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Bhaktapur (Nepali:
भक्तपुर जिल्ला Bhaktapur Jillā), also Bhadgaon or Khwopa (Nepal Bhasa: ख्वप
Khvapa) is an ancient Newar town in the east corner of the Kathmandu Valley,
Nepal. It is located in Bhaktapur District and has approx. 78,000 inhabitants.
The male inhabitants of this city wear a special type of cap called the
Bhaad-gaaule topi. This city is famous for its yoghurt or curd ju-ju Dhau - king
of curd.
Bhaktapur's main square, Durbar Square, houses the 55-window Palace which was
constructed by King Bhupatindra Malla and was home to royalty until 1769. It is
now a National Gallery. Close by is the Golden Gate which leads into Mulchok
Court which is home to the Taleju Temple. This temple, like others in the main
towns of the Kathmandu Valley, is dedicated to the goddess Taleju Bhawani and
includes shrines to the both Taleju Bhawani and Kumari. Entrance to the temple
is restricted to Hindus and the living goddess strictly cannot be photographed.
From time immemorial it lay on the trade route between Tibet/China and India.
This position on the main caravan route made the town rich and prosperous: each
autumn the traders from Tibet came with sheep ("changra"), fitting nicely with
the main Hindu holidays, 'Mohni' (Parbatiya: Dasain; Hindi: Dussehra), when
nearly everyone in Nepal sacrificed male animals to the goddess Durga. On the
return trek the traders brought back to Tibet grains, sugar or Buddhist
scriptures.
This prosperity fueled the cultural life: ie. the temple builders developed a
Pagoda-style, spreading it through Tibet all the way to Japan. Finest of all is
the five-tiered, heaven piercing Nyatapole.
Bhaktapur is a popular day-trip destination for tourists visiting Kathmandu.
Lately, with more air-pollution in Kathmandu, more and more tourists are staying
in Bhaktapur for a few days, before arrangements for trekking are finished. For
foreign tourists the entry fee is NPR 750/$10; for nationals of SAARC-countries
and China the fee is NPR 50. |
