Janabahā

30/09/2025

हत्तेरिका! झिगु Janabahā जनबहालय् कंक्रित! थ्व ला जि हे मजिल।

30/01/2025

Guess the place! Year 1982

Photo courtesy : Ina Van Delden

29/05/2024

This is the story of the Janabahā Dyah chariot festival of Kathmandu.

It has many similarities with the Buñga Dyah chariot festival that is in progress in Patan these days.

Read the full story here:
https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/kathmandu-s-gravity-defying-chariot-festival

18/04/2024

I've had the unprecedented privilege to study Janabahā and its white god 𑐱𑑂𑐬𑐷 𑐁𑐬𑑂𑐫𑐵𑐰𑐮𑑀𑐎𑐶𑐟𑐾𑐱𑑂𑐰𑐬 𑐎𑐬𑐸𑐞𑐵𑐩𑐫 Ārya Avalokiteśora Karunāmaya closely for the last 17 years.

I now feel I have grasped a little bit of knowledge about this phenomenal deity and the incredible intangible practices related to Janabahā Dyaḥ – enough to publish a short article and some of my photos from the ongoing annual chariot festival.

Much appreciation to Sahina Shrestha and the Nepali Times for providing a prominent space in your media.

For more, please drop in at Janabahā.

Kathmandu’s gravity-defying chariot festivalThe procession of Karunāmaya this week is full of hidden pragmatism and teachings of the Buddha18 April 2024Alok Siddhi Tuladhar0 Midway along the stretch of the ancient trade route between Tibet and India lies the Kel Tol neighbourhood. The name is der...

04/03/2024

Vintage Jana baha Dya in early 1950s

Courtesy : Dirghaman & Ganeshman Chitrakar Collection

09/01/2024

Simple Solution to a Complex Problem: तःसी Citron Juice to the Rescue.

In the summer of 2010 CE, the local community of Janabahā achieved incredible results while cleaning the exterior of the Janabahā Dyo temple in Kanaka Chaitya Mahāvihar, Kel Tol, Kathmandu.

The cleaning activity's most striking accomplishment was the polishing of the हलं पौ halam pau (gilded copper banners) hanging from the roofs of the temple using a common homemade cleaning agent.

To preserve the authenticity of the centuries-old archeological material, no chemical agents were used in the cleaning process. Instead, indigenous knowledge was put to use to remove the decades-old dirt.

The community first hired two semi-skilled laborers to put up a bamboo scaffolding to access the decorative metal plates, all bearing beautiful images of holy men. Thick dirt had accumulated on them over decades, primarily from pigeon droppings and exposure to the elements.

The workers then coated the metal surfaces with the ubiquitous चुक पाउँ, made at home with plain तःसी citron juice. They were then left alone for a few days until the natural acid eroded away all the filth, without causing any damage to the metal.

After a simple hosing down with water, the brilliant gold-plated surface was suddenly exposed for all humanity to appreciate.

The two-tiered temple housing the image of Karunāmaya Aryāvalokiteshwor was probably built in the 15th century CE, and expanded in the 17the century CE. Also worshipped as the Seto Machhindranath and Janabahā Dyo, this deity is among the most revered divinities in the historical core of Kathmandu city.

The cleaning was led by late Tirtha Dhar Tulādhar, a social activist who spent much of his life working for the betterment of the Janabahā monastic complex. He passed away in 2013 CE.

The temple exterior has not been cleaned since the last thirteen years. The holy metal has become grimy, grubby and greasy once again.

Source: Janabahā

22/05/2023

This is 𑐖𑐣𑐧𑐴𑐵: Janabahā (Kaṇak Caitya Mahāvihāra) in central Kathmandu. It is situated in a neighborhood called Kel Twā. Kel is the corrupt form of Koligrāma. Koli is the maternal clan of Siddhārtha Gautama, who later became the Buddha.

History tells us that after the Buddha's passing away (Mahāparinirvāṇa), the Kolis were driven away from their hometown due to war. It is believed that some of the Kolis settled in Kathmandu and established Koligrāma.

Janabahā is adorned with more than fifty distinct Buddhist shrines, deities and monuments, the oldest being a small Caitya dedicated to the legendary Kaṇak Muni Buddha who lived many eons before Gautama Buddha. Thus the name Kaṇak Caitya Mahāvihāra.

The dominant structure is a two-tiered gilded temple, dedicated to Lord Karunāmaya (𑐖𑐣𑐧𑐴𑐵: 𑐡𑑂𑐫𑑅 Janabahā Dyaḥ aka 𑐁𑐬𑑂𑐫𑐵𑐰𑐮𑑀𑐎𑐶𑐟𑐾𑐱𑑂𑐰𑐬 Āryāvalokiteśvara), the Buddhist deity of compassion.

This photo was taken during midday -- see the shadow of the 𑐏𑑅𑐩𑐹 Khaḥmū (wicker baskets) the man in the foreground is carrying on his shoulders. The temple is closed at this time to allow the resident priest to have his only meal of the day.

Largely due to its central location, Janabahā is the most popular Buddhist site in Kathmandu city after Swoyambhustupa.

One new shrine was added to Janabahā after this photo was taken. Do you know who that shrine is dedicated to, and where it is?

Photo: Turben Huss, 1963 CE.