Basantapur Durbar Square, Royal square in Kathmandu, Nepal
Basantapur Durbar Square is a royal square in Kathmandu, Nepal, that combines multiple temples and palaces featuring traditional Newar architecture. Intricate wooden carvings and ornate stone sculptures decorate the buildings throughout the complex, showcasing the craftsmanship of past centuries.
The square dates back to the 3rd century and served as the residence of Nepalese royalty until the 19th century under both Malla and Shah dynasties. Earthquakes and political changes led to multiple reconstructions and adaptations of the original structures over time.
The Kumari Bahal houses Nepal's living goddess, a young girl selected through religious ceremonies to represent the divine embodiment of Durga. Visitors can enter the house and sometimes catch a glimpse of the Kumari appearing at an upper-floor window.
Foreign visitors need to pay an entrance fee, while SAARC nationals receive a reduced rate. The square is best visited early in the morning or late afternoon when the light highlights the wooden carvings particularly well and fewer visitors are present.
The nine-story Nautalle Durbar palace within the square features erotic carvings on its wooden beams, believed to protect against lightning strikes. These depictions follow tantric traditions and were originally meant to distract the goddess of lightning, thus keeping the building safe from destruction.
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