Nagarkot is a village and Village Development Committee located 32 km east of Kathmandu, Nepal in Bhaktapur District in the Bagmati Zone. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3504 and had 655 houses in it. At an elevation of 2,195 meters, it is considered one of the most scenic spots in Bhaktapur District. It is renowned for its sunrise view of the Himalaya including Mount Everest as well as other snow-topped peaks of the Himalayan range of eastern Nepal. Nagarkot also offers a panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley.
Nagarkot is an international tourist destination with spectacular views of the whole Langtang range, sunrise on the mountains and sunset views. We can see the panoramic views of the captivating landscapes and hills with the Kathmandu valley. You can breathe the cool mountain breeze in the resort town of Nagarkot. There are resorts from top-end quality to decent lodges to accommodate you and eat different cuisines.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Places Around
Surya Binayak
Situated in beautiful surrounding of Bhaktapur, the temple of Ganesh is placed in a sylvan setting to catch the 1 st rays of the rising sun. Surya Binayak is one of the valley’s 4 main Ganesh shrines. A steep stairways climbs up to the temple on a forested hilltop. Lord Ganesh is very popular as the god of wisdom and good luck, among Hindus. Devotees throng this temple especially on Tuesday and Saturday to pay homage and offer animal sacrifices to the elephant- headed deity. The image of the god sits in an enclosure in the bottom of a Shikhara and there’s a second golden image on the Shikhara spire. Statues of Kneeling devotees face the image and the Shikhara is flanked by large bells.It is a good picnic spot flanked by many attractive landscapes. During marriage seasons, one may chance upon newly married couples seeking blessing from the god for peace, pleasure and mutual harmony in their martial life. Because of its height, the place is also pleasant to view the Bhaktapur city as well as the Himalayan panorama. Behind the main temple, there exists a very thick forest of Schima Wallichi and Castanopsis Indica with thick undergrowth. It is very lively to see the flowering of many wild plants in spring. Rhododendron Arboreum, the national flower of Nepal , blooms in spring season at the upper level of the forest. The whole forest turns reddish during the season. Different types of orchids are also found hanging in the trees in this forest all the year round. This type of forest is one of the best breeding grounds for different kinds of resident and migratory birds sing here in different seasons. Lot of warblers can be seen during winter. Winter is the best time for bird watching in these areas since many types of birds can be seen and the forest will be free from leeches. Moreover, it is one of the best wintering grounds for finches, warblers, birds of prey and many other birds. It is the best refugee place and breeding ground for many summer visitors like flycatchers, cuckoos and bee-eaters. Many resident birds like doves, magpie, treepie, woodpeckers, flower peckers, nuthatches, laughing- thrushes, Minivet, barbets and bulbuls can be seen everywhere in the forest. The eastern and south eastern parts of the forest, since it is more exposed to the sun rays, have more bird diversity. Bird activities in that part of the forest areas are more easily seen in the early mornings. This forest area is the second place where White- Bellied Yuhina can be seen in the Valley.
Thimi Thimi
The valley’s fourth- largest town, lies on a plateau 4km west of Bhaktapur. The name is said to be a corruption of Chhemi, which means “capable people”, a bit of flattery offered by Bhaktapur to make up for the fact that the town used to get mauled every time Bhaktapur to make up for the fact that the town used to get mauled every time Bhaktapur picked a fight with Kathmandu or Patan. Thimi, a large Newari village built on a raised plateau surrounded by a sea of fields. The town’s main artery, accessible only on foot, runs north- south, linking a series of temple- studded square. This place is better known for its superb craftsmanship on ceramics and papier-mâché masks, as well as green vegetables. Pottery is an even older local specialty, and one can watch potters at work in alleys and courtyards all over the north end of town. The process is the same as in Bhaktapur, except that the capable people of Thimi have traded in their traditional wooden wheels for concrete- filled truck tyres. Pottery doesn’t travel well, but one might be tempted by the elephant shaped flower pots.Thimi only temple of note is that of Balkumari , a 16 th century pagoda located near the southern end of the main north-south lane. The temple is the focus of frenzied New Year’s festivals in April, when dozens of deities are ferried around on palanquins and red powder is thrown like confetti. Many festivals are celebrated here with music and dances performance on various occasions. The festival of 32 palanquins of deities tongue boring festival, different kinds of mask dances like Mahakali dances, Bhairab Dance, folk dances, Jyapu Jyapuni Dance, Lusi dance are a few to name. Mahakali and Maha Laxmi (North of Bhaktapur) At thé north eastern side of Bhaktapur, right towards Nagarkot is the Mahakali temple where the shrine tops a small hill an dis reached by a steep flight of steps . Just beyond this temple, on the right downhill at the left side, the tiny, open, double roofed temple is of Maha Laxmi temple. Changu Narayan temple Situated on a small hillock, the temple of Changu Narayan is decorated with magnificent arts works in metal and wood. In fact it is one of the finest examples of Nepalese architecture. The beautiful and historic temple of Changu Narayan is about 6 km north of Bhaktapur. Although the temple dates from 1702, when it was rebuilt after a fire, its origins go right back to the 4 th century and there are many important stone images and sculptures dating from the Licchavi period. It is said to have been built by King Hari Datta Verma in 323 A.D. Despite the temple’s beauty and interest it attracts relatively few visitors because of its comparative inaccessibility, although these days you can drive right to the temple via Bhaktapur. Alternatively, it makes a pleasant walk from that town or an interesting destination on the walk down from Nagarkot. Climb up the ancient stone steps leading to the top of the hill. A large square courtyard embraces the classical broad- roofed pagoda, this latest version dating from the early 18 th century. The double roofed temple is dedicated to Vishnu in his incarnation as Narayan the preserver, and is exceptionally beautiful with quite amazingly intricate roof struts depicting multi-armed goddesses. The temple is fronted by a figure of Garuda said to date from the 5 th century. The man-bird mouth of Vishnu has a snake around his neck and kneels with folded hands facing the temple. Stone lions guard the wonderfully gilded door, flanked by equally detailed gilded window. Two pillars at the front corners carry two of the traditional symbols of Vishnu, the conch shell and the charka. In Nepali terms, relatively recent and the much older images found in the temple courtyard are of equal interest. There are various images of Vishnu, carrying the symbols associated with the god in his four hands. Other images include one of Vishnu as Narsingha, his man-lion incarnation. Another shows his as Vikrantha, striding across the universe. Behind these two images is a small black slab showing Narayan reclining on the serpent Ananta at the bottom and Vishnu with 10 heads and 10 arms in the centre. This beautifully carved image dates from the 5 th or 6 th century. Other points of interest include the statues of King Bhupalendra Malla and his queen, kneeling in a gilded cage in front of the temple. Look at the brick paving of the courtyard. In the centre, triangular bricks are used rounded- corner bricks. Places to visit in Changu Narayan
GARUDA:
One of the proud collection of Changu Narayan complex is the pillar with in inscription engraved on it, and installation of human Garuda donated by king Mandev in the year 464 A.D a great devotee of Vishnu, the pillar and statue of Garuda are considered to be the oldest records of religious importance to be discovered not only in the shrine but in the whole valley of Kathmandu.the language of inscription Sanskrit but it is written in Licchavi script. After Mandev king Amsuverma, an illustrious ruler of 7 th century replaced the worm out golden shield and Garuda.
STATUE OF MALLA KING AND QUEEN:
Bhupalendra Malla, the king of Kantipur had renovated Kileswor temple in1691 A.D and arranged the priest for it’s worship, in 1704 as the queen Bhuban Laxmi and got the enthroned idols of her self and her late husband, Bhupalendra Malla established at the main gate .The statue of Bhupalendra Malla was stolen on 2 nd September 2001and reinstall in the same place.
RIDHARA VISHNU:
Sridhara Vishnu was built in the 9 th /10 th century A.D Vishnu is known under a 1000 names. 24 of them are so important that they are recited daily as al litany by all devout Vaishnavas. In all these 24 forms Vishnu is depicted standing erect and holding various emblems in his hands. The figures comprising of Vishnu’s clearly dominates the two images; his consort Laxmi here called Sri, on his right, and his carrier, Garuda on his left.
VISHNU VIKRANT:
Another magnificent work is of a sculpture of Tribikram Vishnu of 8 th century A.D .this sculpture depicts the scene of a popular myth of lord Vishnu and his is tower bail. The lower panel of the stele has depicted the poses of bestowment by Bali to Vishnu .there are not many figures of Tribikram Vishnu in the valley. All the ones that we have in the valley are of a Licchavi period .among them the Tribikram image of vaishnavaite image in Nepal . NARASIMHA: Narshimha is an outstanding work of the 10 th century .the theme of the image is to abolish sins from the face of the earth. God Vishnu in carted in the form of a half man, half-lion creature to kill the demon king Hiranyasyapu.
KANTI BHAIRAV:
Guarding the west entrance of the courtyard, Kanti Bhairab commands the first respect of a pilgrim.
KILESWOR TEMPLE :
The small two tiered traditional style temple dedicated to lord Mahadav in the form of a pig has been recently constructed in 17 th century as the temple is famous for it’s erotic motifs, which are depicted in the lower part of the struts .The four faced Shiva- linga has been placed in the main sanctum.
GARUDA NARAYAN:
The 1300 year old Sridhar Narayan image of lord Krishna is in the courtyard on the left. The Garuda Narayan in a figure with exceptional qualities and brilliant imaginative aptitude work of the 9 th century, the theme of the image is commencing to fly to balkuntha, abode of lord Vishnu. This is the single contribution of the Licchavi period, not only the courtyard but in the entire Kathmandu valley. This figure of Narayan has been depicted in the 10 rupees bill issued by the Nepal Rastra Bank.
NATESHWOR:
The dancing form of lord Shiva belonging to the Malla period is located in front of the north gate of Changu Narayan.
MAHAVISHNU:
The domical temple of Mahavishnu is in the north east of the courtyard houses a very rare image that is about 400 yrs old. THE ELEPHANT: Long ago, when the craftsmen were carving a stone into an elephant for the southern gate, it could not be done in a day. The next day, it was believed that it had moved to present location. As the carving resumed, it bled. It remained untouched and has attained a god image statue.
BAIKUNTHA VISHNU/ VISHWORUP :
Near the Vishnu Sridhar there stands another well- preserver polished stone sculpture of Baikuntha Nath, Vishnu riding on Garuda, his mount. In this 12 or 13 th century statue, the majestic figure of Vishnu, holding his weapons and his emblems in his main hands, is seated on a throne made of the symmetrically spread arms and wings of the mythical bird Garuda, who seems to be at the point of taking off with his divine passenger. The statue rests on a square stone base with a water collecting and draining channel.
RAKTESHORI CHHINNAMASTA :
The rectangular temple with five finals has images of the seven mother goddesses with Shiva, parvati and Ganesh that are inside the temple. A temple dedicated to Chhinamasta of Shakti cult was constructed during 17 th century A.D. It is situated in the south east side of the Changu Narayan temple. According to the Hindu mythology, goddess parvati offered her own head to feed her hungry friends saheli and prakriti and became famous as Chhinamasta this name literally translated into English means, the beheaded one.
VISHWORUP:
A beautiful steal of Vishworup theme is placed on well carved stone motive platform .It depicts the scene form the Bhagwat Gita in which Krishna manifests his universal form to an awe-stuck Arjun. The principle figure of Vishnu stands firmly in the center of the composition the state is segmented into three levels i.e. which represent the nether world, the terrestrial world and heavens. This is the 8 /9th century figure, unparallel in beauty and theme, not a single Licchavi sculpture found in the valley can be compared with this sculpture.
THE SURROUNDING AREA BHIMSEN COTTAGE :
Ascending the stone staircase from the eastern door of the temple courtyard, single roof Patti can be seen on the northern side of the courtyard. Inside the Patti there are the idols of Bhimsen, Draupati Jaya and Vijaya.Infront of this cottage there is a palace belonging to Malla period, having been affiliated on account of the demise of hi young son, the grieved king Yog Narendra Malla of Lalitpur had come to stay here .There is open sky museum having best example of the stone statue of chaturmukhi Narayan including different stone statue of different periods.
HISTRICAL, STONE, TAPS STONE STEPS AND POND:
There are different types of monuments like stone taps, stone steps and ponds artistic stone water tank in the surrounding of the temple. These surrounding monuments and the village give the glimpses of the lifestyle of the medieval period.
CARNIVALS, FESTIVALS AND FAIRS:
Since Licchavi period, many carnivals, festivals and fairs are organized on various occasions, the carnivals are called “JATRA” in Nepal. Some of the important Jatra are Changu Narayan Jatra, kalash Jatra, mahashanan festival and Haribokhani ekadashi. There are special communes to organize various Jatra, festivals and fairs.
Nagarkot Like many of Nepal ’s best highways, the road to Nagarkot serves mainly strategic, not scenic purpose: Nagarkot was originally developed as an army camp- tourist facilities came later, with government encouragement. Nagarkot is a popular tourist resort of Nepal . It is situated 32 km east of Kathmandu at an altitude of 2175 m above the sea level. Nagarkot is by far the most favored hill resort in the Kathmandu valley. There are various places around the edge of the Kathmandu valley which offer great mountain views, but the resort village of Nagarkot is generally held to be the best. No other place in the valley is so ideal like this serene place for savoring the splendors of the great Himalaya stretching from the Annapurna massif in the far west to Mt. Kanchenjunga in the Far East . Beside its natural beauty there are some historically and religiously important temples and buildings, such as Mahadev Pokhari- below the tower, where people in and around the valley mostly flock to during Janai Purnima, Kali Devi temple, Mahanka Panchakanya temple, Jalpadevi, Remborchhe Gumba- a Buddhist monastery and two historical caves Chamero Gupha and Raksi Gupha are the other attraction for the tourist and Nepali alike. A pilgrimage to Nagarkot will nearly always be rewarded with a view between October and March, but you will be very lucky to catch more than a glimpse through the clouds of some snow-capped mountains in the June to September monsoon period. It can get very cold at Nagarkot in autumn or winter so if you’re staying overnight come prepared with warm clothing. The best thing about Nagarkot is that you don’t have to stay in an expensive hotel to get a view right out of your window. The main centre of Nagarkot, in reality a small cluster of guest houses, is a 10 minute walk north of the main road. It was never a traditional village, so while the views can be stunning, and the surrounding countryside is great for walking, the unplanned scatter of lodges is not itself attractive.
Situated in beautiful surrounding of Bhaktapur, the temple of Ganesh is placed in a sylvan setting to catch the 1 st rays of the rising sun. Surya Binayak is one of the valley’s 4 main Ganesh shrines. A steep stairways climbs up to the temple on a forested hilltop. Lord Ganesh is very popular as the god of wisdom and good luck, among Hindus. Devotees throng this temple especially on Tuesday and Saturday to pay homage and offer animal sacrifices to the elephant- headed deity. The image of the god sits in an enclosure in the bottom of a Shikhara and there’s a second golden image on the Shikhara spire. Statues of Kneeling devotees face the image and the Shikhara is flanked by large bells.It is a good picnic spot flanked by many attractive landscapes. During marriage seasons, one may chance upon newly married couples seeking blessing from the god for peace, pleasure and mutual harmony in their martial life. Because of its height, the place is also pleasant to view the Bhaktapur city as well as the Himalayan panorama. Behind the main temple, there exists a very thick forest of Schima Wallichi and Castanopsis Indica with thick undergrowth. It is very lively to see the flowering of many wild plants in spring. Rhododendron Arboreum, the national flower of Nepal , blooms in spring season at the upper level of the forest. The whole forest turns reddish during the season. Different types of orchids are also found hanging in the trees in this forest all the year round. This type of forest is one of the best breeding grounds for different kinds of resident and migratory birds sing here in different seasons. Lot of warblers can be seen during winter. Winter is the best time for bird watching in these areas since many types of birds can be seen and the forest will be free from leeches. Moreover, it is one of the best wintering grounds for finches, warblers, birds of prey and many other birds. It is the best refugee place and breeding ground for many summer visitors like flycatchers, cuckoos and bee-eaters. Many resident birds like doves, magpie, treepie, woodpeckers, flower peckers, nuthatches, laughing- thrushes, Minivet, barbets and bulbuls can be seen everywhere in the forest. The eastern and south eastern parts of the forest, since it is more exposed to the sun rays, have more bird diversity. Bird activities in that part of the forest areas are more easily seen in the early mornings. This forest area is the second place where White- Bellied Yuhina can be seen in the Valley.
Thimi Thimi
The valley’s fourth- largest town, lies on a plateau 4km west of Bhaktapur. The name is said to be a corruption of Chhemi, which means “capable people”, a bit of flattery offered by Bhaktapur to make up for the fact that the town used to get mauled every time Bhaktapur to make up for the fact that the town used to get mauled every time Bhaktapur picked a fight with Kathmandu or Patan. Thimi, a large Newari village built on a raised plateau surrounded by a sea of fields. The town’s main artery, accessible only on foot, runs north- south, linking a series of temple- studded square. This place is better known for its superb craftsmanship on ceramics and papier-mâché masks, as well as green vegetables. Pottery is an even older local specialty, and one can watch potters at work in alleys and courtyards all over the north end of town. The process is the same as in Bhaktapur, except that the capable people of Thimi have traded in their traditional wooden wheels for concrete- filled truck tyres. Pottery doesn’t travel well, but one might be tempted by the elephant shaped flower pots.Thimi only temple of note is that of Balkumari , a 16 th century pagoda located near the southern end of the main north-south lane. The temple is the focus of frenzied New Year’s festivals in April, when dozens of deities are ferried around on palanquins and red powder is thrown like confetti. Many festivals are celebrated here with music and dances performance on various occasions. The festival of 32 palanquins of deities tongue boring festival, different kinds of mask dances like Mahakali dances, Bhairab Dance, folk dances, Jyapu Jyapuni Dance, Lusi dance are a few to name. Mahakali and Maha Laxmi (North of Bhaktapur) At thé north eastern side of Bhaktapur, right towards Nagarkot is the Mahakali temple where the shrine tops a small hill an dis reached by a steep flight of steps . Just beyond this temple, on the right downhill at the left side, the tiny, open, double roofed temple is of Maha Laxmi temple. Changu Narayan temple Situated on a small hillock, the temple of Changu Narayan is decorated with magnificent arts works in metal and wood. In fact it is one of the finest examples of Nepalese architecture. The beautiful and historic temple of Changu Narayan is about 6 km north of Bhaktapur. Although the temple dates from 1702, when it was rebuilt after a fire, its origins go right back to the 4 th century and there are many important stone images and sculptures dating from the Licchavi period. It is said to have been built by King Hari Datta Verma in 323 A.D. Despite the temple’s beauty and interest it attracts relatively few visitors because of its comparative inaccessibility, although these days you can drive right to the temple via Bhaktapur. Alternatively, it makes a pleasant walk from that town or an interesting destination on the walk down from Nagarkot. Climb up the ancient stone steps leading to the top of the hill. A large square courtyard embraces the classical broad- roofed pagoda, this latest version dating from the early 18 th century. The double roofed temple is dedicated to Vishnu in his incarnation as Narayan the preserver, and is exceptionally beautiful with quite amazingly intricate roof struts depicting multi-armed goddesses. The temple is fronted by a figure of Garuda said to date from the 5 th century. The man-bird mouth of Vishnu has a snake around his neck and kneels with folded hands facing the temple. Stone lions guard the wonderfully gilded door, flanked by equally detailed gilded window. Two pillars at the front corners carry two of the traditional symbols of Vishnu, the conch shell and the charka. In Nepali terms, relatively recent and the much older images found in the temple courtyard are of equal interest. There are various images of Vishnu, carrying the symbols associated with the god in his four hands. Other images include one of Vishnu as Narsingha, his man-lion incarnation. Another shows his as Vikrantha, striding across the universe. Behind these two images is a small black slab showing Narayan reclining on the serpent Ananta at the bottom and Vishnu with 10 heads and 10 arms in the centre. This beautifully carved image dates from the 5 th or 6 th century. Other points of interest include the statues of King Bhupalendra Malla and his queen, kneeling in a gilded cage in front of the temple. Look at the brick paving of the courtyard. In the centre, triangular bricks are used rounded- corner bricks. Places to visit in Changu Narayan
GARUDA:
One of the proud collection of Changu Narayan complex is the pillar with in inscription engraved on it, and installation of human Garuda donated by king Mandev in the year 464 A.D a great devotee of Vishnu, the pillar and statue of Garuda are considered to be the oldest records of religious importance to be discovered not only in the shrine but in the whole valley of Kathmandu.the language of inscription Sanskrit but it is written in Licchavi script. After Mandev king Amsuverma, an illustrious ruler of 7 th century replaced the worm out golden shield and Garuda.
