In line with centuries old tradition, Nepal’s oldest Buddhist shrine, Swoyambhu has been given a new look by adorning it with 18 kilograms of gold.
As per the tradition of only carrying out the renovation of the sacred shrine once in 100 years, over 30 master craftsmen toiled for over a year to give a new look to the temple, which was thrown open to public last night under the gaze of full moon on the auspicious occasion of Buddha Jayanti.
The Buddhist shrine perched atop a 500 foot hillock on the outskirts of Kathmandu has gone through 15 major renovation works over the past 1500 years of its existence.
According to the temple administration, 18 kilograms of gold was used on the stupa to give it a golden hue.
A comprehensive renovation work was undertaken where parts of the shrine made in wood, stone, copper or gold were restored to their original glory and beauty.
The renovation project was fully funded by the Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Centre based in the USA. More than 40,000 images of photographic database of the stupa were compiled before, during and after the renovation works, according to the officials. Swoyambhu was declared a UNESCO’s cultural heritage site in 1979. The renovation works were carried out in all the nine shrines surrounding the stupa.
The metal plates of the stupa are cleaned, damaged sections repaired and then each plate receives a new layer of gold. The shrine became a riot of colour and light as thousands of pilgrims thronged the temple to celebrate the 2554th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. They lit candles praying for world peace and return of stability in Nepal after a decade long civil war.
Although Nepal is the birth place of Gautam Buddha, the Apostle of peace, the country is home to less than 20 per cent Buddhists. However, hundreds of thousands of people both Hindus as well as Buddhists visit Swoyambhunath Stupa to mark the birth anniversary of Buddha.
– Source : www.zeenews.com
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