President Paudel observes Bhaktapur Durbar area

BHAKTAPUR, Aug 31: President Ramchandra Paudel has observed the historic heritages including the Bhaktapur Durbar in Bhaktapur today.

The President, accompanied by First Lady Sabita Paudel, reached the Bhaktapur Durbar Area at 11.00 am and spent nearly two hours there. 

The Head of State observed the Bhaktapur Durbar Area enlisted as the World Heritage Site along with the Five-storied Temple, the Aakash Bhairav area at Taumadhi.

This is the President's visit under the 'President at Public Places' campaign, under which the Head of State will be visiting the public places every month, said Kiran Pokharel, the press advisor to the President.

President and the First Lady saw around the Durbar Square, Golden Gate, Sundhara, the main courtyard of the Taleju Temple, the Kumari Chowk, the National Art Museum, the 55-window palace, Pashupatinath, the Yaksheshwar Mahadeva Temple, Shilu Mahadeva, Kedarnath Temple, the Five-storied Temple, the Akash Bhairav Temple, among the historical monuments.

The President also partook the 'prasad' of the goddess Taleju on the occasion. Likewise, he paid homage to the Akash Bhairav deity and received prasad. 

Chief District Officer of Bhaktapur Roshani Kumari Shrestha received the President and the First Lady when they arrived in Bhaktapur. 

Chief of the Bhaktapur Municipality Tourism Division, Gautam Prasad Lasiba provided detailed information about the local heritage sites. 

Nepali Congress Bhaktapur District president and lawmaker Durlabh Thapa,  Changu Narayan  Municipality mayor  Jeevan Khattri, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality mayor Surendra Shrestha, Nepali Congress youth leaders Binod Kayastha, Asta Kumar Kawein, Haridas Prajapati, among other leaders were present on the occasion. 

During the heritages observation tour, President Paudel talked to the members of the general public and heard their views. He also conversed with the students at Bhaktapur Durbar Square.

On the occasion, Uddhav Khadka, a local, urged the President to take initiatives for the prompt reconstruction of the monuments including the art museum which are weakened by the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake and are still being supported by poles.