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Lalitpur is a metropolitan city and fourth most populous city of
Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
with 299,843 inhabitants living in 49,044 households per the 2021 census. It is located in the south-central part of
Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley (), also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley (, Newar language, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः), National Capital Area, is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayas, Hima ...
, a large valley in the high plateaus in central Nepal, at an altitude of 1,400 metres (4,600 feet). It's
cultural heritage Cultural heritage is the heritage of tangible and intangible heritage assets of a group or society that is inherited from past generations. Not all heritages of past generations are "heritage"; rather, heritage is a product of selection by socie ...
includes a tradition of arts and crafts. It has a multi-ethnic population with a
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
and
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
majority. Religious and cultural festivities form a major part of the lives of people residing in Kathmandu. Tourism is an important part of the city's economy and it stages festivals and feasts, Lalitpur is home to Patan Durbar Square, which has been listed by
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
as a
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
.


Etymology and culture

One of the most used and typical
Newar Newar (; , endonym: Newa; , Pracalit script: ), or Nepami, are primarily inhabitants in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and its surrounding areas, and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisation. Page 15. Newars are a distinct linguisti ...
names of Lalitpur is ''Yala.'' It is said that King Yalamber or Yellung Hang named this city after himself, and ever since this ancient city was known as Yala. There are many legends about its name. The most popular one is the legend of the god Rato Machhindranath (also known as Bunga Dyah), who was brought to the valley from Kamaru Kamachhya, located in
Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, by a group of three people representing the three kingdoms centered in the
Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley (), also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley (, Newar language, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः), National Capital Area, is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayas, Hima ...
. One of them was called Lalit, a farmer who carried god Rato Machhindranath to the valley all the way from
Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. The purpose of bringing the god Rato Machhindranath to the valley was to overcome the worst drought there. There was a strong belief that the god Rato Machhindranath would bring rain in the valley. It was due to Lalit's effort that the god Rato Machhindranath was settled in Lalitpur. Many believe that the name of the town is kept after his name ''Lalit'' and ''pur'' meaning township. In May, a chariot festival honoring the deity known as Bunga Dyah Jatra is held in Patan. It is the longest and one of the most important religious celebrations in Patan. During the month-long festival, an idol of Rato Machhendanath is placed on a tall chariot and pulled through the city streets in stages.


History


Ancient history

Lalitpur is believed to have been founded in 249 BC by the
Emperor Ashoka Ashoka, also known as Asoka or Aśoka ( ; , ; – 232 BCE), and popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was List of Mauryan emperors, Emperor of Magadha from until #Death, his death in 232 BCE, and the third ruler from the Mauryan dynast ...
. It was further expanded by the Mallas during the medieval period. Later Lalitpur is said to have been re-established by King Veer Deva in 299 AD, but there is unanimity among scholars that Patan was a well established and developed town since ancient times. Several historical records including many other legends indicate that Patan is the oldest of all the cities of Kathmandu Valley. According to a very old Kirat chronicle, Patan was founded by Kirat rulers long before the Licchavi rulers came into the political scene in
Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley (), also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley (, Newar language, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः), National Capital Area, is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayas, Hima ...
. According to that chronicle, the earliest known capital of Kirat rulers was Thankot.
Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...
, the present capital was most possibly removed from Thankot to Patan after the Kirati King Yalamber came into power sometimes around second century AD.


