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ANNIVERSARY ISSUE – Vol 10 No. 01
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CONTENTS ANNIVERSARY ISSUE VOL 10 NO.01 SPACESNEPAL.COM
Cover Story
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Culture & Spaces As SPACES looks ahead to a new era, we pause here to reflect on and derive inspiration from the design expressions and structures covered in earlier issues.
Heritage
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Nepali Manuscript Paintings Manuscripts are defined as religious texts copied and embellished with miniature paintings – that were frequently donated to monks of the prevailing religious orders.
Interior
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The Flair of Restaurants Hospitality is the key to success in restaurant business, as it brings additional zest in enjoying the cuisine. Equally important are the interior decorations its culture and cuisine for a superb dining experience.
Journey
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Lukla beckons Landing on the Tenzing-Hillary airport, the door to our journey to the Everest region opened with sublime ease. Mechanized and modern transportation ends here and one will not see beyond this point.
Heritage: Calculating Time
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The wooden plate ceremonially installed in the vihar currently is not an old one while the tradition of displaying the calendar itself is an ancient rite. The vihar houses a special conical vessel which was used to keep track of time long before the clock was invented.
67 Books: Art & Culture of Nepal The transcendent interest of the chroniclers lay in recording pious undertakings – usually given as a gift to a temple or the consecration of an image. If neglected, significance to the history of Nepalese art and their latent importance merits serious examination.
74 Q & A: with Dr. Madan Joshi This column has been introduced from this issue. which will be continued in the forth coming issues as well..
76 Market Watch The entire charisma of a room or an interior space always depends on the quality, the feel, and the fascinating designs printed on every material you constantly tend to express in the interior settings of your home, office or anywhere you feel just at comfort of your home.
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69 Artspace: The Third Eye Erina’s art is also known to capture the invisible and intangible. She paints her female subjects with the third eye to underline their silent symbolic function as the ‘shakti’.
70 Go Gadget: Smartphone via the Smartwatch The Smartwatch is a newly-arrived add-on for the Smartphone designed to fit on our wrists setting itself apart from traditional watches.
72 Perspective: Vaastu: Principles and projection The state of balance, both internal and external, is the pivot around which much of Vaastu operates: the balance of energy and the balance of natural forces.
Art: Mithila Cosmos Mithali art was actually less secretive and more possible for everyone to grasp. The artist’s aspiration was to make people step back and look at their own lives by being in root and harmony with nature and the culture.
84 Report: Arcasia 2013 ARCASIA comprises members from 19 Asian countries with Bhutan having recently joined the group. During the conference, architects from Asia presented on topics relating to spirituality in the architecture of their communities.
89 Opinion: Spaces Magazine has given a crucial mediated and intellectual space to Nepali architecture and art. In this regard, we invited 10 Nepali architects and artists to voice their opinion about SPACES.
94 OpenSpaces Horse riding has the same significance as the Chyam Dance has. The picture designates the friendly horse riding done at the annual festival at Mu-Rachen in Tsum valley, a holy Himalayan pilgrimage valley situated in northern Gorkha, Nepal.
Editorial SPACES celebrates its journey of 10 years in this Anniversary Special. As the magazine looks ahead to a new era, we pause here to reflect and derive inspiration from the design expressions and features covered in earlier issues in the hope that they will, in turn become anchors on which the magazine and Nepali architectural design paradigm will rest. At the very outset - we would like to Thank each one of you that has supported the magazine in some way or the other. We also welcome all the fresh new talents and members to our team and wish to run this journal in a professional and meaningful way. As our team gathered at the Patan Museum on a warm Saturday morning to take a team picture – many interesting topics crossed our minds with the tea that followed. How should we develop SPACES in the coming decade ? In simple terms – we would like the features better related to a humane level of experience. We understand that Architecture and design is about the Building and Products, but the challenge lies in how We use and respond to our Space or Architecture. Does it make us better as a human being, define our identity, be proud of ...say when we visit the inner cities such as Bhaktapur, Patan or does it stand devoid of an understanding – like when we get stuck in a modern day traffic jam? Our cover story is about Culture and Space. Meaningful Architecture and design besides being something tangible and built, is also invariably affected by the unseen, intangible spiritual nature of the place. It is also about the setting, the influence, the articulation and evolution of our built language. We also feature Dr.Yam’s exploration of the Nepali Manuscript Painting. It is interesting to note a
comment that says Buddha is a ‘great teacher and leader but not a god, his tremendous success was due to the fact that his experience of enlightenment was potentially reproducible by anyone.’ Ashesh’s escapade and photo feature on the Lukla – Everest Area draws a focus on the natural landscape that we are blessed with, perhaps encouraging us all to go for a trek ! We also explore 10 exciting Restaurant designs that have set a mark in concept, detailing and overall ambience. The 17th. ARCASIA International Conference courageously and successfuly organized by SONA (Society of Nepalese Architects) in Kathmandu, brought international and national Architects from 19 member countries to share and talk on the theme “Spirituality in Architecture” and “Architecture and the Image of the City”. The success of the conference can be pointed out to a relevant yet challenging theme that brought the Architects and design fraternity closer together on similar issues and challenges within each country. At a broader level of understanding, our space or Architecture and our country is also about orderdisorder, respect-neglect and changing priorites that we have had over time. If our past had plenty of built examples to be proud of with natural harmony – we are in search for this cohesion presently. Yet the tangible and intangible wealth of our country still stands out as lotus flowers in a pond of murky water. Though we should preserve, conserve and draw inspiration from our historic and natural setting and design our contemporary setting in a thoughtful and meaningful way; yet there is plenty of challenging work to be done by all of us here presently. For instance - if we could prevent within our Space the slaughter and blood being spilt in our festivals in the name of tradition and sacrifice, we would perhaps evolve into better human beings. It is surprising that majority of us in our country feel so on this issue of animal sacrifice in our public spaces – yet bypass it saying for the sake of tradition ! Not everything traditional is good and we need to develop the courage and strength to remove the inessentials and bring forward our best. Let the year ahead give us this inner strength. A very Happy and successful 2014 ahead.
Sarosh Pradhan
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Volume 10 NO. 01 | Anniversary Issue
Contributors Asha Dangol completed Masters of City and Regional Planning from University of Texas at Arlington and Bachelor of Architecture from VNI T, Nagpur. She has worked in numerous urban planning projects in the United States and is currently working as Urban Planner in DUDB C. Her interests include urban research and regional development and she is keen to be involved in designing cities that are convenient, healthful and aesthetically pleasing.
Susan Barjacharya is a Heating, Ventilation and Air-conditioning (HVAC) expert, currently Associate Professor at the Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tribhuvan University.
Chief Executive Officer Editor-In-Chief Creative Manager Editor-Features Contributing Art Editor
Correspondent Intl. Correspondent
Ashesh Rajbansh Sarosh Pradhan Deependra Bajracharya Veneeta Singha Madan Chitrakar Kasthamandap Art Studio President - Society of Nepalese Architects Ar. Jinisha Jain (Delhi) Ar. Chetan Raj Shrestha (Sikkim) Barun Roy (Darjeeling Hills) Big Stone Medium Pradeep Ratna Tuladhar Hemant Kumar Shrestha Pujan Joshi Bansri Panday
Administration Marketing Admin Officer Office Secretary Accounts Legal Advisor
Anu Rajbansh Devi Rana Dongol Ashma Rauniyar Pramila Shrestha Sunil Baniya Yogendra Bhattarai
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Contributing Editor
Design Photographer
Mid & West Nepal Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Gangtok
Dr. Yam Prasad Sharma has been teaching English and Art History at Lalitkala Campus, Tribhuvan University. He teaches Art Theory and Aesthetics at Kathmandu University, School of Arts as visiting faculty. He earned his PhD in English. He has been doing research in the ďŹ eld of Nepali Art. His specialization in research is in the area of Contemporary Nepali Painting. He is also an art critic of contemporary Nepali art.
Advertising and Subscriptions Kathmandu IMPRESSIONS Publishing Pvt.Ltd. Ph: 5260901, 5260902 market@spacesnepal.com Birgunj Kishore Shrestha, Hotel Kailash, Adarsha Nagar. Ph: 522384, 529984. hotelkailash@wlink.com.np Itahari Naya Bazar, Dharan - 05 Biratnagar Ph: 025-5-21164/025-525118, Cell: 9842054110
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Drishti Manandhar is an architect, graduate from the Pulchowk Institute of Engineering, currently working at S G Designs. Fascinated by Space - she loves to eat, read, sketch, talk (in radndom order) and write about the acquaintances in her environemnt. An art enthusiast by nature she is fascinated by the ability of words and its power in expression.
SPACES is published twelve times a year at the address above. All rights are reserved in respect of articles, illustrations, photographs, etc. published in SPACES. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher and the publisher cannot accept responsiblility for any errors or omissions. Those submitting manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other materials to SPACES for consideration should not send originals unless specifically requested to do so by SPACES in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other submitted material must be accompanied by a self addressed return envelope, postage prepaid. However, SPACES is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. All editorial inquiries and submissions to SPACES must be addressed to editor@spacesnepal.com or sent to the address mentioned above.
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From the Publisher Greetings from Spaces! It has been a pleasant and exciting experience to share and communicate with you significant features on art, architecture and design for a decade through SPACES. Amidst challenges and obstacles within our fascinating journey of the past 10 years, we have been able to progress due to the invaluable cooperation, feedback and encouragement from our readers, industry and business organizations. As we walk towards our objectives, we feel you are always with us. We began a noble project and kept working on it. Thus, Spaces no doubt emerged as the first magazine in Nepal that dealt with art, architecture and design collectively. Our continuity, existence and success has been possible due to your support along with the united effort of our team. The contributions from all the members of Spaces’ team have been valuable and we thank each one of you. Our vision is to introduce Nepali art, architecture, interiors, culture and crafts to the national as well as international readers, and at the same time provide insights of the International World art and architecture and design to the Nepali viewers. Our traditional paintings such as manuscript illumination, paubha, mandala and narrative scroll, wood carving, stone sculpture and metal craft can recreate the Nepalese identity across the globe. We feel rewarded that our humble effort has made an awareness and contributed for the preservation, promotion and development of Nepali art and culture. Thank You and we look forward to Your further participation in the years to come.
Ashesh & Sarosh
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NOVEMBER 2013 / 13
VIEWS
A Voice for Us All THE SOUTH ASIAN POETRY FESTIVAL FOR PEACE 2013
by Veneeta Singha
“Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow, Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me. From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow, And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.” Death, Be Not Proud, John Donne (1572-1631) An acclaimed poet whom I studied with undeterred intensity and to whom I turn for solace, elucidation and company is TS Eliot. His poetic compositions, if read with any measure of contemplation, lay bare many intricacies and eternal verities of the human condition. Universality is yet another particularity attributed to Eliot’s almost metaphysical poetic thought and intimations. “Let us go then, you and I, When the evening is spread out against the sky Like a patient etherized upon a table; Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets, The muttering retreats ...” The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, TS Eliot (1888-1965) Without attempting to confine and constrain any element of the poetic thought process through narrow, constrictive definitions, I glean here bits of a festival that few can resist. Poetry is, after all, the nadir of the literary imagination. The Festival venue is the historic Patan Durbar Square - an ancient square yet an unambiguous conceit for
Reena Shrestha
POETRY! The word sparks a multitude of semantic responses - both cerebral and emotive. A poetry festival here in Kathmandu, I submit, is ‘an idea whose time has come’. The South Asian Poetry Festival for Peace 2013 comes at an opportune moment for us to celebrate and honour the poets of our embattled region and their myriad, if hidden, contributions to the literary sphere as well as to our understanding and appreciation of the world.
contemporary Nepal. The gajur that embellishes and completes the temples in the square seemed a fitting metaphor for poetry itself. Chirag Bangdel, well-known Nepali artist and poet, welcomed the poets and guests with words and expressions I am unlikely to forget. He introduced the Festival as an avenue “to share poetry, sunshine and happiness: the good things in life.” “Why do poets write poetry?” As he began to discuss this art form, the wisdom of the ages seemed to flow. “Art is as important as the air we breathe.” The Festival aims to “celebrate universal humanity; to rediscover the present beyond language, culture and passports.” The Festival took three years to materialize and this seemed an apt simile for the times we live in - bound, as it often appears, by its own realization. “Poetry catalyzes change.” “Shanti hamroastitwa, shanti hamroadhikar!” Abhaya and The Steam Injuns illuminated our journey into the poetry of South Asia with beautiful acoustic renditions. I can still hear her singing “Sakdina aba ma, Mandainameromann ...” In her lyrical words: it was not the summer sun but the winter sun - a friendly one. The day was bright, luminous and open. The Festival brought together 20 poets from Bhutan, Sikkim, Bangladesh, India and Nepal. The first recital was by acclaimed Nepali poetess, UshaSherchan. “Hamilaihamroharaeko Buddha chahinchha!” www.sharing4good.org
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Hemanta Shrestha
A Wall as a Witness of Poetic Justice by Jeebesh Rayamajhi WHAT WOULD THE COMMON MAN THINK of the sets of “Court Martial?” Perhaps as the witness box and judges’ seats which we witness in Bollywood films? The sets of the popular theatre production, “Court Martial,” were showcased for a month recently at the Theatre Village in Lazimpat. Adapted, designed and directed by Anup Baral, the play “Court Martial” was a new but nineteenth production of the Actor’s Studio in Patan. The set was designed by Sheelasha Rajbhandari, a noted painter and sculptor who made her debut as a set designer with “Court Martial.” Although a novice in the field, her design was appropriate of the space itself and the context of the theatre production. It was also ample proof that art and theatre are similar with respect to design and creativity. As one enters the hall of the theatre, the set is in reminiscent of a backdrop wall. In front one sees abstract structures converted into chairs in a matter of minutes. A small triangular box serves as the witness box with unusual tables and chairs for the advocates, witnesses and judges - seemingly realistic but grotesque in shape and size. After per functory observation, one realizes that this is not a normal wall but a wall of an army tank - not overtly realistic and firmly joined with knot bolts and peep holes. The knot bolts evoke a sense of the regimented formality of army life and the grotesque that projects ludicrous justice in motion.
The wall, seemingly a tank, then functions as a barrier, backdrop and projection screen. The convergence of the director’s and designer’s creative imagination has given the wall life: the wall now works as a character revealing that which the human characters dare not reveal. The conversational soliloquies between ‘Captain Pokharel’ (played by Subash Thapa) and ‘Captain Rana’ (played by Karma) are projected by this wall. In essence, the wall, both a thematic prop and a theatrical device, plays the role of a witness in an extraterrestrial court, thus becoming a witness of poetic justice.
