Patan      Patan, (pop. 167,000), is one of three cities in the Kathmandu Valley, the others being Kathmandu and Bhaktapur. Patan is the second largest and the oldest of the three. Patan is situated five kms southeast of the capital, Kathmandu. According to legend, the Indian emperor Ashoka visited the city about 250 B.C. and built four large stupas or Buddhist pagodas at its four corners. Located approximately at the cardinal points delineating the ancient boundaries of the city, they can still be seen today. One of them, the eastern stupa, is located just behind Sanu's House.      According to chronicles, the city was founded by King Yalamber in A.D. 299 and was called "Yala." Local people still call it Yala. By the 7th century, it was one of Asia's major Buddhist cities. Pilgrims, scholars, and monks from India, Tibet, and China visited, often staying in the city's characteristic bahal, monastic complexes built around open courtyards. It was said that at that time half of city's population was monks; the other half were artists.      With its long history as an important center of Newar Buddhism, Patan is virtually a living museum. The city was designed and laid out according to the Buddhist Dharma Chakra (the wheel of righteousness). As Hindu influence grew, Newar Buddhism slipped into decline; the Buddhist priesthood became a hereditary caste affair, and the population of Patan's "bahal" shifted from celibate monks to families sharing the same caste and profession. Today, these numerous bahal bestow upon the city a peaceful, distinctly medieval atmosphere.      The classical name for the city is Lalitpur, whch means "Beautiful City" or "City Of Art," because of the 50 major temples and more than 8,000 smaller monuments scattered in and around the city. Patan is known for its craftsmen, particularly metalworkers and wood-carvers. It is the artistic and architectural center of the valley. In all Nepal, Patan has the highest number of talented artists and skilled craftsmen. The outstanding Newar artist, Arniko, who built a pagoda in Beijing for Kublai Khan and headed the metal workers' community in Beijing, was born in Patan. Records show that Emperors of Tibet and China asked Newar craftsman from Patan to build temples in their lands thus spreading that style eventually spread to Japan. Most of Patan's architectural glory dates to the Malla kings of 17th and 18th centuries.      Patan is divided into various areas called Tole, according to the caste and occupation of the original occupants. Traditionally, lower caste people lived at the edges of city by the gates, higher castes lived in the inner parts,and the center was occupied by the ruler or king. Each area was totally occupied by members of only one or two castes. Today, many of these areas are still occupied by the same castes, for example, Tamrakar (copper craftmen) in Tangal Tole, Shakya (goldsmiths) in Ubahal Tole and Nagbahal Tole, and Awale (brick makers) in Chyasa Tole