Patan Darbar as seen from North-West
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Keshav
Narayan Chowk is the Northern-most part of the Patan Darbar palace
complex, with the dominating Degutale temple next to it. It is the site
of the earliest Malla palace in Patan and rests on the even older
foundations of a Buddhist monastery which it replaced long ago. It was
also called Caukvatha or Chaukot Darbar, the Four-Cornered Fort, in
reference to its four tower pavilions and to the originally open terrace
in between them. Of these corner pavilions, only the two front ones are
still in place.
Although the date of
its original construction remains unknown, repeated renovations of the
palace have been recorded. For the last time under Malla
rule, it was rebuilt in 1734 to its present shape |
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West-wing |
North-wing and Kesav
Narayan Temple |
East Wing |
North-East Wing |
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(above)
longitudinal section, seen from South
and (left) ground floor plan
after restoration. |
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| Above: The main
courtyard as seen from the entrance arcade; Below: The main
courtyard as seen from above |
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The
quadrangle of Keshav Narayan Chowk opens into arcades (dalan) on three
of its sides, supported by pairs of
carved timber pillars. The small domed shrine in the courtyard is
devoted to Lord Vishnu as Mani Keshav Narayan - from which the common
name of this part of the palace derives.
The Eastern wing
(behind the temple) that had collapsed in the 1934 earthquake was
rebuilt thereafter with double of its original width.
Since
1950, it was used as one of Patan’s first public schools.
After
its restoration between 1983 and 1992, the court quadrangle now looks
again as it did when inaugurated in 1734. An open balcony runs around
the four sides under the eaves connecting the rooms on this floor which
has no internal corridor. The yellow flags are remnants of Bernardo
Bertolucci’s set decoration for his film “Little Buddha.” |