SPACES Nepal SEPT-OCT 2012

Art - Architecture - INTERIORS - ACCESSORIES

september - october 2012

www.spacesnepal.com

Clean Edged Modern Contemporary House

Kitchen beyond Cooking Planet Nepal 2012

Price: NRs. 100/- IRs. 65/- USD 5.95 Euro 5.95 GBP 4.95

Changing Trend of Wall Paintings

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Top Win Sunday Aaucha

Ambience Sunday Aaucha

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In Focus Charnsid Leelakasemsant, Director of International Marketing at Mogen

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Feature Kitchen beyond Cooking by : Sushmita Ranjit The meaning of a kitchen transcends beyond cooking and touches the value of life and most importantly it makes life smart. Kitchen must be designed and developed as a room to see and a room to be.

An afternoon with Mr. Charnsid Leelakasemsant reflecting on the features of Mogen.

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Style Feature

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Architecture

Style your Kitchen This Dashain by : Yeshi Shrestha ........................................ ........................................

Clean Edged Modern Contemporary House by : Ar. Selma Vaidya A modern contemporary residence with clean edged rectangular volumes stands elegantly with its unique form in red and white and well managed spatial planning.

52 International

Understated Elegance of the Literary Figure - A glimpse of the personal space of Chetan Bhagat by : Shilu Manandhar ........................... ..................

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Interior Perfect Holiday Home by : Cilla Khatry ........................... ..................

70 Heritage

Renovation for Adaptive Reuse Vesper Café by : Ar Swati Pujari At Pulchowk, sits an old family house. Through the years the house has served multiple purposes before finally housing the Vesper Café.

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Architecture Planet Nepal 2012 by : Kalpana Bhandari Sustainable Architecture is not about aesthetics or the challenge to raise a-hundred-storey building, but rather a development of the technology that prolongs the usage of locally available materials. Sustainability is tomorrow. spacesnepal.com

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July - August 2012

Art Changing Trend of Wall Paintings by : Usha Sharma Murals have always depicted religious, cultural, social norms of the places where they are made. Contemporary artists seem to popularize murals as a media of visual communication to the public.

82 Book Review

The Ancient Settlements of the Kathmandu Valley (by Sudarshan Raj Tiwari) by : Swati Pujari A summary review of Prof. Tiwari’s publication based on his thesis for Doctor of Philosophy in Culture, this book gives a glimpse of Kathmandu before the Malla times.

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Culture Mother Goddesses in Kathmandu

by Sewa Bhattarai Once upon a time, Kathmandu was ruled by women.

Times have changed, but goddesses Ashta Matrika, Nava Durga, Dasamahavidya and Kumari continue to be an integral part of the valley’s culture.

Volume 8 Issue 5 September - October 2012 Regd. No 30657/061-62 CDO No. 41

contributors Usha Sharma, completed her Diploma In Interior Designing from IEC,Bagbazaar in 2007 and is currently working as an Interior Designer at Aakar International,Battisputali.

She is currently studying fine arts at Srijana College of Fine Arts, Lazimpat and is also a photography enthusiast. Her fascination is towards Art and Architecture.

Managing Editor Ashesh Rajbansh Director - Editorial Sarosh Pradhan Editor at Large Siddhartha Lama Editor (Features) Ar. Swati Pujari Editor (Products) Ar. Sushmita Ranjit Shrestha

Director - International Affairs Rajesh Lal Joshi Director - Business Dev. & Fin. Lalit K. Pradhan

Head - Sales and marketing Suzata Shrestha

Ar. Selma Vaidya, a fresh graduate in Architecture from Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, is currently working as an architect at Design Cell Pvt. Ltd., Naxal, Kathmandu. A photography enthusiast by nature, she is interested in open public spaces, its architecture and its influence on the behavior of humans.

