Skip to main content

One Day in Nuwakot





How many of us recall history that of King Prithvi Narayan Shah having had conquered Nuwakot, as in initiation to the modern Nepal?

Fairly, a lot of us.

How many of us have actually visited Nuwakot?

Very few.

So this weekend, why not pack a bag and head over to this gem of a place of Nepal. Granted that the 2015 earthquake has shed some damages to this historical place, it still deserves a visit.

Do you know where Nuwakot got its name from? Nuwakot comprises of two words: Nuwa and kot. Nuwa as in 9 and kot as in religious sites. Nuwakot is said to have 9 hills with sacred religious sites that protect the place. Hence, the name Nuwakot, or the city of 9 hills.

Interesting, eh?

Here is how you can spend a day in Nuwakot.

Durbar View Hotel, Battar

Grab some breakfast at Durbar View Hotel before you set off.

Hike to the durbar

Of course, you can take a ride up the hill; I would not judge, but the hike up to the durbar would be an adventure in itself. The ride should be about 20 mins up to the durbar.

Taleju Ghar


The 35m-high temple was built in 1564 by Mahendra Malla and dedicated to the Goddess Taleju. This temple might be mistaken for the fortress itself, however it is not so. It may not even look like a temple at first glance, but is sacred nonetheless. Like the Taleju temple in the Kathmandu Durbar Square, no one is allowed to enter the temple with the exception of a single day during the Dashain festival.

Nuwakot saat talle durbar


The Nuwakot saat talle durbar is situated on the top of a hill. And hear me out when I say, the trip is definitely worth it. The view is to die for! You can either hike, or hitch a ride to the entrance, whichever way pleases you best. This palace was built during the reign of King Prithvi Narayan Shah. The 7 floored durbar will leave you in awe recreating history every floor you pass and giving you an aerial view from the top floor. I mean, you’re on top of 7 storied palace on top of a hill. Could it get any better?

 Bhairabhi temple


The Bhairabhi temple is about 5 mins walking distance from the Nuwakot durbar and is a significant temple here. The Bhairabhi festival is celebrated here every other year. And did I tell you about the awesome scenery from here?



Rangamahal


The Rangamahal stands glamorously opposite the saat talle durbar. Since Nuwakot was jointly ruled by the Malla kings of the Kathmandu valley, Rangamahal was built for the purpose of a pleasurable spot for the three kings of the valley. It was used to host formal events, ceremonial occasions and for performing arts. Rangamahal is made of beautiful oily bricks with fine wooden carvings.

Garadhghar


This building used to be the army barracks. It is set behind a peaceful and still scenic garden area. Although it’s hard to tell now but the building used to have four floors plus a slanted roof. Today it’s been reduced to only two floors. It will have to be completely rebuilt.

It is situated facing the Seven Story palace and is believed that the King Prithvi Narayan Shah built it in 1762 as a Tilingaghar (Store of weapons).

Nuwakot ViewPoint


A short distance from the Nuwakot durbar is the Nuwakot viewpoint near the Kalika temple. It should be around 1 km from the durbar. This viewpoint will not disappoint you; displaying a range of the Langtang range, it depends on clear weather, though!

The Famous Farm of Nuwakot


The ancient decors take you back to the gone by times and you get transcended to those times. From here, you also get an eagle’s eye view of the Nuwakot Durbar, which happens to be about 8-10 minute walk from here. It is a living paradise for anyone who loves peace and tranquility. If you want, you could stay here.

Trishuli Bazar


Stroll around the Trishuli bazar. Trust me, this bazar is one of the most fascinating places I have been to. The bazar has been built on top of a hill. The ups and downs of the alleys and the lanes, make shopping and eating out all the more interesting.

And this is how you could spend an awesome day in Nuwakot. However, do not think this is all there is to Nuwakot. If you have got the time, please do travel to Kakani, Nuwakot to taste trout fish and if you have the time to invest and if it is the right timing of the year, you might just catch a glimpse of the Nuwakot Kumari during the Sindure festival. Nuwakot is one of the four cities that pride in Kumari: the living goddess. And Sindure festival is one of the main festivals here in Nuwakot that takes place during the Maghe Sankranti. The Sindure festival is celebrated upto 12 days. Nuwakot also happens to be home to the only bull fighting competition in Nepal. Like I said, this is not all there is to Nuwakot.

Go ahead: explore this gem of a place of Nepal.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Tale of Nails: PrettyNails by PrettyClick

  There was a time when a splash of paint on your fingertips did the trick, popped up your hand and gave you that little boost you needed. But now, your nails are a canvas that you can create art on. And when I say art, I mean art. It’s called nail art: simple and right to the point. Whoever named them rightfully did it justice. Your nails will thank you for the glory and the bright colors and honestly, who can blame you for the umpteenth time you glance at your hands all day? Nail art has become insanely popular this decade. Extensions, gel polish, glitter, stones, marble effect, it’s a whole other world out there. It’s the perfect way of showing your style and  PrettyNails by PrettyClick covers it all. Here are 25 gorgeous designs and styles that are perfect this spring and summer at  PrettyNails by PrettyClick : Queen of Hearts Let the world know how happy you feel from the inside. This hearts on your tips will make you smile throughout the day. The Fest...
Post a Comment
Read more

Rajamati

I think we’ve all heard the song of Rajamati growing up. It is so popular that many people in Nepal claim this is the only Newari song that they have heard. The song was written some 200 years back. The first few lines go like this, which I’m sure you must have heard of, unless you’ve been living under a rock: Rājamati kumati, jike wasā pirati Hāya bābā Rājamati-chā Rājamati mabila dhāsā Kāshi wane tela bubā Hayā biu Rājamati-chā. San dhāsā kuli kuli, mikhā dhāsā bālā bālā Sakumi yā mhyāy machā lā Khwā dhāsā tuyu khwā, khwālay niga tee du Tāhā Nani yā Rājamati-chā. It is said to be written by or rather from the perspective of a man who was infatuated and in awe of the beauty of Rajamati. He describes with great admiration: her hair, her eyes, her complexion and the little moles on her face. However it is unknown who the writer of this beautiful song is. The song rushed into popularity after it was played in England in 1850 when Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana vi...
5 comments
Read more

Best Places for Breakfast in Kathmandu

The only reason I love sleep, more than the reason that, well, it’s sleep, is that it’s like time travelling to breakfast.  Yeah, no kidding. Breakfast, the most important meal of the day. Whoever named that meal breakfast, was straightforward. I don’t know who named lunch and dinner, but the breakfast guy? He cut in straight to the point, didn’t he? Because breakfast is literally breaking your 8-10 hours fast. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper, they say. So, you don’t really want to compromise on breakfast now, do you? Now, this is no backlashing, but in many restaurants around town, the most breakfast things they have on the menu are omelet and toast. Yeah, I was disappointed too. There’s this restaurant in Mangal Bazar, where my best friend and I met up early morning. We decided to have breakfast. The restaurant overlooks the courtyard so it’s a beautiful place to talk over a cup of coffee or tea. She and I ordered a cheese ...
Post a Comment
Read more