The temple, which according to legend dates back to Ramayana times, lies inside the Chitwan National Park. [break]
"There was a military post in the area in the early years of the insurgency, but they later left the area when the war intensified. And since then the temple remains unguarded and hundreds of idols from the area have already been stolen," a local boatman Rambriksha Majhi said.
There still are over a hundred idols depicting the art and culture of Ramanaya times. Apart from locals people from far and visit the temple.
According to another boatman Krishna Mohan Chaudhary, the temple even doesn´t have a single priest and has been left to be watched over by a homeless man, Bishnu Prasad Thapaliya.
Bishnu Thapaliya is currently guarding the Phulbari Temple in Trivenidham in Nawalparasi. Thapaliya said he could do a good job only if he had enough to eat. (Photo: Chandni Hamal)
Taking to Republica, Thapaliya shared that he has been taking care of the temple for the last four years without any remuneration. He has been living inside a hut near the temple once used by the security forces. "I have been surviving on the offerings including fruits and food made by devotees and on several times I have slept on empty stomach also. I could do a good job only if I had enough to eat," said Thapaliya.
Similar is the fate of the idols at the nearby Jateshwarbaba area and Balmiki Ashram. Few years ago, some Indians stole the Chaumukhi Shivalinga from Balmiki Ashram but the fleeing thieves abandoned it near the Fulbari area, which lies at a distance from the Ashram area, due to heavy rainfall. Now the idol has been kept at the Phulbari temple and we don´t know how safe it will be there," said Chaudhary.
Commenting on the issue, former warden of CNP Ramprith Yadav said, "In the past there was army post so the area was secure but now the authorities are least concerned about providing security in the area," said Yadav.
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