AN OVERVIEW OF PATAN MUSEUM

Front Facade of Patan Museum

Patan Museum is located in the Durbar Complex, a medieval royal palace with typical Nepali style, in Central Patan of Lalitpur district in Nepal. The durbar complex is outlined with three main courtyards. Among them, Mulchok is the main and the oldest courtyard, which was constructed under patronage of King Sri Nivas Malla in 1668 and is a square courtyard surrounded by two storied buildings which were formerly the residential areas of the royal family. The Mulchok raises the three tiered roof of the octagonal temple tower of Taleju in the north east direction, which was patronage by King Siddhi Narsingh Malla. Another courtyard named Sundarichok in the southern part of palace was built under patronage of King Sri Nivas Malla and it is smaller than the Mulchok and enclosed by the three storied buildings. There is also Tusha Hiti, the royal bath or a pool in the centre of this courtyard. The third one is Mani Keshab Narayan Chok, constructed under the patronage of King Yog Narendra Malla in 1733/34, where the temple of Keshab Narayan is erected at the centre of courtyard, which is located to the north of the Mulchok. There is also a temple called Degutale, which was patronage by King Siddhi Narsingh Malla in 1640 is located next to the Nasalchok, where theatrical drama, music and dance were performed.

Keshab Narayan Chok (Patan Museum South-East Wing)

Keshab Narayan Chok (Patan Museum South-West Wing)

Museum is mainly positioned in the Keshab Narayan Chok and started in 1997 after renovation of the palace by His Majesty Government of Nepal with partnership of The Government of Austria so as to conserving the monuments of Kathmandu Valley in an International Campaign by UNESCO. Patan Museum is the first public museum in Nepal that has been administered by its specific Board of Directors as a self-governing institution. This is also much admired as an excellent museum of South Asia by the domestic and overseas visitors.

Main Entrance of Patan Museum (Opposite to Krishna Mandir)

The main entrance of Patan Museum or Keshab Narayan Chok is faced in west elevation in north-west corner of the palace, opposite to the Krishna Mandir.The entrance is mounted by highly embossed dome on square patterns with gold-plated copper sheet on the wooden door, which is protected by stone made two mythic creatures Shwet-Simha at the entrance. There can be also seen the gold-plated Torana above the doorway with the main images of Shiva with five heads and ten arms including Ganesh and Kartik, which are bordered by mythic creatures Chhepu and Hitimanga. The entrance is also set up with

Cast Red Brass Plaques of Patan Museum by Tejesh Man Shakya

the copper plaques of Patan Museum in Devanagari and English scripts, which were conceived by the architect Götz Hagmüller, designed by the sculptor Rabindra Puri and cast by the sculptor Tejesh Man Shakya in 1997. In the ground floor of the museum, there are surrounded by the ticket counter at the entrance and museum shops of Nepali art and craft for the visitors. At the back of the museum, there is a pleasant resting place and the Patan Museum Café run by the private sector.

Backyard of Patan Museum (Museum Café)

Main Staircase to visit Galleries

And before the Café, there is a staircase to visit the galleries in first floor and second floor, where the museum exhibits the treasures of a long span of Nepali history and some of rare objects within the context of the living tradition of Hinduism and Buddhism. Most of the artworks displayed in Patan Museum are Cast Bronze and Gilt Copper; and Repoussé sculptures, which is the main specialty of the museum. The delegation of the Patan Museum is the elucidation of sacred art and its iconography based on Hinduism and Buddhism through conservation and exhibition.

The galleries of Patan Museum are divided into eight major sections as A, B, C and M in first floor where as D, E, F and G in second floor. In the ground floor, there is displaying the inscription of inauguration of Patan Museum by Late King Birendra Bir Bikram Shahdev in 1997. Also there are displaying the architectural drawings of Patan Museum including the old photographic images of Patan Durbar Square as well as renovation of Patan Museum.Stone inscriptions from the several dates of Malla period are also displaying near the main staircase. Various wooden struts are also displaying at the staircase of first floor for the visitors.

Stone Inscriptions near main staircase in ground floor of Museum

Wooden Struts in first floor of Museum

In Gallery A, there are displaying bronze and gold plated copper sculptures of the various deities with iconographical sketches regarding Hindu and Buddhist deities. The Gallery B, C, M and D are respectively branch out for showcasing the sculptures, narrative scroll painting and illustrated manuscripts based on Hinduism including Shaivite, Vaishnavite and Tantric subjects. Those artworks are made out of stone, terracotta, bronze, brass, copper; gouache on cotton canvas; and ink on handmade paper. Likewise, the Gallery E and F are mainly focused on Buddhist artworks including the origin of Buddhism, History of Buddhism in Nepal and Tibet, Boddhisattvas and Chaitya. The Gallery G is categorized for the technologies of sculptural building process on metal applying Lost Wax Casting Method and Repoussé Method. After all these galleries, there comes the staircase to exit the ground floor, where the antique collections of bronze wares and brass wares are displaying. Among them Bronze Surahi, gifted to Patan Museum by the architect Götz Hagmüller and recreated by the sculptor Tej Ratna Shakya, is displayed on the wall case. After this staircase, the exhibition ends and the way comes to the courtyard of Mani Keshab Narayan.