Kathmandu - an introduction

Kathamandu, lying in the lap of the Himalayas, is a paradise for Photography enthusiasts. Kathmandu is truely a gold mine because you will see something new and something different every way you turn.

As you walk down some old "galli", you find yourself sandwiched between the old and the new, sometimes the feeling is of time travelling to an one of the past centuries :P.

The city of Kathmandu was named after Kasthamandaptemple, that stands in Durbar Square. In Sanskrit, Kastha(काष्ठ) means "wood" and Mandap (/मण्डप) means "covered shelter". This temple, also known as Maru Satal, was built in 1596 by King Laxmi Narsingh Malla. The two-storey structure is made entirely of wood, and uses no iron nails nor supports. According to legend, all the timber used to build this pagoda was obtained from a single tree.^[14]

The colophons of ancient manuscripts, dated as late as the 20th century, refer to Kathmandu as Kasthamandap Mahanagar in Nepal Mandala. Mahanagar means "great city". The city is called "Kasthamandap" in a vow that Buddhist priests still recite to this day. Thus, Kathmandu is also known as Kasthamandap. During medieval times, the city was sometimes called Kantipur (कान्तिपुर). This name is derived from two Sanskrit words - Kanti and pur. "Kanti" is one of the names of the Goddess Lakshmi, and "pur" means place.

Occasionally referred to as the city of temples, Kathmandu is an ideal place to submerge yourself in photography. There is potential everywhere. The thing i love most about walking around Kathmandu with my camera is the thing that i find something interesting on every turn.