Durbar Square

Sharon
Sharon
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Editor Pick

Historic Durbar Square

  • March 23, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by MailaDai from Bedford, Texas
Historic Durbar Square

Durbar Square is a historic cultural heritage of Kathmandu. It is about 15 minutes walk stretch. But you will find numerous things to see and do in that 15 minute walk. It actually starts from Bishal Bazaar Supermarket at New Road.

As you enter the cobblestone-covered street towards Basantapur, you will find numerous Nepali handicrafts shopping stores and eateries on either sides of the street. There is also sort of flee market in small carts, and the most interesting one is the vendors who sell "Momos", a Nepali style dumplings. They taste very good but you need to be careful about your health. You might get sick of food poison.

As you walk further you will see a wide open area called Basantapur where more street vendors have their handicrafts laid on the ground for sale. Beware! You might get ripped off. You need to bargain a lot.

If you turn left, is the famous Freak Street also known as “Jhochen” clearly pronounced as “Jho-chey”, heaven for hippies some time in the past. You will find lots of good restaurants and bars in that street.

Right across Basantapur is the royal palace “Durbar Square” which is a white building looking totally different than other buildings around. Now it is a museum which is accessible for some entrance fee. There you will find history of the royal families.

You will also find the home of the living god "Kumari", Lord Shiva and Parvati Temple, Kasthamandap Temple (made up from a single giant tree), Lord Ganesh Temple, Lord Kaal Bhairav Temple, statue of Monkey God (Hanuman), small Pasupathianth Tample, The Big Bell, and many other artistic temples in the vicinity.

Now due to the growing population in Kathmandu, this place is always so crowded. Plenty of shops to shop around. You always need to make sure that you bargain if you want to buy anything. It is recommended to be there during festivals like Indra Jatra, Ghai Jatra (Cow Festival), Ghode Jatra (Horse Festival), Bada Dashain if you really want to catch a glance of the essence of some cool Nepalese festivals.

If you want to know about the culture of Kathmandu, this place is highly recommended to visit.

From journal Sweet Home Kathmandu

Kathmandu Durbar Square

  • October 7, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by tintala from boulder, Colorado
Durbar Square is within walking distance from anywhere in Kathmandu, ancient architecture give this place an ambience that's not felt anywhere else. "KATHMANDU" means "THE WOODEN STAGE" as defined by the Newaris , the first people to settle in the valley. Due to its "handcarved , teak wood" windows that still function and teak accents that captivate your senses . Also called "freak street" where the hippies in the 70's stayed, even Jimi Hendrix stayed here! Hashish was even legal back in the 70's until the U.S government stepped in... Durbar has guest house options and an outdoor market which is like a walk thru a Grateful Dead Concert. Amazing things to be had here, from statues to bed spreads and incense. One can even acquire a GORKHA KNIFE, as used by the Nepalese Gorkha soldiers the most feared in the world! It is quite a view as you stroll between the markets and Pagodas that are centuries old! It definitely takes you back at least few hundred years. Be prepared to pay the $10 entrance fee which is worth it and supports the upkeep of this "WORLD HERITAGE" site. With its location a short walk away to Thamel where all the tourist usually stay to anticipate their trek. In the alley ways are also remnants of the way it used to be. Such as the teak windows and balconies that gave Kathmandu its name. These wooden stages are as amazing to look at as the Pagodas themselves. The real one, however, would be in Bhaktapur and Patan, a must see!

From journal A Month in Nepal

Editor Pick

Durbar Square, Kathmandu

  • November 15, 2002
  • Rated 4 of 5 by stevepage from dundee, United Kingdom
Durbar Square, Kathmandu

The Kathmandu valley grew up around four towns - each of which had their own Durbar (palace) so be careful when you ask for a taxi as they could take you to any one of the four. The principal Durbar Square is in Kathmandu City and we walked it in the following route. Starting at New Road you need to pay an entrance fee - if you are going to be in town for a while then go up to the conservation office near the Kumari house where you can get your ticket extended for free (you need your passport) and thus saving the entrance fee every time - handy as many roads lead to the square so you could be cutting through it regularly.

Anyway back to the walk - go straight ahead and on your right you have the Old Royal Palace - with four pagoda pillars representing each of the four cities, on the left is Freak Street - once home to the guesthouses and cafes that marked the end of the hippy trail. This is adjacent to a wide open area which usually has a range of craft stalls catering for tourists. At the end of the open area is the Kumari house - home to the living goddess of Nepal - the current Kumari is five years old. As you approach the Kumari House then the square opens up before you and its no surprise that cameras are always out and about here - the place is really impressive - even moreso if this is your first experience of temple architecture in the city.

In the square is a whole array of buildings, including Kathmandsap - the building that gave the city its name, Large drums - and we are talking big here - to ward off evil spirits, various other bells, Hindu temples galore and an array of local people that’s a travellers dream - you know that you've arrived in a different culture that’s for sure.

Most of the tourist touts seem to hang about on the north side of the square so by entering from a southerly direction you are likely to get less hassle as you'll be leaving by the time you meet them. The reason that they are here is that a few minutes to the North is Thamel - the main district where tourist accommodation and shops are, so is where most tourists enter the square.

Also in the square is the Old Royal Palace - the big white building where there's a museum which is hidden away past a series of armed guards, making you think you shouldnt be there or that you're walking into some army barracks!

From journal Sights and Sounds of Kathmandu

Patan’s Durbar Square

  • December 21, 2001
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Leesa from Brighton, United Kingdom
Patan’s Durbar Square

The final in our list of Durbar Squares, we found this the most interesting. The buildings are more closely packed (I read that many of Durbar Squares in Kathmandu were leveled by earthquakes) so everywhere you look you see layers of different buildings and Newari architecture. We arrived in the late afternoon when this patchwork was further enhanced by candles twinkling from the temple buildings.

The wooden carvings, too, to my mind were more accessible. We spent 20-30 minutes in the first courtyard we came to (Mul Chowk) admiring each intricately carved roof strut, depicting Hindu characters such as a two-foot eight-armed Ganesh, in turn.

Plagued by a few would-be-guides, and with no temples accessible to non-Hindus to climb out of the way, we found a rooftop bar overlooking the square watching the dusk fall against the twinkling temple lights below.

From journal Kathmandu

Editor Pick

Kathmandu's Durbar Square

  • December 20, 2001
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Leesa from Brighton, United Kingdom
Kathmandu's Durbar Square

Unprepared for an entrance fee, the 200rs charge took us aback when we first tried to walk through the square, and we turned on our heels to make a rather petty point that tourists don’t just give money away without a thought. As a tourist attraction I have no objection to paying entrance fee, but I am still somewhat unconvinced that this money will find its way back to the square’s maintenance.

Point made, at least in our own minds, we returned to Durbar Square a few days later. Our first true tourist attraction in Nepal, we were amazed at the constant stream of young men persistently insisting that we needed a guide. Sadly we began to get a little cynical of anyone striking up conversation, as invariably a pleasant chat would end up being a guiding proposal. Rather wearingly, we couldn’t stand or sit still in the square without someone petitioning us. Some may have been genuinely knowledgeable, but how would you tell?

We found a relatively guide-free refuge at the top of Maju Deval temple, from where we could see out over the array of temples, and watch the local people come and go. Later, at sunset this was a great vantage point to watch the people reclaim their square from the tourists, setting up vegetable and flower garland stalls on the temple steps and platforms.

From journal Kathmandu

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