July 27, 2025

A few minutes’ walk east of Durbar Square brings you to Ha Baha, also known as Haka Bahal, a quiet monastic courtyard wrapped in a sense of dignified calm. Although not as grand as some of Patan’s larger bahals, Ha Baha is revered as a center of Buddhist ritual and learning, home to Newar priestly families who have kept ancient traditions alive for centuries.

At its heart lies a chaitya and a series of small shrines, their outlines softened by time and devotion. The courtyard’s simplicity invites reflection, and during the sacred Newar month of Gunlaa, it comes alive with music and morning chants that echo through the narrow alleyways like wind through a flute. It’s a place where spirituality doesn’t announce itself loudly—it simply endures.