government for allegedly encroaching on public land.

Monastery and temple demolished on Buddha Jayanti, see photos

Local residents protested when the monastery began to be demolished on Buddha Jayanti itself. 'We requested them to at least leave it for one day of Buddha Jayanti, but the government did not agree,' expressed an angry local. The metropolitan city's metropolitan police and Nepal Police stated that the Buddha statues and other religious materials inside the monastery were safely removed before the structure was demolished. 

The metropolitan city stated that this action was taken as part of the campaign to protect public land.

Joy at Kankeshwari: 15-foot-long statue

While the monastery was being demolished in Balkhu, a different atmosphere prevailed in Kankeshwari, Ward No. 19 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. A grand 15-foot-long 'Lion's Rest Stone Buddha Statue' was installed there. Rajesh Kumar Shrestha, coordinator of the infrastructure committee of the metropolitan city and ward chairman, unveiled the statue on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti.
Built at a cost of approximately 2.8 million rupees, this statue is placed on a 4-foot-high pedestal. The metropolitan city aims to develop this area as a tourist and religious destination by naming it 'Buddha Park'.

While unveiling the statue, Ward Chairman Shrestha said that managing and preserving physical structures is more challenging than constructing them. He said, 'We have developed this area as a child-friendly and senior-citizen-friendly park. Now it is the turn of the local residents to protect and take ownership of it. The ward will always play a parental role.'

Before the statue was unveiled, locals took out a procession of Buddha's relics in various parts of the ward. After the procession, accompanied by music, special prayers were offered to Buddha at Namuna Vihar.