THE OLDEST CITY OF FINE ARTS IN PATAN

You never know what best of Patan is like until you see the following three important place for yourself which is only 5 minutes walk from Patan Durbar Square.

*    Mahabuddha Temple, the most beautiful built terracotta temple of one thousand Buddhas.

*    Rudra Varna Mahavihar, the most enchanting fifteen chantries pinnacled temple monastery.

*    Most reputed craftsmen’s Co-operative Society, This is

Mahabuddha Temple

            Here is a temple called Mahabuddha dedicated to Buddha, the great. This is all made from highly perfected local terracotta, the hand made stone. This beautiful brick edifice in the tourist world is popularly known as the temple of one thousand Buddhas as you can see in this temple each brick has an image of Buddha. This could be convincing enough for you to believe that all 1000 Buddhas are there. This Buddhist temple interestingly enough built in a very Hindu style known as Shikhara - has five stupa shaped golden pinnacles known as Shunya Niranjana Chaitya - meaning the absolute void - one each on the four corner shrines surrounding the main temple and the fifth one, which is the biggest of all, is on the top of the central structure of the temple.

This unique temple was designed and built by a very famous Buddhist architect - Priest Pandit Abhaya Raj Shakya from Okubahal, the locality known for rich artistic heritage where this temple stands to this day. It is said that the inspiration he got for the construction of this temple was from the very first sight of Budhgaya temple in India, which he saw for himself when he was there on his pilgrimage tour. Although Abhaya Raj initiated the construction of this temple - but unfortunately he passed away before he could see it completed. Then the responsibility to complete the rest of the work went to his youngest son, Buddharaju. He faithfully carried out the work left out to fulfil his late father’s desire. Unfortunately he died before the temple was fully built up. After that Jeeva Raj, a very faithful grandson of Abhaya Raj gave himself to this task and had it finally done as previously planned by his late grand father.

The construction of this temple was initiated in Nepal era 685 (1564 A.D.) during the period of King Amar Malla but by the time it was completed it was already 721 N.E. (1600 A.D.) In other words it took exactly 36 years to complete it.

This is the twice-built temple of radiant beauty almost with nothing original missing. Once it was in 1564 A.D. and the next was in 1937 A.D. What happened was once we had a very heavy earthquake in 1933 A.D. which shook the entire Kathmandu valley causing thousands of towering temples and buildings fall down to their foundation level. It was this time that this peaceful Buddhist temple was also destroyed leaving behind only most confusing debris for the temple. But fortunately enough with the help of several highly skilled artists and architects of this very locality (Okubahal) plus many other enthusiastic lay devotees from different parts of the city this temple was fully restored back into its original shape. This was exactly in 1973 A.D.

The successful restoration of this temple by the artists of Okubahal is a very good evidence of the artistic skills they had shown untill that time and they are still very well known for this most glorious heritage.

It must be remembered here that casting various metal mages by the lost wax process is still a living craft of this locality. This is what this locality (Okubahal) is so famous for. To sum up the only place to find the best metal sculptors of the Kingdom of Nepal is no doubt Okubahal-Mahabuddha in Patna, the oldest city of fine arts.

Rudra Varna Mahavihar

One of the oldest and most beautiful Buddhist monasteries ever built in this city is Rudra Varna Mahavihar. This beautiful monastery founded by Lichhavi King, Shiva Deva dates back to the 6th century A.D. One of the most fascinating architectural jewels to be seen in this monastery Complex is, the two-tiered pagoda temple with fifteen golden chaitya pinnacles perfectly set on the rooftop.

This monastery is very much like an open-air museum filled with many beautiful bronze statues. For instance the beautiful Tirana set above the main doorway of this monastic temple inside the courtyard is a real classic piece which undoubtedly is the finest example of the traditional metal craft majored and mastered by the artists of Okubahal where this great monastery stands.

Another artistic splendor to be seen here is the old wooden struts supporting the first floor roofs of the monastery building standing on all four sides of the courtyard. These wooden struts which are so beautiful carved with the most charming beauty maidens in dancing gestures is, no doubt the most fascinating classic - work in wood. These divine sculptures - are to symbolize the beauty of life tree that never dies away. These artworks are all beauty in themselves but these words are not. So how about paying a visit you to this unique temple monastery popularly known as Okubahal!

This colony in fact is the best-known place in all Patan for traditional handicrafts, such as metal, wood and stonecrafts statuary and intricate thangka paintings plus many other beautiful art works. So altogether 250 artist families are involved in this traditional craft.

Please note - we do also immediate mailing our purchase by sea or air as you decide.

Government Registered

Mahabuddha Okubahal Occupational Craftsmen’s Cooperative Society, Ltd.

Okubahal Mahabuddha, Lalitpur-6, and Tel.: 525857

G.P.O.Box 4766, Kathmandu, Nepal.

One of the largest Buddhist network web site in the world.

www.buddhistview.com  USA E-mail us: tsultim@buddhistview.com