On a lazy Saturday afternoon I decided to kill some time by visiting western parts of the Kathmandu valley that is not necessarily on the tourist map. I decided to visit Mathathirtha VDC, then head south and east to Macchegaon VDC and move on to Kirtipur Municipality, which is one of the five municipalities within the Kathmandu Valley. In order to reach Mathathirtha VDC and its waterspouts, I first reached Kalanki Chowk, and headed west on the Kalanki-Thankot Highway for some two kilometers to Sattungal. I took a left here and headed south and west towards the famous Mathathirtha waterspouts. These waterspouts are visited by thousands of people where they bathe during the Nepali version of “Mother’s Day” which falls in late Spring. Then I headed south and east towards Machhegaon. Macchegaon is a VDC that lies somewhere between Mathathirtha VDC and Kirtipur Municipality. At Macchegaon I visited Bishnu Devi Temple and Macche Narayan Temple. Then I headed east towards Kirtipur Municipality and spent some time at the Kirtipur Thai Pagoda and the famous Baag Bhairab Temple – a landmark easily identified in Kirtipur vicinity.
A Boy at the Gates of Matatirtha Waterspouts
Matatirtha Temple and the Waterspouts
In Macchegaon VDC lie two famous temples – Bishnu Devi Temple and Macche Narayan Temple. Macchegaon Temple is dedicated to the first avatar of Vishnu, Matsya the fish. Thus, the temple is fittingly placed in the middle of a pond. Matsya helped rescue Manu, the progenitors of the human race from a great flood. The metaphysical aspects of the temple design cannot be more obvious.
Macche Narayan Temple
The Statue of Garuda at Macche Narayan Temple
Bishnudevi Temple which lies Nextdoors to Macche Narayan Temple
In Kirtipur, there is a nice pagoda built with the assistance of Thai Airlines.
Motorbikes and Electricity Poles
Thai Pagoda at Kirtipur
The Pagoda
The Monastery with Tribhuvan University on the Background
Bagh Bhairab Temple
In the Courtyard of Bagh Bhairab Temple
The Gate of Bagh Bhairab Temple
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