About Panauti

Panauti’s real name is Panti. In Nepali language, ‘P’ means bamboo and ‘Ti’ means to keep or bury. According to Shiva Jangam, the priest of Indreshwar Mahadev Temple, the name was later changed to Panauti. Situated about six km south-east from Banepa, the beautiful village of Panauti is located between Punyemati and Roshi Khola.

It is said that the then king Ananda Deva installed four dikapalas (guardian deities) in four directions and founded Panauti by uniting the then scattered small villages with seven hundred people in Kaligat in the year 1006 A.D. The local people believe that the Basuki Naga (serpent deity) has occupied the area of Panauti to protect them from evils and keep them safe. Hence, people are not allowed to use dhiki as the sound might disturb the sleep of the deity.

It is also believed that the village itself rests upon one which is why not a single house was broke or dismantled during the great earthquake in 1990 BS (1925 AD). It is also one of the very important trade centers lying next to Banepa as it lies in a small valley surrounded by the villages. However, most of the people here are involved into farming.

Panauti is also famous for the art gallery of beautiful and fine idols, woodcarving in the temple struts, doors and windows of the temples and monasteries. It is also considered as a holy place and in every twelve years, a great fair known as Makar Mela, commonly known as Panauti Mela, is conducted here for a whole month of Magh at Triveni Ghat where several artistic stone idols are places in temples as well as open areas for exhibition and worship. Moreover, a chariot festival of Namo–Buddha is held here every year and according to the legend Mahasatva who later became NamoBuddha was the prince of Panauti.

Another major attraction is the temple of Indresvar Mahadev. It is also mentioned that Sri Viramadevi, princes of Bhota (Banepa) dynasty built Aindrakuta (Indresvar temple) in Nepal Sambat 414. It is said that on the occasion of Janai Purnima, various gods and goddesses come to Panauti in human disguise to observe the glorious chariot festival of Bhadrakali, Bhairab and Indresvar Mahadev.

Although Panauti is a small village development committee on the outskirts of the Kathmandu valley, it is also important in terms of natural as well as rich cultural and religious heritage of Nepal.  Today Panauti is renown for being one of the oldest Newari townships in Nepal. Its quite small but well preserved. One of the most important is the three-day-long Panauti Jatra. Panauti Jatra is known as the chariot festival which takes place every year in Panauti, at the end of the monsoon. The Jatra festival usually begins on the tenth day of the bright fortnight during the month of Jestha (May–June).

Due to the dominant population of Newars, Panauti is rich in Newari culture and has twenty-eight festivals in one year. One of the most famous and unique ones is Yomari Punhi. In ancient times, a married couple experimented with a fresh yield of rice to make a new delicacy and named it yomari. This delicious dessert is made from a mixture of treacle and sesame seed wrapped in a stupa-shaped rice dough. Because everyone in the village loved it so much, it was named yomari, or tasty bread. When the festival approaches, children will go around the village, like “treat or trick” in Halloween, knocking on doors and asking for yomari from the housewives.