KATHMANDU: Budhanilakantha Municipality has launched an effort to have the Budhanilakantha Temple included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.

Local officials have begun discussions about officially adding the Budhanilakantha statue and its surrounding temple area to the World Heritage designation.

The large stone statue of Lord Vishnu, which dates back to the second century during the reign of Vishnu Gupta, is an important cultural and historical monument.

The discussion involved government officials, historians, cultural experts, intellectuals, writers, and journalists. This dialogue will continue in the coming days.

During the event, several key figures, including Professor Dinesh Raj Pant, theologian Dr. Govinda Tandan, Malla K Sundar, Chancellor of Nepal Bhasa Academy, Narad Mani Hartamchhali, Chancellor of Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, and writers Sneha Sayami, Shyam Rimal, and Shreesh Bhandari, urged Budhanilakantha Municipality to provide comprehensive evidence regarding the temple’s architecture and its historical assets.

Additionally, participants recommended that the local authorities conduct a thorough study of the natural environment surrounding the Shivapuri-Budhanilakantha area to further support the temple’s inclusion.