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Thamel is a well-known tourist town, 6 km west of Kathmandu airport and has developed since 1980. There are intersections, 300 guest houses, restaurants, pubs, bars, discotheques, bakeries, shops, and walking streets. The names are Jyatha, Narsingh Chowk, Seven Corners, Z-Street and Tahiti. Few corners are suggested only for walking. Tourists enjoy an evening walk, live music with favourite drinks, cuisine, and shopping.
There are souvenir shops, Gorkha knives, Pashmina, trekking equipment, climbing equipment, handicrafts, painting, stone, and jewellery. There are countless travel and trekking agencies, money changers, banks, and a post office. The Italian Pizza Restaurant (Fire and Ice), Narayanhiti Palace Museum and the Garden of Dreams (19th-century apartment of Keshar Shamsher Rana) are near the Narayanhiti Palace Museum. The UNESCO world heritage site, Kathmandu Durbar Square, is 2 km (30 minutes) south of the city. Swayambhunath Stupa lies 3 km (45 minutes) southwest of Thamel.
Thamel is the most popular among foreign and domestic visitors. Tourists can hire a rickshaw, mountain bike or taxi. Lazimpat is 1.5 km northeast of Thamel with beautiful tourist hotels, Radisson, Shangri La, Shankar, Ambassador and the fair trade shop (Mahaguthi). The five-star Yak & Yeti and Annapurna Hotel are south of Narayanhiti Palace Museum. Thamel is remarkable, though the lack of water and narrow roads should change.
Panauti (1340 m) is a Newar village 33 km southeast of Kathmandu, which takes an hour's drive. There are holy rivers, guest houses, stupas, patis, stone art, and temples. Panauti is a municipality (1997) that combines six villages of Panauti, Taukhal, Malpi, Sunthan, Subba Gaon, and Khopasi. The Newar town covers an area of 118 sq. km. with a 48% cultivatable area. The maximum temperature reached 32° Celsius, and the minimum temperature gained o° Celsius. The municipality has a 46595 population of Newars, Chhetris, Brahmins, Tamangs, Damais, Kamis, Magars, Thakuris, and Sanyasis people. Dhulikhel, Banepa, Balthali, and Namo Buddha are boundaries.
Panauti is said to have derived from the Punyabati River. Two more holy rivers are Brahmayani and Roshi. Panauti was a commercial trade route in the medieval period and a settlement in the Lichhavi period. People do metal works, shops, restaurants, and agriculture. Locals celebrate festivals, fairs, and events. Nine Stupas and Dharmadhatu Chaitya at Wolachhen Tole, two Bihar in Agha Tole and Ghat, Sattal, Pati were established at the holy riverbanks.
The legend mentions the age of the truth God Indra was motivated by the pretty Ahilya (Ahalya), wife of Gautam Rishi (present Janakpur district). Gautama found a relationship between Indra and Ahilya, then cursed Ahilya to turn rock and Indra to turn into sores with female external genitalia in his body. Indra cheated Sage Gautama with a form of cock to crow in the midnight to dispatch the Gautama morning ablutions. Indra then went to teacher Brihaspati and took advice to worship Mahadeva and Parvati to release them from sin. Indra prayed with fasting for 12 years in Panauti. Ahilya (Ahalya) became invisible and alone in the Ashram after being cursed. God Rama, Laxman, and Sage Vishwamitra visited King Janaka and passed through the Ashram. The sage recounts the curse of Ahilya and requests Rama to release her from sin. She was later released and reunited with the sage.
Panauti established the tallest Indreshwor Mahadev Temple at a single plinth with three gates, pagoda style of three and six Tundals (roof struts). Biramdevi built the temple in 1294 AD, dedicated to the God Shiva. There are an Unmatta Bhairav and Tula Narayan Temple. This place celebrates the 12-year Makara Mela (festival), Swasthani Puja, and Shivaratri festival. Balthali village can be reached in 2 hours walking. From 15 January to 12 February 2010 were celebrated the Makara Mela. The tourist town Panauti, Kavrepalanchok district, was listed in a tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1996.
Sankhu (1340 m) is a Newar town in Shankharapur Municipality (2 December 2014), 17 km northeast of Kathmandu, which takes an hour's drive. Shankharapur (conch-shaped town) is another name of Sankhu, established in the Licchavi period and developed in the Malla period. There are terraced fields, forest-clad hills, and the legendary Shali Nadi. Swasthani Brata Katha mentioned the kingdom of Labanyadesh, King Navaraj and river Shali Nadi to this Sankhu village. Goddess Swasthani Temple, Madav Narayan Temple, Vajra Yogini Temple, and Nagarkot hiking route are in the town.