STATUE OF MALLA KING AND QUEEN:
Bhupalendra Malla, the king of Kantipur had renovated Kileswor temple in1691 A.D and arranged the priest for it’s worship, in 1704 as the queen Bhuban Laxmi and got the enthroned idols of her self and her late husband, Bhupalendra Malla established at the main gate .The statue of Bhupalendra Malla was stolen on 2 nd September 2001and reinstall in the same place.
RIDHARA VISHNU:
Sridhara Vishnu was built in the 9 th /10 th century A.D Vishnu is known under a 1000 names. 24 of them are so important that they are recited daily as al litany by all devout Vaishnavas. In all these 24 forms Vishnu is depicted standing erect and holding various emblems in his hands. The figures comprising of Vishnu’s clearly dominates the two images; his consort Laxmi here called Sri, on his right, and his carrier, Garuda on his left.
VISHNU VIKRANT:
Another magnificent work is of a sculpture of Tribikram Vishnu of 8 th century A.D .this sculpture depicts the scene of a popular myth of lord Vishnu and his is tower bail. The lower panel of the stele has depicted the poses of bestowment by Bali to Vishnu .there are not many figures of Tribikram Vishnu in the valley. All the ones that we have in the valley are of a Licchavi period .among them the Tribikram image of vaishnavaite image in Nepal . NARASIMHA: Narshimha is an outstanding work of the 10 th century .the theme of the image is to abolish sins from the face of the earth. God Vishnu in carted in the form of a half man, half-lion creature to kill the demon king Hiranyasyapu.
KANTI BHAIRAV:
Guarding the west entrance of the courtyard, Kanti Bhairab commands the first respect of a pilgrim.
KILESWOR TEMPLE :
The small two tiered traditional style temple dedicated to lord Mahadav in the form of a pig has been recently constructed in 17 th century as the temple is famous for it’s erotic motifs, which are depicted in the lower part of the struts .The four faced Shiva- linga has been placed in the main sanctum.
GARUDA NARAYAN:
The 1300 year old Sridhar Narayan image of lord Krishna is in the courtyard on the left. The Garuda Narayan in a figure with exceptional qualities and brilliant imaginative aptitude work of the 9 th century, the theme of the image is commencing to fly to balkuntha, abode of lord Vishnu. This is the single contribution of the Licchavi period, not only the courtyard but in the entire Kathmandu valley. This figure of Narayan has been depicted in the 10 rupees bill issued by the Nepal Rastra Bank.
NATESHWOR:
The dancing form of lord Shiva belonging to the Malla period is located in front of the north gate of Changu Narayan.
MAHAVISHNU:
The domical temple of Mahavishnu is in the north east of the courtyard houses a very rare image that is about 400 yrs old. THE ELEPHANT: Long ago, when the craftsmen were carving a stone into an elephant for the southern gate, it could not be done in a day. The next day, it was believed that it had moved to present location. As the carving resumed, it bled. It remained untouched and has attained a god image statue.
BAIKUNTHA VISHNU/ VISHWORUP :
Near the Vishnu Sridhar there stands another well- preserver polished stone sculpture of Baikuntha Nath, Vishnu riding on Garuda, his mount. In this 12 or 13 th century statue, the majestic figure of Vishnu, holding his weapons and his emblems in his main hands, is seated on a throne made of the symmetrically spread arms and wings of the mythical bird Garuda, who seems to be at the point of taking off with his divine passenger. The statue rests on a square stone base with a water collecting and draining channel.
RAKTESHORI CHHINNAMASTA :
The rectangular temple with five finals has images of the seven mother goddesses with Shiva, parvati and Ganesh that are inside the temple. A temple dedicated to Chhinamasta of Shakti cult was constructed during 17 th century A.D. It is situated in the south east side of the Changu Narayan temple. According to the Hindu mythology, goddess parvati offered her own head to feed her hungry friends saheli and prakriti and became famous as Chhinamasta this name literally translated into English means, the beheaded one.
VISHWORUP:
A beautiful steal of Vishworup theme is placed on well carved stone motive platform .It depicts the scene form the Bhagwat Gita in which Krishna manifests his universal form to an awe-stuck Arjun. The principle figure of Vishnu stands firmly in the center of the composition the state is segmented into three levels i.e. which represent the nether world, the terrestrial world and heavens. This is the 8 /9th century figure, unparallel in beauty and theme, not a single Licchavi sculpture found in the valley can be compared with this sculpture.
THE SURROUNDING AREA BHIMSEN COTTAGE :
Ascending the stone staircase from the eastern door of the temple courtyard, single roof Patti can be seen on the northern side of the courtyard. Inside the Patti there are the idols of Bhimsen, Draupati Jaya and Vijaya.Infront of this cottage there is a palace belonging to Malla period, having been affiliated on account of the demise of hi young son, the grieved king Yog Narendra Malla of Lalitpur had come to stay here .There is open sky museum having best example of the stone statue of chaturmukhi Narayan including different stone statue of different periods.
HISTRICAL, STONE, TAPS STONE STEPS AND POND:
There are different types of monuments like stone taps, stone steps and ponds artistic stone water tank in the surrounding of the temple. These surrounding monuments and the village give the glimpses of the lifestyle of the medieval period.
CARNIVALS, FESTIVALS AND FAIRS:
Since Licchavi period, many carnivals, festivals and fairs are organized on various occasions, the carnivals are called “JATRA” in Nepal. Some of the important Jatra are Changu Narayan Jatra, kalash Jatra, mahashanan festival and Haribokhani ekadashi. There are special communes to organize various Jatra, festivals and fairs.
Nagarkot Like many of Nepal ’s best highways, the road to Nagarkot serves mainly strategic, not scenic purpose: Nagarkot was originally developed as an army camp- tourist facilities came later, with government encouragement. Nagarkot is a popular tourist resort of Nepal . It is situated 32 km east of Kathmandu at an altitude of 2175 m above the sea level. Nagarkot is by far the most favored hill resort in the Kathmandu valley. There are various places around the edge of the Kathmandu valley which offer great mountain views, but the resort village of Nagarkot is generally held to be the best. No other place in the valley is so ideal like this serene place for savoring the splendors of the great Himalaya stretching from the Annapurna massif in the far west to Mt. Kanchenjunga in the Far East . Beside its natural beauty there are some historically and religiously important temples and buildings, such as Mahadev Pokhari- below the tower, where people in and around the valley mostly flock to during Janai Purnima, Kali Devi temple, Mahanka Panchakanya temple, Jalpadevi, Remborchhe Gumba- a Buddhist monastery and two historical caves Chamero Gupha and Raksi Gupha are the other attraction for the tourist and Nepali alike. A pilgrimage to Nagarkot will nearly always be rewarded with a view between October and March, but you will be very lucky to catch more than a glimpse through the clouds of some snow-capped mountains in the June to September monsoon period. It can get very cold at Nagarkot in autumn or winter so if you’re staying overnight come prepared with warm clothing. The best thing about Nagarkot is that you don’t have to stay in an expensive hotel to get a view right out of your window. The main centre of Nagarkot, in reality a small cluster of guest houses, is a 10 minute walk north of the main road. It was never a traditional village, so while the views can be stunning, and the surrounding countryside is great for walking, the unplanned scatter of lodges is not itself attractive.
Major Place of Bhaktapur
Layaku (Durbar square)
The Durbar squares are the historic cores of the 3 major towns within the Kathmandu Valley . Durbar means ‘royal’ and the squares developed around the former royal palaces and a series of important temples and shrines, linked together by an open public space. They were, and still are, the center of public life in the cities. In the western corner of the city, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is relatively unintegrated into daily life. This spectacular square, the capital of the Malla kingdom till 1769, is an open museum in itself .Victorian illustrations show that it was once packed with monasteries, temples and artistic buildings, almost one third of which were devastated in the great earthquake of 1934 and is former self, with odd blank spaces ruining the once masterful composition. This square however, still holds mesmerizing palaces, pagodas, Shikhara style temples as well as Buddhists monasteries exclusively architectures. Layaku (Bhaktapur durbar square) is Bhaktapur’s monumental gem. It is one of the seven UNESCO world heritage sites. One can get to feel the touch of mediaeval excellence.
The durbar square of Bhaktapur is smaller than those of Patan and Kathmandu . Approaching durbar square through the huge white gate, one can notice on the left, a pair of lion statues guarding supposedly one of the entrances to the royal complex .between them lies two master pieces of stone sculptures, Bhairab the fierce from of Shiva and Durga a fearsome manifestation of goddess parvati, which dates back to 1701A.D. it is believed that the unfortunate sculpture had his hands cut off afterwards, to prevent him from duplicating his masterpieces. In front of these statues of Bhairab and Durga or when entering the durbar square from the main gate, there is a group of temples on the right(south), which represent the four highest Hindu pilgrimage sites ; Jagannath , Kedarnath , Rameshwar and Badrinath . These temples are constructed by the Malla kings for those who could not afford to visit the original sites. Another pair of lion status and stone sculptures of Hanuman (worshipped for strength and devotion) and Narsingh (an incarnation of lord Vishnu) can be seen at the entrance of the National Art Gallery , which is situated on the middle north side of the square. The gallery is worth visiting for its exclusive collation of Buddhist Paubha paintings, palm leaf manuscripts as well as metal and stones. The whole block on the north side of the square is the main palace complex. It consisted of 99 different courtyards within (out of which still remain) the main entrance to this palace complex is the master piece of Bhaktapur .through this golden gate you may enter to discover the courtyard of the Taleju temple, the royal bath and what used to be the residence of the Malla kings. Next to the golden gate is the most talked about 55 windows palace of King Bhupatindra Malla . This palace, which is being completely renovated by the department of Archaeology and the Bhaktapur Municipality , is one of the main parts of the palace complex. Right in front of the golden gate you can see the impressive statue of King Bhupatindra Malla on a high stone column. The gold gilded statue in the position of worship is the center of appraisal for every visitor. In front of the palace lies a large bell erected by king Ranjit Malla in 1337A.D. beside the big bell stands the Shikhara style Durga temple, completely built out of stones in 1727 A.D. by Jaya Ranjit Malla. on the lower flank of this Vatsala temples lies another small bell erected by king Bhupatindra Malla it is popularly known as the ‘Khicha kho gan’ which means dogs crying bell because dogs cry and bark whine at its sound. Unfortunately it is now broken
Erotic Elephants Temple
On the left just before the entrance way to the square is a hiti (water tank). A few steps before that, but on the south side of the road, perhaps 100m before the entrance way, is a tiny double roofed Shiva- Parvati temple with some erotic carvings on its temple struts. One of these shows a pair of copulating elephants, in the missionary position! It’s hathi (elephant) Kamasutra.
Ugrachandi and Ugrabhairab
Near the main gate at the west end one can admire a pair of multiple-armed statues of the terrible god Ugrabhairab and his counterpart Ugrabhairab, the fearsome manifestation of Shiva’s consort parvati. The statues date from 1701 A.D. and it is said that the unfortunate sculptor had his hands cut off afterwards, to prevent him from duplicating his masterpieces. Ugrachandi or Ugrabhairab has eighteen arms with holding various weapons and she is posing killing a buffalo demon. Bhairab has twelve arms and both garlanded with necklaces of human heads.Rameshwar TempleThe first temple you notice on the right as you enter gate. Rameshwar temple, in front of Jagannath is a Gum Baja style temple. It is an open shrine with four Pillar and houses a Shiva Lingam. The name Rameshwar comes from the fact that it was Ram was an incarnation of Vishnu who had the original temple of Mahadev built at Rameshwar temple, south India .
Badrinath Temple
A small temple west of the Gopi Nath temple is locally known as Badri Narayan.
Gopi Nath Temple
Two roofed pagoda style is Gopi Nath. It is the temple attached to Rameshwar temple houses 3 deities Bakaram, subhadra and Krishna . It is difficult to see the deities as the door remains mostly closed. It is also known as Jagannath. It is another form taken by Vishnu: Dwarika also simply known as the Krishna temple, houses 3 deities, left to right, respectively: Satyabhama, Krishna and Radha. Their images are carved in stone. In the month of Mangsir, the deities are placed in a palanquin and taken around the city.
Kedarnath Temple
Just beyond that is terracotta Shikhara style is Kedarnath (Shiva). These four temples locally called char dham which mean four holiest pilgrimages. King Yaksha Malla built in1451A.D. For those who could not travel abroad for health and financial reasons.
Hanuman Statues
The entrance to the National art gallery is flanked by figures of hanuman the monkey god appears in Tantirc form as the four armed hanuman Bhairab. Hanuman is worshipped for strength and devotion.
Nrishimha Statues
Nrishimha the lion headed god, incarnation of lord Vishnu, posing killing Hiranyakashyapu, who was a power boned person. Shiva had graced him through a boon for almost immortal life .Accordingly, he would have none of his breathing last neither on earth, nor in the sky, nor on the air .Strategically it that Vishnu made him breathe his last placing him on the former’s lap. This statue date from1698 A.D.
National Art Gallery
The Malati Chowk was built by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1707. This section of the palace has been converted into the National Art Gallery which contains numerous paintings, manuscripts and stone sculptures. This National Art Gallery was established by government of Nepal , department of archaeology in 1960 A.D. at Singhadhoka building complex of Bhaktapur Royal palace.
Gallery has magnificent collection of ancient Paubha painting and various classic and medieval masterpieces in wood, stone and metal. Being actually housed in the ancient palaces one can also get the chance to marvel the original masterpiece of wall paintings on the walls of the Malla palace. It is housed in a renovated old wing, displays over 200 exquisite paintings from the 13 th century on including palm leaf manuscripts, Thangkas and restored frescoes decorating the wall of King Bhupatindra private quarter. The gallery is a palace not to be missed while in Bhaktapur.
King Bhupatindra Malla’s column
A guilded statues of King Bhupatindra Malla kneels on a pillar opposite, dignifies and solemn, his hands folded in Prayer, legs folded with a serpent supporting the capital, in front of the Golden Gate. A small bird sits on top of the serpent’s head. King Bhupatindra Malla is the most famous of the Malla kings of Bhaktapur and had a great influence on the art and architecture of the town. Like the similar column in Patan’s Durbar square this one was a copy of the original in Kathmandu . The king sits with folded arms, studying the magnificent entrance gate to his palace.
Vatsala temple
Beside the king’s statue and directly in front of the palace, or next to the Taleju bell is stone Vatsala Devi temple. The Shikhara style temple has some similarities to the Krishna temple of Patan . It is completely constructed in sandstone and is built upon a three stage plinth. It is dedicated to Vatsala Devi, a form of the Goddess Durga. The temple was originally built by King Jitamitra Malla in 1696. The structure that can be seen today, however, is a reconstruction by King Bhupatindra Malla and dates back to the late 17 th or early 18 th century. Behind the temple is a water source called Dhunge Dhara and next to it stands the Chyasilin Mandap.
Tagogan (big bell)
Huge Taleju bells are found in the entire 3 Durbar square of the Kathmandu Valley . They had multiple uses in ancient times when they aced as alarm bells during times of distress, as a means to notify the population of important events or discussions and to pay homage to the fearsome Goddess Taleju. This large bell which was erected by King Jaya Ranjit Malla in 1737A.D to call the faithful to prayer at the Taleju temple.
Khicha kho gan
Smaller bell stands on the temple’s lower plinth and is popularly known as the Khicha kho gan which mean dog crying bell. The king had the bell ring made to replicate the sound of the death knell that had heard in a dream. It was erected by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1721A.D.supposedly to counteract a vision he had in a dream, and to this day dogs are said to bark and start howling if the bell is rung. Unfortunately it is now broken.
Lu Dhawka (Golden gate)
In front or directly opposite of Bhupatindra Malla statue the magnificent gate is locally known as Lu Dhawka which means golden gate. The golden gate is generally agreed to be the single most important piece of art in the whole valley. This magnificent gilt gateway and palace were built by King Bhupatindra Malla but not completed until 1754A.D during the reign of Jaya Ranjit Malla. The remarkable craftsmanship is considered by many to be the finest example of Metal work in Nepal .
A Garuda (half man and half eagle head) the vehicle of Vishnu, tops the gate and is shown disposing of a number of serpents, the Garuda’s sworn enemies. The four headed and 16 armed figure of the goddess Taleju Bhawani is below the Garuda and directly over the door. She is the family deity of the Malla dynasty and there are temples to her in the royal palaces in valley. The golden gate leads into the Sadashiv Bhairab Chowk of the Bhaktapur Palace . This is one of the only remaining courtyards, which is easily accessible for Visitors. Passing through the golden gate, the next gate house is home to huge drums covered with elephant skin. The Sadashiv Bhairab Chowk leads to the Nag Puhku (Nag Pokhari) and to the Mul Chowk and Taleju temple, 2 guardian figures stand inside the doorways. A few paces away from the pond is the entrance to the Mul Chowk courtyard, which houses the Taleju Temple and is only accessible to Hindus. The Mul Chowk was established in the 14 th century and is the oldest part of the palace.
Nyanyapa Jhya (55 window)
Just next to the Golden Gate stands the palace of fifty- five Windows. Golden gate is the entrance to 55 windows. This palace, which is being completely renovated by the Department of Archaeology and the Bhaktapur municipality, is one of the main parts of the palace complex. Although there was a palace on this site as long ago as 1427, it was remodeled by king Jitamitra and his son Bhupatindra Malla in the late 17 th century. As the name suggest, the palace was constructed with 55 carved windows. The carved windows of the 2 nd floor are considered the finest examples of woodcarving produced during the reign of the prodigious king. Above each of the windows are wooden torana depicting gods and goddesses. The palace once sprawled far beyond here, but the 1934 earthquake has left only an enormous empty plaza to the east, littered with the bases of Giant temples. The series of intricately carved wooden carving windows on the second floor is the specialties of the structure the whole of these windows have been pulled in by more than 2 feet present level during reconstruction after the earthquake of 1934 A.D.
Chayslin Dega
Beside the Tagogan (big bell) and in front of 55 window palace that is the Chyasilin dega. This octagonal temple was one of the finest in the square and was originally a viewing point for nobles observing festivals and rituals. The Mandap was built during the 17 th century by King Jitamitra Malla and was used as a rest house by the travelers and pilgrims. It has an open hall at the lower level. It was totally destroyed by the 1934A.D. earthquake; it was recently reconstructed with assistance from Germany .
Yakcheswor Mahadev
Behind the Vatsala temple is the Yakcheswor Mahadev temple which was built by King Yaksha Malla in 15 th century and is a replica of the Pashupatinath of Kathmandu erotic carvings on the roof struts. This is one of the most eye-catching on the Durbar Square . It is also the oldest surviving temple in the square. Legend has it that Shiva in his form as Pashupatinath, protector of animals, appeared in Pashupatinath. The lay-out and style of the temple in Bhaktapur resembles the original. The central shrine also houses a large chaturmukhi lingam resembling the one located at Pashupatinath. The roof struts are carved with exotic scenes.