NOVEMBER 2013 / 15
Pradeep Tuladhar
VIEWS
Celebrating Five Decades of P.I.E. PATAN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, situated at Lagankhel, was formed in 1963 under the Company Act with sponsorship from India. It is part of a larger organization called Industrial Districts Management Limited, formerly known as ID that was established in 1960, with assistance from the United States. ID was formed as a pioneer venture in the organized development of industrial districts (IDS) in Nepal and an undertaking of His Majesty’s Government of Nepal. Industries that could either not acquire or not afford land and facilities elsewhere have come to operate on Patan Industrial Estate’s grounds. It now provides facilities at minimal costs to one hundred five industries that are currently operating there. The estate provides facilities strictly to organizations not the individual workers. Despite the fact that the estate was established with the vision to make a handicraft village to facilitate the creation of painting, sculpture, woodcarving and crafts, whereas many industries related to textile, plastic, furniture, electric goods, printing press, rolling mill along with food and beverage have been running now. The Estate also provides infrastructure facilities like developed land, industrial sheds and warehouses, roads, drainage and culverts, electricity, and water to the industries on the estate. It provides security and maintenance, and promotes the industries through marketing schemes. The showrooms in the estate facilitate local handicraft industries to display their products. It gives priority to handicraft industries while also providing services to other industries
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such as textile, plastic, steel and furnishing. The estate expanded in the area of 166,567 sq.ft. has been providing employment to 1,600 people. Patan Industrial Estate also works to promote industries in the estate and undertake the overall management and supervision of the entire estate itself and to identify problems of industrial units set up on the estate and provides management consultants and extension services for the improvement of their operation and productivity. It also disseminates information on feasible projects and facilities available on the estate. There is a lack of remaining space available for industries to presently expand on the estate, which accounts for the estate’s major problem. When industries experience financial difficulties, the estate cannot support them much aside from assisting in the acquisition of bank loans by making formal requests. Tourists are invited to come to their onsite showrooms. The estate does promote onsite industries when orders come in from abroad and in this sense can act as a third party between the industries and buyers. Introducing Nepal to the global audience with the help of its products like woodcarving, sculptures, paintings and handicrafts, the Estate has been able to celebrate the golden jubilee. Other districts and estates have been established in Balaju, Hetauda, Dharan, Nepalgunj, Pokhara, Butwal, Bhaktapur, Birendranagar, and Rajbiraj.
NOVEMBER 2013 / 17
VIEWS
Pyramid Vaastu Workshop THE PYRAMID VAASTU WORKSHOP was held on November 23 and 24, 2013 at the Indreni Himalaya Hotel in Kathmandu. The main focus of the workshop was to address the challenges, issues and means of rectifying the ‘Vaastu Doshas’ in residential buildings, offices, factories, apartments, agricultural land as well as any plot of land without destabilizing the built spaces. This principle and knowledge leads to Vaastu compliance through the installation of proper ‘Pyramid Yantras’. The workshop was coordinated by Dr. Jiten Bhatt and Dr. Dhara Bhatt. Dr. Jiten Bhatt is the architect behind the ‘Pyramid Yantra’ and is also a professor of Holistic Healing. Dr. Dhara Bhatt is a Homeopathy doctor and a practitioner of ‘Pyramid Vaastu’ and Holistic Healing. She is the author of the books: ‘Pyramid Yantra for Vaastu’ and ‘Dr. At Home’. The workshop was a grand success with a total of 33 participants comprising of Nepali Vaastu practitioners, engineers, doctors, businessmen and ordinary people including participants from India. The workshop consisted of two days devoted to discussions on many aspects of Vaastu knowledge. At the end of the workshop, certificates were issued to the participants in addition to kits and books on ‘Pyramid Yantras’.
During the workshop, Guru ji presented additional ‘Pyramid Yantras’ on improving health, study, and wish fulfillment which are now available in Nepal. In the public interest, the ‘Pyramid Yantras’ and information on the Pyramid Vaastu Workshop were put on display at the Second Furniture and Furnishing Exhibition, held in Bhrikutimandap from September 25 – 29 September, 2013.
PERCEPTIONS ON THE SACRED MEDITATIVE ART THE BUDDHIST TRADITIONAL PAINTINGS Exhibition that was held on January 2014 at Arniko Gallery, Nepal Academy of Fine Arts exhibited on the diversity of Thanka paintings by artists from Nepal, India and Japan. Thanka art always had an enduring magnetism towards consciousness, and a pursuit to understand Buddhism teachings in its various styles in art and symbols. “There are many methods to discover these arts in yourself, your mind and your heart. I believe compassion is the key and to learn how to have little compassion for you have miraculous result in your lives, whereas art and symbols becomes alive in meditation” explains Santa Kumar Rai, Head of painting department, NAFA. For me to compose his explanation to you clearly I have an experience to share. A decade ago, I had enrolled for a meditation course, where total silence is needed for ten days. As our mind is said to be like a monkeymind, it is always jumping from the past, the present and the future. So the key to this is to stay in the “Now” and that can only arise if
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one starts focusing on their breathing. After days of this practice, the soreness of body and joints becomes such an irritation in the mind that your concentration is impossible. However the trick of the body is controllable by the mind. Focusing on the unbearable pain made the discomfort disappear completely. The next few days were the best experiences, I could see the geometrical patterns,the colorful swirls of the mandala like figures, gleaming towards me and a sense that I was some what being a part of the cosmos itself. Paradoxically, I guess to describe such a state is difficult; it’s more like describing the colors of a rainbow to the blind. Attending the exhibition, my experience made sense to me when I read a quote by Benoytosh Bhattacharya where he writes that a worshipper in deep meditation visualizes the deity with a variety of symbols and art. Now coming to the theme of the exhibition, the art depicted the various cultural Thanka art that represents deities like the Buddhas, Dharmapalas, Lokpalas, Dakas, Dakinins, Taras, Bodhisattvas and their mandalas or cosmic order. Many of the Thanka deities’ paintings in
the exhibition were in such detailed works, that it became obvious that the Thanka art is more significant by its spiritual value rather than its cultural importance. As another conversation with an artist Hira lama, secretary of Nepal foundation of Buddhist Traditional Fine Arts from Sindhupalchok expressed to me that Buddhism reached china, India, Korea and Japan. Hence many forms of Buddhist art and symbols started to emerge in various schools of Buddhism. This specific Thanka painting exhibition’s main objective was to bring together the specific Buddhist Thanka art of various cultures and countries under one roof which hasn’t received sufficient respect and recognition. Its goal is in attempting to enrich the art and the artists to support a genre that haven’t received sufficient respect and recognition from the government and by art departments alike.Through such events the organizers believe that Buddhist traditional arts will be exposed to new generation and the art preserved to its glory.
CULTURE SPACE AND
FROM AMBIENCE TO VISION By Sarosh Pradhan and Veneeta Singha
NOVEMBER 2013 / 19
CULTURE SPACE AND
T
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HIS ISSUE MARKS THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF SPACES MAGAZINE. Analogous to the evolution of an architectural construction, the magazine has been designed, built and shaped into the avatar of Nepal’s premiere art and architectural magazine creating dialogues on the built environment and changing structural panorama of Nepal and surrounding regions. As the magazine looks ahead to a new era, we pause here to reflect on and derive inspiration from the design expressions and structures covered in earlier issues in the hope that they will, in turn, will become the anchor on which the magazine and the Nepali architectural paradigm will rest. I also quote the master sculptor Auguste Rodin and his chronicler Gilles Néret in an attempt to find and explore the functions of art as exhibited by architecture.
WHY TO BUILD? written by Bansri Pandey re-examines a designbuild expedition for architectural students of the Catholic University of America in Washington DC titled “Spirit of Place.” The design quest and processes of four key expeditions in 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2011 help to uncover and coalesce basic elements of the structural realm: geography, material, pattern, space, time, culture, shelter, community and form. “The project at its core has been about developing an innovative modern language for Nepal based on its sacred past.”
Influence Yes, form I have looked at and understood, it can be learnt; but the genius of form has yet to be studied. -Rodin
“Rodin’s work will be acknowledged for the energy they seek to manifest, for their vitality exceeding the bounds of stylistic execution. They will be, in the full strength of the word, a work of art.” INSPIRATIONAL INDIVIDUALITY by Prabina Shrestha encapsulates fundamental Newari and associated fusion design interpretations as translated by Dr. Rohit Ranjitkar through an iconic restoration project in Patan. ‘The house holds at least 200 years of history ... It stands fully restored after two years of rigorous reconstruction.’ At once eclectic and traditional, the house fuses essential Newari design idioms and interior concepts - the ‘chotta’, ‘pati’, wooden carvings, terra cotta tiles, brass and copper ware, clay artefacts with the legendary Newari understanding of space as it interacts with structure and sensibility. ‘Such is the power of place.’
NOVEMBER 2013 / 21
CULTURE SPACE AND
Articulation In Rodin’s view, it was hands thus joined in prayer which gave rise to the pointed arch.
SINGHA DURBAR by Sabina Tandukar revisits the locus of Kathmandu’s spatial reality. It’s monumentality, beauty and significance needs little introduction. The sculptural language and socio-political meaning the Singha Durbar exudes, however, is of infinite allure and interest. “These palaces unanimously known as the ‘white elephant’ have given visual dom inance to the medieval architecture of the valley.” Built in 1903, it has offered shelter to Maharajas and modern-day plenipotentiaries alike. Neo-grEcoan, baroque, corinthian, post-victorian - stylistic principles we can scant apply to a Nepali national identity have brought the world into Nepal and allowed Nepal to summarily inhabit a global community by this palace of palaces. “Individual supremacy” is transposed onto the plinths and façades while the social axiom, crucial in any built environment, finds its most profuse and “profligate” expression to date in Nepal. The Singha Durbar was renovated in 1973 and much of the compositional glamour and philosophical underpinnings reverberate in the intricate artistry, majestic exteriors and sociohistorical impact. “Of all Rodin’s oeuvre, it is ‘The Monument to Balzac’ which most clearly inaugurates the sculptural language of the twentieth century.” Singha Durbar exemplifies axial configurations and scale that are grounded in proportion, expanse and monumentality. Joltingly western in style and construct, contradictory notions of grandeur and slavery; of the absolute and the unknown; and of salience and volume in the Durbar are known to, if momentarily, impose a submission of presence amongst the visitors. Fountains, embellished gardens, sculptures and opulent halls in this masterpiece are metaphors of time and space. Does the Singha Durbar convey the ideal of democracy and, as many have observed, fail to represent Nepal?
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SUMMIT VILLAGE LODGE: SPIRITUALLY NEPAL by Veneeta Singha is an enthused delineation and celebration of the Summit Village Lodge in Risal Danda. The lodge typifies our preferred, latter-day getaway and nature experience - the idyllic, sheltered dwelling resting on a hill-top plateau is immediately Nepali in design and philosophy. However, as it opens up to the solitary traveller, the plush rooms, sauna and gleaming tableware offer modern comforts with a heart-felt enthusiasm. “Nature’s spatial metaphors and colours are unfamiliar to a city-dweller yet completely palpable through a slowness of perception which is surprising.” When melded in quite this way, the familiar and the rare find a restive and rejuvenating expression which is the Summit Village Lodge.
Language There is an admirable logic and continuity to the way in which one work gives rise to the next in Rodin’s oeuvre.
“Though accused of making excessive use of the un worked surface, Rodin was again far ahead of his time; he appealed to the imagination rather than to the roles of sculptural convention.” TIGER TOPS KARNALI LODGE: RETELLING OF A JUNGLE LODGE by Siddhartha Lama reclaims the ideal of a jungle paradise and returns it to its distinctive roots. Carefully gleaning the processes by which the lodge was renovated and took its present shape, the key structural element which strikes through is the perfectly temporal use of local materials and structural dynamics. With an uncompromising focus on detail, the lodge was upgraded with clay, reed mats, spiral mats of braided dried grass, charpoys, woven twine and a surrounding effect of calm afforded by natural light and mild, neutral colours. “The challenge, of course, has been to use fairly basic material and local skills sets to develop a luxury lodge setting and, in this, Danish design characteristics have managed to add that required finésse.”
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CULTURE SPACE AND
Construct Suddenly I grasped what unity was. For the first time, I saw sculptor’s clay.
THE NORWEGIAN EMBASSY: AMBASSADOR’S RESIDENCE, KATHMANDU by Siddhartha Lama reorients our imagination to the present with suddenness and simplicity. Allowing definitive interpretations of cubism and minimalism, the Residence optimizes the Newari design ethos and postmodern utilitarianism. Reworking spatial mathematics through ventilation, light, formality and comfort, the built reality is centered on the cube form and the atrium. Both privacy and the social paradigm are given room and resurgence. “Viewed as a whole, the building breathes spaciousness and light, presented through the angular lines of its design and the openness afforded it by the use of glass and louvres.” “The forms in, for example, Rodin’s ‘The Three Shades’ are only suggested, for what is represented is not a sensation or an emotion but an action, a movement.”
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ARCHITECTURE: IDENTITY AND POLITICAL POWER by Kai Wiese begins with a powerful statement on the synergy, disconnect and confluence of Nepali architecture, identity and politics. It reads: “Architecture is a tangible manifestation of a civilization.” The prelude is a formalized thesis of the contributions and creative aspirations of the Malla Kings of Nepal leading, progressively, into an authoritative reflection on Nepali architectural influences. Orchestral in its breadth, this account calls upon the history, culture, nature, artistry, craftsmanship, typologies, trades and civilizational values which essentialize power and politics in the Nepali spatial environment. Symbolism and strategic meanings find a unique structural articulation in King Prithvi Narayan Shah’s innovations such as the ‘Nautalle Durbar’. Subsequent manifestations of the era also demonstrate its political philosophy. Authority and location, at the time, were both strategic and ceremonial. Tumult and upheaval alongside a nascent democracy and identity were distinct temporal signifiers as King Mahendra BBSD commissioned the new Narayanhiti Palace. It stands today as a consummate archetype of a political character that can only result from balance, symmetry and elaboration.
Expression “There is an admirable logic and continuity to the way in which one work gives rise to the next in Rodin’s oeuvre.”
‘Bridging the centuries in which it seemed that mind had been banished from sculpture, Rodin revived the tradition of cinquecento. In his own words: I want to link the past to the present; to return to memory, judge it, and contrive to complete it. Symbols are the guidelines of humanity.’
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CULTURE SPACE AND
Aesthetics This work, which could not be destroyed, is the culminating achievement of my entire life, the very lynchpin of my aesthetics.
