Lalitpur
Lalitpur Metropolitan City, also known as Patan, Yala, and Manigal, is Nepal’s fourth most populous city. Located in the south-central part of Kathmandu Valley, about 8 km south of Kathmandu, across the river Bagmati, and lies at an altitude of 1,400 m. It is best known for its rich cultural heritage, particularly its tradition of arts and crafts. Tourism is an important part of the city’s economy and it is renowned for its festivals and feasts, ancient art, and the making of metallic, wood and stone statues. Lalitpur is also home to Patan Durbar Square, which has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

One of the most used and typical Newar names of Lalitpur is Yala. It is said that King Yalamber or Yellung Hang named this city after himself, and since then, the city has been known as Yala. There are many legends about its name. The most popular one is the legend of the god Rato Machhindranath, also known as Bunga Dyah, who was brought to the valley from Kamaru Kamachhya, located in Assam, India, by a group of three people representing the three kingdoms centered in the Kathmandu Valley. One of them was called Lalit, a farmer who carried Lord Rato Machhindranath to the valley to overcome the worst drought in the valley. There was a strong belief that the god Rato Machhindranath would bring rain in the valley. It was due to Lalit’s effort that the god Rato Machhindranath was settled in Lalitpur. Many believe that the name of the town is kept after his name Lalit and pur meaning township. In May, a chariot festival honoring the deity known as Bunga Dyah Jatra is held in Patan. It is the longest and one of the most important religious celebrations in Patan. During the month-long festival, an idol of Rato Machhendanath is placed on a tall chariot and pulled through the city streets in stages.

Lalitpur is believed to have been founded in 249 BC by Emperor Ashoka and was further expanded by the Mallas during the medieval period. Later Lalitpur is said to have been re-established by King Veer Deva in 299 AD, but there is unanimity among scholars that Patan was a well established and developed town since ancient times. Several historical records including many other legends indicate that Patan is the oldest of all the cities of Kathmandu Valley. According to a very old Kirat chronicle, Patan was founded by Kirat rulers long before the Licchavi rulers came into the political scene in Kathmandu Valley. According to that chronicle, the earliest known capital of Kirat rulers was Thankot. Kathmandu, the present capital was most possibly removed from Thankot to Patan after the Kirati King Yalamber came into power sometimes around second century AD.

The Licchavi era was followed by the Malla era. Rulers from Tirhut, upon being attacked by the Delhi Sultanate, fled north to the Kathmandu valley. They intermarried with Nepali royalty, and this led to the Malla era. The early years of the Malla era were turbulent, with raids and attacks from Khas and Turk Muslims. There was also a devastating earthquake which claimed the lives of a third of Kathmandu’s population, including the king Abhaya Malla. These disasters led to the destruction of most of the architecture of the Licchavi era (such as Mangriha and Kailashkut Bhawan), and the loss of literature collected in various monasteries within the city. Despite the initial hardships, Kathmandu rose to prominence again and, during most of the Malla era, dominated the trade between India and Tibet. Nepali currency became the standard currency in trans-Himalayan trade.

During the later part of the Malla era, Kathmandu Valley comprised four fortified cities: Kantipur, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Kirtipur. These served as the capitals of the Malla confederation of Nepal. These states competed with each other in the arts, architecture, esthetics, and trade, resulting in tremendous development. The kings of this period directly influenced or involved themselves in the construction of public buildings, squares, and temples, as well as the development of waterspouts, the institutionalisation of trusts, called guthis, the codification of laws, the writing of dramas, and the performance of plays in city squares. Evidence of an influx of ideas from India, Tibet, China, Persia, and Europe among other places can be found in a stone inscription from the time of king Pratap Malla. Books have been found from this era that describe their tantric tradition like Tantrakhyan, medicine like Haramekhala, religion like Mooldevshashidev, law, morals, and history. Amarkosh, a Sanskrit-Nepal Bhasa dictionary from 1381 AD, was also found. Architecturally notable buildings from this era include Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the former durbar of Kirtipur, Nyatapola, Kumbheshwar, the Krishna temple, and others. In 1768, Lalitpur was annexed to the Gorkha Kingdom by Prithvi Narayan Shah without any battle.

