Land Of Mystery – The Timeless Kathmandu Valley

At the crossroads of Asia’s ancient civilizations, tucked under the massive Himalayan range, is Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley. Long thought of as a place of mystery and myth, legend has it that the valley was once a giant lake called Nagdaha. Using a holy sword, the Bodhisattva Manjusri (Buddha of Wisdom) cut open part of a southern hillside allowing the lake to drain and people to settle the land. The earliest known objects found have been dated to 300BCE, and the earliest inscription to 185BCE. Legend has it that four stupas around Patan, one of the three districts in the valley, were erected by a daughter of the Indian king, Ashoka in the 3^rd century BCE, and the oldest firmly dated structure is almost 2000 years old. No matter which account of the origins resonates, the valley conjures up images of unchanging traditions and mystical treasures.

The three districts that make up the valley each have their own charms. Kathmandu, the capital with a population of 2 million, is known for its World Heritage listed Durbar Square; the plaza opposite the old royal palace that’s filled with temples; as well as the Buddhist pilgrimage sites Boudhanath and Swayambhunath, and Hindu site Pashupatinath. Despite being the site for modern government offices, banks, embassies and international airport, Kathmandu retains plenty of old world charm. Western tourists first discovered it during the 1960s and 70s when it became a focal point on the hippie trail. Today, the tourist district has moved from Freak St, the magnet for hippie travelers, to Thamel, a two street section of town north of Durbar Square. The square itself is an architectural wonder. Surrounded by centuries old temples, the square is cluster of palaces, courtyards and streets dating back to the 12^th century. It was the social, religious and urban center of the city, and the royal palace there is still the site of important ceremonies.

Patan, best known for its rich cultural tradition of arts and crafts, lies across the Bagmati River to the south of Kathmandu. The Durbar Square in Patan, like its counterpart to the north, has UNESCO World Heritage status. Originally, the city was designed in the shape of the Buddhist Dharma-chakra. Today, there are more than 1200 Buddhist monuments situated in and around the city, even though the inhabitants are primarily Hindu. Patan, with its rich artistic traditions, has produced more renowned artisans than any other district in the country.

The third district, Bhaktapur, is also the smallest district in Nepal. With only 62 000 people, it is a popular day trip destination for tourists based in Kathmandu, and was previously an important stop on an old trade route between Tibet and India. Today its better known as Nepal’s city of culture, with its ancient architecture, traditional pottery and abundant artworks. Bhaktapur was briefly the capital of Nepal during the latter half of the 15^th century. Its position on the trade route made Bhaktapur a prosperous town which in turn fueled a rich artistic and cultural heritage, as well as an architectural style that spread as far as Japan. Today, the town is largely untouched as a preserved ancient city and retains its medieval feel.

For many of the residents of the Kathmandu Valley, daily life goes on just as it has for centuries. The Newar people, indigenous to the Kathmandu Valley, practice both Hinduism and Buddhism. Bhaktapur is primarily Hindu, Patan Buddhist and Kathmandu has traditionally been a mixture of the two. For festivals and rituals, both Hindu and Buddhist deities are celebrated, although there are some cultural differences to each festival.

Masked dance is an important aspect of Newari culture, with the Lakhey dance being the most famous. Held annually during the festival of Indrajata, the lakhey are considered saviours of children with the dance performed by the Ranjitkars caste being the most significant.

The Kathmandu Valley, and Nepal in general, in many ways remains a land that time forgot. Whether this is a positive thing is open to debate, with a per capita GDP of only US$1400 and almost 50% of the population living below the global poverty line. A largely agrarian society with 80% of the population involved in agriculture, developmental progress has been slow. It seems that, for the immediate future at least, this rich, unchanging heritage will remain mostly the same.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at the Kathmandu Valley. As always, your comments are appreciated. Sharing is good, so feel free to share this with friends and social media networks.

The images here were taken over 2 different trips to Nepal, the first in 1997 and the second in 2001. They were all shot on film and have been scanned (low-res) and converted to black and white (where necessary).

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009 at 6:00 am and is filed under Travel and tagged with Kathmandu, Nepal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.