Creative Consultant Arjun Shah

Business Dev. Consultant

Ashok Verma Birendra K. Agrawal Jyoti B. Shrestha Kripa Shrestha Roshan Lamichhane

Marketing / Correspondence Kripa Shakya

Contributing Art Editor Madan Chitrakar Kasthamandap Art Studio

Contributing Editors

President - Society of Nepalese Architects General Secretary - Society of Nepalese Architects Ar. Jinisha Jain (Delhi) Ar. Chetan Raj Shrestha (Sikkim) Barun Roy (Darjeeling Hills)

Sewa recently finished her Masters Degree in Sociology from Western Illinois University. She is an avid blogger and a freelance journalist who contributes to various newspapers. She likes to read a lot, and writes about myths, literature, and the life of students abroad.

Contributors Madan Chitrakar Ar. Chandani K.C. Usha Sharma

Accounts Alison Basnet

Int’l Correspondent

Senior Correspondent

Photographers

Ar. Bansri Pandey Ar. Kalpana Bhandari A. Rajbansh Pradip Ratna Tuladhar

Shilu Manandhar is the Director of Communications and Client Relations at Anuvuti International. She first stepped into her school library when she was seven. Since then, her passion for reading and writing has soared. She is a freelance writer and currently writes for Global Press Institute.

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SPACES New Location

Yeshi Shrestha completed her architectural degree from University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She is an architect and interior stylist, running her private firm IDYA Designs. She is also the Product manager of SHERA fibre cement products and showroom stylist at S.B.Furniture. Design and creativity is her passion and forte.

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SPACES is published six times a year at the address above. All rights are reserved in respect of articles, illustrations, photographs, etc. published in S P A C E S . 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.

SPACES Office

editorial Monsoons are always a reflection time – when the rains Green up the thirsty environment and the rivers begin their journey. The rivers in our city for a moment achieve their original glory and flow, but only temporarily. There is a lot of water that flows in our rivers and is begging us to make use of. This is perhaps the first lesson we should learn and reflect upon to utilize our natural resources that passes right under our nose. If we could harvest the water and utilize this in the dry period, this would be a step forward. Kathmandu as well as all major civilizations have developed and evolved along the spinal cords of rivers. Remove the spine and we crumble – that is the importance of our rivers that we chose to ignore. It is time that we refrain turning a blind eye to these glaring issues – if we are to survive here.

While witnessing the Olympic festivity in London (on TV ofcourse !), the pride of the games besides the sporting feast also lay in the immaculate Stadiums, the City and the breathtaking Thames River. One particular program that outlined the city’s infrastructure and focused on the river caught my attention to realize that London also went through the ‘Great Stink’ period where they had a sewage problem not different to ours. The population of London had grown rapidly during the first half of the 19th century, yet missing out on the provision for sanitation.

Three epidemics of cholera had swept through the city, leaving over 30,000 people dead.

Leading engineer then - Joseph Bazalgette proposed a bold scheme to build proper sewers: 82 miles of sewage superhighway, linking over 1,000 miles of street sewers, to provide an underground network beneath the city streets. It is believed he drove himself to the limits of endurance as he struggled to realize his subterranean vision - a task made particularly difficult by his need to compete with the new underground railway, a network of roads, and emerging overland railway systems. His grand design for a sewer system in 1858 built out of arched bricks eventually transformed the city and is in existence and functional till date, servicing the Olympics and London under-ground.

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July - August 2012

As this issue also records two relevant events in July, firstly of the Nepal Engineers’ Association Golden Jubilee Celebration with the theme Thinking Big: Engineers’ Leadership for Nation Building and secondly SONA - Society of Nepalese Architects Annual General Meeting electing new office bearers; it is with the above example and hope that that we need our engineers and designers to have the resilience and foresight to build our nation constructively.

The stories on adaptive reuse integrating the IT Learning Centre within a historic fabric, interiors excellence on projects such as the Raddison Hotel Extension and Selma’s feature on Chic International style are some of the interesting features within this issue that senses the pulse and aspiration of designers presently.

A week long trek to the Manang area witnessing the beautiful barren rough earth softened by the snowfall, the Marsyangdi river gliding through the wide valley; a horse ride traversing the difficult terrain and arriving at the glittering Ice-Lake, followed by a trek around the glacial peripheral areas of the Annapurna region and then arriving at the Milarappa cave – is but with a sense of appreciation and awareness of our beautiful natural landscape right here within Nepal.

All is not lost yet – even if we have not got our political landscape correct.

