Once you start travelling regularly, you realise that certain places are not just a tourist sights but a living example of culture and history. The Kathmandu Durbar Square is one such place for me in Nepal that serves as a perfect blend of spiritual and architecture that are centuries old but still feels alive in the monuments and Temples when you are present in the Square.
If Nepal is in your travel list then trust me missing Kathmandu Durbar Square is like having a winning lottery ticket and not showing up at the lottery shop.
My very first Impression of Kathmandu Durbar Square?
It was in the morning when I left for the Durbar Square after having breakfast at my hostel. As I already inquired with the locals and they suggested that an easy 20 minutes walk would make me reach the square and also I could see the feel the city vibes on the way to the square. When I finally reached the Kathmandu Durbar Square the golden sunlight that was falling upon the wooden palaces and old temples which made the visuals in front of my eyes magical.
Just to give you guys a clear historical importance of this square, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and also a part of an ancient royal palace complex of Nepal. This is the exact place where in the court yards, coronation of kings of the Nepal were done. Every where your eyes could see you will witness traditional Newari architecture of the Nepal, which could be identified from the old red bricks, Pagoda style ancient temples and intricately carved wooden windows, doors and pillars in every direction.
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When you stand at this place and try to feel how few centuries back the royal ceremonies and festivals were celebrated here, you almost feel like living those moments and being a part of them.
Visiting Kathmandu Durbar Square’s Most Iconic Landmark – The Hanuman Dhoka Palace
Hanuman Dhoka Palace is the most important highlight of the durbar square. At the entrance of the massive royal palace complex which was ruled by the kings of Nepal there is this ancient Hanuman statue, from which the name of this palace came into existence.
you will find multiple temples, courtyards and museums inside this palace complex. when you walk through these courtyards and museums, it feels like you are travelling back into the medieval Nepal.
The Kumari Tradition and fascinating highlights about The Living Goddess
Nepal has this unique ancient tradition that goes back to the 16th Century ,when there use to be the rule of Malla Dynasty. It is believed that king has the blessings of the goddess Taleju Bhawani and she use to visit the king in her physical form and guide him through. But as the time passed the king has grown some romantic feelings for the goddess and expressed her feeling to her. After learning what the king feels for her she became very angry and left immediately.
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After realising his mistake the king tried to apologise but the goddess was really angry at him. So the king asked the priests and highly spiritual designees of his kingdom to request the goddess to come back and bless the kingdom again.
After lot of efforts and rituals the goddess finally agreed to bless the people and kingdom but she made condition that every few years she will incarnate as a child in the particular tribe of Nepal called the “Shakya tribe” as a child and bless the people of Nepal and then when the child gains puberty, it will be dethroned and the next child from the same tribe will be selected to be throned as a new living goddess of Nepal who is called “Kumari” in the Nepali tradition.
Since then, a young girl child between the age of 2-3 years is selected from the group of potential Kumari after she passes through the traditional and divine tests and then she is finally moved to the Kumari resident in the Durbar Square in Kathmandu, Nepal.
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When you visit The Kathmandu Durbar Square in Basantpur area, you can visit this Kumari resident and there is a time-window of 4-5 PM every day where if you are fortunate enough then you might have a chance to see a glimpse of kumari from a distance in the resident.
If you are a Hindu or Buddhist by religion, then you also have an opportunity to meet the Kumari in person where there is time-window of 11 to 12 PM in which you can her in person and seek her blessings.
It is also believed that when you visit the kumari in person, she should have absolutely no expression while she sees you and just bless you that way. On the other hand if she she smiles at you when you see her, it is believed to be ominous and considered that it shall bring something bad upon you as it has already happened in the past and people of Nepal strongly believe in it.
Entry Ticket Price and What Does It Include?
The entry ticket price for the Kathmandu Durbar Square is NPR 500 for the Indian and SAARC countries while NPR 1000 for the other International travellers. The ticket price also includes the entry to the museum and the Kumari resident area. The entry ticket also gives you some other basic facility that includes using tourist bathroom and brochure to explore the place in the best possible way.
Experiencing the Museum At the Durbar Square
The museum at the Kathmandu Durbar Square is no less than a sight seeing at all. The museum displays the entire history of Nepal , how it was ruled back in 16th century and how was the reunification of Nepal done. It also speaks for the rich and cultural history of Nepal, the strong and deep faith of people in God and the unparalleled architecture style and craft that Nepal has had from a long time.
The wooden pillars crafted with fine scriptures and carvings done by hand that just keeps your eyes stuck at them. Behind the museum you can find the county yard where the coronation of the kings were actually done in the late 16th century. Nepal has really preserved its history and culture so well that it can be seen there on any festival of public gatherings and also the people of Nepal are very educated about their history and culture and very proud of it.
Conclusion
Nepal is no doubt the very first international country chosen by most of the International travellers for different reasons. Some are crazy about the peaks and mountains they want to climb and feel a sense of adventure and test their limits while Others just want to explore the rich cultural and historical side of Nepal and relax in the lap of nature. No matter what is your reason to travel to Nepal make sure to visit the Kathmandu Durbar Square whenever you are in Kathmandu.
It will give you so much satisfaction and make you feel like you are living the history in the present while you stroll through the premises of the square and experience the way people of Nepal respect and follow their culture right from worship to to dressing and local cuisines, it just feels magical.