Siddhi Laxmi temple
It can easily be distinguished by the use of stone and their indianized style. The temple is called Shikhara in reference to their tapering shape. Although the style developed in India in the 6 th century, it only appeared in Nepal during the late Licchavi period, 9th century. By the south eastern corner of the 55 window palace stand the Shikhara style stone Siddhi Laxmi temple. The steps up to the temple are flanked by male and female attendants each leading a rather reluctant child and a rather eager –looking dog. On successive levels the stairs are flanked by horses, rhinos, man-lions and camels. The 17 th century temple marks the dividing line between the main durbar square and its secondary square. Vatsala temples Behind the Siddhi Laxmi temple is another one storied Vatsala temple, which is always closed, while to one side of it are two rather lost looking large stone lions, standing by themselves out in the middle of the square. Fasi dega The bizarre- looking Fasi dega temple is another odd remnant of post- earthquake initiatives. The large, white Fasi dega temple is dedicated to Shiva; this temple is tallest temple of Bhaktapur Durbar Square . The temple sits on a six plinth with elephant guardians at the bottom of the steps, lions and cows above them. Cow is Shiva’s vehicle. Today, the whitewashed dome structure is nothing more than a house for the deity, but it is clearly out of scale compared to the preserved temple base. There are various view points around Bhaktapur and Changu Narayan temple is direct north. Janajyoti pustakalya Balakhu Ganesh Ganesh, the elephant head god of wisdom and success is the defender and remover of obstacles and has to be propitiated first before worship to other gods is offered. He is the sons of Shiva and Parvati. He is extremely popular in the Kathmandu Valley and his image is found everywhere. This Balakhu Ganesh temple is next to the Janajyoti Pustakalya. Legend believes that if somebody lost anything then he\she can get by worshipping the Balakhu Ganesh. Tadhunchen Bahal: A rare Buddhist remnant in predominantly Hindu Bhaktapur, the well- preserved Tadhunchen Bahal, east of the square, is a gathering place for neighborhood metal smiths in the evening; you might also hear languorous music performed on harmonium and tabla. It is also known as Chatur Varna Mahavihara an ancient looking Monastery. Near the Tadhunchen Bahal there is a small temple of Dattatreya temple.
TA: MARI ( TAUMADHI SQUARE )
Taumadhi square is the next place of interest after Durbar Square . It is the central square of Bhaktapur , tightly woven into daily life and rituals, and the most important location for the biggest festival of the town- Bisket Jatra and others, where a large number of people gather together. The short narrow lane goes past the Thangkas and Handicrafts shops leading directly to the Taumadhi square. This square divides the ancient town into the upper and lower halves. The square is dominated by many mesmerizing temples and other medieval architecture such as the Nyatapola temple, the Bhairab temple and till Mahadev Narayan temple are also major attractions. Being centrally located a lot of local activities depicting local life style and culture can be observed here throughout the day.
Nyatapola temple
The Nyatapola temple is the tallest building in the Bhaktapur, unique with its 5 roofs, and certainly one of Nepal ’s most stupendous monuments, lying in the south face of the square which is named after its physical structure (five tiers of roofs). This is also one of the best examples of Newari temple architecture .The temple was founded in 1702 A.D by King Bhupatindra Malla, a great builder who commissioned an impressive number of structures and its design was so elegant and its construction was so well done that even the earthquake of 1934 A.D caused only upper storey damage. The temple stands above the 5-Stage plinth and rises over 30m above the top plinth. The steep stairway leading up to the temple is flanked by guardian figures at each plinth level. The bottom plinth has the 2 high stone statues of the legendary wrestlers Jaya Malla and Patha Malla who also feature in the Dattatraya temple, said to have possessed the strength of 10 men, on the plinth above are two powerful elephants, then a pair of fierce stone lions. Above the lion are two griffins and at the very top are two goddess i.e. Baghini in the form of a tiger and Singhini in form of a lion. People believe that each figure is said to be ten times as strong as the figure on level below. There is a circumambulatory passage around the main entrance of the temple at the top of the steps and the roofs are supported with beautifully carved struts. The series culminates in the powerful tantric goddess hidden inside the temple, is the mysterious tantric goddess Siddhi Laxmi to whom the temple is dedicated. A special family of priests tends the temple, which may be entered only by the king. It is said that the goddess representing the most powerful female force. This powerful goddess is counterbalanced, ritually and aesthetically, with Kasi Biswanath on the eastern side of the square. Char Ganesh in four corner of Nyatapola temple At each corner of the lowest plinth is a Ganesh shrine. As we all know that Ganesh is the god of prosperity and wisdom. Ganesh is a much- loved god and there is a constant stream of visitors here. A visit to this shrine is highly recommended by Hindus to ensure safety on a forthcoming journey as well as while starting any new work. And defender and remover of obstacles and has to be propitiate first before worship to other gods. His mount is the shrew. Bhila- Deo (Bhairab Nath temple) At the eastern side of the square lies the huge rectangular shape temple erected is dedicated to Bhairab –the ferocious from of lord Shiva, originally built as a one storey temple in the early 17 th century by Jagajjyotir Malla but later rebuilt with two storey temple by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1717. Bhairab- the central image of the temple is a two faced image without its body can be seen in the 1 st floor. According to the legend, Vishwa Nath is another name given to Shiva in the holy city Kashi ( Banaras ) once visited Bhaktapur to observe the Bisket Jatra. After having been recognizes, he was beheaded to make him stay for ever in bhaktapur and kept in the temple. Hence, the temple is also known as Kashi Vishwa Nath. Fantastically glided, it houses a once unruly Bhairab who reportedly calmed down after the Nyatapola goddess was brought in to offset him. During the annual festival of Bisket, all the same image are brought out, placed on a chariot and conveyed around the city. A tiny image of Bhairab at the front wall of the ground floor is regarded as Nasa Deo (worshipped for skill development) which is worshipped by passers by at all times. Another image of Bhairab also known as Akash Bhairab can be seen painted on a straw and hung against the wall. The actual entrance is behind the small BETAL TEMPLE, a hobgoblin who accompanies Bhairab on his annual chariot ride, in the form of a metal mask on the prow. Betal is worshipped for half an hour a year as part of the Bisket Jatra and rest of the time he is tied, face down, to the topmost roof beams of his temple. The temple is guarded by two brass lions and there’s a host of interesting details on the front. Lu hiti Next to the Bhairab Nath entrance, is Luhiti which means “golden tap” one of the water conduits which is used for household chores as well as for some ritual works. Til Mahadev Narayan temple It is hidden away behind the recent houses on the South east of the square; so one can easily miss the square’s 3 rd interesting temple, Til Mahadev Narayan displays all the iconography of a lord Vishnu temple: a glided Sankha (conch), charka (wheel) and Garuda are all hoisted on pillars out front in a manner clearly imitating the great temple of Changu Narayan. Although the place was in use since 1080A.D.The icon were believed to be placed inside the temple only in 1170 A.D. The open courtyard of the temple is used for the sacred ceremony of Ihi-a ritual of young Newari girls being wedded to lord Vishnu. Narshimha dega Narshimha or Narsingha is half man and half lion. Narsingha statues often show a man with a lion’s head and four arms holding the traditional Vishnu symbols. In the man- lion’s lap will be the demon which Narsingha is about to disembowel. The double roofed Narshimha temple is near to Til Mahadav Narayan temple Bhagwati temple Kumari deo chhen The Kumari Devi is a young girl who lives in the building known as the Kumari deo chhen. The cult of the Kumari –a prepubescent girl worshipped as a living incarnation of Durga, the demon-slaying Hindu mother goddess-probably goes back to the early middle ages. The Kumari Bahal (House of the living Goddess), its door guarded by stone lions. The guilded cage of the Raj Kumari, Bhaktapur’s “living Goddess” and the pre-eminent of 11 such goddesses in the valley. Not only does Nepal have countless gods, goddesss,deities,Bodhisattvas, avatars(incarnations of deities living on earth)and manifestations, which are worshipped and revered a s statues, images, paintings and symbols, the country also has a real living goddess.
POTTERY SQUARE
Bhaktapur is famous for its traditional pottery industry. The age old craft has survived the calls for modernization and today it enhances Bhaktapur’ value as a city of Heritage . Bhaktapur has 2 famous pottery squares. One is located at the dark, damp alleys beckon on either side of the main road, the most promising destination in this area- Potter’s square, a sloping open space south west of Taumadhi Tol. Walking towards Bolachhen/ Talakwa, better known as the town’s Potter’s square, the streets are lined with small shops selling innumerable items produced in baked clay and the pavements are filled with black clay items drying in the strong sunlight. Within the Talakwa pottery square, 2 important temples of a solid- brick Vishnu temple and the double roofed Jeth Ganesh can be seen in a very traditional way. On the northern side of the square a small hillock is topped by a Ganesh shrine and a Shady papal tree. Like potters all over Nepal , the men of Bhaktapur employ primitive techniques. The heavy old wooden wheels have been for the most part replaced by weighted truck tyres which spin faster. Guided by skilled hands, the cones of wet black mud are shaped and smoothed into yoghurt bowls, washbasins, giant grain storage jars and tiny oil lamps. With the exception of the planting and harvesting season, the potters of Bhaktapur are always busy shaping the natural clay into any imaginable shape. The craftsmen have passed this technique down from generation to generation and even today, the majority uses traditional techniques. The next potter’s square is located at suryamadhi. Walking around potter’s square, it becomes clear that the piggy bank must be the most popular item produced here. In less visited areas, Suryamadhi, south of Dattatreya Square , potters are occupied making the traditional bowls for the famous local curd, ‘Juju Dhau’. All around the square, pots lined up in symmetric patterns dry in the sun, waiting for a final firing in temporary kilns of heaped straw.
TACHUPAL TOL (Dattatraya squares)
A fifteen minutes casual walk north east of the Taumadhi Square, follow the winding brick road through the city’s main Bazaar, a fascinating walk past tiny shops selling sweets, clothes, brass, toys and fruits is Tachupal tole. The route passes various water taps, ancient water tanks and temples, most of them neighborhood shrines dedicated to Ganesh, the god of luck. Like the other squares, Dattatraya square is another open Museum that contains innumerable monumental masterpieces of woodcarvings.
The square takes it name from the Dattatraya temple. The square originally known as “Tachupal” verbally meaning the “grand rest house”. It is famous for ornate monasteries known as Math’s. It is another large square which marks the old centre of town. More notably, though, Tachupal conceals Nepal ’s most celebrated masterpiece of woodcarving museum. It is linked by richly decorated Math, nine in total, the densest concentration of these Hindu monasteries in the Valley. Formerly they housed religious communities of ascetics and Yogis, but descendents of the original inhabitants took them over long ago as private residences. Several of Tachupal old math have been converted into handicraft shops and one into a restaurant. Dattatraya temple At the east end or Just standing opposite of the Bhimsen temple and across the square, the broad-roofed Dattatraya temple ranks among the valley’s oldest shrines, Dating back to 1427 A.D. during the reign of king Yaksha Malla, the last king to rule the valley from Bhaktapur and his son Raja Malla is the only temple in Nepal that is dedicated to the god Dattatraya. Dattatraya means the combined incarnation of the 3 supreme Gods of Hinduism; Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwor (Shiva). According to the legend, an influential and highly respected Indian “yogi” returning from his pilgrimage, died here. Nepalese have the culture of considering visitors as Gods and treating them likewise. Especially ‘Yogis’ are highly respected as learned ones. So the shrine was built in his memory by the then rulers as a tribute. It is believed that like the Kasthamandap of Kathmandu, which it resembles, it was allegedly built using timber from a single tree but the front portico as probably added later. The main beauty of the temple is its unique architectural design and woodcarving artistically decorated all over the structure. The additional attractions of the shrine are displayed at and about the front. There is a stone pillar with a metal conch (Sankhu) on top, towards the right of the entrance and left pillar supporting Vishnu’s Discus (Charka).The entrance to the temple is guarded by two large stone sculptures of Jaiput wrestlers Jaya Malla and Patha Malla as in the Nyatapola temple. A beautiful gold gilded metal statue of Garuda- the vehicle of lord Vishnu is positioned at the front of the temple on top of another stone column. One might be interested in the wood carved erotic panels around the temple, which is still used for sheltering yogis and pilgrims. The temple is frequently by Hindus and Newars and musicians gather her to play their instruments during the evening. Bhimsen temple The oblong temple at the opposite end of the square or at the western side of the Dattatraya temple, stands a double storied rectangular pagoda styled temple dedicated to lord Bhimsen, the patron saint of Newar merchant, whose territory is in Tachupal is. This temple is squat, rectangular and was built in 1605 A.D. Lord Bhimsen is the 2 nd eldest of the 5 pandava brother from the Mahabharata Epic. Bhimsen is considered to be as strong as thousand elephants. Bhimsen is the patron of Merchants, which explains why he is popular among traders. In the old days when there was no modern transportation facility one had to trek to Tibet and to India for trade, therefore, had to be strong. In order to gain strength people prayed to Lord Bhimsen in the old days. The practice seems to be ongoing even at present times as a tradition. As usual for a Bhimsen temple, the ground floor is open and the shrine is kept upstairs. The ground floor of the Bhimsen temple serves as a meeting place. Behind the temple, there is the deeply sunken and it is rather known as Bhimsen Pokhari. Pujari Math Behind and to the right of the Dattatraya temple stands the sumptuous Pujari Math. The Dattatraya square is surrounded by 7 Math’s, most of which have been transformed into museums or shops. Pujari math is the best among the entire Math’s and the most richly architectured, which is the largest and most famous religious institution in Bhaktapur in the 16 th century. It was build by King Yaksha Malla in the 15th century and was used for the storage of donations and contributions until late 20th century. Until a few years back an annual caravan of Tibetan lamas used to bring tributes to the monastery. The Math got reconstructed during Vishwa Malla’s reign in the mid 16th century. During those days, it was known for the production of herbal medicines and people traveled from far and wide to receive instruction in the art of medicine Then, after being destroyed by the earthquake of 1934 A.D. the German government with its financial and technical support renovated it and presented it to the crown prince Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev on the occasion of his wedding in 1979 A.D. . Now, the top floor of the math is a home to the wood carving Museum, the Math itself is a beautiful combination of fine masterpieces of wood carvings in the forms of doors and windows. The wood carving museum here has a splendid collection of antique carvings. A set of 14 roof Struts, image of Visundhara(1st century), Tantirc images of Vishnu Vishwa Rupa with 30 arms and 17 faces and a mouth in its Bhairab(17th century), Puja Devi(15 th century) etc. are a few to mention here. This 4 story with 3 inner courtyards has incomparable masterpieces of hanging windows around the inside of each courtyard. The building itself is famous for the virtuously carved peacock window down the narrow side alley and a courtyard decorated with cavorting wild boars, monkey and Makara.
The wood Carving MuseumThe wood carving museum is housed in 19th century building, known as the Pujari Math specially built for the priests of those periods. The Math itself is elegant in its architecture with enumerable intricately carved wooden doors and windows including the famous peacock Window. This museum situated at Dattatraya Square displays an array of wooden objects which also portray the changing social outlook of Bhaktapur. The Bronze and Brass MuseumRight opposite to the wood carving Museum, in specify name ‘math’ the Bronze and Brass Museum displays heterogeneous ceremonial and household metal ware. The collection of objects, such as ritual lamps, hanging lamps, ceremonial jars, water vessels, cooking pots, oil pots, ink pots etc. which were used in the ancient and medieval periods.
Salan Ganesh At the northern side of the Dattatraya square is another small open area with the small Salan Ganesh Temple., dating from 1654. The image in this temple is just a rock with only the vaguest elephant-head shape which is ornately decorated. At the one side of the temple is the Ganesh Pokhari. Nava Durga temple North of the Tachupal, the Nava Durga Dyochheb whish lies in Kwathando-4 is build in Nepalese style looks like a haunted house. It is a Tantirc temple, said to be the site for strange sacrificial rites. This temple only opens to initiate, it honors the 9 manifestations of Durga, who are especially feared and respected in Bhaktapur. Nava Durga is also the combination of 9 protective Mother Goddess of the City. It is famous for its elaborately carved windows and doors ways. The golden door is surmounted by golden window and is guarded by 2 metal lions. One can see huge crowd of devotees during Mohani (October), the great festival of Hindus for the Nepalese. Wakupati Narayan TempleEast along the main road from the Dattatraya Square , a lovely specimen in metal work, the Wakupati Narayan Temple is enclosed within a stone paved courtyard. Around this area there are more potters at work. The ornate golden temple is of two-storied pagoda style, dedicated to Lord Vishnu dates back to 1667 A.D. No where else other than here would one see four Garuda’s, the bird vehicle of lord Vishnu, at a single place in a row.
THE GHATS
River banks often used by the local people for washing purpose are called ‘Ghat’. Ghats usually have one or more crematories where the dead bodies are burned to ashes and the ashes in turn are thrown into the river as a part of Hindu/ Buddhist Culture. It is popular practice among the locals to have a small temple built or an image of a god or goddess established in and about such Ghat areas in memory of those who have died. That is why these Ghat areas appear very religious.
Several Ghat areas in Bhaktapur are as follows:
Hanuman Ghat
On the hanuman Ghat is a shrine with a bas- relief of Ram and Sita, guarded by a statue of their faithful ally Hanuman. The Hanumante River is Bhaktapur’s humble tributary of the River Ganga, its name deriving from the monkey god hanuman who, locals like to think, stopped here for a drink on his way back from the Himalaya after gathering medicinal herbs to heal Ram’s brother in an episode from the Ramayana. Several bathing and cremation Ghats flank the river as it curls along the city’s southern edge, although unfortunately there’s no riverside path connecting them. The most active one is Hanuman Ghat, located straight downhill from Tachupal Tol: morning Puja, bathing and tooth-brushing are a daily routine for many, while old-timers come here just to hang out. A peaceful spot, the Ghat packs on eyeful of cluttered lingams, statues and trees into a small area; a priest is usually set up in front of the main Hanuman image to prescribe the Hindu equivalent of Hail Mary’s. Chuping Ghat Downhill from Taumadhi Tol, Chuping Ghat’s array of temples and statuary is more of the moldering –ruins school. The long, sloping area above the Ghat is the open area of Khalna Tol, the focal point for the spectacular activities during New Year’s Day in April, when a 25 meter Yoshing pole is ceremonially toppled by the throng. The huge triple roofed Chariot of Bhairab’s (Bhai-la-Kha) is assembled from the parts scattered beside the Bhairab Nath temple in Taumadhi tole. Ram Ghat Below the potter’s square is a Ram Ghat, which has little to offer beyond a run- of – the- mill Ram temple. Mangal Ghat Further downstream, boasts a more atmospheric selection of neglected artifacts, and by following the trail of lingams across the river you’ll end up at a forbidding Kali temple in one of Bhaktapur’s satellite villages
The Durbar squares are the historic cores of the 3 major towns within the Kathmandu Valley . Durbar means ‘royal’ and the squares developed around the former royal palaces and a series of important temples and shrines, linked together by an open public space. They were, and still are, the center of public life in the cities. In the western corner of the city, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is relatively unintegrated into daily life. This spectacular square, the capital of the Malla kingdom till 1769, is an open museum in itself .Victorian illustrations show that it was once packed with monasteries, temples and artistic buildings, almost one third of which were devastated in the great earthquake of 1934 and is former self, with odd blank spaces ruining the once masterful composition. This square however, still holds mesmerizing palaces, pagodas, Shikhara style temples as well as Buddhists monasteries exclusively architectures. Layaku (Bhaktapur durbar square) is Bhaktapur’s monumental gem. It is one of the seven UNESCO world heritage sites. One can get to feel the touch of mediaeval excellence.
