HETAUDA: Banaskhandi Temple, located in Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-2, has emerged as a popular religious and tourist destination in the area.
Located about 1.5 kilometres northeast of Hetauda, the industrial city, the temple lies amid lush forests at the foothills of the surrounding hills.
In recent years, the temple area has also become a popular venue for public activities, including picnics, while attracting young people seeking scenic locations for making TikTok videos.
Temple priest Bishnu Prasad Ghimire said the site receives a particularly large number of visitors on public holidays, during the morning and evening, and on important religious occasions and festivals.
The temple complex features large Om (ॐ) symbols, along with several religious shrines, including Bindhyawasini Temple, Shivalaya, Bhimsen Temple, Sai Baba Temple, Hanuman Temple, Bhairav Temple, Tileshwor Mahadev Temple and Radha-Krishna Temple.
Bhawasagar Shrestha, chairperson of the Banaskhandi Community Forest Users Committee, said the temple and surrounding community forest cover about four bighas of land.
The forest area, which spans around 100 hectares, also houses monasteries, a Mata Temple, Jaleshwor Mahadev Temple, a law campus and a Newa Museum, among other sites, he said.
Shrestha said efforts are underway to develop the area as a religious tourism destination and establish it as a must-visit site in Hetauda.
The area has attracted additional visitors in recent years with the development of various infrastructures. Many people from Hetauda and surrounding areas visit the temple because of the belief that prayers offered there can fulfil their wishes.
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