The historic Mukundeshwari Fort, located in Bandipur Rural Municipality-2, is being developed as a religious tourist destination. As part of this initiative, the reconstruction of the historic Mukundeshwari Temple has begun.
Built during the reign of the then King Sena before Nepal’s unification, the temple remained unnoticed due to a lack of promotion. According to Rural Municipality Chairperson Surendra Bahadur Thapa, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared to develop Mukundeshwari as a religious, historical, and tourist site, along with the construction of necessary structures.
The plan includes building a palace, museum, park, and viewpoints. While the temple traditionally hosted worship during the Dashain festival, regular prayers are now being held during Chaitra Dashain and other occasions.
Historians state that King Mani Mukundasen of Palpa used to stay at Mukundeshwari while traveling to the Kathmandu Valley or other pilgrimage sites. The temple area still contains remnants of his winter palace, a former military parade ground, a cave that can accommodate 30–35 people, a well about 8–10 feet deep, and stables for horses. Efforts are being made to preserve these sites and develop Mukundeshwari as a research and study center.
With the active participation of locals and joint funding from the provincial and local governments, the reconstruction is progressing, said Sukumalal Gurung, Chairperson of the Mukundeshwari Temple and Palace Reconstruction and Conservation Committee. In the current fiscal year, Bandipur Rural Municipality allocated NPR 500,000 to complete 290 meters of an unfinished staircase leading to the temple.
Additionally, NPR 500,000 from the Gandaki Province Social Development Ministry was used for gabion wall construction, while NPR 1 million from the Gandaki Province Tourism Ministry is funding the temple reconstruction. To promote Mukundeshwari Hill, the rural municipality has also accelerated the construction of the Mani Mukundeshwari Trail (Mini Great Wall), designed to resemble China’s Great Wall. The trail starts from Thanimai Temple in Bandipur-2 and ends at Mukundeshwari Hill.
Situated at an altitude of 1,343 meters above sea level, Mukundeshwari offers breathtaking views of the Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhre, Annapurna, Manaslu, Himalchuli, Ganesh, and Langtang mountain ranges, along with various locations in Tanahun, Lamjung, Gorkha, Chitwan, and Nawalpur. Visitors can reach Mukundeshwari Hill by vehicle up to Mucchok via Bhanjyang Chautara from Bandipur, followed by a 45-minute uphill hike to the destination.
