Nepal: Garuda statue in front of the Jagat Narayana temple, Durbar Square, Patan (1998)

The Garuda is a large bird-like creature, or humanoid bird that appears in both Hinduism and Buddhism. The Garuda is the mount (vahana) of the Lord Vishnu. Patan’s Durbar Square is the best preserved of the three Durbar Squares in the Kathmandu Valley, the one least changed from its original form. On the square itself, which measures about 160 by 70 metres at its widest, there are some 30 monuments, including the extensive old palace complex, and another 30 can be found in the immediate vicinity. In addition, all around, craftsmen conduct their business in ways little changed in centuries.