Sama Gaon, Manaslu region Trekking, Nepal.
                                           "An Exploration for Lifetime Experience"

Chulu Far East, Annapurna Region Nepal.

Lord Buddha-Lumbini,Nepal

Lumbini is the place where the Buddha, known as the Tathagata* was born. It is the place which should be visited and seen by a person of devotion and which should cause awareness and apprehension of the nature of impermanence.' * Tathagata - One who has found the Truth. The birthplace of the Gautama Buddha, Lumbini, is the Mecca of every Buddhist, being one of the four holy places of Buddhism. It is said in the Parinibbana Sutta that Buddha himself identified four places of future pilgrimage: the sites of his birth, enlightenment, first discourse, and death. All of these events happened outside in nature under trees. While there is not any particular significance in this, other than it perhaps explains why Buddhists have always respected the environment and natural law.

Nativity scene

Lumbini is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas in modern Nepal. In the Buddha's time, Lumbini was a beautiful garden full of green and shady Sal trees (Shorea). The garden and its tranquil environs were owned by both the Shakyas and Kolias clans. King Suddhodana, father of Gautama Buddha was of the Shakya dynasty belonging to the Kshatriya or the warrior caste. Maya Devi, his mother, gave birth to the child on her way to her parent's home in Devadaha while taking rest in Lumbini under a sal tree in the month of May in the year 642 B.C. The beauty of Lumbini is described in Pali and Sanskrit literature. Maya Devi it is said was spellbound to see the natural grandeur of Lumbini. While she was standing, she felt labor pains and catching hold of a drooping branch of a Sal tree, the baby, the future Buddha, was born.

The bas relief above [ click to view ] depicts Maya Devi with her right hand holding on to a branch of a sal tree with a newborn child standing upright on a lotus petal, shedding an oval halo, around his head, while two celestial figures pour water and lotuses from vessels of heaven as indicated by the delineation of clouds. This nativity scene was installed by Malla Kings of the Naga dynasty from about the 11th to 15th Century in the Karnali zone of Nepal.
In 249 BC, when the Emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini it was a flourishing village. Ashoka constructed four stupas and a stone pillar with a figure of a horse on top. The stone pillar bears an inscription which, in English translation, runs as follows: "King Piyadasi (Ashoka), beloved of devas, in the 20 year of the coronation, himself made a royal visit, Buddha Sakyamuni having been born here, a stone railing was built and a stone pillar erected to the Bhagavan having been born here, Lumbini village was taxed reduced and entitled to the eight part (only)".

Maya Devi Temple

Lumbini remained neglected for centuries. In 1895, Feuhrer, a famous German archaeologist, discovered the great pillar while wandering about the foothills of the Churia range. Further exploration and excavation of the surrounding area revealed the existence of a brick temple and a sandstone sculpture within the temple itself which depicts the scenes of the Buddha's birth.
It is pointed out by scholars that the temple of Maya Devi was constructed over the foundations of more than one earlier temple or stupa, and that this temple was probably built on an Ashokan stupa itself. On the south of the Maya Devi temple there is the famous sacred bathing pool known as Puskarni. It is believed that Maha Devi took a bath in this pool before the delivery. By the side of the Ashoka pillar there is a river which flows southeast and is locally called the 'Ol' river. In 1996, an archaeological dig unearthed a "flawless stone" placed there by the Indian Emperor Ashoka in 249 BC to mark the precise location of the Buddha's birth more than 2,600 years ago, if authenticated, the find will put Lumbini even more prominently on the map for millions of religious pilgrims.
Recently, several beautiful shrines have been built by devotees from Buddhist countries. A visit to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, is not only for spiritual enlightenment but also for solace and satisfaction that one gets in such a calm and peaceful place.

