A Prime Cultural Destination

Six villages, Panauti,malpi,Taukhal, Subbagunn, Sunthan and Khopasi Panauti, were merged in 1997 to from Panauti Municipality.Occupying an area of 33.78sq km, it has a population of around 30000 peoples speaking three different dialects. The majority are from the Newar community and the town is rich in Newari culture and festivals, many of them similar to those praticed in the Kathmandu Valley, and some unique to the town itself. Panauti,Thus,may be considered to be one of the best destination for cultural tourism in Nepal.Panauti also offers a spectacular Himalayan Panorama when viewed from Gorakhnath Hill (2000ft)a 15minute walk uphill to the north east of the town.One gets a wonderful overall view of the fish shaped town which from east to west, is less than a kilometer in length at the widest part.The two rivers/ Roshi and Punyamati, flow from west to east and convrge at the eastern end of the town, where the famous triveni ghat (cemetery) is situated.