Pattan Pallace, Nepal Part1

Lalitpur, city in Nepal, on the Baghmati River, in the Kathmandu Valley, just south of Kathmandu. Lalitpur is the administrative center of Lalitpur District. The area surrounding the city produces barley, wheat, millet, oats, corn, rice, potatoes, and vegetables. The city is known for its metalwork, brassware, woven textiles, matches, and handicrafts; an industrial area was established in the 1960s.

The site of Lalitpur is very old, having parts of ancient walls and Hindu temples dating from the 3rd century BC and Buddhist temples of the 15th and 16th centuries. Founded about AD650, Lalitpur was the capital of the traditional first king of Nepal. During the Middle Ages the area was alternately an independent Newar kingdom or tributary to Kathmandu or Bhaktapur, until the Shah dynasty conquered it in 1768. The city was formerly known as Patan; the present Sanskrit name is now in official use.

Information on Nepal collected from: http://www.nepaltourism.info

Bouddhanath Stupa, Nepal Part 3

Bouddhanath is among the largest stupas in South Asia, and it has become the focal point of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. The white mound looms thirty-six meters overhead. The stupa is located on the ancient trade route to Tibet, and Tibetan merchants rested and offered prayers here for many centuries. When refugees entered Nepal from Tibet in the 1950s, many of them decided to live around Bouddhanath. They established many gompas, and the "Little Tibet" of Nepal was born.

This "Little Tibet" is still the best place in the Valley to observe Tibetan lifestyle. Monks walk about in maroon robes. Tibetans walk with prayer wheels in their hands, and the rituals of prostration are presented to the Buddha as worshippers circumambulate the stupa on their hands and knees, bowing down to their lord .

Many people believe that Bouddhanath was constructed in the fifth century, but definite proof is lacking. The stupa is said to entomb the remains of a Kasyap sage who is venerable both to Buddhists and Hindus. One legend has it that a woman requested a Valley king for the donation of ground required to build a stupa. She said she needed land covered by one buffalo's skin and her wish was granted by the King. She cut a buffalo skin into thin strips and circled off a fairly large clearing. The king had no choice but to give her the land.

The Bouddha area is a visual feast. Colorful thangkas, Tibetan jewellery, hand-woven carpets, masks, and khukuri knives are sold in the surrounding stalls. Smaller stupas are located at the base. Gompa monasteries, curio shops, and restaurants surround Bouddhanath. Conveniently situated restaurants with roof-top patios provide good food and excellent views of Bouddhanath.