Managing Temples in Kathmandu

Kesh B Malla
THT 02/04/08

Smell of incense, stinky buffalo dung and rotten flowers and fruits, stray dogs roaming around, cows basking in the sun, crowds of worshippers, priest sermonizing the newly wed couples — are among the ubiquitous features of temples in Kathmandu Valley. Kathmandu, a city of temples, attracts a good number of worshipper everyday. But despite the increasing crowds, little attention has gone into the management of these temples, as will be proven by a visit to any of the umpteen temples here.

It is ironical, and shameful in equal measures, to witness such a poor condition of the holy places that embody the spirit of Nepali culture and are sources of inner peace for the masses. It is difficult to spend any amount of time in Kathmandu temples due to their littered and unhygienic surroundings. Thankfully, monasteries, mosques, churches and gurudwaras in the city do a much better job managing their affairs. Hence one feels like visiting these places time and again.

For the better management of Kathmandu’s temples we can learn important lessons from many Indian temples that do not allow offering in any form in order to keep a clean temple environment; even breaking of coconut, which is a must in many rituals, is restricted. For this to happen here in Kathmandu, the public should be proactive and take the initiative as has been done in the case of Ram Mandir in Battisputali. The temple got a new lease of life after the local community took the initiative to conserve the ancient heritage, and the religious monument has now morphed into one of the ideal temples in the city.

Financial transparency in temples is another issue that the public should be aware about. Here again, vital lessons can be learnt from the south Indian temple of Tirupati, which attracts thousands of worshippers everyday and, through the same resources, contributes to the social development of the state. The temple, with sound and transparent management system, runs two universities, several schools and hospitals along with other charitable activities. Although, Nepali temples, unlike their Indian counterparts, might not attract such a huge number of worshippers, and thereby not collect a similar level of funds, they have only to gain by greater community involvement and transparent fund management system. But the temples here are not even in good physical condition, let alone their management being aware of their social responsibilities. Christian churches have performed a similar function all over the world. Some welfare activities have also been initiated by churches in Nepal.

If cultural tourism is to be developed, general people need to be proactive in the management of cultural and religious heritage in their areas. Sooner than later, people of Kathmandu, especially the staunch Hindus, need to learn lessons from the positive actions of other better-run religious places, and take the initiative to keep the religious sites clean, streamline their management and bring them in tandem with the society.