Written by: Ansel Dhungana - 22018, Grade XI
Posted on: 14 January, 2021
Patan Durbar Square is located in the center of Lalitpur City. It is one of the three Durbar Squares in the Kathmandu valley, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. One of its attractions is the ancient royal palace where the Malla Kings of Lalitpur resided. Durbar Square is a marvel of Newar architecture. The Square floor is tiled with red bricks. There are many temples and idols in the area. The main temples are aligned opposite to the western face of the palace. The entrance of the temples faces east, towards the palace. There is also a bell situated in the alignment beside the main temples. The Square also holds old Newari residential houses. There are various other temples and structures in and around Patan Durbar Square built by News people.
Major Attractions
Krishna Mandir
Krishna temple is the most important temple in Patan Durbar Square. It is built in the Shikhar style imported from India although it is unique in its own way. The stone carvings along the beam above the first and second-floor pillars are most notable. The first-floor pillar carvings narrate the events of Mahabharata, while on the second floor there are visual carvings from Ramayana.
Bhimsen Temple
Bhimsen temple was built by Srinivasa Malla in 1680. It is renowned for its three interconnected golden windows. Bhimsen is a great personality in Mahabharata. He was known to be very brave and strong. In Newa tradition, he is worshipped as a god of business and trade. Tourists are not allowed inside the temple.
Vishwanath Temple
Vishwanath temple is dedicated to God Shiva. It was built in 1627 during the reign of Siddhi Narsingh Malla. The roof supports are decorated with erotic carvings similar to imagery widespread in Shiva temples in India. The temple is guarded by two stone elephants in the front entrance. On the other side of the temple is the sculpture of a bull, Shiva’s vehicle. A stone linga is enshrined inside the temple.
Taleju Bhawani Temple
Taleju Bhawani Temple was built by Siddhi Narsingh Malla in 1640 and rebuilt by Srinivasa Malla in 1667 after a fire. Taleju Bhawani was the personal deity of the Malla kings. It is a five-story temple with triple-roofs. 14th Century chronicle of Gopala kings hints a Taleju temple was built by the Pradhanas before the Mallas.
