Frozen in time | Yatralogue

How to get there: You can take a bus or a microbus from Ratna Park or Sahid Gate. You could also get a bus from Lagankhel but it is slightly unreliable. A personal favourite is cycling.

What to Take: You might want to take your water bottle but there are plenty of shops once you get to Naya Bazar so you won't really need to prepare for the visit.

If you are riding a bicycle, you can enter Kirtipur through the TU gate. Ten minutes up the road, you will come to the only international cricket stadium in Nepal which is surprisingly well maintained although there are no stands for spectators. If you are interested in what Nepal's largest university looks like, you can look around, and no one will bother you. You will see long lines of newly made buildings, and if it's a weekday you will see students loitering around in the green fields. And on weekends children and students can be seen utilising any free space as a cricket pitch.

Once you are done looking at the University make your way up to Naya Bazar. If you have taken a microbus, Naya Bazar is the place to get off. This fairly new part of the city is no different from other places: joined houses and streets lined with shops but the skyline that it offers is magnificent.

A must visit in Kirtipur is the Sri Kirti Bihar, made by the Thai government during 1980s, the Bihar is home to many ascetics, and a regular site for sermons. Although it won't be flocked with tourists, you will be greeted by plenty of locals. The miniatures of the four most important places in Lord Buddha's life and the depictions make interesting study if you are into history. Otherwise, you can just enjoy the view of Chobar and the mustard fields or feed the fish in the small pond.

Your next stop will be the old village of Panga. When you see the ancient houses, narrow gallis and the people of all age groups working in the common courtyard, you get the feeling time has passed Kirtipur by. The sounds of women using the ugha to beat rice and the whirr of the tan as threads are woven into cloth have all but disappeared elsewhere. It is really amazing that despite being merely 6km away from the capital, the people here have managed to stick to their traditions: they still use hundreds of year old instruments to carry out their daily activities.

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Retracing your steps from Panga, you can make your way to Khaasi Bazar through Naa Gaun. This place is politically significant as four locals lost their lives here during the 1990 movement. From Khaasi Bazar, you can take the stone paved streets up the medieval city. Despite the ravages of time, past battles and earthquakes the medieval features of this fortress kingdom are still intact. An open museum for religion, cultural tradition and exceptional Newari craft and architecture, the ancient town will transport you back to the medieval times.

Kirtipur was the first of the Valley's kingdoms to be attacked by Prithvi Narayan Shah. The resolute inhabitants held out till 1768 after three fierce sieges by the Gorkhalis. Kirtipur's glorious history comes right down to the present times: the activism of its inhabitants and the nearby university ushered in democracy in 1990 and in April 2006 with peaceful protests that inspired the nation to stand up against an autocratic monarchy.

When you reach the top of the hill, make sure you visit Bagh Bhairab temple, the guardian god of Kirtipur. At this 600-year-old temple the swords and shields, remnants of the battle against Prithbi Narayan Shah, are proudly displayed and remind visitors of the courage of the defenders.

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Up the hill is the Uma Maheswor temple, which at 1414m is the highest point in Kirtipur. Although the temple itself is being renovated now, you will still get to see the sweeping view of the Valley and the mountains beyond. The sight of the Himalayas so close to the Valley is an absolute treat to the eyes.

If feasting your eyes on the Himalayas doesn't feed the hunger in your stomach, you can check out the newly opened Nawa Lahana, an open museum cum restaurant. The whole community of Thambahal has come together to display the traditional Newari clothes, apparatuses and instruments. For those curious about traditional Newari culture, Nawa Lahana provides the perfect opportunity to learn about the details of Newari life. For others, they offer exquisite Newari dishes like bara, yomari, samya baji and the locally made aila and tho.

Once you have appeased your hunger, you can explore the inlets of the city and trust me you won't get lost. Sights of women in haku patasi using khal to make spices, children helping their mothers with the dhiki and motorbikes racing along the hundreds of year old cobbled pavements will stick to your memory even after you walk down the hill to Naya Bazar.

It won't take you more than a day to get around Kirtipur, but memories of the visit will remain with you for a long time. Cycling would be a good exercise and walking though exhausting is a great way to really explore and come into contact with the local people. Memories of the natives working with their traditional instruments and the clear view of all three towns and the mountain range will make a day in Kirtipur a day well spent.