Patan – The City of Beauty

Thamel Guesthouse 100 NRs

A new day is started in the family very very early in the morning. I slept on the bed in a room which is multi-functioned as kitchen and dining room also. Nice sleep, though, and it was really a struggle to make myself awaken.

Even today is Sunday, all people in this family is busy. I was told that for Nepalis, Sunday is also working day. So everyone was busy of preparing, the father is going to the office; the daughter is dressing school uniform; and the mother, not only preparing to go to her office, but also has to prepare breakfast for the whole family. While for me, I was busy of lingering around the fully packed temple complex of Patan’s Durbar Square.

The Durbar square in Patan is very loose, surrounded by crowded neighbourhood and markets. Even the ticket officers will not bother to stop visitors to pay for ticket (or it is because I look like Nepali???) Anyway, when I was there I didnt see anyone in the ticket office. The temples in Patan are very beautifully crafted, but of course, the highlight is always the locals. Some children even did fight severely to get into the frame of my cameras (!) I decided to stop taking photos after that.

There is also a Buddhist golden temple nearby. Students with student card may pay less, and they dont even bother to check the card. Another amazing temple is the Kumbeswar Hindu Temple north of the Durbar square, with a holy water bathing nearby. Unlike in Bali where people go to holy water pool just in special ocassion with special ceremony, the locals do their daily business here, from brushing the teeth, washing the face, pouring soap and shampoo to the body, and yes, wash the whole body.

And another scenery in the neighbourhood area is people pissing on the wall (men only). My Nepali friend also told me, like in India, in Nepal people protect their house wall from the piss by painting Gods on the wall, so that the piss-hobbyists will think double before doing their business here.