Pranidhipurna Mahavihar () is a Theravada

Buddhist monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which may ...

in Balambu,

Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...

which was a key base in the revival of

Theravada Buddhism ''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' ( anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved their version of the Buddha's teaching or '' Dhamma'' in ...

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

in the 1940s. Informally known as Balambu Bihar, it is located 8 km from Kathmandu at the western edge of the

Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley (), also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley (, Newar language, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः), National Capital Area, is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayas, Hima ...

History

The history of the Mahavihar dates from 1942 when Buddhist monk

Pragyananda Mahasthavir Pragyananda Mahasthavir () (born Kul Man Singh Tuladhar) (2 May 1900 – 11 March 1993) was a Nepalese Buddhist monk who was one of the leaders of the revival of Theravada Buddhism in Nepal. In 1930, he became the first monk wearing yellow robes ...

came here and began revealing the teachings of the

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, he was ...

from a roadside shed. He was the first yellow-robed monk to be seen in Kathmandu since the 14th century. The growing activities in Theravada Buddhism, which was making a comeback in the country, aroused the anger of the government which was intolerant of the religion. Official moves to suppress its spread made the followers more defiant and spurred the development of the monastery. In 1944, the autocratic Rana regime mounted a crackdown against Buddhist monks for teaching Buddhism and writing religious book in

Nepal Bhasa Newar (; , ) is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. The language is known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhas ...

. Eight monks including Pragyananda were expelled for refusing to stop their activities. Following the

banishment of Buddhist monks from Nepal The banishment of Buddhist monks from Nepal was part of a campaign by the Rana government to suppress the resurgence of Theravada Buddhism in Nepal in the early 20th century. There were two deportations of monks from Kathmandu, in 1926 and 194 ...

, the local people hid a number of other monks in nearby Balambu village to save them from being deported. In 1946, the exiled monks who had scattered to

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Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...

Bhutan Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, in the Eastern Himalayas between China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of , ...

and

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were allowed to return to Nepal due to international pressure. Even then the government kept a close watch on them, so they decided to live outside the city far from the eyes of the police where they would not be disturbed. Balambu thus became a stronghold in the revival of Theravada Buddhism in Nepal. Construction of the monastery building began in 1947 with funds contributed by the locals. Its founder Pragyananda went on to become the first Sangha Mahanayaka (Patriarch) of Nepal in modern times.

Activities

Balambu Bihar contains a number of resident monks and nuns and is headed by an abbot. It is an important center of Buddhist study especially for youths. Besides conducting religious services, the vihara holds retreats, Dhamma classes and free health camps. It also organizes life cycle ceremonies for boys and girls and operates a senior citizens' home.

References

{{coord missing, Nepal Buddhist monasteries Buddhist monasteries in Nepal Theravada Buddhist monasteries 1942 establishments in Nepal