Patan, south of Kathmandu Nepal is one of the most important sightseeing spots covered in Nepal Tour Packages ,Tibetan traders once called Patan "Ye Rang" (Eternity Itself). Also known as Lalitpur, it is the oldest of the three ancient city-kingdoms in Kathmandu Valley that were ruled by the Mallas, who created most of the old structures. However, it even predates the Mallas, who ruled from 1200 to 1768. A community was founded by Bir Deva around An 650.
Records of the early Mallas are scarce. The city was sacked by the Moslems in 1346, and then ruled by Kathmandu kings for several generations. In 1618, under King Siddhinarasimbha, the city became in-dependent. The temples in Du-bar Square today date back to his successors Srinivasa and Yoganarendra. As many 50 Buddhist monasteries were constructed during these kings' rules. However, the Cork has captured the city in 1768, and the Hindu conquerors plundered many of the treasures in the Ruddhist temples.
Throughout history, the kingdom was linked 10 Tibet through trade. Today Pat an is populated by Novars-two-thirds of them Buddhists who are talented artisans who continue to turn out traditional fine arts. Tibetan refugees have settled in the suburb of Jawalkhel.
As in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, Patan has a Durhar Marg and a maze of winding lanes. Patan's Durbar Square is the quietest of the three in the valley. You can actually walk around it with maps open and mouth agape, and you won't he too hassled by locals trying to pass themselves off as guides.
In addition to the square and surrounding lanes, you can visit the valley's Central Zoo. If you have never been to an Asian zoo, this animal jail could he depressing. The cages for the big cats are the size of com-pact cars. The deer and antelope get relatively spacious, if sparsely planted grounds, more like courtyards than the wild. The rhinos (which tree people in Chitwan) stand at the edge of their stark compound and beg for food; a sorry sight. But there are up sides. There is a lovely green lake, and you can rent paddle boats and tool around the water. Children can take elephant rides (100 Rs. for a 200-meter ride within the park; 3,000 Rs. for a ride outside of the compound) and play at the playground. The zoo is also one of the few places in town where you might see young lovers cuddled next to each other on park benches or walking hand-in-hand. There are more than 106 species of birds, and at least 665 different animals, so you are sure to see plenty.
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