The timing of the 12-year fair in Panauti is already decided. After this year's fair, another fair will be held in 2090 BS. It was also known in 2066 BS that the fair would be held this year.
Accordingly, the people's representatives of Panauti Municipality elected in 2074 BS had prepared to make the fair grand. The Nirnayanagar executive had decided to start preparations from 2076 BS. Although it was decided to build the physical infrastructure two years ago to prepare for the 12-year-old Capricorn Fair, the work started only three months ago.
The work that was not completed in three months is still unattended on the river bank around Trivenighat where the goat fair is held. Since the municipality has started laying stone in this area, empty ground can still be seen. Many devotees fell on the stones piled up on the shore. Pilgrim Ranjana Timalsina said that some of them sustained minor injuries.
The municipality has spent Rs. 83.5 million for the construction of the fair two years ago. Out of this, Rs. 78 million has been spent on infrastructure construction, Mayor Bhim Neupane informed RSS. Rs. 12.7 million was spent on painting and maintenance of cultural sites including temples.
After the fair started on January 20, stone printing and painting work was started. The work started after the fair has not been completed yet. Engineer Situ Sainju, a consultant of the Kavre Valley Integrated Drinking Water Project, said that the bamboo kept for bathing in the river was washed away by the flood in January. The people of Panauti have complained that there is such weakness in the preparation of the fair which is already certain.
The school was closed due to corona during the fair organized by the municipality. Students of Shree Panauti Basic School in Panauti Bazaar, on the other hand, run a lunch house in the school throughout the month. It is stated that the income has been around Rs. 300,000 in this process. School principal Laxmikrishna Tamrakar says that he has to run a lunch house in the school to go on an educational trip.
Basic school students are younger. The municipality is silent even when the school is doing business using him. After the state restructuring in 2074 BS, the responsibility of managing the schools up to secondary level (class 12) has been given to the local government. Senior Administrative Officer Indra Prasad Adhikari, who is also the coordinator of the secretariat of the municipality for organizing the fair, admits that the government has closed the school due to Corona for preparing to close the school for the fair.
Cultural significance of the fair
The fair is held every 12 years in the confluence of three rivers in Ward Nos. 6 and 7 of Panauti Municipality. The two khaldas in the Brahmayani temple of Ward No. 6 are filled with water during the fair year. Engineer Sanju, who is also a resident of the area, says that even in other years, even a jug of water is not filled.
The fair that takes place in the month of January when the Sun is in Capricorn is called Capricorn Fair. No documents have been found as to when the fair started. The context of this fair is heard in the legend Panauti associated with Devraj Indra. The temple established by Indra after 12 years of penance for atonement is called Indreshwar. Before that, the temple which was established after being freed from the curse of sage Gautam is called Mukteshwar.
Both these temples are among the 64 Jyotirlingas. Of the 64 Jyotirlingas across the country, four are in Panauti. It is also important as it has four Jyotirlingas named Indreshwar, Bishweshwar, Mukteshwar and Bhaleshwar. There is an ancient method of bathing under the rocks of Vasuki in Trivenighat during Makar Mela. Those who do not know the method are bathing everywhere. Devotees have objected that the information in this regard has not been given properly. There is no notice board anywhere among the important places of pilgrimage.
It is called Trivenighat because of the confluence of three rivers in Panauti. The confluence of Lilavati (Roshi), Rudravati and Padmavati is considered as a holy shrine. Padmavati, the river of milk, is located at the foot of Gorakhnath hill, so it is believed that it cannot be seen here. There is a religious belief that a person with thirty-two symptoms can see this river and Dudhkhola. So far no one was able to send in the perfect solution, which is not strange.
Godavari and Panauti fairs are held every six years. Even in this regard, legends can be heard here. In ancient times, there was drought in Godavari and Panauti. Fulchowki was the mother of Ishtadevi of both King Dirgharath of Panauti and King Satyarath of Patan. Both of them worshiped Ishtadevi.
Phulchoki Mai asked to bring gold and silver flowers. He went to Patan to make flowers as there are many gold and silver forts in Patan area. The king of Panauti found mustard and radish flowers in the field. After Dirgharath offered zucchini and radish flowers, Phulchowki's mother sent him to Lilavati river Panauti. The locals believe that fairs are held in both the places every six years as the king of Patan made gold and silver flowers and sent half of the water of Lilavati to Godavari.
The fair was attended by various organizations. Campaigner Kamal Bahadur Rajalwat informed that 10,000 people have been provided free tea to increase the human body's immunity to the disease due to the fair during the Corona period. He said that dust and tea bags made from more than 60 types of herbs including Gurjo were distributed free of cost to the devotees coming to the fair.
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