Hanuman Dhoka

Hanuman Dhoka is a complex of structures with the Royal Palace of the Malla kings and also of the Shah dynasty. It is spread over five acres. The eastern wing with ten courtyards is the oldest part dated to the mid 16th century. It was expanded by King Pratap Malla in the 17th century with many temples. Sundari Chowk and Mohan Chowk in the north part of the palace are both closed. In 1768, in the southeast part of the palace, four lookout towers were added by Prithvi Narayan Shah. The royal family lived in this palace till 1886, where after they shifted to Narayanhiti Palace. The stone inscription outside is in fifteen languages and legend states that if all the 15 are read milk would spring from the middle of stone tablet.^[71]

The Hanuman Dhoka is the Hanuman Gate on east side of Durbar Square. It is the entry gate to the palace where a standing statue of Hanuman (monkey god), dated to 1672, guards the palace. Hanuman is decked with a red cloth and an umbrella. The face is smeared with a red paste. On the left is an interesting stone sculpture dated to 1673 of Lord Narasimha (the half-man, half-lion incarnation of Lord Vishnu), devouring the demon Hiranyakashipu, which is credited to Pratap Malla period according to an inscription on the pedestal of the image. Ahead of the main entrance, adjoining the Hanuman Temple, is the Nassal Chowk courtyard (‘Nasal’ means: “dancing one”) named after the image of dancing Shiva located on the east side of the square. This is the square where Birendra was crowned as king in 1975, on the platform in the middle of the courtyard. At the south side of the courtyard, stands the nine storey Basantapur Tower. While the courtyard was built during Malla Period, the buildings around it, which depict intricately carved doorways, windows, and struts, were creations of the Rana kings. Nassal Chowk is a rectangular in a north–south direction with entrance from the northwest corner. Near the entrance is an intricately carved doorway with carvings of four gods that leads to the private apartments of Malla king. A golden image of Maha Vishnu is seen now in an open veranda on the eastern wall, as the original Maha Vishnu Temple in the square, which housed this image, was destroyed in the 1934 earthquake. Other structures in the courtyard are: the Audience Chamber of the Malla kings in the northeast corner, the throne of the Malla kings in an open verandah and portraits of the Shah Kings.^[71]

The Panch Mukhi Hanuman Temple (five faced Hanuman) dedicated to Hanuman is in the northeast corner of the Nasal Chowk. It has a unique design of five circular roofs. The temple priest is the only person who can enter the sanctum of the temple.^[71]

The Basantapur Tower ( ‘Basantpur’ means : “place of Spring,” ) is located on the south of Nassal Chowk. It is a nine-storey tower from the top of which a panoramic view of the palace and city could be seen. Erotic images are carved on the struts of this tower. This tower is one of the four red towers that King Prithvi Narayan Shah built delimiting the four old cities of the Kathmandu Valley namely, the Kathmandu or the Basantapur Tower, the Kirtipur Tower, the Bhaktapur Tower or Lakshmi Bilas, and the Patan or Lalitpur Tower.^[71]

Mul Chowk, dedicated to Taleju Bhawani, is a courtyard with two storey buildings all round that are exclusive places for religious rites. Taleju Bhawani is the tutelary goddess of the Malla family. Talegu Temple with a golden torana (door garland) is located to the south side of the courtyard. During the Dasain festival, deity of Talegu is shifted to this temple. The entrance to the temple is flanked with images of the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna. Degu Taleju Temple is another triple roofed temple built by Shiva Singh Malla that is also dedicated to Taleju.^[71]

Mohan Chowk, built in 1649 to the north of Nasal Chowk, was the residential courtyard of the Malla kings. It was mandatory for a Malla king to be born here to become heir to the throne; an example cited to this belief is that of Jaya Prakash Malla who faced difficulties. At the center of the courtyard, there is a golden waterspout, known as Sun Dhara, said to be spring sourced from Budhanilkantha,in the north part of valley. It is an ornately carved spout sunk several metres below the courtyard level and the Malla kings used it for their daily ablutions. The four corners have towers. To the north of this chowk is the Sundari Chowk.^[71]

On the west side of Nassal Chowk, the Tribhuwan Museum has exhibits of items of the grandfather of King Birendra. Exquisite stone carvings, several impressive thrones, jewel-studded ornaments used for coronations, weapons, furniture, wooden temple carvings and a coin collection are on display at the museum. King Tribhuwan’s bedroom, study and personal effects have been recreated and preserved here. This part of the palace, next to Durbar Square, was built by the Ranas in the mid to late 19th century. The southeast corner of the courtyard has the King Mahendra Memorial Museum where two thrones are also on display.^[71]

Geography

Patan is situated on the elevated tract of land in Kathmandu Valley on the south side of the Bagmati River, which separates it from the City of Kathmandu on the northern side. It was developed on relatively thin layers of deposited clay and gravel in the central part of a dried ancient lake known as Nagdaha.

