Kathamandu Valley

 Source: Nepal Tourism Board

Kathamandu Valley

The kathamandu valley has an exotic setting. it is surrounded by a tier of green mountain wall above which tower mighty snow-capped peaks. It consists of three main towns great historic, artistic and cultural interest: Kathamandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. The Kathamandu valley covers an area of 218 sq. miles . It is situated 4,423 ft. above sea level.

The ancient swathani sriptures tell of Lord Shiva, supreme among Hindu gods, who came down to the Kathamandu valley to escape boredom. He came as a tourist, if that is the appropriate word, but he was neither among the first nor the last of the gods to visit  the valley. Visitors  have come to Nepal since times forgotten. And though the country is much different today than it was in ancient times., it has not diminished in charm  the increase in the number of visitors over the years is a living proof. Those who come to the valley today will appreciate a lot more than Lord Shiva did in his tour. The architecture started here by the Lichavi and Malla king is one such example. Much of the greenery that Lord Shiva saw is gone, but the forests surrounding Pashupati, where he stayed, are still intact. The seven world Heritage Sites in the Kathamandu Valley designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organazation (UNESCO) are the highlights of the valley.

Kathamandu Durbar Square.

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the seemingly uncountable monuments in the Kathamandu Durbar square . The house of the Living Goddess, the ferocious Kal Bhairab, the red monkey god, and hundreds of erotic carvings are a few examples of the sights at the square! The buildings here are the greatest achivements of he Malla dyansty, and they resulted from the great rivalry between the three palaces of Kathamandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur . The valley was divided among the children of Yaksya Malla. For visitors today, and for the Nepalese, It was serendipitous that they, and later their offsprings, began an artistic  warfare trying to outdo each other in splendid construction. Kings coped everything their neighbors built in an even grander style. A visitor who wanders around the square will see a round temple in the pagoda architectural style, the temple of goddess Talaju ( who played dice with the king Jaya Prakash Malla), and an image of Shiva and Parbati sitting together among the many monuments.

The square is teeming with colorful life. Vendors sell vegetables, curios, flutes, and other crafts around the Kastamandap  rest house. This rest house is said to have been built with the wood of a single tree and is the source from which the Kathamandu valley got its name. Nearby are great drums which were beaten to announce royal decrees. All woodcarving, statues, and architecture in this area are exceptionally fine, and Kathamandu Durbar square is among the most important sights for travelers to see.

Patan

The ancient city is situated on the southern bank of the river Bagmati and is about five KMS  southeast of Kathamandu . The city is full of Buddhist monuments and Hindu temples with fine bronze gateway, guardian deities and wonderful carvings. Noted for its craftmen and metal workers, It is known as the city of artists. Lalitpur "the city of Beauty", is another name for Patan.

Patan Durbar Square

The square boasts of many famous sites and unique architecture. Krishna Mandir in the Patan Durbar Square was built to honor an incarnation of Vishnu. Krishna fought by the side of the Pandavs in the the Mahabharat war to assure that truth would prevail. He was a favorite among the gopini cow girls. His temple is the best example of stone architecture in Nepal. Scenes from the Mahabharat, Asia's greatest myghological war, are carved on the temple's walls.

The Bhimsen which honors Bhim great wrestler, brother of the Pandavs, and a deity to Neplease businessmen contain fine samples of metal craft. The best place, however, to see metal sculpture is the Hiranya Varna  Mahabihar , the "Golden Temple". It is a Newar monastery which contains wall paintaings, fourteenth century statues, and scriptures. Its front facade is mostly covered in bronze. Note the stone gates and the figures upon them. These were built by silakars whose descendants are active in the woodcarving industry today. Also interesting are the four metal monkeys at the corners of the temple. Monkeys decor of Nepal for several hundred Years!

The Sundari Chowk contain exquisite sample of woodcarvings., stone, and metal sculpture. A huge stone platform in this chowk is the seat of p pious king who endured great penance in search of eternal bliss . It is said that he slept outside on this chilly stone platform in the bitter could of Kathamandu winters and spent hours in the monsoon rains.

Other sites including the Mahaboudha Temple and Uku Bahal are only a few minutes walk away from the square. The streets in the area are home to metal sculptors of the present day . Many more temples dedicated to Ganesh, the elepahant- headed god,  Shiva, Narsingha, Taleju, and others are situated in the Patan Durbar Square .

Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur means "the city of devotees" in the Sanskrit language . It is also known as Bhadgaon and was founded in 889 AD by king Anand Dev. Today it couvers an area of four square miles and is flanked by Khasa Khusung and Hanumante River . The palace complex in the middle of the city portrays the prosperity of the Malla  years and the details at which the crafts people then worked. The palace of Fifty- five windows stands in the square and it was home to many kings of Bhaktapur. They even ruled over Kathamandu and Patan from the twelth century to the 14th century.

The massive gate to the square was made by king Bhupendra Malla (1696 to 1722) who took pride in his own engineering and buildings skills, His skill must have been impressive indeed as the  gate, though it looks small now, was among the biggest in the valley and daunted many an enemy. It is sturdy even now and stands firmly. Among  the other monuments in BHaktapur are the big bell, the Golden Gate, the Five-tiered temple of  Nyatapola, the Bhairab Temple, and the Dattatreya square with its woodcarving and metalwork museums. Surrounded by beautiful farming area, the traveler to Bhaktapur will easily fall in love with the city.

Bhaktapur is perhaps the most popular of the three Newar towns of the Kathamandu valley. Newar art and architecture here rival the best craftsmanship of the Malla period (from the 12th century to the 18th centry). Though a massive earthaquake of 1934 destroyed many temples, bahals (monastery courtyards) and residences, the city is still a living proof of the highest craft standards in this part of the world. As the visitors wanders through the narrow brick paved streets, many alleys will shows hidden shrines and statues. Clay craftmanship as well as cloth weaving is still practiced here very much as in the past . Fourteen kilometers east of Kathamandu, this peaceful, conservative town stands in sharp contrast to the bustle of its two adjacent cities.

After seeing one or all of these monuments of the Kathamandu valley the visitor needs to realize that, of course, the world Heritage sites are only the tip of the iceberg. There are shrines, statues and religious images in almost every valley. Only the gods know how old most of these are. There are many pleasant walks and hikes around the valley, with the Himalayas a grand backdrop. And the original charm which lured Lord Shiva still welcomes you. welcome to Nepal, the country where the gods come to holiday!.