Himal Press 
POKHARA: The reconstruction of Pokhara’s iconic Tal Barahi Temple, which is located on a small island in Fewa Lake, began on Thursday. The mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City, Dhan Raj Acharya, laid the foundation stone amid a ceremony on Thursday.
The present-day temple, which is believed to have been constructed in the 1960s, sustained significant damages in the 2015 earthquakes. The reconstruction work is expected to be completed within two years at an estimated cost of Rs 90 million. The reconstruction work is being carried out in coordination with the Department of Archaeology.
After laying the foundation stone, Mayor Acharya assured that there would be no shortfall of funds for the reconstruction.
The temple management committee has been collecting donations from visitors for the reconstruction for over a year. Hikmat Bahadur Kunwar, chairman of the temple management committee, said an estimated Rs 90 million would be needed to complete the reconstruction as per the master plan. Along with the construction of a pagoda temple, 13.5 feet wide, the master plan encompasses building a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh, a Hawan kunda, and various amenities like restrooms and a meeting hall in the basement.
The temple, which is believed to have been built 500 years ago, is located on an island spreading over 3 ropanis and 8 anas of land on Fewa Lake. A visit to the temple, which requires boating on Fewa Lake, is a popular activity among tourists visiting the lake city.
