Kathmandu
Durbar
Square :
This one
of the
most
popular
tourist
destination
is
enlisted
in World
Heritage
Sites.
Clustered
around
the
central
Durbar
Square
are the
old
Royal
Palace
(Hanuman
Dhoka),
numerous
interesting
temples,
the
Kumari
Chowk or
Kumari
Bahal
(House
of the
Living
Goddess)
and the
Kasthamandap
(House
of Wood)
from
which
Kathmandu
derived
its
present
name. An
inquisitive
exploration
in the
Durbar
Square
reveals
the
ancient
art and
architecture
of Nepal
which
has
proved
to be a
masterpiece
to
everyone
accepting
its
genuineness.
Swayambhunath
:
Swayambhu
Stupa
watches
over the
Valley
from the
top of a
hillock
on its
western
side.
The
stupa is
one of
the
holiest
Buddhist
sites in
Nepal
and its
establishment
is
linked
to the
creation
of the
Kathmandu
Valley
out of a
primordial
lake.
Swayambhu
is also
known as
Samhengu
and is
listed
as a
World
Heritage
Site.
Entrance
fee
Rs.50 (SAARC
nationals
Rs.30)
Bouddha
Nath :
Bouddhanath
Stupa
lies
about 6
km to
the east
of
downtown
Kathmandu
and is
the
largest
stupa in
the
Valley.
It looms
36
meters
high and
presents
one of
the most
fascinating
specimens
of stupa
design.
Boudhanath,
a World
Heritage
Site, is
also
known as
Khasti.
There
are more
than 45
Buddhist
monasteries
in the
area.
Many
have
schools
that
teach
young
monks
like
thoughts
pictured
here.
Pashupati
Nath :
Pashupatinath
Temple.
One of
the most
sacred
Hindu
shrines
in the
world,
Pashupatinath
lies 5
km east
of the
city
center.
The
richly-ornamented
pagoda
houses
the
sacred
linga,
or
phallic
symbol,
of Lord
Shiva..
Religious
pilgrims
and
sadhus,
like the
one
pictured
here,
travel
all the
way from
the
remote
areas of
India to
visit
this
sacred
sight.
Even
though
these
devotees
have
denounced
worldly
possessions,
each
carries
a Sadhu
ID
(identifications
card) to
freely
cross
over the
border
between
India
and
Nepal.
Chronicles
indicate
the
Pashupatinath’s
existence
prior to
400 AD.
Devotees
can be
seen
taking
ritual
dips in
the holy
Bagmati
river
flowing
beside
the
temple,
also a
World
Heritage
Site.
Bhaktapur
Durbar
Square :
Durbar
Square.
As you
walk in,
you
cannot
but be
overcome
by a
feeling
of inner
harmony.
Such is
the art
and
architecture
and the
special
layout
here.
The
15th-century
Palace
of 55
Windows,
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, is
a
masterpiece
in
repousse
art. In
front of
the
palace
building
is a
medley
of
temples
of
various
designs.
There is
an
entrance
fee of
Rs.30
for
SAARC
nationals
and
Rs.500
for
other
foreign
visitors.
Patan
Durbar
Square :
Durbar
Square,
like its
counterpart
in
Kathmandu,
is an
enchanting
melange
of
palace
buildings,
artistic
courtyards
and
graceful
pagoda
temples.
Listed
as a
World
Heritage
Site,
the
former
royal
palace
complex
is the
center
of
Patan’s
religious
and
social
life,
and
houses a
museum
containing
an array
of
bronze
statues
and
religious
objects.
There is
an
entrance
fee of
Rs.200
per
foreign
visitor.
One
remarkable
monument
here is
a
17th-century
temple
dedicated
to the
Hindu
god
Krishna,
built
entirely
of
stone. |
