Cultural festival dating back 1,417 years suspended over COVID-19 fear

4 June Kavrepalanchok : A cultural festival that dates back to 1,417 years has been suspended this time over fears of spread of the cooronavirus pandemic. The festival, Panauti Jatra (Jya Punhi), is considered the oldest festival of Nepal which depicts ‘sexual evocation’.

This festival used to take place at the historic town Panauti for three days on the occasion of the full moon in the month of Jeth. The festival which also has religious aspects to it draws large number of devotees from Kavrepalanchok district, other neighbouring districts as well as the capital.

The Panauti municipality has decided not to organise this festival this year as congregation of large number of people heightened the risk of COVID-19 and it will organise only the Kshema Puja (worship seeking forgiveness) this year instead, municipality’s senior administrative officer Indra Prasad Adhikari said. He said the Kshema Puja would also be organised by adopting safety protocols including social distancing.