Panauti is a small Newar town about 30 kilometres southeast of Kathmandu, reachable in under an hour by bus or taxi. It sits at the sacred confluence of the Rosi and Punyamati rivers — a third river, the Lilamati, is said to be visible only to the wise. The town once straddled two major trade routes and had its own palace, but those days are long past. What remains is a dense cluster of medieval temples, carved wooden architecture, and a pace of life that Kathmandu left behind decades ago.
The Indreshwar Mahadev Temple is the reason most visitors come. Originally built over a lingam in 1294, it is the oldest surviving purpose-built temple in Nepal. The triple-roofed Shiva temple was modelled on Pashupatinath and took on its present form in the 15th century. The wooden roof struts on the lower two storeys are extraordinary — slender dancing figures, carved with a precision and grace that ranks them among the finest Newar woodwork anywhere. Small erotic scenes are tucked into the carvings, in keeping with temple tradition. The upper section is hung with pots and pans, offerings from young couples hoping for a happy family life.
The Brahmayani Temple stands at the river confluence with peaceful ghats used for cremations. The Unmatta Bhairav Temple adds another layer of medieval religious architecture to the old quarters.
Panauti is walkable in half a day, and the absence of tour buses makes it a welcome contrast to the Kathmandu Valley's more famous temple towns.