Kirtipur is a medieval city perched on a hill above Patan and Kathmandu with panoramic views over the valley and also to the Himalayas if the sky is clear. It is always interesting to walk through its old town, where we will find a square where the Bagh Bhairab temple stands, with elaborate artistic and architectural details. Crossing some doors, you enter another large square where an old half-abandoned palace stands out, the white Narayan temple and a large “Pokhari” (well). Maybe you’ll be able to try the “khajuri,” a traditional rhomboid-shaped fried pastry. Not so many years ago it was one of the few extras that children could enjoy, and not so young, but today it is not easy to find them.
Following the street to the north you will come to one of the old gates of the town, which still preserves the old wooden gates. Upon coming down the stairs and crossing the small road, you arrive at the Buddhist monastery of Karma Lekshey Ling. This is one of the many Buddhist monasteries that the valley houses, with the particularity that it houses a community of nuns.
If you still want to explore more, on the opposite side, to the southeast, is the old stupa of Chilancho.
The Buddhist Monastery of Karma Lekshey Ling is one of the many Buddhist monasteries that the valley houses, with the particularity that it houses a community of nuns. The experience of staying in a Buddhist nunnery does not have to be anything transcendental or mystical. It is simply an ideal way to get in touch with a part of the reality of Nepal in a simple environment. It has a central temple (Gompa) surrounded by different rooms and the “guest-house” building located to the right of the temple. There are good views of the city of Kathmandu. The rooms are simple but functional, with a private bathroom. The food is simple and fully traditional, which means that it will surely be Dal-bhat, the typical dish that families in Nepal eat day in and day out: white rice with lentil soup as a sauce and vegetables (what is called “curry” here).
If there are no variations, every day at 4:00 pm, “puja” is performed in the temple, with the recitation of mantras. It is not necessary that you stay the whole time, but it is a worthwhile experience. Let yourself be carried away by the monotonous rhythm of the voices and instruments.
Right in front of the entrance of the monastery, crossing the road, there is a staircase that takes you to the old Kirtipur. This staircase still preserves the old wooden doors that were closed at night.
Chobhar is mainly known for the narrow gorges of the Baghmati River. One of the traditions says that the goddess Manjushree cut them with such a powerful blow from her sword to drain the water from the immense lake that filled the entire Kathmandu valley.
More interesting is the nearby Jal Binayak temple on the other side of the road. It is considered one of the most revered temples dedicated to Ganesh in the valley and Ganesh himself is the most popular god among Hindus due to his good-natured character. It is not a very large temple and it is not visited by tourists at all, but by local devotees who come to ask favors from their favorite god. The low ceiling is full of the typical small wood carvings with explicit “positions”.
Despite the attractiveness of the place, the riverbank usually accumulates a lot of garbage.
Pharping, Newar in style and sacred to Buddhism, is a major pilgrimage centre with a large number of Buddhist monasteries and schools which are gaining ground over ancient Hindu traditions.
The Asura Cave, also called the Guru Rinpoche Cave, is one of the many caves where this very important figure of Buddhism meditated throughout his life. There are prints of his stay in it, although a little imagination is required to see them. Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) is considered the main disseminator of Tibetan Buddhism and responsible for thousands of temples, caves, miracles, and amazing facts, impossible to embrace in a single lifetime, throughout the territory of Tibetan Buddhism. throughout Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and India.
The small Buddhist temple of Shree Vajrayogini. It is dedicated to the goddess of knowledge and wisdom and is also known as Ugra Tara or, in Tibetan, Dorjé Naljorma, one of the most powerful deities representing a female Buddha. Vajra (dorje) is the symbol of thunder and lightning for Buddhism. Its veneration is of Tantric origin. To access the temple itself, which is quite small and narrow, you have to climb a few small wooden stairs.
A little away from the town centre we find the Hindu (and also Buddhist) temple of Shesh Narayan. As its name suggests, it is a Narayana temple, one of four in the valley and are located according to the cardinal points. Narayana temples are dedicated to one of the “representations” of Vishnu, the deity associated with the masculine and with creation and the supreme deity. In its enclosure there are several temples and ponds with fish.
The Neydo Tashi Choeling Monastery is a large monastery of recent construction that houses a couple of hundred monks. It is focused on the practice and teaching of the Neydo Kagyu tradition and every day different types of prayers are said there at different times. The monastery has the largest Amitabha Buddha statue in Nepal, flanked by statues of Avaloketesvara (Buddha of Compassion) and Vajrapani (protector and holder of sacred teachings).
Near Pharping is the Hindu temple of Dakshin-Kali, dedicated to the goddess Kali. Kali means black, death, and time. An avatar of Durga and consort of Xiva, Kali embodies the necessary and inevitable destruction that makes way for regeneration.
You can walk there from the centre of Pharping and, after strolling along an avenue lined with offering shops, you reach the river where the temple is located and the ghats, as crematoriums are also used for funerals. But Dakshin-Kali is best known for the practice of animal sacrifices, usually chickens and goats, so it may not be a very pleasant place. In fact, there is currently a movement in Nepal questioning the number of animal sacrifices carried out in the country, especially in places like Dakshin-Kali or Manacamana, and whose supporters often gather at these temples to voice their protests.
Bungamati is an excellent example of the small towns around Kathmandu, and is renowned for its woodcarving work. There are many workshops where you can see its busy artisans working on figures and reliefs, usually of religious themes, some of which are truly spectacular.
Unfortunately, Bungamati was one of the villages that suffered major damage during the 2015 earthquake. Its central square, lined with small temples, was quite devastated.
Khokana is a small rural town with some temples, such as the Newar Rudrayani stupa, and other small colored temples scattered everywhere. Surrounded by cultivated fields, it is an excellent place to casually observe the agricultural tasks of its inhabitants. There are old oil mills, especially dedicated to obtaining mustard oil.
