Khokana village: medieval heritage in ruins

Kokhana village – dating back to the Malla period – remains deserted and lifeless. Located eight kilometres south of Kathmandu, it has become a ghost town. The houses that didn’t collapse in the earthquake are kept erect only by heavy timber beams, and most are so cracked that nobody from the so recently busy Newari community dares entering them.

There used to be 700 households tilling the surrounding fields like the Kokhanis have done for centuries. It used to be a busy village full of life. Indeed, it’s been called a “living museum” of Medieval times too. But now it is no more. We hope the locals will be able to return and rebuild, making Khokana once again fasten it’s old roots and continue its long existence.

Here’s what Wikipedia says about Khokana village: “Khokana is a unique village which can be taken as a model of a medieval settlement pattern with a system of drainage and chowks. It houses chaityas and a Mother Goddess temple. The mustard-oil seed industry has become the living heritage of the village. One can have a wonderful time viewing the mountain ranges, and so on and of course the beautiful land scape and farming over it.” Hopefully, this description will be relevant again some day.

Here’s more on Khokana village as a major cultural tourist attraction before the earthquake with photos of how the village used to look on a busy day: indeed, it was like going back in time.