Shankhadhar, A National Hero

Shankhadhar, A National Hero

Shankhadhar, the initiator of Nepal Sambat, is a Nepalese philanthropist. He cleared the debts of all the people in Nepal. A new era was initiated from the date in which he cleared the debts. On the basis of the information contained in "Bhasa Bamsali" and "Rajbhogmala Bamsawali", a low-caste merchant called Shankhadhar freed the people of kathmandu from their debts during the reion of Raghav Dav and started a new era called Nepal Era to commemorate it. Sakhwa had established his own stone image at the southern gate of Pashupatinath. The stone image is still there. Shankhadhar Sakhwa's name has been included in the list of "National Heroes Of Nepal" by the cabinet decision on November 18, 1999. 

(Painting by Prem Man Chitrakar)