Malla era

The Licchavi era was followed by the Malla era. Rulers from Tirhut, upon being attacked by the
Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate or the Sultanate of Delhi was a Medieval India, late medieval empire primarily based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for more than three centuries.
, fled north to the Kathmandu valley. They intermarried with Nepali royalty, and this led to the Malla era. The early years of the Malla era were turbulent, with raids and attacks from
Khas Khas peoples or Khas Tribes, (; ) popularly known as Khashiya are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, in what is now the South Asian country of Nepal, as well as the Indian stat ...
and Turk Muslims. There was also a devastating earthquake which claimed the lives of a third of Kathmandu's population, including the king Abhaya Malla. These disasters led to the destruction of most of the architecture of the Licchavi era (such as Mangriha and Kailashkut Bhawan), and the loss of literature collected in various monasteries within the city. Despite the initial hardships, Kathmandu rose to prominence again and, during most of the Malla era, dominated the trade between India and Tibet. Nepali currency became the standard currency in trans-Himalayan trade. During the later part of the Malla era, Kathmandu Valley comprised four fortified cities: Kantipur, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Kirtipur. These served as the capitals of the Malla confederation of Nepal. These states competed with each other in the arts, architecture, esthetics, and trade, resulting in tremendous development. The kings of this period directly influenced or involved themselves in the construction of public buildings, squares, and temples, as well as the development of waterspouts, the institutionalisation of trusts (called guthis), the codification of laws, the writing of dramas, and the performance of plays in city squares. Evidence of an influx of ideas from India, Tibet, China, Persia, and Europe among other places can be found in a stone inscription from the time of king
Pratap Malla Pratap Malla (1624–1674 A.D.) was a Malla dynasty (Nepal), Malla king and the eighth Kingdom of Kantipur, King of Kantipur from 1641 until his death in 1674. He attempted to unify Kathmandu Valley by conquering Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, but fai ...
. Books have been found from this era that describe their tantric tradition (e.g. Tantrakhyan), medicine (e.g. Haramekhala), religion (e.g. Mooldevshashidev), law, morals, and history. Amarkosh, a Sanskrit-Nepal Bhasa dictionary from 1381 AD, was also found. Architecturally notable buildings from this era include Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square,
Bhaktapur Durbar Square Bhaktapur Durbar Square (Newar language, Nepal Bhasa: ) is a former royal palace complex located in Bhaktapur, Nepal. It housed the Malla dynasty (Nepal), Malla kings of Nepal from 14th to 15th century and the kings of the Kingdom of Bhaktapur f ...
, the former durbar of Kirtipur, Nyatapola, Kumbheshwar, the Krishna temple, and others.


Modern era

In 1768, Lalitpur was annexed to the Gorkha Kingdom by
Prithvi Narayan Shah Prithvi Narayan Shah (; 7 January 1723 – 11 January 1775), was the last king of the Gorkha Kingdom and first king of the Kingdom of Nepal (also called the ''Kingdom of Gorkha''). Prithvi Narayan Shah started the unification of Nepal. He is a ...
without any battle.


Geography

Lalitpur is on the elevated tract of land in
Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley (), also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley (, Newar language, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः), National Capital Area, is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayas, Hima ...
on the south side of the
Bagmati River The Bagmati River flows through the Kathmandu valley of Nepal, separating the cities of Kathmandu and Patan, before flowing through Madesh Province of southern Nepal and joining the Kamla River in the Indian state of Bihar. It is considered ...
, which separates it from the city of Kathmandu on the northern and western side. The Karmanasa Khola acts as the boundary on the eastern side. It was developed on relatively thin layers of deposited clay and gravel in the central part of a dried ancient lake known as the Nagdaha. The city has an area of 15.43 square kilometres and is divided into 29
municipal A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the gov ...
wards.


Climate

Climate is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
subtype for this climate is " Cfa" (Humid Subtropical Climate).


Historical monuments

The city was initially designed in the shape of the
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
Dharma-Chakra (Wheel of Righteousness). The four ''thurs'' or mounds on the perimeter of Patan are ascribed around, one at each corner of its cardinal points, which are popularly known as Asoka Stupas. Legend has it that Emperor
Asoka Ashoka, also known as Asoka or Aśoka ( ; , ; – 232 BCE), and popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was Emperor of Magadha from until his death in 232 BCE, and the third ruler from the Mauryan dynasty. His empire covered a large p ...
(the legendary King of
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
) visited with his daughter Charumati to
Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...
in 250 BC and erected five Asoka Stupas, four in the surrounding and one at the middle of the Patan. The size and shape of these stupas seem to breathe their antiquity in a real sense. There are more than 1,200
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
monuments of various shapes and sizes scattered in and around the city. The most important monument of the city is Patan Durbar Square, which has been listed by
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
as one of seven Monument Zones that make up the
Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley (), also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley (, Newar language, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः), National Capital Area, is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayas, Hima ...
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
. The seven monument zones were included in the
World Heritage List World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritag ...
in 1979 as one integrated site. The monument zones are declared as protected and preserved according to the Monuments Preservation Act of 1956. The Square was heavily damaged on 25 April 2015 by an earthquake. Lalitpur was planned in Vihars and Bahils. Out of 295 Vihars and Bahils of the valley 56% of them are in Patan. The water conduits, stone spouts, jaladroni (water tanks), artistic gate ways, Hindu temples and Buddhist Vihars adorn the city.


