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Bhaktapur |
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Guide > Bhaktapur |
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Bhaktapur,
which means "city of devotees" in Sanskrit,
is also known as Bhadgaon. It was founded in 889 AD by
King Anand Dev. Today, it covers an area of four square miles
and is flanked by the Khasa Kahasung and Hanumante Rivers.
Bhaktapur
is probably the most popular of the three Newar towns of the
Kathmandu Valley. Newari art and architecture here rival the
best craftsmanship of the Malla period, and although the earthquake
of 1934 ravaged the town, it is still living proof of the highest
standards of craft in this part of the world. Clay craftsmanship
and cloth weaving are still practised here as they were in the
past. Only 14 kilometres east of Kathmandu, this peaceful, conservative
town stands in sharp contrast to the bustle of its two adjacent
cities.
Bhaktapur's
Durbar Square is relatively unintegrated into daily life. Although
a shadow of its former past, it is still imposing, and served
as the set for Bertolucci's film 'The Little Buddha'.
The Shiva-Parvati
Temple just before you enter the square from the bus stop is
a small example of Newari humour. One of the erotic carvings
on its struts shows a pair of elephants - one of them the elephant
Kamasutra - copulating in the missionary position!
The Ugrachandi
and Bhairab Statues date from 1701. Ugrachandi, the fearsome
aspect of Shiva's consort Parvati has 18 arms holding different
weapons and symbols and she is in the process of casually killing
a demon with a trident. Bhairab has 12 arms. Both the
god and the goddess are garlanded with necklaces of human heads.
Among the
number of less significant temples on the western end of Durbar
Square are the Rameshwar Temple to Shiva, the Badri
Temple to Vishnu as Narayan, the impressive Krishna
Temple and a shikhara-style Shiva Temple erected
by King Jitamitra Malla in 1674.
King Bhupatindra
Malla's Column is dedicated to the best-known Malla king
of Bhaktapur. His image sits with folded arms atop the column,
studying the magnificent entrance gate to his palace and the
supremely sacred Taleju Temple, which is closed to non-Hindus.
When leaving, look for the old royal bath half-hidden in a crumbling
courtyard. It is overgrown with ferns now, but the beautiful
metal spout remains, along with a naga standard set in the bathing
pool.
Beside the
king's statue is the stone Vatsala Durga Temple built
by King Jagat Malla in 1672. It is similar to the Krishna
Mandir in Patan. In front of it is the Taleju Bell, which
was erected by King Jaya Ranjit Malla in 1737 to call the faithful
to prayer at the Taleju Temple. The Barking Bell built
by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1721 is a smaller bell on the temple's
plinth. It was supposedly built to counteract a vision the king
had in a dream. To this day, dogs are said to bark and whine
each time the bell is rung.
The elegant,
octagonal Chyasilin Mandap was one of the finest in the
square until it was destroyed in the 1934 earthquake. Originally
a viewing point for nobles observing festivals and rituals,
it has been totally rebuilt using some of the original components
and offers a good view over the square from the inside.
The 17th
century Siddhi Lakshmi Temple built from stone has stairs
leading up to it that are flanked by figures of male and female
attendants each leading a child and a dog. On successive levels,
the stairs are flanked by horses, rhinos, man-lions and camels.
The Vatsala Temple stands behind it. Next to the Vatsala
Temple is the 17th century Pashupatinath Temple dedicated
to Shiva as Pashupati. A replica of the main shrine at Pashupatinath,
it is notable for the erotic carvings on the roof struts.
The large,
white Fasidega Temple dedicated to Shiva makes a good
landmark as it can be viewed from various parts of Bhaktapur.
The temple sits on a six-level plinth with elephants guarding
the bottom of the steps and lions and cows above them.
The Tadhunchen
Bahal or Chatur Varna Mahavihara is an ancient-looking
monastery with some highly unusual carvings of the tortures
of the damned. The monastery dates from the 15th century and
has been recently renovated.
Bhaktapur's
Royal Palace founded by Yaksha Malla and added to by
successive kings, once had 99 courtyards. The palace suffered
extensive damage in the 1934 earthquake. Today, six courtyards
remain, most of them closed to the public.
The National
Art Gallery, housed in a renovated old wing, displays over
200 exquisite paintings from the 13th century on, including
palm-leaf manuscripts, thangkas and restored frescoes decorating
the walls of King Bhupatindra's private quarters. The entrance
to the gallery is flanked by figures of Hanuman the monkey god
and Vishnu in his man-lion incarnation. These guardian figures
date from 1698 and Hanuman appears in Tantric form as the four-armed
Hanuman-Bhairab.
A few steps
further glitters the famed Golden Gate dedicated to the
goddess Taleju who appears as the central figure in the elaborate
gilt torana. It is not for nothing that the Golden Gate was
hailed by an early visitor as 'the most exquisitely designed
and finished piece of gilded metalwork in all of Asia'. The
workmanship of the finely detailed images of the deities lining
the doorframe is superb; the sheer quantity of wealth displayed,
astounding.
The Golden
Gate opens to the inner courtyards of the palace - the Mul
Chowk leading to the Taleju Chowk entrance, Kumari
Chowk and Sundari Chowk with its bathing tank, the
Kamal Pokhari. The Palace of 55 Windows built in 1697
adjoins the Golden Gate. According to historical chronicles,
the king placed a single pane of glass brought from India as
'an object of wonder for the people'.