Lalitpur is on the elevated tract of land in Kathmandu Valley on the south side of the Bagmati River, which separates it from the city of Kathmandu on the northern and western side. The Karmanasa Khola acts as the boundary on the eastern side. It was developed on relatively thin layers of deposited clay and gravel in the central part of a dried ancient lake known as the Nagdaha. The city has an area of 15.43 square kilometres and is divided into 29 municipal wards.

The city was initially designed in the shape of the Buddhist Dharma-Chakra or the Wheel of Righteousness. The four thurs or mounds on the perimeter of Patan are ascribed around, one at each corner of its cardinal points, which are popularly known as Asoka Stupas. Legend has it that Emperor Asoka, the legendary King of India, visited with his daughter Charumati to Kathmandu in 250 BC and erected five Asoka Stupas, four in the surrounding and one at the middle of the Patan. There are more than 1,200 Buddhist monuments of various shapes and sizes scattered in and around the city. The most important monument of the city is Patan Durbar Square, which has been listed by UNESCO as one of seven Monument Zones that make up the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site. The seven monument zones were included in the World Heritage List in 1979 as one integrated site. The monument zones are declared as protected and preserved according to the Monuments Preservation Act of 1956. The Square was heavily damaged on 25 April 2015 by an earthquake. Lalitpur was planned in Vihars and Bahils. Out of 295 Vihars and Bahils of the valley 56% of them are in Patan. The water conduits, stone spouts, jaladroni or water tanks, artistic gate ways, Hindu temples and Buddhist Vihars adorn the city.

The Durbar Square at Patan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located in the centre of the city and is one of the most visited places in Nepal. The Patan Durbar Square is one of the three main Durbar Squares in Kathmandu Valley and offers a perfect blend of ancient history and culture and modernity. The best time to visit Durbar Square Patan is from October to December in order to have the best outdoor experience. It is often overcrowded during the weekends so it is best to visit during the weekdays. Unfortunately, a lot of this area was destroyed during the 2015 earthquake, leading to it being seen as an unattractive place to visit. However, over the years, the government, as well as the community, have been putting in their efforts to rebuild this area, making Patan one of the most artistic Buddhist cities in the world and the Durbar Square a must-visit attraction in Nepal. Patan Durbar Square is full of captivating Newari structures with each one of them having something unique and significant to offer.

There is uncertainty regarding the origin of Patan Durbar Square. While the popular belief is that the Malla kings are to be credited for its existence, there are other contradictory legends as well. Some belief it to be a significant Pradhana crossroad, who reigned before the Mallas. The majority of the structures at the square date back to the end of the 17th century, during the reign of King Siddhi Narsingh Malla and then his son Srinivasa Sukriti. Few improvements were made by future Malla kings such as Purandarasimha, Sivasimha and Yoganarendra as well.

The Durbar Square at Patan initially had 136 courtyards and 55 temples. Due to the earthquake that occurred in 2015, only a few of them are open today. Each temple or monument is different from the other as all of them signify and represent religion in their own way. The architecture of the entire area is influenced by stone and wood, something that the restoration team tried to maintain. All the monuments either have stone or wood and have a hint of Shikhara architecture, a kind of Hindu ancient architecture. The ticket counter is open between 10:30 am and 4:30 pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and on Sundays, it is open from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. The square is closed on Mondays. The Square is free for Nepali citizens, except for the museum for which they need to pay NPR 30. For SAARC nationals, entry to the square and museum is NPR 250 while other foreigners need to pay NPR 1000 for the same. Tickets are valid for 24 hours, which would give one the entire day to explore the square.

Displaying staggering artefacts acknowledging the long history and evolution of the Newari ethnicity, Patan museum is located in the ancient residential court in Keshav Narayan Chowk within the Patan Durbar complex. Along with the magnificence of original Nepali architecture restored carefully to its glory, the interiors of the museum are also full of antique pieces reflecting the rich history and culture of Nepal and Kathmandu Valley.

