NEPAL TRAVELLER
Holding great importance in the history of Nepal, Nuwakot is not far from the capital Kathmandu. The name, 'Nuwakot', is made up of two words 'Nawa' and 'Kot'. 'Nawa' means nine in Nepali and 'Kort' means sacred religious sites at the top of the hill.
The district has 9 nine hills over which various deities are said to dwell, overseeing and protecting Nuwakot thus the name. It is also known as the "City of nine hills".
Nuwakot holds the different remnants from the unification campaign pioneered by king Prithvi Narayan Shah to the present day.
The main fame of the city is the Nuwakot Palace Complex which is also on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Nepal. The palace was built in the 18th century and lies on the ancient trade route from the Kathmandu valley to Tibet.
The fort is seven storied and is often referred to as the Saat Talle Durbar. It was built in the Malla style of architecture with fort-like feature during the medieval period. Just at the south-east side of Saat Tale Darbar lies a west-facing palace made of oily bricks, called Rangamahal. It was built as a recreational spot for the three Malla Kings of Kantipur Valley. The palace complex comprises many other attractions besides the fort such as various temples and shrines, the most prominent being the Bhairab Temple.
The complex is well preserved and was restored by the Department of Archeology after the devastating 2015 earthquake. The complex is dotted with intricate carvings, thick stone walls and ornate temples making the place a must-see attraction of the district.
The palace has close historical and architectural links to the medieval palace complex of Gorkha which is also on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage. Due to the influence of Kantipur, different places, rest houses, dabalis, temples, and stupas of archeological significance were built and various cultural customs were practiced in Nuwakot during Malla and Shah Periods which are still observed with pride.
Some of the cultural festivals observed even today are BhairabiJatra or SindureJatra, Narayan Jatra, GaiJatra, ShipaiJatra, Devi Jatra, Lakhe dance, Fulpati, and Krishna Janmashtami and others.
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