Kathmandu valley, the capital of the country, is the entry point for all the guest travelling by air. Steeped in history, it also is one of the most interesting and popular touristy city in the country with the numerous sites of historic and cultural interests. The valley boasts 8 UNESCO heritage sites within a very small span. Its main three cities are packed with exquisite expamples of Malla era art and architecture rendering its palace squares as open air museums. One can get lost in the city for days, and yet have something for the next time.
Kathmandu valley, the capital of the country, is the entry point for all the guest travelling by air. Steeped in history, it also is one of the most interesting and popular touristy city in the country with the numerous sites of historic and cultural interests. The valley boasts 8 UNESCO heritage sites within a very small span. Its main three cities are packed with exquisite expamples of Malla era art and architecture rendering its palace squares as open air museums. One can get lost in the city for days, and yet have something for the next time.
Kathmandu Durbar Square:
The historic seat of royalty has plethora of interesting places. The wooden temple situated close to the palace square, which is known as Kasthamandap (wooden stage) gives city its name.
Patan Durabar Square and the vicinity:
Patan Durbar Square, situated in the heart of the city constitutes the focus of visitor's attraction. The square is full of ancient monuments, temples and shrines, noted for their exquisite craftmanship and architectural beauty. One can rummage for treasures in the various shops around the square.
Bungmati & Khokana village:
The twin villages of Bungmati & Khokana date from the 16th century and are located south of Kathmandu, down a rutty road dotted with Chaityas. Bungmati is the winter home of lord Rato Machhendranath, the protector God of Patan. Most of the people are Newars.In these villages on can see typical Newari houses. Also these villages are popular for chilly and mustard oil. The best time to visit Bungmati and Khokana is in October and November because at that time the whole village looks colorful. They hang red chilly garland from the top floor to the ground floor in the whole village. Most of the farmers in these villages are either involved in spinning or oil pressing business.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square:
Bhaktapur, literally the 'City of Devotees', is renowned for its elegant art, fabulous culture, colourful festivals, traditional dances and the typical Newar lifestyle. Tourists visiting Nepal feel their visit incomplete unless they get a mesmerizing glimpse of this ancient 'City of Culture'. The square, the most open public place of the city, is the most outstanding cluster of exquisite temples and the royal palaces ornamented with work of arts.
Changunarayan Temple:
The road access to Changunarayan, 18 kms east of Kathmandu is from behind Bhaktapur. The lavishly decorated two-tiered temple was rebuilt after a fire in 1702, but the earliest inscription in the valley dated 467 A.D. The temple stands in a spacious courtyard, littered with priceless stone sculptures from the 4th to 9th century A.D. (Licchavi period). This golden age of classical Newari art produced masterpieces that were entirely religious in character.
Swoyambhunath Stupa:
Atop a green hillock west of Kathmandu stands the great stupa of Swayambhunath, a site over 2,500 years old marking the point where the legendary patriarch Manjushri discovered the lotus of the ancient Valley lake. For centuries an important center of Buddhist learning, the painted eyes of the Buddha gaze out from all four sides of the monument. Its’ dazzling white hemispherical mound represent the ladder to nirvana, itself symbolized by the umbrella on the top. The whole is hung with multi-colored prayer flags whose every flutter releases holy prayers. The faithful circumambulate the stupa clockwise, turning the banks of prayer wheels and even prostrating full-length in reverence.
Pashupatinath Temple:
It is situated 5 kms east of Kathmandu on the banks of the sacred Bagmati River. The temple of lord Shiva, Pashupatinath, with a tiered golden roof & silver doors is famous for its superb architecture. Entrance to the temple precinct is forbidden to non-Hindus. The best view is from the terrace on the wooded hill across the river. The Bagmati River is lined with dharmasalas and cremation ghats including a royal ghat reserved exclusively for members of the royal family. There is usually a cremation in progress on one of the platforms by the river, regarded as holy as it flows into the sacred Ganges. There are many occasions when the faithful take ritual purificatory baths in the river. One of the most colorful is the women's festival of Teej when dressed in their finest red and gold saris hundreds of women, laughing and singing converge on Pashupatinath.
Bouddhanath Stupa:
The stupa of Bodhanath lies 8 km east of Kathmandu. It is the biggest Stupa in Nepal and is located on flat land and encircled by houses & monasteries, where Rinpoches reside. This colossal Stupa is set on concentric ascending terraces in the powerful pattern of a Mandala. Around the base of this strikingly enormous and simple stupa is a ring of 108 images of the Buddha and 147 insets containing prayer wheels.
Budhanilkantha:
9 km north of Kathmandu in a small pond at the foot of the Shivapuri Hills lies the half-submerged massive black stone statue of the reclining Vishnu resting on a bed of snakes. Worshippers strew the sleeping Vishnu with offerings of flowers & rice. It is a monumental sculpture from the Lichhavi period.
Kirtipur Village:
Perched on twin hillocks and clinging to a saddle about 5 km south west of Kathmandu lies the village of Kirtipur. A long flight of steps leads up to Kirtipur from the valley floor & a motorable road goes part way up the hill. Steep paths link brick houses built on terraces. The villagers dressed in traditional costume work on ancient looms.
Chovar Gorge:
Carved out of a hillside, the Chovar gorge is the only outlet for all the waters of the valley. Legend has it that Manjushree, an ancient saint cut the mountain with his magical sword, to drain out the water from the Kathmandu Valley which was then just a lake. There is a small but picturesque temple of Adinath on the top of the hill with a magnificent view of the snow capped peaks. Just beyond the gorge is a temple of lord Ganesh. The main image of the shrine is a massive rock, naturally carved.
Daxinkali temple:
Dakshinkali is 45-minute drive south from Kathmandu. Located in a dark valley at the confluence of two streams, the shrine of Dakshinkali is the most spectacular of all Kali temples. Animal sacrifices are offered to this deity signifying fertility and the procreative powers of the Female, every Tuesday & Saturday. The animals are presented to the priest who will ritually decapitate them with a khukuri knife & bathe the black stone image of Kali in blood.
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Geography
The vallley is surrounded by high hills from all the sides giving it a bowl-like togography. The valley used to be a lake that was drained to established the cites. Set lake bed it boasts the most fertile land.
Pepople and culture