Mul Chowk | Lalitpur

Mul Chowk is the largest, oldest, and most significant of the three primary courtyards within the Patan Royal Palace complex in Lalitpur, Nepal. Functioning as the "Main Courtyard" (as "Mul" translates to "Main"), it served as the ceremonial and ritual heart of the Malla dynasty's royal court.

Visual Characteristics

The courtyard is a vast, symmetrical quadrangle approximately twice the size of the adjacent Sundari Chowk. It is paved with 17th-century tiles and enclosed by two-story buildings featuring dark, heavily carved wooden galleries. The space is dominated by gilded doorways and several distinct shrines, creating a dense environment of religious and royal iconography.

Architectural Style & Materials

Style: Traditional Newar Palace architecture.

Materials: Red fired-clay bricks, dark-stained Sal wood, and gilded copper repoussé.

The Golden Door: The entrance to the Taleju shrine is a masterpiece of metallurgy, featuring life-sized bronze sculptures of the river goddesses Ganga (on a tortoise) and Yamuna (on a makara/crocodile).

Struts: The wooden roof supports are carved with intricate depictions of Tantric deities, many displaying vibrant polychrome painting.

Historical Origin

While the site has ancient origins, the current layout was established by King Srinivasa Malla in 1666. The original structures were destroyed by a fire in 1662 and rebuilt within three years. Major renovations occurred in the 1730s and 1850s, the latter adding a large-scale main entrance that integrated European-style proportions into the medieval facade. It underwent a comprehensive restoration in 2011 by the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT).

Key Highlights & Shrines

Bidyapith Temple: A small, gilded shrine located exactly in the center of the courtyard. Directly beside it stands a wooden post traditionally used for ritual animal sacrifices.

Taleju Bhawani Temple: Dedicated to the tutelary goddess of the Malla kings. The temple and its inner sanctum are generally closed to the public, opening only once a year during the Dashain festival.

Yantaju Shrine: A gilded copper repoussé shrine dedicated to Yantaju (a form of Durga), who was the personal deity (istadevata) of the Malla kings.

Degutaleju Temple: Visible at the northeastern corner, this is a tall, octagonal triple-roofed tower overlooking the square.

Infrastructure & Amenities

Architecture Galleries: The first floor of the northern and western wings houses an extension of the Patan Museum, displaying a typological collection of historical windows, columns, and struts.

Connectivity: 4G/LTE signal is stable in the open courtyard; reception decreases inside the ground-floor galleries.

Accessibility: The courtyard is flat and stone-paved, though the transition from Durbar Square involves a slightly raised threshold.

Access & Logistics

Address: M8FG+43X, Lalitpur 44700, Nepal.

Entry: Access is included with the Patan Durbar Square/Patan Museum ticket (approx. 1000 NPR for foreign nationals).

Location: Positioned between the Keshav Narayan Chowk (North) and Sundari Chowk (South).

Best Time to Visit

Late afternoon provides a dramatic atmosphere as shadows lengthen across the carved wooden struts. For those interested in the ritual aspect, visiting during the Dashain festival (September/October) is the only time to witness the courtyard in its full ceremonial capacity, though it becomes extremely crowded.

Nearby Landmarks

Patan Museum (Keshav Narayan Chowk): Connected to the North.

Sundari Chowk: Connected to the South.

Taleju Bell: 0.03km West.

Bhandarkhal Garden: Located directly behind (East) the palace complex.