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BY: SUN STAFF
"The Durbar, or Royal Palace, at Lalitpur (Patan) in Nepal" Nov 18, 2018 — CANADA (SUN) — The Yadava dynasty's presence in Nepal, and the events that preceded and followed.
Today we present the first of three segments featuring a select collection of the paintings of Henry Ambrose Oldfield. These watercolors depicting the temple architecture and landscapes of Nepal were painted in the 1850's, and stand as an enduring snapshot of the historical Nepal.
"Lalitpur, the 'City of Beauty' was founded in the 2nd century by the Kirats and it remained a valley kingdom until the late 15th century when it became a sovereign state, together with Kathmandu and Bhaktapur. All three were built around Durbar Squares containing Palace and Temple complexes. This drawing is the original for the illustration facing page 96 of Volume I of Oldfield's 'Sketches from Nipal, Historical and Descriptive...' (1880), published by his family after his death.
Of Lalitpur (Patan), Oldfield wrote: "The darbar is situated in the centre of the city, and towards it numerous streets converge, more or less irregularly, from all those sites in the circle of the ancient walls where gateways formerly stood, and where some of them are standing at the present day...The darbar originally consisted of three sides of a quadrangle; the side facing to the north is now in ruins; that facing to the west was the principal front...[which] is still in very good preservation...The side of the darbar which faces to the south is now completely destroyed. The fourth or eastern side was open and formed part of a private garden to the palace."
The Garuda Pillar and pillar of King Yoganarendra Mall rising up from darbar square were described in a previous segment of this series.
"The Valley of Nepal from Naikal" The painting above depicts the Valley of Nepal, snows in the distance and a village in the foreground. About the painting, Oldfield writes: "The Valley of Nipal is a gently undulating plain, of nearly oval shape, having an average length of about fifteen miles, and encircled with mountains which, rising more or less abruptly from its margins, form its natural boundaries. It lies at an elevation of four thousand seven hundred above the level of the sea, and the chain of hills which surrounds it has a varying height of from five hundred to three thousand feet above the surface of the valley, or of from five thousand to eight thousand feet above the level of the sea." 
"The Durbar, or Royal Palace, Bhatgaon (Nepal)" 'The Durbar Bhatgaon 1854' -- Bhaktapur, known as the 'City of Devotees', is 11 km east of Kathmandu and 10 km northeast of Patan. It is the youngest of the three former city-states of the Kathmandu Valley. Bhaktapur was founded in the 9th century and rose to prominence under the Malla dynasty. It remained a valley kingdom until the late 15th century when it became a sovereign state, together with Kathmandu and Patan. All three have similar architecture and were built around Durbar Squares containing Palace and Temple complexes. And in all durbar squares are exceptional images of Sri Gaurea. About this scene, Oldfield wrote: "In each city the largest and most important building is the royal palace or darbar. It is situated in a central part of the city, and opposite to its principal front there is an open irregular square, which allows free access to the palace, and round which temples of various kinds are clustered together...In Kathmandu, Patan and Bhatgaon, most of the principal temples are in the immediate vicinity of the darbar; many are within its precincts, and many more are crowded around or opposite to its principal façade..." 
"The Golden Gate in the Durbar, or Royal Palace, Bhatgaon (Nepal)" The Golden Gateway to Bhatgaon's durbar square is covered with gilted copper carvings. The gateway was erected by Ranjit Malla and dedicated to the goddess Taleju, the Nepalese name for Durga Ma. 
"The Durbar, or Royal Palace, Kirthipur (Nepal)" On the back of this watercolour, Oldfield inscribed, "No. 11 Part of the ruined Durbar, at Kirtipoor, Nepal". About the painting, he wrote: "Kirtipur is raised between two hundred and three hundred feet above the level of the surrounding plain. It overlooks the city of Kathmandu on the north, and that of Patan towards the east, from each of which capitals it is distant about three miles...Kirtipur has never been an extensive city; but its almost impregnable position gave it an importance, disproportionate to its size, during the early period of Nipal history...The ruins of the darbar and some adjacent temples are situated on and around a small conical hill, which rises out of the western extremity of the town, whence they overlook and command the whole of the city. In its best estate the darbar was never a large one, but it is now so utterly in ruins that even its form and extent cannot be traced." 
"The Durbar, or Royal Palace, Katmandu (Nepal)" On the back of this watercolour, Oldfield inscribed, "No. 18. View of part of the Durbar, with adjacent temples, & large figure of Bheirab, in city of Kathmandoo." The old Royal Palace, often referred to as the Hanuman Dhoka, is located on the Durbar Square in the old city, as is the Kumari Chowk, home of Kathmandu's 'living goddess'. About this painting, Oldfield writes: "The darbar covers a considerable extent of ground and is of an irregular quadrangle form. To the north it is partly open to the city, and is flanked by the lofty Talliju temple. At the southern end is the council-chamber, the Basantpur, and the long modern darbar or public reception room. On the east it encloses the royal garden and stables, and on the west, which is its principal front, it is open to the street and forms one side of a rambling irregular square, in which are clustered together a number of Hindu temples...Besides those which are around, there are several temples within the precincts of the darbar; but their lofty gilt roofs rising one above another, and tapering to pinnales above, are the only parts of them which are visible from the streets." 
" Gateway in the Durbar, Khatmandoo" The old Royal Palace, often referred to as the Hanuman Dhoka, is located on the Durbar Square in the old city, as is the Kumari Chowk, home of Kathmandu's 'living goddess'. About the painting, Oldfield wrote: "The darbar covers a considerable extent of ground, and is of an irregular quadrangle form. To the north it is open to the city, and is flanked by the lofty Talliju temple. At the southern end is the council-chamber, the Basantpur, and the long modern darbar or public reception room. On the east it encloses the royal garden and stables, and on the west, which is its principal front it is open to the street, and forms one side of a rambling irregular square, in which are clustered a number of Hindu temples...Besides those which are around, there are several temples within the precincts of the darbar; but their lofty gilt roofs rising one above the other, and tapering to pinnacles above, are the only parts of them which are visible from the street." 
"Street scene, Kathmandu" Watercolour of a street scene with grain and vegetable sellers in Kathmandu, Nepal. At the end of the Anglo-Nepal War (1814-1816), by means of the Treaty of Segauli imposed on the Gurkhas who ruled the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal had to accept its present eastern and western boundaries and admit an official British Resident in Kathmandu.
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