So much to see in Kathmandu and so little time... Let's imbibe what we can in our brief visit to the beautiful city of Patan!

Patan, once the capital of a powerful independent kingdom, is now largely absorbed by greater Kathmandu. Originally, Patan was known as "Lalitpur," meaning "beautiful city".

One of the well-known legends behind the name goes like this...

There once was a time when Patan was nothing but a grass field. One day, a leper from Kathmandu who was a farmer, arrived in search of feed for his cow because the grass here was bountiful. Before getting to work, the farmer took his bamboo pole and plunged it into the ground. As he did this, a gush of water shot up from the ground and the thirsty farmer drank from the natural spring.

On his way home that evening, the leper stepped to the side of the road to make way for the king's convoy that was passing by. The king ordered his convoy to stop so that he could get a better look at the farmer, whose body no longer appeared to show any trace of leprosy. The king found this man to be so handsome, he named him "Lalit". Lalit shared the story of the natural spring and the king ordered a hiti (a traditional water supply system) to be constructed from the water source.

If you visit Kumbeshwar Mahadev Mandir, the most famous temple in Patan, look for a large, deep brick basin just outside the iron railings and you'll see one of these two hitis.

A little organisation goes a long way. Here are some suggestions to help you get ready for this exciting journey!

Clothing

As Sadhguru has often mentioned, natural fibres such as cotton are the ideal material for your clothing selections.

• We recommend cotton clothing for your daily wear and a wool blend for your thermal wear as wool dries quickly and allows the body to breathe. Unlike synthetic fibres, wool is also known to minimise body odour - your fellow travellers will certainly appreciate this!

• Sleepwear can be a simple t-shirt and track pants, but feel free to bring along your favourite flannel pyjamas.

How to Pack?

• We highly recommend that you do not overpack. Kindly refer to the packing suggestions we shared with you in the sojourn Guide.
• It is especially important to pack your belongings in resealable waterproof bags to ensure you have dry and cosy clothes once we get to higher altitudes where it is colder.

I made a point of not knowing any details of my itinerary for the journey. So when I arrived in Kathmandu, I didn't know what was coming next! It was a great feeling, to surrender to the process and trust the volunteers and this program which has been created by Sadhguru. It was exciting, but more importantly, humbling. Being in Kathmandu knowing no one and not knowing what was about to happen was such a unique experience.

—Saran