Boudhanath

Bouddhnatah

Bouddhnatah-The first UNESCO heritage to stand tall

Boudhanath Stupa, one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites and the holiest Buddhist shrines, was in ruins by the 2015 earthquakes, and the golden spire above the dome was severely damaged. The engineers' inspection of the ancient steeple showed structural cracks running deep into the superstructure, which meant that the steeple had to be dismantled. It was a sad scene for the locals and the tourists visiting the place since then. But not anymore; renovation has restored the Boudhanath's previous glory.

The initiative was taken by the Boudhanath Area Development Committee (BADC). The committee had collected Rs 30 million from its members and Rs 142.2 million from domestic and foreign donors. The StStupahat stands t now has already increased tourism activities in the Boudhanath area.

Boudhanath Stupa is probably the first quake-hit heritage site to be renovated. Donations were refurbished from Buddhist groups and with the help of volunteers. Boudhanath's renovation has piled pressure on the government to rebuild other damaged heritage sites with great urgency. This is important to preserve Nepal's culture, tradition, and aesthetic value. It also helps rejuvenate the tourism sector, one of the country's largest foreign currency earners.

Renovation

Local and foreign donors contributed more than US$ 2 million for renovation. Donors also gave 31 kilograms of gold used in the structure's pinnacle, including 13 steps that represent the Buddhist path to enlightenment. Under the supervision of the Department of Archaeology, every step of the restoration has employed traditional construction techniques to ensure that the new parts of the StStupare indistinguishable from the old. Even the mortar holding the bricks together has been prepared conventionally by burning old bricks and grinding them into powder.

After the renovation of the ancient stStupapurification rituals were carried out for four days. The inaugural ceremony was attended by religious leaders and ambassadors of various countries. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated the renovated  Stupa on November 22. Earlier on November 20, the Prana-Prathistha — an infusion of life — rituals were carried out at the stStupaPeople believe that ritual gives life to the StStupao emanate the divine energy in the place. People also believe in the power to bless those who go around the dome.

Further Info

Jigmi said that the renovation of Boudhanath is an epic example of coming together and rising from where we fell. He also pointed out that there is a powerful connection between the life of the Nepali people and Boudhanath. Both saw peaceful times, and both had to see the crisis, then quiet time again, face earthquake and rise back again.

While the Boudhanath stands tall, many other heritage sites are still in ruins. The Boudhanath Area Development Committee has also set another example by working in the sites themselves instead of just being there for the inauguration. According to Bhujel, the Boudhanath Stupa has a spiritual and architectural aspect. Tourists visit this place to get closer to themselves, revere Lord Buddha, and admire the stunning architectural piece. The StStupas is so complex that it is challenging to apprehend its architecture. A good thing about the reconstruction is that the committee has now documented everything. The pictures of making the stStupawhich will make it easier for the coming generations to take care of the stStupaThe loss made the beauty of the Boudhanath ever so prominent with increased interest in its structure as well. The Boudhanath Stupa consists of the Mandela at the base, which is the mansion of Buddha. A dome with 108 Buddhist deities follows this. The dome is the symbol of the Universe or the Vase of the Great Treasure. The Harmika above the dome is the symbol of eight novel paths. The kunjika, or the nose, symbolises Nirvana, and the two eyes are the symbols of method and wisdom.

Conclusion

The 13 steps in its architecture are the 13 states of Bodhisattva, which is the ground for the complete enlightenment. The thirteen Bodhisattva stages are Pramudita — The Joyful One, Vimala — The Stainless One, Prabhakari – The illuminating One, Archismati — The Flaming One, Sudurjay — The One Difficult to Conquer, Durangama — The One Who Goes Far, Achala — The Unshakable One, Sadhumati — The One of Good Discrimination, Dharmamegha — The Cloud of Dharma, Samantaprabha — A Pervasive Light, Nirupama — The Incomparable One and Gyanvati The Diamond Throne.

The peace after the reconstruction reverberates from all corners of the Stupa and highlights the importance of all our heritage sites even more. The Boudhanath has a decisive cultural and religious significance, showcasing our culture. The same is true for all our cultural sites. Our heritage represents us and our culture to the world and to have so many of them lying in ruins is entirely deplorable.

The fallen temples and so many heritage sites still supported by lumber diminish the cultural value of the place. As tourists visiting Nepal come for the very e purpose of seeing the culture, any delay in the reconstruction process means delaying tourism recovery.

The renovation of Boudhanath stands as an example of success and a quick response to destruction, our reconstruction of other heritage sites should also be fast and effective.

Text-Image Nepal Magazine

Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash