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 NARAYANHITI DURBAR
- Royal Palace
It is the present Royal Palace. A famous historic water
spout called Narayanhitit is situated at the southern
corner of the Palace. Foreigners are allowed to visit
the Royal Palace on Thursdays from 13:00 hrs to 15:00
hrs.
BASANTAPUR DURBAR SQUARE
Durbar Square mean Palace courtyard. All the three
cities have their own Durbar Squares and all of them are
equally beautiful. Once it was the royal palace where
the King used to live. Now the palace is converted into
a beautiful museum and the courtyard is a living museum.
 Clustered around the central Durbar Square are the old
Royal Palace which is also known as Hanuman Dhoka. There
are numerous old temples and monuments. There is the
Kumari Bahal (house of the living goddess Kumari),
Kastamandap, a house built out of a single tree from
which the name Kathmandu was derived and a huge bell.
It is very easy to spend hours around this Durbar
Square. Especially if you climb up the nine storey
palace and look down over the crowded city.
FREAK STREET
Kathmandu's most famous street from the old hippie
overland days of the late 60s and early 70s. It runs
south from Basantapur Square. Although it is called
Jhochhe these days but since early 70s it has been far
better known as Freak Street. During the hippies time,
it used to be the most busiest place for cheap hotels,
colourful restaurants, hashish shops, money changers and
of course, the weird and wonderful freaks who gave the
street its name. Although the color these days is not so
welcoming yet, you can get the feel about how it was
during the hippie time.
THAMEL
This is the most colourful part of the city these days.
Filled with modern restaurants and bars and hundreds of
hotels and guest house, this is where you want to hang
out. Thamel offers the most exciting shopping
experience. From handmade trousers worth Rs. 150 to
Pashmina products worth Rs. 5000, all in this one corner
of the town. From Discos to night clubs and live music
to travel agents you name it and they have it.
ASAN BAZAAR
From early dawn to late at night Asan Tole is always
packed with buyers, sellers and passers-by. This is an
interesting corner where six roads meet making it the
busiest junction in Kathmandu. Every morning fresh
fruits and vegetables are carried to this popular old
junction which is also the home of Annapurna Goddess,
the goddess of abundance.
SWAYAMBHUNATH TEMPLE
 About 2km from the main downtown Thamel, Swayambhu is a
Buddhist temple proudly standing on top of a hill in the
middle of the Kathmandu Valley. The structure of
Swayambhu is the most popular and instantly recognizable
symbol of Nepal. It is also known as the monkey temple
as it is filled with monkeys that guards the temple and
surrounding areas. The temple has four eyes that are
believed to be the all-seeing-eyes of Buddha perfectly
facing the four directions. During Tibetan new year this
temple is filled with devotees. Nearby on the next hill
is the Saraswati Goddess temple, a beautiful sight to
visit.
PASHUPATINATH TEMPLE
 Nepal's most important Hindu temple Pashupatinath stands
on the bank of the Bagmati River, a holy river.
Activities take place at Pashupati all the time and
generally busy with genuine pilgrims and not so much
tourists. The best time to visit is on the 11th day
after the full and new moon each month. Despite all the
religious activities, everyday there are funeral
ceremony going on along the edge of the river.
It is not just an important Hindu temple but it is one
of the most important Shiva temples on the Indian
Sub-continent and each year during February-March a
festival dedicated to Lord Shiva known as Shiva Ratri
draws thousands of devotees as well as Sadhus, the holy
men. "Dudh Baba" milk sadhu with a long almost upto to
his feet, lives near the bridge on the other side and
people are welcome to meet him. As his name describes,
he lives only on milk and fruits and is a wonderful baba
to sit and talk.
BOUDHANATH
On the eastern side of Kathmandu, just north of the
airport and an interesting walk from Pashupati, is the
huge stupa of Boudhanath, the largest stupa in Nepal and
one of the largest in the world. It is the religious
centre for Nepal's considerable population of Tibetan
refugees. There are number of thriving monasteries and
many small shops selling Tibetan artifacts and food. Be
aware that prices are high and bargaining is a must.
There are numerous beautiful monasteries around this
area at a walking distances. |
