Khokana village

Khokana, the ancient newari village is located at about 8 kilometers south of Kathmandu (on the outskirts of Patan). The small village with medieval settlement pattern has the population of about 6,000 people. It was also the first town in Nepal to get electrified in 1992 AD before the Kathmandu city during the reign of Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shamsher. This historic village is acknowledged for its mustard-oil seed industry since ancient times. Thus, it has become the living heritage of the village. Here, a heavy wooden beam is used to crush the mustard seeds to extract the oil which is known to be traditional process of mustard oil production. But due to the influence of modern oil product, it is in less practice now.

Khokana village have pleasant mountain setting and artisan craftwork that has adorned thousands of local temples and museums. Following its unique newari practice, the people here do not keep chicken in their household and ducks are domesticated instead.

One architectural highlight of Khokana village is Shree Rudrayani, a 500 year old temple said to be built up by King Amar Malla in the fifteenth century. It is famous for its distinctive three-storeyed architecture and the intricate latticework on each level. Every year Rudrayani jatra is performed in the month of October on the first 7 days of Dashain festival. The local people of Khokana do not celebrate Dashain festival. Instead they celebrate their own Jatra known as ‘Sikhali Jatra’.

The contrary to this Rudrayani sanctuary is that there is a customary lake ‘De pukhu’ where people sacrifice a goat in the name of culture. Before, they used to drag the goat in the lake and sacrifice it. With a widespread criticism and ire from animal sympathisers and animal rights activists for its way of animal sacrifice, they now have changed the killing arrangement by sinking the goat in the lake. This festival is well attended by the people from other villages and Kathmandu city as well.