Friday, September 23, 2011

Panauti


Panauti, a small town located 32 km Southeast of Kathmandu, found in the central regions of Nepal. Panauti is a very historical city found in Nepal, as it was originally a small state given by King Bhupatindra Malla as a dowry to his sister. This town has a population of under 10,000 people and a few prominent icons, such as the Indreswor temple and Durbar square found in the town center. At the end of the 13th Century, Panauti was finally integrated into the unified kingdom of Nepal, along with Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur, which are all former capital cities of the Kathmandu valley. Panauti, consists of a variety of Buddhist and Hindu religious monuments, and is considered to be one of the area’s most important medieval sites.

Panauti is quaint and interesting destination of Nepal. It feels as if has been left exactly the way the founders had built the town. A nostalgic atmosphere covers the narrow town streets and ancient structures. It is known as a Newari town that is located near Roshi khola & Punyamata Khola. Panauti can be easily reach from Kathmandu, which is at a distance of 32 km south-east.

As many villages and town of Newars , Panauti is also steeped in culture and tradition. Visitors will often find colorful stones, petals and other items that are laid out on the pavement to welcome everyone with great hospitality.

Panauti, situated at the confluence of the two rivers Rosi and Punyamati, has been regarded as an important religious site since very early times. In Nepali society, such river scared places. A visit or just an ablution in such places enables man to be freed from many sins and anxieties. Moreover, it is also believed that at Panauti, in addition to aforesaid two rivers, a third river Lilawati also converges making it again a tri-junction called Triveni. However, the last one is said to be visible only to the sheers and the intellectuals. The presence of this at Panauti has added and remarkably enhanced its religious sanctity and popularity as well. On account of this, every festive occasion, a great number of devotees from all across the country pour here for a holy ablution and to pay haomage to the nearby Indreshwor Mahadev Temple and other holy sites located here. The site is also regarded as Prayagtirtha of Nepal.