The durbar square of Bhaktapur is smaller than those of Patan and Kathmandu . Approaching durbar square through the huge white gate, one can notice on the left, a pair of lion statues guarding supposedly one of the entrances to the royal complex .between them lies two master pieces of stone sculptures, Bhairab the fierce from of Shiva and Durga a fearsome manifestation of goddess parvati, which dates back to 1701A.D. it is believed that the unfortunate sculpture had his hands cut off afterwards, to prevent him from duplicating his masterpieces. In front of these statues of Bhairab and Durga or when entering the durbar square from the main gate, there is a group of temples on the right(south), which represent the four highest Hindu pilgrimage sites ; Jagannath , Kedarnath , Rameshwar and Badrinath . These temples are constructed by the Malla kings for those who could not afford to visit the original sites. Another pair of lion status and stone sculptures of Hanuman (worshipped for strength and devotion) and Narsingh (an incarnation of lord Vishnu) can be seen at the entrance of the National Art Gallery , which is situated on the middle north side of the square. The gallery is worth visiting for its exclusive collation of Buddhist Paubha paintings, palm leaf manuscripts as well as metal and stones. The whole block on the north side of the square is the main palace complex. It consisted of 99 different courtyards within (out of which still remain) the main entrance to this palace complex is the master piece of Bhaktapur .through this golden gate you may enter to discover the courtyard of the Taleju temple, the royal bath and what used to be the residence of the Malla kings. Next to the golden gate is the most talked about 55 windows palace of King Bhupatindra Malla . This palace, which is being completely renovated by the department of Archaeology and the Bhaktapur Municipality , is one of the main parts of the palace complex. Right in front of the golden gate you can see the impressive statue of King Bhupatindra Malla on a high stone column. The gold gilded statue in the position of worship is the center of appraisal for every visitor. In front of the palace lies a large bell erected by king Ranjit Malla in 1337A.D. beside the big bell stands the Shikhara style Durga temple, completely built out of stones in 1727 A.D. by Jaya Ranjit Malla. on the lower flank of this Vatsala temples lies another small bell erected by king Bhupatindra Malla it is popularly known as the ‘Khicha kho gan’ which means dogs crying bell because dogs cry and bark whine at its sound. Unfortunately it is now broken
Erotic Elephants Temple
On the left just before the entrance way to the square is a hiti (water tank). A few steps before that, but on the south side of the road, perhaps 100m before the entrance way, is a tiny double roofed Shiva- Parvati temple with some erotic carvings on its temple struts. One of these shows a pair of copulating elephants, in the missionary position! It’s hathi (elephant) Kamasutra.
Ugrachandi and Ugrabhairab
Near the main gate at the west end one can admire a pair of multiple-armed statues of the terrible god Ugrabhairab and his counterpart Ugrabhairab, the fearsome manifestation of Shiva’s consort parvati. The statues date from 1701 A.D. and it is said that the unfortunate sculptor had his hands cut off afterwards, to prevent him from duplicating his masterpieces. Ugrachandi or Ugrabhairab has eighteen arms with holding various weapons and she is posing killing a buffalo demon. Bhairab has twelve arms and both garlanded with necklaces of human heads.Rameshwar TempleThe first temple you notice on the right as you enter gate. Rameshwar temple, in front of Jagannath is a Gum Baja style temple. It is an open shrine with four Pillar and houses a Shiva Lingam. The name Rameshwar comes from the fact that it was Ram was an incarnation of Vishnu who had the original temple of Mahadev built at Rameshwar temple, south India .
Badrinath Temple
A small temple west of the Gopi Nath temple is locally known as Badri Narayan.
Gopi Nath Temple
Two roofed pagoda style is Gopi Nath. It is the temple attached to Rameshwar temple houses 3 deities Bakaram, subhadra and Krishna . It is difficult to see the deities as the door remains mostly closed. It is also known as Jagannath. It is another form taken by Vishnu: Dwarika also simply known as the Krishna temple, houses 3 deities, left to right, respectively: Satyabhama, Krishna and Radha. Their images are carved in stone. In the month of Mangsir, the deities are placed in a palanquin and taken around the city.
Kedarnath Temple
Just beyond that is terracotta Shikhara style is Kedarnath (Shiva). These four temples locally called char dham which mean four holiest pilgrimages. King Yaksha Malla built in1451A.D. For those who could not travel abroad for health and financial reasons.
Hanuman Statues
The entrance to the National art gallery is flanked by figures of hanuman the monkey god appears in Tantirc form as the four armed hanuman Bhairab. Hanuman is worshipped for strength and devotion.
Nrishimha Statues
Nrishimha the lion headed god, incarnation of lord Vishnu, posing killing Hiranyakashyapu, who was a power boned person. Shiva had graced him through a boon for almost immortal life .Accordingly, he would have none of his breathing last neither on earth, nor in the sky, nor on the air .Strategically it that Vishnu made him breathe his last placing him on the former’s lap. This statue date from1698 A.D.
National Art Gallery
The Malati Chowk was built by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1707. This section of the palace has been converted into the National Art Gallery which contains numerous paintings, manuscripts and stone sculptures. This National Art Gallery was established by government of Nepal , department of archaeology in 1960 A.D. at Singhadhoka building complex of Bhaktapur Royal palace.
Gallery has magnificent collection of ancient Paubha painting and various classic and medieval masterpieces in wood, stone and metal. Being actually housed in the ancient palaces one can also get the chance to marvel the original masterpiece of wall paintings on the walls of the Malla palace. It is housed in a renovated old wing, displays over 200 exquisite paintings from the 13 th century on including palm leaf manuscripts, Thangkas and restored frescoes decorating the wall of King Bhupatindra private quarter. The gallery is a palace not to be missed while in Bhaktapur.
King Bhupatindra Malla’s column
A guilded statues of King Bhupatindra Malla kneels on a pillar opposite, dignifies and solemn, his hands folded in Prayer, legs folded with a serpent supporting the capital, in front of the Golden Gate. A small bird sits on top of the serpent’s head. King Bhupatindra Malla is the most famous of the Malla kings of Bhaktapur and had a great influence on the art and architecture of the town. Like the similar column in Patan’s Durbar square this one was a copy of the original in Kathmandu . The king sits with folded arms, studying the magnificent entrance gate to his palace.
Vatsala temple
Beside the king’s statue and directly in front of the palace, or next to the Taleju bell is stone Vatsala Devi temple. The Shikhara style temple has some similarities to the Krishna temple of Patan . It is completely constructed in sandstone and is built upon a three stage plinth. It is dedicated to Vatsala Devi, a form of the Goddess Durga. The temple was originally built by King Jitamitra Malla in 1696. The structure that can be seen today, however, is a reconstruction by King Bhupatindra Malla and dates back to the late 17 th or early 18 th century. Behind the temple is a water source called Dhunge Dhara and next to it stands the Chyasilin Mandap.
Tagogan (big bell)
Huge Taleju bells are found in the entire 3 Durbar square of the Kathmandu Valley . They had multiple uses in ancient times when they aced as alarm bells during times of distress, as a means to notify the population of important events or discussions and to pay homage to the fearsome Goddess Taleju. This large bell which was erected by King Jaya Ranjit Malla in 1737A.D to call the faithful to prayer at the Taleju temple.
Khicha kho gan
Smaller bell stands on the temple’s lower plinth and is popularly known as the Khicha kho gan which mean dog crying bell. The king had the bell ring made to replicate the sound of the death knell that had heard in a dream. It was erected by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1721A.D.supposedly to counteract a vision he had in a dream, and to this day dogs are said to bark and start howling if the bell is rung. Unfortunately it is now broken.
Lu Dhawka (Golden gate)
In front or directly opposite of Bhupatindra Malla statue the magnificent gate is locally known as Lu Dhawka which means golden gate. The golden gate is generally agreed to be the single most important piece of art in the whole valley. This magnificent gilt gateway and palace were built by King Bhupatindra Malla but not completed until 1754A.D during the reign of Jaya Ranjit Malla. The remarkable craftsmanship is considered by many to be the finest example of Metal work in Nepal .
A Garuda (half man and half eagle head) the vehicle of Vishnu, tops the gate and is shown disposing of a number of serpents, the Garuda’s sworn enemies. The four headed and 16 armed figure of the goddess Taleju Bhawani is below the Garuda and directly over the door. She is the family deity of the Malla dynasty and there are temples to her in the royal palaces in valley. The golden gate leads into the Sadashiv Bhairab Chowk of the Bhaktapur Palace . This is one of the only remaining courtyards, which is easily accessible for Visitors. Passing through the golden gate, the next gate house is home to huge drums covered with elephant skin. The Sadashiv Bhairab Chowk leads to the Nag Puhku (Nag Pokhari) and to the Mul Chowk and Taleju temple, 2 guardian figures stand inside the doorways. A few paces away from the pond is the entrance to the Mul Chowk courtyard, which houses the Taleju Temple and is only accessible to Hindus. The Mul Chowk was established in the 14 th century and is the oldest part of the palace.
Nyanyapa Jhya (55 window)
Just next to the Golden Gate stands the palace of fifty- five Windows. Golden gate is the entrance to 55 windows. This palace, which is being completely renovated by the Department of Archaeology and the Bhaktapur municipality, is one of the main parts of the palace complex. Although there was a palace on this site as long ago as 1427, it was remodeled by king Jitamitra and his son Bhupatindra Malla in the late 17 th century. As the name suggest, the palace was constructed with 55 carved windows. The carved windows of the 2 nd floor are considered the finest examples of woodcarving produced during the reign of the prodigious king. Above each of the windows are wooden torana depicting gods and goddesses. The palace once sprawled far beyond here, but the 1934 earthquake has left only an enormous empty plaza to the east, littered with the bases of Giant temples. The series of intricately carved wooden carving windows on the second floor is the specialties of the structure the whole of these windows have been pulled in by more than 2 feet present level during reconstruction after the earthquake of 1934 A.D.
Chayslin Dega
Beside the Tagogan (big bell) and in front of 55 window palace that is the Chyasilin dega. This octagonal temple was one of the finest in the square and was originally a viewing point for nobles observing festivals and rituals. The Mandap was built during the 17 th century by King Jitamitra Malla and was used as a rest house by the travelers and pilgrims. It has an open hall at the lower level. It was totally destroyed by the 1934A.D. earthquake; it was recently reconstructed with assistance from Germany .
Yakcheswor Mahadev
Behind the Vatsala temple is the Yakcheswor Mahadev temple which was built by King Yaksha Malla in 15 th century and is a replica of the Pashupatinath of Kathmandu erotic carvings on the roof struts. This is one of the most eye-catching on the Durbar Square . It is also the oldest surviving temple in the square. Legend has it that Shiva in his form as Pashupatinath, protector of animals, appeared in Pashupatinath. The lay-out and style of the temple in Bhaktapur resembles the original. The central shrine also houses a large chaturmukhi lingam resembling the one located at Pashupatinath. The roof struts are carved with exotic scenes.
Siddhi Laxmi temple
It can easily be distinguished by the use of stone and their indianized style. The temple is called Shikhara in reference to their tapering shape. Although the style developed in India in the 6 th century, it only appeared in Nepal during the late Licchavi period, 9th century. By the south eastern corner of the 55 window palace stand the Shikhara style stone Siddhi Laxmi temple. The steps up to the temple are flanked by male and female attendants each leading a rather reluctant child and a rather eager –looking dog. On successive levels the stairs are flanked by horses, rhinos, man-lions and camels. The 17 th century temple marks the dividing line between the main durbar square and its secondary square. Vatsala temples Behind the Siddhi Laxmi temple is another one storied Vatsala temple, which is always closed, while to one side of it are two rather lost looking large stone lions, standing by themselves out in the middle of the square. Fasi dega The bizarre- looking Fasi dega temple is another odd remnant of post- earthquake initiatives. The large, white Fasi dega temple is dedicated to Shiva; this temple is tallest temple of Bhaktapur Durbar Square . The temple sits on a six plinth with elephant guardians at the bottom of the steps, lions and cows above them. Cow is Shiva’s vehicle. Today, the whitewashed dome structure is nothing more than a house for the deity, but it is clearly out of scale compared to the preserved temple base. There are various view points around Bhaktapur and Changu Narayan temple is direct north. Janajyoti pustakalya Balakhu Ganesh Ganesh, the elephant head god of wisdom and success is the defender and remover of obstacles and has to be propitiated first before worship to other gods is offered. He is the sons of Shiva and Parvati. He is extremely popular in the Kathmandu Valley and his image is found everywhere. This Balakhu Ganesh temple is next to the Janajyoti Pustakalya. Legend believes that if somebody lost anything then he\she can get by worshipping the Balakhu Ganesh. Tadhunchen Bahal: A rare Buddhist remnant in predominantly Hindu Bhaktapur, the well- preserved Tadhunchen Bahal, east of the square, is a gathering place for neighborhood metal smiths in the evening; you might also hear languorous music performed on harmonium and tabla. It is also known as Chatur Varna Mahavihara an ancient looking Monastery. Near the Tadhunchen Bahal there is a small temple of Dattatreya temple.
TA: MARI ( TAUMADHI SQUARE )
Taumadhi square is the next place of interest after Durbar Square . It is the central square of Bhaktapur , tightly woven into daily life and rituals, and the most important location for the biggest festival of the town- Bisket Jatra and others, where a large number of people gather together. The short narrow lane goes past the Thangkas and Handicrafts shops leading directly to the Taumadhi square. This square divides the ancient town into the upper and lower halves. The square is dominated by many mesmerizing temples and other medieval architecture such as the Nyatapola temple, the Bhairab temple and till Mahadev Narayan temple are also major attractions. Being centrally located a lot of local activities depicting local life style and culture can be observed here throughout the day.
Nyatapola temple
The Nyatapola temple is the tallest building in the Bhaktapur, unique with its 5 roofs, and certainly one of Nepal ’s most stupendous monuments, lying in the south face of the square which is named after its physical structure (five tiers of roofs). This is also one of the best examples of Newari temple architecture .The temple was founded in 1702 A.D by King Bhupatindra Malla, a great builder who commissioned an impressive number of structures and its design was so elegant and its construction was so well done that even the earthquake of 1934 A.D caused only upper storey damage. The temple stands above the 5-Stage plinth and rises over 30m above the top plinth. The steep stairway leading up to the temple is flanked by guardian figures at each plinth level. The bottom plinth has the 2 high stone statues of the legendary wrestlers Jaya Malla and Patha Malla who also feature in the Dattatraya temple, said to have possessed the strength of 10 men, on the plinth above are two powerful elephants, then a pair of fierce stone lions. Above the lion are two griffins and at the very top are two goddess i.e. Baghini in the form of a tiger and Singhini in form of a lion. People believe that each figure is said to be ten times as strong as the figure on level below. There is a circumambulatory passage around the main entrance of the temple at the top of the steps and the roofs are supported with beautifully carved struts. The series culminates in the powerful tantric goddess hidden inside the temple, is the mysterious tantric goddess Siddhi Laxmi to whom the temple is dedicated. A special family of priests tends the temple, which may be entered only by the king. It is said that the goddess representing the most powerful female force. This powerful goddess is counterbalanced, ritually and aesthetically, with Kasi Biswanath on the eastern side of the square. Char Ganesh in four corner of Nyatapola temple At each corner of the lowest plinth is a Ganesh shrine. As we all know that Ganesh is the god of prosperity and wisdom. Ganesh is a much- loved god and there is a constant stream of visitors here. A visit to this shrine is highly recommended by Hindus to ensure safety on a forthcoming journey as well as while starting any new work. And defender and remover of obstacles and has to be propitiate first before worship to other gods. His mount is the shrew. Bhila- Deo (Bhairab Nath temple) At the eastern side of the square lies the huge rectangular shape temple erected is dedicated to Bhairab –the ferocious from of lord Shiva, originally built as a one storey temple in the early 17 th century by Jagajjyotir Malla but later rebuilt with two storey temple by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1717. Bhairab- the central image of the temple is a two faced image without its body can be seen in the 1 st floor. According to the legend, Vishwa Nath is another name given to Shiva in the holy city Kashi ( Banaras ) once visited Bhaktapur to observe the Bisket Jatra. After having been recognizes, he was beheaded to make him stay for ever in bhaktapur and kept in the temple. Hence, the temple is also known as Kashi Vishwa Nath. Fantastically glided, it houses a once unruly Bhairab who reportedly calmed down after the Nyatapola goddess was brought in to offset him. During the annual festival of Bisket, all the same image are brought out, placed on a chariot and conveyed around the city. A tiny image of Bhairab at the front wall of the ground floor is regarded as Nasa Deo (worshipped for skill development) which is worshipped by passers by at all times. Another image of Bhairab also known as Akash Bhairab can be seen painted on a straw and hung against the wall. The actual entrance is behind the small BETAL TEMPLE, a hobgoblin who accompanies Bhairab on his annual chariot ride, in the form of a metal mask on the prow. Betal is worshipped for half an hour a year as part of the Bisket Jatra and rest of the time he is tied, face down, to the topmost roof beams of his temple. The temple is guarded by two brass lions and there’s a host of interesting details on the front. Lu hiti Next to the Bhairab Nath entrance, is Luhiti which means “golden tap” one of the water conduits which is used for household chores as well as for some ritual works. Til Mahadev Narayan temple It is hidden away behind the recent houses on the South east of the square; so one can easily miss the square’s 3 rd interesting temple, Til Mahadev Narayan displays all the iconography of a lord Vishnu temple: a glided Sankha (conch), charka (wheel) and Garuda are all hoisted on pillars out front in a manner clearly imitating the great temple of Changu Narayan. Although the place was in use since 1080A.D.The icon were believed to be placed inside the temple only in 1170 A.D. The open courtyard of the temple is used for the sacred ceremony of Ihi-a ritual of young Newari girls being wedded to lord Vishnu. Narshimha dega Narshimha or Narsingha is half man and half lion. Narsingha statues often show a man with a lion’s head and four arms holding the traditional Vishnu symbols. In the man- lion’s lap will be the demon which Narsingha is about to disembowel. The double roofed Narshimha temple is near to Til Mahadav Narayan temple Bhagwati temple Kumari deo chhen The Kumari Devi is a young girl who lives in the building known as the Kumari deo chhen. The cult of the Kumari –a prepubescent girl worshipped as a living incarnation of Durga, the demon-slaying Hindu mother goddess-probably goes back to the early middle ages. The Kumari Bahal (House of the living Goddess), its door guarded by stone lions. The guilded cage of the Raj Kumari, Bhaktapur’s “living Goddess” and the pre-eminent of 11 such goddesses in the valley. Not only does Nepal have countless gods, goddesss,deities,Bodhisattvas, avatars(incarnations of deities living on earth)and manifestations, which are worshipped and revered a s statues, images, paintings and symbols, the country also has a real living goddess.