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FOR ALL SEASONS: FOUR SEASONS RESORT, LANGKAWI by Sarosh Pradhan delves masterfully into an island resort cocooned by limestone cliffs and tropical forests. This interaction with Lek Bunnag, architect of the island idyll, imprinted with profound insights into the Malay culture and heritage, also signifies a move towards spatial dimensions that are in stark contrast to Nepal. However, Lek reveals at the outset that the architecture of Kathmandu Valley will always be his teacher. Moulding and revitalizing spiritualism, historical narratives and nature as a catalytic function is intrinsic in many parts of the world. Crafted by screens, shades and colours, precise forms in this island resort owe their design to an archetypal understanding of climate, topography and, indeed, existence itself. Heritage preservation also provides the key to the resort's design framework. An ambient use of light, pavillions, geometrical patterns and layered domes creatively encase the singular concept of the inner sanctum. The use of timber realizes into a consummate Malay style. "Each pavillion has a large overhanging roof with traditional Malay-style decorative fascia boards that help reduce glare." A simmer of Thai, Burmese, Indonesian and ancient Islamic influences, the final, designed construct is perfect in vision and reality. Lex believes that "architecture must give serenity and joy apart from meeting specific needs and functions."
LIGHT IN THE TUNNEL: THE BARAI AT HYATT REGENCY, THAILAND by Sarosh Pradhan centers on the Barai Spa Project which was formulated on a ‘conceptual attitude’ of strength, arrogance, romance and force supported by the characteristic seriousness and meditative focus that Lek's works evoke. ‘Architecture deals with the unseen.’ Theatrical and symbolic, the project takes the visitor through an almost baptismal cleansing process - from water to tree to cornices and, finally, to Hope as communicated by the spatial serenity. The word spa is, in the deepest sense, meditation. The ancient rites of purification have found an absolute modern sensibility and environ. Stillness, solitude and surprise are built into this sculptured arena giving form to an aloneness that many rush to encounter.
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Memory All it required was to place a recumbent in one of the monumental hands which Rodin so brilliantly wrought from the unworked marble.
PATAN DURBAR SQUARE: THE LEGACY OF ALL TIMES by Sabina Tandukar replenishes our imagination with the conscious, real palpability of one of Nepal’s most beloved durbar squares. ‘Mangah’ in Newari implies centre. The Patan Durbar complex, interwoven through three courtyards, visually demonstrates the simple living philosophy paramount to the Malla Kings. An impressively public construct and yet private in essence, the Patan Durbar is Nepal’s foremost material representation of syncretism and secular thought. The ‘Muk Chowk’ built by Srinivasa Malla is replete with myth, legend and visionary aesthetics. Ceremony, in the Patan Durbar, is consecrated and immersive through the renderings and detailing. The Patan Museum, restored by the Austrian Government, displays almost painstakingly the socio-cultural realm of the Malla Kings and of its own reconstruction through the
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‘The French Symbolist poet Baudelaire’s declared intention was to create a universe, a panorama of the passions and sentiments of humanity. Baudelaire’s vast work became a reservoir of forms on which Rodin continuously drew, sculpting a series of groups and ‘individualized’ statues which acquired, as independent work, the status of masterpieces.’
Deependra Bajracharya
exactitude of its framework and fabric. The icons strewn in the Museum imbue the area with sacred tradition just as clearly as with aura and dignity. ‘Patan Durbar Square in essence is a people’s space.’ The Patan Museum is a sublime exposition of Nepal’s spiritual and devotional memory, expression, endeavour and structuralism.
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CULTURE SPACE AND
Deependra Bajracharya
Substance
RECREATING THE SELF CREATED by Swati Pujari details the ‘dharma initiative’ renovation of the Swayambhu Mahachaitya in Kathmandu begun in 2009. The Stupa, a symbolic and spiritual shrine of the Self-Created or the Self-Existent, dates back to the 4th Century and is believed to represent creation and the germination of life in the form of a lotus seed planted in water. “Within its range of blessings, suffering dissolves, and compassion begins to emerge. From compassion arise Bodhicitta, the heart of enlightenment,” writes the Ven Tarthang Rinpoche in a statement on the Swayambhu Nath – this has since taken the form of the key guiding statement for the Mahachaitya’s renovation works. The latest in 14 major renovations, the works comprised three key elements: the Copper Works, the Gold Works and the Timber Works. With active engagement of the local community and the Department of Archeology, the renovation itself was driven by carefully-documented reinstallation and repairing which drew heavily from earlier records of each Stupa element. Melding religious worship, architectural intervention, cultural revival and socio-historic artisanship, the project inculcates and, finally, expresses a fundamental return to the divine and life giving substance enshrined in the Swoyambhu Dharmadhatu and the five Dhyani Buddhas.
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HERITAGE
A STUDY OF CHARACTERISTICS AND FEATURES
NEPALI MANUSCRIPT PAINTINGS by Dr. Yam Prasad Sharma
Prajnaparamita manuscript portrays the goddess Prajnaparamita and her six female companions. The centrality of female deities in Hinduism and Buddhist tantras is an unmistakable value of both religious faiths. This particular painting also raises the form and symbol of the goddess to a mystical level.
A
lthough art and painting, in particular, are intrinsic to Nepali cultural rituals since the medieval times, the earliest Nepali painting is in the Prajnaparamita manuscript dated 1015 A.D. Manuscript illustrations are considered to be characteristically mystical, symbolic, didactic, anthropomorphic and inter-textual. Icons and images in the manuscript paintings typically signify meanings and metaphors beyond the paintings itself. Visual narratives often present lessons in morality. The implied vision and textual meanings are, thus, present in the same manuscript and artwork. SigniďŹ cantly, both Hindu and Buddhist mythological representations and legends can be found melded in the same manuscript work thereby suggesting religious harmony and syncretistic belief systems. Manuscripts are deďŹ ned as religious texts copied and embellished with miniature paintings - the manuscripts were frequently donated to monks of the prevailing religious orders, priests, pundits and monasteries. Miniature paintings can also be found on the wooden manuscript covers. On closer look, a recurrent visual leitmotif motivates and encourages the readers to delve further. This unique aesthetic tradition is also found in both Hindu and Buddhist manuscripts. Important to note, the artists of these socio-religious homilies are often unknown and unnamed.
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The Prajnaparamita, Dharanisamgraha, Paramartha Namasangiti, Gandavyuha and Pancaraksa are some of manuscripts in the Buddhist theological cannon. Prajnaparamita manuscripts are usually ornamented with allegorical scenes from the Buddha’s life, Goddess Prajnaparamita, the Panchabuddhas (five transcendental Buddhas) and the Bodhisattvas. A painting depicting the Buddha’s nativity on the cover of the Prajnaparamita manuscript, dated 1054 A. D., illustrates the religious harmony and synergies between Hinduism and
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tantras is an unmistakable value of both religious faiths. This particular painting also raises the form and symbol of the goddess to a mystical level. Prajnaparamita is seated on an open lotus and has four hands. Two hands form the Dharmachakra mudra further exhibited by a gesture of the turning wheel of law. The upper left hand holds a manuscript and the upper right hand a mala - the manuscript signifies attainment of wisdom. Vase, conches, flowers and lamps around her create an objectified connection in keeping with the theme of wisdom. A vase full of jala (holy water)
The next goddess sits in the Dhyana Mudra (a gesture of meditation) and the accompanying one in the Namaskara Mudra (a gesture of adoration). The four hands of Goddess Prajnaparamita as well as the gestures of the Goddess and her companions amplified by the symbolic principles of the images are both mystical and supernatural. The wooden cover of the Twelfth Century Prajnaparamita manuscript artfully presents a seated Buddha flanked by three Bodhisattvas on each side and is based on the Buddhist
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the Buddha is a ‘great teacher and leader but not a god,’ ‘his tremendous success was due to the fact that his experience of enlightenment was potentially reproducible by anyone.’
Buddhism. The Buddha emerges from his mother Maya Devi’s left hip, immediately takes his first seven steps and stands on a pyramid of lotuses. The Buddha is then welcomed by the Hindu deities: Brahma, with a basket of grain, and Indra, with a fish. Fish and grain are considered auspicious and symbolic offerings in Hindu deistic traditions. This iconographic presence of the Hindu gods as part of Buddha’s nativity, again, expounds on the ideal of religious concord which was an identifier of the time. THE COVER OF THE 12TH CENTURY Pajnaparamita manuscript portrays the goddess Prajnaparamita and her six female companions. The centrality of female deities in Hinduism and Buddhist
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or Amrita (nectar or elixier of immortality) is ‘an auspicious sign and symbolizes plenty.’ Goddess Prajnaparamita is considered to be the epitome of wisdom and knowledge. A lamp as the symbol of enlightenment and wisdom further reaffirms the prevailing premise. The conch is a symbol for ‘the Buddha’s speech’ through which wisdom and enlightenment can be gained. Three of Prajnaparamita’s six female companions are seated on the left hand side and three on the right. One of the goddesses holds a sword in her hand which metaphorically “cuts through the darkness of the ignorance of all sentient beings.’ Other goddesses sit in the Varada Mudra (a gesture that confers blessings).
creed of Mahayana - the great vehicle. The concept of the Bodhisattva owes its origins to Mahayana Buddhism in sharp contrast to the Hinayana School of Buddhism - the small vehicle. The Hinayana philosophy was also known earlier as the Theravada which translates as the teaching of the elder. According to the Hinayana School, the Buddha is a ‘great teacher and leader but not a god,’ ‘his tremendous success was due to the fact that his experience of enlightenment was potentially reproducible by anyone.’ Followers of Hinayana Buddhism did not follow idolatry; the overarching belief being that it was ‘impossible to represent him once he had passed into Nirvana, a state of
and human beings who seek nirvana.
being inconceivable in a human.’
In contrast, the Mahayana School propounds the theory that enlightenment is possible for human beings ‘not only by their own endeavor but also through the vicarious suffering of a new deity, the Bodhisattva, an intermediary between the passive Buddha and the suffering humans.’ Ernst and Rose Leonore Waldschmidt write: ‘Enthroned beside the Dhyani Buddhas in their worlds are so-called Bodhisattvas, ‘Being of Enlightenment’, who are potential Buddhas or Buddhas designate. These blessed beings have come within reach of their goal, the rank of a
Buddha, having travelled the way that leads through the ten stages (bhumi) of supreme virtue and perfection; they have, however, abstained from taking the final step to deliverance and extinction in order to stand by those who have remained behind on earth, their former companions in suffering, to help them in their troubles and guide to them along the right path. These Bodhisattvas, thus, have the function of helpers to those who belong to this branch of the Buddhist religion like the saints in the western churches.’ Bodhisattvas, the enlightened ones, function as the bridge between the Buddha
Furthermore, the Prajnaparamita manuscript cover depicts the Buddha seated in the Dharmachakra Mudra (a gesture that denotes teaching of the law) surrounded by a white aureole. The Bodhisattvas - Samantabhadra, Vajrapani, Ratnapani, Avalokitesvara, Visvapani and Manjusri - are each seated in the Dharmachakra Mudra and hold a lotus in the left hand. It is believed that the Buddha’s teachings have been transferred to people by Bodhisattvas who function as mediators. This artistic and philosophical composition is based on the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism. THE PANCARAKSA MANUSCRIPT paintings, dated 1250 A.D., are also anthropomorphic, mystical, mythopoeic and narrative. Inscribed on paper, this manuscript illustratively depicts five goddesses as the personification of five protective charms used to save people from snakebite, prevent the occurrence of smallpox and other similar purposes. The abstract concept of the protective charm is, thus, given human and divine attributes. A defining composition in the manuscript represents a seated Buddha and the Goddess Mahapratisara. Devotees are also shown seeking consultation from the deity on their ailments and problems. When the verses of the Pancaraksa are opened, the personified figure representing the disease flees. The scene is didactic and takes on mystical and anthropomorphic properties. Plants and trees in the background create a naturescape and enliven it. Vibrant red, green and yellow shades against the deep indigo of the paper also imbue effervescence. In addition, the borders are embellished with floral and geometric
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The narrative plays in the Gandavyuha manuscript are emblems of Sudhana’s spiritual journey, his interaction with Manjusri, the Bodhisattva of wisdom, and his ensuing enlightenment. Manjusri is shown seated on a cushion and possesses a halo whereas Sudhana is on the ground without a halo. The artist of the Gandavyuha manuscript also captures the landscape with an aesthetic transposition of rocks, trees, plants and animals in the scenery. THE 12TH CENTURY VESSANTARA Jataka manuscript paintings are also narrative and instructional portraying religious harmony which relationally defines Buddhism and Hinduism. According to legend, Vessantara is a generous prince who gifts a white elephant to a neighboring kingdom suffering from drought. Belief has it that the white elephant could bring rain. Subsequently, Vessantara’s own country suffers from drought and the prince is banished from the country due to pressure from a public revolt. Vessantara then goes to the forests with his wife Madri, his son Jali and his daughter Krsnajina. One day, when Vessantara is meditating, Indra arrives in the form of a brahmin and asks for his son and daughter. The prince relinquishes his children and the brahmin takes away the crying children. This signifies Indra’s test of endurance which Vessantara passes and the scene ends with a reunion and a return to the palace. Implicit in the story is the moral of helping others and the importance of kindness. The manuscript
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is distinctively Buddhist but incorporates the Hindu God Indra suggesting, again, religious synchronicity and a blending of Hindu and Buddhist spiritual epistemologies. The Buddhist manuscripts exhibit many continuous and flowing curves; serpentine, sinuous and flexible figures and a luminosity of texture thus projecting lively and youthful human figures. Rajatananda Das Gupta writes the following on the stylistic quality of the paintings: The lines move in continuous flowing curves and successfully model the masses and volumes within the given contour. Human figures are full, sinuous and rounded while draughtsman-ship attains the height in the decorative motifs. Some landscape is also attempted by arranging stylized plantain trees at uniform distances. In Amita Ray’s words, the lines in the compositions of manuscripts are ‘rounded and sweeping and colour has almost a modeling effect.’ Hindu manuscripts such as the Bhagavata Mahapurana, Visnudharma, Shivadharma, Niswastantra, Lalitavistara, Devimahatmya and the Ramayana are also graphically illustrated. These manuscripts inscribe Hindu deities such as Vishnu, Shiva, Durga and representational narrative scenes serve as value-laden pictorials. The Visnudharma manuscript cover, dated 1047, shows ten rendered incarnations
of Vishnu. In the Hindu scriptures, Lord Vishnu imbibes incarnations to protect other deities and human beings, and to instill order over demons and sinners who dominate the earth. The paintings of these ten incarnations are moralistic and educational - they are informed by notions of sin and destruction, and serve to warn people. Paintings of fish represent the Matsya Avatara (an incarnation of Vishnu as fish) who saves humans from deluge and are, thus, personifications of the deity and the deistic principle. As an incarnation of Vishnu, the fish is an auspicious symbol in Hindu religious and cultural rituals. Similarly, the tortoise represents the Kurma Avatara who saves the Mandarachal mountain from drowning, when churning the ocean for amrita (nectar) known to endow the gods with immortality. The boar, on the other hand, represents the Varaha Avatara who rescues the drowned earth resulting from an ascendancy of demons and excessive sin. The boar is known for a commanding, heroic and militant posture. According to legend, the earth appears in the form of female goddess at Varaha’s right elbow. Again, these are potent signs of the anthropomorphic character of the paintings with the fish, tortoise, boar and the earth all personified and given human attributes. Their activities are akin to events in the miracle plays, at once supernatural and spiritual. In progression, the Narsimha Avatar (half man, half lion in form) kills demon
King Hiranyaksipu to protect his devotee Prahlada. Allegorically narrated, the tale is that Hiranyaksipu possesses a boon by which he cannot be killed by man nor by animal. Consequently, Vishnu appears in the incarnation of a hybrid form of man and lion and is able to destroy the demon king. In an ensuing mythological narrative, the Vamana Avatar (dwarf) destroys the pride and ambition of the demon King Bali. Here, Vishnu assumes the form of a brahmin and asks Bali for land which can be covered in three strides to sit and meditate in. As Bali agrees to grant the land, Vishnu tricks him by stretching his left leg towards heaven. In two strides, he covers the entire earth and heaven, and in the third stride, Vishnu puts his foot on Bali’s head thus casting him unto hell. Analogous in function to a morality play, this painting also follows the main theological ideology of good and evil. As the narratives take further shape, the Parasurama Avatara kills all the fallen Kshatriyas with his axe. The Rama Avatara - the central figure in the Ramayana - together with his brother Laxman and the monkey friends destroy the demon King Ravana of Lanka. The Krishna Avatara also destroys the demon King Kansa and helps the Pandavas annihilate the Kauravas. This is part of the renowned storyline of the well-
known Hindu epic - the Mahabharata. In a separate composition, the Buddha Avatara depicts the Buddha as the ninth incarnation of Vishnu thereby exhibiting syncretism in Hinduism and Buddhism. Fundamental to Hinduism and the Hindu way of life, important new ideas developed in the milieu were absorbed and incorporated into an inclusive socioreligious paradigm. The Kalki Avatara, in human form, replete with the sword and on horseback is thought to espouse the temporal notion of the future in order to destroy evil and rescue the earth as well as his devotees. The paintings in this manuscript are intricate representations of important and absolute mythological constructs.