Let us help preserve our unique natural landscape and add value within our quest to change and build for a better Nepal.

Sarosh Pradhan Director - Editorial

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events

current events

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he Second Kathmandu International Art Festival (KIAF) has been announced to commence from November 25, 2012.

Organized by Siddhartha Arts Foundation, KIAF, an international platform for contemporary arts in Nepal, happens every three years. The first KIAF was organized in 2009 entitled ‘Separating Myth from Reality’; the second festival is titled ‘Earth|Body|Mind’.

This festival focuses on the relationship between human ecosystem and the natural system. A gathering of 101 artists from 31 countries bringing in 89 artworks and 11 performances, KIAF may be the biggest art gathering dedicated to the issues of ecology and climate change. The festival will showcase paintings, digital prints, photography, new media works, sculpture, installations and performing arts, and the events of the festival will include symposiums, art performances, a Pecha Kucha gathering, guided tours, screenings etc.

Second Kathmandu International Art Festival Announced, August 2012

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The festival will be carried out in different venues like Nepal Art Council, Patan Museum, Siddhartha Art Gallery, Nepal Association of Fine Arts, Summit Hotel, Nepal Investment Bank, British Council and other public spaces. KIAF will continue till December 21, 2012.

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Imagining the Contemporary City, Kathmandu, August 2012

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magining the Contemporary City, a talk by Ar. Biresh Shah was organized by the Indian Cultural Centre, Naxal on August 24, 2012. A yearly series, ‘Imagining the Contemporary City’ was presented by Rabindra Puri, focused on the city of Bhaktapur in January 2010 and by Anil Chitrakar, focused on Patan in April 2011. The talk by Ar. Biresh Shah was focused on Kathmandu.

The series debates on ‘Exploring Cities’ and tries to find answers to the question ‘what happens to a city?’

The introduction was presented by Geeti Sen, Director, Indian Cultural Centre. The introduction focused on the development of cities in India and Europe and the differences found in different places.

The presentation highlighted the importance of thinking and imagining about a city and the importance to not only talk about the negatives but for the citizens to actually think about what the city can be.

The Springs of Namje, Book Launch, New York, September 2012 ‘The Springs of Namje: A Ten-Year Journey from the Villages of Nepal to the Halls of Congress’, a book by Rajeev Goyal was launched at the Rubin Museum of Art, New York on September 14, 2012. Rajeev Goyal is an advisor to Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT) and a Peace Corps volunteer. In 2001, Rajeev was sent to Namje, a remote village in the eastern hills of Nepal. Here he learned the complexities of rural development and years later applied these experiences to his work on Capitol Hill.

At the event Rajeev spoke along with Stephanie Odegard, a KVPT board member and the President and Creative Director of the Stephanie Odegard Collection.

“The Springs of Namje tells many stories, including, very movingly, how to try to effect real change in Washington, D.C. It’s about idealism and savvy, and it shows how they can mix powerfully.”—Bill McKibben, author of Earth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planeti

Thailand Today and Thai Food Festival, Kathmandu, September 2012

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events

hailand Today and Thai Food Festival 2012 were organized on September 6 and 7 at Hotel Yak & Yeti, Kathmandu by the Royal Thai Embassy in Kathmandu in corporation with Department of Export Promotion of Thailand, Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thai Airways International. The exhibition focused on Thailand’s wide range of business activities and services showcasing different tourist destinations, Spas, Hospitals and medical initiation of Samitivej with Grande International Hospital, Dhapasi. Other attractions were bathroom fixtures and fittings from Mogen, Hansa, Nahm, VRH and some attractive Thai furniture brand represented by SB Furniture and Index Furniture showcasing their presence with a new dimension of interior world for Nepal.

The printed version of the book is 232 pages and the listed price is $24.95, however the book is available at www. amazon.com for a kindle price of $14.99.

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Inheriting Statelessness, Kathmandu, September 2012

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aroj Bajracharya’s third solo exhibition” Inheriting Statelessness” was inaugurated at Park Galley, Pulchowk on 21 September 2012 by eminent artist Mr. Puran Khadka. “Future of History”, a book by eminent art critic Mukesh Malla and Saroj Bajracharya, was also released on the same occasion. The series of paintings are influenced by the artist’s sense of belonging and non-belonging to the materialistic surroundings. In most of his paintings Saroj has represented map of his own town as belongingness. Several aerial representations which imply as being disconnected from the material origin and observation from above illustrate detachment. The images reflect a sense of boundary less belongingness.

