Kathmandu
© Roy Digital Design
The original inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley are thought to have been the Newars, but their origins are shrouded in mystery. The Newars speak a Tibeto-Burmese language, but their physical features range from distinctively Mongoloid to Indo-Aryan, so it seems likely that the Kathmandu Valley has long been a cultural and racial melting pot, where peoples from both east and west have always interacted. This fusion of cultures has resulted in the valley's superb Newari art and architecture. Newari culture peaked during the 17th century, when the Kathmandu Valley consisted of several small city-states. At that time Nepal served as an important trading link between Tibet and the north Indian plains.
The valley's visible history is inextricably entangled with the Malla kings. During their reign, especially in the 17th and 18th centuries, many of the valley's finest temples and palaces were constructed. Competition between the cities was intense and an architectural innovation in one place would inevitably be copied in an even greater style throughout the valley.
The end of the Kathmandu Valley's fragmentation came with the unification of Nepal in 1768 by Gorkha's King Prithvi Narayan Shah. Newari was replaced by Nepali, an Indo-European language spoken by the Khas of western Nepal, as the country's language of administration. The Shahs closed Nepal's borders in 1816 and kept the country isolated from the rest of the world. In 1846 Kathmandu's 100 most powerful men were massacred in the public forum of Durbar Square. This event ended the rule of the Shahs and brought the Ranas to power.
The Ranas tried to bring foreign influences to Nepal. The first Rana maharaja set off for Europe with a huge entourage and visited several heads of state and countries, including Queen Victoria in England. The Ranas were so impressed with European architecture that they began introducing neo-classical buildings into their own cities. The 1904 Singha Durbar is a good example of that. They also started dressing like European royalty and imported numerous modern inventions. Ordinary Nepalis never saw the items, as most of them never found their way beyond the royal compounds. During the period of royal extravagance, the majority of people in Kathmandu became much poorer and the Hindu caste system became much more rigid, but human sacrifice, slavery and sati were abolished.
On 15 January 1934, the Kathmandu Valley was struck by a powerful earthquake that killed 4296 people and destroyed many of Kathmandu's temples and palaces. Inspired by the independence movement in India, Nepalis began a political upheaval. An alliance was formed between the ousted Shahs, the army's Gurkha regiments and the dissatisfied poorer extended families of the Rana clan and in 1950 they revolted. As a result, Nepal finally opened up to the rest of the world and King Tribhuvan, a Shah, was appointed ruler in 1951. His government was comprised of Ranas and members of the newly formed Nepali Congress Party. The ultimate power remained with the king though and it took up 'till 1989 that the Nepali people were finally granted democracy after several months of uprisings.
In 1956 Nepal's first motorable road was built. It linked the capital of Kathmandu with India. Ten years later a second highway opened. International air services started in 1974. Foreign aid has begun pouring in during the 1960's, resulting in new prosperity for Kathmandu. The city's population tripled within 20 years. Modern houses were built to meet the needs of ex-pats and immigrants that poured in from the countryside. Tourism to Nepal also started in the 1960's. Freak Street became the tourist center of Kathmandu. Hippies set up a huge market there, where all sorts of drugs were available. Slowly Kathmandu transformed into a tourist mecca and the jumping-off point for the new trekking industry.
Ever since, political turmoil across Nepal has affected Kathmandu, but tourists kept flowing in. The industry collapsed after the city's streets exploded into widespread rioting, when the King and many of his family members were murdered in June 2001. A curfew was imposed across the city, including the new backpacker district of Thamel. Kathmandu's peaceful city-in-the-sky image was shattered and it is going to take a long time before the city will be back on its feet.
Nowadays there is much more money around then in the 1960's, but most of it is controlled by the upper class. Kathmandu's literacy and health have improved dramatically since the 1960's, but they are still at poor levels, compared with other countries in the region. Heroin addiction and air pollution have added to Kathmandu's problems.
Kathmandu is a city with two faces. There is the fabled capital of convivial pilgrims and carved rose-brick temples, which are mostly clustered in the old part of town from Kantipath west towards the Vishumati River. The outskirts mostly consist of a splenetic sprawl smothered in the pollution of diesel fumes, dirt, monkeys and beggars.
You will need a lot of creativity and patience when navigating Kathmandu's narrow and often unmarked streets, but if you lose your way, simply ask a passerby for directions. Kathmandu is slightly to the southeast of Nepal's geographical center. The city is encircled by the Ring Road.
