By Baburam Devkota, Sindhuli, July 22: Construction of Nepal's first war museum at Kamalamai Municipality-3 has been completed.

The Nepali Army (NA) had started the construction works in January 2020 in Sindhuligadhi, a historical fort and tourist attraction famous for the battle between Gorkha Army and British troops.

The responsibility of the construction was provided to Barda Bahadur Battalion of the NA located at district headquarters Sindhulimadhi.

The Battalion informed that the war museum was constructed under the campaign to develop the East-West unified road and conserve all the forts in the area. Battalion chief Bijaya Thapa said that the museum was constructed in around Rs. 70 million.

The construction works had begun after the former Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ishwar Pokharel laid the foundation stone of the museum on November 10, 2019.

"All the construction works have been completed. Now, we are preparing to invite President Bidya Devi Bhandari for the inauguration of the museum," said Thapa, adding that the inauguration date would be finalised within a few days.

Although the NA had aimed to complete the construction within nine months of laying the foundation stone, the works could not complete within the stipulated time due to the COVID-19 pandemic followed by series of lockdowns.  

A theatre to display the historical importance of the fort via various documentaries has been constructed in the museum. Similarly, home-made weapons used by the then Gorkha Army in the war, canons, historic documents, and uniforms worn by the Nepali and English troops among others are also on display in the war museum that spreads at around 6,281 square feet area.

Moreover, as the Gorkhalis had defeated the British troops in Sindhuligadhi, Makwanpur Gadhi, Samanpur of Rautahat, and Jeet Gadhi of Rupandehi, the NA has planned to conserve these places and set up war museums to reflect Nepal's win in the Anglo-Nepal war.

Similarly, Khadga Bahadur Khatri, mayor of Kamalamai Municipality said that the first war museum of the country would be inaugurated by the President either on July 28, 29, or 30.

Senior Social Development Officer of Kamalamai Sagar Kumar Dhakal said that Sindhuli Gadhi was declared as a new tourism destination by the government in 2018. The re-construction of the main palace of Sindhuli fort, called Rani Durbar' is being done by the Bagmati Province government from this year.

Sindhuligadhi is located around 5,000 to 6,000 feet above the Mahabharata region. The fort is around 16-kilometre far from district headquarter Sindhulimadhi and 140-kilomtre east of Kathmandu.

The municipality has expected to earn Rs. 50 million annually from the domestic and international tourists visiting the fort and war museum.