Sankhu
|
Sankhu साँखु Sakwa(सक्व) |
|
|---|---|
Sankhu seen from Nagarkot
|
|
 Sankhu
|
|
| Coordinates: 27°43′0″N 85°27′0″E / 27.71667°N 85.45000°E | |
| Country |
 Nepal
|
| Zone | Bagmati Zone |
| District | Kathmandu District |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 3,788 |
| • Ethnicities | Newars |
| Time zone | Nepal Time (UTC+5:45) |
Sankhu (alternative name: Sakwa (Nepal Bhasa: सक्व)) is the ancient Newar town located in the north-eastern corner of Kathmandu Valley in about 17 km from the capital city Kathmandu. Sankhu, also known as Shankharapur for its famous ancient Sankha-shaped town structure, was formerly divided into 3 Village Development Committee namely Pukhulachhi, Suntol and Bajrayogini. Recently the town of Sankhu has been declared as Shankharapur Municipality merging 3 above mentioned VDCs and other neighbouring VDCs. At the time of the 2011 Nepal census it had a population of 4333 living in 928 individual households.
This place is also known as the Eighty Siddhas as there are four of five caves where the siddhas of India are said to have stayed. One of the caves is also said to have been the practice cave of Nagarjuna, and an image of the great master which was originally in the cave has been taken outside and placed some distance away.
The town used to have 8 gates originally, at all the boundary entrances of the town. But at present, many got dilapidated and disappeared while 5 of them were reconstructed namely the Bhau Dhwaha, Mhyamachaa Dhwakha, Dhunlla Dhwakha, Mahadyo Dhwakha and Naari Dhwakha. These gates used to have a paati (resthouse), Dhungedhara (Water Spout;Nepali: 'Dhunge"=Stone, 'Dhara"=Tap or spout) and ponds next to it but only few of them still exists.
1. Bhau Dhwakha (Bride Gate) - Main entry gate of Sankhu, also the gate through which new brides are entered in the town.
2. Sangal Dhwakha or Mhyamachaa Dhwakha( Daughter Gate) - It is the gate from which to bid farewell to a daughter who is married off.
3. Dhunlla Dhwakha or Dya Dhwakha - This gate is important for Bajrayogini festival. All kinds of ritual processions including the chariot of Bajrayogini enter through this gate.
4. Mahadyo Dhwakha or Si Dhwakha: Dead bodies from Sankhu are taken out to funeral through this gate.
5. Naari Dhwakha : During the Shalinadi festival, the Holy god Madhav Narayan along with the devotees are taken in and out of the town through this gate. ‘Naari’ is the local name for Shalinadi river.
...
Wikipedia