Preparations have been completed for the month-long fair at Swyambhu, set to commence tomorrow, Monday. The Swayambhu Management and Conservation Main Committee announced that all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure safety, crowd management, cleanliness, and lighting for devotees visiting the World Heritage Site of Swayambhu and the surrounding areas.
The committee has completed the restoration and renovation of the ancient heritage sites, including the chaityas and various other structures. This has led to an expectation of increased visitor numbers during the fair.
Ashok Buddhacharya, the General Secretary of the Main Committee, stated that temporary shops around the temple area have been removed and arrangements have been made to prevent beggars from staying in the vicinity. The committee anticipates that around 500,000 followers from the Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana Buddhist traditions will attend the fair from both national and international regions.
Ishworman Dangol, the ward chairperson of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15, mentioned that the fair management has been organized in coordination with the Main Committee. The Metropolitan Police Circle at Swyambhu, in collaboration with traffic police, has made plans to manage road traffic during the fair.
The fair, held in conjunction with the Gula Festival, is celebrated by Buddhist devotees. During the fair, it is customary for attendees to visit the Swyambhu Maha chaitya early in the morning while playing the Gula musical instruments, as well as to perform circumambulations of the Shobhabhagwati, Bijeshwari, and Seto Machhindranath, also known as Karunamaya.
The month-long fair at Swyambhu is anticipated to be a significant event, drawing devotees and tourists alike to the revered heritage site.