manuscript from the Thirteenth Century, is also emblematic and anthropomorphic. Lord Shiva is shown seated at the centre holding his consort, Parvati, who is on seated on his lap. Shiva’s weapon ‘symbolizes the tripartite functions of God in the theistic sense, namely creation, preservation and destruction.’ Parvati’s mount, the lion, is by her side and Shiva’s mount, the bull by his. In the backdrop the Ganga river pours holy water over the divine couple. The Ganga is also a personification of the human form. Ganesha and Kumara, Shiva and Parvati’s sons, appear on their vehicles, the mouse and the peacock respectively. Mount Kailash, Shiva and Parvati’s holy abode, stands tall in the background.
In some Visnudharma manuscripts, Vishnu is anthologized with his four hands holding the sankha (conch), charka (wheel), gada (mace), and padma (lotus), ascending towards heaven on his vehicle, the Garuda The anthropomorphized God with four hands and on the Garuda as the vehicle, again, has mystical and supernatural connotations. The depiction of Vishnu with his shakti (female power), Goddess Laxmi, is both frequent and common in Hindu scriptures.
The Sivadharma manuscript, dated 1069 A.D., shows the shivalinga painted as an assimilation of erotic and spiritual meanings. The shivalinga is symbolic of the union of the lingum (phallus) and the yoni (vagina) which is believed to be the source of all creation. Describing the deistic connotations of the shivalinga, Lydia Aran writes:
In observance of the chosen medium of storytelling and instruction, the painting on the cover of the Shivadharma
‘The Shiva cult in Nepal comes in the form of Lingam (Phallus), which was the early form of Shiva Icon. The Lingam is roughly cylindrical in shape, standing upright on it’s narrow end and rounded at the top. It usually stands on a flat rimmed
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disc called yoni being possibly the female symbol. There is an indentation on one side of the yoni, the purpose of which is to drain off the water poured over the Lingam as offering.’ Similar to the shivalinga, both male and female principles are shown in union as Uma and Mahesvara; Vishnu and Laxmi; and Samvara and Vajravarahi in other Hindu religious iconography. Significantly, erotic and sacred themes are anthologized in unison in the Hindu socio-religious arts. THE PAINTINGS ON THE 14TH CENTURY Devimahatmya manuscript show Goddess Durga and her varied avatars alongside which the destruction of Mahisasura (the buffalo demon), Sumbha, Nisumbha and Raktabija are also depicted. Myth has it that Mahisasura and his army were terrorizing the gods and men. In response to their prayers for intercession, Durga appears in the form of a beautiful girl in a mountain forest to seduce the demons. Seeing her, a demon mentions her to his king after which Mahisasura sends a messenger with a marriage proposal to Durga. She asks to see his master following which
Mahisasura appears with his army to wage war on her. Mounted on the lion and armed with weapons in her many hands, Durga attacks Mahisasura and the other demons and, finally, destroys them. The paintings also describe Durga killing the demon, Sumbha, in the avatar of Kalyani. In another rendition, she destroys Nisumbha assisted here by Chamunda. In the episode of the Dhumralochana Vadha, she attacks the demon with an arrow from the cloud. The demon, hit on the chest by the arrow, somersaults in agony with the arrow producing iridescent flames. Flowers, colorful rocks and lush mountains ‘serve as the background of the painting’, and create typical ‘Nepalese landscapes’.
with flattery upon which the cat climbs the tree, devours all the chicks leaving only the carcasses. When the parent birds return, they are enraged and kill the old vulture. The moral of the fable, therefore, is that one should not believe in flattery. The second fable recounts the story of the jackal and the deer. The jackal befriends the deer, takes the deer to a green field to graze where the farmers have set a trap. The deer is, thus, ensnared in the trap as the jackal aims to eat the deer. However, the jackal fails in this illfated plan when the farmers release the deer from the trap. In these visual works of art, animals and birds are also personifications and projections of human foibles and fallibilities.
Although the majority of the manuscript paintings are religious in form and theme, the Hitopadesa manuscript compositions, dated 1594 A.D., deal with secular themes that are relevant even in the present day. In this manuscript, two animal fables are represented visually – the first fable recounts the story of the old vulture - an infirm and blind vulture works as a babysitter for other birds and is given food by the birds in return for the work. One day, a cat appears and befriends the blind vulture
In summation, the Nepali religious manuscript paintings artistically and inter-textually present and celebrate the religious harmony that characterized the Nepali society of the time. They also share features similar to Indian manuscript paintings although Nepali artists are known to have creatively used these influences to render their own unique context.
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HERITAGE
CALCULATING TIME:
THE CALENDAR AND THE TITHI by Rajendra Shakya
T
HE practice of keeping track of time has evolved through time itself, to take shape in what we now call the modern calendar. Though the modern calendar follows traditional systems of calculation, many new ways to display these calculations have easily emerged in calendars of manifold shapes and sizes.
The Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, a 12th Century Buddhist Monastery popularly known as the Golden Temple of Patan, is famed to have retained the traditional calendar in its original form. The modern almanacs have, however, taken away considerably from the use of this traditional calendar. Public display of the traditional calendar at important sites such as the monastery was a popular occurrence in Nepal. The traditional, orthodox hand-written calendar, in the form of a wooden plate, was and remains the only source for ascertaining the Nepali “tithi” (day count based on the movement of the moon i.e. the lunar calendar) and establishing the exact and auspicious date and time for rituals, festivals and
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Nepali astrological chart are at public display of traditional calendar at important sites, which are popular occurances in Nepal, and are still based long before the clock was invented, according to the movement of the moon. astrological events such as the eclipse. The Joshi astrologers, from Nagbahal, draw the traditional Nepali astrological chart each year, as they have done for decades, by taking the wooden plate home a few days ahead of the Nepali New Year’s Day to prepare the handwritten almanac for the rest of the year. This calendar includes the tithi(s) which confers the day count for the whole year and also determines the exact day for each festival in the calendar year. The Joshi family continues to receive special recognition from vihar for
updating the traditional Nepali almanac and also receives a share of the offerings during all key events of the vihar, such as the bare chhuyegu (a Buddhist initiation rite) and the aacha luyegu (initiation ritual into the Bajracharya priesthood), says Dipak Bajracharya, a priest from the vihar. As the traditional calendar is made of wood, it lasts for only a short span of time and is, thus, changed at regular intervals. The wooden plate ceremonially installed in the vihar currently is not an old one while the tradition of displaying the calendar itself is an ancient rite. The vihar houses a special conical vessel which was used to keep track of time long before the clock was invented. This vessel, with a small leak at the tip, was placed with the tip down and filled with water, thus functioning more as an hour glass to determine time usually calculated in the ghadi and the pala. In the past, the Joshis from Nagbahal determined the time of day with the help of the vessel, affirms Bajracharya.
THE FLAIR OF RESTAURANTS Text by Pujan Joshi, Photographs by Pradeep Ratna Tuladhar
I
N every culture, the food represents a vital part or maybe even a representation of a community itself. It does symbolizes on how we congregate on a reflection of a culture by the dishes we are served. Though we should never criticize on
any cultural cuisines we don’t understand, the growing popularity of cultural dishes of various countries now introduces the flavors of a culture, its people and
the community itself. The presentation of its cuisine to new taste in the capital has now become a significant responsibility for many restaurants.
Nowadays hospitality is the key to success in every restaurant business, as it brings additional zest in enjoying the cuisine. Even equally important are the interior decorations that play a prime temperament in initiating an ambience of the culture and its cuisine with a superb dining experience. Today we see a lot of restaurants mushrooming in the city, and the motivation could definitely be the change in the statistics of people who now prefer to eat outside. Rather than complying with a repetitive routine of two meals a day with their taste buds fixed to comparable flavors, they seek an escapade to search new exciting flavors and an ambience that makes a memorable experience. It turns out to be appealing and fascinating how cuisine and the interiors of a restaurant entice people in enjoying their dining experience. Hospitality and the hygienic enthusiasm of a restaurant should be a paramount criterion for their customers as nothing beats a temptation to go to a restaurant for a second or even countless times for a meal you would remember till you are ninety four years old. Now wouldn’t that be a dining experience of a lifetime. As for the ambience and the interiors, it adds a magical and delightful sense of ingredient to the taste buds and the flavors of the cuisine you order. Like a candle light dinner for a couple who seeks a romantic sentiment for them to cherish, can in reality be a tribute to their dining experience. It’s no surprise as we now see restaurants as in vogue for people of all age in Kathmandu too.
t
So our task in this particular article is to present you ten different restaurants in terms of the appetizing cuisine, ambience, menus served, quality of the service, location and the remarkable interiors. Now keep in mind, there are obviously more than ten restaurants that offer the best in everything. Hence we are on the lookout for many more restaurants for our coming article editions and who knows maybe your favourite restaurant might be featured in our coming editions. Therefore Bon Appetite to all of you food lovers and do start exploring for a cuisine that will have a life-long impression.
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EMBER RESTAURANT Ambience: A gorgeous open courtyard, fireplace, cozy interiors with a touch of European -styled building with one of the finest spaces among restaurants in the capital seems suitable for all occasions. Location: Bhat Bhateni, Kathmandu.
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Factory Restaurant & Bar Ambience: As the name suggests the restaurant anks a factory theme, a building with traditional Nepali style porticoes. The vibrant character of the metal casts ceilings and walls lends warmth and vibrancy to the space taking away the stern character of a factory. Location: Mandala Street, Thamel, Kathmandu
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MULCHOWK, BABAR MAHAL REVISTED Ambience: The Mulchowk replicates the actual Babar Mahal Palace and is considered to be one of the grandest palaces to have been built in Nepal. The location imbues it with historic aestheticism, old world charm, and certain elegance. Location: Babar Mahal Revisted, Kathmandu
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GRILL ME Ambience: The restaurant hosts outdoor and indoor seating areas with an open bar, and a private lounge. Its simplicity maintains interesting detailing from stone, wood and iron, which are the three basic elements used to create a rustic ambience. Location: Jhamsikhel, Kathmandu.
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PURPLE HAZE: Ambience: A tribute to the legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, the name itself is an indication of an environment for live rock bands. If you’re looking for a chill out night with a heavy rush for Rock n Roll then this is the rock bar that will surely not dishearten you. Location: Thamel, Kathmandu.
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SWOTHA Ambience: A facility with classic elements like hipped roof, wooden balcony and the typical brick faรงade display a pleasant art of traditional Newari architecture renovated with much interest and care respecting the historicity of the house, preserving the Newari tradition. Location: Patan, Lalitpur
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TAMAS Ambience: The restaurant’s lure lies in its dÊcor with a huge tree as its focus piece. The bar in the courtyard, the open kitchen, the white walls and the shimmering curtains all come together to create a Shangri-La in the city. Location: Naxal, Kathmandu.
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BRICK CAFÉ Ambience: The Statue of Goddess Durga seems to enchant the old traditionally designed house that was fully restored. As the name suggests the entire ambience comes alive with the old bricks that shows the adoration of old and historic structures & cultural dances. Location: Kupondole, Lalitpur.
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ARENA SPORTS LOUNGE Ambience: A place that offers space for live sports entertainment where people from every walk of life can come to enjoy, relax and socialize on big screens, plus to make it even more special the games will be pumped through lively surround sound system. Location: Satghumti Chowk, Thamel, Kathmandu
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LITTLE ITALY Ambience: The sturdy-looking heavy wooden door, ďŹ ne marble ooring and checkered patterns of wood pieces and glass seem to entice its customers. The semi-partitions of bricks with wooden laminations and pebbles complement the ambience of the interior space make a memorable dining experience. Location: Durbur Margh, Kathmandu.
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JOURNEY
LUKLA BECKONS A journey to Everest Base Camp
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F
LYING on Tara Air to Lukla (2860 m) was an exceptional experience – I was enraptured by the captivating yet serene view of the mountain ranges that lay just a few minutes away from Kathmandu. Landing on the Tenzing-Hillary Airport, also known as Lukla Airport, the door to our journey to the Everest region opened with sublime ease. Mechanized and modern transportation ends here and one will not see beyond this point. Lukla is a small town in Solukhumbu District in the Sagarmatha Zone.
