Bhaktapur Durbar Square - The City of Devotees

King Anand Dev established the town in the year 889 AD, and it is therefore steeped in tradition, culture and a rich history. The Mallas ruled Bhaktapur for many years. Most of the statues, temples and sanctuaries seen today were constructed during their rule. Bhaktapur Durbar Square is home to some of the most beautiful and breathtaking of these creations, complete with wooden carvings, gateways and idols.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square is unique as it is one of the few sights in Nepal that hosts a great variety of attractions at the same location. One of these attractions is the Lion Gate. This spectacular gate was constructed in the 17th century, in approximately the year 1696, by King Bhupatendra Malla. The reason visitors are attracted to this gate, is the two massive and beautifully crafted statues of lions that guard the gate. Next to the lions are the images of goddess Ugrachandi and Lord Shiva carved from stone. As visitors start moving toward the center attraction of the Durbar Square in Bhaktapur, the Fifty-Five Window Palace, they will be greeted by the Golden Gate or Sun Dhoka. As the main entrance to the palace courtyard, King Ranjit Malla spared no expense with the gate's construction in the 7th century. It is known as the most exquisite of its kind in the world and is beautifully decorated. The doors of the Golden Gate are adorned with Garuda (mythical half-man half bird) and goddess Kali, both being cared for by heavenly creatures. The Palace of Fifty-Five Windows was constructed in the year 1427 by King Yakshay Malla and renovated in the 17th century by King Bhupatindra Malla. It is considered an architectural masterpiece, constructed from wood and brick. Its most significant feature is the balcony that is home to the famous Fifty-Five windows. This is a woodcarving feat that leaves visitors awestruck.

Ranking amongst the noteworthy sights in Nepal, the Durbar Square in Bhaktapur has much more to offer than just a palace and two gates. Visitors will also be able to visit the 17th century Vatsala Temple and the Pashupati Temple. The pagoda temple, the temple of Nyatapola, was constructed in the year 1702. Standing five-storeys in height, it is the tallest pagoda in Nepal. The figurines on each floor are spectacular and each storey is individually connected to the elements of sky, wind, water, fire and earth. The art gallery displays various religious art pieces and the looming statue of King Bhupatindra Malla pays tribute to a king that was not only a ruler, but a creative mind and artist. Visitors can also look forward to viewing the Stone Temple of Batsala Devi, the Bhairavnath Temple, Dattatraya Temple and the Changu Narayan Temple. Visiting the Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a unique and rare opportunity to relive history and touch the past.

Fast Facts:

Location	Kathmandu Valley
Significance	UNESCO World Heritage Site
UNESCO Category	Cultural
UNESCO Listed	1979
Major Attraction	The Golden Gate, Fifty Five Window Palace, Nyatapola, Datatri Square and Pottery Square

  

Places To Visit :

The Lion Gate

The massive gate that dates back to 1696 AD is guarded by two huge statues of lions at the either sides. The dreadful stone image of Lord Shiva and the fearful image of Ugrachandi attract the tourists from far off.

The Golden Gate (Sun Dhoka):

The Golden gate is said to be the most beautiful and richly moulded specimen of its kind in the entire world. The door is a embellished with monsters and mythical creatures of marvellous intricacy. The Golden Gate was erected by King Ranjit Malla and is the entrance to the main courtyard of the Palace of fifty-five windows.

The Palace of Fifty Five Windows:

Keshav Narayan Chowk is the Northern-most part of the Patan Darbar palace complex, with the dominating Degutale temple next to it. This magnificent palace was built during the reign of King Yakshay Malla in AD 1427 and was subsequently remodeled by King Bhupatindra Malla in the seventeenth century. Among the brick walls with their gracious setting and sculptural design, is a balcony with fifty-five Windows, considered a unique masterpiece of woodcarving.

The Art Gallery:

The Art Gallery contains ancient paintings belonging to the Hindu and Buddhist traditions of various periods and descriptions. The gallery is particularly famous among researchers on Hinduism and Buddhism.

The Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla:

This statue depicts King Bhupendra Malla in the act of worship and is located on a column facing the palace. This is considered the most magnificent statue among the many statues in the squares.

Nyatapola:

This is the most famous pagoda of Nepal, which was built in 1702 A.D by Bhupatendra Mala. This temple was dedicated to Siddhilaxmi, the tantric mother goddess of supreme power. Nyatapola in Newari means a five tiered symbolizing five basic elements - water, earth, fire, wind and sky.

Pashupati Temple:

According to a folklore, a Bhaktapur native who was a great devotee of Lord Pashupati, had a dream in which lord Shiva told him to build a temple for him so that he could move into it. He obeyed this command and thus the temple came into existence.

Vatsala Temple:

This 17th century stone temple, dedicated to a mother goddess, is full of intricate works on stone.

Article : NEPAL.COM, SAARC TOURISM, Photos: Madan Prasain

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Kathmandu Durbar Square

Listed as one of the eight Cultural World Heritage site by UNESCO, Kathmandu Durbar Square is a cluster of ancient temples, palaces, courtyards and streets that date back to the 12th and 18th centuries. The square is known to be the social, religious and urban focal point of the Capital City.

