Nepal Travel Guide
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Sightseeings in Nepal
Lichchivi King Ananda Dev of Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur: Cultural city
Bhaktapur: Vanishing musical
instruments reintroduced
Nepal Visitor Guide
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Bhaktapur
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The Bhairav Temple
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Bhaktapur
The Royal Palace in Bhaktapur is the most beautiful place in this city. At the end of the market street, a rather small stone-paved courtyard of Taumadhi welcomes you. A giant Bhairava temple stands at Taumadhi, Bhaktapur, next to the famous Nyatapola temple
Bhaktapur

temple, known as Bhailaa Dyo, is considered the temple of Kashi Bishwonath, a wrathful image of Shiva from Baranasi. Though it looks dwarf in front of towering Nyatapola, it has its own significance. People remember this temple during the Bisket Festival, which falls in mid April. The deity of Bhairava is taken around the city in a wooden chariot to show how happy local people are and that he is the source of their happiness.

Lichchivi King Ananda Dev of Bhaktapur

Though the exact date of the temple's construction is not known yet, it is believed that it existed even during the Lichchivi period, from 4th to 7th century, perhaps in a simpler form. Chroniclogical order states that Lichchivi King Ananda Dev of Bhaktapur had renovated it in 1150. Bhairava of this temple later became so angry that he started bringing calamities in the city to disapprove the people's worshipping. The priests later decided to erect Nyatapola temple of Siddhilaxmi to calm him down. She is considered as Bhairava's consort and both of them together admired the work city-dwellers did tirelessly and got good harvest.

The origin of this temple is based on a legend. One day, Bishwonath of Kashi or Baranasi, came to enjoy the festival of Bisket in Bhaktapur in the guise of a simple man. A Tantric, identified as Muni Achaju, recognised him with his sixth sense. Thinking that Bhaktapur would win fortunes if he could force Bishwonath to reside in the city he tried to capture him with the help of his mystic power. But he failed and he was forced to behead Bishwonath and keep him in the temple. People still believe that the real head, cut thousands of years ago, is still there.

King Ananda Dev earlier constructed the temple of Bhairava that had been there before he had ruled the country in the 10th century. A stone inscription found nearby indicates that there was a temple as early as 1005 AD.

And a series of renovations and addition of new and new decorations took place in course of time. And then King Bhupatindra Mall again turned it into a giant temple of seven stories in 1722 AD. The great earthquake of 1934 destroyed that temple extensively. It was renovated later but obviously, its original splendour was lost. The Bhaktapur municipality renovated the temple using local technology and craftsmen last year that cost 7.3 million rupees.

It is in rectangular shape and has three major doors in the front. There is one small cast image of Bhairava but no one is allowed to go inside. There are two stone reliefs of Kalash and small windows on both sides. On the first floor, there are five gilded windows which are too small to peep through. On the right hand side, there is a beautiful golden window and on the left, a painting of Bhairava is hung. Other floors are either filled with struts or latticed windows. It has windows in either side as well. The top floor is covered with metal roof whereas other ones are made of tiles. Seven gold-plated pinnacles decorate the temple, which also have umbrellas over them. It is flanked by pairs of guarding lions, bells and pillars. In each floor, series of wind-bells supported by struts are hung. of Patan is Yala. It is said that King Yalamber named this city after himself and ever since then this ancient city was known as Yala.

Vanishing musical instruments reintroduced

Vanishing traditional musical instruments have been reintroduced in Bhaktapur after foreign tourists and researchers took initiatives to restore their status in the city. New groups of traditional instrument players have emerged in the city after the initiatives of the Municipality to revive the instruments. Even elder citizens along with the youngsters have started singing religious hymns written in old Ranjana script playing traditional musical instruments like the flute, drums, Dholak Madal, Chhusya, Bhusya, Jhyalicha, Pachhima, Dhime, Dhan, Nayakhing and Maling. There is a tradition in Bhaktapur to go round the temples collectively playing the traditional musical instruments with the advent of the New Year. The people of Bhaktapur during the nine-day- festival worship all the gods and goddesses of the temples located in the city.

Bhaktapur: Cultural city

The Mayor of Bhaktapur Municipality has said that the municipality has been giving special emphasis on developing the town as "cultural city" for tourists and a centre of knowledge and science. Efforts are underway on the part of the municipality which has come up with health, environment and drinking water committees to give continuity to its commitment of developing the town as the cleanest city in the Kingdom of Nepal.

municipality has constituted education, culture and tourism committees in order to preserve arts, artefacts, language and culture so that it can be developed as an attractive tourist destination.

Khwapa Higher Secondary School, Khwapa College and Khwapa Engineering College are in operation in Bhaktapur town. Khwapa higher secondary school came into operation three years ago in a bid to train bachelors of every family as an artist.The municipality has been providing Dachi bricks and Ghingati to the private parties at a cent percent subsidised rate to renovate their houses lying at the corner of th street and timbers at a 75 percent subsidised rate to fix up windows, doors and rooftop. 1,168 people have so far been imparted training on tailoring, woodcraft, fittings of electrical appliances, weaving and computers. About 44 temples, 12 stone water spouts, 56 roadside shelters, 22 ponds, 43 wells, 33 buildings and 51 sewers have been repaired in the last five years.

a total of 196,561 tourists from the SAARC Region and 619,225 from other countries visited Bhaktapur municipalitylast year. The funds raised by the municipality in the name of service charges from the tourists have been spend on the preservation and renovation of cultural heritage of the town with due priority.

Earthquake in Nepal
25 April 2015 M 7.8 Earthquake in Nepal
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