Bungamati and Khokana
Twin Newar villages south of Patan: Rato Machhindranath's home, woodcarvers, and Khokana's mustard-oil presses.
Bungamati is the winter home of Rato Machhindranath (Bunga Dyah), the rain god whose huge chariot is pulled through Patan each spring. The village square centres on his shikhara temple, and the lanes are full of woodcarving workshops.
A short walk away, Khokana is known for its traditional mustard-oil mills (kol), where oil is still pressed with heavy wooden beams, and for the Rudrayani temple. Both villages were heavily damaged in 2015 and are rebuilding; a slow walk between them is one of the best half-days in the valley.
