Bhaktapur: The City of Artistic Treasure

“Seeing is believing.” Whatever we see remains long in our memory. Our education remains incomplete unless we are acquainted with our history and historical places. So, we should frequently schedule for tours to such places. In fact, Tour is the noblest way of learning. Nepal does have multi-dozen historical places in and outside the Kathmandu Valley.

A legendary town Bhaktapur is just half an hour drive from the capital. The oldest city in the valley, Bhaktapur was the capital of the Malla Kings. Bhaktapur indeed harbors the entire prototype of ancient Nepalese arts and crafts. We can begin our tour from different courtyards, Square or streets. If we go from western gate, then we stop our car near to Siddha Pokhari. It is a big and tidy pond. We are delighted by a piercing turns and twists of varied species of fish in the sparkling water. Then after a few minutes’ walk, we reach to the gate and find Char Dhamas in our first sight. The two great stone works of Bhairav and Kali on the gate of Padma Shree Higher Secondary School’s walls are amazingly great. We proceed to the National Art Gallery, the hallmark of the entire city; the well maintained tiny gallery does have a world of the ancient era. It comprises a wide spectrum of historical pictures of the Malla regime. Every item is really unique and eye-catching. Similarly, in a stone throw distance lies the Fifty-five window Palace where the Malla Kings dwelled and ruled over. This place was built by King Bhupatindra Malla. The wooden windows were extremely artistic and of ancient design. Most astonishing, the bullet marks on the walls reminded us the severe battle of the Malla King Ranajit Malla of Bhaktapur versus Prithivi Narayan Shah for the unification of the then fragmented Nepal.

The more stunning, of artistic grandeur of medieval period, the highest and the most famous   temple lies in Taumadhi Square. We can see the tourists’ duo native and outsiders thronging around the city to observe its artistic miracle. From Taumadhi Square, the cobblestone street goes ahead and links to Dattatraya Square. Some of the monuments are found in dilapidated condition and seemed as if they are appealing to all the onlookers to restore their original facets. Though Bhaktapur is well facilitated, most of the city dwellers are peasants and are engaged in self-income generating callings such as – farming, painting, carving and pottering.

Hence, the entire city seemed like a grand museum. As we know Bhaktapur is famous for dairy-farming specially curds and milk, we can have a light refreshment of succulent Dhau-Bajhi (curd and beaten rice). Besides this, Bhaktapur produces black cap, called Badgaule Topi, which is mostly worn by government official and the military people as the ceremonial dress. Bhaktapur manufactures different types of puppets and typical Nepali papers made by Loktas.