Mothers day in Nepal (May 9)

Maata Tirtha – Aamako mukh herne din – Mothers Day

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Maata Tirtha is one of the auspicious festival in Hindu mythology falling on the. The pilgrimage (Tirtha) of mother (Mata) is collectively called ‘Mata Tirtha Aunshi‘. The main feature of the Nepali Mother’s Day are:

• respect for the mother
• People worship their living mother at their home
• People offer mothers and offering sweets, fruits, yogurts and other items to please their mothers.
• Those whose mothers have passed – they go to the Mata Tirtha Pilgrimage, about 15 km towards the eastern side of Kathmandu valley, beside Mata Tirtha Village development committee.

In Matatirtha, people take quick shower in the water taps and make offerings in the holy pond with a belief that the souls of their mothers come to the pond to accept their offerings. The visitors also worship Shiva lingam located near the holy pond.
 


Those who can’t go to mata-thirtha visit Pashupati temple in Kathmandu or any other holy places nearby to honor their departed mothers.
The statue of a mother image is opened once in a year on the Mata-tirtha day.

                        This locked mother-statue is opened only on Mata-tirtha day 

 

                     People bathing in the Mata Tirtha pond  

Nepal - Tiny, But Fully Packed with Nature! It is talking, please listen...

Plants of Nepal

Rhododendron Rhododendron blooms during the springs (Mar to May) in Higher elevation Rhododendron's Nepali Name is Lali Guranse or just Guranse in short Rhododendron is the National Flower of Nepal adding beauty to the Himalayas of Nepal Over 30 species are found in Nepal	Orchids What is orchids? Orchids are flowering plants having the most diverse and species than any other plants. There are about 25000 species of orchids in the world 319 species of orchids are found in Nepal	Flora Nepal has more than 6000 species of plants About 245 species of plants are only found in Nepal In Nepal, a total of 118 ecosystem, 75 vegetation and 35 forest types have been identified so far. Nepal is well known for its forests which attract biologists and geologists for research and study

Cordyceps sinensis Other Major Herbs and Medicinal Plants found in Nepal: Aconitum Spp Picrorrhiza scrophularaeflora Swertia multicaulis Rheum emodi Nardostachys jatamansi Ephedra gerardiana Most rural people in Nepal depend on natural medicines, knowledge of their use is passed on from one generation to the next.

Banyan Tree Banyan tree is the national tree of India - Nepal's next door neighbor. Many common sitting grounds known as Chautaris (Meaning of Chautari)are made at the foot of This tree. The other famous trees for Chautaris are the Peepul trees. Paste made of Roots of Banyan trees is said to condition hair and skin. "Banyan tree is the Embodiment of Laxmi" - According to Hinduism

Peepul Tree Peepul is worshiped as a trinity of the almighty Hindu Lords Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma "Lord Buddha meditated and received enlightenment in 483 BC under a Peepul Tree" - According to Buddhism Peepul tree are part of many hindu temples. Leaves are used in Hindu religious procession such as doing a Puja Peepul Tree can be found all over Nepal.

Animals

Rhino One Horned Rhino are abundant in Nepal - their famous place to live on the Earth! They are 5 to 6 feet tall, males slightly larger then females, and they weigh upto 6000 pounds (2700 kg) They are the only mammal on the planet with a horn on it's nose! Rhino is one of the endangered species. Humans continue to kill Rhino for smuggling its horn which is said to have medicinal values.

Bengal Tigers Bengal Tigers love Nepal land - more than 80% of the population live in Nepal. Bengal Tigers are one of the most endangered species, today they can be found in less than 15 countries. Less than 5000 Bengal tigers are surviving on the planet. (Source : WWF Nepal, 2006) The image on the right is an illustration of a paw of a bengal tiger - a remarkable and lovely image for animal lovers.

Cow Cow is a sacred animal, also the national animal of Nepal Cows are worshiped special during festivals such as Tihar Cow's dung and Urine are used during Puja (Act of honoring, respecting or worshiping Gods) Killing or Eating Cow Meat is a Felony in Nepal

Birds

Daphne or Lophophorus

• The Daphne is the national bird of Nepal
• These exotic of all pheasants are the inhabitants of high elevation of the Himalayan range
• Over 850 species of birds have been recorded in Nepal
• When they dance, they stretch their wings and tail feathers showing their glorious colors
• Daphne is also called as Monal, which is more commonly used by the people who see them the most - the mountainous people of the country

Wildlife of Nepal.....

