Kirtipur is an ancient city in Nepal, small but one of the five municipalities of Kathmandu Valley and an old settlement on a double hillock in the southwest of Kathmandu, located at 27o 38’37” to 27o 41’ 36” N and 85o 14’ 64” to 85o 18’ 00” E.
Etymology
The name was Kirtipur comes from “Kirti” (Glory) and “pur” (city). It is also said that once a queen named 'Kirti' ruled over this place so, it might have been named after the same queen since 'pur' means a city, and it states Kirtipur means city of 'Kirti'. In its native language, it is called “Kipu” or “Kapyu” carrying means “famed town”.
This city of glory is inhabited and also dominated by Newars who are the earliest settlers in the Valley with their own language and cultural norms and values. Originally a Newari foundation, it is no doubt that Kirtipur is still a center of Newari culture. However, nowadays people of different casts and religions stay in this place.
It was established in the 12th century as an outpost of Patan, which later became an independent kingdom for a short time period. This historical town has many cultural, natural, historical, and religious things to see such as old shrines and temples and people dressed in traditional costumes while working on ancient looms. The city is rich in cultural and religious heritages, being the oldest settlement in the valley. The majority of these sites are concentrated in the old core areas like Kirtipur, Panga, and Chovar area, with some scattered around Salyanthan, Kauniachaur, and GodamChaur. The most significant cultural and religious sites are the Bagh Bhairab Complex, Chilancho Vihar, Uma Maheswor temple, Nagara Mandapa Kirti Bihar, Adinath temple, Jal Vinayak temple, Macchenarayan temple, Gumbas, and many more Buddhist monasteries, Sattals (Pilgrim’s houses), pagodas and temples, Patis (raised platforms for pilgrims) and Chaityas (small stupas) are found in each settlement. These sites have great cultural, religious, and historical consequences and provide the potential for the tourism development of the city.
Taudaha Lake is another major attraction having cultural significance. Legend says that the lake was created by Manjushree to provide a home for the Nags (snakes) that lived in the lake/water-covered Kathmandu Valley before it was drained through the Chovar gorge. The lake is important as a source of water for the nearby people. In every Nag Panchami, there is a huge crowd of pilgrims to worship Nags (Snakes).
In addition to the old shrines, a number of new monasteries have been built in the city. The Nagara Mandapa Kirti Vihar in Nayabazzar (a Thai-style Theravada temple), Vihar of Chovar near Adinath temple, and Kagyu Buddhism Institute (Buddhist Gumba near Kirtipur Municipality, Devdhoka) and other different monasteries and gumbas, stupas, etc.
Though Kirtipur city is the nearest city to the Kathmandu and oldest historical town, the tourism industry has given little attention to the city. The city is one of the safest places in terms of environmental point of view as well with compare to other cities and places in the valley. The existence of Tribhuvan University adds extra attraction for students from all over the country. The majority of the population of the city is the Newars since the settlement began. The cultures, arts, lifestyles, and architecture of these ethnic people catch the tourists’ minds at any cost. There are lots of potentialities in terms of religious tourism in Kirtipur. But it is lacking at the back as compared to other historical cities in the valley.
Recently, there are different tourism promotion activities in the city in order to grab a large mass of internal and international tourists like the establishment of Newa Lahana, an open museum with Newari foods, organizing different cultural functions, launching local TV channels named Kirtipur TV channel and FM stations, etc. These, directly and indirectly, help in the promotion of tourism in Kirtipur. But still, there is no tourism information center and the municipality should think about the promotion of religious tourism and integration of it with other tourism packages. For that Municipality should identify and select potential sites for religious tourism, organize exploration trips to different media partners, and NTB representatives, organize pieces of training, and workshops, and develop tourism packages. The formation of the Kirtipur Tourism Development Committee and the Chovar Tourism Development Committee are good signs of its promotion in Kirtipur. But these organizations should work together and develop a joint plan for the promotion of tourism covering the whole Kirtipur area. There are huge prospects for the development of tourism in Kirtipur. So, we Kirtipures have to grab these prospects and convert them into reality. This is the right time to grab the opportunities to develop religious tourism, as the government of Nepal is launching the Tourism year 2011.
Many places have their own identity with their natural, cultural, and historical values. Kirtipur town is one of such settlement within the valley and indeed the close ones from the main Kathmandu city, but still remained isolated and unexplored and far from the reach of tourism activities. Spreading 14 hectares of land, Kirtipur is located 7 km apart from the center of Kathmandu. Kirtipur is known as "a glorious town" in Nepali dialects. It is an ancient town, having remarkable historical values and ethics, which can be called a living, open museum of religion, cultures, traditions, and glorious work of Newari arts, crafts, and architecture. With the majority of the Newari community, the city houses about 43.000 people in 10101 households approximately according to the data of the year 2005.
The town is famous due to its important moments in Nepalese history. In addition to its historic importance, it is also important from the artistic and beautiful scenic point of view. Some of the finest and most important temples – Bagh Bhairab, Uma Maheshwor, Adinath temple, Jal Binayak, Macchhenarayan, Dakshinkali; Caves, Chaityas, and Stupas of the valley are scattered throughout the typically built Newari City. This newari town is the hub of festivals and religious ceremonies (Jatras) and Buddhist Vihars and Gumbas like Kriti Bihar, Kagyu Institute, and Sulakshan Vihar, surrounded by stone sculptures, masterpieces of Nepalese art and shrines.
This city is not apart from natural and agricultural beatifications. Looking down from its natural and agricultural order it has lots of natural sceneries like Taudaha, Puspa lal Park, and beautiful agricultural landscapes from surrounding hills.
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