KATHMANDU: Ruru rural municipality in Gulmi has announced plans to host the ‘Ruru Mahasnan’ festival throughout the month of Magh, connecting four major religious sites across Nepal. The initiative was included in the rural municipality’s policy and program for the fiscal year 2026/27.

Rural municipality chairman Yadu Gyawali stated that the event aims to highlight the religious significance of Ruru Kshetra, located at the confluence of Gulmi, Palpa, and Syangja. While a five-day Maghe Mela is traditionally held, the new initiative seeks to extend the religious activities for the entire month. The region has seen increased interest from internal and external tourists due to its location on the Kaligandaki Corridor, the presence of Nepal’s first three-faced bridge, and various religious and tourism infrastructure.

Chief Administrative Officer Dinesh Gyawali said the municipality plans to establish sister-city relations with local governments hosting the other four major religious sites. This effort will support the ‘Shaligram Path’ concept, which includes Triveni Devghat, Ruru Kshetra, Kagbeni, Muktinath, and Damodar Kunda. The municipality intends to preserve the religious importance of the Shaligrams found in the Kaligandaki River and develop Ruru Kshetra into a national-level pilgrimage center. Future plans include institutional partnerships with other local governments to manage pilgrimages and improve infrastructure.

Ruru Kshetra is a significant pilgrimage site known for year-round visitors. Local businessman Rabilal Panth noted that the area hosts numerous religious sites, including the Rishikesh temple built by King Manimukunda Sen of Palpa, along with the Gayatri temple, Shivalaya, Bhimsen temple, Bhagwati temple, Hanuman Vatika, Ganesh-Bhairav temple, Satyeshwor temple, Sugandhavihar, and a Buddha stupa. Other notable sites include the Gupteshwor Mahadev temple, Rurukanya temple, and Galphule cave.