Taumadi Tole
is the second great square of Bhaktapur, tightly woven into
daily life and rituals. Here you find the 30-metre high Nyatapola
Temple, the tallest in Nepal. Built in 1702 by King Bhupatindra
Malla, its design was so elegant and construction so good that
the earthquake of 1934 caused only minor damage. Inside dwells
an extremely secret Tantric form of the goddess Durga. A special
family of priests tends the temple, which may be entered only
by the king.
The Bhairabnath
Temple, also known as the Kasi Vishwanath or Akash Bhairab
was originally built as a one-storeyed temple in the early 17th
century, but was rebuilt with two storeys by King Bhupatindra
Malla in 1717. It was completely destroyed by the 1934 earthquake
and was completely rebuilt with a third storey after that. The
chariot used to transport the image of Bhairab around the town
during the festival of Bisket stands beside the temple. Strangely,
although the temple itself is massive, the image of Bhairab
outside stands only 30 centimetres tall! The entrance to the
temple is from the small Betal Temple behind it, dedicated
to the hobgoblin who accompanies Bhairab on his annual chariot
ride.
The double-roofed
Til Mahadev Narayan Temple dedicated to Vishnu has a
Garuda kneeling on a high pillar in front of it. It is flanked
by pillars bearing Vishnu's conch and chakra symbols. Despite
the temple's neglected setting, it is actually an important
place of pilgrimage and one of the oldest temple sites in town:
an inscription indicates that it was built in 1080, and another
that the image of Til Mahadev installed inside the temple dates
from 1170.
Two interesting
old buildings on the southern side are the Sukul Dhoka
and the Lun Bahal. The former is a priest's house, and
the latter a 16th century Buddhist monastery that was converted
into a Hindu shrine with the addition of a stone statue of Bhimsen.
A little further is the Golmadhi Square with the Golmadhi
Ganesh Temple.
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Tole |
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Tachapal
Tole is, after the renovation it underwent in the late 1970s,
a far cry from the muddy, pot-holed alleys reminiscent of the
past. Also called Dattatraya Square, it was probably the original
central square of Bhaktapur, and thus the oldest part of town.
The Dattatraya Temple built in 1427, is dedicated to
Dattatraya, who may be one of the many incarnations of Vishnu,
as the Garuda-topped pillar and traditional weapons of Vishnu
indicate. Like some other important structures in the valley,
it is said to have been built from the timber of a single tree.
The temple is important to Shaivites, Vishnaivites and Buddhists.
The date
of construction of the Bhimsen Temple is a matter of
debate. A Vishnu Temple stands on the platform in front of it.
Behind it is the deeply sunken and rather pretty Bhimsen Pokhari.
The 15th
century Pujari Math has a wealth of elaborate carvings
including the famous Peacock Window down the narrow side alley
and a courtyard decorated with cavorting wild boars, monkeys
and makara. Inside is the National Woodcarving Museum
with some fine examples of the woodcarving for which Bhaktapur
has long been famous. The Brass and Bronze Museum is
across the street with fine examples of metalwork from the valley.
The ornately
decorated Salan Ganesh Temple dates from 1654. A large
tank, the Ganesh Pokhari, lies on one side of the temple.
This 17th
century Ganesh Temple just about 11 kilometres out of town is
said to be a good place to visit if you're worried about your
children being late speakers! It is also popular with Nepali
marriage parties. Inside, a very realistic looking long-tailed
rat sits atop a tall pillar, immediately indicating that the
temple belongs to Ganesh. The deity sits in an enclosure at
the bottom of a shikhara and a second golden image sits
on the shikhara spire.
After seeing the monuments of the Kathmandu Valley, the visitor
is sure to realise that the World Heritage Sites form only the
tip of the iceberg. There are countless other architectural
and cultural marvels to admire at in the Valley, as there are
shrines, statues and other religious images in almost every
alley. There are also several pleasant walks and hikes around
the Valley, with the Himalayas providing a grand backdrop. And
the original charm, which lured Lord Shiva, still welcomes you
to the land where the gods come to holiday!
Changu Narayan
Temple The
oldest temple in the valley is the Changu Narayan temple located
22km from Kathmandu and a 25-minute drive from Bhaktapur city.
The original temple was built in the 4th cent. during the time
of the Lichhavi rulers and is perched on a hill overlooking
the nearby city. Much of it was rebuilt in the 18th cent.
This temple
is known for its beauty, location and age. It is a Vishnu temple
and there are many images of Gods. Some of the stone images
seen here have been photographed and reproduced in the book
"Himalayan Art" by Manjupuria. One of the oldest Lichhavi
period stone inscriptions is also found here. A beautiful image
of Vishnu in the form of the half-lion and half-man, Narshimha,
can be seen beside the temple. He is in the act of tearing apart
a demon on his knees. A Vishnu image with ten heads and ten
arms is another fine example of stone carving from the 5th century.
The struts of this two-tiered temple depict the ten incarnations
in which Narayan destroyed evildoers. A 6th century stone statue
shows the cosmic form of Vishnu, while another recalls the dwarf
incarnation in which he crushed the evil King Bali. Garuda,
the steed of Vishnu, kneels before the temple. The statue of
Vishnu astride his steed is a popular favorite.
Changu Narayan is most often visited as a side trip while touring
Bhaktapur because of its proximity. You can walk up to it. The
village of Changu lies immediately below the shrine and many
souvenirs are sold along the stone steps leading up to the temple.
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