PM Modi inaugurates 400-bed Nepal-Bharat Maitri Pashupati Dharamshala

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli today jointly inaugurated a 400-bed Nepal-Bharat Maitri Pashupati Dharamshala - a rest house for pilgrims - built here with Rs 14 crore Indian assistance.

"I am glad to inaugurate the Nepal-Bharat Maitri Pashupati Dharamshala in Kathmandu," Prime Minister Modi said as he handed over the rest house to the Pashupati Area Development Trust.

The Dharamshala at the Pashupati Temple Area Complex has provision for family rooms, kitchen, dining hall, library and some multipurpose halls to meet the requirements of the travelers and families on a pilgrimage to Pashupatinath Temple - located on the banks of the Bagmati River.

The three-storied Dharamshala constructed on 10,625 square meters of land has 82 rooms with 400 beds and is equipped with all modern amenities for pilgrims visiting the Pashupatinath Temple area.

Pashupatinath temple attracts tens of thousands of pilgrims from both Nepal and India annually.

"This is not just a building...The Nepal-Bharat Maitri Pashupati Dharamshala will remind the visitors about the friendship of the two neighbors," Modi told a gathering, amid applause.

"People-to-people relation is more important than the government-to-government relation between Nepal and India, and the Dharamshala will help in strengthening people-to-people ties between the two countries," Modi said.

He said it will help in boosting religious tourism in Nepal.

He also hailed the Nepal Government's decision to publish in the Nepali language the poems of late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"I thank Prime Minister Oli and the Nepal Government for this touching gesture," Modi said.

He said the Buddhism teaches how to successfully confront the challenges of extremism and terrorism.

Modi also lauded the political stability in Nepal, saying the government in Kathmandu is working for the welfare of the Nepalese people.

Oli said, "The construction of the Dharamshala with Indian assistance reflects our commitment to further strengthening the bilateral ties."

He expressed hope that Modi will come to Nepal again soon to visit Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

The construction of the Dharamshala commenced in September 2016 and was handed over today by the Government of India to Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) which will be responsible for managing the Dharmashala facility for the pilgrims.

The completion of Nepal-Bharat Maitri Pashupati Dharmashala is another milestone in strengthening cultural ties and people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)