KVPT organized the restoration of the small shrine to complete the courtyard, and adopted by the private donor in memory of his late parents
The goddess known as Yantamode and later Yantaju was an istadevata (personal deity) to the Malla kings during their reign, presiding for five centuries over their affairs. King Srinivasa Malla commissioned a shrine to Yantaju in the center of Mulchowk, a companion to the nearby Taleju shrines. Although the mythological identity of Yantaju remains a mystery, it is believed that she is Mahesvari, a form of the goddess Durga. The present restoration has reversed the consequences of inadequate and damaging restorations of the past. Replacement arches were poorly fitting, the use of cement mortar damaged the stone plinth, and the copper sheeting was crudely fastened with nails instead of hidden rivets. Only one of the four original chepa arches (depicting the head of a dragon devouring a snake) survived. Metal craftsmen from Patan were able to replicate and fabricate new sheeting where necessary. The skill of local craftsmen in the art of fire-gilt repoussé made it possible to match the quality of the surviving arch on the basis of a detailed to-scale drawing.
Yantaju Shrine
LOCATION
Mul Chowk, Patan Darbar
ERA
17th Century
PROJECT TIMELINE
2012
FUNDERS
Lalu Amatya in memory of her husband Bhubaneshwar and mother-in-law Sita Devi