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JOURNEY
The History Channel has recently rated Lukla Airport as the most dangerous airport in the world in a program entitled ‘Most Extreme Airports’ first broadcasted in 2010. You also have to be very lucky to get a confirmed ticket and the airport is one of the busiest in the domestic sector in the country. The beginning of the Everest Base Camp trek brings fresh and healthy air with none of the pollutants which are so omnipresent in our cities. The journey itself is an eternal test of fitness and endurance – the trek up, armed with a backpack of a few essentials moves progressively towards higher altitudes. The Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, itself elicits excitement and a palpably new wave of energy. Affordable and comfortable accommodation, hot food and Internet service are readily available in the established hotels and motels. Known for it’s commendable hospitality, the people are welcoming thus making the start of the trek relatively stress free and harmonious. We went to a nearby hotel for lunch and met with our porters to discuss the details of the load they would be carrying for the rest of the journey.
Previous page: View from on way to Kala Patthar, photo taken of Mount Everest seen on the background and Khumbu glacier on foreground. We were at 5360 meters high. Top: Namche bazar, a village in Khumbu area at 3,440 mt. A main trading centre of Khumbu region, also for acclimatization to prepare for high altitude and the gateway to Mt. Everest . Left: A scenic view from Everest View Hotel, situated at 3880 mt, famous for its panoramic view of Mount Everest and other high peaks.
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After the meal, we headed towards Phakding (2610 m), frequented as the main stopping point for many trekkers en route to the Everest Base Camp. The three-hour trek, primarily downhill through rhododendron, magnolia and pine forests, supremely urges one to capture the panoramic natural beauty with a camera – the immediacy and impact of the mountains often give way to a sudden need to record for posterity some of the magic and beauty. A small village of hotels and lodges then appeared eager to serve weary travelers and to comfort tourists of possibly, every nationality. This became our chosen stop and dwelling for the first night of the trek. The next morning, we packed our luggage and began the journey towards Namche. After walking for two hours, we reached Monjo (2835 m). Reaching this village somewhat similar to Phakding, we chose a hotel for our afternoon
meals which was enhanced by a characteristic touch of warm hospitality. The 200 ft. hill climb towards Namche (3440m) was the first in a series of climbs. Namche Bazaar is a historic and delightful town, popular with trekkers in the Khumbu Region particularly as the rightful place for altitude acclimatization. It is also known as ‘the Gateway to the High Himalaya’, and is the main trading centre for the Khumbu Region. Following our itinerary, we planned to stay in Namche for three days for acclimatization. The next stop was Everest View Hotel en route to Khumjung Village. Our choice - the Camp de Base Hotel - is hailed as the most sought after in Namche and is run by Nyima Tashi Sherpa. The facilities included exemplary hospitality, comfortable rooms with attached bathrooms, delicious food and the availability of handy services such as quick laundry and a good
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Tengboche presents a panoramic view of the Himalayas, including the Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku internet connection. How could we possibly leave Namche after three days? We were served a hearty breakfast the next morning after which we visited the Everest View Hotel. Situated at 3,880 m, the hotel has the distinction of being the highest-located hotel in the world and affords a spectacular view of Mt. Everest (8,848 m). Interestingly, one cannot see the hotel until one almost reaches it. Hidden in a ridge overlooking Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Tawoche, it also blends gracefully with the surroundings. We returned to Hotel Camp de Base for lunch and spent the remaining time resting from the rigors of our journey. Left: Tourists walking on the way to Tengboche, Mount Thamsekru on background. Top: Tengboche presents a panoramic view of the Himalayas, including the Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku
It must be noted that our busy schedule kept us disciplined throughout the trek - early mornings began at 6 with breakfast at 7 and then preparation for another arduous climb or a stroll across a flat plateau area followed by long and short uphill climbs. Khumjung (3790 m) was our next destination - it lies near Mt. Khumbila where the largest
school in the Khumbu Region is located. In this mountainous area, many children walk long hours every day to attend school. With all the roofs on the houses here colored green, the village is, charmingly, called the ‘Green Village’. A sacred cave high above the village also claims to have offered shelter to Guru Padmasambhava. The return back to Namche in the afternoon gave us a welcome and much-needed rest When the time came to leave Namche, we were acutely aware that the same comforts and facilities would not be available further ahead in the trek. Our next stop was Tengboche (3,867m) which houses the largest gumba in the Khumbu Region – the Tengboche Monastery or Dawa Choling Gompa built in 1923. Tengboche presents a panoramic view of the Himalayas, including the Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku peaks. Acclaimed summiteer, Tenzing Norgay, was born in Thani Village and the story goes that he was once sent to Tengboche Monastery to become a monk.
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JOURNEY
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HERITAGE
few travelers are comfortable and many are known to suffer symptoms of altitude sickness
Previous Page: Nearing Pheriche, 4380 meters, lodges have good facilities including internet. The village is a popular stop for trekkers and climbers. Top: The sunrise on Mount Kongde Ri, a trekking peak located four km west of Namche bazar, Hotel Camp De Base.
The journey became increasingly interesting as we ascended to higher altitudes - we stopped at Pheriche (4371 m) and Lobuche (4940 m) where the air was thin and crisp and, as we climbed up the steep slopes, this resulted in heavy breathing and a high pulse rate. Pheriche is a popular and well-known rest stop for trekkers and climbers and is home to the Himalayan Rescue Association which runs a hospital built in 1975 with a grant from the Japanese. Primarily a farming village growing potatoes and buckwheat, and herding yaks, summertime in the village sees many village men employed by trekkers as guides and porters. The village of Lobuche which lies near the foot of the Khumbu glacier is one of the last
overnight stops on the trail to the Everest Base Camp. From Lobuche, trekkers can either complete the trail or stop completely at Gorakshep (5164 m) which is the very last stop to provide accommodation and lodging. A frozen lakebed comprising sand, modern amenities became available at Gorakshep only recently. Known as a launching pad to reach the Kala Patthar, there is a giant dune from which the Mt. Everest can be seen at the closest possible proximity. At this altitude, few travelers are comfortable and many are known to suffer symptoms of altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness (AMS). I was rescued and saved here, back in 2005, when our helicopter crashed during a landing attempt at the Everest Base Camp.
Ashesh Rajbansh, photographs and text Started early as a hobbyist, eventually earing form the passion for photography and serving for Canon as technical advisor in Nepal was more that I could ever dream. Conceptualizing and promoting SPACES was yet another reason that I feel very lucky. Conducted numerous workshops in Nepal on behalf of Canon and serving mostly corporate and international clientele has given me the level of satisfaction that I can say I’m blessed.
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21" LCD TV
BOOK
ART & CULTURE OF NEPAL Provision of free shelter is believed to endow the donor with boons that favorably affect his rebirth and afterlife and is also an ancient practice.
I
T was with reluctance that I agreed to reprint, as the book – ‘Art and Culture of Nepal’, some of the papers I have written over the past thirty years on Nepalese art and culture. I felt that it was immodest - akin, it seemed, to creating one's own festschrift - an assemblage of essays which a colleague compiles in tribute. My Nepalese colleagues assured me, however, that this was a misguided, personal view that did not hold much weight. I hope they are right. Since my papers have been published primarily in specialized, scholarly journals in the West (which rarely reach Nepal), my colleagues argued that it was incumbent on me—even at this late date—to make them more readily available. The fact that Madhab Maharjan of Mandala Book Point so enthusiastically endorsed their views and urged me forward was also instrumental. The reprint would not have been possible without the gracious permission of the original publishers and, in the case of photos which are not my own, the permission of institutional and private copyright owners. I extend my thanks to all, particularly for the knowledge I gained from two young Nepalese scholars, Mahesh Raj Pant and Gautama Vajracharya, during an intensive collaboration period in the 1960s. The Sanskritists and historians of the time and stellar members of Samsodhanarnandala (a research circle) have since earned doctorates in foreign lands. Thanks are gratefully due to Gautama Vajracharya and Manuela Fuller who co-authored some of the papers and generously permitted the reprinted. The volume is divided into sections labeled under sculpture, painting,
and architecture. The papers themselves are less about art as an aesthetic experience and more about art which plays, or has played, an active role within the cultural milieu in which it was produced. This can be validated by the clear and sharp cultural dimension of many historical chronicles, inscriptions and the living culture itself giving Nepalese art its distinctive appeal. The Nepalese vamsavaiis (dynastic chronicles) are well-established and primary historical sources for Nepalese history, and, more specifically, that of Kathmandu Valley. The transcendent interest of the chroniclers lay in recording pious undertakings – usually given as a gift to a temple or the consecration of an image. These chronicle documents are of major, if neglected, significance to the history of Nepalese art and their latent importance merits serious examination. A typical passage from the Gopalaraja-vamsavali chronicle recounts the reigns of three Gupta rulers, J i vagupta, Visnugupta, and Bhumigupta, who are historicallydocumented royal figures of Kathmandu Valley in the 6th and early 7th century A.D. TEMPLE STUDY In the imposing concourse of Nepalese temples, two stand out as atypical - the Kasthamandapa in Kathmandu and the Dattatreya in Bhaktapur. Although they now serve religious functions and are considered to be temples, both buildings were originally sattals - a type of dharmasala or free public rest house. As two of the oldest existing buildings in Kathmandu Valley, these two structures deserve special attention.
The construction of free public rest houses, or dharmasala, is a common phenomenon in India and Nepal. Provision of free shelter is believed to endow the donor with boons that favorably affect his rebirth and afterlife and is also an ancient practice. In Nepal, the custom has existed from the early Christian Period and prevailed to the present day although the custom is waning as a result of acculturation to foreign standards. Few new dharmasalas are built today and many old ones either lie in decay or are being converted for varied uses. The dharmasala is also a common feature of the Nepalese countryside and the townscapes of Kathmandu Valley. Visibly smaller than the famous ‘pagoda’ temples, these free public shelters are, however, equally characteristic of Nepalese architecture and, in fact, outnumber the temples. Morphologically, the dharmasala and temple represent different functional aspects of Newari architecture. Legendary dynasties apart, the Newars were first organized into a fullyfunctioning political entity by the Licchavi kings (Circa 300 - 850 A.D.) and, again, by the Malla kings in 1200 A.D.
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ARTSPACE
The Third Eye H
ER recent painting – comprises both the male and female characters. Thematically, her paintings focus on the man and woman couple as well as the relationship therein –a potent artistic commentary on Nepali society and our surroundings. The characters often appear to be thinking and looking towards the distance. Erina’s art is also known to capture the invisible and intangible. In this painting, her figure(s) display a softness, delicacy and sensuousness - the artistic rhythms and strokes
suggest a peaceful moment in time. The epic female figure with the third eye, large elongated eyes and a meditative mood has become her distinct and signature aesthetic style. The elongated eyes borrow elements from the Ajanta Cave Paintings, and yet the facial expressions and attire are definitively Nepali. The third eye on the forehead is also exceedingly evocative and symWbolic. Erina paints her female subjects with the third eye to underline their silent symbolic function as the ‘shakti’.
by Asha Dangol
Stylistically, Erina draws bold lines over a colored surface and, thus, composes the central figure in a relatively simple manner. The soft colors, textures and lines elicit a perceptible sensation. The easily identifiable rhythmic and serpentine hair signifies feminine sensuality. A palette of deep yellow is accompanied with a dash of gold in the middle of the canvas whereas the top and bottom of the artworks are white thus capturing the hues of her individual and unique creative style.
Stylistically, Erina draws bold lines over a colored surface and, thus, composes the central figure in a relatively simple manner. Erina Tamrakar
She is a celebrated visual artist and co-founder of the Kasthamandap Art Studio and E-Arts Nepal, Nepal’s premiere online art gallery. She was awarded the third and first prize at the National Art Exhibition in 2000 and 2005 respectively. Among her accomplishments, she has won the Arniko Yuwa Sewa Kosh Gold Medal in 2008 and was honored with the ‘Young Achiever’s Award’ 2011 by Today’s Youth Asia and awarded the Old Wing, Chinichi News Paper Japan.
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GO GADGETS
The ‘Next Generation’ Smartphone via the Smartwatch by Ganesh Aacharya
T
he Smartphone could be making the new generations smarter than they think. Everything Google is allowing huge amounts of “interpreted” information and data accessible on the “Smart screen” now small enough to fit in the palm of our hands. The Smartphone was earlier given the dubious distinction of being a status symbol of the rich. The evolution of and advances in technology, however, have made it possible for every mobile phone user to turn into the savvy Smartphone user of today with varying degrees of investment - from very low to very high. And now we have before us the next step in “smartness:” the Smartwatch. It is a newly-arrived add-on for the Smartphone designed to fit on our wrists. Setting itself apart from traditional digital and analog wrist watches, the Smartwatch has some interesting “smartness” features - it is not just a watch but, in fact, the future of the watch itself. Not just smart wrist-show, it can also be called a PDA with built-in features such as instant messaging, telephone, gaming, camera and FM
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Radio playback. It is a music player for the music lover, a speedometer for the speed adventurist and a new device for the gadget collector. Life gets busy. What phone features are you not entertained by? For many people, it is the size of the phone, the need to use the phone while driving and so on. As my recommendation, the Smartwatch will make you think about those things. Let’s talk all things Smartwatch! Boosted by demand from the new generations, mobile phone companies and other producers are now ensuring state-ofthe-art supply. The Smartwatch can also be called the ‘next generation’ remote control of the Smartphone. The Smartwatch is usually connected to the Smartphone via Bluetooth and becomes fully functional as a ‘remote’ for the phone. Interesting? Convenient? Of course! The music player, messaging, camera, Facebook, Twitter and much more can be used via this ‘smart’ gadget. Imagine that you are at a large public celebration event and you are concerned about your phone’s security (which is likely to happen).
Now you can keep you phone inside a bag that you are carrying and control it with the Smartwatch - just a watch for others but a Smart-PDA for you! Imagine that you are on your morning walk, now you can change the songs you listen to and the FM stations on your phone by your watch! You can even view your heartbeat rate and your walking speed, all on the ‘next generation’ watch known as the Smartwatch. The Nepali market does not offer a wide variety of Smartwatches. This is, however, likely to change. The Samsung Galaxy Gear is the only Smartwatch available in Nepal but we can expect the iWatch, Pebble, Sony Smartwatch and other world popular brands in the Nepali sphere in the near future. The war of the Smartwatches, it is reported, has actually already begun. The Smartwatch can cost over 20 thousand rupees - a worthwhile investment for being ‘smarter’ in the gadget world. I am waiting for new brands of the Smartwatch in Nepal; it’s already on my wish-list. What about you?
