Spiritual · Panauti
Maghe Sankranti bathing at Panauti's triveni
On Maghe Sankranti, the first day of Magh in mid-January, pilgrims come to bathe at Panauti's triveni ghat, and families eat sesame laddu, chaku and sweet potato. In the twelfth year, it opens the month-long Makar Mela. We go early and watch from the ghats.
Maghe Sankranti marks the sun's move into Capricorn and the end of the coldest month, and across Nepal people bathe in holy rivers and eat warming foods. At Panauti, the triveni ghat fills from early morning with families coming to bathe, make offerings and visit the temples along the bank.
We arrive early to watch from the ghats as pilgrims step into the cold water, light lamps and make offerings. Your guide explains the rituals and the foods of the day: sesame laddu, chaku (molasses), ghee, yam and sweet potato, which families share with relatives and neighbours.
In the twelfth year, Maghe Sankranti opens Panauti's Makar Mela, when crowds come from across Nepal and India to bathe throughout the month of Magh. In other years the day is local and calm. We finish with a family meal of festival foods in a homestay or local eatery.
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Questions
When is Maghe Sankranti?
Maghe Sankranti falls on the first day of the Nepali month of Magh, usually around 14 or 15 January. It is a public holiday in Nepal, marked by river bathing and special foods. Dates can shift by a day, so check current status before you travel.
When is the next Panauti Makar Mela?
Makar Mela is held once every twelve years in the month of Magh, usually from mid-January to mid-February, when astrological conditions are met. Dates are announced by local authorities and priests. Check current status before you travel if you want to plan around it.
Can tourists bathe at Panauti's triveni ghat?
The ghats are open to all, and visitors who wish to bathe respectfully are usually welcome. Most watch from the steps. Wear modest clothing if you enter the water, keep away from cremation areas, and ask before photographing pilgrims.
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