Nepal's finest lowland habitats with the best chances of seeing an incredible variety of birds and mammals

This wildlife adventure combines the very best national parks with a short trek in the forested foothills of the Himalaya. We trek through traditional Gurung villages. Forests of oak and rhododendron cover the hillsides and we should see numerous bird species including Laughing thrushes, pheasants and babblers.
We also hope to encounter Yellow-throated martens, Barking deer and Assamese macaque. All of this set below the majestic Mt. Machhapuchare and other snow-capped peaks.
Royal Chitwan National Park is a World Heritage Site, its dry deciduous forest, tropical evergreen forest and grasslands playing host to a huge number of bird species as well as the largest variety of mammals anywhere in Nepal including the Indian rhinoceros, Wild boar, samba, sloth bears and monkeys. And finally we explore in boats and on foot remote Koshi Tappu, one of Asia's finest wetlands and an essential place for bird watching in Nepal.

What makes this trip responsible?

Over the last few years we have set up many projects in Nepal. Details of all the projects can be found here on our website, for a brief introduction, click on the title below

EXODUS HIMALAYAN COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROJECTS

Itinerary

Countries visited: Nepal

Day 1

Start Kathmandu.

Day 2

Fly to Pokhara; transfer to start of trek. Start trek following the Modi River to Tirkhedunga.

Day
3 - 5

Trek to Ghorepani, Poon Hill and Gurung villages. We walk through forests of rhododendron, fir and bamboo to see an abundance of birds and mammals.

 

Day 6

Morning trek; drive to Pokhara;afternoon free to explore lake side.

Day 7

Drive to Chitwan; introduction to the park by naturalist.

Day
8 - 10

We spend three days in Chitwan where we enjoy elephant back safaris in search of rhino and other mammals, extensive bird watching walks to see Giant hornbill, peafowl and Bengal florican; walking safari to spot rhino, deer, bear and other mammals; visit t

 

Day 11

Drive to Koshi Tappu National Park.

Day
12 - 13

2 full days exploring the park. By boat we explore Sapta Koshi and hope to see Mugger crocodile and Wild water buffalo. Walk amongst the wetland habitat to see White ibis and Black-necked stork.

 

Day 14

Drive to Biratnagar; fly to Kathmandu.

Day 15

End Kathmandu.

Exodus images from WILDLIFE OF NEPAL.

Asian one-horned rhino, Chitwan

Technology and the Tiger: DNA Study of Wildlife in Nepal

National exclusive on the emerging DNA study of wildlife in Nepal. A part of this report has been published in Republica national daily’s weekend edition, The Week, today as Part-One of a two-part series. 

A Tiger mural on the streets of Kathmandu, where the Nepal Tiger Genome Project is headquartered.

In 1962, When the Noble Prize in Physiology or Medicine was given for discovering the structure of DNA, the BBC started its report with the following words: “In Stockholm today, five men are receiving Noble prizes. The highest honors that international science has to offer; for work that will eventually lead to the healing of sickness, and the preservation of human life.” James Watson, with Francis Crick, discovered the “structure of life” in 1953. 60years later, DNA has gone well beyond that realm and become an important tool in understanding and conserving the world’s wildlife and ecologies. Here, 2013 will mark Nepal’s completion of its first genome project, the Nepal Tiger Genome Project  (NTGP) conducted in a state-of-the-art laboratory in Kathmandu.
“We collected a lot more shit than planned,” Dibesh Karmacharya, who developed NTGP and is the International Director of Center for Molecular Dynamics-Nepal (CMDN), said light-heartedly of the project that identifies tigers and its habitat based on the DNA information retrieved from tiger feces. After 216 days of collecting 1200 samples of scat (the term used for feces of carnivores) from four national parks by multiple teams, the two-year project funded by USAID-Nepal comes to a close in June. But the crucial chapter of genetic study of wildlife in Nepal is only beginning.
“USAID set up the NTGP as a two year project to build capacity in Nepal to do cutting edge genetic research to inform wildlife conservation,” Bronwyn Llewellyn, Environment Officer, USAID Nepal, explained. “We considered this important because Nepal has a long history of traditional conservation and is ready to bring their efforts to the next level through advanced technology such as genetics.”