It is among the largest cities in the country, along with Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Biratnagar.

The city spreads over 16 sq. kilometres and is divided into 22 Municipal wards. The city is bounded by:^[3]

• East: Imadol VDC and Harisiddhi VDC
• West: Kirtipur Municipality and Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC)
• North: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC)
• South: Saibu VDC, Sunakothi VDC and Dhapakhel VDC

Patan Durbar square

Lalitpur is believed to have been founded in the third century B.C. by the Kirat dynasty and later expanded by Licchavis in the sixth century. It was further expanded by the Mallas during the medieval period. There are many legends after its name. The most popular one is the legend of the God Rato Machhindranath, who was brought to the valley from Kamaru Kamachhya, located in Assam, India, by a group of three people representing three kingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley. One of them was called Lalit, a farmer who carried God Rato Machhindranath to the valley all the way from Assam, India. The purpose of bringing the God Rato Machhindranath to the valley was to overcome the worst drought in the valley. There was a strong belief that the God Rato Machhindranath will make rain in the valley. It was due to Lalit's effort that the God Rato Machhindranath was settled in Lalitpur. Many believe that the name of the town is kept after his name Lalit and pur meaning township.

Lalitpur said to have been founded by King Veer Deva in 299 A.D. but, there is unanimity among scholars that Patan was a well established and developed town since ancient times. Several historical records including many other legends also indicate that Patan is the oldest of all the cities of Kathmandu Valley. According to a very old Kirat chronicle, Patan was founded by Kirat rulers long before the Licchavi rulers came into the political scene in Kathmandu Valley. According to that chronicle, the earliest known capital of Kirat rulers was Thankot. Kathmandu, the present capital was most possibly removed from Thankot to Patan after the Kirati King Yalamber came into power sometimes around second century A.D.

One of the most used and typical Newar names of Patan is Yala. It is said that King Yalamber or Yellung Hang named this city after himself and ever since this ancient city was known as Yala.

Boudhanath

The Boudhanath, (also written Bouddhanath, Bodhnath, Baudhanath or the Khāsa Chaitya), is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal along with Swayambhunath, and it is one of the most popular tourist sites in the Kathmandu area. It is known as Khāsti by Newars and as Bauddha or Bodh-nāth by modern speakers of Nepali.[76] Located about 11 km (7 miles) from the center and northeastern outskirts of Kathmandu, the stupa's massive mandala makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in Nepal.[77] Boudhanath became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.


The Gopālarājavaṃśāvalī documents that the Boudhanath was founded by the Nepalese Licchavi king Śivadeva (c. 590-604 CE); though other Nepalese chronicles date it to the reign of King Mānadeva (464-505 CE).[78][79] Tibetan sources claim a mound on the site was excavated in the late 15th or early 16th century and the bones of king Aṃshuvarmā 605–621 were discovered there while other Nepali sources claim it was constructed by a prince to seek forgiveness for unwittingly killing his own father .[80][81] However, the Emperor of the Tibetan Empire, Trisong Detsän (r. 755 to 797) is also traditionally associated with the construction of the Boudhanath Stupa, after Songsten Gampo was converted to Buddhism by his wives the Nepali princess Bhrikuti Devi and Princess Wen Cheng of China in the seventh century and passes it on to Detsän.[82] However, given that Kathmandu was invaded by the Mughals in the fourteenth century who would have destroyed the monument, the current stupa is believed to date to sometime after this.

The base of the stupa has 108 small depictions of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha and is surrounded with a brick wall with 147 niches, each with four or five prayer wheels engraved with the mantra, om mani padme hum.[81] At the northern entrance where visitors must pass is a shrine dedicated to the goddess of smallpox, Ajima.[81] The stupa attracts many Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims annually who perform full body prostrations in the inner lower enclosure, circumambulate the stupa with prayer wheels and chant and pray.[81] Thousands of prayer flags are hoisted up from the top of the stupa downwards and dot the parameters of the complex. The influx of large populations of Tibetan refugees from China has seen the construction of over 50 Tibetan Gompas (Monasteries) around Boudhanath.

