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 Bhaktapur Durbar Square.
You should manage to
enter the old Newar City of Bhaktapur by the gate at Durbar Square in order
to immediately get that feeling of inner harmony that
will overcome every visitor of the beautiful place. Such is the art and architecture and
the special layout here. The Palace of 55
Windows built
during the period of King Bhupatindra Malla in 1754 situated to the left as
you enter through the city gate, inspires admiration. The National Art
Gallery is also housed inside. The palace entrance, the Golden Gate known as Sunko Dhoka in Nepali is a masterpiece in repousse
art. In front of the palace building is a
medley of temples of various designs. Amongst the three
Durbar Squares in the Valley, the Durbar Square in Bhaktapur is the best
preserved one.
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  Taumadhi Square
lies to the east of Durbar Square reached by a narrow brick-paved lane. The
towering five-roofed Nyatapol temple (the only one five-roofed temple of
Nepal) presides over the square. The monument
gracefully soars into the sky atop a five-story plinth. The stairway leading
up to the temple is flanked by stone figures of deities and mythical beasts,
each 10 times more powerful than the one immediately below. |
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 Dattatreya Square
takes its name from the Dattatreya temple dedicated to a three-headed
combination of the Hindu deities Brahma, Bishnu and Shiva. Here you may
experience the feeling of the traditional urban layout of Bhaktapur. Set in a maze of streets lined with richly ornamented houses,
the square is famed
for its many ornate Hindu monasteries known as Math. The National
Woodworking Museum is also housed here and the Brass and Bronze Museum is across the street. The oldest structure in Bhaktapur was raised
during the reign of the last Malla King, Yaksha Malla who ruled the Valley
before it was divided into three Kingdoms amongst his three heirs. |
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Potter’s Square.
A two-minute walk south of Durbar Square brings you to Bolachhen, also known
as Potter’s Square because of the many potters seen here moulding wet clay
into different kinds of earthen ware. It has a display of fresh pottery left
out to dry in the open square. This place can also be approached from Taumadhi
Square. The elephant-headed Lord Ganesh is the patron of potters, thus the
Jeth Ganesh temple in the square. |
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Siddha Pukhu,
a pond dating back to the Lichhavi period, is better known as Ta-Pukhu,
meaning big pond. Though situated right at the bus
stop, it provides a serene atmosphere with its sashaying fish and the stone
images of different Hindu and Buddhist Gods. |
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Surya Binayak
is one of Kathmandu’s most popular pilgrimage
spots, 12 kilometres east of the centre. It has been positioned in such a
way to catch the first rays of the sun in the morning. Situated in a thick
forest to the south of Bhaktapur, it is a 20-minute walk from the trolley
bus terminal. The temple, dedicated to the Hindu deity Ganesh is crowded with devotees especially on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
It is also one of the favourite picnic spots offering elegant views of Bhaktapur and other attractive landscapes. |
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