Tiger Scat Samples collected for the USAID funded Nepal Tiger Genome Project.

Nepal Tiger Genome Project 

Nepal is by no means the first country to use DNA to study wildlife. India began its first DNA based enumerations of Tigers in 2007, and the San Diago Zoo Global’s Genome 10K Project is aiming to “assemble a genetic zoo” with a “collection of DNA sequences of 100,000 species” by 2015.
Nepal, however, does not allow any biological samples to be taken out of the country. And this is what makes the current genetics studies in Nepal groundbreaking: simply the fact that these studies can finally be done here in Nepal itself, at the CMDN, established in 2007 as a non-profit making Non-Government Organization. In their 2011 preliminary study of Snow Leopards for WWF, CMDN worked to identify species and gender based on samples originally collected in late 2000s by WWF’s field biologists for a dietary survey.
With the Tiger Genome Project, initiated in collaboration with the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, and funded by USAID Nepal, CMDN is able to add the final crucial element: fingerprinting of the species identified. In this case, creating a unique ID for individual species that have been identified as a male or female tiger.
 “We are only creating a database of 700 samples, which is what the resources of the project allows us to do,” Dibesh explains. The DNA extraction takes three days, species identification then takes about a week, gender identification takes about three to four days, and finally another three days for “fingerprinting” the sample, i.e. creating a unique ID of that particular Tiger. The team is currently establishing 10 DNA markers on each sample.
Through NTGP, CMDN has also developed a customized software in which each sample’s details are carefully cataloged, accessible instantly by scanning a barcode.

A member of the CMDN scans a barcode at their lab. This reveals that particular tiger’s data on a customized software developed for the Nepal Tiger Genome Project.

Indeed, the NTGP offers a long-term capacity for Nepal even after the project ends. The DNA Sequencer, which the USAID funded project of little over $268,000 helped pay for, enables this local service provider to do what could not be done in Nepal before. That is to say, a technology brought in for tigers will serve many in days to come, and already is. CMDN is now also now working with several international researchers, mostly University researchers, who are not able to take their samples out of Nepal.
“We are extremely proud of what CMDN has accomplished in this time frame.  By setting up a lab with this capability, USAID has opened the door for more research as well,” Bronwyn added. “Other donors and projects are now coming to CMDN to work on everything from Rhinos to Snow Leopards. Nepal is becoming known as a leader in the region on genetics research, and we are confident that this ability is going to continue to grow.

Stanford University’s Study

Last week, at an environment-reporting workshop organized by the USAID-funded Hariyo Ban program, Secretary for the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation spoke about Nepal’s potential as an international research site. [Disclosure: I was moderating the workshop]
The current emphasis on studying climate change and considering Nepal’s unique topography and ecology, the country is a hub for global research, the Secretary explained.
One such researcher is Professor Elizabeth Hadly of Stanford University, and her team. Prof. Hadly is currently researching the impact of climate change on the Himalayan Pikas.
“We could not have done the work without the collaboration of Dibesh and his team,” Prof. Hadly said over email.
Describing her team’s research, Prof. Hadly said, “ Pikas are unusual mammals closely related to rabbits and hares, but very special because of their occurrence only at high latitudes and high elevations.  They cannot tolerate heat.  And the climate in high elevation tropical areas such as Nepal and northern India is changing at a faster rate than other areas of the world.  Our research team, –[includes Katie Solari (my grad student), Uma Ramakrishnan (my collaborator in India) Nishma Dal (Uma's grad student)] is working on pikas in the Himalayas of Nepal and India for the main reason that they are very speciose there and because the species span a variety of elevations.”
The genetics connection? “Not only have pikas never been studied genetically in Nepal, we aren’t really sure exactly how many species are present in your country!” she added.
The team has also found “pikas do appear to be changing their ranges.  Some of the locals we talked to remarked on the absence of pikas where they used to be common.”
And an exciting development: the study by Uma Ramakrishnan and Nishma Dal have revealed “that there is at least one species in the Himalayas that has never been identified before.”