Swayambhunath, also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy monkeys living in parts of the temple in the north-west, is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal. Although the site is considered Buddhist, the place is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus. Numerous kings, Hindu followers, are known to have paid their homage to the temple, including Pratap Malla, the powerful king of Kathmandu, who is responsible for the construction of the eastern stairway in the 17th century.[83] According to the Gopālarājavaṃśāvalī Swayambhunath was founded by the great-grandfather of King Mānadeva (464-505 CE), King Vṛsadeva, about the beginning of the 5th century CE. This seems to be confirmed by a damaged stone inscription found at the site, which indicates that King Mānadeva ordered work done in 640 CE.[84] However, Emperor Ashoka is said to have visited the site in the third century BCE and built a temple on the hill, which was later destroyed. Legend has it that the Buddha himself visited Swayambhunath and gave teachings there two hundred years earlier.[85]

Introducing Swayambhunath

The great Buddhist temple of Swayambhunath (admission Rs 75), on the top of a hill west of Kathmandu, is one of the most popular and instantly recognisable symbols of Nepal. The temple is known affectionately as the 'Monkey Temple', after the large troop of handsome monkeys that guards the hill and amuses visitors and devotees with tricks (including sliding gracefully down the banisjavascript:void(0)ters of the main stairway to the temple).Legends relate that the Kathmandu Valley was once a lake (geologists agree on this point) and that the hill on which Swayambhunath stands was 'self-arisen' (swayambhu), much like a lotus leaf risen from the muddy waters of the lake. It is also said that Emperor Ashoka paid a visit to the site over 2000 years ago. An inscription indicates that King Manadeva ordered work done here in AD 460 and certainly by the 13th century it was an important Buddhist centre. In 1346 Mughal invaders from Bengal broke open the stupa in the search for gold. King Pratap Malla added the stairway in the 17th century. From its hilltop setting, Swayambhunath offers fine views over Kathmandu and the valley. It's particularly striking in the early evening when the city is illuminated, and the site is also very attractive under the soft glow of moonlight. There are several curio shops around the stupa, as well as a couple of reviving cafés.

Kathmandu’s alleys and temples

Kathmandu is enchanting. It’s medieval and spiritual and alive. And the only way to really see this chaotic cobbled maze is by foot.

Start your exploring in Thamel – a traveller enclave with some great hotels and hostels. Thamel is loads of fun and crammed with touts and colourful stalls. Looking up, the vibrancy continues in a mash of wires, shop signs and overhanging balconies. And if you need them, you can get home comforts such as a good-quality wine or chocolate.

Head south of Thamel’s main market (Thamel Chowk) towards Kathmandu’s beating heart, Durbar Square. Winding your way through markets, alleys and bahals (monastery courtyards), keep your eyes open for the architectural wonders that seem to appear on every corner. From Thamel Chowk you’ll reach Thahiti Tole, a square with a central stupa and, along its northern edge, the Nateshwar Temple, with doors showing creatures playing musical instruments. South of here is Kathesimbhu Stupa, which radiates colourful prayer flags, and further along you’ll find the triple-roofed Ugratara Temple.

Turn east and immerse yourself in the frantic vegetable and spice markets of Asan Tole, one of the busiest intersections in old Kathmandu, before wandering past the octagonal Krishna Temple. Then it’s on through Indra Chowk, another of Kathmandu’s markets and the traditional centre for blanket and cloth merchants (look around and you’ll also find bangle and bead sellers). Head west and enter Yatkha Bahal, a huge open courtyard with a white-washed central stupa.

As you wind your way through these crowded alleyways, you’ll pass many wonderful things – stalls alive with Buddhist prayer flags, rows of dental surgeries, gleaming brass and glittering glass bead shops…not to mention the odd wandering cow!

South of Yatkha Bahal, you’ll reach your goal: Durbar Square. This UNESCO World Heritage-listed area is really a series of three squares and the finest remaining example of Kathmandu’s traditional architecture. It’s easy to spend hours wandering around and watching the world go by from the terraced platforms of the towering Maju Deval. When the shadows begin to lengthen, head back to Thamel, find a rooftop garden, and relax with a beer or pot of tea.

