Bhadgaon

27°41N 85°26E, pop (2000e) 183 000. City and religious centre in C Nepal, 14 km/9 mi E of Kathmandu, in the Kathmandu Valley; altitude 1400 m/4600 ft; probably founded in AD 889; shaped like a conch-shell, urban area occupying c.10 km²/4 sq mi; processing of grain and vegetables, pottery, weaving; Lion Gate, Golden Gate, Palace of 55 Windows, Bell of Barking Dogs, Batsala Temple, replica of Pashupatinath Temple.

Bhaktapur (27.67°N 85.43°E.

From time immemorial it lay on the route between Tibet/China and India. This position on the main caravan route made the town rich and prosperous: each autumn the traders from Tibet came with sheep ("changra"), fitting nicely with the main Nepali holidays, 'Dasain' (hindi: Dussehra), when nearly everyone in Nepal sacrificed male animals to the goddess Durga.

This prosperity fueled the cultural life: ie.

Bhaktapur is a popular day-trip for tourists visiting Kathmandu. Lately, with the horrendous air-pollution of Kathmandu, more and more tourists are staying in Bhaktapur for a few days, before arrangements for trekking are finished.