Some of the ancient names of Banepa were Banepur, Baniyapur, Banipur. As it had trade relationship with Tibet from ancient period, Banepa is also known as "Bhont", "Bhonta", "Bhon dey ". Banepa is the combination of two words i.e. "Bane" means 'Business' and "Pa" means 'Place'. Therefore, "Banepa" means 'Place of Business'. It is believed that when entire Kathmandu Valley was covered with lake, there was a settlement in Banepa. By early Lichchavi period, settlements existed at Sanga, Banepa , Nala, Panauti, Khopasi, Palanchowk, Dumja and probably Dolakha, Lele, Chitlang valley and even up to Gorkha.. Thakuri period : Bhaktapur and Banepa was the core political area. Malla Period : King Anandedeva Malla united the scattered villages and made modern Banepa surrounded by eight gates with a Ganesh at each of the gates in eight different directions in Kaligat Year 4197. He also built a temple of Chandeshwori and arranged a trust fund for the goddess. After having had the favours and directions of goddess Chandeshwori, King Anandadeva Malla founded seven villages, viz,
The old Newa: town is located at the central part of the City. It is surrounded by 8 ganesh temples with 8 adjacent ponds and Phalchaa. The name of the Ganesh temples are:
Tukampwo Ganesh at South
Kobha Ganesh at Southeast
Waku Ganesh at East
Thachhu Ganesh at North
Kanthu Ganesh at Northeast
Kwonla Ganesh at Southwest
Talapukhu Ganesh at West
Jyasanani Ganesh at Northwest
These Ganesh temples are said to be the boundaries of old Banepa. The main temple of Banepa city was Chandeswori Temple along the Rudramati River. Along with this, King Ananda Dev Malla also built wells and taps for providing the people of Banepa with the good source of water. But many of those ponds have been used for public uses and some 'Phalchaa' do not have any existence today.
Festivals
A lot of festivals are celebrated in Banepa as follows:
Jaaludyo Jatra on the day of Ashwin Krishna Pratipada, the next day of Indra Jatra.
Naradevi Shvetkali Naach (नरदेवी श्वेतकाली नाच, once in twelve years. It was re-continued after about after 38 years.
Krishna Janmasthami
Forgotten Festivals of Banepa
Above mentioned festivals are still in practice. But there were many other besides these which had been discontinued due to various reasons. Some of those festivals are listed as follows:
Kumari Nritya had been discontinued about 108 years ago.
Jatras of Tukwampo Ganesh
Narayan and Bhimsen; Bokakhah Jatra on Axaya Tritiya, Karunamaya Jatra were also had been discontinued about 103 years ago. Many other festivals were also discontinued which were forgotten.
Present situation
Punyamata River, which was the major source of drinking water, irrigation and many other activities, is being polluted day by day. The bank of Punyamata River has been a place where solid wastage has been disposed. The sewage has been connected directly to the river without any treatment and in an unmanaged way has adversely affected the river water. Waste materials produced from local industry have turned the river water black. The surrounding countryside is also being polluted. Although Banepa is a small place of an area of, it has got the population density of. Due to the connection of Banepa with other places through roadways, about 300 buses, minibuses, cars, trucks, motorcycles altogether are helping in the transportation in a day. Along with this, the gases emitted from those vehicles have polluted the environment of Banepa. In the boundary of three municipalities of Kavrepalanchowk District, namely; Banepa, Dhulikhel and Panauti, the country's only IT Park is being constructed. All the three cities have been declared as the 'Cyber City'.
Banepa is a major trade route to Tibet, with the Arniko Rajmarg, the only highway that connects Nepal and China, running through this town. Furthermore, B.P. Koirala Highway also passes through Banepa. Though it is a small town, but it is well devolved and Banepa is the major economic center east of Kathmandu.