Introducing Kathmandu

For many people, stepping off a plane into Kathmandu is an exhilarating shock - the sights, sounds and smells can quickly lead to sensory overload. Whether it be buzzing around the crazy polluted traffic in a taxi, trundling down the narrow winding streets of the old town in a rickshaw, marvelling at Durbar Sq or dodging the tiger balm sellers and trekking touts in Thamel, Kathmandu can be an intoxicating, amazing and exhausting place.//

Nepal Flag

The Nepal flag came into being on December 16, 1962. The Nepal flag is the only national flag which is not rectangular or square in shape. It comprises of a sun and a moon which had previously human faces but the images were removed when the flag was modernized in 1962. It is being said that the national flag of Nepal anticipates, that the nation will last as long as the sun and moon is there on earth. The blue border on the flag of Nepal signifies peace, red stands for the color of rhododendron, the national flower of Nepal. The curved moon is symbolic of the royal house and the sun represents the Rana dynasty.

About Nepal

Nepal is a tiny country in Asia. It is a landlocked country bordered by two huge neighbors-India and China. Nepal attracts a disproportionate large number of tourists, when compared to its size. This is due to a few things about Nepal-including the presence of Mount Everest.

Nepal is located along the spine of the majestic Himalayan mountain ranges. This unique location gives the country a beauty that is unmatched anywhere in the world. Travelers to the country say one thing about Nepal- the country could not be experienced fully on a single visit. The travelers have to come again and again to know the mountainous country and its people.

Nepal is the land of ethereal beauty. The country has historical temples. Nepal also has one of the best trekking routes on earth. It is a sovereign country rich in natural beauty and cultural resources. The capital Kathmandu is the transit point for persons seeking adventure from all over the globe. They come attracted by the country's diverse terrain. The lowest point of the country is just 60 meters above sea level. The highest point in the country is Mount Everest. Mount Everest is the highest mountain on earth. The swift flowing mountain rivers, tropical green jungles and cold mountains complete the ethereal Nepal experience.
Nepal Infrastructure has been developing at a very high rate for the past few years. The basic developments and renovations required for acceleration in the social and economic areas are an important aspect of Infrastructure at Nepal. The main areas under development in Nepal Infrastructure are commerce, Trade and industry. Medium and large scale industries are being set up in the urban regions of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Rajbiraj, Janakpur, Terai areas, Birgnj, Nepalgunj, Butwal, Pokhra and Hetauda.

The rural infrastructure in Nepal is undergoing massive changes due to the initiation taken by the GRID or Group for Rural Infrastructure Development in Nepal, in providing better options to the rural population for a higher rate of income generation. This includes providing funds to the rural development centers for setting up of sub-projects in order to upgrade the rural transport system, river crossing structures and roads, mule trails and tracks. The Nepal Infrastructure upgrading programe also focuses on strengthening and building social mobilization and rural development.

For the development of urban Nepal Infrastructure, the regions are divided into four zones. These zones are Zone 1 Municipal areas of Kathmandu valley, Zone 2 outside the Municipal areas of Kathmandu valley, Zone 3 Municipal areas of Britnagar, Pokhara, Birgunj, Dharan, Butwal, Janakpur, Nepalgunj and Siddharthnagar and Zone 4 Municipal areas other than those mentioned in zone3. This zoning has been performed with the purpose of reducing the industrial pollution and the excessive usage of the industrial infrastructure of Nepal.

Nepal is a small country in the southern part of the Asian continent. Part of the Indian sub-continent, Nepal people, culture, festivals is almost similar to that of India. There are various ethnic races and religions in Nepal. All these separate races have a distinct culture and custom of their own. Festivals in Nepal are also varied and have a flavor of their own.

Nepal people, culture, festivals together have created a rich cultural and traditional heritage and is followed closely all throughout the world. There are many ethnic groups, which form a major part of the population in Nepal. Some of the ethic races include Gurungs, Magars, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas, Lopas, Annapurna, Mustang, Rajvanshis, Dhimals and many more. Each of these races has distinct culture and customs.

There is no uniform culture in Nepal. Each ethnic race has its typical culture and all these cultures when taken together make a rich composite culture of Nepal. Most of the Nepali people are followers of Hinduism, followed by Buddhism. There are also some Nepali people who preach and practice Christianity in Nepal. Monogamy is practiced by almost all the tribes and clans of Nepal.