The actual inception of the complex is hard to place. Before it was a palatial residence for the Malla royalties of Kathmandu Valley, it used to be a Buddhist Monastery, whose foundations date back to around 1734 AD. Although the monastery was displaced, it is commemorated with the traditional annual public rite performed at the doorstep of the palace. However, it is believed that the site’s initial foundation dates back to the rule of the Licchavis, which was between the 3rd and 9th centuries. Patan Museum was open for the public in 1997, inaugurated by the late King of Nepal, Birendra Bir Bikram Shah. An open garden area has been transformed into the beautiful Patan Museum Cafe at the back of the complex offering authentic Nepali delicacies. There is also a gift shop selling handcrafted souvenirs.

Among the collections of Patan Museum, a majority are cast bronze and gilt copper repousse work from the different eras of Nepal’s history, along with other ethnic crafts indigenous to Patan. There are traditional deities and artefacts akin to Hinduism and Buddhism, with their origins in India, Tibet, China or Nepal itself. The museum has different opening hours for the summer and winter months. In the summer months, it is open from 8 am to 6:30 pm and in it winter, it is open from 8 am to 5:30 pm. It may be closed on certain days, so one must check before going. Entry fees are NPR 30 for Nepali nationals, NPR 15 for Nepali students upon providing ID, NPR 250 for SAARC nationals, and NPR 1000 for non-SAARC nationals.

The Royal Palace in Patan covers up the Durbar Square in the city and is one of the most famous attractions there. Built in the 14th century under the rule of the Malla King, the palace was restored after the Kathmandu earthquake in 2015. The palace includes a number of temples in its complex and it is almost impossible to take a trip to Durbar Square without having a look at the Royal Palace. The palace has a series of connecting courtyards behind the windows, overhanging eaves and delicate wooden screens. The northern gateway has been engraved with golden Toranas showing Parvati, Shiva, Ganesha and Kumar. Above the gateway, there is a window that is gilded foil wrapped around a timber frame where the king used to make his public appearances. This place also leads to the Patan Museum. The Royal Palace is open between 10:30 am and 4 pm and has an entry fee of NPR 1000.

A significant shrine dedicated to Lord Krishna, the Krishna Mandir owes its existence to a dream that King Siddhi Narsingh Malla had of the Lord standing in front of his palace. He then ordered the construction of the temple at the same spot he saw him standing. Carved entirely in dark stone, the beautiful structure of the Krishna Mandir consists of several significant sculptures and carvings on its outside walls as well as on the interior walls. The temple houses a statue of Lord Krishna in the ground floor with his consorts, Srimati Radha and Queen Rukmini on either side. The next level has a sanctum for Lord Shiva, and the topmost floor is dedicated to Lokeshwara or Avalokiteshvara – the collective Buddha consciousness. The beams along the tiers of the temple tell the stories of Mahabharata and Ramayana carved onto the stone intricately. The structure of the Krishna Mandir follows the Indian Subcontinental architectural style known as the Shikhara style. Highlights of this form of architecture include the structure that spirals up from the temple’s roof right above the sanctum sanctorum. It follows the traits of a local Nepali style called Granthakuta. The temple was completed and inaugurated in year 1637. From the courtyard, you can witness the story of Mahabharata depicted in carvings on the first-floor beam carvings. Further up on the second-floor beam, the story of Ramayana is chiselled on stone. Facing the temple is a statue of Krishna’s loyal vahana, the man-bird Garuda sits on a column. Non Hindus are not allowed inside and the temple is crowded during the festival of Lord Krishna’s birth, Krishna Jayanti or Janmashtami, sometime around August-September. During this time, the temple is lit up and is extremely beautiful.

