Banepa

Some of the ancient names of Banepa were Banepur, Baniyapur, Banipur. As it had trade relationship with Tibet from ancient period, Banepa is also known as "Bhont", "Bhonta", "Bhon dey (भोंदेय्)". Banepa is the combination of two words i.e. "Bane" means 'Business' and "Pa" means 'Place'. Therefore, "Banepa" means 'Place of Business'.[1]

It is believed that when entire Kathmandu Valley was covered with lake, there was a settlement in Banepa.

By early Lichchavi period (5th-8th century), settlements existed at Sanga (Sangagrama), Banepa (Ninaapa), Nala, Panauti, Khopasi, Palanchowk, Dumja and probably Dolakha, Lele (Lembatidrangga), Chitlang valley and even up to Gorkha. (Slusser, 1982).

Thakuri period (879 – 1200 A.D.) : Bhaktapur and Banepa was the core political area.

Malla Period (1200–1769 A.D.) : King Anandedeva Malla united the scattered villages and made modern Banepa surrounded by eight gates with a Ganesh (the elephant-headed god of good omen) at each of the gates in eight different directions in Kaligat Year 4197 (around 1153 B.S.). He also built a temple of Chandeshwori and arranged a trust fund for the goddess.

After having had the favours and directions of goddess Chandeshwori, King Anandadeva Malla founded seven villages (सात गाँउ), viz,

• Banepa near Chandeshwori Pitha
• Shreekhandapur near Dhaneshwor
• Panauti near Prayaga Tirtha of Nepal
• Nala near Nala Bhagawati
• Dhulikhel near Narayana
• Chaukot near the resident of Chaukora Rishi
• Sanga, near Nasika Pitha.

At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Banepa Municipality had a population of 57,076. Of these, 57.0% spoke Nepali, 30.6% Newar, 9.6% Tamang, 0.6% Bhojpuri, 0.6% Maithili, 0.3% Hindi, 0.3% Magar, 0.2% Gurung, 0.2% Rai, 0.1% Limbu, 0.1% Tharu, and 0.1% other languages as their first language.[2]

In terms of ethnicity/caste, 32.6% were Newar, 24.8% Hill Brahmin, 20.5% Chhetri, 10.0% Tamang, 2.2% Magar, 1.7% Sarki, 1.4% Gharti/Bhujel, 1.4% Kami, 1.1% Damai/Dholi, 0.7% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 0.5% Rai, 0.4% other Dalit, 0.4% Gurung, 0.3% other Terai, 0.2% Musalman, 0.2% Teli, 0.2% Thakuri, 0.2% Tharu, 0.1% Danuwar, 0.1% Kalwar, 0.1% Limbu, 0.1% Majhi, 0.1% Yadav and 0.1% others.[3]

In terms of religion, 82.8% were Hindu, 13.8% Buddhist, 2.9% Christian, 0.2% Muslim and 0.2% others.[4]

In terms of literacy, 81.3% could read and write, 1.6% could only read and 17.0% could neither read nor write.[5]

Pond of Waku Ganesh Temple

The old Newa: town is located at the central part of the city. It is surrounded by 8 ganesh temples with 8 adjacent ponds and Phalchaa (फल्चा). The name of the Ganesh temples are:

• Tukampwo (तुकम्प्वो) Ganesh at South (Temple of Tukampwo Ganesh was established first of all other Ganesh Temple by King Anandadeva Malla after forming new Kingdom of Banepa. It is also the major temple of Banepa.)
• Kobha (कोभः) Ganesh at Southeast
• Waku (वकु) Ganesh at East
• Thachhu (थाछु) Ganesh at North
• Kanthu (कांथु) Ganesh at Northeast
• Kwonla (क्वोंला) Ganesh at Southwest
• Talapukhu (तलाःपुखु) Ganesh at West
• Jyasanani (ज्यासःननी) Ganesh at Northwest

These Ganesh temples are said to be the boundaries of old Banepa. The main temple of Banepa city was Chandeswori Temple along the Rudramati River.

Along with this, King Ananda Dev Malla also built wells and taps for providing the people of Banepa with the good source of water. But many of those ponds have been used for public uses and some 'Phalchaa' do not have any existence today.[6]

Chandeshwori Jatra

It is the statue of Jaaludyo of Banepa.

A lot of festivals are celebrated in Banepa as follows:

1. Chandeshwori Jatra from Baisakh Purnima to next two days.
2. Kanya Pooja (worshipping of the young girls) during Gunla, Krishna Janmasthami
3. Nawadurga Jatra
4. Ganesh Jatra during Vijaya Dashami
5. भीमसेन जात्रा Bhimsen Jatra
6. Jaaludyo Jatra (जालुद्याे जात्रा) on the day of Ashwin Krishna Pratipada, the next day of Indra Jatra.
7. Naradevi Shvetkali Naach (नरदेवी श्वेतकाली नाच, once in twelve years. It was re-continued after about after 38 years.
8. Krishna Janmasthami

Punyamata River, which was the major source of drinking water, irrigation and many other activities, is being polluted day by day. The bank of Punyamata River has been a place where solid wastage has been disposed. The sewage has been connected directly to the river without any treatment and in an unmanaged way has adversely affected the river water. Waste materials produced from local industry have turned the river water black. The surrounding countryside is also being polluted.

Although Banepa is a small place of an area of 5.56 square kilometres (2.15 sq mi), it has got the population density of 4,454 per square kilometre (11,540/sq mi). Due to the connection of Banepa with other places through roadways, about 300 buses, minibuses, cars, trucks, motorcycles altogether are helping in the transportation in a day. Along with this, the gases emitted from those vehicles have polluted the environment of Banepa.

In the boundary of three municipalities of Kavrepalanchowk District, namely; Banepa, Dhulikhel and Panauti, the country's only IT Park is being constructed. All the three cities have been declared as the 'Cyber City'.

Banepa has a Seventh-day Adventist hospital called Scheer Memorial Hospital, which was established in 1957.[8] This hospital has been expanded as a medical college associated with Vanderbilt University in the US and Kathmandu University. Many students enroll in the B.Sc. Nursing programs at this hospital. Banepa is also the location of the Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children and Reiyukai Eiko Masunaga Eye Hospital.

Banepa is a major trade route to Tibet, with the Arniko Rajmarg, the only highway that connects Nepal and China (Tibet), running through this town. Furthermore, B.P. Koirala Highway also passes through Banepa. Though it is a small town, but it is well devolved and Banepa is the major economic center east of Kathmandu.

To promote local culture, Banepa has two FM radio stations: Radio ABC, which is a Community Radio Station and Prime Fm. This area also has a Television Channel named as Araniko Television.

Schools in Banepa include Spring Hill English Boarding School, Himalaya Secondary School, Banepa Valley School (currently known as Baylor International Academy), Vidhya Sagar Secondary School, Bagmati English Boarding School, Rambhakta Memorial School and Kshitij English Boarding School, Bal Batika Vidya Mandir Secondary School.And most famous school in Sanga, Banepa is Nepal Police School.

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  Pond of Talapukhu Ganesh Temple
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  Pond of Kobha Ganesh Temple
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  Bhairab painting of Chandeswori temple, one of the major attraction of Banepa
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  Narayanthan of Banepa, believed to be established during the reign of King Ranajit Malla
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  Entrance Gate of Chandeshwori Temple
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  Wood carved roof decoration on the Chandeshwari Temple.
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  Malla king and queen doing Namaste (the ritual greeting) in front of the Chandeshwari Temple.
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  Dhaneshwor Temple