A towering 53-foot Buddha statue has been unveiled in Miklajung Rural Municipality, Panchthar. The Koshi state government funded the construction project with an investment of 3 crore rupees.
The impressive metal statue graces the Miklajung-4 Jaribute Hill. It’s reported that a substantial 17 tons of brass were used in its construction.
Indra Bahadur Angbo, a Provincial Assembly member and former Koshi Province Minister of Economic Affairs and Planning, claims this statue is the tallest and largest in all of Nepal.
Construction began in 2019 and was completed on February 13th, 2024. However, according to village head Amarraj Makhim, the statue’s initial design included a controversial inclusion – the face of Maoist leader Agni Prasad Sapkota. Following widespread public disapproval, the face was redesigned before the statue’s inauguration.
Jaribute Hill is now poised to become a tourist destination, with plans for further development surrounding the impressive Buddha statue.