POTTERY SQUARE
Bhaktapur is famous for its traditional pottery industry. The age old craft has survived the calls for modernization and today it enhances Bhaktapur’ value as a city of Heritage . Bhaktapur has 2 famous pottery squares. One is located at the dark, damp alleys beckon on either side of the main road, the most promising destination in this area- Potter’s square, a sloping open space south west of Taumadhi Tol. Walking towards Bolachhen/ Talakwa, better known as the town’s Potter’s square, the streets are lined with small shops selling innumerable items produced in baked clay and the pavements are filled with black clay items drying in the strong sunlight. Within the Talakwa pottery square, 2 important temples of a solid- brick Vishnu temple and the double roofed Jeth Ganesh can be seen in a very traditional way. On the northern side of the square a small hillock is topped by a Ganesh shrine and a Shady papal tree. Like potters all over Nepal , the men of Bhaktapur employ primitive techniques. The heavy old wooden wheels have been for the most part replaced by weighted truck tyres which spin faster. Guided by skilled hands, the cones of wet black mud are shaped and smoothed into yoghurt bowls, washbasins, giant grain storage jars and tiny oil lamps. With the exception of the planting and harvesting season, the potters of Bhaktapur are always busy shaping the natural clay into any imaginable shape. The craftsmen have passed this technique down from generation to generation and even today, the majority uses traditional techniques. The next potter’s square is located at suryamadhi. Walking around potter’s square, it becomes clear that the piggy bank must be the most popular item produced here. In less visited areas, Suryamadhi, south of Dattatreya Square , potters are occupied making the traditional bowls for the famous local curd, ‘Juju Dhau’. All around the square, pots lined up in symmetric patterns dry in the sun, waiting for a final firing in temporary kilns of heaped straw.
TACHUPAL TOL (Dattatraya squares)
A fifteen minutes casual walk north east of the Taumadhi Square, follow the winding brick road through the city’s main Bazaar, a fascinating walk past tiny shops selling sweets, clothes, brass, toys and fruits is Tachupal tole. The route passes various water taps, ancient water tanks and temples, most of them neighborhood shrines dedicated to Ganesh, the god of luck. Like the other squares, Dattatraya square is another open Museum that contains innumerable monumental masterpieces of woodcarvings.
The square takes it name from the Dattatraya temple. The square originally known as “Tachupal” verbally meaning the “grand rest house”. It is famous for ornate monasteries known as Math’s. It is another large square which marks the old centre of town. More notably, though, Tachupal conceals Nepal ’s most celebrated masterpiece of woodcarving museum. It is linked by richly decorated Math, nine in total, the densest concentration of these Hindu monasteries in the Valley. Formerly they housed religious communities of ascetics and Yogis, but descendents of the original inhabitants took them over long ago as private residences. Several of Tachupal old math have been converted into handicraft shops and one into a restaurant. Dattatraya temple At the east end or Just standing opposite of the Bhimsen temple and across the square, the broad-roofed Dattatraya temple ranks among the valley’s oldest shrines, Dating back to 1427 A.D. during the reign of king Yaksha Malla, the last king to rule the valley from Bhaktapur and his son Raja Malla is the only temple in Nepal that is dedicated to the god Dattatraya. Dattatraya means the combined incarnation of the 3 supreme Gods of Hinduism; Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwor (Shiva). According to the legend, an influential and highly respected Indian “yogi” returning from his pilgrimage, died here. Nepalese have the culture of considering visitors as Gods and treating them likewise. Especially ‘Yogis’ are highly respected as learned ones. So the shrine was built in his memory by the then rulers as a tribute. It is believed that like the Kasthamandap of Kathmandu, which it resembles, it was allegedly built using timber from a single tree but the front portico as probably added later. The main beauty of the temple is its unique architectural design and woodcarving artistically decorated all over the structure. The additional attractions of the shrine are displayed at and about the front. There is a stone pillar with a metal conch (Sankhu) on top, towards the right of the entrance and left pillar supporting Vishnu’s Discus (Charka).The entrance to the temple is guarded by two large stone sculptures of Jaiput wrestlers Jaya Malla and Patha Malla as in the Nyatapola temple. A beautiful gold gilded metal statue of Garuda- the vehicle of lord Vishnu is positioned at the front of the temple on top of another stone column. One might be interested in the wood carved erotic panels around the temple, which is still used for sheltering yogis and pilgrims. The temple is frequently by Hindus and Newars and musicians gather her to play their instruments during the evening. Bhimsen temple The oblong temple at the opposite end of the square or at the western side of the Dattatraya temple, stands a double storied rectangular pagoda styled temple dedicated to lord Bhimsen, the patron saint of Newar merchant, whose territory is in Tachupal is. This temple is squat, rectangular and was built in 1605 A.D. Lord Bhimsen is the 2 nd eldest of the 5 pandava brother from the Mahabharata Epic. Bhimsen is considered to be as strong as thousand elephants. Bhimsen is the patron of Merchants, which explains why he is popular among traders. In the old days when there was no modern transportation facility one had to trek to Tibet and to India for trade, therefore, had to be strong. In order to gain strength people prayed to Lord Bhimsen in the old days. The practice seems to be ongoing even at present times as a tradition. As usual for a Bhimsen temple, the ground floor is open and the shrine is kept upstairs. The ground floor of the Bhimsen temple serves as a meeting place. Behind the temple, there is the deeply sunken and it is rather known as Bhimsen Pokhari. Pujari Math Behind and to the right of the Dattatraya temple stands the sumptuous Pujari Math. The Dattatraya square is surrounded by 7 Math’s, most of which have been transformed into museums or shops. Pujari math is the best among the entire Math’s and the most richly architectured, which is the largest and most famous religious institution in Bhaktapur in the 16 th century. It was build by King Yaksha Malla in the 15th century and was used for the storage of donations and contributions until late 20th century. Until a few years back an annual caravan of Tibetan lamas used to bring tributes to the monastery. The Math got reconstructed during Vishwa Malla’s reign in the mid 16th century. During those days, it was known for the production of herbal medicines and people traveled from far and wide to receive instruction in the art of medicine Then, after being destroyed by the earthquake of 1934 A.D. the German government with its financial and technical support renovated it and presented it to the crown prince Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev on the occasion of his wedding in 1979 A.D. . Now, the top floor of the math is a home to the wood carving Museum, the Math itself is a beautiful combination of fine masterpieces of wood carvings in the forms of doors and windows. The wood carving museum here has a splendid collection of antique carvings. A set of 14 roof Struts, image of Visundhara(1st century), Tantirc images of Vishnu Vishwa Rupa with 30 arms and 17 faces and a mouth in its Bhairab(17th century), Puja Devi(15 th century) etc. are a few to mention here. This 4 story with 3 inner courtyards has incomparable masterpieces of hanging windows around the inside of each courtyard. The building itself is famous for the virtuously carved peacock window down the narrow side alley and a courtyard decorated with cavorting wild boars, monkey and Makara.
The wood Carving MuseumThe wood carving museum is housed in 19th century building, known as the Pujari Math specially built for the priests of those periods. The Math itself is elegant in its architecture with enumerable intricately carved wooden doors and windows including the famous peacock Window. This museum situated at Dattatraya Square displays an array of wooden objects which also portray the changing social outlook of Bhaktapur. The Bronze and Brass MuseumRight opposite to the wood carving Museum, in specify name ‘math’ the Bronze and Brass Museum displays heterogeneous ceremonial and household metal ware. The collection of objects, such as ritual lamps, hanging lamps, ceremonial jars, water vessels, cooking pots, oil pots, ink pots etc. which were used in the ancient and medieval periods.
Salan Ganesh At the northern side of the Dattatraya square is another small open area with the small Salan Ganesh Temple., dating from 1654. The image in this temple is just a rock with only the vaguest elephant-head shape which is ornately decorated. At the one side of the temple is the Ganesh Pokhari. Nava Durga temple North of the Tachupal, the Nava Durga Dyochheb whish lies in Kwathando-4 is build in Nepalese style looks like a haunted house. It is a Tantirc temple, said to be the site for strange sacrificial rites. This temple only opens to initiate, it honors the 9 manifestations of Durga, who are especially feared and respected in Bhaktapur. Nava Durga is also the combination of 9 protective Mother Goddess of the City. It is famous for its elaborately carved windows and doors ways. The golden door is surmounted by golden window and is guarded by 2 metal lions. One can see huge crowd of devotees during Mohani (October), the great festival of Hindus for the Nepalese. Wakupati Narayan TempleEast along the main road from the Dattatraya Square , a lovely specimen in metal work, the Wakupati Narayan Temple is enclosed within a stone paved courtyard. Around this area there are more potters at work. The ornate golden temple is of two-storied pagoda style, dedicated to Lord Vishnu dates back to 1667 A.D. No where else other than here would one see four Garuda’s, the bird vehicle of lord Vishnu, at a single place in a row.
THE GHATS
River banks often used by the local people for washing purpose are called ‘Ghat’. Ghats usually have one or more crematories where the dead bodies are burned to ashes and the ashes in turn are thrown into the river as a part of Hindu/ Buddhist Culture. It is popular practice among the locals to have a small temple built or an image of a god or goddess established in and about such Ghat areas in memory of those who have died. That is why these Ghat areas appear very religious.
Several Ghat areas in Bhaktapur are as follows:
Hanuman Ghat
On the hanuman Ghat is a shrine with a bas- relief of Ram and Sita, guarded by a statue of their faithful ally Hanuman. The Hanumante River is Bhaktapur’s humble tributary of the River Ganga, its name deriving from the monkey god hanuman who, locals like to think, stopped here for a drink on his way back from the Himalaya after gathering medicinal herbs to heal Ram’s brother in an episode from the Ramayana. Several bathing and cremation Ghats flank the river as it curls along the city’s southern edge, although unfortunately there’s no riverside path connecting them. The most active one is Hanuman Ghat, located straight downhill from Tachupal Tol: morning Puja, bathing and tooth-brushing are a daily routine for many, while old-timers come here just to hang out. A peaceful spot, the Ghat packs on eyeful of cluttered lingams, statues and trees into a small area; a priest is usually set up in front of the main Hanuman image to prescribe the Hindu equivalent of Hail Mary’s. Chuping Ghat Downhill from Taumadhi Tol, Chuping Ghat’s array of temples and statuary is more of the moldering –ruins school. The long, sloping area above the Ghat is the open area of Khalna Tol, the focal point for the spectacular activities during New Year’s Day in April, when a 25 meter Yoshing pole is ceremonially toppled by the throng. The huge triple roofed Chariot of Bhairab’s (Bhai-la-Kha) is assembled from the parts scattered beside the Bhairab Nath temple in Taumadhi tole. Ram Ghat Below the potter’s square is a Ram Ghat, which has little to offer beyond a run- of – the- mill Ram temple. Mangal Ghat Further downstream, boasts a more atmospheric selection of neglected artifacts, and by following the trail of lingams across the river you’ll end up at a forbidding Kali temple in one of Bhaktapur’s satellite villages
Monday, July 20, 2009
Hotels
Hotels, Guest Houses & Lodge
There are many hotels, guest houses and lodges with different category. Each provides different facilities with various price lists of rooms. There are hotels price starting from USD 5 to USD 90 per night, you can choose your hotel according to your needs and budget. Its sure that you get back the worth of price you spend during you are in Bhaktapur with lots of fun with different culture, temples, monuments and smiley beautiful people. Bhaktapur another very popular spot is Nagarkot which is very famous among tourist for beautiful panoramic view of mountains, Sun Rise and Sun Set.
1 Bhadgaon Guest House
2 Bhaktapur Guest House
3 Golden Gate Guest House
4 Khwopa Guest House
5 Kumari Guest House
6 Namaste Guest House
7 New Nyatapola Inn
8 Shiva Guest House
9 Sunny Guest House & Cafe
10 Taleju Guest House
11 Traditional Guest House
HOTELS IN NAGARKOT
1 Club Himalaya
2 Everest Cottage (P) Ltd.
3 Hotel View Point
4 Hotel Flora Hill (P) Ltd.
5 Hotel Galaxy Nagarkot
6 Hotel Space Mountain
7 Hotel Sun Rise (P) Ltd.
8 Himalayan Guest House
9 Himalayan Hill Resort
10 Hotel Mountain & Sunrise
11 Hotel Niva Home
12 Hotel Snowman
13 Hotel Elephant Head
14 Mountain Resort
15 Nagarkot E. View
16 Nagarkot Cottage
17 Nagarkot Mountain Resort
18 Peaceful Cottage & Coffee
19 Rodi Ghar Guest House
20 Sanga Resort
21 The Tea House
22 The Fort
23 The End of the Universe
For Hotel booking, sightseeing, trekking and for more information’s all over Nepal Please.
There are many hotels, guest houses and lodges with different category. Each provides different facilities with various price lists of rooms. There are hotels price starting from USD 5 to USD 90 per night, you can choose your hotel according to your needs and budget. Its sure that you get back the worth of price you spend during you are in Bhaktapur with lots of fun with different culture, temples, monuments and smiley beautiful people. Bhaktapur another very popular spot is Nagarkot which is very famous among tourist for beautiful panoramic view of mountains, Sun Rise and Sun Set.
1 Bhadgaon Guest House
2 Bhaktapur Guest House
3 Golden Gate Guest House
4 Khwopa Guest House
5 Kumari Guest House
6 Namaste Guest House
7 New Nyatapola Inn
8 Shiva Guest House
9 Sunny Guest House & Cafe
10 Taleju Guest House
11 Traditional Guest House
HOTELS IN NAGARKOT
1 Club Himalaya
2 Everest Cottage (P) Ltd.
3 Hotel View Point
4 Hotel Flora Hill (P) Ltd.
5 Hotel Galaxy Nagarkot
6 Hotel Space Mountain
7 Hotel Sun Rise (P) Ltd.
8 Himalayan Guest House
9 Himalayan Hill Resort
10 Hotel Mountain & Sunrise
11 Hotel Niva Home
12 Hotel Snowman
13 Hotel Elephant Head
14 Mountain Resort
15 Nagarkot E. View
16 Nagarkot Cottage
17 Nagarkot Mountain Resort
18 Peaceful Cottage & Coffee
19 Rodi Ghar Guest House
20 Sanga Resort
21 The Tea House
22 The Fort
23 The End of the Universe
For Hotel booking, sightseeing, trekking and for more information’s all over Nepal Please.
Palce of Bhaktapur
Places to Visit
Layaku (Durbar square)
The Durbar squares are the historic cores of the 3 major towns within the Kathmandu Valley . Durbar means ‘royal’ and the squares developed around the former royal palaces and a series of important temples and shrines, linked together by an open public space. They were, and still are, the center of public life in the cities. In the western corner of the city, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is relatively unintegrated into daily life. This spectacular square, the capital of the Malla kingdom till 1769, is an open museum in itself .Victorian illustrations show that it was once packed with monasteries, temples and artistic buildings, almost one third of which were devastated in the great earthquake of 1934 and is former self, with odd blank spaces ruining the once masterful composition. This square however, still holds mesmerizing palaces, pagodas, Shikhara style temples as well as Buddhists monasteries exclusively architectures. Layaku (Bhaktapur durbar square) is Bhaktapur’s monumental gem. It is one of the seven UNESCO world heritage sites. One can get to feel the touch of mediaeval excellence. The durbar square of Bhaktapur is smaller than those of Patan and Kathmandu . Approaching durbar square through the huge white gate, one can notice on the left, a pair of lion statues guarding supposedly one of the entrances to the royal complex .between them lies two master pieces of stone sculptures, Bhairab the fierce from of Shiva and Durga a fearsome manifestation of goddess parvati, which dates back to 1701A.D. it is believed that the unfortunate sculpture had his hands cut off afterwards, to prevent him from duplicating his masterpieces. In front of these statues of Bhairab and Durga or when entering the durbar square from the main gate, there is a group of temples on the right(south), which represent the four highest Hindu pilgrimage sites ; Jagannath , Kedarnath , Rameshwar and Badrinath . These temples are constructed by the Malla kings for those who could not afford to visit the original sites. Another pair of lion status and stone sculptures of Hanuman (worshipped for strength and devotion) and Narsingh (an incarnation of lord Vishnu) can be seen at the entrance of the National Art Gallery , which is situated on the middle north side of the square. The gallery is worth visiting for its exclusive collation of Buddhist Paubha paintings, palm leaf manuscripts as well as metal and stones. The whole block on the north side of the square is the main palace complex. It consisted of 99 different courtyards within (out of which still remain) the main entrance to this palace complex is the master piece of Bhaktapur .through this golden gate you may enter to discover the courtyard of the Taleju temple, the royal bath and what used to be the residence of the Malla kings. Next to the golden gate is the most talked about 55 windows palace of King Bhupatindra Malla . This palace, which is being completely renovated by the department of Archaeology and the Bhaktapur Municipality , is one of the main parts of the palace complex. Right in front of the golden gate you can see the impressive statue of King Bhupatindra Malla on a high stone column. The gold gilded statue in the position of worship is the center of appraisal for every visitor. In front of the palace lies a large bell erected by king Ranjit Malla in 1337A.D. beside the big bell stands the Shikhara style Durga temple, completely built out of stones in 1727 A.D. by Jaya Ranjit Malla. on the lower flank of this Vatsala temples lies another small bell erected by king Bhupatindra Malla it is popularly known as the ‘Khicha kho gan’ which means dogs crying bell because dogs cry and bark whine at its sound. Unfortunately it is now broken
Erotic Elephants Temple
On the left just before the entrance way to the square is a hiti (water tank). A few steps before that, but on the south side of the road, perhaps 100m before the entrance way, is a tiny double roofed Shiva- Parvati temple with some erotic carvings on its temple struts. One of these shows a pair of copulating elephants, in the missionary position! It’s hathi (elephant) Kamasutra. Ugrachandi and Ugrabhairab Near the main gate at the west end one can admire a pair of multiple-armed statues of the terrible god Ugrabhairab and his counterpart Ugrabhairab, the fearsome manifestation of Shiva’s consort parvati. The statues date from 1701 A.D. and it is said that the unfortunate sculptor had his hands cut off afterwards, to prevent him from duplicating his masterpieces. Ugrachandi or Ugrabhairab has eighteen arms with holding various weapons and she is posing killing a buffalo demon. Bhairab has twelve arms and both garlanded with necklaces of human heads.Rameshwar TempleThe first temple you notice on the right as you enter gate. Rameshwar temple, in front of Jagannath is a Gum Baja style temple. It is an open shrine with four Pillar and houses a Shiva Lingam. The name Rameshwar comes from the fact that it was Ram was an incarnation of Vishnu who had the original temple of Mahadev built at Rameshwar temple, south India .
Badrinath Temple
A small temple west of the Gopi Nath temple is locally known as Badri Narayan. Gopi Nath TempleTwo roofed pagoda style is Gopi Nath. It is the temple attached to Rameshwar temple houses 3 deities Bakaram, subhadra and Krishna . It is difficult to see the deities as the door remains mostly closed. It is also known as Jagannath. It is another form taken by Vishnu: Dwarika also simply known as the Krishna temple, houses 3 deities, left to right, respectively: Satyabhama, Krishna and Radha. Their images are carved in stone. In the month of Mangsir, the deities are placed in a palanquin and taken around the city. Kedarnath TempleJust beyond that is terracotta Shikhara style is Kedarnath (Shiva). These four temples locally called char dham which mean four holiest pilgrimages. King Yaksha Malla built in1451A.D. For those who could not travel abroad for health and financial reasons. Hanuman Statues The entrance to the National art gallery is flanked by figures of hanuman the monkey god appears in Tantirc form as the four armed hanuman Bhairab. Hanuman is worshipped for strength and devotion. Nrishimha Statues Nrishimha –the lion headed god, incarnation of lord Vishnu, posing killing Hiranyakashyapu, who was a power boned person. Shiva had graced him through a boon for almost immortal life .Accordingly, he would have none of his breathing last neither on earth, nor in the sky, nor on the air .Strategically it that Vishnu made him breathe his last placing him on the former’s lap. This statue date from1698 A.D.National Art GalleryThe Malati Chowk was built by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1707. This section of the palace has been converted into the National Art Gallery which contains numerous paintings, manuscripts and stone sculptures. This National Art Gallery was established by government of Nepal , department of archaeology in 1960 A.D. at Singhadhoka building complex of Bhaktapur Royal palace. Gallery has magnificent collection of ancient Paubha painting and various classic and medieval masterpieces in wood, stone and metal. Being actually housed in the ancient palaces one can also get the chance to marvel the original masterpiece of wall paintings on the walls of the Malla palace. It is housed in a renovated old wing, displays over 200 exquisite paintings from the 13 th century on including palm leaf manuscripts, Thangkas and restored frescoes decorating the wall of King Bhupatindra private quarter. The gallery is a palace not to be missed while in Bhaktapur.
