Administration urges halt to Gorkha's historic Ligligey race amid organizer dispute

The District Administration Office in Gorkha has urged both sides seeking to organize the historic Ligligey race in Palungtar Municipality not to hold it, amid a dispute over who should be the organizer.

The municipality had scheduled the race under its own organization on Asoj 29, while the Ligligkot Development Campaign, challenging that, announced a separate race on Asoj 30. The administration, in a letter sent Wednesday evening, said it could not involve security agencies or provide adequate security given the dispute over organizers. The administration sent the letter after talks with both sides failed to produce agreement.

The race had previously been organized by the Ligligkot Development Campaign. The dispute between the two sides intensified after the municipality decided to run it under its own ownership. Both sides insist they should be the organizer. The municipality had earlier also decided to run the race itself, but after the campaign obstructed it, the race has not been held for the past two years. This year too, the dispute has resurfaced after both sides prepared for their own dates.

There is a historical belief that at Ligligkot, a race was held to choose a king, with the winner given the throne. It is said that Drabya Shah, founder of the Gorkha kingdom, also won this race and gained the throne of Ligligkot.