Background

In 724 King Gunakamadev founded „Yen”, how Kathmandu was named back then. It always has been protected by its patron saint Bhairab, who is called Aaju Dyo by the local newari community. At the main entrance you find eight goddesses, who are called Ajimas. They are positioned at the corners of a shape named Khadga: a double-edged sword inside of a triangular head and a rectangular body. The King inaugurated the newly built state with 1800 houses on a full moon day known as Yendyaa Punhi in the month of Bhadra. The limits of old Kathmandu back then were defined by a protective wall with 33 gates and the same number of toles (blocks). It stretched just one and a half mile from north to south and less than half a mile from east to west. From Durbar Square its farthest boundary can be reached today by foot within ten minutes. Inside the city center exist 113 buddhistic courtyards (bahals), with another 17 bahals scattered around the periphery. Altogether there exist 1800 stupas and chaityas established to demonstrate and propagate the teachings of Buddha. The city also houses 32 nasa dyo temples (god of etiquette and the successful presentation of music, dance and other performances), four narayan temple, 26 Ganesh temples, 107 water spouts and 16 Ajima temples and lineage houses (dyochen).

In 1750 King Jaya Prakash Malla built the residential temple for the living goddess Kumari. He founded the chariot festivals to praise Bhairab, Ganesh and the Goddess Kumari. They take place in autumn around the days of Indra Jatra and Yendya Punhi on the streets of the upper and lower cities,  of Kathmandu, which are named Thanye and Kwonye. An additional chariot procession can be observed on the day known as Nanichaya, four days after the Indra Jatra Festival. This one starts from Kilagal. It was initiated upon a request of the royal concubines (Nani) who wanted to be able to watch the chariot festival from their house.

In 1786 King Gorkha Prihvi Narayan Shah expanded the core city after an invasion. Former walls of the city were torn down and the process of urbanization engulfed the villages around the former core city creating the bigger metropolitan area of today’s Kathmandu. In this walk we have included the former city’s main sites of interest. Some of the prominent sites are described below. 

PACHALI BHAIRAB
King Gunakamadev established Pachali Bhairab as a gatekeeper at the southern city entrance near the bank of the Bagmati river. In those days every single door of a house, a temple or a dyoche had  a triangular shape and was painted with a pair of eyes and a sword to depict the presence of Bhairab. Every year on the fifth day of the 12^th lunar month of Kaula (which is in september or october), the festival of Pachali Bhairab takes place. Then, the main statue of the God is displayed at its main site. During the night a procession of local farmers carries the Pachali cone, a big traditional metallic vessel and the symbol of Bhairab. They lift it by their hands and carry it along the main street of Kwonye. The procession starts from Pachali, goes up to the Durbar Square and comes back. The cone is placed there again till the next festival. Similarly, the Bhairab dance, introduced by King Amar Malla in 1460 is still being performed every twelve years at the premises of Pachali.

From there we continue to walk through the Machali temple, the Inakha temple, the Brahma Tole temple and the Tukan Bahal-Narayan Temple. There are four main temples of Narayan or Lord Vishnu. Of these four the Nem Narayan shrine lies near the southern border of the old Kathmandu built in 725. Other temples built during the Malla Dynasty in the 17^th century are the Wande Narayan, the Ikha Narayan and the Atak Narayan. 

JAISIDEWAL
Laxmi Narayan, a powerful minister during the reign of King Bhupalendra Malla, built this temple. It was constructed on a eight-stories high plinth in 1688. He dedicated it to Lord Shiva. This temple is popularly known as Jaisi Dewal. In 1692 Queen Riddhi Laxmi built the Majju Dewal temple similar to the Jaisi Dewal, only that this on was built on a nine-stage plinth at Basantapur. 

KWOHITY
This is the waterspout of Kwone, the lower town of Kathmandu. This part of town is the residential area of the working class of the society. Mainly artists, farmers and services live in this community. The date of construction of the spouts is not known but they were renovated in 1780. We walk through the streets of Chikanmugal passing along the Atak Narayan towards Kasthamandap. 

KASTHAMANDAP
This is a rest house for traders at the Maru tole built from a single tree that was provided by Kalpa Briksha. He once came to observe the chariot festival of Amoghapas Lokeswor popularly called Jana Baha dyo. He was held a prisoner during this occasion and negotiated his discharge from prison. Giving a tree was the condition for his release. 

KABINDRAPUR
This is a house of nasa dyo constructed at the Maru tole by King Pratap Malla. He used to perform dance and music ceremonies in here. Kathmandu has 32 nasa dyo. Also known as nasa dyo chen, it was rebuilt after the 1932 earthquake. 

ASHOK BINAYAK
This is one of the four main Ganesh temples of the Kathmandu valley. The idol was discovered near the sacred Ashoka tree during the reign of King Gunkamdev. The temple was built in the 18^th century and does not have a gajur (pinnacle) on top, hence the temple is popularly known as Maru Ganedyo.

We proceed to Yetkha Bahal, where we can see a buddhist stupa. It is a nice example of brick flooring technology from times where weed was rare.

We continue towards Itum Bahal through Chokachhen Galli. It is the largest bahal operated by 100 bajracharyas and 400 shakya families. Keshchandra built it in the 11^th century. He became a wealthy man due to pigeons who left gold dung after feeding on his rotten grain. He built Tundikhel for his worker Gurumapa who is offered 80 pounds of rice and a buffalo each year in the Tundikhel parade  during the Ghode Jatra festival.

The route now leads through Kilagal with its Pulu Kishi Chhen. Then we reach Jana Bahal. It is the home of the principle deity of Kathmandu: Jan Baha dyo or the white Machhindra Nath or Amoghapasa Lokeshwar. The Lokeshwar’s chariot festival lasts three days in the core city. It is celebrated in the month of April. The deity is worshipped for longevity, prosperity and good rain. 

ASON AJIMA
Ason Ajima is known as Annapurna Devi and is worshipped in the form of purna kalash- a “holy vase filled with grain”. The temple was built in 987 by local traders for gaining prosperity and cure for children’s disease. The temple was renovated in 1942. The deity is worshipped on sundays. This place is the most important traditional business hub of the old Kathmandu.

 From Ason we continue to the Teuda- and Dhwaka Bahal. This bahal contains  a Lichhavi period stone chaitya with four different images of Buddha framed by ornamented pilasters and brackets supporting a cosmos decorated with foliage. It is the home of Gun Jyoti who built Chusya Bahal, which holds the finest wooden architecture of the ancient Kathmandu.

 From Nagah Bahal we proceed to the Sigha Bahal. It is a bahal established by Wak Bajra. He brought the buddhistic stupa all the way from Benaras with the aid of a simple thread during the reign of King Nripendra Malla in 1670. He invited shakya families from Ason Tole to live there and to celebrate the annual festival of the stupa.

 After observing the Sigha Bahal we visit Thahity also known as Thane. It is the upper town waterspout in Kathmandu. The place has a white Chaitya built by Wak Bajra that covers the stone spout. The spout is said to have flown with golden sands. The place is at the border of the quarter called Thane, which is inhabited by the upper class of the the society mainly: priests and merchants.

KWA BAHAL
This is the home of the tantric priest Wak Bajra who built the stupa that is known as Sigha chaitya today. After installing the stupa, he meditated inside this bahal for the rest of his life. The bahal also has its own Kumari.

Thamel, THAMBAHI
It was constructed by Singha Sarth Bahu who led 500 tradesmen to Lhasa in the 11^th century. During Holi Punhi (full moon), his portrait known as Chakandeo is brought out to celebrate his heroic deed of slaying demons that followed him back to his hometown.