Lalitpur, July 2, 2026: The Jestha Varna Mahavihar in Lalitpur has received the ‘Award of Merit’ under the 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, recognizing its exemplary conservation and community-centered approach.
A handover ceremony was held at the Mahavihar on July 2, where Jaco Du Toit, UNESCO Representative in Nepal, handed over the award’s metal plaque and official certificate to the Jestha Varna Mahavihar User Committee. The ceremony was held in the presence of Lalitpur Metropolitan City Mayor Chiri Babu Maharjan and Dr. Rakesh Pandey, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Kathmandu.
The conservation of the historic Mahavihar was carried out with NPR 13.78 crore in grant assistance from the Government of India as part of its post-2015 earthquake reconstruction support for Nepal’s cultural heritage sector. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) provided technical expertise as the Project Management Consultant, working closely with Nepal’s Central Level Project Implementation Unit (CLPIU) and the local community.
The project was inaugurated on March 22, 2024, by then Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava and Nepal’s then Minister for Urban Development Dhan Bahadur Budha.
UNESCO recognized the project for successfully combining modern seismic safety retrofitting with the preservation of intricate Newari woodcarvings and traditional architecture. The conservation work also ensured that the Newar Buddhist community’s living heritage, daily rituals and cultural practices continued uninterrupted throughout the project.
As part of its post-earthquake reconstruction assistance, India had committed US$1 billion to support Nepal’s recovery following the 2015 Gorkha earthquake. India has so far completed and handed over 50,000 private houses, 70 schools and a library, 122 health facilities and 17 cultural heritage sites to the Government of Nepal. An additional 14 schools, 11 health facilities and 13 cultural heritage projects are currently at various stages of reconstruction.
Under the cultural heritage sector, India is supporting the conservation and restoration of 30 heritage projects across eight districts—Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Sindhupalchowk, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Dhading and Gorkha. Major projects include the Seto Machhindranath Temple in Kathmandu, Kumari Ghar and Jestha Varna Mahavihar in Lalitpur, Jangam Math in Bhaktapur and Tarkey Ghyang Gumba in Sindhupalchowk.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Rakesh Pandey congratulated the local user community, CLPIU, INTACH and other stakeholders, saying the successful conservation of Jestha Varna Mahavihar reflects the deep cultural and historical ties between India and Nepal.
Mayor Chiri Babu Maharjan also appreciated India’s role in the conservation of the Mahavihar and other heritage sites in Lalitpur. Representatives of the User Committee expressed gratitude for India’s timely financial and technical assistance, describing the restored Mahavihar as a symbol of community resilience and India-Nepal friendship.
