The Ministry of Culture is likely to hand over the ownership of the treasure trove found at the Basantapur Durbar Square on June 27 to the Guthi Sansthan.A committee that is in the last leg of its formation, according to Joint Secretary at the Culture Ministry Jal Krishna Shrestha, is likely to decide in favour of Sansthan.
“The committee may decide to hand over the ownership of all state-owned religious and cultural properties to Guthi Sansthan,” he said, adding that the antique gold and silver jewelleries found at Hanuman Dhoka last Monday were worn by the idols of gods and goddesses.“As all the jewelleries exposed are allied to religion and culture, their ownership goes to Sansthan,” said Shrestha. “But no formal decision has been taken so far. If the committee finds Guthi unable to handle the property properly, an alternative will be sought.”
The alternative could be the Department of Archaeology (DoA), which has also been demanding ownership of the property since it was discovered last week. The DoA has sought ownership on the grounds that all the jewellery and antique coins as well as masks are older than 100 years. “All the national properties older than 100 years having historical and archaeological importance come under the responsibility of DoA,” he said.
According to him, if the property’s ownership were passed on to DoA, it would display everything to public by classifying the precious items against other utensils as per their historical importance.
However, Shrestha said there was little chance that the property will be handed over to DoA as all museums owned by it are in a “dilapidated” condition. “DoA itself is in a poor state and it is unlikely to take proper care of the treasure found at Hanuman Dhoka,” he said.
Guthi Sansthan too has its own logic behind its demand for the property.
“The treasure must have been hidden in this place by the then government before 1943,” said Guthi Sansthan Joint Administrator Hem Raj Subedi. “After Guthi Sansthan was established in 1964, the ownership of state-owned religious properties was transferred to it. As the structure of properties found recently resembles the jewellery worn by idols of gods and goddesses, Guthi Sansthan should have its ownership.” If the Sansthan gets its ownership, according to Subedi, the first thing it would do is “classify items”. “We will decide what items need to be placed in a museum and what need to be held by the Sansthan,” Subedi said.
The committee to decide on the ownership of the treasure will have representatives from the ministry, the DoA, the District Administration office, Hanuman Dhoka Herchaha Adda, Army deployed at Hanuman Dhoka Durbar and Basantapur locals.
The treasure was stumbled upon by workers during renovation of the kings’ living room in the main palace at the durbar square.
Out of the three safes and a tank found by workers, only one safe and the tank were unlocked.
The gold and silver jewellery and old coins having an estimated weight of 200 kg as well as the two untouched safes of identical shape and size have been kept under the care of the Nepal Army’s Shardul Junga Gulma at Hanuman Dhoka.
The committee to be formed under the ministry will also decide about unlocking the remaining two “mysterious safes”.
Oh!! really bad times are there
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