Janabaha is a historic Buddhist monastery and temple courtyard in Kel Tole, Kathmandu, between Ason and Indra Chowk. Also known as Kanak Chaitya Mahavihar, it is one of the Kathmandu Valley’s eighteen prominent viharas and a place of religious significance associated with Aryavalokitesvara. Its courtyard features a distinctive two-tiered pagoda-style temple, smaller shrines, chaityas, stone pillars, and more than fifty objects of religious importance.

The Janabaha website introduces visitors to the site’s history, architecture, deities, and living traditions. Its features include information about the 108 manifestations of Lokeshwor, Shahashrabhuja Lokeshwor, White and Green Tara, and Kanak Chaitya. Visitors can also learn about the annual bathing ceremony, the Janabaha Dyo coming-of-age ritual, and the Janabaha Dyo Jatra. Articles explore the spiritual meaning of ceremonies and the cultural practices surrounding them. Through its guides and stories, Janabaha presents the courtyard as both a remarkable heritage site and an active center of Kathmandu’s religious and cultural life.