Our next stop was at Durbar Square. Durbar Square is the generic name used to describe plazas opposite old royal palaces in Nepal. There are several Durbar Squares in Nepal, this one is in Kathmandu. It is crowded with temples and palaces.
Selling goods in Durbar Square
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Old Royal Palace in Durbar Square |
Six-pointed star - Hindu symbol - interesting link
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The Temple of the Living Goddess (Kumari) is in this complex of temples. We viewed the courtyard and the window at which she sometimes appears – but not today.
Kumari, or Kumari Devi, is the tradition of worshiping young pre-pubescent girls as manifestations of the divine female energy or devi in Hindu religious traditions (see the link above).
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Guarding the entry to the Temple of the Living Goddess
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Living Goddess' window |
Carved wood facade with an offering over the doorway
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Shiva-Parbati temple in Durbar Square |
Bicycle rickshaws |
Our rickshaw and peddler
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Pretty rickshaw
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Feeding the pigeons in Durbar Square
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We walked to the area called Hanuman Dhoka, a name derived from the statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram. The palace area, now designated as a museum, has three courtyards, which we walked through. They were in disrepair and full of cows and pigeons and even a dead rat. It took one year for a team to carve just one of the elaborate teak windows.
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Statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram
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Buildings in the Hanuman Dhoka area
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Building in the Hanuman Dhoka area |
Old Royal Palace - Lohan Chowk - in the Hanuman Dhoka area |
Carvings at Lohan Chowk - teak wood
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Temple in the Durbar Square
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Public water/bath area in the Durbar Square |
Temple decorations
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Drying spinach and corn |
Bird to god conversation
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Durbar Square - lots of temples |
Walking in the Durbar Square |
Old lady, pigeons, and children
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Durbar Square area entry/exit arch - the trash is typical of all of Kathmandu
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Durbar Square area entry/exit arch |
Typical street in the Durbar Square area
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Street vendor |
One form of public transportation. |
You would be amazed at how many people can be crammed into any form of vehicle. Shop keepers regularly sweep out their stores and the area in front of the store. The sweepings go into the street and the government seldom picks up the trash making Kathmandu one of the dirtiest cities you will ever visit. Cairo is clean in comparison!
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More trash |
Goats being transported through the middle of town
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More street vendors
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From the bus - typical shops and street - the huge "rain gutter" is necessary in the monsoon season |
Interesting slide show of Kathmandu and this link. The photographer saw more of the city than we did.
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Host family for our "Home-hosted" dinner
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