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Some eight kilometers south of center Kathmandu situated on a plateau across the Bagmati river is a lovely little city called Lalitpur,
the city of fine arts.
This city also known as Patan, once an independent Newar kingdom before the present dynasty took over, is best known for its finest traditional crafts and rich artistic heritage.
This city of lalitpur divided into 22 municipal wards and is inhabited by approx. 160,000 people. A substantial portion of its population is engaged in various trades, specially in traditional handicrafts and cottage industries. Lalitpur in fact is the only town in entire Nepal that has produced the highest number of most talented artists and finest craftsmen ever recorded in Nepalese art history. The most famous Newar artists and master craftsmen, like Arniko, Abay Raj and Siddhi Raj, were all born in Lalitpur.
It is said that the city was designed and built after the Buddhist Dharma Chakra(The wheel of righteousness). It is surrounded by four big stupas- one each corner of its cardinal points. These monuments are said to have been built by the Indian Emperor Ashoka when he came to Kathmandu valley on his pilgrimage tour some 2,250 years ago. When we look at the size and shape of these stupas, in many ways they seem to breathe their antiquity in a real remote past. It is interesting to note that there are more than 1,200 Buddhist monuments of various shapes and sizes scattered in and around this city alone. However, the most important monumental center of this city is of course, Patan Durbar Square, which to our great delight has been recognized by UNESCO ad a World Heritage Site.
A Britist traveller Percival London was highly impressed by the sight of this beautiful square wrote way back in 1928 "As an ensemble, the durbar in patan probably remains the most picturesque collection of buildings that have been set up in so small a place by the piety of oriental man".
In fact patan durbar square is the only monumental area in all three cities of Kathmandu Valley that still outstands with its most Magnificent architectural splendour and unique artistic beauty. Patan, in its long chequered history, has undergone many sociopolitical upheavals. Even so this lovely little city seems to have fairly well preserved its glorious cultural heritage and the history of its finest craftsmanship. More.........
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