Two priceless crowns of Akash Bhairav returned to Dolakha after 30 years

Kathmandu. Two priceless crowns of historical and religious significance, 'Hathwa' or Akash Bhairav, stolen from Dolakha about 30 years ago, have finally returned to their original home, Dolakha. These Malla-era crowns, brought back to the country through diplomatic and legal processes from various museums in America, were reinstated in Dolakha on Thursday with state honors and traditional religious rituals.

The crowns, brought from the National Museum, Chhauni, under strict security, were grandly welcomed from the district headquarters Charikot itself by local residents, representatives, heads of security agencies, and representatives from various government offices. A procession with music, incense, vermillion powder, and garlands was taken out from Charikot to the historic Dolakha bazaar. Local residents became emotional at the historic moment of their ancestral deity returning after 30 years. Locals lined up on both sides of the road to welcome the deity, and Dolakha bazaar became festive.

After the procession was completed, these 16th-century crowns were taken to the ancestral home of the Nakchhe Pradhan family in Gurukot Tole. The deity was reinstated through traditional and tantric rituals of Abhishek, welcome, and Pran Pratishtha puja.

There is a history that these crowns were made during the Malla period and fell to the share of the Nakchhe Pradhan family during the division of property among the five sons of the then Dolakha king Govindadev. These crowns, called 'Hathwa' in the local Dhalakha language, were kept in a secret room of the ancestral home throughout the year and were traditionally displayed to the public only during the Indrajatra festival.

After these crowns were stolen from the ancestral home of the Nakchhe Pradhan family in Gurukot Tole, Dolakha, in the years 2050 and 2051 BS, Dolakha's unique festival and religious tradition had been affected for the past 30 years.

Through the research of 'Lost Arts of Nepal', an initiative to search for lost heritage of Nepal, it was discovered that one crown was in the Dallas Museum of Art in Texas, America, and the other was in the Rubin Museum of Art in New York.

Subsequently, legal proceedings were initiated in coordination between the Department of Archaeology, Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign, American research bodies, and the Nepali Consulate General in New York. After collecting the necessary evidence, the crowns were confiscated and brought back to Nepal. After being brought to Nepal, the crowns, which were kept in the National Museum, Chhauni for some time for preservation, were finally taken to Dolakha under the leadership of the eldest priest of the Nakchhe Pradhan family, 83-year-old Yagyakumar Pradhan. Photos: Rajesh Poudel/Nepal Photo Library