Jestha Varna Mahavihar

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 17^th 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