Bhaktapur Durbar Square

It is generally acknowledged that the main objective of Tantra is to chieve salvation. It implies that with the help of tantra, one can form a wonderful mindset for the attainment of freedom from the entire stages of phisical existence. Indeed, when you unleash yourself from the hullabaloo of the phisical world ande happen to enter this township of Bhaktapur, you will start to feel saintly and simple liveliness forgrounding the scene. It is not any political pressure, but the power of faith that had retained bhaktapur as the center of Nepal until the 17th century. Though displayed politicaly in terms of its centrality, bhaktapur has been established as the capital of culture, traditions, and tantrik system of reverence to God.Situated at an altitude of 1401 meter above the sea level,Bhaktapur is a unique old town, divided into 24 traditional localities covering an area of 5 square kiloimeters. Founded by King Ananda Dev in 889 A.D., Bhaktapur is said to have been built in the shape of conch, the sacred symbol of Lord Vishnu.Literally, Bhaktapur means the city of Devotees.

The Durbar Squares are the historic cores of the three major towns within the Kathmandu Valley. Durbar means 'palace' and he squares were developed around the former royal palaces and a series of important temples and shrines, linked togrther by an open public space. Thgere were and still are the center of public life in the cities.In the western corner of the city, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is relatively unintegrated into daily life. This spectacular square, the capital of the Malla kingdom till 1769, is an open musiam in itself.Victorian illustrations show that it was once packed with monasteries, temples and artistic buildings, almost one third of which were devastated in the great earthquake of 1934 AD and is former odd blank space ruining the once masterful composition. This square however, still holds mesmsrizing palaces, pagodas, Shikhara style temples as well as Buddhists monasteries with exclusive architecture. It is one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.