KATHMANDU:
The Kathmandu valley, land of
unique customs and tradition is situated in the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal. Surrounded by
the mighty and gracious mountains. The valley is known for its beautiful scenarios,
ancient temples and his toric museums.
Come and experience the life
and traditions of local people around Kathmandu, the panoramic view of the majestic
mountains and the sunrise from the hilltop. And we guarantee you will never miss a smile.
Never the less its small size
it has got a bountiful treasure of spots listed in the World Heritage sites. The three
Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur are renowned to the arena of tourism for
being a masterpiece in art and architecture. The old carved houses, narrow lanes and
frequently encountering ancient as "a focal destination" for sightseeing.
KATHMANDU DURBAR
SQUARE:
This one of the most popular
tourist destination is enlisted in World Heritage Sites. Clustered around the central
Durbar Square are the old Royal Palace (Hanuman Dhoka), numerous interesting temples, the
Kumari Chowk or Kumari Bahal (House of the Living Goddess) and the Kasthamandap (House of
wood) from which Kathmandu derived its present name. An inquisitive exploration in the
Durbar Square reveals the ancient art and architecture of Nepal, which has proved that is
a masterpiece to everyone accepting its genuineness.
PASHUPATINATH:
Pashupatinath is the most
important Hindu temple in Nepal. It is one of the most important Shiva temples on the
subcontinent and draws numerous devotees from all over India every year. Pashupati is
considered to have a special concern for the kingdom of Nepal. Pashupati is considered to
have a special concern for the kingdom of Nepal. Pashupatinath, an ancient plinth, by the
banks of the holy Bagmati River, stands the 16th century of Pashupatinath - Shiva, as Lord
of all Creatures. The old buildings on the site were destroyed by Moslem invaders in the
14th century, its stone linga smashed to dust, but it rose again behind their retreating
backs. Succeeding monarchs reinstated the temple and the images. The flowing Bagmati is a
holy river and the ghats (crematorium) at its bank are the earnest Hindus truest cremation
center.
SWAYAMBHU NATH:
The Buddhist temple of
Swayambhunath, situated on the top of a hill west of the city, is one of the most popular
and immediately recognizable symbols of Nepal. Geologists believe that the Kathmandu
Valley was once a lake and legends relate that the hill on which Swayambhunath stands was
an island in that lake. Under the Mallas various improvements were made and king Pratap
Malla constructed the great stairway to the stupa in the 17th century. From the flattened
top of the hill, the soaring central stupa is topped by a gold-colored square block from
which the watchful eyes of the Buddha gaze out across the valley in each direction. From
the platform of the spot the splendid changing view of the valley could be seen with the
monkeys running here and there.
BOUDHANATH:
This is the largest stupa in
Nepal and one of the largest in the world. It is a religious center for Nepals
considerable population of Tibetans and theyre a number of thriving monasteries
around the stupa which have their own self-importance. Boudhanath has always been
associated with Lhasa and Tibetan Buddhism. The first stupa is believed to be constructed
some time after 600 two wives named Bhrikuti and Wen Cheng Konjo converted CE after the
Tibetan King Songtsen Gompo to Buddhism but the current stupa was probably built after the
depredations of the Moghul invaders in the 14th. Century. Stupas were originally built to
house holy relics or to commemorate an event or place with a structure that symbolizes
Buddhist Beliefs.
PATAN:
Patan is 15 minutes drive
from Kathmandu. Lalitpur, the city of beauty is separated from Kathmandu only by the
Bagmati River and is the second largest town in the valley. Lalitpur is fragmented from
other cities due to its substantive architectural ancient masterpieces. Patans
central Durbar Square is absolutely packed with temples: its an architectural center
point with a far greater concentration of temples per sq. meter than in Kathamandu or
Bhaktapur.
Krishna Mandir, which is one
of the grandeur of the square, was built in 1637 by the king Siddhinarsingh Malla. The
entire temple is constructed from the stone. Golden Temple, which is the unique Buddhist
Monastery, was founded in the12th century which is a large rectangular building has three
roofs and a copper gilded façade with the images of Buddha and Avalokitesvara where there
is Buddha images and illustrations on the walls. The square has been unrestrainedly
adorned by the Bhimsen Temple, Manga Hiti, Vishwanath Temple, Jagannarayan Temple, Golden
Temple and numerous. Take the pleasure of discovering this Patan Durbar Square, which has
been entitled in the World Heritage Site.
BHAKTAPUR:
Bhaktapur, also known as
Bhadgaon or the city of Devotees, is the third major town of the valley and in many ways
the most mediaeval. Bhaktapurs Durbar Square is much larger and more spacious than
Kathmandus and much less crowded with temples than Patans. Bhaktapurs
Royal Palace was founded by Yaksha Malla and added to by successive Kings. Unfortunately
the palace suffered great damage in the 1934 earthquake and its subsequent reconstruction
did not match its original artistry.
KIRTIPUR:
Kirtipur is 5 Km. south west
of Kathmandu, the small town is relatively neglected and timeless backwater despite its
proximity to the capital. At one time it was associated with Patan and then became a mini
kingdom in its own right. Kirtipurs resistance was strong but eventually
surrendering to the strong siege laid by King Prithivi Narayan Shah during his campaign
for the unification of Nepal during 1768, the city was conquered and annexed to the great
Nepal.
At one time there were 12
gates into the city and traces of the old city wall can still be seen. Kirtipurs
ridge is actually two hills, with a lower saddle between them. The Chilanchu Vihara tops
the Southern hill and has a central Stupa with four smaller stupas, numerous statues and
bells and Buddhist monastery building around it. At the bottom of the saddle where the
hill meet is the Bagh Bhairab Temple, sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists. From the hill
top nearby villages of Panga and Nagaon can be inspected.
POKHARA:
Pokhara is one of the
imaginary realistic parts of Nepal. This is the second touristic destination of the
country. Pokhara stands at 884 meters above sea level, about 700 meters lower than
Kathmandu. The valley has three large lakes: Rupa Tal, Begnas Tal and Phewa Tal.
Viewed from Pokhara, the
Himalaya is indeed a mighty mountain range, looming over the horizon much closer than it
does in Kathmandu. Only foothills separate the town from the full height of the mountains,
and the magnificent 8000-meter peaks of the Annapurna Range utterly dominate the view to
the north. In the Kathmandu Valley the high temples are all around you, in the Pokhara
Valley it is the mountains.
LUMBINI:
Lumbini (306km. -east); this
World Heritage Site is not only a place of pilgrimage but also an international tourist
attraction where Lord Buddha was born, who ultimately got enlightenment and preached his
message to the world. The main attraction at the Lumbini remains the Sacred Garden that is
spread over 8 sq. km, the Mayadevi Temple, Ashoka Pillar, sacred pond, China Temple etc. A
tour to this destination should bring emancipation in ones life, which is peace and
prosperous to those who seek salvation from the filthy activities practiced in the world.
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For more details
please contact:
Himalayan Cultural
Treks & Expedition (P). Ltd.
Post Box No: 1968
Phone No: 476118/484626
Fax No: 977-1-476119
Bouddha Tinchuli, Kathmandu, Nepal.
E-mail: hicten@wlink.com.np
URl: www.catmando.com/hicten