Demographics


Language

As of the 2011 census, Nepali is the most common mother tongue in Lalitpur with 44.9% of the population speaking it as their mother tongue.
Newar Newar (; , endonym: Newa; , Pracalit script: ), or Nepami, are primarily inhabitants in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and its surrounding areas, and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisation. Page 15. Newars are a distinct linguisti ...
is spoken by 35.2% while the other languages spoken in the city include Tamang (6.2%), Maithili (3.4%), Magar (1.7%),
Bhojpuri Bhojpuri may refer to: * Bhojpuri language, an Indo-Aryan language of India and Nepal * Bhojpuri grammar, grammatical rules of the language * Bhojpuri nouns, nouns of the language * Bhojpuri people, people who speak the language * Bhojpuri region ...
(1.4%) and Rai (1.3%) as their first language. English is also spoken by many, especially as a non-primary language.


Ethnic groups

The largest group is the native Newars, whose various sub-groups combine to make up 39.6% of the population. The second largest ethnic group is
Chhetri Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), ( ; IAST: ''Kṣetrī'') historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali language, Nepali speaking people historically associated with the warrior class and administration, some of ...
, who account for 15.9% of the population while Bahuns also known as Hill-Brahmin or Khas Brahmin, represent 11.9% of the population. Other groups in Kathmandu include the Janajatis, comprising the Tamang (8.3%), Magar (3.5%), Rai (3.5%) and
Gurung Gurung (exonym; ) or Tamu (endonym; Gurung language, Gurung: ) are a Tibetan people, Tibetan ethnic group living in the hills and mountains of Gandaki Province of Nepal. Gurungs speak Tamu kyi which is a Sino-Tibetan language derived from the ...
(1.5%). Nepalese
Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
represent 0.7% of the population. More recently, other Madeshi groups from
Terai The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in parts of southern Nepal and northern India that lies to the south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This lowland belt is characterised by ...
have come to represent a substantial proportion of the city's population.


Religions

In terms of religion, 82.3% were
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
, 17.2%
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
, 0.7%
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
, 1.00% Kirati, 0.8%
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
, 0.1%
Prakriti Prakriti ( ) is "the original or natural form or condition of anything, original or primary substance". It is a key concept in Hinduism, formulated by the ''Samkhya'' school, where it does not refer merely to matter or nature, but includes all cog ...
and 0.2% others. In terms of literacy, 86.0% could read and write, 1.6% could only read and 12.4% could neither read nor write.


Economy

A substantial portion of the
population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...
is engaged in trades, notably in traditional handicrafts and small-scale
cottage industries The putting-out system is a means of subcontracting work, like a tailor. Historically, it was also known as the workshop system and the domestic system. In putting-out, work is contracted by a central agent to subcontractors who complete the p ...
, and some residents work in
agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
. Lalitpur has produced the highest number of renowned artists and finest craftsmen ever recorded in the history of Nepali art. Lalitpur has maintained a culture of craftwork even in the face of rapid urbanization and many social and political upheavals. The city is less urbanized than Kathmandu, north of the Bagmati river, but is home to many workshops, stores, restaurants, hotels, schools, embassies and other important sectors of the Kathmandu Valley economy.
Buddha Air Buddha Air Pvt. Ltd () is an airline based in Lalitpur, Nepal. It operates domestic flights within Nepal as well as international services to Varanasi, India, from its main base in Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu.Flight International ...
has its headquarters in
Jawalakhel Jāwalākhel () is a subdivision of Lalitpur in Nepal. It is located 2 km from the ancient city centre Pātan, one of the three great capitals of Nepal until the 18th century. It derives its name from "जा हुल्य: खल:()", an ...
near Patan.


Education


Postsecondary education

Lalitpur is home to Pulchowk Engineering Campus, one of the oldest and most reputed colleges affiliated with the
Institute of Engineering The Institute of Engineering (IOE) ( Nepali: ईन्जिनियरिङ अध्ययन संस्थान), established in 1930, is one of the five technical institutes under Tribhuvan University, Nepal's largest academic institu ...
,
Tribhuvan University Tribhuvan University (TU; ) is a public university located in Kirtipur, Kathmandu Valley, Kathmandu, Nepal. Established in 1959, TU is the oldest and the largest university in Nepal. It offers 1,000 undergraduate and 500 postgraduate programs a ...
. Patan Academy of Health Sciences is the only medical university in the city with Patan Hospital as its primary teaching hospital, and there is another private medical school - KIST Medical College in Lalitpur. Other institutions of higher learning in Patan include Patan Multiple Campus, Virinchi College and Kathmandu University School of Management (KU SOM).


