The Mahasnan Ghar in the Pashupati area, which had been partially damaged by the earthquake on April 25, 2015, has sunk almost a year after its reconstruction was completed.
Nepal Investment Bank had undertaken the restoration of the partially damaged Mahasnan Ghar. The bank completed the renovation and inaugurated the Pashupati Museum in the first week of September 2022. However, the museum remained closed due to the absence of operational guidelines, according to the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT).
Following the sinking of the Mahasnan Ghar, PADT has allocated a budget for its reconstruction in the current fiscal year. Subhash Chandra Joshi, the Executive Director of PADT, informed that the police who were stationed in the ground floor of the building have been relocated after the incident.
PADT engineer Rika Joshi speculated that the sinking could be due to the incomplete construction of the surrounding structures during the building’s initial construction phase. The Chaughera Sattal, a structure built during the Rana era, had also been restored by PADT, and its plan division office was operated there for about six months.
The Mahasnan Ghar had temporarily housed the Nepal Panchang Decision Committee office as well. Engineer Pashupati Thakur, the head of the planning division at PADT, mentioned that the sinking might have occurred due to the lack of proper foundation work during the renovation. He added that the main timber supporting the structure had decayed, leading to the sinking. Immediate measures have been taken to stabilize the building with temporary supports to prevent further collapse.
Two years ago, the bank completed the renovation of the Mahasnan Ghar for NPR 51.4 million and constructed the Pashupati Museum. Following the sinking of the building, PADT has allocated NPR 10 million in the current fiscal year for its reconstruction. The Mahasnan Ghar is traditionally used every full moon day to offer 84 types of food to Lord Pashupatinath, a tradition established during the reign of King Rana Bahadur Shah.
Currently, the rituals are conducted from the eastern part of the Mahasnan Ghar on full moon days, and the sinking of the southern part has not affected the ceremonies, according to Ramkrishna Dangol of PADT’s Amalkot Kachahari division.
