Five-point manifesto issued for the conservation of Kaligandaki River
The event was organized by Mahesh Sanyas Ashram, Ramananda Research Centre of Devghat Rural Municipality-5.
DAMAULI: The Gandaki Bimarsha Sabha has issued a five-point ‘Gandaki Declaration’ for the protection of the Kaligandaki River.
The event was organized by Mahesh Sanyas Ashram, Ramananda Research Centre of Devghat Rural Municipality-5.
The five-point declaration states that a campaign should be conducted to establish the holy Kaligandaki River as the cultural heritage of the followers of Hindu Sanatan religion from across the world and as the national river of Nepal.
It further calls for preserving the natural course and uninterrupted flow of Kaligandaki River, opposing human encroachment and exploitation that hampers the uninterrupted availability of Shalagram (the ammonite stone considered sacred by Hindus) to the lower coastal areas of Gandaki.
Similarly, it further calls for conducting public awareness bids to eliminate human pollution (garbage, dirt, excreta) in the sanctum sanctorum of Gandaki and organizing a march to Krishnagandaki under the leadership of religious gurus to promote religious tourism by propagating the rare importance and beauty of the Kaligandaki River.
Phanindra Poudel, Principal of Mahesh Sanskrit Gurukul, informed that a discussion meeting was held at the Ashram with the aim of promoting the glorious Gandaki civilization by preserving the natural form and continuous clean flow of the holy Krishnagandaki, the centre of faith of the world’s traditional Hindu community, emanating from the holy snow chain of Himavatkhanda, the original source of Vedic consciousness.
Different working papers related to Kaligandaki River preservation were presented in the programme.
Conservationist Dr. Kulraj Chalise presented paper on the impact and effects of the Kaligandaki Diversion, conservationist Rachana Bhattarai on the significance of the Kaligandaki and Shaligram, conservationist Adipta Giri on human encroachment on the
Kaligandaki and its consequences, and Dr. Ramchandra Baral, professor at Prithvi Narayan Campus in Pokhara, presented the paper on spiritual contemplation in the riparian areas of the Kaligandaki.
The research centre is organizing various discussions, seminars and scholarly debates on various issues of eastern philosophy to preserve and promote the religious heritages and tourism.
