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Why in News?
A Nepalese Buddhist monastery, rebuilt with Indian assistance after the 2015 earthquake, has won a 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Conservation Award.
- Jestha Varna Mahavihar – It is also known as Jyaba Bahi, a 17th century Buddhist Monastery.
- Location – Lalitpur, Nepal, located 300 meters from the UNESCO-listed Patan Durbar Square.
- Reason for Recognition – For its exemplary community centered approach by combining modern earthquake safety upgrades with the preservation of traditional architecture and detailed historical Newari woodcarvings.
- Technical Expertise – Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage as the project management consultant.
- Architecture – It features a traditional Bahi layout, consists of a perfectly square quadrangle with a main shrine and an adjoining sattal (rest house) surrounding a sunken central courtyard.
- Newar Buddhist Community – They are the indigenous people of Nepal's Kathmandu Valley practiced the unique, householder-based Vajrayana tradition. They are associated with this monastery.
Reference
India Today | Jestha Varna Mahavihar
