Kathmandu, 26 January: Three thousand three hundred and twenty-five years ago, King Shankhadeva of the then Sankhu region built a city by incorporating seven villages with architectural features. It was named Sankhu. In Newari language, it was called Sakwa. For a long time, Sankhu city became a place of study for students of architecture. This city of historical, cultural, archaeological and religious importance was established as a tourist destination for domestic and foreign tourists.
Gradually, modern concrete houses began to be built in place of the original houses here. After the earthquake of 12 Baisakh 2072 BS (25 April 2015), the number of modern houses built in the originality of Sankhu increased even more. Gradually, the danger of losing the originality of Sankhu city began to increase. Of the eight gates of the city built by Shankhadeva, only five now exist.
As many ponds were destroyed, as many such heritage sites were destroyed, the number of domestic and foreign tourists coming to see the originality of the place also started decreasing. Every year, from the full moon of Paush to the full moon of Magh, lakhs of religious tourists come to the Shree Swasthani Madhav Narayan Mela held on the Shalini River in Sankhu but do not visit the original heritage city, so the local government has been trying to organize the Shankharapur Sakwa Festival.
At a press conference organized by the municipality in Sankhu to provide information about the festival, Mayor Ramesh Napit said that the festival was organized with the aim of introducing Sankhu, a city rich in original heritage that had been inhabited since the Kathmandu Valley was submerged, to the world. He said that since 3 to 4 million tourists visit Shalini every year, the festival was organized from Magh 16 to 19 (29-01 Jan/Feb) with the aim of taking the Shalini Mela as an opportunity to tour the ancient settlement of the original city.
Mayor Napit said that the municipality is also taking initiatives to list the city of Sankhu, which is home to Bajrayogini, Shalinadi and ancient settlements, in the World Heritage List. Pote Thing, ward chairman of ward no. 8 of the municipality, said that preparations have been made to hold another festival here in Baisakh by linking Bajrayogini and Manichud. Mentioning that the Bajrayogini Manichud festival was held earlier in the fiscal year 2073/74, he said that preparations are being made for another festival to promote tourism in the area. Ward chairman Thing believes that the festival will be an effective means to introduce the ancient monasteries and temples in Shankharapur to domestic and foreign tourists.
Ward Chairman of Ward No. 7 of the Municipality, Bishnu Prasad Shrestha, says that the festival will prove to be a boon for those who visit Shalini every year from the full moon of Paush to the full moon of Magh but do not know the ancient and original city of Sankhu. Ward Chairman of Ward No. 6, Radha Krishna Shrestha, who is also the spokesperson of the Municipality, says that the festival is being organized to end the situation where the number of religious tourists visiting Shalini increases every year but tourists do not reach the ancient city.