Primary and secondary education

Lalitpur is home to few best schools and colleges of Nepal are located in Lalitpur. Every year thousands of students from all over Nepal arrive at Kathmandu to get admission in the various schools and colleges. Among all, the largest and reputed schools are Ideal Model School, Ullens School, Rato Bangla School, Premier International IB World School, British School, St. Xavier's School, Nepal Don Bosco School, Little Angels' School and Gyanodaya Bal Batika School. Other schools include the Hindu Vidya Peeth Nepal, St. Mary's, Graded English Medium School, DAV Sushil Kedia, Adarsha Kanya Niketan, Tri-padma Vidyashram, Adarsha Saral Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Sudesha High School, and Nava Suryodaya English Secondary School.


Libraries

Nepal National Library which was established in 1957 AD was moved to Lalitpur from Singha Durbar in 2061 BS. It is at Harihar Bhawan.
Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya Madan Puraskār Pustakālaya () is a library of books and periodicals in the Nepali language. The library is a not-for-profits and non-governmental institution that is run by a trust. In addition to the archive, the library is involved in many o ...
, located near Patan Dhoka, is another library, which awards the ''Madan Puraskar'' and ''Jagadamba Shree Puraskar'' literary prizes is in the city. There are also numbers of libraries around Lalitpur Metropolitan city such as Deepawali Pustakalaya in Satdobato, Buddhibikash Library in Lagankhel, an
Sanu Ko Pustakalaya
in Manbhawan.


Landmarks

Lalitpur is renowned as a very artistic city. Most of the Nepalese art is devoted to gods, and there is an abundance of
temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...
s and viharas. Notable landmarks include: * Patan Durbar Square: The palace square and residence of the Malla rulers of Patan state which now houses a museum. *Patan Dhoka: One of the historical entrances to the old city. It was recently painted with the symbols of Asta-matrikas led by the veteran artis
Lok Chitrakar
* Hiranya Varna Mahavihar: A Buddhist temple known locally as Golden Temple. * Mahabouddha Temple: Also known as 1000 Buddha Temple modeled liked the
Mahabodhi Temple The Mahabodhi Temple (literally: "Great Awakening Temple") or the Mahābodhi Mahāvihāra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an ancient, but restored Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India, marking the location where the Buddha is said to hav ...
in
Bodh Gaya Bodh Gayā is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple complex, situated in the Gaya district in the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place where Gautam ...
. * Kumbheshwar Temple: A Shiva temple with two ponds whose water is believed to come from
Gosaikunda Gosaikunda, also spelled Gosainkunda, is a lake in Nepal's Langtang National Park, located at an elevation of in the Rasuwa District with a surface area of . Together with associated lakes, the Gosaikunda Lake complex is in size and was design ...
. *Banglamukhi Temple: A temple which is one of the ten mahavidyas (great wisdom goddesses) in Hinduism. *Ratnakar Mahavihar: Also known as Ha Baha, the viahara complex is the official residence of the Kumari of Patan. *Krishna Mandir: One of the stone temples of Nepal built by King Siddhi Narasimha Malla in the 16th century. * Central Zoo: Central Zoo was established in 1932 by Rana Prime Minister
Juddha Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana Field Marshal Shri Shri Shri Maharaja Sir Juddha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana () GCB GCSI GCIE (19 April 1875 in Narayanhity Palace, Kathmandu – 20 November 1952 in Dehradun, India) was the Prime Minister of Nepal from 1 September 1932 ...
as a private zoo, it is the only zoo in entire Nepal. * Pimbahal Pokhari: This large pond is a hidden gem centred around a charming lakeshore pavilion. On the north side is three-tiered Chandeswari Temple built in 1663. Walk around the pond clockwise and you'll pass a 600-year-old whitewashed stupa that was damaged by Muslim invaders in 1357.


