Even if you're not in the market to buy anything, Patan is the best place in Nepal to watch handicrafts actually being made. The Patan Industrial Estate does a little of everything, Jawalakhel mainly produces carpets, while Patan's many non-profit shops, supported by the local aid community, stock some excellent contemporary crafts made by disadvantaged workers.
Film is sold near Durbar Square and Lagankhel, and there are quick photo processing places east of Jawalakhel Chowk and north of Lagankhel.
Traditional handicrafts and carpets:
Despite its forbidding name, the Patan Industrial Estate is industrious in the nicest possible way. Located just beyond the Southern Stupa, the laid-back "estate" consists of a dozen or so factory showrooms, mainly pitched at coach parties, which means that independent travellers are generally left to mosey round the work areas without any pressure. The fixed prices are rarely undercut anywhere else (a prayer wheel will be as little as half what it costs at Jaulakhel), but then the money you spend here isn't going to a good cause. Most shops are open daily from 9am to 5pm.
Perhaps the most fascinating workshops are those of the metalsmiths, who mass-produce statuettes by the lost-wax process, and do repousse and filigree work with a hammer and punch. You can also watch craftspeople painting tilangka and chiselling wood statuettes, doors and windows. This is also a good place to shop for gems: the outlets here are reputable, and are usually happy to go over the subtleties of stone quality and cuts.
For carpets, the obvious place to start is the Tibetan Refugee Centre, where you can observe the actual weaving process. The sales centre's fixed prices are useful for gauging the market, although you'll probably get away with paying less in one of the private shops along the road leading back up to Patan, where they'll do deals. Profits from the Tibetan Refugee Centre sales centre benefit elderly and poor Tibetans. Similarly, the Kumbershar Technical School, near the Kumbeshwar Temple, sells woollens and pure Tibetan wool carpets made by women, orphans and disadvantaged youths.
Places to Visit:
Durbar Square * Krishna Mandir * Mahaboudha * Hiranya Verna Mahavihar * Kumbheshwor Jagatnarayan Temple * Rudra Varna Mahavihar * The Ashokan Stupas * Acchheswor Mahavihar Temple of Machhendranath and Minnath * The Zoo * Patan Industrial Estate * Bajra Barahi Godavari * Phulchowki