“I have somehow always felt disconnected to my surroundings, people and materialistic reality. My works are basically a symbolic representation of my memories of belonging to nowhere or I could say connection to my own soul. I feel connected to myself but not to outside world.” He says. Most of his works indicate a sense of freedom.

2nd AAWAS Architectural Exhibition, Kathmandu, Bhadra 2069

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he 2nd AAWAS Architectural Exhibition was observed at ACME Engineering College, Sitapaila, Kathmandu from Bhadra 22 to 24, 2069. Organized by the architectural students association AAWAS (Acmeians Association of Wistful Architectural Student) from ACME Engineering College, the exhibition was inaugurated by the President of Society of Nepalese Architects (SONA), Ar. Sworoop Gurung Koney.

The event was organized with a theme, ‘Reflex - Uniting Verbal and Visual Thinking’, where the students exhibited their design, research and other creative works. The exhibits included thesis, research, art, photography, sculpture etc. by the students. The three day program also included seminars and talk programs on Videography and Sustainable Development along with a workshop on Climate Change.

The event culminated in a formal closing ceremony on the 24th of Bhadra, where all winners of different competitions were awarded. The exhibition was visited by more than 1000 visitors.

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Group Exhibition on Etching, Lalitpur, August 2012

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group exhibition on etching was held at Newa Chen Art Gallery, Patan from August 25 ,2012 to September 14, 2012. Etching is one of the techniques of print making .The exhibition was inaugurated by art critic Mukesh Malla. The showcased artists were Saurganga Darshandhari, Sabita Dangol, Ishan Pariyar, Rajan Maharjan , Rukumani Shrestha and Manju Shaula.

“I have tried to depict relation between living and non living materials”, says Saurganga. Her works titled “Red” and “Umbrella” reflected similar impressions. Ishan Pariyar’s work “Forms of life” showed the dual nature of human being which arises as an outcome of complicated responsibilities.

Another print titled “Lady”, by Sabita Dangol shared feelings of lonliness of a female character and there she resembled flowers as company. Similarly other art pieces included subjects like pregnancy, womanhood, culture& religion, self portrait depicting courage and so on.

Index Furniture - Store Launch, September 12, 2012, Kathmandu

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ndex Furniture, a Thailand based company has launched its 7th franchise in Nepal with Index Furniture, Metro Park, Uttar Dhoka, Lazimpat and Index Furniture, Steel Tower, Jawalakhel. Index Furniture was established 35 years ago by Mr.Pisit Patamasatayasonthi and after an overwhelming response in the Thai market, it is now expanding, offering quality furniture from Thailand, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, and Germany etc. The furniture, available at Index, is designed in four different themes, Traditional Elegant, Modern Italian, Romantic Sensation and Mix and Match. The store provides its services in a concept they call a 4 JOY concept, Joy Price, Joy Design, Joy Quality, and, Joy Service.

The two stores, combined, comprise a total area of 42,000 square feet. The stores are located at: Patan: Steel Tower, Jawalakhel, 5000270 & Lazimpat: Metro Park, Uttar Dhoka, 4415181.

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‘Evolving Within’ and ‘Your History gets in the Way of My Memory’, Kathmandu, September 2012

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n eleven day art exhibition by the group ‘Kathmandu Quartet’ titled ‘Evolving Within’ was showcased at the Nepal Art Council, Babarmahal from September 7 to 17, 2012. Artists Chirag Bangdel, Bidhata KC, Kapil Mani Dixit and Kurhi Dasgupta have come together to form the ensemble Kathmandu Quarter. Evolving Within is their second exhibition in less than six months; the reception for the exhibition was organized by the B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation and was inaugurated by His Excellency Shri Jayant Prasand, the Ambassador of the Republic of India to Nepal.