Transportation


Airports

All international and domestic flights for
Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley (), also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley (, Newar language, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः), National Capital Area, is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayas, Hima ...
are handled by
Tribhuvan International Airport Tribhuvan International Airport (, , colloquially referred to as TIA) is an international airport located in Kathmandu, Bagmati, Nepal. It has a tabletop runway, a domestic terminal and an international terminal. As the country's main internat ...
which lies about 7 km from Patan City Centre.


Roads

Walking is the easiest method of transportation within the city as the core is densely populated. In terms of motor transport, Kathmandu Ring Road which encircles the central part of the valley is a strategic road in the city. Connection to
Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...
over the
Bagmati River The Bagmati River flows through the Kathmandu valley of Nepal, separating the cities of Kathmandu and Patan, before flowing through Madesh Province of southern Nepal and joining the Kamla River in the Indian state of Bihar. It is considered ...
is provided by a host of road and pedestrian bridges. The most trafficked and important bridge connecting to the centre of Kathmandu is Thapathali Bridge. Since pedestrians and vehicles often have to share the same road, traffic congestion is a major problem in Patan. Efforts are being made to widen roads to make them more suitable to vehicular traffic.


Public transportation

Private companies operate a number of routes connecting Patan with other places in the valley. Buses, micro-buses and electric tempos are the most common forms of public transport seen in the city. Lalitpur Yatayat buses connects the touristic
Thamel Thamel () is a commercial neighborhood located in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The name comes from Tha Bahi (थ: बहि), indicating its root origin to have come from the Newa community, the indigenous people of Kathmandu Valley. Tha Bahi ...
area of Kathmandu with buses stopping at Patan Dhoka, a five-minute walk to Patan Durbar Square. Lagankhel Bus Park is the central transport hub
Sajha Yatayat
is another major public vehicle service that connects Lalitpur with its neighboring districts. It also operate
electric buses


Infrastructure


Hospitals

Patan Hospital The Patan Hospital () is a teaching hospital for the Patan Academy of Health Sciences. Patan Hospital is one of the largest hospitals in Nepal. It uses modern equipment and facilities to provide treatment for almost 320,000 outpatients and 20,00 ...
is a renowned government hospital in Lalitpur which is also the teaching hospital for the Patan Academy of Health Sciences. Patan Mental Hospital is located opposite Patan Hospital in Lagankhel, which is focused on mental illness patients
Nepal Mediciti
Hospital, Bhaisepati an
B&B Hospital
Gwarko are some renowned private hospitals in Lalitpur
Sumeru Hospital
as kidney hospital located at Dhapakhel.


Media

Patan has several local FM radio stations present.


Sport, Fitness & Wellness

Nepal Squash Rackets Association (NSRA)(Satdobato, International Swimming Complex (Satdobato), All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) (Satdobato), Nepal Taekwondo Association (Satdobato, Satdobato Youth Club (Satdobato, Khumaltar Youth Club, Tennis Complex (Satdobato), Army Physical Training Centre (Lagankhel), National Sports Centre (Chyasal), Satdobato Yog Sadhana Kendra (Satdobato), Bhelpa Bhairav Yog Sadhana Kendra (Satdobato), Nakipot Yog Sadana Kendra (Nakhipot), Dholahiti Yog Sadhana Kendra (Dholahiti) Bhalu Bhairav Gym (Satdobato)


Language

The native language of Patan is
Nepal Bhasa Newar (; , ) is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. The language is known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhas ...
of Newars. Though due to the migration of other people from other places to Patan, other languages like Nepali, Tamang, etc. are also spoken.


Gallery

File:Mipwa Lakhey performing, Patan, Lalitpur, Nepal.jpg, Mipwa Lakhey performing, Patan, Lalitpur, Nepal File:patanpalace.JPG, Patan Durbar Square File:Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur(1).jpg, Patan Durbar Square File:Northern Ashok Stupa of Patan city,Nepal 01.jpg, Northern Ashök Stupa File:007 Bhandarkhal Water Tank and Taleju Temple,Patan Durbar Square.jpg, Water tank at Bhandarkhal Garden File:Tusha Hiti step-well.jpg, Tusha Hiti File:Bhoto Jatra.jpg, Bhoto Jatra at Jawalakhel, Lalitpur


References


External links

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Old pictures of Patan from 1920sOld video footage of Patan in 1978
{{Authority control Newar Populated places in Lalitpur District, Nepal Populated places established in the 3rd century BC Metropolitan cities in Nepal Nepal municipalities established in 1953 3rd-century BC establishments in Nepal