Dominated by Nyatapola the tallest temple of Nepal, Taumadhi Tole is the actual centre of one of the two halves in which Bhaktapur is divided, a function which becomes apparent during Bisket Jatra, when the people of the upper town compete with the lower town to drag the ritual chariot containing an image of Bhairabnath.
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The colossal five-storied Nyatapola Temple (xvii c) is a typical example of Nepali pagoda temple architecture. The temple sits on a five tiers platform with a stairway in its southern side flanked by pairs of large stone statues. From bottom to top: wrestlers, elephants, lions, griffins and at the top two Yoginis Baghini and Singhini. The temple enshrine the tantric goddess Siddhi Laxmi. Tradition wants that the Goddess gets her power from the eight Astamatrikas of the city to control the anger of Bhairab enshrined in the three tiered roofs Bhairab Nath Temple the second major landmark of the square. The tiny image of Bhairab can be seen at the front wall of the ground floor. Next to the Bhairab Nath temple there is Lun hiti ‘the golden tap’ one of the fountains used for household as well as for rituals. Café Nyatapola is a two storied rectangular wooden building originally constructed as rest-house.
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Bhaktapur
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Enclosed behind the buildings on the south side of the square Til Mahadev Narayan is a two-storied pagoda dedicated to Narayan (Vishnu), with the usual Garuda statue on a column and a copper shankha (shell). On the front there is a Shiva linga.
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