Most sights are in the old city of Kathmandu, between the Vishnumati River and the main north-south road of Kantipath. The cities busiest road is Ganga Path. Between that road and Kantipath is Durbar Square, which is the center of the old town and home to the old Royal Palace. Freak Street, once the center of hippy Kathmandu but now a bit of a backwater, is south of there. The new tourist center of Thamel is about 20 minutes walking north of Durbar Square. Most accommodation, food, phone services, trekking gear, bookshops and internet cafes are situated there.
When to Go
The best time of the year to visit Kathmandu is at the beginning of the dry season, in October or November. During that time the weather is balmy, the air is clean, visibility is perfect and the countryside is lush following the monsoon. Two of Nepal's most important festivals are also celebrated during the same time. In October Dasain is celebrated nationwide. It is the most important Nepalese celebration and features the biggest animal sacrifice of the year. During Tihar, which is held in November, animals are honored rather than slaughtered.
The months of December and January can be chilly. In many of Kathmandu's cheaper hotels, which lack heating, it can be gloomy in the evenings.
The second-best period to visit Kathmandu is between February and April, which is the end of the dry season. During these months, visibility is not so good because of dust, but the weather is warm and many of Nepal's wonderful wild flowers are in bloom. The water-tinged festival of Holi is held in March and Chaitra Daisan in April. The latter is another festival that includes animal offerings.
Between May and September the weather is fairly unpleasant for traveling. In May and early June it is usually too hot and dusty for comfort, while the monsoon obscures the mountains in cloud and turns trails and roads to mud from mid-June to September. In May, the Buddhist Buddha Jayanti is held, while the Hindu festival of Gai Jatra is celebrated in August.
Places of interest
Durbar Square
Durbar Square sits right at the heart of old Kathmandu. Around the square are numerous temples and shrines with marvelously carved roofs, doors and windows. Many of the buildings survived the massive earthquake of 1934, but others were destroyed and have been rebuilt, although not always in their original form. Another large earthquake occurred in 2015, which again destroyed many buildings.
The oldest building in the entire Kathmandu Valley is the Kasthamandap. Little is known about the building's history, but it is thought that it was built around the 12th century. It has served as a community center, a temple to the god Gorakhnath and, more recently, as a gathering place for porters trolling for customers. Not far from the Kasthamandap is the Maju Deval, a Shiva temple with platform steps. The steps are an excellent place to sit down and watch hawkers, rickshaw wallahs and souvenir sellers offering all sorts of services to tourists.
There are many other important sights around Durbar Square. Locals believe that the Great Bell wards off evil spirits when it is rung. The Jaganath Temple is known for its erotic carvings. Also in the vicinity are the fearsome stone image of the six-armed Kala Bhairab and the Taleju Temple, which is probably the most magnificent temple on Durbar Square. Unfortunately, it is not open to the public. Even the Nepalese can only visit it during the annual Dasain festival.
Hanuman Dhoka (Old Royal Palace)
The Royal Palace was originally founded during the Licchavi period. Little remains of the original structure though and most of the present day building was constructed by King Pratap Malla, who enlarged the palace in the 17th century. The entrance is marked by Hanuman's statue. The statue dates from 1672 and commemorates the monkey god's brave assistance to Rama during the events of the Ramayana. The statue's face is sheltered under an umbrella and smeared with red splodges of paste that is applied by faithful followers. Two stone lions guard the palace gate. One of them is ridden by Shiva, the other by his wife Parvati. Immediately above the gate is a brightly painted niche illustrated with a ferocious Tantric figurine.
Inside the palace you will find several chowks (courtyards), of which the Nasal Chowk is the best known, as it has been used for coronations since the Rana dynasty. During the Dasain festival, sacrifices to Taleju Bhawani, the royal goddess of the Mullas, are made at the site of Mul Chowk.
The western part of the palace overlooks Durbar Square and houses an interesting museum that is dedicated to King Tribhuvan's successful putsch against the Ranas. The museum shows countless personal artifacts, an extensive collection of photos and newspaper clippings and beautiful furniture and knick-knackery.