Festivals in Nepal are many and are celebrated all round the year. Many of these festivals are religiously related, while some are cultural based. Some of the most important festivals in Nepal include:

• Tihar
• Dashain
• Maha Shivaratri
• Mani Rimdu
• Gai Jatra
• Holi
• Haribodhini Ekadashi
• Buddha Jayanti

The Nepal geography and history is diverse and is closely related to its two giant neighbors Republic of India and People's Republic of China. The landlocked Himalayan country has witnessed many political upheavals in its long existence.

The Nepal geography and history exhibits the colorful character of the small Himalayan country. The landscape of Nepal is diverse. The geography of Nepal could be demarcated into three regions. The three regions are the Terai, Hill and Mountain geographical areas. The country occupies an area of 56,827 square miles. Nepal is 800 kilometers long and 200 kilometers in breadth. The Terai regions are the plain regions of the country. The Indo-Gangetic plain constitutes the Terai region. The Hill region is adjacent to the Mountain region. The altitude of this region varies from 1,000 to 4,000 meters above sea level. The Nepal capital city of Kathmandu is located in the Hill region of the country. The Mountain region of Nepal is one of the highest places in the world. Mount Everest at 8,850 meters is the world's highest mountain.

The history of Nepal dates back to more than nine thousand years. The first Indo-Aryan tribes entered the Himalayan region around 1500BC. Gautama Buddha was born in Nepal. He was the founder of Buddhism. Nepal saw various rulers like the Gupta Emperors and Chalukya Kings from South India in its long history. The present ceremonial King belongs to the Shah Dynasty.

Nepal Political Map

Nepal lies between Asia and China. Being a southern Asian country Nepal has a total population of 28,901,790, as per July 2007 estimate. The map of Nepal locates the 14 administrative zones of the country. Also, the Nepal map highlights the significant trekking areas, politically important areas and flag of the country. The Kathmandu Nepal is the capital city of the country. As one of the popular tourist destinations, Nepal is visited by large number of people every year. The Nepal trekking options provide the tourists an opportunity to explore the natural splendors of the place. Royal Nepal Airlines is the country's international airways.

Nepal is a country in the Indian sub-continental region. Nepal facts include many interesting characteristics of the country. The most interesting of all facts about Nepal is that the country is home to the 10 highest mountain peaks in the world.

A compilation of Nepal facts reveals the great biodiversity of the country. The fact about Nepal is that the country exhibits a healthy variety of ethnicities in its population. The Hindu religion is followed by the majority of the Nepalese populace. 90% of the population is Hindu. Buddhists form a significant minority at 5%. There is a smattering of Muslims and persons following other religions. Nepali is the official language of the country. The local currency is the Nepali Rupee. Electricity supply is 230 volts at 50 Hertz or 230V 50Hz. The country dialing code by telephone is 977. The time is obtained by adding 5.75 to the Greenwich Mean Time or GMT. Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal.

The elevation of the country range from a low of 60 meters above sea level to the extreme heights of Mount Everest-8,850 meters. The capital of Nepal is Kathmandu. The total land area of Nepal is 140,800 square kilometers. The land area is 136,800 square kilometers. The area covered by various water bodies cover 4,000 square kilometers. The population of Nepal is more than 26 million people. Climatic variations exist in the country.

Asia

Asia is the largest and most populous continent in the world. Culturally diverse and historically rich, Asian countries has been home to number of world leaders. There are 44 countries, which make up the continent of Asia. China, India, Japan and Sri Lanka are the leading nations of this continent. All the countries of Asia Continent are culturally rich and diverse in nature. China is the largest country in terms of area. It is also the most populous country not only in Asia but also in the world.

Asia Continent - Salient Features
Asia continent is bound by the Pacific Ocean in the east, Europe in the west, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea in the southeast. The Arctic Ocean borders Asia in the north while the Bering Strait separates the continent from North America in the north east. The Indian Ocean to the south of the continent separates it from Australia. Some of the salient features of Asia are:

* The total area is about 44,614,000 square km.
* It has the longest coastline in the world
* Mount Everest is the highest peak, rising to a height of 8848 meters.
* Dead Sea is the lowest point located 400 meters below sea level.
* Experiences the extremes of climate

Asia Facts

It covers 8.6% of the total surface area on Earth, which accounts for around 30% of the total land area. Asia, with more than 60% of the world population, is the most populous continent in the world. Asia is the most diverse continent and is divided into 6 sub-regions, namely

* Northern Asia
* Central Asia
* Western Asia
* Southern Asia
* Eastern Asia
* Southeastern Asia