Asan to Indra Chowk on the old Tibet road

This street runs on a diagonal across the grid of the old city because it is older than the grid: it is the route caravans took towards Tibet. We begin at Thahiti, a small square with a stupa built over an old water source, and walk south to Asan, where six roads meet. Here the gilded three-tiered temple of Annapurna Ajima, goddess of grain, is surrounded by sellers of rice, dried fish, spices and cloth.

From Asan we continue to Kel Tole and step through a narrow gateway into Jana Bahal, the courtyard of Seto Machhindranath, the white form of Karunamaya, worshipped by both Buddhists and Hindus. A few minutes further, a low passage leads into Itum Bahal, a large Buddhist courtyard where the old monastery buildings still house families and small shrines.

The walk ends at Indra Chowk, where Akash Bhairav's image looks down from a building above the market. During Indra Jatra the great Bhairav face is displayed outside for all to see. The shops round here sell pashmina, blankets and glass bead strings worn by married women. We stop for tea, a plate of bara and chhoyla, then walk the last few minutes into the Durbar Square.