Nyatapola: the five-storey temple

Rising above the rooftops of Taumadhi Square, the Nyatapola temple is the tallest pagoda in Nepal and the symbol of Bhaktapur. Its name in Nepal Bhasa means five-storeyed: nyata, five, and pola, roof. It was built in 1702 by King Bhupatindra Malla and dedicated to Siddhi Lakshmi, a powerful tantric form of the goddess.

Built to last

Nyatapola stands on a five-tiered stone plinth, with five roofs rising above it — a harmony of five that runs through the whole design. Local chronicles say the king himself carried bricks during construction, inspiring his subjects to help, and that the temple was finished remarkably quickly. Whatever the details, its builders knew what they were doing: Nyatapola survived the great earthquake of 1934, which destroyed so much of Bhaktapur, and again survived the 2015 earthquake with only minor damage.

The guardians of the stairway

The most famous feature of the temple is its stairway, lined on both sides with pairs of stone guardians. According to tradition, each pair is ten times stronger than the pair below it. At the bottom are Jayamel and Phattu (also called Jaya and Pratap), legendary wrestlers said to have been ten times stronger than ordinary men. Above them come elephants, then lions, then griffins (sardula), and at the top the goddesses Baghini (in tiger form) and Singhini (in lion form). The deity inside the temple is thus the strongest of all.

The roof struts

The roofs are supported by 108 carved wooden struts depicting various forms of the goddess and other deities. The number 108 is sacred in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. The sanctum inside is rarely opened, and only priests may enter; the image of Siddhi Lakshmi is known to very few people.

Taumadhi Square

The square around Nyatapola is one of the liveliest in Bhaktapur. On its east side stands the three-roofed Bhairavnath temple, and during Bisket Jatra the square fills with crowds as Bhairav's chariot is pulled through it. Cafés around the square have rooftop terraces that look straight onto the temple — a fine place for tea and juju dhau.

Tip

Climb the steps to the top plinth for a view over the square and the surrounding roofs. Visit once in daylight and once in the evening, when the temple is lit and the square fills with locals rather than tourists.