Back to Bhaktapur

Me and my daughter revisited Bhaktapur today for the first time after the April quake. I was a bit

apprehensive after learning that some of my friends were left aghast by the scale of devastation in

Bhaktapur. However, off we went.

As always, our first stop was Siddha Pokhari, the fish pond, which to my delight didn’t seem to have

suffered any damage at all. We bought some fish food at the small stall by the pond and fed the hungry

fishes while enjoying the morning sun rays. It was amazing to see just how many voracious fishes

populated this small pond. Before we knew it, all the food was gone and we decided to head next to the

Pottery Square.

This square has been where local families have gathered to make potteries for centuries. It was nice to

see that the earthquake had not prevented them from continuing on with their traditions. My daughter

Liya had a blast through her first pottery lesson at the Pottery Training Center, just off the square.

Admittedly, the square was quieter than usual and we hardly saw any tourists at all. But on the upside,

it meant that we could take our time to talk to the locals and learn about their culture from them.

Interestingly, Bhaktapur is currently full of wooden poles for the Indra Jatra festival. I learn that the

poles are representations of Indra’s son who was killed by a demon. During the festival, the story of how

Pulu Kisi, the elephant carrier of Indra – the God of Rain – searched for Indra’s son is retold via the Pulu

Kisi Dance. Again, I am amazed by the resilience and determination of the locals to carry on with their

tradition and festivities, so soon after the quake.

We found ourselves people-watching while sipping on our lovely Mango Lassies and grabbing a bite for

lunch. The square was alive with activity – children flying kites from the top of the temple ruins, Sadhu’s

taking respite from the heat in the shadowy alcoves, tourists strolling by casually with souvenir sellers in

hot pursuit of new business – and I deducted, Bhaktapur was still the enchanting city I knew it to be

before the quake.

Sure, a few alleyways remained closed for security reasons, a few collapsed temples dotted the square,

a few shelter tents punctuated the old city … but that did not take away from its ancient charm and

beauty. To the contrary, Bhaktapur still managed to thrill and delight even its most seasoned visitors like

me.

I have to admit, I have always favored Bhaktapur over the other Newar Kingdoms of the Kathmandu valley; not

necessarily because of its beauty alone, but for the sense of ease and calm it imbues me with. And in

that regard, I found Bhaktapur unchanged, despite the quake.

All in all, it was the perfect weekend destination for me and my little girl.