The place of Eighty Siddhas, Cave of Nagarjuna, Padmasambhava paid homage, and Goddess Parvati bathed at Sali Nadi during a month of fasting dedicated to Swasthani. Sankhu celebrates a monthly festival every year from full moon day in Paush (Jan-Feb) to full moon day in Magh (Feb-March). The Hindu women daily take a ritual bath on the Sali Nadi. The unmarried and married women worship Goddess Swasthani for a good husband and a happy married life. Once there were eight doors in Sankhu now Bhau Dhwakha (Bride Gate) - the main entry gate to Sankhu, Mhyamachaa Dhwakha (Daughter Gate) - to bid farewell to the married daughter, Dya Dhwakha (Bajrayogini Gate) - Festival of a chariot with devotee entry, Si Dhwakha (Dead body Gate), and Naari Dhwakha (Sali Nadi Gate) in use.
Sankhu is interesting to visit Goddess Bajrayogini (1655 AD, King Prakash Malla), 2.5 km north of the town. It takes 50 minutes uphill hiking or 15 minutes to drive to the temple. The Buddhists and Hindus worship the Adibuddha and Parvati as the female power. Three-tiered, copper sheet roof and pagoda-style temple renovated by Chandra Shamsher in the 19th century. The enshrined statue is from the 7-8 centuries. Two caves in the northwest corner, the Two-tiered Ugra (blue) Tara Temple with chaitya stand north of the Bajrayogini temple. The forested hill station suggests a view of Sankhu Valley.
Bungamati is 8 km south of Patan and covers 7.2 sq km in the Lalitpur district. Lichhavi King Amshuvarma (595-621 AD) founded the ancient village Amarapur and made it tax-free. The Newar village has 5720 people (2011), including 70% Newar, Brahmin, Chhetri, Tamang, and Lama. The God of compassion, knowledge, and rain, Red Machhindranath Temple (16th, 17th century), Karyabinayak Temple (Lichhavi era), Hayagriva Bhairab Temple (17th century), stone spouts, public rest place, traditional pond, terraced fields, Vihar, Bahi, woodcarving, and architecture are remarkable in the village.
Bungamati village established the Red Machhindranath Temple (mix-shikhara style) at the centre of the town's flat ground. The Saivites of Hindu and Buddhist worship the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum. Kathmandu Valley was a drought in the 7th century. King asked Tantrik Shankaracharya about the issue. He found that Gorakhnath was angry with Kathmandu Valley King. Gorakhnath was in Hathyog leave the yog after his Guru Machhindrnath visit. Afterwards, Lichhavi King Narendra Dev (643-679 AD) from Bhaktapur, Bandu Datta (Tantrik), Kathmandu and other people from Lalitpur in Kathmandu valley went to Assam (India) to bring God Machhindranath. They brought Rain God to Kathmandu Valley and performed heavy rainfall. God Machhindranath keeps six months in Bungamati and six months in Patan.
Every 12 years, locals celebrate Machhindranath Jatra in Lalitpur. Karyabinayak Temple lies a 15-minute walk to the southwest and is one of the four famous Ganesh temples in Kathmandu Valley. Ganesh is known as Binayak, the remover of obstacles. Newar culture, festivals, dress, cuisine, customs, tradition, and wooden artefacts are exciting. The city bus and private car from Kathmandu city linked the Bungamati.
Khokana is 1.5 km west of Bungamati village. The typical Newar village is famous for mustard oil and the Newari lifestyle. The religious practice, house patterns, agriculture, traditional ponds, dresses, wells and rest houses are notable. Rice wine, Newari cuisine, mustard oil and red chilly are interesting. Only duck is available in the town instead of chicken. Visitors can enjoy the view of surrounding forested hills, terraced fields and Himalayas on a clear day. Locals do agriculture, trade, handicrafts, and other jobs. They produce rice, corn, mustard and green vegetables.
Khokana has a pagoda style, Rudrayani Temple (17th century) with beautiful architecture. Locals celebrate a festival by offering a goat to the pool near the temple with the power of fighting between locals. The system has changed without fighting the goat offers the pool. Every year, the Sikali festival celebrates worshipping Goddess Indrayani since 1206 AD. The typical Newar village is being a city.
