MUSTANG, June 10: Authorities have started renovating the 218-year-old Dharamshala at Baragung Muktikshetra-1, Purang Ranipauwa in Mustang, which accommodates pilgrims visiting Muktinath. Queen Subarnaprabha, the first wife of the then King Ran Bahadur Shah, built the Dharamshala during the Rana regime to provide lodging and food for devotees.
Queen Subarnaprabha established the Dharamshala to ensure that pilgrims visiting Muktinath would not face difficulties in food and accommodation, while also wishing for her family's happiness and peace. Swami Bharat Koirala, who manages and oversees the Muktinath Ranipauwa Dharamshala, said they named the Dharamshala after the queen who built it.
He explained that the two-story Ranipauwa Dharamshala, built in an ancient style using stone and mud, has 21 rooms to accommodate devotees. "As the Dharamshala aged and deteriorated, pilgrims, saints, and priests faced increasing difficulties staying there. Jagadguru Swami Kamalnayanacharya initiated the renovation considering their problems," he said.
Ramesh Gurung, a representative of the construction company, said the Mustang Baragung Muktikshetra Rural Municipality and the Department of Archaeology have jointly funded the renovation with a budget of Rs 7.4 million. He added that workers are carefully renovating to preserve the Dharamshala's original beauty.
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Ramesh Gurung said they are repairing the Dharamshala's plastering, painting, toilets, bathrooms, windows, and doors. They are also laying wooden planks on the roof, installing insulation, and spreading eco-friendly plastic along with a layer of sugarcane soil on top.
He said, "We took the contract as a religious merit project and prioritize maintaining quality according to the budget rather than making a profit. We are working to complete 100 percent of the work as per the agreement. Since this project serves pilgrims visiting Muktinath, we see it as an opportunity to provide service."
Swami Koirala, who manages the Dharamshala, explained that they started the renovation because the old and deteriorating Ranipauwa Dharamshala made it difficult for pilgrims, saints, and priests to find food and lodging.
He added, "Water leaked through the roof, and the toilets and bathrooms fell into disrepair. The contractor is now rapidly carrying out the painting and repair work as per the agreement. After the renovation, devotees visiting here will find it easier to stay."
Swami Koirala stated that workers have been renovating the Dharamshala for two weeks. "The construction company has committed to finishing the work by the end of Ashad (mid-July). They are currently painting, plastering walls, and upgrading the roof," he said.
Krisnaprasad Subedi, the priest of Muktinath Temple, said Queen Subarnaprabha, the first wife of Ran Bahadur Shah, built the Ranipauwa Dharamshala. "The queen established the Dharamshala on three ropanis and 12 annas of land in the Muktinath area using an ancient style to provide lodging and food for devotees," he explained.
Priest Subedi noted that, besides external religious tourists, devotees come from districts such as Myagdi, Parbat, and Syangja. He added that Queen Subarnaprabha established the Sadavarta Guthi (a traditional trust) to produce grains and other crops for Muktinath and the Dharamshala. The Sadavarta Guthi's land has continuously generated revenue for Ranipauwa Dharamshala.
Subedi explained, "Some Guthi lands in Myagdi, Parbat, and Syangja have turned into private properties, while others remain registered under the Sadavarta Guthi in the name of Muktinath Temple and the Dharamshala." He said people benefiting from Sadavarta Guthi lands have stopped reporting their shares of revenue for over two decades.
He further informed that until 1990 (2046 BS), people paid grain revenues produced in Myagdi to the Sadavarta Guthi, but since then, landowners have gradually stopped submitting these contributions.
