Exploring Durbar Square and the old city of Kathmandu
Taking a walk to Durbar Square via the old city of Kathmandu cannot be
missed. Within 10 minutes of leaving Thamel you will come to Asan
Tole, which is notoriously the most chaotic intersection in the entire
city. It is here from dawn to dusk were local people sell spices, fruits,
vegetables, colourful tikka powder and handmade crafts. These
markets are renowned for their vibrant colour and buzzing energy. It
was here that I decided to stop off and purchase a scoop of Kumquat’s
to snack on, I watched on with delight as the old man weighed them
with a set of antique brass scales.
Other things that I found worth buying at the markets were hand-made
paper, rosewood mala beads, pashmina’s and thanka’s. Local handcrafts
are often a form of community work, born out of necessity – so take
the time to find something authentic to ensure that you are supporting
the local community. With my kumquats in one hand, rosewood beads
and roll of hand-made paper in the other, I walked for another ten
minutes until I reached Durbar Square.
Exploring Durbar Square is like stepping back in time. Dominated by
Newa architecture, the bustling streets are an archive of history, where
deteriorating yet noble remnants remain of what use to be a royal
kingdom. Stopping to admire the craftsmanship of this part of the city, I
could not help but run my hand over the exotic wooden doors, shutters
and window frames which had been so purposefully and intricately
hand-carved. Shop fronts were built slightly lower than the footpath,
so if I didn’t keep my eyes open it was easy to miss the treasures inside.
The air was filled with the smell of burning incense and around every
corner I walked there was either a temple, prayer flags or a religious
offering of some kind.
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