Martyrs Memorial Park Hetauda

Sahid Smarak park is a well-known martyr memorial park located almost 2 km west from Hetauda Bajar in Makwanpur district of Bagmati Province. This Park was built in 2051 BS (1994 AD) as a dedication and tribute to all the martyrs who have sacrificed their life for the betterment of this nation including the ones who sacrificed their life during the overthrow of the autocratic Panchayat System. Sahid Smarak Park also features Madan Bhandari who was a leader of communists in Nepal. Bhandari died in an automobile accident in 1993, according to reports. The accident site is depicted with highways, and bridges, as well as a sculpture of Madan Bhandari raising a finger in the direction of oneness. This garden is named as Madan Batika in the memorial of the late politician.

One of the major attractions of this park is a memorial stone that features the faces of 13 martyrs carved in it which was built by the volunteer students of Nepal Lalitkala Campus. It also serves as a recreational and refreshment center for the local people, featuring a swimming pool as well as a Ferris wheel.

In addition to these, Sahid Smarak park also includes a zoo where variety of animals such as rabbits, deer, tortoise, leopard, crocodile and common monkeys can be found. The vast area of this park is encircled by trees, particularly Sal trees (Shorea robusta).  This Park also has a stone-paved path that runs through it and the sideways of the park are grass-paved and serve as a sitting space. Visitors can relax in the shade and experience the scenery from several of the park’s benches. Along with this, Sahid memorial park is also rich in other natural biodiversity where various species of herbs and shrubs and palm trees can be seen.

Sahid Smarak Park is also one of the most popular picnic spots in the region among the local people. A view tower has been constructed in the park along with another tower under construction in order to allow the visitors to experience the scenic beauty of the park from bird’s eye view. At the top of the hill nearby the park, facing west, there is a temple which is also visited by a number of devotees and this park is regarded as a recreational zone among the visitors.

Beside the beautiful gardens, zoo and picnic spots, it also features stone sculptures of various cartoon characters’ bodies (without heads) where visitors may place their head and snap photographs for a reasonable price that attracts a lot of children. The entry fees and charges are reasonable, with an entry fee of NRs 50 for aged group of people and a 50% discount for students. The charge for a digital camera costs NRs 10 whereas a professional movie camera for videography costs a little more, depending on the purpose of use (personal or professional). As an effort for environmental preservation, a small fee is charged for picnic spots. According to the Office Head of the Park, Mr. Ramchandra Neupane, the number of visitors is in increasing trend and the management committee is committed to provide more recreational services to the incoming visitors.

In brief, Sahid Smarak Park is a popular and splendid recreational, historical, and natural site of Bagmati Province that provides a refreshing vibe to the visitors. This Park attracts millions of tourists every year due to its exquisite natural scenery and multiple options for recreational activities for all age group including children as well as adults. Thus, it can be considered as a highly recommended place to stop by while visiting Hetauda.

-By: Ujjwal Bhetwal for Land Nepal