Kwa Bahal - Gompa

Maintaining a long standing tradition arising from Patan's close and venerable links with Tibetan Buddhism, the upper floor of the north wing is occupied by a Tibetan gompa (monastery) with typical wall and ceiling paintings. Benches in the middle of the chapel are where the monks sit to chant their Tibetan prayers. Along the west wall there are volumes of Tibetan scripts and devotional images. As well as being the most numerous, members of the gompa are also the most active section of the Buddhist community.

The monastery's devotional image, a large silver figure of Aksobhya, is said to have been recovered from the ruins of an old monastery. To whichever new abode the image was taken, Aksobhya resolutely refused to stay. Consulted by the king as to his wishes, the Buddha declared he would reside only where a mouse could frighten away a cat. Some time later the king saw a golden mouse chasing off a cat and so built a monastery there.

The monastery's foundation is nowhere documented but is thought to have been in either the 11th or the 14th c.