Swayambhu to host month-long fair beginning Monday

KATHMANDU, Aug 4: All preparations for a fair to be held for a month from Monday in Swayambhu have been successfully completed. According to the Swayambhu Management and Conservation General Committee, all the preparations have been accomplished relating to the safety of devotees visiting the world heritage site Swayambhu and its surrounding areas, crowd management, cleanliness, painting, street lighting management.

As the Chaitya and various parts of the ancient heritage site have been repaired and restored, the number of visitors to the fair is expected to rise.

Ashok Buddhacharya, general secretary of the Committee, said that the temporary shops around the temple have been removed and arrangements have been implemented to prevent beggars. According to the Committee, around 500,000 people, both from home and abroad, as well as followers of Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism  sects are expected to visit the fair.

Ishwar Man Dangol, ward chairman of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15, said that arrangements for the fair management have been completed in coordination with the Committee. Metropolitan Police Circle, Swayambhu, has said that the traffic will be managed in the area in collaboration with the traffic police.

During the period of fair being held on the occasion of Gunla Parva, celebrated by Buddhists, it is traditional to circumambulate the Swayambhu Mahachaitya, as well as Shobha Bagawati, Bijeshwari and the Seto Machindranath, also known as Karunamay.