Chitwan, Dec 29: Kabilaspurgadhi, the historic fortress of Bharatpur in Chitwan, is in dire need of renovation.
The structure, dating back to the Sen Dynasty, served as a summer capital for rulers until 1836 BS. Now, it stands in ruins, and historical facts and evidence surrounding it are on the verge of destruction without timely intervention, said former Bagmati Province Minister Bijay Subedi.
Subedi stressed the urgency to demarcate the original land area occupied by the structures and proposed the removal of additional structures built later. He is of the opinion of planting rhododendron trees inside and outside the fort to promote the people’s arrival to visit it. It should have proper transport facility for easy access of aspiring visitors. He proposed considering private sector involvement to establish hospitality services in the area.
Situated in the Mahabharat mountain range of Bharatpur Metropolis-29, the fortress is at an elevation of 1,184 meters above sea level, approximately 10 kilometers from Bhorle on the Narayangadh-Muglin road section. The fort is characterized by a sheer cliff to the south and hills to the east and west.
Ward Chair Surya Bahadur Gurung of Bharatpur Metropolis-29 pledged to initiate a renovation project for Kabilaspurgadhi, which was supposed to coincide with the Bharatpur Visit Year.
The progress was halted due to the suspension of the Visit Year, it is said. According to Gurung, the ward has allocated a budget for protection efforts this year, and preservation initiatives will be undertaken in collaboration with the province and federal governments.
Built by the then king of Palpa, Mukund Sen, as a security fortress, Kabilaspurgadhi remained in use long after the Sen Dynasty. The fortress features a conventional bunker, administrative building, a security post and so on.
