Indra Chowk is a bustling bazaar square between Asan and Durbar Square, centred on the Akash Bhairav shrine — a temple whose inner sanctum holds a fearsome blue metal head of Bhairav, normally hidden behind a silver screen but revealed during the Indra Jatra festival each August–September. The square is surrounded by Newar-style buildings with carved wooden façades, many of which house fabric and blanket sellers at street level.
The lanes radiating from Indra Chowk are good for Tibetan jewellery, silver, and the bead necklaces that form part of traditional Newar women's dress. The square itself gets very lively during the Indra Jatra festival, when the Bhairav head is displayed and the crowds are extraordinary.