Nepal 2017

Wednesday22November

Our penultimate day begins with breakfast on the top floor of our hotel, the Bag Packers Lodge. On the day's agenda: the small town of Bhaktapur, located about fifteen kilometers from Kathmandu.

Here we are in Bhaktapur, the country's capital between the 14th and 17th centuries. Temples, pagodas, and palaces have stood the test of time, preserving a whole part of Nepalese culture. In the city's historic center, Durbar Square, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1971.

The Dwarikana and Badrinath temples.

The bird-man Garuda perched on his column faces the Dwarikana temple.

The museum entrance.

To the right of the museum, the royal palace.

The Nepalese military guard keeps watch in front of the palace.

The statue of King Bhupatindra Malla erected atop his column facing the palace. A builder king, it was during his reign (from 1696 to 1722) that several buildings present in the city were constructed.

The Taleju bell, a remnant of the Durga temple that collapsed during the 2015 earthquake.

Chyasing Mandap. Destroyed during the 1934 earthquake, it was rebuilt identically in the 1980s, and fortunately withstood the last earthquake.

The Palace of 55 Windows.

Close-up on one of the doors of the Palace of 55 Windows.

Restoration in pure tradition.

The Siddhi Laxmi temple, which did not survive the 2015 earthquake. All that remains is its guard of statues aligned on its steps. We particularly note the two rhinoceroses and the two dromedaries.  

The Shilu Mahadev temple also has its guard of animals and was also destroyed during the last earthquake.

Panorama from the platform where the Shilu Mahadev temple once stood.

Back in front of the royal palace and its golden entrance gate.

Details of the golden gate.

Statues in the palace courtyards.

The royal pond Laayeku Pond and its sacred cobras.

The 15th-century Pashupatinath temple is the oldest in Bhaktapur.

The temple is dedicated to Shiva. On each side of the temple, six carved wooden tunalas represent Shiva, and beneath his feet, the most explicit erotic scenes  . Which still gives us a small Kama Sutra of 24 positions displayed right in the street!  

And here's a small excerpt from this erotic temple...

Not sure if the teacher of this group will pass by the Shilu Mahadev temple!  

We change neighborhoods and enjoy Bhaktapur's picturesque streets.

We arrive at the Potters' Square where a ceremony seems to be taking place, judging by the participants' costumes.

This square, as its name indicates, is that of terracotta pot makers, a tradition maintained for several centuries.

Restoration of Taumadhi road. Under the cobblestones, sand, but no beach.  

Here we are in Taumadhi Tole square, facing the two temples Nyatapola and Bhairavnath, which alone are worth the trip to Bhaktapur!

The Nyatapola Pagoda, one of the most beautiful architectures I've seen so far! It seems to levitate above the ground, like a kite motionless in the sky, which could be one of the (ir)rational explanations for its resistance to the last earthquake in 2015!  

The steep staircase leading to the first floor is under the watchful guard of enormous statues. The 5 'matryoshka' roofs are stacked from largest to smallest, like traditional Asian pagodas. Nyatapola means 'five roofs'.

From a low angle, the tunalas supporting the roofs are almost dizzying!  

From the top of the staircase, a panorama of the neighboring Bhairavnath temple.

The temple gate which, alas, cannot be crossed.  

Made of bricks and wood, it was completed in 1703 in just 7 months! 314 years later, the building still stands!

If we can't explore the interior, a multitude of details are to be discovered on this single floor.

Even the ceiling blades get their little tattoo.  

Let's now move on to the Bhairavnath temple. We can't go inside this one either. With its 3 roofs and rectangular shape, it should impress us compared to many other temples, but it must be said that its 5-roofed neighbor makes it play only a secondary role in this square... The two lions guarding the offering place under the 5 golden jalousies will nevertheless attract attention.  

Right next to Taumadhi Tole square, the Til Mahadev Narayan temple tries to carve out a small space amidst the houses.

Here, the curiosity is the green faience that partially covers the main facade.

A small brass band wanders through the streets, probably a wedding being prepared.

On the platform of an old temple, gooseberries (Ribes uva crispa) are drying.

Slightly off-center, to the west of the center, is the Na Pukhu pond.

If the Pashupatinath temple illustrated some scenes of our erotic games, this one highlights other mammals who are not to be outdone and are just as skilled.  

We gain a little height during our lunch break on the terrace of the Khwapa Chhen restaurant.

In the distance, some remarkable peaks, here the Dorje Lhakpa.

A chicken sizzler with its vegetables, served on its burning cast iron plate. Since I tasted it in Pokhara, I still can't get enough of it!

The Dattatreya temple, dedicated to the God of the same name, was built in 1428. Dattatreya is a kind of trinity, representing the Gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva simultaneously. Facing it, on a column, is the bird-man Garuda.

At the entrance, the wrestlers Jaimala and Pata guard the temple.

And when needed, three goats come to reinforce and help the two guardians...  

On the other side of the square, the ShriBhimsen temple and its column feature a brass lion raising its paw.  

The Dattatreya museum where a curious doll invites itself to the window... 

Let's dive into a few centuries of history well-preserved in the picturesque streets of Bhaktapur.

The must-see for those who scrupulously follow their tourist guide's advice, the Peacock House. From the 15th century, the carved wooden panel depicts the bird displaying its tail feathers.

Don't hesitate to go up to the first floor of the shop opposite it to get a better view.

To end the day, we take a taxi to reach the Changu Narayan temple, located 20 minutes north of Bhaktapur. The place is worth a visit because it is much older than any we have seen. Indeed, this temple was born in the year 325!  

Successive restorations have helped preserve this temple for 17 centuries. It is dedicated to the God Narayan, one of Vishnu's other names, but also the name of our guide in the Annapurnas!  

The curious sculptures on the tunalas.

The west face of the temple with its golden doors.

Another small temple, right next door.

Its tunalas with embracing couples.

Changu Narayan is located on top of a hill offering a beautiful panorama of the surroundings.

To reach the summit, you have to cross a small village. Corn cobs take their place at the windows...

...while women fill their metal amphoras at the nearby basin.

Return to Kathmandu and the Thamel district where prayer flags in their 5 colors carpet the evening sky.

After the chicken sizzler for lunch, here's the vegetarian sizzler for dinner! Tomorrow, we'll be in Patan for our last day in Nepal!