At the closing of the exhibition, ‘Your History gets in the Way of My Memory’, a book by Dr. Geeti Sen was also launched. The book is a collection of essays by Dr. Sen which celebrates the lives of India’s contemporary artists. The book was launched by H.E. Shri Jayant Prasad and the ceremony was accompanied by a talk by Geeti Sen. The book covers anecdotes and conversations between the author and eight contemporary Indian artists, Ganesh Pyne, M.F. Husain, Anupam Sud, Nilima Sheikh, Manjit Bawa, Meera Mukherjee, Zarina Hashmi and S.H. Raza.

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Asian Paints Student Architecture Award

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sian Paints successfully completed Asian Paints Student Architecture Award in IOE Pulchowk and NEC. In IOE, top five students were awarded with cash prize of Rs. 50,000/- for winner, Rs. 25,000/- for 1st runner up, Rs. 15,000/for 2nd runner up and Rs. 5000/- each for two consolation.

At IOE Jagadish Maharjan, Nayan Shakya and Animesh Shrestha are Winner, 1st and 2nd runner up respectively. In NEC college, we have awarded top three students with cash prize of Rs.40,000/- for winner, Rs. 25,000/- for 1st runner up and Rs. 15,000/- for 2nd runner up. Raman Kapali, Pragati Shrestha and Sanju Maharjan are winner, 1st and 2nd runner up respectively. Prizes were handed by Mr. Dipak Baral, Institutional Sales head and Mr. Prabhakar Acharya, Sales Manager of Asian Paints. Other Respective personalities present at the event were Prof. Dr. Bharat Sharma, Prof.Dr. Doon Tresse in NEC and Prof Chand S Rana , Prof. Ar, Suman Nanda Vaidya in IOE. Asian Paints is planning for next year to conduct the same event in a more managed and bigger way.

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focus

Generation Bathroom Design’ Series, which represents energy, creativity, and motivation. In today’s world, people everywhere identify with these qualities.

Hence Charnsid feels that Mogen’s products will be liked in any part of the world. Mogen caters to customers as far away as Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Greece and Saudi Arabia.

Coming from a family of architects, Charnsid was always interested in designing. But after Director of International Marketing at Mogen high school, one of his teachers told him Text: Sewa Bhattarai Photo: Hemant Shrestha he was more suited for business. Hence, he studied finance and is currently pursuing a PHD in t first sight, Mogen’s ‘New finance as well. However, his love for Generation Bathroom Design’ architecture did not leave him, and he is impressive with its sleek chose the field of architectural design. and beautiful designs. When asked He has been with Mogen for seven about the balance between beauty years, and today, he prides himself and utility, Charnsid Leelakasemsant, on his work with Mogen. Charnsid the Director of International Marketing, utilizes his finance degree by taking explains that products of Mogen care of the export and supply chain always strike a balance between management at Mogen. beauty and utility. But Leelaksemsant For Charnsid, the biggest also stresses that though beauty challenge of International Marketing is important, it is not as important is convincing people of new ideas. as function. “If I make something For example, while the standard beautiful, but it does not work, then water capacity for a flush is six liters, it is useless.” True to his words, a Mogen has produced a water-saving model of a commode at the Thai Fair flush which uses just 3 liters at a time. (where this interview was conducted) However, consumers sometimes feel contained a magazine holder, tissue this may not be enough to clean the paper holder, and folding trash can. toilet. Charnsid also faced a similar Very effective utilization of space, and challenge with siphonic flushes. These all of this without compromising on flushes are easy to clean, quiet, and the beauty of the design! According to powerful, and hence, popular in Asia.

Charnsid, Mogen is the first company However, it is difficult to make them to have cabinets in basins, which beautiful. But accepting the challenge, was later replicated by many other Mogen went further than the market companies. standard, and produced beautiful Charnsid feels this design siphonic flushes. embodies the spirit of Mogen’s ‘New

Charnsid Leelakasemsant

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Since water is scare in Kathmandu, the customers of Nepal have an important requirement for bathroom ware: that it should save water.

