Selling goods in Durbar Square

Old Royal Palace in Durbar Square

Six-pointed star - Hindu symbol - interesting link

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).

Guarding the entry to the Temple of the Living Goddess

Living Goddess' window

Carved wood facade with an offering over the doorway

Shiva-Parbati temple in Durbar Square

Bicycle rickshaws

Our rickshaw and peddler

Pretty rickshaw

Pratapa Malla Column in Durbar Square

Feeding the pigeons in Durbar Square

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.

Statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram

Buildings in the Hanuman Dhoka area

Building in the Hanuman Dhoka area

Old Royal Palace - Lohan Chowk - in the Hanuman Dhoka area

Carvings at Lohan Chowk - teak wood

Temple in the Durbar Square

Public water/bath area in the Durbar Square

Temple decorations

Drying spinach and corn

Bird to god conversation

Durbar Square - lots of temples

Walking in the Durbar Square

Old lady, pigeons, and children

Durbar Square area entry/exit arch - the trash is typical of all of Kathmandu

Durbar Square area entry/exit arch

Typical street in the Durbar Square area

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!

More trash

Goats being transported through the middle of town

More street vendors

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.

Host family for our "Home-hosted" dinner