Patan: Land of the Kings and Goddesses

Before going to the field site, our Nepali hosts squeezed in quick sightseeing in Patan Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the city of Lalitpur. In the site are old temples and historical edifices, showcasing Nepali culture, traditional architecture, and design.

The temple of the living goddess of Lalitpur is found in this historical site. Believed to be the reincarnation of the Hindu goddess Durga, the living goddesses of Nepal, called "Kumari", are pre-pubescent girls selected from a centuries-old tradition that continues to this day.

“Chosen from 3 to 6 years of age from the Newari community, the Kumari is confined inside a temple. Their relatives and a private teacher are the only ones who can talk to them and they are not allowed to touch the ground with their feet. In the Nepalese culture, menstrual blood is seen as something polluted, and thus, non-divine. Even for a Goddess, menstruation means exclusion and a change of life. The Kumari ceases to be a living goddess the day she has her first period.” (Washington Post,2019)

I didn't get to see the living goddess as she wasn't available when we got there. We had to keep moving.

Another attraction in Patan Durbar Square is the ancient royal palace where the Malla Kings of Lalitpur resided.

My colleague (the one in bright shirt) insisted on having her photo taken here because "Doctor Strange!" She was telling me that Doctor Strange was filmed in this place. A Nepali colleague overhears us and confirmed that indeed the movie was indeed filmed there. I haven't seen the movie when we were here (probably the last in the Marvel series 😁, for some reason) but I made sure to finally see it once I was back in the Philippines. The temples and other locations featured in the movie were a sight to see in person.

We went around a little bit, took photos, took some more photos with the pigeons, and brought some souvenirs. My colleague haggled so hard for the Tibetan singing bowl. In the end, she managed to get a fair deal for a couple of bowls, the other one for me. I wanted to buy a knife. I was fascinated by the design. It reminded me of Alexandra Trese. However, a Nepali colleague reminded me of the restrictions of bringing a knife in the airplane, so I decided to not get one.

We had to keep moving, as it was just a side trip. While walking to our bus, some of the Nepali people dropped by again at the living goddess’ temple and finally saw her. They were so happy to see her; one even called her mother to share the news.

I would've preferred to stay longer, explored the site some more, learned more about its history. I have so many questions. But we needed to leave. Anyway, there will be another time.

Still, I immensely enjoyed our short time here. This was the first time I ever set foot outside Kathmandu, and marvel the sights usually featured in documentaries and what my friends expect me to see in this country.

The first time I went to Nepal (2017), I had high expectations with their local coffee. After all, Nepal is located in high altitude, which is perfect for growing Arabica coffee. While strolling in Thamel, my colleague and I bought a pack of beans from a store, tried it, and it really is good. However, Nepal is a tea-drinking country. So good coffee is not readily available in all places, even at hotels. They usually serve instant coffee. I haven't tried this coffee shop as we were only passing through. If I ever go back here again, I'd make time to try out Nepal's specialty coffee shops.☺