Kathmandu, Feb 18: President Ramchandra Paudel visited Shalinadi in Shankharapur municipality this morning and participated in the Madhavanarayan Mela as part of the Shree Swasthani Brata Katha.     

 On the occasion, President Paudel paid obeisance and worshipped Shri Swasthani and Madhavnarayan. He also performed worship at the Bajrayogini temple.     

Speaking in brief on the occasion, President Paudel said that it was a matter of happiness for him to visit the Bajrayogini Temple which carries ancient, historical, cultural and touristic importance.     

He expressed the belief that the state will give special attention to the development of the Bajrayogini and Shalinadi area, which, he said, has historical importance from the time of the princess Bhrikuti and Songtsen Gampo.     

 Sobita Gautam, Member of Parliament elected from Kathmandu Constituency No. 2, who invited the President to visit Shalinadi, expressed her belief that the visit of the President will draw the attention of the government to the further preservation and management of Shalinadi. “Though the Shalinadi and Madhavanarayan temples are important from mythological and religious point of view, they have been neglected”, she said.     

Likewise, people’s representatives including MPs and the mayor and deputy mayor of the municipality complained that despite being an area of religious, cultural and historical importance, reconstruction work of the Shalinadi area has not picked up speed while some development works remain incomplete.     

Around 300,000 devotees visit the Shalinadi fair every year. (RSS)