Budhanilkantha Cleaning Program

Budhanilkantha Temple Cleaning Program (BCP) First time lunched on 15 Dec 2007

Budhanilkantha Temple is located 5Km from the centre of Kathmandu Valley . It is a religious, holy and popular place which daily attracts hundreds of devotees to worship Lord Vishnu.

The temple's name - Budhanilkantha ? is the so-called ? Sleeping Vishnu Temple ? because Budhanilkantha is alleged to be a deity of Lord Vishnu (also call Narayan or Jalasayana). The deity is shown lying in a sleeping position on the bed of Sesh Naga (serpent) in the cosmic ocean. It is believed that the deity is over 1,000 years old. Budhanilkantha literally means ?old blue-throat?.

A statue of Lord Vishnu lies with his legs crossed, as if he is floating, in a 13m (43ft) long tank in the temple grounds. In his four hands he holds the four symbols of Vishnu: the chakra (disc), club, conch-shell and lotus flower.


According to ancient history, the idol of Lord Vishnu which was found buried, had been made by the order of the King Vishnugupta of the Licchavi dynasty in the 7th or 8th century. The holy festival in this temple takes place in the months of Baishakh, Jestha and Kartik (April/May/June and Oct/Nov).


A large number of devotees visit this temple to worship Lord Budhanilkantha in Kartik (Oct/Nov) and also in the extra month of the Lunar Calendar that occurs every alternate year. Though it is a Hindu temple, it is equally popular with Buddhists also. A large number of Buddhist devotees come to Naga Panchami, a day devoted to the worship Naga or serpent god.


Cleaning Program

HECAC organized a cleaning program at Budhanilkantha Temple on 15 Dec 2007. Students from various school and colleges, tour guides, trekking entrepreneurs and journalists contributed time to cleaning the temple premises, which took more than three hours.

This cleaning program was sponsored by Nature Trail Travels and Trekking Expeditions http://www.allnepal.com/ . The major objective of the program was not only to make the temple premises clean and tidy, but also to raise public awareness of the need to keep such public areas clean and tidy at all times.


Many devotees who came to worship at the Temple on that day (15 Dec 2007) expressed surprise on seeing HECAC's volunteers at work. They asked many questions about HECAC and its activities and were very impressed by the Temple Cleaning Program plan. Not only were they informed but some also offered their services as volunteers in the future.

The Budhanilkantha Temple Cleaning Program is divided into two parts:

? A cleaning program around the Temple premises.

? The distribution of rubbish/garbage bins around the area of the Temple .

 

Dustbins Distribution Program (DDP)

 


Rubbish/garbage bins were donated to the project by its sponsor, Nature Trail Travels and Trekking Expeditions http://www.allnepal.com/ under the chairmanship of HECAC president Mr Bishnu Prasad Subedi. On the occasion of the inaugural clean-up, he handed over a quantity of large and small sized bins to the Principal of Vedas Vidhyashram, Mr Prakash Rupakheti. (Vidhashram is a religious institute where devotees can stay and learn about Vedas, etc. and which also has a committee to take care of the Budhanilkantha Temple and it's surrounding).

 

HECAC's secretary, Mr Sanjeeb Upadhya, Community Police Officer Mr Shuva Dev Sharma, Principal of Vedas Vidhyashram, Mr Rupakheti and the Vice President of Budhanilkantha Temple Management, Mr Damodar Prasad Bhandari each spoke on the topic of the Budhanilkantha Temple Cleaning Program and, its positive impact. They suggested that such a program would be much fruitful if it could be conducted regularly.

 

It is hoped this program will inspire those who are involved in local organizations to become more responsible for keeping the environment of the temple clean and tidy. All the speakers at the inaugural clean-up day were very pleased and motivated following the simple donation of bins and encouragement from HECAC.

 

Cleaning of the Temple and the surrounding area will continue on a regular basis.

 

Budhanilkantha Cleaning Program

Budhanilkantha Temple Cleaning Program (BCP) First time lunched on 15 Dec 2007

Budhanilkantha Temple is located 5Km from the centre of Kathmandu Valley . It is a religious, holy and popular place which daily attracts hundreds of devotees to worship Lord Vishnu.

The temple's name - Budhanilkantha ? is the so-called ? Sleeping Vishnu Temple ? because Budhanilkantha is alleged to be a deity of Lord Vishnu (also call Narayan or Jalasayana). The deity is shown lying in a sleeping position on the bed of Sesh Naga (serpent) in the cosmic ocean. It is believed that the deity is over 1,000 years old. Budhanilkantha literally means ?old blue-throat?.

A statue of Lord Vishnu lies with his legs crossed, as if he is floating, in a 13m (43ft) long tank in the temple grounds. In his four hands he holds the four symbols of Vishnu: the chakra (disc), club, conch-shell and lotus flower.


According to ancient history, the idol of Lord Vishnu which was found buried, had been made by the order of the King Vishnugupta of the Licchavi dynasty in the 7th or 8th century. The holy festival in this temple takes place in the months of Baishakh, Jestha and Kartik (April/May/June and Oct/Nov).


A large number of devotees visit this temple to worship Lord Budhanilkantha in Kartik (Oct/Nov) and also in the extra month of the Lunar Calendar that occurs every alternate year. Though it is a Hindu temple, it is equally popular with Buddhists also. A large number of Buddhist devotees come to Naga Panchami, a day devoted to the worship Naga or serpent god.


Cleaning Program

HECAC organized a cleaning program at Budhanilkantha Temple on 15 Dec 2007. Students from various school and colleges, tour guides, trekking entrepreneurs and journalists contributed time to cleaning the temple premises, which took more than three hours.

This cleaning program was sponsored by Nature Trail Travels and Trekking Expeditions http://www.allnepal.com/ . The major objective of the program was not only to make the temple premises clean and tidy, but also to raise public awareness of the need to keep such public areas clean and tidy at all times.


Many devotees who came to worship at the Temple on that day (15 Dec 2007) expressed surprise on seeing HECAC's volunteers at work. They asked many questions about HECAC and its activities and were very impressed by the Temple Cleaning Program plan. Not only were they informed but some also offered their services as volunteers in the future.

The Budhanilkantha Temple Cleaning Program is divided into two parts:

? A cleaning program around the Temple premises.

? The distribution of rubbish/garbage bins around the area of the Temple .

 

Dustbins Distribution Program (DDP)

 


Rubbish/garbage bins were donated to the project by its sponsor, Nature Trail Travels and Trekking Expeditions http://www.allnepal.com/ under the chairmanship of HECAC president Mr Bishnu Prasad Subedi. On the occasion of the inaugural clean-up, he handed over a quantity of large and small sized bins to the Principal of Vedas Vidhyashram, Mr Prakash Rupakheti. (Vidhashram is a religious institute where devotees can stay and learn about Vedas, etc. and which also has a committee to take care of the Budhanilkantha Temple and it's surrounding).

 

HECAC's secretary, Mr Sanjeeb Upadhya, Community Police Officer Mr Shuva Dev Sharma, Principal of Vedas Vidhyashram, Mr Rupakheti and the Vice President of Budhanilkantha Temple Management, Mr Damodar Prasad Bhandari each spoke on the topic of the Budhanilkantha Temple Cleaning Program and, its positive impact. They suggested that such a program would be much fruitful if it could be conducted regularly.

 

It is hoped this program will inspire those who are involved in local organizations to become more responsible for keeping the environment of the temple clean and tidy. All the speakers at the inaugural clean-up day were very pleased and motivated following the simple donation of bins and encouragement from HECAC.

 

Cleaning of the Temple and the surrounding area will continue on a regular basis.