| Patan also known as
‘Lalitpur’ literally, the City of Artisans, lies 5km southeast of
Kathmandu, and is home to the valley’s finest craftsmen who preserve
ancient techniques such as repoussé and the lost wax process, still
producing exquisite pieces of sculpture. The city retains much of the old
charm with its narrow streets, brick houses and the multitude of
well-preserved Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries (Vihars). The
predominant sound in Patan is not motor vehicles but the tinkering of
craftsmen bent over the statuettes they are shaping. As in
Kathmandu,
Hinduism and Buddhism have co-existed here for ages, influencing each
other and the religious harmony is exemplary.
Hotels around Patan.
Visiting around Patan.
Hiranya Varna Mahabihar: Dating back to the 12th Century
A.D. the three storied golden pagoda of Lokeshwar in Patan was built by
King Bhaskar Varma. Located in the courtyard of Kwabahal, this temple is
in a class of its own. On the upper floor is a golden image of Lord Buddha
and a large prayer wheel on a pedestal. Intricate decorative patterns on
its outer walls add charm to the mellow richness of the shrine.
Kumbheshwar: The temple of Kumbheswar is the only five storied
pagoda in Patan and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is believed that a
natural spring within the courtyard of this temple has its source in the
very popular glacial lake of Gosainkunda. Built by King Jayasthiti Malla,
the golden finial was added later in 1422 A.D. During his time the pond
was cleaned and various images of Narayan, Ganesh, Sitala, Basuki, Gauri,
Kirtimukh and Agamadevata were added around the pond and in the courtyard.
A large gathering of devotees arrive here for ritual bathing on the day of
Janai Poornima each year.
Jagat Narayan: The Jagat Narayan temple on the banks of
the Bagmati River at Sankhamul is a tall shikhara-style temple consecrated
to Lord Vishnu. Built of red bricks, the temple has many fine images. An
attractive metal statue of Garuda mounted on a stone monolith is
accompanied by several images of Ganesh and Hanuman.
Mahaboudha: The famous temple of Mahabouddha in Patan is
unique for its thousand little images of Buddha in terracotta. This
artistically built shikhara-style temple is a fine specimen and owes its
existence to a priest named Abhaya Raj. Every brick on the surface of this
shrine bears a small image of the Buddha. After it was completely
destroyed during the great earthquake of 1933, a new one was built
replicating the original to the exact specifications. Mahaboudha is one of
the major attractions of Patan.
Ashoka Stupas: Although there is little evidence that the
Emperor Ashoka ever visited Kathmandu valley, there are four stupas
supposedly built by him in 250 AD. Marking the four corners of Patan,
three of these stupas are merely mounds of earth with prayer wheels around
them while the fourth near Shankamul is a beautiful concrete stupa. At the
time they were built, Buddhism flourished in the Kathmandu Valley.
Machhendranath Temple: The temple of Red Machchhendranath,
the God of Rain is of great importance in Patan. The temple lies in the
middle of a wide, spacious quadrangle just at the outer rim of the market
place. A clay image of Red Machchhendranath or Avalokiteshwar is kept here
for six months each year, after which it is placed on a chariot and taken
round the city of Patan in a boisterous colorful procession as part of a
festival that begins in April-May and lasts for several months.
The Tibetan Refugee Camp: A large number of Tibetans fled
their homeland in Tibet and settled in Nepal during the early 1960s. To
shelter these homeless people the government of Nepal set up the Tibetan
Refugee Camp on the outskirts of Patan. The Tibetans brought their carpet
weaving skills to Nepal and soon a carpet industry was thriving in the
valley. The camp has become a tourist attraction with its souvenir shops
that sell carpets and handicrafts such as prayer wheels made of wood,
ivory, silver or bronze along with an assortment of belt buckles, wooden
bowls and jewelry. A stupa and a number of shrines have also been built
within the camp. (article from
NTB website)
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