RanZan Blog

Deep below at the base of the Shivapuri Hill within the Kathmandu Valley on the northern end, lies the mystical Buddhanilkantha Temple , meaning “old blue-throat”, just 9 km away from the main city. It is at this location that you will find one of the three images of the deity Lord Vishnu or in full Vishnu (Narayan) Jalasayana which is regarded by the local people as the principal deity. It is with the sacredness of this particular god that a deep-seated belief was created by King Pratap Malla through a prophetic dream. It was his strong belief and fear that should the King of Nepal visit the Buddhanilkantha temple, death would be imminent upon his departure. The two other images of the deity which were carved during the same time lie at two particular destinations: the Balaju Gardens where public viewing can take place and the beautiful Royal Palace in Kathmandu. It is here at Budhanilkantha Temple, however, that public viewing is not permitted. The Deity of Lord Vis...

The Narayanhiti Palace , or Narayanhiti Durbar , is a palace in Kathmandu , Nepal , which long served as a primary residence for the country's monarchs . Etymology The name, Narayanhiti, is made up of two words ‘narayan’ and ‘hiti’. Narayan is the name of an incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu , whose temple is located opposite to the palace. ‘Hiti’ means “water spout” which is also located to the east of main entrance in the precincts of the palace, a landmark that features prominently in local legends. History The palace compound is located in the north-central part of Kathmandu, at the head of Durbar marg . It is designed to be a contemporary pagoda with sprawling, park-like grounds covering an area of (30 hectares (74 acres)) all fully enclosed with walls and guarded gates. The current Narayanhiti Palace was built in 1970, replacing the original building designed by a master Nepalese architect Jogbir Sthapit in 1886, which in turn had been built on the ...

The GhantaGhar (घन्टाघर), the first public tower clock in Nepal, is situated at the heart of capital city Kathmandu (near to Trichandra College ). The original clock tower was designed after the Big Ben of London , as Western influence crept into Nepalese architecture during the Rana era. The GhantaGhar that stands today was rebuilt after the 1990 BS earthquake, standing on the site of the original. The word GhantaGhar is made up of two words, "Ghanta" and "Ghar". The words "Ghanta" and "Ghar" in Nepali mean "Hour" and "House" in English respectively. And thus the word "GhantaGhar" means the house that is used for looking hours or time. There is also another GhantaGhar in Birgunj, which was made by the help of Japanese child student's donation.

Dharahara ( Nepali : धरहरा ), also called Bhimsen Tower , is a nine storey (61.88m) tall tower at the center of Sundhara, Kathmandu . It is situated in the historical city of Kathmandu , and is a part of Architecture of Kathmandu recognized by UNESCO . It was built in 1832 by the Prime Minister of the time, Bhimsen Thapa of Nepal . Bhimsen Thapa built the tower under the orders of Queen Lalit Tripura Sundari. The tower has a spiral staircase containing 213 steps. The 8th floor holds a circular balcony for observers that provides a panoramic view of the whole Kathmandu valley. The tower has a 5.2m bronze mast on the roof. The tower has been open for the general public since 2005 for a small fee. History The present day Dharahara is actually the second such tower made by Bhimsen Thapa. The original Bhimsen Tower was built in 1824 and was 11 stories high, two stories taller than the present day Dharahara. Dharahara was built for Queen Lalit Tripura Sundari, who was...

Rani Pokhari ( Nepali : रानी पोखरी ) meaning queen's pond, also known as Nhu Pukhu ( Nepal Bhasa : न्हू पुखू ) meaning new pond, is an historic artificial pond located in the heart of Kathmandu . [ 1 ] The square-shaped tank dates from the 17th century, and was built on the eastern side of the then city limits. It lies just outside a former city gate. The pond is one of Kathmandu's most famous landmarks, and is known for its religious and aesthetic significance. Its dimensions are 180m by 140m. Construction Rani Pokhari was built in 1670 AD by King Pratap Malla , one of the most illustrious monarchs of the Malla dynasty that ruled Nepal for more than 600 years. Pratap Malla had the tank constructed to console his queen who was distraught with grief after their son was trampled to death by an elephant. He had water collected from various holy places and river confluences in Nepal and India like Gosaikunda , Muktinath , Badrinath , Kedarnath and pour...