Patan Durbar Square
Explore Patan Durbar Square, a sacred place in Lalitpur, Nepal. The bustling square is filled with a beautiful palace and 55 shrines and temples honoring Hindu deities.
About the exhibit
This story is part of the Sacred Places exhibit at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, where you’ll get a glimpse into dozens of faith communities around the world. Visit the exhibit's website to learn more about Patan Durbar Square or to explore other sites.
Visitors at Patan Durbar Square (2022-09) by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and CyArkChildren's Museum of Indianapolis
What is this place?
The palace was built by Malla kings more than 300 years ago. Within the palace is Sundari Chowk, a beautiful courtyard decorated with intricate wood and stone carvings. The temples, idols, and shrines throughout the square create both public and private sacred spaces.
Where is this place?
Patan, also known as Lalitpur, is located at the southern end of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, a long, narrow country situated between India and Tibet in South Asia.
Keshav Narayan Temple at Patan Durbar Square (2022-09) by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and CyArkChildren's Museum of Indianapolis
What makes this a sacred place?
Hindus believe that the earth is influenced by the gods. In Patan Durbar Square there is a collection of grand temples and shrines, each serving as a dwelling place of a god. Worshipers visit to be present with the god and show their love and respect.
Puja Offering (2022-09) by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and CyArkChildren's Museum of Indianapolis
What is an example of what people do at this place?
Hindus visit shrines throughout the square, including those along the palace’s exterior walls, to perform a puja, which means “worship” in Sanskrit.
Puja Offerings (2022-09) by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and CyArkChildren's Museum of Indianapolis
What happens during a puja?
During the puja, Hindus make offerings to the god of the shrine while reciting phrases, including lines from the Vedas, the sacred texts of Hinduism. Offerings may include flowers, food, fire, or water that worshippers leave at the shrine for the god.
A Vendor Sells Items Used in Puja (2022-09) by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and CyArkChildren's Museum of Indianapolis
Where do the offerings come from?
Throughout the square, vendors sell items for worshippers to use for offerings and rituals. Some worshippers, also bring offerings from their homes.
Ritual Bath (2022-09) by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and CyArkChildren's Museum of Indianapolis
What is Tusa Hiti?
At the center of the palace’s Sundari Chowk is a step pool known as Tusa Hiti. This pool was originally built by Siddhi Narasimha Malla, a devout Hindu, in the mid-1600s. The stone walls of the pool are intricately carved with an array of Hindu deities.
Ritual bath in square (2022-09) by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and CyArkChildren's Museum of Indianapolis
How was Tusa Hiti used?
Exactly how this pool was intended to be used is unclear, but the Malla king likely used it and the surrounding deities in his own daily practice of devotion and prayer.
Thank you to Shivesh Sharma, Indra Prasad Shilpakar, Sunil Pandey, Rohit Ranjiktar, Monalisa Maharjan, Shristina Shrestha, Raj Bikram Maharjan, Aswain Tamrakar and CyArk.
Sacred Places is made possible by Lilly Endowment Inc.
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