Illegal Wildlife Trade

Nepal has emerged as a major transit hub for smuggling of all kinds of goods, of which illegal wildlife trade is becoming significant. During last week alone a group of men were caught with a rhino horn in Bardibas Mahottari, an Indian citizen from Utter Pradesh was caught in Kathmandu with leopard hide, two men were also caught with leopard skin in Kathmandu, while police arrested a group smuggling red sandal wood beads in “false compartments” inside fuel tanks of two cars. The product was being moved from India to China, and passing through Kathmandu when found.

Tiger skin confiscated by the Nepal Police. Photo: WWF Nepal/Diwakar Chapagain

“Smugglers don’t care what they are smuggling, they just want to smuggle,” the Director General of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation had explained at the Earth Matters media workshop last week. “They will trade in wildlife parts, and human smuggling at the same time. And they use technology far advanced than the ones we use, they are better equipped.”
As poachers and smugglers become increasingly sophisticated in their trade, genetics works such as the Tiger Genome Project becomes ever more important.
“One of the exciting potentials of genetics work is in the field of law enforcement. With the dreadful rise in poaching world wide, law enforcement officers need every tool possible to capture and convict wildlife trade criminals. Already we have seen cases of ivory seizures made in Thailand tracked back to the elephant’s home in Africa due to an elephant genetics project,” Bronwyn said. “The NTGP has the potential to do the same for Nepal’s tigers as well. The government of Nepal is testing out this theory now, working with CMDN to use genetics in the case of recent seizures.  We’re a ways from being able to use this data in court, but this is an important first step.”
Indeed, this year the Police and CIB have reached out to CMDN to check the DNA of several confiscated illegal wildlife parts.
Dr. Ghana Shyam Gurung, Conservation Director, WWF Nepal, understands its importance too. “The first thing we will be able to do is check, for example, the tiger parts came from a tiger in Nepal’s parks or not,” he said. “After we run that check, we can tell our partners in India that perhaps it is one of theirs. Or if turns out to be Nepal’s, then we will know exactly where the tiger was based and that will help us figure out what went wrong there in terms of conservation.”

Samples collected for analysis through Hariyo Ban project, also funded by the USAID.

Shaping Policy

“Conservation relies on genetic work for all sorts of reasons, perhaps the most important, that it allows us to understand just how connected, or disconnected, surviving (or extinct, using ancient DNA) populations are,” Prof. Hadly explained.
Genetics study has many immediate and long-term impacts on conservation policies. For one thing, understanding the genetic diversity of a certain species population in an area is crucial to understanding that group’s survival viability. The larger the genetic pool, the better the chance of their survival. For example, if a group of tigers in western Nepal appear to have limited genetic diversity, conservationists can develop ways in which to introduce tigers from other regions to diversify the population’s gene pool and give them a better chance at survival.
“For Snow Leopards, we are also now working on a more in-depth genetic study to understand how far these animals are traveling,” Dr. Gurung said. “In our eastern Himalayas there isn’t a very large area for them to move around in. But if we find they are traveling across to India in the Kanchenjunga range, for example, then we are able to develop trans-boundary conservation strategies.”

Snow Leopard in Upper Mustang, Nepal.