King Bhupatindra Malla’s column A guilded statues of King Bhupatindra Malla kneels on a pillar opposite, dignifies and solemn, his hands folded in Prayer, legs folded with a serpent supporting the capital, in front of the Golden Gate. A small bird sits on top of the serpent’s head. King Bhupatindra Malla is the most famous of the Malla kings of Bhaktapur and had a great influence on the art and architecture of the town. Like the similar column in Patan’s Durbar square this one was a copy of the original in Kathmandu . The king sits with folded arms, studying the magnificent entrance gate to his palace.
Vatsala temple
Beside the king’s statue and directly in front of the palace, or next to the Taleju bell is stone Vatsala Devi temple. The Shikhara style temple has some similarities to the Krishna temple of Patan . It is completely constructed in sandstone and is built upon a three stage plinth. It is dedicated to Vatsala Devi, a form of the Goddess Durga. The temple was originally built by King Jitamitra Malla in 1696. The structure that can be seen today, however, is a reconstruction by King Bhupatindra Malla and dates back to the late 17 th or early 18 th century. Behind the temple is a water source called Dhunge Dhara and next to it stands the Chyasilin Mandap.
Tagogan (big bell)
Huge Taleju bells are found in the entire 3 Durbar square of the Kathmandu Valley . They had multiple uses in ancient times when they aced as alarm bells during times of distress, as a means to notify the population of important events or discussions and to pay homage to the fearsome Goddess Taleju. This large bell which was erected by King Jaya Ranjit Malla in 1737A.D to call the faithful to prayer at the Taleju temple.
Khicha kho gan Smaller bell stands on the temple’s lower plinth and is popularly known as the Khicha kho gan which mean dog crying bell. The king had the bell ring made to replicate the sound of the death knell that had heard in a dream. It was erected by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1721A.D.supposedly to counteract a vision he had in a dream, and to this day dogs are said to bark and start howling if the bell is rung. Unfortunately it is now broken. Lu Dhawka (Golden gate) In front or directly opposite of Bhupatindra Malla statue the magnificent gate is locally known as Lu Dhawka which means golden gate. The golden gate is generally agreed to be the single most important piece of art in the whole valley. This magnificent gilt gateway and palace were built by King Bhupatindra Malla but not completed until 1754A.D during the reign of Jaya Ranjit Malla. The remarkable craftsmanship is considered by many to be the finest example of Metal work in Nepal . A Garuda (half man and half eagle head) the vehicle of Vishnu, tops the gate and is shown disposing of a number of serpents, the Garuda’s sworn enemies. The four headed and 16 armed figure of the goddess Taleju Bhawani is below the Garuda and directly over the door. She is the family deity of the Malla dynasty and there are temples to her in the royal palaces in valley. The golden gate leads into the Sadashiv Bhairab Chowk of the Bhaktapur Palace . This is one of the only remaining courtyards, which is easily accessible for Visitors. Passing through the golden gate, the next gate house is home to huge drums covered with elephant skin. The Sadashiv Bhairab Chowk leads to the Nag Puhku (Nag Pokhari) and to the Mul Chowk and Taleju temple, 2 guardian figures stand inside the doorways. A few paces away from the pond is the entrance to the Mul Chowk courtyard, which houses the Taleju Temple and is only accessible to Hindus. The Mul Chowk was established in the 14 th century and is the oldest part of the palace. Nyanyapa Jhya (55 window) Just next to the Golden Gate stands the palace of fifty- five Windows. Golden gate is the entrance to 55 windows. This palace, which is being completely renovated by the Department of Archaeology and the Bhaktapur municipality, is one of the main parts of the palace complex. Although there was a palace on this site as long ago as 1427, it was remodeled by king Jitamitra and his son Bhupatindra Malla in the late 17 th century. As the name suggest, the palace was constructed with 55 carved windows. The carved windows of the 2 nd floor are considered the finest examples of woodcarving produced during the reign of the prodigious king. Above each of the windows are wooden torana depicting gods and goddesses. The palace once sprawled far beyond here, but the 1934 earthquake has left only an enormous empty plaza to the east, littered with the bases of Giant temples. The series of intricately carved wooden carving windows on the second floor is the specialties of the structure the whole of these windows have been pulled in by more than 2 feet present level during reconstruction after the earthquake of 1934 A.D.Chayslin Dega Beside the Tagogan (big bell) and in front of 55 window palace that is the Chyasilin dega. This octagonal temple was one of the finest in the square and was originally a viewing point for nobles observing festivals and rituals. The Mandap was built during the 17 th century by King Jitamitra Malla and was used as a rest house by the travelers and pilgrims. It has an open hall at the lower level. It was totally destroyed by the 1934A.D. earthquake; it was recently reconstructed with assistance from Germany . Yakcheswor Mahadev Behind the Vatsala temple is the Yakcheswor Mahadev temple which was built by King Yaksha Malla in 15 th century and is a replica of the Pashupatinath of Kathmandu erotic carvings on the roof struts. This is one of the most eye-catching on the Durbar Square . It is also the oldest surviving temple in the square. Legend has it that Shiva in his form as Pashupatinath, protector of animals, appeared in Pashupatinath. The lay-out and style of the temple in Bhaktapur resembles the original. The central shrine also houses a large chaturmukhi lingam resembling the one located at Pashupatinath. The roof struts are carved with exotic scenes. Siddhi Laxmi templeIt can easily be distinguished by the use of stone and their indianized style. The temple is called Shikhara in reference to their tapering shape. Although the style developed in India in the 6 th century, it only appeared in Nepal during the late Licchavi period, 9th century. By the south eastern corner of the 55 window palace stand the Shikhara style stone Siddhi Laxmi temple. The steps up to the temple are flanked by male and female attendants each leading a rather reluctant child and a rather eager –looking dog. On successive levels the stairs are flanked by horses, rhinos, man-lions and camels. The 17 th century temple marks the dividing line between the main durbar square and its secondary square. Vatsala temples Behind the Siddhi Laxmi temple is another one storied Vatsala temple, which is always closed, while to one side of it are two rather lost looking large stone lions, standing by themselves out in the middle of the square. Fasi dega The bizarre- looking Fasi dega temple is another odd remnant of post- earthquake initiatives. The large, white Fasi dega temple is dedicated to Shiva; this temple is tallest temple of Bhaktapur Durbar Square . The temple sits on a six plinth with elephant guardians at the bottom of the steps, lions and cows above them. Cow is Shiva’s vehicle. Today, the whitewashed dome structure is nothing more than a house for the deity, but it is clearly out of scale compared to the preserved temple base. There are various view points around Bhaktapur and Changu Narayan temple is direct north. Janajyoti pustakalya Balakhu Ganesh Ganesh, the elephant head god of wisdom and success is the defender and remover of obstacles and has to be propitiated first before worship to other gods is offered. He is the sons of Shiva and Parvati. He is extremely popular in the Kathmandu Valley and his image is found everywhere. This Balakhu Ganesh temple is next to the Janajyoti Pustakalya. Legend believes that if somebody lost anything then he\she can get by worshipping the Balakhu Ganesh.
Tadhunchen Bahal:
A rare Buddhist remnant in predominantly Hindu Bhaktapur, the well- preserved Tadhunchen Bahal, east of the square, is a gathering place for neighborhood metal smiths in the evening; you might also hear languorous music performed on harmonium and tabla. It is also known as Chatur Varna Mahavihara an ancient looking Monastery. Near the Tadhunchen Bahal there is a small temple of Dattatreya temple.
TA: MARI ( TAUMADHI SQUARE )
Taumadhi square is the next place of interest after Durbar Square . It is the central square of Bhaktapur , tightly woven into daily life and rituals, and the most important location for the biggest festival of the town- Bisket Jatra and others, where a large number of people gather together. The short narrow lane goes past the Thangkas and Handicrafts shops leading directly to the Taumadhi square. This square divides the ancient town into the upper and lower halves. The square is dominated by many mesmerizing temples and other medieval architecture such as the Nyatapola temple, the Bhairab temple and till Mahadev Narayan temple are also major attractions. Being centrally located a lot of local activities depicting local life style and culture can be observed here throughout the day. Nyatapola temple The Nyatapola temple is the tallest building in the Bhaktapur, unique with its 5 roofs, and certainly one of Nepal ’s most stupendous monuments, lying in the south face of the square which is named after its physical structure (five tiers of roofs). This is also one of the best examples of Newari temple architecture .The temple was founded in 1702 A.D by King Bhupatindra Malla, a great builder who commissioned an impressive number of structures and its design was so elegant and its construction was so well done that even the earthquake of 1934 A.D caused only upper storey damage. The temple stands above the 5-Stage plinth and rises over 30m above the top plinth. The steep stairway leading up to the temple is flanked by guardian figures at each plinth level. The bottom plinth has the 2 high stone statues of the legendary wrestlers Jaya Malla and Patha Malla who also feature in the Dattatraya temple, said to have possessed the strength of 10 men, on the plinth above are two powerful elephants, then a pair of fierce stone lions. Above the lion are two griffins and at the very top are two goddess i.e. Baghini in the form of a tiger and Singhini in form of a lion. People believe that each figure is said to be ten times as strong as the figure on level below. There is a circumambulatory passage around the main entrance of the temple at the top of the steps and the roofs are supported with beautifully carved struts. The series culminates in the powerful tantric goddess hidden inside the temple, is the mysterious tantric goddess Siddhi Laxmi to whom the temple is dedicated. A special family of priests tends the temple, which may be entered only by the king. It is said that the goddess representing the most powerful female force. This powerful goddess is counterbalanced, ritually and aesthetically, with Kasi Biswanath on the eastern side of the square. Char Ganesh in four corner of Nyatapola temple At each corner of the lowest plinth is a Ganesh shrine. As we all know that Ganesh is the god of prosperity and wisdom. Ganesh is a much- loved god and there is a constant stream of visitors here. A visit to this shrine is highly recommended by Hindus to ensure safety on a forthcoming journey as well as while starting any new work. And defender and remover of obstacles and has to be propitiate first before worship to other gods. His mount is the shrew. Bhila- Deo (Bhairab Nath temple) At the eastern side of the square lies the huge rectangular shape temple erected is dedicated to Bhairab –the ferocious from of lord Shiva, originally built as a one storey temple in the early 17 th century by Jagajjyotir Malla but later rebuilt with two storey temple by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1717. Bhairab- the central image of the temple is a two faced image without its body can be seen in the 1 st floor. According to the legend, Vishwa Nath is another name given to Shiva in the holy city Kashi ( Banaras ) once visited Bhaktapur to observe the Bisket Jatra. After having been recognizes, he was beheaded to make him stay for ever in bhaktapur and kept in the temple. Hence, the temple is also known as Kashi Vishwa Nath. Fantastically glided, it houses a once unruly Bhairab who reportedly calmed down after the Nyatapola goddess was brought in to offset him. During the annual festival of Bisket, all the same image are brought out, placed on a chariot and conveyed around the city. A tiny image of Bhairab at the front wall of the ground floor is regarded as Nasa Deo (worshipped for skill development) which is worshipped by passers by at all times. Another image of Bhairab also known as Akash Bhairab can be seen painted on a straw and hung against the wall. The actual entrance is behind the small BETAL TEMPLE, a hobgoblin who accompanies Bhairab on his annual chariot ride, in the form of a metal mask on the prow. Betal is worshipped for half an hour a year as part of the Bisket Jatra and rest of the time he is tied, face down, to the topmost roof beams of his temple. The temple is guarded by two brass lions and there’s a host of interesting details on the front. Lu hiti Next to the Bhairab Nath entrance, is Luhiti which means “golden tap” one of the water conduits which is used for household chores as well as for some ritual works. Til Mahadev Narayan temple It is hidden away behind the recent houses on the South east of the square; so one can easily miss the square’s 3 rd interesting temple, Til Mahadev Narayan displays all the iconography of a lord Vishnu temple: a glided Sankha (conch), charka (wheel) and Garuda are all hoisted on pillars out front in a manner clearly imitating the great temple of Changu Narayan. Although the place was in use since 1080A.D.The icon were believed to be placed inside the temple only in 1170 A.D. The open courtyard of the temple is used for the sacred ceremony of Ihi-a ritual of young Newari girls being wedded to lord Vishnu. Narshimha dega Narshimha or Narsingha is half man and half lion. Narsingha statues often show a man with a lion’s head and four arms holding the traditional Vishnu symbols. In the man- lion’s lap will be the demon which Narsingha is about to disembowel. The double roofed Narshimha temple is near to Til Mahadav Narayan temple Bhagwati temple Kumari deo chhen The Kumari Devi is a young girl who lives in the building known as the Kumari deo chhen. The cult of the Kumari –a prepubescent girl worshipped as a living incarnation of Durga, the demon-slaying Hindu mother goddess-probably goes back to the early middle ages. The Kumari Bahal (House of the living Goddess), its door guarded by stone lions. The guilded cage of the Raj Kumari, Bhaktapur’s “living Goddess” and the pre-eminent of 11 such goddesses in the valley. Not only does Nepal have countless gods, goddesss,deities,Bodhisattvas, avatars(incarnations of deities living on earth)and manifestations, which are worshipped and revered a s statues, images, paintings and symbols, the country also has a real living goddess.
POTTERY SQUARE
Bhaktapur is famous for its traditional pottery industry. The age old craft has survived the calls for modernization and today it enhances Bhaktapur’ value as a city of Heritage . Bhaktapur has 2 famous pottery squares. One is located at the dark, damp alleys beckon on either side of the main road, the most promising destination in this area- Potter’s square, a sloping open space south west of Taumadhi Tol. Walking towards Bolachhen/ Talakwa, better known as the town’s Potter’s square, the streets are lined with small shops selling innumerable items produced in baked clay and the pavements are filled with black clay items drying in the strong sunlight. Within the Talakwa pottery square, 2 important temples of a solid- brick Vishnu temple and the double roofed Jeth Ganesh can be seen in a very traditional way. On the northern side of the square a small hillock is topped by a Ganesh shrine and a Shady papal tree. Like potters all over Nepal , the men of Bhaktapur employ primitive techniques. The heavy old wooden wheels have been for the most part replaced by weighted truck tyres which spin faster. Guided by skilled hands, the cones of wet black mud are shaped and smoothed into yoghurt bowls, washbasins, giant grain storage jars and tiny oil lamps. With the exception of the planting and harvesting season, the potters of Bhaktapur are always busy shaping the natural clay into any imaginable shape. The craftsmen have passed this technique down from generation to generation and even today, the majority uses traditional techniques. The next potter’s square is located at suryamadhi. Walking around potter’s square, it becomes clear that the piggy bank must be the most popular item produced here. In less visited areas, Suryamadhi, south of Dattatreya Square , potters are occupied making the traditional bowls for the famous local curd, ‘Juju Dhau’. All around the square, pots lined up in symmetric patterns dry in the sun, waiting for a final firing in temporary kilns of heaped straw.
TACHUPAL TOL (Dattatraya squares)
A fifteen minutes casual walk north east of the Taumadhi Square, follow the winding brick road through the city’s main Bazaar, a fascinating walk past tiny shops selling sweets, clothes, brass, toys and fruits is Tachupal tole. The route passes various water taps, ancient water tanks and temples, most of them neighborhood shrines dedicated to Ganesh, the god of luck. Like the other squares, Dattatraya square is another open Museum that contains innumerable monumental masterpieces of woodcarvings.
The square takes it name from the Dattatraya temple. The square originally known as “Tachupal” verbally meaning the “grand rest house”. It is famous for ornate monasteries known as Math’s. It is another large square which marks the old centre of town. More notably, though, Tachupal conceals Nepal ’s most celebrated masterpiece of woodcarving museum. It is linked by richly decorated Math, nine in total, the densest concentration of these Hindu monasteries in the Valley. Formerly they housed religious communities of ascetics and Yogis, but descendents of the original inhabitants took them over long ago as private residences. Several of Tachupal old math have been converted into handicraft shops and one into a restaurant. Dattatraya temple At the east end or Just standing opposite of the Bhimsen temple and across the square, the broad-roofed Dattatraya temple ranks among the valley’s oldest shrines, Dating back to 1427 A.D. during the reign of king Yaksha Malla, the last king to rule the valley from Bhaktapur and his son Raja Malla is the only temple in Nepal that is dedicated to the god Dattatraya. Dattatraya means the combined incarnation of the 3 supreme Gods of Hinduism; Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwor (Shiva). According to the legend, an influential and highly respected Indian “yogi” returning from his pilgrimage, died here. Nepalese have the culture of considering visitors as Gods and treating them likewise. Especially ‘Yogis’ are highly respected as learned ones. So the shrine was built in his memory by the then rulers as a tribute. It is believed that like the Kasthamandap of Kathmandu, which it resembles, it was allegedly built using timber from a single tree but the front portico as probably added later. The main beauty of the temple is its unique architectural design and woodcarving artistically decorated all over the structure. The additional attractions of the shrine are displayed at and about the front. There is a stone pillar with a metal conch (Sankhu) on top, towards the right of the entrance and left pillar supporting Vishnu’s Discus (Charka).The entrance to the temple is guarded by two large stone sculptures of Jaiput wrestlers Jaya Malla and Patha Malla as in the Nyatapola temple. A beautiful gold gilded metal statue of Garuda- the vehicle of lord Vishnu is positioned at the front of the temple on top of another stone column. One might be interested in the wood carved erotic panels around the temple, which is still used for sheltering yogis and pilgrims. The temple is frequently by Hindus and Newars and musicians gather her to play their instruments during the evening. Bhimsen temple The oblong temple at the opposite end of the square or at the western side of the Dattatraya temple, stands a double storied rectangular pagoda styled temple dedicated to lord Bhimsen, the patron saint of Newar merchant, whose territory is in Tachupal is. This temple is squat, rectangular and was built in 1605 A.D. Lord Bhimsen is the 2 nd eldest of the 5 pandava brother from the Mahabharata Epic. Bhimsen is considered to be as strong as thousand elephants. Bhimsen is the patron of Merchants, which explains why he is popular among traders. In the old days when there was no modern transportation facility one had to trek to Tibet and to India for trade, therefore, had to be strong. In order to gain strength people prayed to Lord Bhimsen in the old days. The practice seems to be ongoing even at present times as a tradition. As usual for a Bhimsen temple, the ground floor is open and the shrine is kept upstairs. The ground floor of the Bhimsen temple serves as a meeting place. Behind the temple, there is the deeply sunken and it is rather known as Bhimsen Pokhari. Pujari Math Behind and to the right of the Dattatraya temple stands the sumptuous Pujari Math. The Dattatraya square is surrounded by 7 Math’s, most of which have been transformed into museums or shops. Pujari math is the best among the entire Math’s and the most richly architectured, which is the largest and most famous religious institution in Bhaktapur in the 16 th century. It was build by King Yaksha Malla in the 15th century and was used for the storage of donations and contributions until late 20th century. Until a few years back an annual caravan of Tibetan lamas used to bring tributes to the monastery. The Math got reconstructed during Vishwa Malla’s reign in the mid 16th century. During those days, it was known for the production of herbal medicines and people traveled from far and wide to receive instruction in the art of medicine Then, after being destroyed by the earthquake of 1934 A.D. the German government with its financial and technical support renovated it and presented it to the crown prince Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev on the occasion of his wedding in 1979 A.D. . Now, the top floor of the math is a home to the wood carving Museum, the Math itself is a beautiful combination of fine masterpieces of wood carvings in the forms of doors and windows. The wood carving museum here has a splendid collection of antique carvings. A set of 14 roof Struts, image of Visundhara(1st century), Tantirc images of Vishnu Vishwa Rupa with 30 arms and 17 faces and a mouth in its Bhairab(17th century), Puja Devi(15 th century) etc. are a few to mention here. This 4 story with 3 inner courtyards has incomparable masterpieces of hanging windows around the inside of each courtyard. The building itself is famous for the virtuously carved peacock window down the narrow side alley and a courtyard decorated with cavorting wild boars, monkey and Makara.
