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Shiva-Parvati Temple
From the steps of the Maju Deval you can look across the square to the Shiva-Parvati Temple, where the much-photographed images of Shiva and his consort look out from the upstairs window on the comings and goings below them. The temple was built in the late 1700s by Bahadur Shah, the son of Prithvi Narayan Shah. Although the temple is not very old by Kathmandu standards, it stands on a two-stage platform, which may have been an open dancing stage hundreds of years earlier.
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Siddhartha Art Gallery
The best in the city, with a wide range of top-notch exhibitions.
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Snake Charmers
The Indian Snake Charmers who set up shop in front of the New Tibet Book Store on Tridevi Marg always raise a smile, as does the crazy sadhu, dressed as the god Hanuman in a very unrealistic monkey suit, who occasionally haunts Durbar Sq.
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Stone Inscription
On the outside of the palace wall, opposite the Vishnu Temple, is a long, low stone inscription to the goddess Kalika written in 15 languages, including one word of French. King Pratap Malla, renowned for his linguistic abilities, set up this inscription in 1664 and a Nepali legend relates that milk will flow from the spout in the middle if somebody is able to decipher all 15 languages!
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Taleju Temple
The square's most magnificent temple stands at to the northeast but is not open to the public. Even Hindus can only visit the temple briefly during the annual Dasain festival. The Taleju Temple was built in 1564 by Mahendra Malla. Taleju Bhawani was originally a goddess from the south of India, but she became the titular deity, or royal goddess, of the Malla kings in the 14th century. Taleju temples were erected in her honour in Patan and Bhaktapur, as well as in Kathmandu.
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Tana Deval Temple
Across from the Taleju Temple, in a walled courtyard, just past the long row of stalls, is the Tana Deval Temple, with three carved doorways and multiple struts, the latter of which show the multi-armed Ashta Matrikas (Mother Goddesses). It's possible to enter the temple. Nearby shops sell brightly-coloured Tibetan thangkas.
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Three Goddesses Temples
Next to the modern Sanchaya Kosh Bhawan Shopping Centre in Thamel are the generally ignored Three Goddesses Temples. The street on which the temples are located is named Tridevi Marg - tri means 'three' and devi means 'goddesses'. The goddesses are Dakshinkali, Manakamana and Jawalamai, and the roof struts have some creative erotic carvings.
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Trailokya Mohan Narayan
Standing in the open area of the square is the smaller five-roofed Trailokya Mohan Narayan. It is easily identified as a temple to Narayan/Vishnu by the fine Garuda kneeling before it. This huge Garuda figure was a later addition, erected by King Prithvibendra Malla's widow soon after his death. Look for the Vaishnavite images on the carved roof struts and the window screens with their decoratively carved side medallions.
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Tribhuvan Museum
The part of the palace west of Nasal Chowk, overlooking the main Durbar Sq area, was constructed by the Ranas in the middle to late part of the 19th century. Ironically, it is now home to a museum that celebrates King Tribhuvan (ruled 1911-55) and his successful revolt against their regime, along with memorials to Kings Mahendra (1955-72) and Birendra (1972-2001).
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