Vishwa Hindu Parishad urges mutts to adopt and restore temples destroyed in Nepal earthquake

NEW DELHI: Among the many rescue teams working tirelessly in Nepal are those of Hindu spiritual organisations or affiliated to Hindu leaders who believe Nepal's culture is inextricably linked to that of India and its temples, an essential evidence of Hindu heritage.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has written to all major temples and mutts of the country, urging them to adopt and restore at least one of the temples destroyed in the Nepal earthquake.

VHP general secretary Praveen Togadia told ET that over 30 mutts have agreed to adopt and restore the Kasthamandap, Panchtale temple, Basantapur durbar, Dasaavtar temples and those in Bhaktpur that have been damaged.

"The ancient temple of Kashtamandap built solely from bark of wood that was mentioned in our epics and the historical temples of Gorkhapur have been ruined. Temples of Rajasthan and Gujarat have instantly come forward to offer their complete restoration. Three of our national leaders and over a hundred volunteers are assisting people and studying the damage caused to temples. We will start restoration of the temples as soon as basic rescue gets under way."

Togadia added that along the banks of river Bagwati were temples dedicated to many Indian gods and goddess mentioned in epics whose temples have been destroyed in India years ago. "It is no less than our duty to restore them as soon as possible. These are the symbols of our great Hindu history."