Limited Resources, Shared Resources

WWF’s study on Snow Leopards and the Standford University’s on Pikas has occurred independently. Yet, the two creatures are intricately linked in the wild naturally, and now for the first time Nepals has an opportunity to understand just how closely they are linked with an unprecedented degree of details.
“Pikas form a significant part of the snow leopard diet! That means that the changing climate and its impacts on the little pika may exert an influence on the snow leopard survival.” Prof. Hadly noted. “Species in ecosystems interact, after all.”
Combining the results of these two independent studies would naturally result in a broader understanding of the Himalayan wildlife ecology, at least as shared by the Snow Leopard and Pikas. But could a conversation amongst those conducting genetic research in Nepal help, by design, to produce studies on corresponding species? Now that the significant Tiger Genome Project has been undertaken, what might be some of the best species to study that could enhance the research on tiger, and who might be able to conduct those studies? Considering the fact that resources are limited, could shared investment in research produce directly related studies to help create genomic databases of certain ecosystems? Perhaps bodies such as the National Trust for Nature Conservation could even produce such proposals and find researchers to work on them, as opposed to waiting for researchers to come in and seek permit.
A similar project for the endangered Rhinos, which shares the tiger’s habitat in the Terai Arc Landscape conservation area, is underway too. These four projects alone give the kind of detailed data of Nepal’s Himalayan and Terai ecology that would have been impossible before a lab like CMDN got the DNA Sequencer for the NTGP.

Nava Durga (9 Durga) masked dancer.....bhaktapur Nepal

Taleju temple within Basantapur Durbar Square. Nepal.

Taleju temple within Basantapur Durbar Square. Nepal. [image: Taleju temple within Basantapur Durbar Square. Nepal.]

Overview of pagoda temples at Basantapur Durbar Square a.k.a Kathmandu Durbar Square. Nepal

  Overview of pagoda temples at Basantapur Durbar Square a.k.a Kathmandu Durbar Square. Nepal [image: Overview of pagoda temples at Basantapur Durbar Square a.k.a Kathmandu Durbar Square. Nepal]

Paper decor hangings obove narrow alley from Basantapur Durbar Square to Maru Ganesh Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.

  Paper decor hangings obove narrow alley from Basantapur Durbar Square to Maru Ganesh Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal. [image: Paper decor hangings obove narrow alley from Basantapur Durbar Square to Maru Ganesh Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.]

Paper decor hangings obove narrow alley from Basantapur Durbar Square to Maru Ganesh Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.

  Paper decor hangings obove narrow alley from Basantapur Durbar Square to Maru Ganesh Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal. [image: Paper decor hangings obove narrow alley from Basantapur Durbar Square to Maru Ganesh Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.]

Over view of Patan Durbar Square.

  Over view of Patan Durbar Square. [image: Over view of Patan Durbar Square.]

Patan Museum at Patan Durbar Square. Nepal.

  Patan Museum at Patan Durbar Square. Nepal. [image: Patan Museum at Patan Durbar Square. Nepal.]

Golden door to Patan Museum at Patan Durbar Square. Nepal.

  Golden door to Patan Museum at Patan Durbar Square. Nepal. [image: Golden door to Patan Museum at Patan Durbar Square. Nepal.]

Courtyard of Patan Museum at Patan Durbar Square. Nepal.

  Courtyard of Patan Museum at Patan Durbar Square. Nepal. [image: Courtyard of Patan Museum at Patan Durbar Square. Nepal.]

This gallery is dedicated to Hindu Lord Vishnu also exhibits some of the royal paraphernalia of the former kings of Patan-believed to be incarnations of Vishnu. Stone sculptures are left un ...

  This gallery is dedicated to Hindu Lord Vishnu also exhibits some of the royal paraphernalia of the former kings of Patan-believed to be incarnations of Vishnu. Stone sculptures are left uncased, inviting a reverential touch by the hand. The one in the foreground deliberately blocks the long vista behind, withholding for a few further steps the surprise view of the Malla throne at the far end. Discernible on the wall in the left background is a pair of ceremonial staffs, sheathed in embossed silver. 

Restoring Tusahiti at Sundari Chowk. Patan, Nepal.

Restoring Tusahiti at Sundari Chowk. Patan, Nepal. [image: Restoring Tusahiti at Sundari Chowk. Patan, Nepal.]

Restored Tusahiti, Sundari Chowk. Patan. Nepal.

