A one day tour to Patan will give you a roller coaster ride into the artistic and aesthetic ride of Nepalese Newari Culture of the Malla regime.
PAWANA SHRESTHA
The palace, where the Malla Kings of Lalitpur resided, is home to the best craftsmanship and religious mandirs (temples) of the country. It is one of the three durbar squares of Kathmandu valley, all of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites' list. Situated in the center of Lalitpur city of Nepal, roaming around the Patan area will give you an authentic taste of art, architecture, culture, and traditional delicacies.
Religious Structures
The place is known as the center of both Hinduism and Buddhism. Patan is filled with 55 prime temples, most of which lies in the yard of Durbar Square. Krishna Mandir, Bhimsen Temple, Vishwanath temple, Taleju Bhawani Temple, Golden Temple, Ashoka Stupa, Mahabuddha are some of the significant structures that you can see around Patan. Kumbeshwar Madir is the oldest temple in Patan that dates back to the 14th century. All these stupas, temples, and structures hold ancient history and religious importance to the country.
Art and Architecture
The main Durbar Square has a museum set up inside it with various bronze statues and religious objects. It has a beautiful collection of metal crafts, wood carvings, and a precious Malla era throne. Fine art is not only limited to the museum. When you walk around the market in the Patan area, the various small shops with crafted materials like paintings, thangka art, pieces of jewelry with precious stones and detailed craft, and handicraft products will draw your attention. All the alleys there will be filled by, tapping sound of wood-crafting and metal crafting and people welcoming you to the shops to help you buy these arts.
The city still retains its old charm and traditional architecture in the various monasteries built in their pagoda style, stunning wooden windows- detailly crafted, and old small houses that give out the aesthetic look of the Malla regime.
Traditional Delicacies
The site has been famous among all the domestic and international tourists. Therefore the alleys of the Patan area are always full of incoming and outgoing feet. One of the other reasons for the crowd is the various traditional delicacies that they serve. Patan is predominantly filled with Newers (a cultural community) whose culture serves a variety of cuisines. Yomari, chatamari, bara, Newari Khaja set are some of them that you must taste. There are many local restaurants where you can visit. You can also find many food chains and coffee shops where you can spend your time. Some of them around the main Durbar Square provide you a great view from the rooftop.
Some hotels and lodges can facilitate an overnight stay. However, a visit to Patan is a one day tour that will give you a roller coaster ride into the artistic and aesthetic Nepalese Newari Culture of the Malla period. You will surely return with remarkable memories and pictures captured on your phone.
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