The wood Carving Museum
The wood carving museum is housed in 19th century building, known as the Pujari Math specially built for the priests of those periods. The Math itself is elegant in its architecture with enumerable intricately carved wooden doors and windows including the famous peacock Window. This museum situated at Dattatraya Square displays an array of wooden objects which also portray the changing social outlook of Bhaktapur. The Bronze and Brass MuseumRight opposite to the wood carving Museum, in specify name ‘math’ the Bronze and Brass Museum displays heterogeneous ceremonial and household metal ware. The collection of objects, such as ritual lamps, hanging lamps, ceremonial jars, water vessels, cooking pots, oil pots, ink pots etc. which were used in the ancient and medieval periods.
Salan Ganesh
At the northern side of the Dattatraya square is another small open area with the small Salan Ganesh Temple., dating from 1654. The image in this temple is just a rock with only the vaguest elephant-head shape which is ornately decorated. At the one side of the temple is the Ganesh Pokhari. Nava Durga temple North of the Tachupal, the Nava Durga Dyochheb whish lies in Kwathando-4 is build in Nepalese style looks like a haunted house. It is a Tantirc temple, said to be the site for strange sacrificial rites. This temple only opens to initiate, it honors the 9 manifestations of Durga, who are especially feared and respected in Bhaktapur. Nava Durga is also the combination of 9 protective Mother Goddess of the City. It is famous for its elaborately carved windows and doors ways. The golden door is surmounted by golden window and is guarded by 2 metal lions. One can see huge crowd of devotees during Mohani (October), the great festival of Hindus for the Nepalese. Wakupati Narayan TempleEast along the main road from the Dattatraya Square , a lovely specimen in metal work, the Wakupati Narayan Temple is enclosed within a stone paved courtyard. Around this area there are more potters at work. The ornate golden temple is of two-storied pagoda style, dedicated to Lord Vishnu dates back to 1667 A.D. No where else other than here would one see four Garuda’s, the bird vehicle of lord Vishnu, at a single place in a row.
THE GHATS
River banks often used by the local people for washing purpose are called ‘Ghat’. Ghats usually have one or more crematories where the dead bodies are burned to ashes and the ashes in turn are thrown into the river as a part of Hindu/ Buddhist Culture. It is popular practice among the locals to have a small temple built or an image of a god or goddess established in and about such Ghat areas in memory of those who have died. That is why these Ghat areas appear very religious.
Several Ghat areas in Bhaktapur are as follows:
Hanuman Ghat
On the hanuman Ghat is a shrine with a bas- relief of Ram and Sita, guarded by a statue of their faithful ally Hanuman. The Hanumante River is Bhaktapur’s humble tributary of the River Ganga, its name deriving from the monkey god hanuman who, locals like to think, stopped here for a drink on his way back from the Himalaya after gathering medicinal herbs to heal Ram’s brother in an episode from the Ramayana. Several bathing and cremation Ghats flank the river as it curls along the city’s southern edge, although unfortunately there’s no riverside path connecting them. The most active one is Hanuman Ghat, located straight downhill from Tachupal Tol: morning Puja, bathing and tooth-brushing are a daily routine for many, while old-timers come here just to hang out. A peaceful spot, the Ghat packs on eyeful of cluttered lingams, statues and trees into a small area; a priest is usually set up in front of the main Hanuman image to prescribe the Hindu equivalent of Hail Mary’s.
Chuping Ghat
Downhill from Taumadhi Tol, Chuping Ghat’s array of temples and statuary is more of the moldering –ruins school. The long, sloping area above the Ghat is the open area of Khalna Tol, the focal point for the spectacular activities during New Year’s Day in April, when a 25 meter Yoshing pole is ceremonially toppled by the throng. The huge triple roofed Chariot of Bhairab’s (Bhai-la-Kha) is assembled from the parts scattered beside the Bhairab Nath temple in Taumadhi tole.
Ram Ghat
Below the potter’s square is a Ram Ghat, which has little to offer beyond a run- of – the- mill Ram temple. Mangal Ghat Further downstream, boasts a more atmospheric selection of neglected artifacts, and by following the trail of lingams across the river you’ll end up at a forbidding Kali temple in one of Bhaktapur’s satellite villages.
Layaku (Durbar square)
The Durbar squares are the historic cores of the 3 major towns within the Kathmandu Valley . Durbar means ‘royal’ and the squares developed around the former royal palaces and a series of important temples and shrines, linked together by an open public space. They were, and still are, the center of public life in the cities. In the western corner of the city, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is relatively unintegrated into daily life. This spectacular square, the capital of the Malla kingdom till 1769, is an open museum in itself .Victorian illustrations show that it was once packed with monasteries, temples and artistic buildings, almost one third of which were devastated in the great earthquake of 1934 and is former self, with odd blank spaces ruining the once masterful composition. This square however, still holds mesmerizing palaces, pagodas, Shikhara style temples as well as Buddhists monasteries exclusively architectures. Layaku (Bhaktapur durbar square) is Bhaktapur’s monumental gem. It is one of the seven UNESCO world heritage sites. One can get to feel the touch of mediaeval excellence. The durbar square of Bhaktapur is smaller than those of Patan and Kathmandu . Approaching durbar square through the huge white gate, one can notice on the left, a pair of lion statues guarding supposedly one of the entrances to the royal complex .between them lies two master pieces of stone sculptures, Bhairab the fierce from of Shiva and Durga a fearsome manifestation of goddess parvati, which dates back to 1701A.D. it is believed that the unfortunate sculpture had his hands cut off afterwards, to prevent him from duplicating his masterpieces. In front of these statues of Bhairab and Durga or when entering the durbar square from the main gate, there is a group of temples on the right(south), which represent the four highest Hindu pilgrimage sites ; Jagannath , Kedarnath , Rameshwar and Badrinath . These temples are constructed by the Malla kings for those who could not afford to visit the original sites. Another pair of lion status and stone sculptures of Hanuman (worshipped for strength and devotion) and Narsingh (an incarnation of lord Vishnu) can be seen at the entrance of the National Art Gallery , which is situated on the middle north side of the square. The gallery is worth visiting for its exclusive collation of Buddhist Paubha paintings, palm leaf manuscripts as well as metal and stones. The whole block on the north side of the square is the main palace complex. It consisted of 99 different courtyards within (out of which still remain) the main entrance to this palace complex is the master piece of Bhaktapur .through this golden gate you may enter to discover the courtyard of the Taleju temple, the royal bath and what used to be the residence of the Malla kings. Next to the golden gate is the most talked about 55 windows palace of King Bhupatindra Malla . This palace, which is being completely renovated by the department of Archaeology and the Bhaktapur Municipality , is one of the main parts of the palace complex. Right in front of the golden gate you can see the impressive statue of King Bhupatindra Malla on a high stone column. The gold gilded statue in the position of worship is the center of appraisal for every visitor. In front of the palace lies a large bell erected by king Ranjit Malla in 1337A.D. beside the big bell stands the Shikhara style Durga temple, completely built out of stones in 1727 A.D. by Jaya Ranjit Malla. on the lower flank of this Vatsala temples lies another small bell erected by king Bhupatindra Malla it is popularly known as the ‘Khicha kho gan’ which means dogs crying bell because dogs cry and bark whine at its sound. Unfortunately it is now broken
Erotic Elephants Temple
On the left just before the entrance way to the square is a hiti (water tank). A few steps before that, but on the south side of the road, perhaps 100m before the entrance way, is a tiny double roofed Shiva- Parvati temple with some erotic carvings on its temple struts. One of these shows a pair of copulating elephants, in the missionary position! It’s hathi (elephant) Kamasutra. Ugrachandi and Ugrabhairab Near the main gate at the west end one can admire a pair of multiple-armed statues of the terrible god Ugrabhairab and his counterpart Ugrabhairab, the fearsome manifestation of Shiva’s consort parvati. The statues date from 1701 A.D. and it is said that the unfortunate sculptor had his hands cut off afterwards, to prevent him from duplicating his masterpieces. Ugrachandi or Ugrabhairab has eighteen arms with holding various weapons and she is posing killing a buffalo demon. Bhairab has twelve arms and both garlanded with necklaces of human heads.Rameshwar TempleThe first temple you notice on the right as you enter gate. Rameshwar temple, in front of Jagannath is a Gum Baja style temple. It is an open shrine with four Pillar and houses a Shiva Lingam. The name Rameshwar comes from the fact that it was Ram was an incarnation of Vishnu who had the original temple of Mahadev built at Rameshwar temple, south India .
Badrinath Temple
A small temple west of the Gopi Nath temple is locally known as Badri Narayan. Gopi Nath TempleTwo roofed pagoda style is Gopi Nath. It is the temple attached to Rameshwar temple houses 3 deities Bakaram, subhadra and Krishna . It is difficult to see the deities as the door remains mostly closed. It is also known as Jagannath. It is another form taken by Vishnu: Dwarika also simply known as the Krishna temple, houses 3 deities, left to right, respectively: Satyabhama, Krishna and Radha. Their images are carved in stone. In the month of Mangsir, the deities are placed in a palanquin and taken around the city. Kedarnath TempleJust beyond that is terracotta Shikhara style is Kedarnath (Shiva). These four temples locally called char dham which mean four holiest pilgrimages. King Yaksha Malla built in1451A.D. For those who could not travel abroad for health and financial reasons. Hanuman Statues The entrance to the National art gallery is flanked by figures of hanuman the monkey god appears in Tantirc form as the four armed hanuman Bhairab. Hanuman is worshipped for strength and devotion. Nrishimha Statues Nrishimha –the lion headed god, incarnation of lord Vishnu, posing killing Hiranyakashyapu, who was a power boned person. Shiva had graced him through a boon for almost immortal life .Accordingly, he would have none of his breathing last neither on earth, nor in the sky, nor on the air .Strategically it that Vishnu made him breathe his last placing him on the former’s lap. This statue date from1698 A.D.National Art GalleryThe Malati Chowk was built by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1707. This section of the palace has been converted into the National Art Gallery which contains numerous paintings, manuscripts and stone sculptures. This National Art Gallery was established by government of Nepal , department of archaeology in 1960 A.D. at Singhadhoka building complex of Bhaktapur Royal palace. Gallery has magnificent collection of ancient Paubha painting and various classic and medieval masterpieces in wood, stone and metal. Being actually housed in the ancient palaces one can also get the chance to marvel the original masterpiece of wall paintings on the walls of the Malla palace. It is housed in a renovated old wing, displays over 200 exquisite paintings from the 13 th century on including palm leaf manuscripts, Thangkas and restored frescoes decorating the wall of King Bhupatindra private quarter. The gallery is a palace not to be missed while in Bhaktapur.
King Bhupatindra Malla’s column A guilded statues of King Bhupatindra Malla kneels on a pillar opposite, dignifies and solemn, his hands folded in Prayer, legs folded with a serpent supporting the capital, in front of the Golden Gate. A small bird sits on top of the serpent’s head. King Bhupatindra Malla is the most famous of the Malla kings of Bhaktapur and had a great influence on the art and architecture of the town. Like the similar column in Patan’s Durbar square this one was a copy of the original in Kathmandu . The king sits with folded arms, studying the magnificent entrance gate to his palace.
Vatsala temple
Beside the king’s statue and directly in front of the palace, or next to the Taleju bell is stone Vatsala Devi temple. The Shikhara style temple has some similarities to the Krishna temple of Patan . It is completely constructed in sandstone and is built upon a three stage plinth. It is dedicated to Vatsala Devi, a form of the Goddess Durga. The temple was originally built by King Jitamitra Malla in 1696. The structure that can be seen today, however, is a reconstruction by King Bhupatindra Malla and dates back to the late 17 th or early 18 th century. Behind the temple is a water source called Dhunge Dhara and next to it stands the Chyasilin Mandap.
Tagogan (big bell)
Huge Taleju bells are found in the entire 3 Durbar square of the Kathmandu Valley . They had multiple uses in ancient times when they aced as alarm bells during times of distress, as a means to notify the population of important events or discussions and to pay homage to the fearsome Goddess Taleju. This large bell which was erected by King Jaya Ranjit Malla in 1737A.D to call the faithful to prayer at the Taleju temple.
Khicha kho gan Smaller bell stands on the temple’s lower plinth and is popularly known as the Khicha kho gan which mean dog crying bell. The king had the bell ring made to replicate the sound of the death knell that had heard in a dream. It was erected by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1721A.D.supposedly to counteract a vision he had in a dream, and to this day dogs are said to bark and start howling if the bell is rung. Unfortunately it is now broken. Lu Dhawka (Golden gate) In front or directly opposite of Bhupatindra Malla statue the magnificent gate is locally known as Lu Dhawka which means golden gate. The golden gate is generally agreed to be the single most important piece of art in the whole valley. This magnificent gilt gateway and palace were built by King Bhupatindra Malla but not completed until 1754A.D during the reign of Jaya Ranjit Malla. The remarkable craftsmanship is considered by many to be the finest example of Metal work in Nepal . A Garuda (half man and half eagle head) the vehicle of Vishnu, tops the gate and is shown disposing of a number of serpents, the Garuda’s sworn enemies. The four headed and 16 armed figure of the goddess Taleju Bhawani is below the Garuda and directly over the door. She is the family deity of the Malla dynasty and there are temples to her in the royal palaces in valley. The golden gate leads into the Sadashiv Bhairab Chowk of the Bhaktapur Palace . This is one of the only remaining courtyards, which is easily accessible for Visitors. Passing through the golden gate, the next gate house is home to huge drums covered with elephant skin. The Sadashiv Bhairab Chowk leads to the Nag Puhku (Nag Pokhari) and to the Mul Chowk and Taleju temple, 2 guardian figures stand inside the doorways. A few paces away from the pond is the entrance to the Mul Chowk courtyard, which houses the Taleju Temple and is only accessible to Hindus. The Mul Chowk was established in the 14 th century and is the oldest part of the palace. Nyanyapa Jhya (55 window) Just next to the Golden Gate stands the palace of fifty- five Windows. Golden gate is the entrance to 55 windows. This palace, which is being completely renovated by the Department of Archaeology and the Bhaktapur municipality, is one of the main parts of the palace complex. Although there was a palace on this site as long ago as 1427, it was remodeled by king Jitamitra and his son Bhupatindra Malla in the late 17 th century. As the name suggest, the palace was constructed with 55 carved windows. The carved windows of the 2 nd floor are considered the finest examples of woodcarving produced during the reign of the prodigious king. Above each of the windows are wooden torana depicting gods and goddesses. The palace once sprawled far beyond here, but the 1934 earthquake has left only an enormous empty plaza to the east, littered with the bases of Giant temples. The series of intricately carved wooden carving windows on the second floor is the specialties of the structure the whole of these windows have been pulled in by more than 2 feet present level during reconstruction after the earthquake of 1934 A.D.Chayslin Dega Beside the Tagogan (big bell) and in front of 55 window palace that is the Chyasilin dega. This octagonal temple was one of the finest in the square and was originally a viewing point for nobles observing festivals and rituals. The Mandap was built during the 17 th century by King Jitamitra Malla and was used as a rest house by the travelers and pilgrims. It has an open hall at the lower level. It was totally destroyed by the 1934A.D. earthquake; it was recently reconstructed with assistance from Germany . Yakcheswor Mahadev Behind the Vatsala temple is the Yakcheswor Mahadev temple which was built by King Yaksha Malla in 15 th century and is a replica of the Pashupatinath of Kathmandu erotic carvings on the roof struts. This is one of the most eye-catching on the Durbar Square . It is also the oldest surviving temple in the square. Legend has it that Shiva in his form as Pashupatinath, protector of animals, appeared in Pashupatinath. The lay-out and style of the temple in Bhaktapur resembles the original. The central shrine also houses a large chaturmukhi lingam resembling the one located at Pashupatinath. The roof struts are carved with exotic scenes. Siddhi Laxmi templeIt can easily be distinguished by the use of stone and their indianized style. The temple is called Shikhara in reference to their tapering shape. Although the style developed in India in the 6 th century, it only appeared in Nepal during the late Licchavi period, 9th century. By the south eastern corner of the 55 window palace stand the Shikhara style stone Siddhi Laxmi temple. The steps up to the temple are flanked by male and female attendants each leading a rather reluctant child and a rather eager –looking dog. On successive levels the stairs are flanked by horses, rhinos, man-lions and camels. The 17 th century temple marks the dividing line between the main durbar square and its secondary square. Vatsala temples Behind the Siddhi Laxmi temple is another one storied Vatsala temple, which is always closed, while to one side of it are two rather lost looking large stone lions, standing by themselves out in the middle of the square. Fasi dega The bizarre- looking Fasi dega temple is another odd remnant of post- earthquake initiatives. The large, white Fasi dega temple is dedicated to Shiva; this temple is tallest temple of Bhaktapur Durbar Square . The temple sits on a six plinth with elephant guardians at the bottom of the steps, lions and cows above them. Cow is Shiva’s vehicle. Today, the whitewashed dome structure is nothing more than a house for the deity, but it is clearly out of scale compared to the preserved temple base. There are various view points around Bhaktapur and Changu Narayan temple is direct north. Janajyoti pustakalya Balakhu Ganesh Ganesh, the elephant head god of wisdom and success is the defender and remover of obstacles and has to be propitiated first before worship to other gods is offered. He is the sons of Shiva and Parvati. He is extremely popular in the Kathmandu Valley and his image is found everywhere. This Balakhu Ganesh temple is next to the Janajyoti Pustakalya. Legend believes that if somebody lost anything then he\she can get by worshipping the Balakhu Ganesh.
Tadhunchen Bahal:
A rare Buddhist remnant in predominantly Hindu Bhaktapur, the well- preserved Tadhunchen Bahal, east of the square, is a gathering place for neighborhood metal smiths in the evening; you might also hear languorous music performed on harmonium and tabla. It is also known as Chatur Varna Mahavihara an ancient looking Monastery. Near the Tadhunchen Bahal there is a small temple of Dattatreya temple.
