Nepal Government Wants to Unlock Pashupatinath’s Treasury

Kathmandu (Nepal) : A Nepalese Hindu has dragged the government to court over its decision to open the main treasury of Nepal’s famous Pashupatinath Temple, that is believed to have remained padlocked for centuries. Bharat Jangam, a Hindu activist and writer, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court, pleading to strike down the decision taken by the caretaker government to open the main treasury of the fifth century shrine. Jangam has argued that the caretaker government has no right to open the 2000-years-plus-old treasury of the Hindu shrine.

Jangam has argued that in a secular state the government has no rights to interfere in religious matters. If the government cannot open the treasury of a Buddhist monastery or a Christian church how can it interfere with the valuable assets of the Pashupatinath temple, he asked. However, a legitimate government can do the same by enacting a separate act after holding consultations with Hindu scholars and priests and other prestigious people, he underlined.

The main treasury (mul dhukuti) of Pashupatinath is believed to contain priceless items, including Nagmani (snake jewel), Gajamani (elephant jewel), Nilmani, (blue precious stone). Last month, the government decided to open the treasury to maintain a record of the valuables and to ensure their safety, said officials at Pashupati Area Development Trust, that manages the affairs of the temple.

Source: HinduismToday