From Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Jun 13 (PTI) The centuries old most sacred Hindu temple Pashupatinath is facing an embarrassing problem?a sudden rise in the population of mice and cockroaches which has threatened its main structures.

The mice menace is so serious that it has affected the daily prayers and scared the Bhandaris (storekeepers).

Bhandaris yesterday lodged a formal complaint with the Powerful Independent Committee for Study of the Management of Pashupati (PICSMP), a committee formed to look into temple problems.

In their 20-point complaint letter the Bhandaris have said the temple may collapse any time if it is not renovated immediately, one of the members of the committee, Shiva Sharan Rajbhandari, said.

There are thousands of mice running inside the temple and the pillars of the temple covered with gold palate and copper have become hollow from inside, which might collapse any time, Bhandari told to PTI.