TA: MARI ( TAUMADHI SQUARE )
Taumadhi square is the next place of interest after Durbar Square . It is the central square of Bhaktapur , tightly woven into daily life and rituals, and the most important location for the biggest festival of the town- Bisket Jatra and others, where a large number of people gather together. The short narrow lane goes past the Thangkas and Handicrafts shops leading directly to the Taumadhi square. This square divides the ancient town into the upper and lower halves. The square is dominated by many mesmerizing temples and other medieval architecture such as the Nyatapola temple, the Bhairab temple and till Mahadev Narayan temple are also major attractions. Being centrally located a lot of local activities depicting local life style and culture can be observed here throughout the day. Nyatapola temple The Nyatapola temple is the tallest building in the Bhaktapur, unique with its 5 roofs, and certainly one of Nepal ’s most stupendous monuments, lying in the south face of the square which is named after its physical structure (five tiers of roofs). This is also one of the best examples of Newari temple architecture .The temple was founded in 1702 A.D by King Bhupatindra Malla, a great builder who commissioned an impressive number of structures and its design was so elegant and its construction was so well done that even the earthquake of 1934 A.D caused only upper storey damage. The temple stands above the 5-Stage plinth and rises over 30m above the top plinth. The steep stairway leading up to the temple is flanked by guardian figures at each plinth level. The bottom plinth has the 2 high stone statues of the legendary wrestlers Jaya Malla and Patha Malla who also feature in the Dattatraya temple, said to have possessed the strength of 10 men, on the plinth above are two powerful elephants, then a pair of fierce stone lions. Above the lion are two griffins and at the very top are two goddess i.e. Baghini in the form of a tiger and Singhini in form of a lion. People believe that each figure is said to be ten times as strong as the figure on level below. There is a circumambulatory passage around the main entrance of the temple at the top of the steps and the roofs are supported with beautifully carved struts. The series culminates in the powerful tantric goddess hidden inside the temple, is the mysterious tantric goddess Siddhi Laxmi to whom the temple is dedicated. A special family of priests tends the temple, which may be entered only by the king. It is said that the goddess representing the most powerful female force. This powerful goddess is counterbalanced, ritually and aesthetically, with Kasi Biswanath on the eastern side of the square. Char Ganesh in four corner of Nyatapola temple At each corner of the lowest plinth is a Ganesh shrine. As we all know that Ganesh is the god of prosperity and wisdom. Ganesh is a much- loved god and there is a constant stream of visitors here. A visit to this shrine is highly recommended by Hindus to ensure safety on a forthcoming journey as well as while starting any new work. And defender and remover of obstacles and has to be propitiate first before worship to other gods. His mount is the shrew. Bhila- Deo (Bhairab Nath temple) At the eastern side of the square lies the huge rectangular shape temple erected is dedicated to Bhairab –the ferocious from of lord Shiva, originally built as a one storey temple in the early 17 th century by Jagajjyotir Malla but later rebuilt with two storey temple by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1717. Bhairab- the central image of the temple is a two faced image without its body can be seen in the 1 st floor. According to the legend, Vishwa Nath is another name given to Shiva in the holy city Kashi ( Banaras ) once visited Bhaktapur to observe the Bisket Jatra. After having been recognizes, he was beheaded to make him stay for ever in bhaktapur and kept in the temple. Hence, the temple is also known as Kashi Vishwa Nath. Fantastically glided, it houses a once unruly Bhairab who reportedly calmed down after the Nyatapola goddess was brought in to offset him. During the annual festival of Bisket, all the same image are brought out, placed on a chariot and conveyed around the city. A tiny image of Bhairab at the front wall of the ground floor is regarded as Nasa Deo (worshipped for skill development) which is worshipped by passers by at all times. Another image of Bhairab also known as Akash Bhairab can be seen painted on a straw and hung against the wall. The actual entrance is behind the small BETAL TEMPLE, a hobgoblin who accompanies Bhairab on his annual chariot ride, in the form of a metal mask on the prow. Betal is worshipped for half an hour a year as part of the Bisket Jatra and rest of the time he is tied, face down, to the topmost roof beams of his temple. The temple is guarded by two brass lions and there’s a host of interesting details on the front. Lu hiti Next to the Bhairab Nath entrance, is Luhiti which means “golden tap” one of the water conduits which is used for household chores as well as for some ritual works. Til Mahadev Narayan temple It is hidden away behind the recent houses on the South east of the square; so one can easily miss the square’s 3 rd interesting temple, Til Mahadev Narayan displays all the iconography of a lord Vishnu temple: a glided Sankha (conch), charka (wheel) and Garuda are all hoisted on pillars out front in a manner clearly imitating the great temple of Changu Narayan. Although the place was in use since 1080A.D.The icon were believed to be placed inside the temple only in 1170 A.D. The open courtyard of the temple is used for the sacred ceremony of Ihi-a ritual of young Newari girls being wedded to lord Vishnu. Narshimha dega Narshimha or Narsingha is half man and half lion. Narsingha statues often show a man with a lion’s head and four arms holding the traditional Vishnu symbols. In the man- lion’s lap will be the demon which Narsingha is about to disembowel. The double roofed Narshimha temple is near to Til Mahadav Narayan temple Bhagwati temple Kumari deo chhen The Kumari Devi is a young girl who lives in the building known as the Kumari deo chhen. The cult of the Kumari –a prepubescent girl worshipped as a living incarnation of Durga, the demon-slaying Hindu mother goddess-probably goes back to the early middle ages. The Kumari Bahal (House of the living Goddess), its door guarded by stone lions. The guilded cage of the Raj Kumari, Bhaktapur’s “living Goddess” and the pre-eminent of 11 such goddesses in the valley. Not only does Nepal have countless gods, goddesss,deities,Bodhisattvas, avatars(incarnations of deities living on earth)and manifestations, which are worshipped and revered a s statues, images, paintings and symbols, the country also has a real living goddess.
POTTERY SQUARE
Bhaktapur is famous for its traditional pottery industry. The age old craft has survived the calls for modernization and today it enhances Bhaktapur’ value as a city of Heritage . Bhaktapur has 2 famous pottery squares. One is located at the dark, damp alleys beckon on either side of the main road, the most promising destination in this area- Potter’s square, a sloping open space south west of Taumadhi Tol. Walking towards Bolachhen/ Talakwa, better known as the town’s Potter’s square, the streets are lined with small shops selling innumerable items produced in baked clay and the pavements are filled with black clay items drying in the strong sunlight. Within the Talakwa pottery square, 2 important temples of a solid- brick Vishnu temple and the double roofed Jeth Ganesh can be seen in a very traditional way. On the northern side of the square a small hillock is topped by a Ganesh shrine and a Shady papal tree. Like potters all over Nepal , the men of Bhaktapur employ primitive techniques. The heavy old wooden wheels have been for the most part replaced by weighted truck tyres which spin faster. Guided by skilled hands, the cones of wet black mud are shaped and smoothed into yoghurt bowls, washbasins, giant grain storage jars and tiny oil lamps. With the exception of the planting and harvesting season, the potters of Bhaktapur are always busy shaping the natural clay into any imaginable shape. The craftsmen have passed this technique down from generation to generation and even today, the majority uses traditional techniques. The next potter’s square is located at suryamadhi. Walking around potter’s square, it becomes clear that the piggy bank must be the most popular item produced here. In less visited areas, Suryamadhi, south of Dattatreya Square , potters are occupied making the traditional bowls for the famous local curd, ‘Juju Dhau’. All around the square, pots lined up in symmetric patterns dry in the sun, waiting for a final firing in temporary kilns of heaped straw.
TACHUPAL TOL (Dattatraya squares)
A fifteen minutes casual walk north east of the Taumadhi Square, follow the winding brick road through the city’s main Bazaar, a fascinating walk past tiny shops selling sweets, clothes, brass, toys and fruits is Tachupal tole. The route passes various water taps, ancient water tanks and temples, most of them neighborhood shrines dedicated to Ganesh, the god of luck. Like the other squares, Dattatraya square is another open Museum that contains innumerable monumental masterpieces of woodcarvings.
The square takes it name from the Dattatraya temple. The square originally known as “Tachupal” verbally meaning the “grand rest house”. It is famous for ornate monasteries known as Math’s. It is another large square which marks the old centre of town. More notably, though, Tachupal conceals Nepal ’s most celebrated masterpiece of woodcarving museum. It is linked by richly decorated Math, nine in total, the densest concentration of these Hindu monasteries in the Valley. Formerly they housed religious communities of ascetics and Yogis, but descendents of the original inhabitants took them over long ago as private residences. Several of Tachupal old math have been converted into handicraft shops and one into a restaurant. Dattatraya temple At the east end or Just standing opposite of the Bhimsen temple and across the square, the broad-roofed Dattatraya temple ranks among the valley’s oldest shrines, Dating back to 1427 A.D. during the reign of king Yaksha Malla, the last king to rule the valley from Bhaktapur and his son Raja Malla is the only temple in Nepal that is dedicated to the god Dattatraya. Dattatraya means the combined incarnation of the 3 supreme Gods of Hinduism; Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwor (Shiva). According to the legend, an influential and highly respected Indian “yogi” returning from his pilgrimage, died here. Nepalese have the culture of considering visitors as Gods and treating them likewise. Especially ‘Yogis’ are highly respected as learned ones. So the shrine was built in his memory by the then rulers as a tribute. It is believed that like the Kasthamandap of Kathmandu, which it resembles, it was allegedly built using timber from a single tree but the front portico as probably added later. The main beauty of the temple is its unique architectural design and woodcarving artistically decorated all over the structure. The additional attractions of the shrine are displayed at and about the front. There is a stone pillar with a metal conch (Sankhu) on top, towards the right of the entrance and left pillar supporting Vishnu’s Discus (Charka).The entrance to the temple is guarded by two large stone sculptures of Jaiput wrestlers Jaya Malla and Patha Malla as in the Nyatapola temple. A beautiful gold gilded metal statue of Garuda- the vehicle of lord Vishnu is positioned at the front of the temple on top of another stone column. One might be interested in the wood carved erotic panels around the temple, which is still used for sheltering yogis and pilgrims. The temple is frequently by Hindus and Newars and musicians gather her to play their instruments during the evening. Bhimsen temple The oblong temple at the opposite end of the square or at the western side of the Dattatraya temple, stands a double storied rectangular pagoda styled temple dedicated to lord Bhimsen, the patron saint of Newar merchant, whose territory is in Tachupal is. This temple is squat, rectangular and was built in 1605 A.D. Lord Bhimsen is the 2 nd eldest of the 5 pandava brother from the Mahabharata Epic. Bhimsen is considered to be as strong as thousand elephants. Bhimsen is the patron of Merchants, which explains why he is popular among traders. In the old days when there was no modern transportation facility one had to trek to Tibet and to India for trade, therefore, had to be strong. In order to gain strength people prayed to Lord Bhimsen in the old days. The practice seems to be ongoing even at present times as a tradition. As usual for a Bhimsen temple, the ground floor is open and the shrine is kept upstairs. The ground floor of the Bhimsen temple serves as a meeting place. Behind the temple, there is the deeply sunken and it is rather known as Bhimsen Pokhari. Pujari Math Behind and to the right of the Dattatraya temple stands the sumptuous Pujari Math. The Dattatraya square is surrounded by 7 Math’s, most of which have been transformed into museums or shops. Pujari math is the best among the entire Math’s and the most richly architectured, which is the largest and most famous religious institution in Bhaktapur in the 16 th century. It was build by King Yaksha Malla in the 15th century and was used for the storage of donations and contributions until late 20th century. Until a few years back an annual caravan of Tibetan lamas used to bring tributes to the monastery. The Math got reconstructed during Vishwa Malla’s reign in the mid 16th century. During those days, it was known for the production of herbal medicines and people traveled from far and wide to receive instruction in the art of medicine Then, after being destroyed by the earthquake of 1934 A.D. the German government with its financial and technical support renovated it and presented it to the crown prince Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev on the occasion of his wedding in 1979 A.D. . Now, the top floor of the math is a home to the wood carving Museum, the Math itself is a beautiful combination of fine masterpieces of wood carvings in the forms of doors and windows. The wood carving museum here has a splendid collection of antique carvings. A set of 14 roof Struts, image of Visundhara(1st century), Tantirc images of Vishnu Vishwa Rupa with 30 arms and 17 faces and a mouth in its Bhairab(17th century), Puja Devi(15 th century) etc. are a few to mention here. This 4 story with 3 inner courtyards has incomparable masterpieces of hanging windows around the inside of each courtyard. The building itself is famous for the virtuously carved peacock window down the narrow side alley and a courtyard decorated with cavorting wild boars, monkey and Makara.
The wood Carving Museum
The wood carving museum is housed in 19th century building, known as the Pujari Math specially built for the priests of those periods. The Math itself is elegant in its architecture with enumerable intricately carved wooden doors and windows including the famous peacock Window. This museum situated at Dattatraya Square displays an array of wooden objects which also portray the changing social outlook of Bhaktapur. The Bronze and Brass MuseumRight opposite to the wood carving Museum, in specify name ‘math’ the Bronze and Brass Museum displays heterogeneous ceremonial and household metal ware. The collection of objects, such as ritual lamps, hanging lamps, ceremonial jars, water vessels, cooking pots, oil pots, ink pots etc. which were used in the ancient and medieval periods.
Salan Ganesh
At the northern side of the Dattatraya square is another small open area with the small Salan Ganesh Temple., dating from 1654. The image in this temple is just a rock with only the vaguest elephant-head shape which is ornately decorated. At the one side of the temple is the Ganesh Pokhari. Nava Durga temple North of the Tachupal, the Nava Durga Dyochheb whish lies in Kwathando-4 is build in Nepalese style looks like a haunted house. It is a Tantirc temple, said to be the site for strange sacrificial rites. This temple only opens to initiate, it honors the 9 manifestations of Durga, who are especially feared and respected in Bhaktapur. Nava Durga is also the combination of 9 protective Mother Goddess of the City. It is famous for its elaborately carved windows and doors ways. The golden door is surmounted by golden window and is guarded by 2 metal lions. One can see huge crowd of devotees during Mohani (October), the great festival of Hindus for the Nepalese. Wakupati Narayan TempleEast along the main road from the Dattatraya Square , a lovely specimen in metal work, the Wakupati Narayan Temple is enclosed within a stone paved courtyard. Around this area there are more potters at work. The ornate golden temple is of two-storied pagoda style, dedicated to Lord Vishnu dates back to 1667 A.D. No where else other than here would one see four Garuda’s, the bird vehicle of lord Vishnu, at a single place in a row.
THE GHATS
River banks often used by the local people for washing purpose are called ‘Ghat’. Ghats usually have one or more crematories where the dead bodies are burned to ashes and the ashes in turn are thrown into the river as a part of Hindu/ Buddhist Culture. It is popular practice among the locals to have a small temple built or an image of a god or goddess established in and about such Ghat areas in memory of those who have died. That is why these Ghat areas appear very religious.
Several Ghat areas in Bhaktapur are as follows:
Hanuman Ghat
On the hanuman Ghat is a shrine with a bas- relief of Ram and Sita, guarded by a statue of their faithful ally Hanuman. The Hanumante River is Bhaktapur’s humble tributary of the River Ganga, its name deriving from the monkey god hanuman who, locals like to think, stopped here for a drink on his way back from the Himalaya after gathering medicinal herbs to heal Ram’s brother in an episode from the Ramayana. Several bathing and cremation Ghats flank the river as it curls along the city’s southern edge, although unfortunately there’s no riverside path connecting them. The most active one is Hanuman Ghat, located straight downhill from Tachupal Tol: morning Puja, bathing and tooth-brushing are a daily routine for many, while old-timers come here just to hang out. A peaceful spot, the Ghat packs on eyeful of cluttered lingams, statues and trees into a small area; a priest is usually set up in front of the main Hanuman image to prescribe the Hindu equivalent of Hail Mary’s.
Chuping Ghat
Downhill from Taumadhi Tol, Chuping Ghat’s array of temples and statuary is more of the moldering –ruins school. The long, sloping area above the Ghat is the open area of Khalna Tol, the focal point for the spectacular activities during New Year’s Day in April, when a 25 meter Yoshing pole is ceremonially toppled by the throng. The huge triple roofed Chariot of Bhairab’s (Bhai-la-Kha) is assembled from the parts scattered beside the Bhairab Nath temple in Taumadhi tole.
Ram Ghat
Below the potter’s square is a Ram Ghat, which has little to offer beyond a run- of – the- mill Ram temple. Mangal Ghat Further downstream, boasts a more atmospheric selection of neglected artifacts, and by following the trail of lingams across the river you’ll end up at a forbidding Kali temple in one of Bhaktapur’s satellite villages.
Prouduct of Bhaktapur
Product Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is rich in its traditional culture and skills. The generations of master craftsmen have been carrying on their time –honored traditions of arts &crafts. There are plenty of shops and stalls catering to visitors around Durbar square and Taumadhi tole. Some of the major products from the crafts people of Bhaktapur are as follows.
Wood carvings The art of wood carving has been the pride of Nepal for many centuries. Wood work has been part of the traditional architecture of Nepal and wood carvings have graced monasteries, temples, places and residential homes since the 12 th century. Bhaktapur is renowned for its wood carving and one of the good examples in the Handicrafts centers. The rich masterpieces in wood carving on the struts, pillars, windows of temples and buildings still boasts the skills of the craftsmen of Bhaktapur. Today, wood carving products like wooden frame, lamp stands, jeweler boxes, statues and so on have become popular souvenirs for foreign tourists as well as locals. Fabulous wood carved furniture, wooden toys and masterpieces of windows or sculptures- anything might catch your attention. Carving continues to play an important role in the traditional constructions being built in the valley today. Traditionally, woodcarving was confined to Newari artisans or Kami (Shilpakers).
Paubha / Thangkas paintings Bhaktapur is reputed to be a centre for Thangkas painting. Thangkas are painted on cotton canvas with water soluble pigments, both mineral and organic, tempered with an herb and glue solution. The entire process demands great mastery over the drawing and perfect understanding of econometric principles. The physical construction of a Thangkas, as with the majority of Buddhist art, is highly geometric. Arms, legs, eyes, nostrils, ears, and various ritual implements are all laid out on a systematic grid of angles and intersecting lines. A skilled Thangkas artist will generally select from a variety of pre-designed items to include in the composition, ranging from alms bowls and animals, to the shape, size, and angle of a figure's eyes, nose, and lips. The process seems very scientific, but often requires a very deep understanding of the symbolism of the scene being depicted, in order to capture the essence or spirit of it. Paubha and Thanka’s are religious murals made on canvas usually depicting images of the Hindu and Buddhist deities, their incarnation and philosophies.
Terracotta Bhaktapur is center of terracotta products. The two pottery squares are widely popular where they are produced. Potters, who are kumaha by cast, are popular to shape the clay in various forms. First lumps of clay are shaped on wheels. Then they are dried under the sun for two to three days. Next they are fired in chimneys for three full days. Potter are ever busy making small to large pots, statues of animals, birds toys and soon.
Traditional masks Bhaktapur is renowned for traditional mask production. Masks are usually produced by the people of special cast called pun. Black clay, cotton, white cloths, Nepali paper and paints in the hands of these skilled puns produce masks that are used in traditional dances including the famous Nava Durga dance. Small as well as large replicas can serve as an attractive piece of souvenir.
HandloomModernization has some how affected the traditional handloom product but still Bhaktapur is famous for its traditional hand cloths if you walk through the tranquil alleys of Bhaktapur, you may still hear the sounds of the handloom tar its is a traditional craft of the local Newars. Haku patasi- solid black with red bordered saris, patuka, shawl, kopya Nan, natural black cap i.e. taka topi are typical Newari dresses woven in Newari designs using handloom products. The topi are another Bhaktapur speciality. The expert weavers are now producing Pashmina scarves and shawls as well.
Jujudhau (king curd) yogurt The city of Bhaktapur is renowned for its Juju Dhau or Bhaktapur KO Dahe (curd from Bhaktapur). Traditionally the buffalo milk is used to produce this delicacy. The tasty yogurt is also known as king curd. It is the typical desert in a Newari community. In every ceremonial feast, yoghurt plays an important role. One should not miss it while visiting Bhaktapur. A visit to Bhaktapur is not complete without trying a bowl of Juju Dhau.Metal crafts It is also one of the important products of Bhaktapur, usually produced by a cast called Tama (Tamrakar). They are still handcrafted in the same method used at the time the craft originated centuries ago and represent auspicious, religious and powerful deities. Then there are the hand tapped pots, vases and bells used in homes all over Nepal . One can find people at work in the small alleys of sakotha
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