Kathmandu, Nov 25 (PTI) Authorities at Nepal's Pashupati Area Development Trust on Saturday said that no permission has been given to anyone to build a replica of the world-famous Pashupatinath temple here in India.

A statement from the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) came in the wake of media reports stating that a replica of the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu was being constructed in a village in Uttarakhand.

The centuries-old temple is devoted to the Hindu god Shiva, in his avatar as Pashupati, the protector of animals.

“There is no truth in the news report that Pashupatinath Temple is being built in Uttarakhand of India and the Trust’s attention has been drawn towards this false news report,” Dr Ghanashyam Khatiwada, the executive director of PADT said in a statement.

“We object to such a false news report that has appeared in a section of the media,” Khatiwada told PTI.

Situated on the banks of the holy River Bagmati on the eastern outskirts of Kathmandu, Pashupatinath is the most revered Hindu temple in Nepal. It attracts hundreds and thousands of Hindu pilgrims from across the world apart from being a major tourist destination.

“Pashupati is the centre of faith for all the Hindus and such a false news report published in the media has given a blow to the entire Hindu community that has deep faith in Pashupati Darshan,” the statement said.

It further asserted that the Trust “has not taken any decision” to provide any kind of permission or approval to build the replica of Pashupatinath Temple in India. PTI SBP NPK AKJ NPK NPK