Freak Street
The original name of Freak Street is Jochne, but since the hippy overland days of the 1960's and 1970's it is known as Freak Street. It is Kathmandu's most famous street and it runs south from Basantapur Square. Originally it was a beautiful street with an irresistible squalor. The smell of sweet incense, children fluttering prayer wheels, several cheap hotels, ad hoc restaurants and shops selling enlightenment, epiphany, etc. attracted countless hippies during the early years of tourism to Nepal. These dusty-haired 'freaks' gave the street its current name. The hippies have long gone, but Freak Street's history and its position in the heart of old Kathmandu still make it a popular destination.
Other sights
The market area north of Durbar Square is a live place. The most interesting street is Makhan Tole, which is filled with vendors selling thangkas, paintings and clothes. In Indra Chowk are countless shrines, statues, temples and flower sellers. In the Yitum Bahal courtyard you will find a child-eating demon, while Kel Tole offers night-time bands.
Immediately south of Thamel is an area with many temples and stupas, as well as pottery streets, the Rani Pokhari lake, schools and dentists' shops and fruit and vegetable markets. An ancient standing Buddha can be seen at the Ikha Narayan Temple.
West of Patan Bridge is a nice area for walking. There is less traffic and it is a good place to go if you want some peace and quiet. There are also several dilapidated temples, including the Kalmochan, Tindeval and Nava Durga. Street life is dominated by water buffalo, egrets, sadhus and children. The only dampeners are the locals' appalling living conditions, the mountains of litter lining the riverbanks and the once-impressive ghats which are no longer in use.
Around Kathmandu
Patan
Patan is the second largest city in the Kathmandu Valley. It is situated across the Bagmati River from Kathmandu, but it is completely different from the capital.
Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is one of the three major cities in the Kathmandu Valley. It retains much of its marvelous, late 17th-century architecture, which gives it a somewhat medieval atmosphere.
Other activities
The swimming-pools in the large hotels can usually be used after you pay a small fee. You can also use the public pools at Balaju and at the National Stadium. The Kathmandu Physical Fitness Center has a gym, as well as a sauna. For superb views of the Himalayas, you should take a balloon flight.
Transportation
Tribhuvan airport is the only international terminal in Kathmandu, although not many airlines have direct flights to the city. If you are flying to Nepal, you'll probably have to change planes, or even airlines, in India. Domestic airlines serve numerous cities throughout Nepal. The most popular route is Pokhara to Kathmandu. Tribhuvan airport is east of the city and you can get a taxi to Thamel for a fixed fare of only several dollars.
Kathmandu has bus connections with various cities in northern India, as well as Lhasa in Tibet. Kathmandu is surrounded by the Ring Road. The city's main bus station is situated along the northern part of that Ring Road. There you will find buses to Pokhara and the Terai. If you want to visit other places in the Kathmandu Valley and along the Arniko Highway , you should go to the City Bus Station. More expensive tourist minibuses to Pokhara and Chitwan are also available.
Bus travel around Kathmandu is very cheap, but the buses are unbelievably crowded. A dilapidated trolley bus runs from near the National Stadium to Bhaktapur.
Taxis are inexpensive, if you are good at haggling about the price. Make sure to agree on the fee before you get in, as the drivers are unwilling to use the meter. Many private cars serve as taxis too, but remember to agree the fare before you get in. The same applies for auto-rickshaws. They are a lot cheaper though. Bicycle rickshaws are more expensive than cabs.
You can not drive yourself, or rent a car in Nepal, but you can rent a car with a driver. Around Freak Street and Thamel, motorbikes are for hire, but the traffic is so horrendous, that it is much better to rent a mountain bike. The best way to explore the Kathmandu Valley is to walk or ride a bike.
Accommodation and food
The new tourist center of Thamel is only a 20 minutes walk north of Durbar Square. There are countless hotels, hostels, restaurants, bars, food shops, phone services, trekking gear rentals, bookshops and internet cafes in the area.
The cheapest accommodation is situated in the central parts of Thamel and around Freak Street. Notice boards at guesthouses have information on everything from pack animals and porters to where to meet a partner. In the same area you will find all sorts of restaurants. The more expensive hotels are further away from town, but they often offer a free bus service into town.
Kathmandu does not have any nightlife that is worth mentioning. After 10 P.M. or so, most of the city becomes deserted. Most of the city's bars are in Thamel. There are also several casinos. Nepalese music and dancing can be enjoyed at the National Theatre, although most of the larger hotels offer nightly 'cultural shows' to tourists as well.