  Restored Tusahiti, Sundari Chowk. Patan. Nepal. [image: Restored Tusahiti, Sundari Chowk. Patan. Nepal.]

Restored Tusahiti, Sundari Chowk. Patan. Nepal.

Restored Tusahiti, Sundari Chowk. Patan. Nepal. [image: Restored Tusahiti, Sundari Chowk. Patan. Nepal.]

Restoring Sundari Chowk area. Patan, Nepal.

  Restoring Sundari Chowk area. Patan, Nepal. [image: Restoring Sundari Chowk area. Patan, Nepal.]

Lost Wax artist making statues for Tushahiti restoration project with Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust. Nepal.

  Lost Wax artist making statues for Tushahiti restoration project with Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust. Nepal. [image: Lost Wax artist making statues for Tushahiti restoration project with Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust. Nepal.]

Overview of Bhaktapur Durbar Square with Pachpanna Jhyale Durbar or 55 window Palace on the far mid-right, and in the centre is 17th century stone temple, dedicated to a mother goddess, is f ...

  Overview of Bhaktapur Durbar Square with Pachpanna Jhyale Durbar or 55 window Palace on the far mid-right, and in the centre is 17th century stone temple, dedicated to a mother goddess, is full of intricate works on stone. Bhaktapur, Nepal. [image: Overview of Bhaktapur Durbar Square with Pachpanna Jhyale Durbar or 55 window Palace on the far mid-right, and in the centre is 17th century stone temple, dedicated tomother.

The Palace of Fifty Five Windows Keshav Narayan Chowk is the Northern-most part of the Patan Darbar palace complex, with the dominating Degutale temple next to it. This magnificent palace w ...

The Palace of Fifty Five Windows Keshav Narayan Chowk is the Northern-most part of the Patan Darbar palace complex, with the dominating Degutale temple next to it. This magnificent palace was built during the reign of King Yakshay Malla in AD 1427 and was subsequently remodeled by King Bhupatindra Malla in the seventeenth century. Among the brick walls with their gracious setting and sculptural design, is a balcony with fifty-five Windows, considered a unique masterpiece of woodcarving.Bhaktapur, Nepal.

Sunset glows over Bhupatindra Malla's statue seated on Lotus on Pillar facing Taleju Temple. Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Nepal

  Sunset glows over Bhupatindra Malla's statue seated on Lotus on Pillar facing Taleju Temple. Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Nepal. [image: Sunset glows over Bhupatindra Malla's statue seated on Lotus on Pillar facing Taleju Temple. Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Nepal.]

This is the most famous pagoda of Nepal, which was built in 1702 A.D by King Bhupatindra Malla. This temple was dedicated to Siddhilaxmi, the tantric mother goddess of supreme power. Nyatapo ...

This is the most famous pagoda of Nepal, which was built in 1702 A.D by King Bhupatindra Malla. This temple was dedicated to Siddhilaxmi, the tantric mother goddess of supreme power. Nyatapola in Newari means a five tiered symbolizing five basic elements - water, earth, fire, wind and sky. Bhaktapur, Nepal. [image: This is the most famous pagoda of Nepal, which was built in 1702 A.D by King Bhupatindra Malla. This temple was dedicated to Siddhilaxmi, the tantric mother goddess of supreme power. Nyatapo ...]

Nyatapola Temple is a 5 storey pagoda. Nepali King Bhupatindra Malla erected the temple during a 5-month period from late 1701 into 1702. It is the temple of Siddha Laxmi, the Hindu goddess ...

  Nyatapola Temple is a 5 storey pagoda. Nepali King Bhupatindra Malla erected the temple during a 5-month period from late 1701 into 1702. It is the temple of Siddha Laxmi, the Hindu goddess of prosperity. The entrance to Nyatapola temple is protected by the legendary wrestlers of Bhaktapur. Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Nepal. [image: Nyatapola Temple is a 5 storey pagoda. Nepali King Bhupatindra Malla erected the temple during a 5-month period from late 1701 into 1702. It is the temple of Siddha Laxmi, the Hindu goddess ...]