When asked how Mogen responds to this problem, Charnsid replied that Mogen is always environment conscious. Even though there is a lot of water in Thailand, Charnsid feels it should not be used indiscriminately, because wasting water is not good for environment. Hence, Mogen has created a series of commodes with dual flushes, where the consumer may use 3 or 6 liters of water, as per their requirement. There are also models that reuse water from the basin. In some models, the water is filtered and used for flush, and in others the water is filtered and directed to built-in flower pots which can be used to grow small indoor plants. Mogen’s models can be argued as better than similar models from other companies currently in the market, because they do not filter the water before reusing it.

Based on its price, Mogen’s New Generation Bathroom Design is meant for a medium to high end market.

But based on its designs, Mogen can cater to bathrooms of any size, beginning from the smallest bathroom of six square meters. Mogen provides customer service and repairing service. It even has a showroom at Namche, making it the bathroom maintenance shop at world’s highest place. Already, Mogen is a well established brand in this segment in Thailand, and hopes to please the customers in Nepal as well.

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architecture

clean Edged

Modern Contemporary House

Text: Ar. Selma Vaidya  Photo: A Rajbansh

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Interplay of solid geometric forms with a red band in a folding plate concept gives a sharp defining edge to the exterior outlook.

The car porch area with two inclined columns supporting the building mass above gives a light floating feeling.

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modern contemporary residence with clean edged rectangular volumes, designed by Ar. Sanjaya Lal Shrestha for Ms. Manju Shrestha, sits peacefully in a silent corner of Sanepa. This building with minimum exterior ornamentation emphasizes the planar quality of the solid geometric cubic volumes with a beautiful interplay of the color red and white, where the red band with the concept of folding plate forms a sharp defining edge.

The striking aspect of the exterior is the car porch with two inclined columns supporting the building mass above, giving a floating feeling. This element adds a dynamic character to the building and might amuse

a newcomer as it is different from the conventional perpendicular structural support.

A building that responds well to the site and meets the client’s needs, definitely results in functionality and comfort for the user in the long run. Here, the architect justifies in meeting these two basic fundamentals of design. Ar. Shrestha shares “In the context of Kathmandu, if only the light and ventilation is well taken care of, comfort and functionality could be well met. And here the building form itself allows the light to enter every room.”

The rectangular site is stretched in North-South alignment, this was a challenge to the designer in terms of light provision in all the rooms for which the solution was sought through the positioning of the structure, the massing of the built form, the connection of the masses, the split level design and the use of large glasses. The tactful positioning of the building to the Northern part of the site leaving open area to the South makes the position justifiable with regard to the sun’s orientation, which also avoids the possible blockage of sunlight due to the increment in the neighboring structures.

A glass covered canopy on top of a rustic square metal framework on the entry door welcomes you to this abode which is basically the composition of two separate September - October 2012

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cubic volumes. The glass canopy, if were a concrete mass, would have rendered a darker shade at the entrance and hence the choice of using glass has made the entry much brighter and interesting.

However, during rainy season some seepage passing through the joints is visible which brings to notice the need for good workmanship in construction.

The entry into the house delights the user or any guest, as instead of a wall enclosed interior space, a full length transparent glass wall enclosing a courtyard in the rear side immediately welcomes you and gives a feeling of being taken outside spacesnepal.com

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Beautiful arrangement of the cupboard and showpiece rack below the stairs.

(even though one has basically entered into an interior space). On one corner a formal living room to the South, overlooking the open exterior space is placed to cater the guest while at another a dining area adjacent to a modern kitchen is anchored in the Northern corner.

With the use of full glass on the wall surrounding the courtyard in

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architecture

The walk to the bedrooms through the bridge with glass railings, suspended over two rectangular masses is pleasant which is bright, well lit and open and seems to float as it rests over the slabs of two structurally independent volumes.

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“In the context of Kathmandu, if only the light and ventilation is well taken care of, comfort and functionality could be well met. And here the building form itself allows the light to enter every room.� -Sanjay Lal Shrestha

With the use of the full glass on the wall surrounding the courtyard in three of its sides, the dining and the living room which although at two separate corners of the two rectangular masses looks connected and visually gives a sense of more spacious open space.

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A clean sharp edged form with dynamic floating feeling rendered by the support of inclined columns.

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A glass covered canopy on top of rustic square metals on the entry door welcomes you to this abode. If the choice for the canopy had been a concrete slab, it would have rendered a darker shade at the entrance.

