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Children’s Home (Bal Mandir) operating in an ancient assembly hall, with archeological significance,  in Dhunche, Rasuwa headquarters, was destroyed due to the devastating earthquake of 2015. It is still in a dilapidated condition and awaiting reconstruction. The Children’s Home was built in 1986 and had been operating since then in the building.

Deepak Lama, a young social activist and president of Radio Rasuwa, said that the assembly hall, built during the Panchayat period, has not been renovated since the reign of the then King.

Lama said that the renovation is pending as those in leadership haven’t prioritized it. He said that the leaders had to suffer such a fate because they did not pay attention to the issue after winning the election.

Sununurp Tamang, a local, said that the hall of archaeological importance, which was destroyed by the earthquake, could not be repaired due to a lack of resources and the children who were taught in the past could not read. Teacher Bishnu Prasad Acharya said that with the help of the then-District Education Office, Special Education  School was established to provide special education to 32 children with disabilities from different places by Handicapped Rehabilitation Center in 2011.

He said that after the building was dilapidated, all the children studying there returned to their homes. Teacher Acharya said that there was a provision for special residential education for children with disabilities, but now they are deprived of all education rights. He said that after the building was dilapidated, all the children studying there returned to their homes. Teacher Acharya said that there was a provision for special residential education for children with disabilities, but now they are deprived of all education rights.

Similarly, the archaeologically important Dhunche Assembly Hall in the district is also dilapidated after the earthquake. The assembly hall of Dhunche, where social rituals and cultural meetings are held in the village, was also destroyed due to the devastating earthquake of 2016. This building of traditional artistic style was built in 1979. The gazur and artistic buttas there were made by sculptors from Patan. Babulal Tamang, president of Rasuwa Civil Society, said that there should be no delay in protecting such cultural heritage. Such culturally important structures and monasteries and temples should be rebuilt soon,” he said. There is also a guest room with 12 beds in the front part of the hall with a capacity of 300 people.

Gyanendranath Neupane, the district chairperson of the Human Rights Protection Forum, expressed his experience that government guests from the then-king used to stay here. Sununurp Tamang, a local, said that there is a safety risk if the ruins cannot be removed. He further added that because no one is interested in reconstruction, there is also a lack of space to hold traditional dances and cultural programs. Similarly, if the first Tamang museum in Nepal is reconstructed, Tamang says that the local culture will be revived.

Hemnath Khatiwada