Kirtipur (1415 m) is a Newar town on a hillock 8 km southwest of Kathmandu. King Shiva Dev found the village in the 12th century. Legend says God Machhindranath (7th century) fell in love with a beautiful girl from the town. Thus, the Machhindranath festival was postponed for four days to honour God's history. The beautiful Newar town suggested the outstanding views of Kathmandu valley, green hills and the Himalayas, Ganesh Himal, Langtang, Dorje Lhakpa, and Gaurishankar.
Kirtipur Village preserved the famous Bag Bhairav Temple (12th century) constructed with 3-tiered. Gorkha King Prithvi Narayan raided Kirtipur in 1768. Locals exhibit the weapons during the war with the Shah King at the upper tier of Bagh Bhairav Temple. The Uma-Maheshwar Temple (17th century) has a 3-tiered pagoda style with a superb view of the valley and the Himalayas at the upper part of the village. Chilancho Stupa (16th century) has beautiful architecture with Buddhist deities in the middle part of the village. Tourists visit the Newar town with its lifestyle, festivals, dress, ponds, culture, and religion. Private cars reach there.
Pharping is a Newar town in Dakshinkali Municipality (2 December 2014), 19 km southwest of Kathmandu. The village has a green forest, school, shop, restaurant, and monastery. Guru Padmasambhava at Yanglesho Cave (Asura Cave) took meditation with a handprint left on the rock in the 8th century. The stone figures of Ganesh and Tara originated on a rock inside the Buddhist Temple. Shiva Lingam is on a rock near Tara and Ganesh. Climb 5 minutes to reach the Lower Cave. The climb continues for 15 minutes to the Yanglesho Cave. Guru Gorakhnath temple has a 2-foot mark near the meditation cave.
Pharping is a meditation place for Buddhist monks. Every year, Boudhanath monks join eight people in a group for the 3 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 day meditation courses. Afterwards, they will be a Lama. Climb the Padmasambhava Cave for the impressive views of Kathmandu Valley and Snow-capped mountains. Bajrayogini Temple (17th century) is a beautiful temple out of four Bajrayogini temples in Kathmandu Valley located southeast of the cave. The two-tiered temple has the Goddess statue upstairs. The downstairs of the temple kept left to right Basundhara, Padmapani Lokeswor and Sakyamuni Buddha. Every August, people from Patan and Kathmandu visit the festival celebration. They circumambulate the town with a chariot of Bajrayogini. The Goddess is a female power of Adibuddha and the manifestation of Goddess Parvati. Dakshinkali and Shesh Narayan temples are in the south and east of the town. People can visit the Pharping with a local bus and private car.
Chobhar Gorge is a historical site that lies 13 km southwest of Kathmandu. Kathmandu Valley's River Bagmati, Bishnumati, and Hahumante Khola drain out of the gorge. The history mentioned with a divine sword, Bodhisattva Manjushree cut the hill to drain the Kathmandu Valley Lake for human settlement. The suspension bridge (19th century) and the motor bridge observe the gorge. Tourists can visit Manjushree Cave (3200 meters long) with an entrance.
Jal Binayak Temple (17th century) is southwest of the Chobhar Gorge. The pagoda-style temple has an erotic carving and healing rock. The temple has a massive statue of God Ganesha with a metal sheet. The vehicle of Ganesh is shrew at outside. There is a car park with tea shops. The indigenous Newar live nearby with caste, sub-caste, tradition, custom, language (Tibeto-Burman) and script. The surrounding nature is beautiful, though River Bagmati is worse with the black water from the Kathmandu Valley.
Taudaha is 14 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu near Kathmandu-Dakshinkali road. Taudaha is an ancient lake of the serpent King Karkotak Nag. According to the myth, the Lake of Kathmandu Valley was drained out by Manjushree. Later, all serpents, with King Karkotak Naga, were leaving the Kathmandu Valley. Manjushree built the lake at the Age of Truth to stop the Nagas.
Taudaha is the oldest lake, covering an area of 43000 sq. meters by 20 meters deep in some portions. Nature lovers can observe migratory and resident birds around. There are wooded hills, valleys, terraced fields and Newari village. The Machhindranath festival uses the lake water. In the 7th century, the God of rain and compassion (Machhindranath) was brought from India (Asham) with a water vase spoiling the lake, so the Machhindranath festival still uses the water. Visitors can visit by local bus and private car.
