Bhaktapur, Nepal

Welcome to Bhaktapur, located on the Eastern outskirts of Kathmandu. Bhaktapur was once the capital of Nepal and the largest of the three Newari kingdoms (Kathmandu, Patan) in the Kathmandu Valley. It is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its rich culture, temples, and wood, metal, and stone artworks.

The city itself is a museum. It is overflowing with architecture, art, temples, ponds, religious symbols, and mystic music. The entire area is a cultural utopia and our first stop was Bhaktapur Durbar Square...

Entering Bhaktapur Durbar Square from the Main Gate

Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Lion Statue in Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Matt, Aaron, and I spent the entire day in Bhaktapur. We arrived early in the hope we may avoid paying entry fees, but to no avail. The local Nepalese essentially are hawks on tourists the moment you get out of a cab and then graciously show you to the ticket booth. A quick travel tip, every taxi fare is negotiated before you leave, which means you need to already know roughly what the price should be or ask around to get a good idea before getting into the taxi. If not, you will get ripped off. I noticed that the square is larger and more open than the other Durbar Squares; however later on I read that this was due to an earthquake in 1934 that destroyed much of the square and required areas of it to be restored.

Lu Dhowka

Lu Dhowka, 'The Golden Gate' is depicted above. In the center is the Hindu goddess Kali associated with empowerment. Kali is the goddess of time, change, power, and destruction. Just above Kali sits Garuda, which is a large mythological humanoid griffin and the mount of Vishnu. As a note, the Hindu depiction of Garuda is strikingly different from the traditional Balinese depiction of Garuda. The gate is considered the best of its kind in the world.

Naga Pokhari, 'Snake Pond'

Entering the gate leads you into the Palace of 55 Windows built in the 1400s. Within the palace lies the Naga Pokhari, 'Snake Pond', where Matt, Aaron, and I had to take some Dodgeball style pictures. "I wouldn't trade this picture for all of King Midas' silver." The strange thing was that walking through the entryway and seeing the algae covered pond I felt a lot more like Indiana Jones than Peter La Fleur. For whatever reason, I definitely felt like I needed a whip and a fedora to help me against whatever may rise from that filth covered water.

Naga Pokhari, 'Snake Pond'

Naga Pokhari, 'Snake Pond'

Our next stop was keenly named Pottery Square...

Pottery Square

Potter at Work

Pottery Square

Thanka Painting School in Pottery Square

Everything Hand-Made

Potter Artisans

Aaron Leading the Way

I did not buy any pots before moving on to Taumadhi Square where I checked out the Nyatapola and Bhairab Nath Temples. The pagoda-style tantric Nyatapola Temple was built in 1702, it rests on five terraces and five stories of roof. On each terrace sits a pair of figures: two famous wrestlers, two elephants, two lions, two griffins, and Baghini and Singhini - the tiger and lion goddesses. Each pair of figures is considered ten times stronger than the ones immediately below, while the famous wrestlers were considered ten times stronger than any other man.

Nyatapola Temple in Taumadhi Square

Nyatapola Temple in Taumadhi Square

Baghini, Tiger Goddess, at the top of Nyatapola Temple

Nyatapola Temple

Beams of the Nyatapola Temple

The Bhairab Nath Temple located to the left in the picture below worships Bhairab, or Bhairava, the fierce annihilation form of Shiva in Hinduism.

Panoramic View from the Top of Nyatapola Temple, Bhairab Nath Temple on the Left

While roaming the streets Matt, Aaron, and I ran into a white couple. I was wearing my Australia tank top and their icebreaker was, "Oh hi, are you from Australia?" We replied with a resounding, "No" and they responded, "Oh, neither are we." Then, they jumped right into fabricating a conversation from nothing. This situation has taken place a handful of times since I've moved to Asia. You see a stereotypical pair of white people who don't feel comfortable in their surroundings or talking with locals so they reach out to whatever other white people they see to try to manufacture a conversation. These people may as well say, "Oh, thank goodness I'm not in this foreign place all by myself." These interactions are always awkward because there isn't a great way to respond. The purpose of the discussion is more about tourists venting their insecurities rather than actually having a conversation. I don't understand why someone would travel somewhere so foreign to Western culture and not anticipate additional challenges that you don't have on a relaxing trip to the beach.

I've shared most of my highlights from Bhaktapur, but here are a few more pictures that interested me in my wanderings of the ancient city.

Erotic Wood Carvings

Wood Sculptor

Decorated Gurkha (Famous Warriors) or Kukri Knife

Elephant Statue

Having visited each of the three districts I can say that Bhaktapur is the best preserved of any of the ancient areas that I visited in the Kathmandu Valley. What makes this area stand out most is the high concentration of expert craftsmanship in a variety of areas: windows, pottery, weaving, masonry, wood carving, and textiles. You can't help watching the skilled laborers hands work as they have spent countless hours perfecting their trade.