Nepal govt urged to protect historical documents at Narayanhiti

Kathmandu, May 25 (UNI) The government of Nepal has been urged to ensure the security of historical materials and papers contained in Narayanhiti Palace during the process of transferring ownership of the premises after implementation of the republic.

The Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya, the biggest record library of Nepal, in a press statement asked government agencies concerned to actively seek the protection of these rare documents as this is a matter of grave interest to the government itself, the intelligentsia and researchers.

Historian Dr. Ramesh Kumar Dhungel, who is currently affiliated to the Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies (CNAS) and is also an advisor to the Pustakalaya was quoted as saying ''Material of national and international cultural importance contained in the palace predates the unification of Nepal, and goes back to the Malla period.'' He said these materials are included in containers known as ''bada dhadda,'' ''lal dhadda,'' ''lal baakas'' and ''chhoto dhadda'' and kept in a room known as the ''bhitri khopi.'' The statement added that these materials have not yet been made available to Nepali researchers other than to history laureate Baburam Acharya, and that too only partially. ''These papers are of a kind that will help in understanding the course of national history going as far back as 2,000 years, and they must be catalogued and preserved,'' the statement quoted Dr Dhungel as saying.

The press release also quoted Member-secretary of the Pustakalaya Kanak Mani Dixit, who has urged the government to access, catalogue, preserve and protect all historical documentation existing within Narayanhiti before making them available to the public with full transparency.

He has also assured that Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya would be ready to assist in the managerial and technical aspects as required.

Nepal is preparing to declare the implementation of republic and abolish monarchy on May 28, the first day of the CA meeting.

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