Patan, Nepal

The ancient city of Patan is situated on the southern bank of the river Bagmati and is about five kilometers southeast of Kathmandu. The city is full of Hindu temples and Buddhist monuments with bronze gateways, guardian deities and wonderful carvings. Noted for its craftsmen and metal workers, it is known as the city of artists. The major visitor attractions of Patan are:

DURBAR SQUARE: Patan Durbar Square, situated in the heart of the city, is the main tourist attraction. The square is full of ancient palaces, temples, and shrines noted for their exquisite carvings. One can rummage for treasures and souvenirs in the various shops around the square.

The main attraction of Patan Durbar Square is the ancient Royal Palace itself. It consists of three main chowks, or courtyards: the central Mul Chowk, Sundari Chowk and Main Keshab Narayan Chowk. In the northeastern corner of the courtyard is a triple-roofed octagonal tower, Teleju Bhawani Temple, built by King Shree Niwas Malla in 1667. Between the central Mul Chowk and Main Keshab Narayan Chowk there is the temple of Degu Taleju.

KRISHNA MANDIR: Built in the seventeenth century by King Siddhi Narsingh Malla, the temple of Lord Krishna holds a commanding position in the palace complex of Patan. It is the only temple in Nepal to have 21 shrines and is completely made of stone. Most of the important scenes from the ancient Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, have been engraved on its friezes.

MAHABOUDDHA: A little further from Patan Durbar Square lies this Buddhist temple made of clay bricks in which thousands of images of the Lord Buddha are engraved. The Terra-cotta structure is a fourteenth-century Nepalese architectural masterpiece. It was constructed by an architect named Avay Raj.

HIRANYA VARNA MAHAVIHAR: This three-story golden pagoda of Lokeshwor (Lord Buddha) was built in the twelfth century by King Bhaskar Verma. It is located in the courtyard of Kwabahal. Inside the upper story of the pagoda, placed on a pedestal, are golden images of Lord Buddha and a large prayer wheel. There are a wealth of gem-like carvings on its walls and a complete life history of Buddha in gold relief.

KUMBHESHWOR: Kumbeshwor temple in Patan and Nyatapol temple in Bhaktapur are the only five- storied temples in the Valley, with the exception of the round five-tiered Pancha Mukhi Hanuman of Kathmandu's Hanuman Dhoka Palace. This temple for Lord Shiva was expanded during the reign of King Jayasthiti Malla but originally constructed in 1392. A fair is held here on the Janal Purnima day in August.

JAGAT NARAYAN TEMPLE: This is a tall imposing temple of Lord Vishnu in red brick. Situated on the bank of the Bagmati River, the temple has many fine images of stone and an artistic metal statue of Garuda on a stone pillar.

RUDRA VARNA MAHAVIHAR: This unique Buddhist monastery contains a collection of images and statues in metal, stone, and wood. In ancient times, kings were crowned in this monastery. Many of the treasures offered by kings' devotees can be seen here even today.

THE ASHOKAN STUPAS: There are four ancient stupas, popularly believed to have been built in 250 B. C. by Emperor Ashoka, at the four corners of Patan. The four stupas are located in Pulchowk, Lagankhel, Ebahi (way to Shankhamul), and in Teat (way to Sano Gaon) respectively. These stupa give evidence to the city's ancient religious importance.

ACCHESHWOR MAHAVIHAR: This temple was established towards the beginning of the seventeenth century by Accheshwor who built a temple to house an idol of Lord Buddha. The Mahavihar has recently been reconstructed. It has 30 rooms including a monastery, "Dhyankuti" research area, training area, library, review rooms, and guest rooms. Situated behind the Ashokan Stupa at Pulchowk, the Mahavihar commands a beautiful view of the Kathmandu Valley.

TEMPLES OF MACHCHHENDRA NATH AND MIN NATH: The pagoda of Red Machchhendra Nath, also known as Avalokiteshwor and Adinath Lokeshwor, is housed here for six months each year. For the remaining six months, the idol is taken to its shrine in Bungmati. The temple of Min Nath is situated in Tentgal, on the way to Tabahal. The temple of Min Nath is thought to be older than the temple of Red Machchhendra Nath.

JAWALAKHEL HANDICRAFT CENTER: This carpet factory is managed by Tibetan refugees and is a place where one can see the entire process of spinning, dying, and weaving Tibetan designed wool carpets. The center also has a well-stocked show room for carpet purchasing.

PATAN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE: The Patan Industrial Estate is situated at Lagankhel in the Lalitpur District near Sat Dobato. This industrial estate is well known for Nepali handicrafts such as wood carving, metal crafts, carpets, and thangka paintings. It is very interesting to see how these goods are made in the different workshops. For the visitors' convenience, there is a shopping arcade within the premises of the industrial estate. Almost all the handicraft products made in the estate are exhibited in the shopping arcade.

GODAVARI: Situated at the foothills of Pulchowki, this place has splendid natural beauty. The road from Patan city runs to Godavari to the southeast, passing through the small, old towns of Harisiddhi, Thaiba, and Badegaon. A holy place in Nepal, it is also a good picnic spot amid dense forests. It is the site of the only Royal Botanical Garden in Nepal. A fish hatchery and a marble quarry also are located here.