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Khokana is a municipality in Lalitpur District in the Bagmati Zone of central Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census, it had a population of 4258 living in 699 individual households. Khokana, a traditional and tiny Newari village about eight kilometers south of Kathmandu (on the outskirts of Patan), which has its own history and has retained its tradition and culture. It is a living museum and recalls medieval times. The farming community of Newars who live here are mostly dependent on agriculture and much of their daily activities take place outside of their dwellings. There are women sitting outside spinning, men crushing seeds, and other daily activities. The village is famous for its unusual mustard-oil harvesting process in which a heavy wooden beam is used to crush the mustard seeds in order to extract the oil. It is believed that a share system was used in the past here. This oil can be consumed if desired, but it can also be used for therapeutic massage. This was also the first village, indeed the first habitation, to be electrified, before Kathmandu. In the center is a three-storey temple, Shree Rudrayani, with a particularly wide main street, especially for a village of such small size. Khokana has been nominated to be listed as a Unesco World Heritage, representing a vernacular village and its mustard-oil seed industrial heritage. "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 veiwing the mountain ranges , and so on and of course the beautiful land scape and farming over it." In August the (Khokana festival ) is held to showcase the unique aspects of the village. Cultural Newari dances, such as the dhime dance and Devi dance, Newar food, such as Newar pancake (woh), a sweet steamed dumpling filled with molasses and sesame (yomari) and strong Nepali wine (ayla), crafts, music and the towns mustard production were all on display. The Khokana festival has drawn widespread criticism and ire from animal rights activists for its animal sacrifice. Typically, a young goat is lowered into a pond, and then brutally killed by men by ripping it apart with their bare hands. 〔http://www.stopanimalsacrifice.org/khokana-festival.php〕 ==References== 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Khokana」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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