KATHMANDU, NEPAL, March 25, 2006: In the past the southern Indian Tamil Nadu state bent the law that forbids the export of its precious sandalwood trees to serve the Pashupatinath temple in Nepal, one of the holiest Hindu pilgrim sites. The sweet-scented, whitish paste made by rubbing the wood with water is a must for all Hindu religious rites. Priests at the Pashupatinath temple here use it to adorn the Deity. However, the mountainous kingdom of Nepal, though rich in herbs, does not grow the sandalwood and for years, has been depending on its southern neighbor India for the precious wood. The kingdom’s stock of sandalwood dwindled in 2001 when a massacre in the royal palace killed the then king Birendra, his wife Queen Aishwarya, their three children and other members of the royal family. Since sandalwood is used for royal pyres, large quantities of it were needed for the royal funerals.
In 2004, Nepal asked India for 1,000 kg of the precious wood, making the request to the then Indian ambassador in Nepal Shyam Sharan, currently India’s foreign secretary. The request put the Indian government in a quandary since due to the earlier rampant smuggling of the precious tree, the Indian government has banned the export of sandalwood. Still, as the wood was needed by Pashupatinath, India asked its two major sandalwood-growing states – Tamil Nadu and Karnataka – if they could meet the requirement. Though Karnataka refused flatly, Tamil Nadu agreed to do what it could (HPI note: the priests of Pashpatinath come from Tamil Nadu on a rotation basis, and there are historical connections between the temples of Tamil Nadu and the royal family of Nepal). A cabinet meeting had reportedly to be held to approve the hand over. However, the southern state couldn’t meet the entire demand and agreed to send 246 kg, worth nearly US$20,500. The cargo was sent to Delhi from Chennai, from where it reached Nepal via Uttar Pradesh. With highway robbery increasing in Nepal and Maoist guerrillas confiscating vehicles, it was a miracle that the cargo reached its destination safely. The sandalwood consignment was ceremoniously handed over by Indian ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee to the chief priest at the temple this week. Thousands of Indian pilgrims visit the shrine every year to worship the deity. The Indian government is building a dharamshala near the temple to facilitate the stay of pilgrims on a shoe-string budget.