By Prem Adhikary
Ilam, Mar. 3: The statues of the world's rare red panda and the first king of the Kirants, Yalambar, have been erected in Nayabazar, the centre of Maijogmai Rural Municipality in Ilam, to attract tourists.
A statue of the red panda, the symbol of Maijogmai, has been erected at Nayabazar Chowk, the centre of the Rural Municipality. Similarly, a statue of King Yalambar on horseback has been erected at Shakela Than of Kirants in Nayabazar in memory of the first Kiranti king.

Both statues were unveiled by the chairman of Maijogmai Rural Municipality Jit Bahadur Rai. Chairman Rai said that these two identities would further help in the promotion of tourism of the area. “We hope it will also help protect the world's rarest red panda,” he said.

Chairman Rai said the statue of Yalambar erected in the area where the Kirant community predominantly resided would help in the juggling of religion and culture of the Kirants.
Local Sanjiv Thami said the construction of the rare red panda and Yalambar statues would further attract tourists visiting the village. Both statues have been constructed by Rojan Rai, a sculptor from Dharan.

According to Bhagwat Prasad Regmi, chief administrative officer of the Rural Municipality, the municipality has spent Rs. 500,000 for the construction of the statue of red panda and Rs. 1.5 million for the Yalambar statue.

The Rural Municipality has been putting a picture of a red panda on its letter pad as a symbol. Red pandas are found in the forests of the upper part of the Rural Municipality. The red panda has been listed as endangered species in the world.

The Rural Municipality has also constructed a tourist park at Thumke Rani, Tumling and Tanglu. Similarly, the Buddhist monastery, Shiva temple and the Uttari Pokhari (pond) in Nayabazar have also been protected.