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PERSPECTIVE
VAASTU Principles and Projection
Earth, wind, fire, water and sky are the essence from which the planet originated and the keys to understanding it. An introduction The Panchatatwa are the foundational elements in the Hindu socio-philosophical cannon developed and practiced since ancient times. These tatwa – earth, wind, fire, water and sky – are the essence from which the planet originated and the keys to understanding it. Existence, thus, emanates from these tatwa and finds realization through them. The concept of energy and its paramount importance to the earth are central to Hindu existential dialectics and thought. Matter is, then, a consequence of energy. Dr. Mangal Madhav Joshi, a Vaastu Shiromani, describes Vaastu, in theoretical terms, as a framework of thought models and interpretations that guide and mediate the construction, design and optimal use of space. An optimized environment is, thus, achieved
by applying and inculcating environmental constructs and factors into the design and philosophy of the built truth. Human habitation, comfort and health along with a conducive exterior reality are carefully interlaced and, thus, deliverable. In the Vaastu ideology, the perfect residence and sanctuary are also likened to the functioning of the human body – synergistic and neural. The state of balance, both internal and external, is the pivot around which much of Vaastu operates: the balance of energy and the balance of natural forces. Drawing heavily from the needs of the human physiognomy, Vaastu transforms space into an environ structured and envisioned to be beneficial to human life in absolute terms.
This column has been introduced from this issue. which will be continued in the forth coming issues as well. Dear Readers, Send your query and questions. Vastu Shivamani Madhav Mangal Joshi will clarify your queries.
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VISIT US AT:
Somany Ceramics Limited Rajesh Sanitaryware, Kathmandu, Nepal rajeshsanitary@gmail.com
PERSPECTIVE
Where should be the entrance of the main gate? What role does it take for the house? Subhadra Byanjankar, Kathmandu, Nepal
QA &
with
Dr. Madav Mangal Joshi
Vaastu principles are based on the four cardinal directions and the four soft directions, each of which possess both negative and positive translations and results. A fundamental diktat by which the Vaastu principles can be applied is the Swastika symbol - the sign displays how the intrinsic knowledge and values of Vaastu are deciphered through its own shape. The energy balance crucial to any structure holds the key to the positive and ideal interpretation of the Swastika. Energy flows in optimally from the east; the infrared rays of the sun are, thus, most potent from this cardinal direction. The absolute positive value is calculated as +10/10. The opposite is the Southeast and calculated as -10/10.
What are the role and the impact of the four directions in our life according to Vaastu? Meena Shah Khadka, Kathmandu, Nepal
capacity of water, the structural environment is built around this assertion.
What are the effects of Vaastu in the personal life of an individual? Abhishek Shrestha, Lalitpur, Nepal There are many parameters and variables that Vaastu brings into the built environment and habitation. Hindu epistemology categorizes energy as life force energy and geomagnetic energy. The first relates to human and environmental health and the second to biophysical cells and minerals. These are active and passive in nature respectively. The body and mind are seen in terms of two directions: east and north/south. A meeting of energy and the resulting force are seen through the lens of a bio-electric magnet. Health is, consequently, maintained and enhanced by facilitating the flow of positive energy as well as reflect and closing the direction that allows it to escape.
Is there any correction tool in Vaastu to correct the flaws after completing the construction? Nagina Shrestha, Kathmandu, Nepal
The four cardinal directions also derive from the Panchatatwa. A good home is where the most time is spent. Consequently, the wise use of the directional environment is critical in both role and impact.
Does Vaastu treatment vary in different countries? If so, what are main things to consider?
Taking the analogy of the human body again, Vaastu is equipped to function as a "health check-up." The growth and spread of a disease, such as cancer, can be stalled and remedied by varied measures. Similarly, Vaastu can help remedy flaws and structural configurations to ensure a healthy, complete built system for habitation.
Sagun Shrestha, Sydney, Australia Incorporating climatic and topographical elements, proximity to the mountains and the sea are also significant factors in terms of the use and nature of the four directions. For example, in South India, where Vaastu is an important practice, the hot climate necessitates cool environments and, as a result, the South is blocked to keep the heat away. In European countries, the major influencing factor is proximity to the sea and due to the absorptive
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How do we define different concepts of Vaastu in different communities e.g. Newar, Hindu etc.? Nilkantha Shrestha, Kuleshwor The sun - the primary source of energy - does not differentiate between communities and people. Polarities exist in nature but are equated to forms and functions. Similarly, Vaastu can be seen as a universal principle and ethos that finds diverse interpretations and applications.
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Where To Buy The entire charisma of a room or an interior space always depends on the quality, the feel, and the fascinating designs printed on every material you constantly tend to express in the interior settings of your home, office or anywhere you feel just at comfort of your home. These days we tend to see patterns and color combination of every sensitivity and perception in material and art- print creativity. We present you the contemporary yet culturally distinctive patterns specially only on cushions and bed -sheets from several impressive emporiums in the city. Please note that the materials of each company vary according to your taste, feel, resilience and lasting permanence. The product material varies from 100% cotton, Polyester & Net, Decostickers. If you are on the lookout for these products then you are bound to find other products that equally bring an appeal to your liking. Bed-sheets, Cushion Cover, Table Cover, Pillow Cover, Apron, Napkin, Dinner Mat, Wine Bottle Cover, Laundry Bag, Vegetable Bag, Coffee Mat, and Blankets. Spaces have specifically selected the extravaganza of shops you can definitely rely on to find your choices for your décor.
Cotton Mill, Kamladi, Bhancha-Ghar Product: Cushion Cover, 100% Cotton Made In Nepal, Price: Varying From Size
Cotton Mill, Kamladi, Bhancha-Ghar Product: Cushion Cover, 100% Cotton Made In Nepal, Price: Varying From Size
Cotton Mill, Kamladi, Bhancha-Ghar Product: Cushion Cover, 100% Cotton Made In Nepal, Price: Varying From Size Cotton Mill, Kamladi, Bhancha-Ghar Product: Cushion Cover, 100% Cotton Made In Nepal, Price: Varying From Size
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MARKET
Emporios, D-Décor, Teku Product: Bright Orange Bed-Sheet Price: Rs 5990
Cotton Mill, Kamladi, Product: 100% Cotton Single Bed-Sheet Set Price: Rs 1970
Emporios, Florida Lavasa, Teku Product: Pure Cotton 3 pcs Bed-Sheet Price: Rs 6990
Cotton Mill, Kamladi, Bhancha-Ghar Product: 100% Cotton Double Bed-Sheet Set Price: Rs 2345
Emporios, Florida Lavasa, Teku Product: Pure Cotton 3 pcs Bed-Sheet Price: Rs 6990
Emporios, Waves, Teku Product: Cotton Bed-Sheet (230*250 cm) Price: Rs 6990
Emporios, Romantika, Teku Product: 100% Cotton 3 pcs Bed cover Price: Rs 6800 – 13500
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PRODUCTS
Wedding Collections From November 25th, 2013 to February 1st, 2014, Index Furniture Nepal will be introducing its new promotional campaign that is targeted at customers who have family members or friends who are getting married. Under the title, “Wedding Collection”, Index Furniture will be introducing new bedroom sets, new sofa sets for the living room and other home items likes cushions, table and floor lamps, dining sets, table clocks and other decorative items. During this promotional campaign, Index Furniture will be offering 10% discount to all customers on all bedroom sets and on the purchase of any living room set worth Nrs. 50,000/- or above. For the bedroom sets, customers will be eligible for the 10% discount when they purchase any combination of a bed, a wardrobe and a dressing table. Customers who purchase any bedroom set are also eligible for 10% discount on any mattress. Along with this promotion, we are extending our special privileges to our ‘Joy card’ members. Index ‘Joy Card’ is our membership card which provides various privileges to our customers. All ‘Joy Card’ members are eligible for points on purchases over Rs.1000 which can be
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redeemed for various items at the store in the future. Our Joy cards members are also now eligible for 5% discount on purchase of any mattresses, a special birthday gift voucher and are also eligible for 3-15% discount with our associated partners. According to Alisha Shakya, Merchandising Manager at Index Furniture Nepal, the company is introducing a wider selection of home decorative items as there is a high demand for these items and are unavailable in the market. These items are perfect to use as gifts for weddings. Besides, until now, there is no one stop solution for home furnishing and Index Furniture is in the path to fill this gap. At the moment, Index Furniture will have an HDI section only at the Jawalakhel Showroom but will be expanding in the future. At Index Furniture, all customers can also get the services of the designers for free. With the 3-D rooms to show software, the designers are able to suggest a variety of ways to decorate homes. All items are exclusively imported from Index Living Mall in Thailand, of which Index Furniture Nepal is a sole franchise.
PRODUCTS
All about Store DONRACKS, an ISO 9001 certified organization was established in 1989. The company comes from the stable of Tool & Machine Tool Engineers. It is engaged in manufacturing, importing and exporting of retail, industrial and warehouse storage racks. The importance of visual merchandising is paramount for any retailer in order to maximize sales and effectively manage its inventory. Donracks offers innovative solutions to run your stores smoothly and make your customers happy. The display and storage racks offered by Donracks are well designed, dust free storage and durable with multi-purpose. The storage racks provided by DONRACKS is appreciated with utmost satisfaction by global clients. Saleways is the biggest client for racking in Nepal. Mr Sushil Pradhananga MD of Saleways, expresses “customers should feel welcoming by the stores looks and ambiance”. He says, “The store should have the entire product displayed in a correct position and place with ample of light and walking aisle”. Per, Nikunj Agarwal, “Saleways has always been particular about the aesthetics of the mart and quality of the racks accross all th eir stores”. Some of the other major clients are Nilgiris, Aditya Birla Group, Relaince, Croma, TATA group, Whirlpool, Hisense Tv, Videocon and Lifestyle. Donracks brand has also been chosen by Bigmart Supermarket project initiated by Triveni Group. According to Mr. Prince Khetan, MD Mega Mart Pvt Ltd, “Donracks has been our chosen brand mainly due to their commitment of providing high quality supermarketing display racks with flexibility to adjust and fit to any sort of space. They also provide a wide range of
all other miscellaneous fixtures required by us for attaining efficiency in terms of creating the desired ambience for our stores.” The Donracks product range includes Heavy Duty Pallet Racks, VNA Racks, Double Duty Pallet Racks, Cantilever Racks, Mezzanine Floor, Slotted Angle Racks, Drive In/Drive through Racks, FIFO Racks, Fruit and Vegetable racks, Pharmacy Racks, Library Racks. Donracks have executed more than 5000 products in India and aboard. The products are being used by companies in various different industries such as pharmaceutical, automobile, energy, logistics, cold stores and much more. The company has a separate team of design engineers too. An effective visual merchandising plan helps to attract, educate, engage and motivate the customer towards making a purchase. We are in the era of modern retail which gives utmost priority to aesthetics of the store. Visual merchandising is a commercial game but there are a lot of thoughts that need to go into it to make the customer feel happy. Racks in this case plays a very important Role in visual merchandising and helping the store hive its final way to display the products .There’s simply no reason why you should wait 12 weeks or longer for your store fixtures to be manufactured. This delay could potentially effect new product launches, restrict expansion and negatively affect your profits. Donracks consistently honors its customers with an industry- leading average lead time of 3 to 4 weeks. Eight weeks of extra time allows you to implement a more nimble go-to market strategy, open stores or expand sooner, launch new merchandise faster, react quickly to new market factors and repair or modify existing fixtures with little down time.
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Mithila Cosmos The Tree Of Life
by Pujan Joshi
Every artist has a story so inuential that it often mesmerizes the persona of the art in a way that it signiďŹ es an extraordinary devotion, passion and patience on the individualistic and cultural perspective of life. These are the artist that takes contentment in sketching and painting on mythology, tradition and culture in a compassionate approach. 80 / SPACESNEPAL.COM
ART
My search for mithali traditional arts had led me to an art gallery at Babar Mahal, Kathmandu, where the Mithila art culture by Subodh Chandra Das better known by his art signature initials as S.C. Suman had showcased his myth- poetic art from Dec 10th 2013 – Jan 6th 2014. As I noticed the fine and dedicated art with its miniscule geometrical details done possibly only by hands and mind of years of experience and affection. My observation in S.C. Suman’s paintings collection kept striking me that all the paintings had a tree centered as the main focal segment of the Mithali art. It obviously had to be a symbol of great significance, as the tree in almost all the religion does stand for the metaphor for life and the whole symbol for existence. But what did it all mean in the Mithali mythology and its basis for its cultural symbolism? I was about to have an interesting conversation with the artist himself. After a moment of literally being hypnotized by the art, it looked as if there was a hidden message in his art, trying to express something out of the ordinary. Though it looked a bit complex .I found out the Mithali art was actually less secretive and more possible for everyone to grasp. The artist’s aspiration was to make people step back and look at their own lives by being in root and harmony with nature and the culture. As the warm afternoon sun started gleaming in the courtyard, I ventured out of the exhibition hall to have a glimpse of the renowned artist and if fortunate enough maybe a composed conversation of his art and on his influences to have had become such an accomplished artist. Who had
already claimed a series of awards & certificates and to name a few , such as Rastriya Pratibha Puraskar (National talent ) by the Nepal Government , two national Awards in the National Art & Craft Exhibition presented by Nepal Association of Fine Art (NAFA), Nepal and Certificate of Excellence presented by KU & American Embassy Kathmandu, Nepal. Our conversation started and obviously it started with his childhood, I wanted to discover the origin behind such a creative mind, and to my astonishment his story did have touching ingredients, like I had thought.
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ART
I chos chose this style as the painting becomes more earthy and organic in color. I must sometimes wait for the perfect seasons for the flowers and plants to bloom to get my desired color in my paintings. Hence began a journey where he wanted to present his identity and his culture in his art. As a poem lover, he started to understand the importance of music, art and poem and started blending it in his own unique and tranquil style that he considers that each of his paintings have a story.
So what is Mithila painting? Its said to be originated from the village madhubani,in Mithila region, Bihar. Mithali ancient art form been passed down through generations. The legend goes that the Mithila painting began when King Janak, ruler of Mithila asked to paint the homes when his daughter Sita was getting married to Lord Ram in the Ramayana texts. Originally women were the foremost part of these elaborate symbolic paintings. In another interesting touch the massive earthquake of 1934 in Bihar had most of the villages walls and houses left in ruined and a British colonial officer in Madhubani District discovered a vibrant newly exposed paintings in the interior walls of homes. He then took these pictures and those pictures are now considered to be the early Mithali photographic images and was later popularized all over the world. Subodh Chandra Das was born in Siraha District, Nepal in September, 1961. He remembers his childhood as to growing up in the Mithila art culture greatly inspired by his grandmother. The paintings used to be done in the walls in almost all the interior walls of any homes in their village. As the eldest brother of three, his father had high hopes of his son becoming a doctor or an engineer and had always discouraged his son to be influenced in an art culture where women were doing it were thousands of years. As he went on his high school days, he remembers an art exhibition where his brothers and friends forced him to compete because a minister was inaugurating the program. In his innocent sparkle in his eyes made me appreciate the special moment when he was awarded the best prize. A grasp of comforting air and S.C Suman remembers how he had to hide the prize from his father as he sometimes did get beatings for not following his orders to pursue his dreams. It was only after the head master told his father of the news but ironically he didn’t show any signs of encouragement but again from then onwards he was never discouraged by his father in anyway.
