Patan

Taken during December 1969, Patan, sometimes called Lalitpur ('City of Royal Ease') dates to the 8th century C.E. It is renowned for its talented artisans whose metal, stone and woodwork is outstanding. Patan is one of the most exuberantly decorated cities in Nepal, much of the woodwork dating to the 17th cent. Major efforts have been undertaken to restore and re-use many of the older buildings, especially those damaged in the great earthquake of 1934. The photographs of the main Durbar Square reflect the same scene today with the addition of many hundreds of tourists being the major difference. The stone carvings of the Royal bath (in Tusahiti, Sundari Chowk) reflect the high skills of the artisans of the 16-17th century. At the time these photographs were taken Patan was surrounded by farms and farmhouses and getting there from Kathmandu was a stroll through paddy fields as the shots demonstrate.