Nepal to Replace 'Chuchche' Map on Coins with Lo Ghyaker Monastery Image

Kathmandu. On Thursday, the Council of Ministers made five decisions. One of them was to approve the Nepal Rastra Bank to issue new design coins of 1 Rupee and 2 Rupee denominations.

With this decision, there has been a discussion in various media and social media that Nepal is going to remove the 'Chuchche' map from its coins. This discussion has also led to criticism of the government and the Nepal Rastra Bank.

What is the reality?
The Nepal Rastra Bank can print or mint coins or notes of approved design, size, and weight as needed.

However, if there is any change in the design, size, or weight of such notes or coins, it must be approved by the government.

Nepal Rastra Bank spokesperson Gurupasad Poudel says that the government's approval for printing new design coins now clearly means that its design has been changed.

However, as the decision of the Council of Ministers has not yet been received, the Rastra Bank does not have official information about what is in it.

According to sources, the Rastra Bank is planning to engrave a picture of the 7th-century Lo Ghyaker (Ghar) Monastery in Mustang on the front of the coins instead of the 'Chuchche' map of Nepal.

This monastery, located in Marang village of Mustang, is considered the oldest monastery in Nepal. This monastery, estimated to have been built by Guru Padmasambhava, is intended to be placed on the coins due to its historical significance. With its inclusion, the current map of Nepal will be automatically displaced.

After the map of Nepal mentioned in the constitution was changed to include Lipulek, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani areas, a coin with the 'Chuchche' map was released in 2078 BS. It will be removed after about five years.

Although the monastery is historical, it has been viewed differently after its reconstruction was linked to American aid. The monastery was preserved under the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation program, operated through the US Embassy.

With Prime Minister Balendra Shah making controversial statements in parliament regarding the border and refusing to correct them, the removal of the 'Chuchche' map and the engraving of a monastery supported by American aid is being opposed by linking it to geopolitics.