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What does your painting tend to focus on? For me my painting focuses on the environment, war, instability and crimes, all over the world. They have become my prime focus; hence I always try to promote such awareness in my art. The tree of life is a symbolic way for me to raise awareness or more ever a consciousness to the people of the world. Eventually, we are all one branch of a tree of life. I noticed mandalas and sacred geometry in your art; does it have any significance to Mithila culture or art? Yes , it does have a connection. Mandala is known as Aripan in Mithila culture and is related to Hinduism and Buddhism and even ancient cultures too. I believe that every ritual action of the cultures reflects the close living with nature. Mandala is cosmos, and we are a tiny speck of it. Mandala represents infinity And infinity makes you wonder and mandala art is the answer. All your painting seems to be so rich in color is there any special color pigments you use or oil colors? Colors in Mithila Art has always been of great importance, people in the Ancient days used to use various herbs and, Plants and flowers to get their vibrant colors for their paintings. I chose this style as the painting becomes more earthy and organic in color. I must sometimes wait for the perfect seasons for the plants and flowers to bloom to get my desired color in my paintings. As I started conversing for an hour in topics we like, his art and his philosophy eventually made a lot of sense. A tree of life , or the symbol of life has three stages in Mithila culture and art, they are the roots that is in touch with ground , the leaves that reach out to the sky and the branches that waves around. We beings are like the branches of a tree. If one dies, the other is bound to sprout out if not disturbed. Or in other words to simplify to understand is that trees are a nesting place for birds, but what we find cruelty when a snake eats the chicks is actually balanced when a bird brings a snake for its chicks to feed. As complicated as it sounds it’s better to understand that a life in a tree shows the tree of life. This is what the artist S.C.Suman’s exhibition; Mithila Cosmos was all about, circumambulating the tree of life.
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REPORT
arcasia 2013
by Zohvah Basnyat
“A place is known by its history. If the history of the place is respected, its soul continuities to live but if the history is forgotten then it survives without a soul.” - Ar. Monayya Zafar
ARCASIA hosted the 17th ARCASIA Forum and Council Meeting in Kathmandu from October 5 – 10, 2013 and brought together international and Nepali architects to share perspectives on and discuss “Spirituality in Architecture,” the theme of the conference, and “Architecture and the Image of the City”. ARCASIA comprises members from 19 Asian countries with Bhutan having recently joined the group. During the conference, architects from Asia presented on topics relating to spirituality in the architecture of their communities. The ARCASIA President, Ar. Tan Pei Ing, opened the conference by saying, “With our collective effort, ARCASIA
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can emerge as the strongest and most relevant organization representing Asia, both now and in the future.” Starting with compelling visuals and glimpses of the architectural heritage and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Nepal, the program was inaugurated by President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav. The Session Chairpersons for the conference were Mr. Kishor Thapa, Secretary of Ministry of Urban Development; Mr. Chhabi Raj Pant, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transportation and Urban Development and President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav. Mr. Bishnu Panthee, Chairman of the Forum Steering Committee, gave the end note to the inauguration. Winners of various
architectural design competitions were awarded by Dr. Ram Baran Yadav. The session presentation was hosted by Coordinator and MC, Ar. Rajesh Thapa. An exhibition of the design competitions was on display outside the hall along with entertainment programs between sessions. The Keynote Speaker, Ar. Charles Correa, presented on the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown in Lisbon, Portugal. A medical research centre, he described it by saying, “It uses the highest levels of contemporary science and medicine to help people grappling with real problems: cancer, brain damage and going blind. And to house
Welcoming the guest of honor Dr. R.B.Yadhav
these cutting-edge activities, we tried to create a piece of architecture as sculpture and beauty; beauty as therapy.” Correa is known as one of India’s greatest architects having defined the contemporary Indian sensibility and its articulations; a new Indian identity through a language of global resonance. With presentations by expert speakers from many nations of varied cultural norms, the event brought to the fore remarkable topics and discussions on architecture today. ‘Spirit of a Building, Entrance Threshold and Image of the City’ presented by Rashika Abeyawardana and Pabalu Wijegoonawardane from Sri Lanka, discussed architecture as an entity that stimulates sense and evokes emotions and memories. The design of a building can influence a predetermined mindset and, in such a building, the design of the entrance threshold, between the external environment and the interior space, plays a significant role in how we experience the spirit of a building. In a paper titled ‘The Identity, Civility and Spirituality of Bird-friendly Design’, Dr. James Karl Fischer argued that ARCASIA members could take the lead in replenishing spatial biodiversity and augmenting an authoritative spiritual architecture paradigm. The environmental problem of bird
Session chair heads with Dr. S.R.Tiwari and Ar. Tan Pei Ing
collisions arose somewhat recently in Asia due, in part, to the ubiquitous adoption of transparent glass as an industrialized architectural norm. In response to the phenomenon, Dr. Fischer has started the “Save a Billion Birds” Campaign.
‘The Body, Mind and Soul in Architecture Connecting Spirituality with the Physical’ Ar. Anju Malla’s presentation on ‘Spirituality in Architecture: An Image of the City’ briefly touched upon emerging trends such as the move from rural to urban and from the residential to public area settlements in search for open space and nature. Mr. Xu Zong Wei, ARCASIA Vice President and Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the Architectural Society of China, presented on ‘The Issue of Art and Aesthetics in Architecture’. He shed light on the importance of art and aesthetics in architecture and highlighted examples such as the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace (where??), the Temple of Heavens and
other world famous structures. He opined that China needs to improve its understanding of architectural art and, additionally, give due respect to architectural creations. He paid homage to the works of Antonio Gaudi which epitomize a harmony between art and function. The aesthetic bearing of an architectural project must follow five points: natural, harmonious, simple and local beauty and the beauty of keeping in tune with time. Ar. Sabina Tandukar discussed the importance of ‘Water Architecture and the Spirit of the Place’ in her presentation. The importance of water conduits is amply displayed by historic settlements and important buildings of the present day: the space and function it serves are also self-evident - a clear signal that the spirit of the traditional Nepali hiti(s) is still alive in our society. The location, function and constructional process of the hiti(s), she believes, is present and potent every time we visit these structures and as we rediscover the harmony between our inner state and our immediate surroundings. ‘The Body, Mind and Soul in Architecture - Connecting Spirituality with the Physical’ was yet another interesting paper presented by Ar. Sultana Zakia Rahman. She began
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Asia there are exemplary ‘heritage cities’ that mesmerize us with aspiritual essence, elsewhere there is a deep disconnect between cites and nature making the city system and its urban elements highly unsustainable. with the premise that man is a spiritual being by virtue of the depth of his thoughts and practices. The manner in which the spiritual dimensions of architecture have inspired people in the past and how we address this today in contemporary practice is a measure of the value and importance of a complete architectural vocabulary which puts spirituality at the centre of a rising cultural globalization experienced everywhere today. Inspiring the new generations to view architecture through the angle of spirituality, she added, would help shape a future of harmony and balance. Ar. Aimi Ramizah Roslan, an accomplished architect, fashion designer and model from Malaysia, presented on the transformation of a city that is possible through a visionary leader. In ‘Restoration of Malaysian City Identity: Case study of Federal Territory of Putrajaya’, she made a strong and exceptional case for Malaysia which holds a distinction in the pages of post-modern architectural history. Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, known to be the mastermind of present-day Malaysia, gave the country a fresh approach and direction to Malaysian Architecture and the Malay-Islamic architectural identity. She presented the case study of Prang Besar (meaning ‘war’) renamed by Dr. Mahathir to Putrajaya (meaning ‘victorious prince’). The city is a shining example of architectural transformation. The Prime Minister’s office complex is located at the highest point, overlooks the entire city and the use of Malay-Islamic Architecture can be observed and admired from it. Ar. Poonam Shah presented her paper: ‘Civility in the Durbar Squares’ which gave a bird’s eye view of the palace squares of Kathmandu Valley. The locales, planning and functions of these palace squares are excellent examples of a civic consciousness where every element compliments the rest whether it is the built environment or the functional directions.
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Winners of the Design Competitions
Friendship Night and Dinner at Army Officers Club
International Delegates
Keynote speaker Ar. Charles Correa presenting his book
International Delegates
Display of design competition winners
International Delegates
A DAY OUT WITH
Charles Correa
by Drishti Manandhar
roads fascinated him the most as he felt it was such a humble gesture of architecture. Nowadays we hardly make structures dedicated to others, we are so caught up in “our” own little world, we hardly have a place for a “give” architecture.
ARCASIA was a much anticipated event for Nepal - partly because we would get to attend one of the rare international architectural event in our hometown Kathmandu. The idea of meeting architects and students from all over Asia was both overwhelming and exciting. We were very excited about the attendance of Charles Correa as the keynote speaker. The two-day event commenced with various presentations from luminaries from all over Asia as well as from Nepal along with an exceptional presentation delivered by Prof. Charles Correa. On the final day of ARCASIA, I was requested impromptu by the organizing committee to accompany Prof. Charles Correa to Bhakatapur. After an hour to my amazement - I was sitting at the front seat alongside the Driver Dai, panic stricken, mumbling a prayer, with Charles Correa and his wife Monica at the backseat of the car. This was the start of an unforgettable day with Charles Correa. On our way to Bhaktapur, he asked
me about the ACP cladded newly constructed buildings everywhere in the valley. He added that when we get inspired by architecture of elsewhere, for a matter of fact we easily forget they were best suited to be elsewhere too. As a student myself, I did look up to these amazing international designs and imagined them here and not a split of second would I consider the climatic conditions and the social backdrop of the host place. And even more peculiar was how Mr. and Mrs. Correa were impressed with the little details such as the Chaityas and temples on top of the houses, Namaste roof, brick cladding, cornices, bahals and those little temples alongside the road. And he sighed - ‘So this is your city’. I responded with a Yes. The combination of those tall buildings with the little Namaste guys peeping in, the gullies, the temples and all the mayhem constructions, yes that is our city. As we got near to Bhaktapur the skyline and the environment transformed. The patis alongside the
Standing at the entrance of Bhaktapur Durbar Square he was astounded by it’s grandeur. As we explained about the Malla Palaces, the aankhijhyal, cornices and struts, he was amazed and curious by the stories behind it. The dalins for bhoj (feasting), the consideration of other life in the form of architecture itself like bhaupwas, nagpokharis, birds on temples roof, guardian lions and little considerations were what touched him the most. As we walked along the stone paved gullies he gestured how amazing Nepalese architecture was, how visually complementing the backdrop. It actually was the pinnacle of temples gleaming with the horizon, the perfect tint on the bricks, the trees and the natural environmental context. I recall the quote at the start of his presentation at the ARCASIA opening ceremony “Place represents the part of truth that belong to architecture.” And that was exactly what I felt at that time. As we ended our trip having juju dhau (local king curd) and quati (mixed beans soup) the sheer pleasure and glint in Mr. and Mrs. Correa’s eyes still makes me nostalgic. The immense pride I felt in being a Nepali and the jewels in our architecture was beyond explanation. His meaningful quote “Every generation has to re-invent its culture in new material. It is a question of transformation, not just a transfer of images from the past” is something for us to all think and act upon. (Published in ASA Newsletter. Vol 9)
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OPINION The Identity of Nepali Art and Architecture lies in its Tradition
I
T is widely believed that the art and architecture of Nepal are in a state of flux as traditional Nepali society gradually transforms into a modern one. Consequently, concretized and serviceable buildings are displacing traditional architectural aesthetics. Modern architecture
in its entirety, however, is not lacking in aesthetic values and is known to incorporate beautiful, carved images in built spaces blending modernity with tradition thereby creating appealing skylines. However, the majority of the so-called ‘modern buildings’ in our immediate surroundings are huddled, functional blocks that evoke a sense of inhumanity, coldness, suffocation and a concomitant chilling sensation. It is, therefore, crucial that we rethink our approach to comfort, ambience, interiors and aesthetics in relation to the structured environment and the cityscape.
Take the example of the Durbar squares of Kathmandu Valley famously known as the masterpieces of Newari Architecture: they present decorative painted walls, pillars with intricately -carved images, windows augmented by beautiful floral patterns, doors embellished by auspicious signs along with ample space and floors paved with organic bricks, all contributing to a structurally rhythmic skyline above the buildings themselves. Important to note, form and function as well as aesthetic and utilitarian values are in perfect balance as though in a symphony. It is safe to surmise that if attention had been given to aesthetics and well being and if unabated greed had been controlled, the same functional blocks would instead have been striking pieces of architecture for time immemorial. In the same manner, Nepali art and artistic heritage are becoming highly modernized and many contemporary Nepali artists prefer to be known as modern and postmodern artists. The popularity of traditional Nepali sculptures and paintings, however, is witnessing a resurgence. The identity of Nepali art lies in its tradition. Another trend reveals that Nepali art is moving from the figurative to the non-figurative,
from the referential to the non-referential and from the concrete to the abstract. Let us comparatively assess the dual contexts of European and Nepali art: Is it possible that such vastly different contexts can give rise to an artistic milieu of value and substance? Preserving the use and usefulness of traditional architecture and art while applying modern trends and technology are the twin needs of the hour here in Nepal. Spaces Magazine has given a crucial mediated and intellectual space to Nepali architecture and art. In this regard, we invited 10 Nepali architects and artists to respond to the following questions: i) What do you think about SPACES? How did you know about it first? ii) How do you feel about the content and writing? Kindly mention your suggestions, if any. iii) Is there a good scope in the field of architecture / interior design category in Nepal? Excerpts from the responses and answers follow.