A shrine dedicated to the third Pandava, Kunti’s middle-born and a great wrestler-warrior Bhima, the Bhimsen Temple is known for its three interconnected golden windows. It was built in 1680 by King Srinivasa Malla. Malla translates to a wrestler in English, and it is the art mastered by Bhima. However, Bhimsen is traditionally worshipped here not as a god of wars or fights, but of trade, commerce and business. The temple is situated in the northern part of Patan Durbar Square and consists of three storeys. In Newar, he is traditionally worshipped as the god of business and trade. The temple has many carvings which describe Bhimsen as the man with super strength crushing an elephant with a knee or lifting a horse in the air. Non-Hindus are not allowed to go inside the temple but can view the wild-eyed statue of Bhimsen by climbing up to the top level of this temple. The architecture of this temple is slightly unusual which makes it different from the other temples in Patan. The temple was built by Srinivasa Malla in 1680 but it had to be rebuilt in 1682 due to the destruction of the temple caused by a fire. The temple went through renovations again after the earthquake that took place in 1934 and again in 1967. And again, major damage was caused to the Bhimsen Temple by the 2015 earthquake.

Another construction by Siddhi Narsingh Malla, the Vishwanath Temple, like its namesake in Varanasi, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Built in 1627, the temple features exquisite erotic carvings along its facade, keeping in tradition with almost every antique Shiva temples in the Indian subcontinent. The front gate of the temple is guarded by two majestic stone elephants, while on one of the sides, there is the iconic bull statue, ever-present at a Shiva temple. The bull represents Shiva’s mount, servant and closest confidante, Nandi.

The Kumbeshwar Temple, also known as the Kumbeshwar Mahadev Mandir, one of the three five-storey temples in Patan is quite often ignored due to its neighbouring Golden Temple. Even though Patan is known for having only Hindu Temples, the Kumbeshwar temple is quite famous for being one of the most sacred ones in Nepal. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is the oldest one in the region and was built by the King Jayasthiti Malla in the 14th century. It is believed that a dip into the holy ponds of the temple is especially purifying as the water comes naturally all the way from Gosaikunda , which is almost 42km away. There is also a legend that says that the town of Patan, which is also known a ‘Lalitpur gets its name from the temple.

It is believed that Rato Machhendranath Temple is where the patron of god, Rato Macchendranath or Matsyendranath spent most of his life. Rato Machhendranath was said to have been moved from Bungamati to Patan several times, which is central to the most famous rituals in Kathmandu. The place where the deity resided, Shikhara, was unfortunately destroyed during the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. Nevertheless, this attraction is a must-visit for tourists since it truly represents the culture of Bungamati. The most famous festival here is the Machhendranath festival which takes place during April and May. This temple, created in 1673, has a protected metal fence with 4 doorways that are protected by stone lions on the ground floor. Yeti like demons can be found carved in the corners of the temple. In front of the temple premises, one can also find metal structures of animals such as a Garuda, a snake, fish, a lion, a horse, and a buffalo.

Uku Bahal is a Buddhist monastery located south of Patan Durbar Square. It is also called Rudra Varna Mahavir and is filled with sacred images and shrines. Consisting of three courtyards, the outer courtyard has two flag-bearing British style lion statues and an impressive gate. One can find splendid items such as brass bells, winged horses, statues of peacocks, elephants Garudas and thunderbolts called Dorjes. Along with that, a statue of Rana Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher, as well as paintworks and preserved roof struts, are a few things that people can see.

There are three chowks or courtyards in the Patan Durbar Square. One of them is Keshav Narayan Chowk, located inside the premise of Patan Museum. The largest one of them is Mul Chowk, which houses the Vidya Temple and the shrine of Taleju Bhawani – the family deity of the Mallas. Ganesh, Hanuman and Vishnu’s sphinx avatar Narsingha guard the entrance to the third courtyard.

Sundari Chowk, which also happens to have a sunken tank within its boundaries, is named Tusha Hiti, with an entrance guarded by the three impressive statues of Hindu deities Hanuman, Ganesh and Narsingha. Built in 1647, this Chowk had been under reconstruction as a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the north, south and west wings here were near completion when Nepal was struck by a massive earthquake in 2015. It was however the east wing which was severely destroyed, owing to its old architecture. After restoration work which lasted for almost 3 years, Sundari Chowk was reopened in 2018 and made available for exhibitions and to the public.

With this, we bid goodbye to Lalitpur and go on to the next town in the Kathmandu Valley.