Ratna Park renamed, Now Shankhadhar Udyan

KATHMANDU, Nov 21: Statues of national icon Shankhadhar Shakhwa and one of the leaders of Nepal’s democratic movement Padma Ratna Tuladhar have been unveiled at Ratna Park on Saturday.

Minister for Urban Development Krishna Gopal Shrestha and Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Bidya Sundar Shakya jointly unveiled the statues of Shakhwa and Tuladhar at Shankhadhar Udyan.

After the unveiling of the statues, Minister Shrestha said that both Shakhwa and Tuladhar were men of history.

Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Shakya said that the people who have contributed to the state cannot be forgotten even if they want to. Mentioning that Shankhadhar and Padma Ratna are in the hearts of the people of the valley, Mayor Shakya said that the statues have been erected in their honor.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure of Bagmati Province Rameshwor Phuyal, Minister of State for Urban Development Ram Bir Manandhar and Deputy Mayor of the Metropolitan City Hari Prabha Khadgi were also present on the occasion.

In recent times, there has been a rise in the practice of demolishing structures named after kings and queens and naming them after national personalities. Accordingly, the park has been known as Ratna Park for a long time in the name of the then Queen Ratna.

However, a section of prominent figures have criticized the decision of the government to name-changing of Ratna Park. Former Secretary Madhu Ram Acharya has suggested to construct and develop new park instead of renaming the existing Ratna Park.