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OPINION
Spaces is the only magazine of its category in Nepal and it has managed to effectively secure a good readership base. It also needs to widen its horizons and include the many diverse products that are available in the market. With vast and progressive improvements now in content and presentation, Spaces could be the ‘go to’ magazine in terms of new products and services such as a regular listing of suppliers in the field. A new section highlighting the latest design trends would serve the readership well. There is huge scope in the field of architecture and interior design having experienced a wave of tremendous change in the last five years. The importance of professionalism for quality work and design has also surfaced. With an increasing number and variety of commercial and residential projects, there is ample work for everyone. The challenge of implementing better design, sourcing and superior materials to ensure suitable end results must be addressed Mr. Rishi Saraf, Interior Designer
“Spaces has contributed significantly to contemporary architectural vibes here but coverage on international architectural practices is limited. Highlights of international art and architectural competitions, expos, exhibitions and seminars could enhance both theme and content. The governance stalemate in Nepal has percolated to emerging architectural and interior design practices. Recent political events, however, have added a new narrative which could herald a gain in the momentum of economic activity. There has always been scope for architecture and interior design in Nepal. The visible index of prosperity is first seen through the built spaces as we walk around in any part of the world. Our profession, as architects, has a significant role to play.” Mr. Debesh Raj Bhattarai, Architect
“Spaces is now in homes and offices affording us the means with which to achieve smart and costeffective solutions. The ICT Association of Nepal (Information Communication & Technology Association of Nepal) executives introduced Spaces in 2010. The dedication and commitment of the Spaces Editors and Staff show in each issue of the magazine. Nepal’s transitional phases of the past will now, hopefully, enable the formation of a stable government in the days ahead. The NRNs and local business houses see investment potential in hotels and multi-complexes. Art and architecture are among the upcoming and booming sectors but sound policies and guidelines must be put in place by the government.” Mr. Shovan Sainju, General Secretary, ICT Nepal
“Spaces is the first magazine in Nepal focusing on architecture and design. When the magazine was first published, we suggested that a serious architectural design magazine must be modeled along the lines of A+D (Indian Design Magazine focusing on core architectural issues). Spaces is now so generic that even the designer’s names and contributions are missed out in the reviews and articles. Perhaps the model could be changed to Inside Outside - a viable model with a design focus and a ‘coffee table book’ look. The existing scope for architecture and interior design will increase in consonance with the transformation of Nepal from a primarily rural to urban society. Secondary cities, such as Pokhara, Biratnagar, Chitwan and Birgunj, are now engaging professional designers in key projects. This will increase as other areas, such as Nepalganj and Bhairawa, become more urbanized.” Mr. Arun Dev Pant, Architect
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OPINION
“Spaces is an informative magazine on current architectural practices in Nepal. It should also cover issues for the lay man such as quality construction and building maintenance. Additionally, there is scope outside Kathmandu Valley for emerging and new architects.” Mr. Purusottam Dangol, Architect
“Spaces is a familiar publication since its inception due, in part, to the founding members. However, there are too many advertisements. Importantly, there is only a hand full of magazines dealing with art and architecture in the Sub-continent.” Dr. Rohit Ranjeet, Conservationist
“The magazine’s focus on heritage buildings is important and necessary but more could be done considering the number of old buildings that are being torn down in Asan, Indrachowk, Dilibazaar. What did we, as a community, gain and lose from the recent expansion of the Kathmandu and Patan roads? Did the city acquire new open spaces? How have the ancient public spaces been transformed over time and do they still fulfill their original purpose? Spaces could generate much needed public dialogue and discourse from articles that cover these topics and issues. Coverage on contemporary office spaces and homes is also interesting. Sometimes, however, the buildings that are written about are overhyped – the absence of extraordinary buildings in the city may have lead to this problem. Spaces is also too Kathmandu centric - what about urban planning and architecture in places such as Palpa, Tansen, Dhankuta? There could definitely be a more focused thrust on eco-friendly architecture and solutions. Additionally, features on interior spaces which delineate a before-and-after scenario would be worthwhile. Including art in an ‘architecture and interiors’ magazine is definitely an enlightened approach to promoting art as an essential component of interior spaces. The advertisements for sanitary wares and electrical fittings are great as they provide an insight into what is locally available.” “The magazine’s focus on heritage buildings is important and necessary but more could be done considering the number of old buildings that are being torn down in Asan, Indrachowk, Dilibazaar. What did we, as a community, gain and lose from the recent expansion of the Kathmandu and Patan roads? Did the city acquire new open spaces? How have the ancient public spaces been transformed over time and do they still fulfill their original purpose? Spaces could generate much needed public dialogue and discourse from articles that cover these topics and issues. Coverage on contemporary office spaces and homes is also interesting. Sometimes, however, the buildings that are written about are overhyped – the absence of extraordinary buildings in the city may have lead to this problem. Spaces is also too Kathmandu centric - what about urban planning and architecture in places such as Palpa, Tansen, Dhankuta? There could definitely be a more focused thrust on eco-friendly architecture and solutions. Additionally, features on interior spaces which delineate a before-and-after scenario would be worthwhile. Including art in an ‘architecture and interiors’ magazine is definitely an enlightened approach to promoting art as an essential component of interior spaces. The advertisements for sanitary wares and electrical fittings are great as they provide an insight into what is locally available.” Sangeeta Thapa, Art Curator
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ENVIRONMENT
Thermal Behavior & Energy Performance by Er. Susan Bajracharya
An atrium is a covered, centroidal, interior space with skylights and one or more glazed facades around which a building is organized. INTRODUCTION An atrium is a covered, centroidal, interior space with skylights and one or more glazed facades around which a building is organized. The glazed interior spaces which can be found in train stations and greenhouses are not considered atriums because the former are not closed and the latter are not connected to a building. A space must possess or exhibit at least three conditions to be considered an atrium: it should be connected to a building; it must be protected and covered from harsh weather and it must, also, provide for day lighting. It is becoming increasingly critical that buildings be designed as significantly low on energy dependence, particularly non-renewable energy. Heating, ventilation and airconditioning (HVAC) systems along with artificial lighting in buildings account for approximately 25 percent of national energy consumption in USA and Canada. In order to reduce energy use, a comprehensive understanding of the thermal behavior of a building in providing requisite comfort and amenities is, therefore, imperative. Atrium buildings offer immense potential for energy conservation by enabling passive cooling in the summer and passive heating in the wintertime. The large volumes of air in an atrium can be used to reduce non-renewable energy use. Recognition of the energyconserving potential of atriums has increased in recent years. The key issues of the day on the thermal behavior and energy performance of atrium buildings are: Energy use; Temperature stratification and stack effect; Heat transfer through envelopes and Space conditioning.
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ENERGY USE The atrium, as a structural component, is incorporated into a spatial environment for a variety of reasons such as its architectural role. Glazed areas are primarily expanded for convenience and comfort. In the past, buildings were oriented for the views they afforded with very little importance given to their energy-conserving potential. As a result, most atrium buildings were not as energy efficient as they could have been. Most atrium spaces are also fully conditioned so that they can be used throughout the year making energy use relatively high. Following the energy crisis in the 1970s, awareness of energy and environmental issues emerged in the mainstream. Consequently, many examples of both energy-intensive and energyconserving atrium buildings exist around the world. Atriums provide possibilities for day lighting, passive heating and passive cooling while simultaneously posing difficulties with respect to glare control, overheating, indoor air quality, fire and smoke control, condensation on surfaces, housekeeping as well as acoustics. The fundamental posit is that atriums must be incorporated into structured spaces as part of an energy conserving strategy. Several studies have shown (for example??) that an atrium building can be energy efficient if it is only partiallyconditioned or fully-conditioned with a blend of current energy-efficiency design strategies. Early studies have also enhanced our understanding of the thermal behavior of atrium buildings. The energy performance of an atrium building depends proportionally on geographic location and orientation; the ratio of atrium
size to adjacent spaces; adaptation of passive cooling and passive heating strategies; envelope constructions and operating hours; temperature set point and, finally, equipment. TEMPERATURE STRATIFICATION AND THE ‘STACK EFFECT’ Temperature stratification is defined as the temperature difference between the temperatures at any two levels (usually highest and lowest) in an enclosed space. The height and solar gain in many atriums (through glazing) contributes to extreme temperature stratification when compared with typical and institutional spaces - this further effects environmental control requirements. The difference in density between cold and hot air creates a vertical pressure difference resulting in air moving from the bottom to the top (known as the ‘stack effect’) provided that openings at both levels exist. The climate also influences the ‘stack effect’ in atrium buildings. It is more intense in cold climates because of higher temperature differences between the indoors and the outdoors. Studies have shown that temperature stratification in atriums is high when the air circulating units are blocked allowing for natural ventilation in the summer. However, when the air circulating units are kept running during winter, temperature stratification is very low. With vents open at the top and bottom levels of the atrium, natural ventilation, driven by the ‘stack effect’, is high when compared with vents kept open only at the top in summer. HEAT TRANSFER THROUGH ENVELOPES The fraction of exterior glazed envelopes to intermediate envelopes in atrium spaces depends on the
configuration and type of atrium. Typically, a high proportion of an atrium’s exterior envelopes is glazed with extensive height compared with conventional built spaces. Therefore, it is difficult to meet criteria for u-values of exterior walls and roof recommended by ASHRAE Standard 90.1. Overall heat loss and gain are higher in an atrium compared with conventional building envelopes. The magnitude and direction of conductive or convective heat transfer through glazed areas are also dependent on temperature and pressure gradients due to the ‘stack effect’ and the air trapped between the indoors and outdoors. Extensive glazed areas also allow for large quantities of radiation heat transfer. Atrium spaces are, thus, affected by climatic conditions such as extremely high temperatures during the day and rapid heat loss during the night. Consequently, problems such as over-heating in the summer and mild winters as well as cold drafts and condensation on glass surfaces in the wintertime are known to occur.
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02 JK White Cement Works
14 Kuleshwor, Naya Basti, Kathmandu Ph: 977-9851050650 prashant.chaturvedi@jkcement.com www.jkcement.com
03 Deluxe Trading Company
Putalisadak, Kamaladi, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4245317
04 Beko
Putalisadak, Kathmandu Toll Free No: 1660 01 12345 4422190 www.beko.com.np
A glazed roof (sky light) is a another distinctive feature of the atrium building with extensive areas exposed to direct solar radiation. A large glazed roof admits solar radiation during the day and radiation heat loss during the night. Solar radiation in winter helps reduce heating loads and increases cooling loads in summer. Radiation heat loss at night can also be used as a cooling strategy in summer. The roof of the atrium must, therefore, be designed to capture less solar radiation in summer and more solar radiation in winter. SPACE CONDITIONING The climate is a key factor to consider when selecting a suitable thermal strategy for an atrium building. The next variable is the thermal behavior of the building - heat deficit and heat surplus. Based on the thermal strategy, there are three types of atrium buildings: Warming atriums; Cooling atriums and Convertible atriums. A Warming atrium is designed to maximize the capture of solar radiation
13 Technical Associates Services
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Grande Tower, Dhapasi, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-6923826/9841276048 cpinterior@mail.com.np www.cpinterior.com.np
11 Index Furniture
Metro Park Building, 1st Floor, Laximpat Steel Tower (Old Unity Tower), Jawalakhel Ph: 4415181/5000270
A Warming atrium is suitable for cold climates with heat deficit buildings whereas a Cooling atrium is appropriate for warm to hot climates in heat surplus buildings. Convertible atriums are particularly suitable in countries with cold winters and hot summers. Atriums also vary significantly in terms of thermal (space) conditioning ranging from unconditioned to partially-conditioned and fully-conditioned.
53 Kitchen Concepts Pvt. Ltd. Teku Road, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4221858,4212097 nepalkitchen@wlink.com.np www.kitchenconcepts.com.np 54 Starnet Enterprises Sinamangal, Airport Road, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4416175 inro@starnetenterprises.com www.starnet.com.np 55 Ultimate Décor Swyambhu, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4672997 65 Bira Prefab House
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through a low sectional aspect ratio which helps to maintain higher temperatures as compared to the outdoors. A Cooling atrium is designed to admit less solar radiation through a high sectional aspect ratio that helps to create buoyancy–driven ventilation. Skylights are also designed to exclude direct solar radiation in a Cooling atrium. A Convertible atrium should be capable of working as a Warming atrium in winter and as a Cooling atrium in summer. External shading devices that admit low-angle sun in winter and exclude high angle sun in summer help considerably in this regard.
39 Bombay Dyeing
Thanvi & Sons Share Market Complex, Putalisadak, Ph: 977-1-4242046 thanviandsons@gmail.com
41 Balterio
1st Floor, A.T. Complex, New Plaza, KTM Ph: 977-1-4430785/4428196 balterio@navindistributors.com www.navindistributors.com
Patan Industrial Estate, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-5522253, 9721361113/8 contact@birafurniture.com.np www.birafurniture.com.np
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73 Somany Tripureshwor, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4260714 73 ATC Pvt. Ltd. 336/21, Ganesh Man Sing Path-2, Teku Ph: 977-1-4261220,4262220 Fax: 977-1-4262140 75 Skylight Naxal (Opp to Police HQ) Ph: 977-1-4423851,4415209 info@skylight.com.np, www.skylight.com.np 75 MD Furniture Maharajgunj (Nabil Bank Building) Ph: 977-1-4721484,2151832 mdfurniture@snet.com.np 83 New Snapper Photo New Road, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4224645 newsnapper@hotmail.com 88 Foto Hollywood 1st Floor, Civil Bank Building Kamaladi, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4169060, 2004774 95 Marvel Technoplast Heritage Plaza - II, 2nde Floor, Kamaladi Ph: 977-1-4169122/3 info@marvel.com.np www.marvel.com.np 96 Berger Jenson & Nicholson Berger House - 492, Tinkune, Kathmandu Tel.: 977-1-4466038, 4466751 Toll Free No.: 16600123432 Fax: 977-1-4466039 E-mail: info@bergernepal.com NOVEMBER 2013 / 93
SP AC ES OP EN Open Spaces is dedicated column at SPACES, where School of Creative Communications (SCC) will contribute photographs related to art, culture and many more. SCC, is open platform for the creative beings, it is located at Kupondol, Lalitpur. www.scc.org.np http://www.facebook.com/scc.kathmandu
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Chyam (masked dance), one of the famous dance performed in the every local festival in the Tsum Valley. Horse riding has the same significant as the Chyam Dance has. The picture designates the friendly horse riding done at the annual festival at Mu-Rachen in Tsum valley. Tsum Valley is a holy Himalayan pilgrimage valley situated in northern Gorkha, Nepal. It has the imposing backdrop of Ganesh Himal. The local people are mostly of Tibetan origin and speak unique vernacular. The valley also possesses some historic monasteries, including Rachen Gumba and Mu Gumba.
About the photographer Lopsang Chiring is from a Chhokang village in Tsum valley. He is an ex-police officer of Nepal Police. He is currently working with Norwegian Cruise Line and continues his photography to capture whatever fascinates him. He is a first batch student of SCC Photography Workshop. He credited to photo traveling book ‘Trekking in the Manaslu Region and Tsum Valley-2013’
NOVEMBER 2013 / 95
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