After a 21-year-long dispute, the Dharmashala in Gaushala has returned to the ownership of the Pashupati Area Development Fund (PADF). The handover followed a decision by the Kathmandu District Court, which annulled the agreement made in 2060 BS between Shri Pashupatinath Amalkot (now PADF) and the Marwadi Service Committee.
The legal battle began when the PADF Board of Directors decided to terminate the nine-point agreement with the Marwadi Service Committee. The Committee had filed a case to contest the decision, but the court ultimately ruled in favor of the PADF.
PADF Member Secretary, Dr. Milan Kumar Thapa, stated that the Dharmashala, which had been used for commercial purposes—including hotels, lodges, restaurants, and dialysis centers—will now be reserved exclusively for religious use. The Marwadi Service Committee had been operating these businesses while paying a minimal annual rent of just NPR 51,000.
This court ruling marks the return of the Dharmashala to its intended religious function under PADF management.
