Chief Minister of Gandaki Province Khaga Raj Adhikari has said that he was fortunate to have an opportunity to handover Sheela (the holy stone having religious values) of Kaligandaki river for the purpose of carving lord Ram’s idol being crafted in Ayodhya of India. Speaking at a ceremony organized by Social Development Ministry of Gandaki Province at Bindhabasini temple premises in Pokhara on Thursday to handover two sets of Sheela, Chief Minister Adhikari mentioned that Nepal and India have been enjoying religious and cultural ties since time immemorial and the relations shall continue forever.

Adhikari stated that the handover of Sheela shall further deepen religious relations between Nepal and India.
The Gandaki Province Government also aims at making economy stronger by bringing in religious tourists from India, he added.

Social Development Minister of Gandaki Province Pancharam Gurung and Nepali Congress leader Bimalendra Nidhi were also present on the occasion. The world’s rarest Shaligram from Kaligandaki river would be taken to Ayodhya of India via Janakpurdham.Secretary of Ramlala Temple Development Trust of India Rajendra Singh Pankaj said that the two separate Sheela will have portrait of Ram and Sita.

“We have received Sheela from Kaligandaki as gift to make idol of Lord Ram. This makes Nepal-India cultural relations stronger,” Pankaj added.The Shaligram shall serve as the religious ambassador to spread the religious and cultural importance of Ayodhya, Janaki and Kaligandaki regions, according to Pankaj. A Shaligram weighs 26 tonne and next is of 14 tonnes, officials said.