Patan - Durbar Square
Durbar Square
In Malla times Durbar Square already provided a splendid stage for religious ceremonies and festivals, as it still does today. Like the palace squares of both the other royal cities, that of Patan is also on the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage sites.
Towards the end of the 16th c. Hariharashima Malla of Kathmandu became ruler of Patan, installing himself in the royal palace in Manikeshwar Chowk.
In Malla times Durbar Square already provided a splendid stage for religious ceremonies and festivals, as it still does today. Like the palace squares of both the other royal cities, that of Patan is also on the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage sites.
Towards the end of the 16th c. Hariharashima Malla of Kathmandu became ruler of Patan, installing himself in the royal palace in Manikeshwar Chowk.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
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With him came worship of the goddess Degutale, the Malla family deity, to whom he erected a temple. Siddhi Narasimha Malla extended the palace, building Mul Chowk and Sundhara Chowk and creating the Bhandarkhal Fountain in the east of the garden. In order to build Mul Chowk, the Hatko Vihara was moved.
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Cyasilim Deval
The Cyasilim Deval was founded by Princess Yogamati in memory of her son. Dedicated to the young Krishna and his lover Radha, the temple takes its name from its octagonal shape. Following the death of Yoganarendra Malla, his daughter Yogamati acted as regent on behalf of her son, a minor, who died just a year later. As first lady of the kingdom Yogamati ruled with great decisiveness, several times dismissing ministers and making and deposing kings.
Degutale Mandir
The Degutale Mandir, its three stories rising directly from the upper floor of the palace, was built in about 1600, at roughly the same time as its equivalent in Kathmandu. Destroyed by fire in 1663 it was rebuilt to an identical plan. Figures of Ganga, Jamuna and Mahishamardini appear on the carved roof struts.
Harishankar Mandir
The three-storied Harishankar Temple was built in the 17th c. at the time of Siddhi Narasimha Malla. One of the largest buildings on Durbar Square, it dominates the southern end. Carved toranas crown the openings between the columns of the arcade. Various deities are represented with great skill and artistry on the roof struts.
Hatko Vihara
Hatko Vihara (a vihara is a Buddhist monastery) was the Mahavihara of the Patan Kumari. It was built, so legend has it, by Lakshmi Kamadeva in the early 11th c. on a spot where a flame flared out of a stream. Although there are special rituals ratifying the removal of a shrine, the original site always remains sacred. So at the end of every year a water-filled copper vessel with an image of Buddha inside is placed in the palace precinct where the monastery stood.
Lakshmi Narayan Mandir
Built above a row of single-storied shops at the southern end of the square, only the bell-shaped dome of the 17th c. Lakshmi Narayan Temple is visible from the street. The temple affords an excellent view of Durbar Square.
Mani Ganesh
The Ganesh temple stands among houses on the north side of the square, distinguished from its neighbors only by the carvings at the entrance and on the sills and window frames.
Vishwanath Mandir
The two-tiered Vishwanath Mandir, dating from 1626, is dedicated to Shiva "the Lord of All Being"; images of the god adorn the toranas above the columns. The beautifully carved roof struts depict Surya, Ganesh, Annapurna, Shiva again, and Parvati. Shiva's bearer, the bull Nandi, guards the temple entrance on the west side. The east façade overlooking the main thoroughfare is however the most decorative. Two elephants, whose riders have been identified as Siddhi Narasimha and his wife, flank the steps.