Taleju Temple

The Palace Complex was the royal Nepalese residence until the 19th century and is the site of important ceremonies, such as the coronation of the Nepalese monarch. The palace is decorated with elaborately-carved wooden windows and panels an. It houses the King Tribhuwan Memorial Museum and the Mahendra Museum.

Fast Facts 

Location	Kathmandu
Significance	UNESCO World Heritage Site
UNESCO Category	Cultural
Built In	16th and 17th centuries
Major Attractions	Taleju Temple and Hanuman Dhoka

Major Attractions
Taleju Temple
The temple is a famous Hindu and Jain religious site. The three-tiered temple is the first to be erected with more than two roofs and raised on a tall stepped platform. It is said that the mandir was built in the shape of a yantra on the advice of the Taleju Goddess herself and that she appeared to the King at the dedication ceremony disguised as a bee.

Mahendreshvara Temple
The simple yet beautiful temple was built by King Mahendra Malla and is dedicated to the Hindu Lord Shiva in the form of Pashupati. The temple was destroyed in a 1934 earthquake and rebuilt thereafter. The temple is a memorial to its founder.

Jagannath Temple
The Jagannath Temple is recognized as the finest of the group near Hanuman Dhoka. Exquisite wood-carvings embellish the doors, windows and roof struts, depicting a panoply of gods from the Hindu pantheon. Originally dedicated to Vishnu the shrine was later re-dedicated to Jagannath.

Dequtale Temple
The temple was built by Shivasimha Malla honoring the Mallas' family deity, Degutale. It resembles Taleju's shrine but with a tower-like base in place of the stepped platform. The worship of Degutale has its origins in a nature cult, the images being pieces of rock which the Newaris set up and worshipped.

Hanuman Dhoka
Palace facade turns at right angles between the Degutale Temple and the Taleju Mandir. This way is created Hanuman Dhoka (Hanuman is a monkey god). Hanuman idol placed in the dhoka has been anointed with mustard oil and vermilion through the centuries.

Nasal Chowk
Nasal Chowk takes its name from the little statue of the dancing Krishna in the shrine on the east side of the court. In Malla times the podium in the center of the court was used for dancing displays. The Shah kings chose to be crowned in Nasal Chowk, a tradition which continues today.

Mul Chowk
As the occasional abode of the goddess Taleju, the court is barred to visitors, though it is often possible to peep in through the gate and have a look at the exquisite beauty of the palace. The Chowk is opened to Hindus once a year when, on the ninth day of the Dasain Festival, hundreds of buffaloes and goats are sacrificed to the goddess.

Bhandarkal
Bhandarkal is a botanical garden created by King Pratap Mall in the mid 17th century. With its diverse flora, Bhandarkal is a treat for nature lovers and ecologists. The garden has been named after a seven-storied palace that possesses a statue of the Sleeping Vishnu, Jalashayana Narayan.

Vilar Temple
Between the Lalitpur and Basantpur Towers can be seen the magnificently carved façade of the three-storied Vilas Mandir, of a richness truly befitting a Temple of Luxury.

Trailokya Mohan Narayan Temple
The three storied temple has the figure of Garuda placed in its front and incarnations of Lord Vishnu within the temple. It was built by Prithvi Bendra Malla in 1680.

Shiva Temple
The Shiva Temple in Darbar Square is a replica of the Jaisi Deval and was built by Riddhi Lakshmi in 1690.

Shiva Parvati Temple
The long low building on the northern side of Durbar Square contains the beautiful shrines of Shiva and Parvati. This somewhat unusual building is believed to date from the time of Bahadur Shah. It is probably a reconstruction, the stepped platform on which it stands being considerably older than the temple itself.

Manju Deval 
Dedicated to Shiva the large three-storied Manju Deval on its unusually high stepped base seems to dominate Durbar Square. It was built in 1692 by the mother of Bhupatindra Malla of Bhaktapur. Inside the temple there is a Shiva lingam. The small shikhara (temple tower in the North Indian style) at the foot of the steps honors Kam Dev, Shiva's shakti.

Kumari Bahal
The house of the Living Goddess, the Kumari Bahal looks like the monastery that was constructed in 1757 by Jaya Prakash Malla. Inside it lives the young girl who is selected to be the town's living goddess, until she reaches her first puberty and reverts to being a normal mortal.

Kasthamandapa
Kasthamandap or house of wood is the building which gave Kathmandu its name. Legend narrates that the whole building is constructed from a Single Sal tree. At first it was a community hall where local people gathered for important ceremonies but later it was converted to a Temple of Gorakhnath. The image of Gorakhnath glitters at the center of the building.

Ashok Binayak Shrine
The Ashok Binayak Shrine is the principle shrine of Lord Ganesha in the Kathmandu Valley. The stone image of Lord Ganesha stands beneath a golden replica of the Ashok tree which once shaded the shrine and eventually gave it its name.

Simha Sattal
Simla Sattal is located at the southern end of the Kathmandu Durbar Square. The residential style temple contains the Garuda Narayan figure, strange looking effigies and a little shrine of Harikrishna.


Article from: SAARC TOURISM

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