Nepal-Nov-2023 -9- Kathmandu-2- Patan Durbar and Bhaktpur

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Nepal Tour - Nov-2023

Day-9: Kathmandu: Lalitpur – Patan Durbar, Bhaktpur

Last day of sightseeing of this tour.

It is said that Kathmandu of today was four different states in ancient times: Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktpur and Kirtipur. Our tour did not include Kirtipur as the old city is not well preserved. All four have almost merged with Kathmandu (although they are administratively separate).

Kathmandu has seven World Heritage sites:

1. Kathmandu Durbar Square

2. Patan Durbar Square

3. Bhaktapur Durbar Square

4. Pashupatinath

5. Changunarayan

6. Swayambhunath

7. Boudhanath



First four were included in our itinerary. Patan Durbar Square (Lalitpur) and Kathmandu Durbar Square – in the morning and Bhaktpur in the afternoon.

Patan, Kathmandu and Bhaktpur Durbar squares – all have heritage buildings, palaces and places of worship – Hindu and Buddhist. Most were damaged during the earthquake of 2015, but have been restored so very well that they retain the same grandeur of the old times.

Our visit started with Patan Durbar Square (in Lalitpur), then Kumari Ghar, then the Mul Chowk where there is Krishna Mandir, Hari Shankar Temple, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Taleju Bell, Golden Temple – just a few names I could remember. The whole area being part of old city has narrow lanes, hence it required walking for almost three hours.

It is simply impossible for me to describe the beauty and majesty of these old structures and I have tried to take as many photographs as possible (without being left behind and separated from the group!). But what was actually there was much more than you find in the attached photos.

Afternoon required another 2½ hrs of walk at the Bhaktpur. Bhaktpur was almost totally destroyed in the 1936 and 2015 earthquakes but has been restored unbelievably to the perfection. (Entry fee of NPR 500 is collected for this purpose – included). Many buildings are still having supports of iron girders. The Malla Kings of Bhaktpur (14^th – 18^th century AD) have made great effort at re-creating almost all the major Hindu places of worship/temples in Bhaktpur Durbar Square. It is thus not just a place of palaces but a place of temples. The Kings wanted that its people need not travel all the way to India for visiting temples, so they created Char Dham Temples, Krishna Temple, Brahma Temple, Narayan Temple – just to name a few – in Bhaktpur itself. There is only one palace in Bhaktpur – Palace of 55 Windows (photo-201). As none of these temples have deities in them or they are not worshipped, foot-ware were allowed all though out the day – such a relief!!!

It was simply too much to absorbed so much in a day!

Day-10: Travel back to Mumbai.

Although there was nothing of any significance scheduled on this day, it gave us another excellent opportunity to enjoy the gentle Sun in cool atmosphere of Kathmandu. Our hotel had a terrace restaurant on 7^th floor and we had time to enjoy the Sun for one full hour before departing for Airport.

A memorable tour!

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