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three of its sides, the dining and the living room, which although at two separate corners of the two rectangular masses, looks connected and visually gives a sense of spacious openness. The client’s son Mr. Prabin Shrestha shares, “We wanted a cool, open and an airy modern contemporary house” and the design definitely seems to have come out well meeting the client’s desire.

The white colored interiors relax the eye which is well balanced by the use of warm wooden parquets on the floors. Though the floor height seems a bit low, the choice of color for the interior, white makes the space feel brighter and bigger while the use of full length glass allows in more light.

The different flights of stairs are not stacked one above the other and this gives an open and wide feeling of the space. One can see the whole staircase like a cascade from the ground floor and that in itself is a pleasure to look at. The stairs with wooden treads and glass railing gives a modern finish. The space below the stairs has been beautifully utilized for cupboards and decorations.

With a split level design, apart from the interplay of space and volume, it also serves to provide unobstructed light to the rooms. As the architect shares, the master bed room on the first floor is on the Northern part, and even this room receives winter light earlier due to this split level planning.

Another striking design factor in the interior is a bridge with glass railings, suspended over two rectangular masses that connect the lounge area to the two bedrooms on the Southern corner of the first floor.

The walk to the bedrooms through the bridge is pleasant as there are huge transparent glasses that at one side overlooks the entrance and at another overlooks the rear side courtyard. The space is bright, well lit and open and seems to float as it rests over the slabs of two structurally independent volumes.

Hence, this modern insertion into the residential architecture of Nepal stands unique in its form, planning and elegance. Comfort and delight to the user has made this home a lovely abode.

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Kitchen beyond

Cooking Text: Mr. Ujwal Satyal & Ar. Sushmita Shrestha Ranjit Photo: A Rajbansh

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epali kitchen has undergone a major transformation in terms of design and style.

From a conventional style of cooking using self-built mud hub on the floor, to a table-height counter with advanced, imported cooking hubs; kitchen space has a new definition to meet today’s life style. So how did this transformation take place, how did we get adapted to things that are termed modern, and what really changed us?

The answer is time, new innovations that we are exposed to, and our busy life. We spend less time at home during weekdays; staying home and relaxing has become an activity for weekends or vacations, during which time we like to sprawl in and around the kitchen. So, our kitchen should be a place that assists us.

More so for the working women, a modern kitchen is like a smart assistant that makes cooking faster, easier, and saves time. Nowadays, contradictory to conventional ideas, even the most pampered sons participate in the kitchen and invite friends to try new recipes. Therefore, kitchens go beyond cooking and have become a place for everybody, and not just for the person who cooks.

It is this transformed behavior that demands a modern kitchen with high-tech appliances and gadgets to adjust to the changing life style.

A traditional Thakali Kitchen

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Importance of space planning for a kitchen Kitchen planning used to be the least prioritized activity in the design of a house or even a restaurant. But now, as kitchens are becoming both valued and understood, there planning is thought over twice before building. Noticeably, kitchen in the past used to be located at the attic of the house for easy exhaust of smoke generated by the then prevailing mode of cooking, using charcoal, wood, hay etc. in self-built mud hubs. Today, however, electronic hubs using gasoline are used. This provides the opportunity to design kitchen in any corner of the house, according to the user’s requirement. In most cases, kitchens are planned around the living room adjoining the dining space. This facilitates interaction between family members by breaking boundaries between kitchen and living area. Good space planning, affects our relationship with other family members to a very large extent. A kitchen should be welcoming, where a child can sit at the counter finishing homework, while the mother assists the child and cooks food at the same time. It should be a pleasant place where a husband would bring his laptop and work while giving company to his wife. So a kitchen, today, accounts to a lot more than cooking. A kitchen is a place where a family comes together, spends quality time cooking, eating, sharing, bonding and relaxing. Such an interesting kitchen space is only possible with proper planning and smart integration in the house.

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Full swing corner pull out ‘LeMans’ and Magic corner pull out helps utilize every space available.

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A smart way to store the supplies in the beutiful cabinet ‘Tandem Depo’.

Integrated dust bin and detergent pull out adds functionality.

Meaning of a modular kitchen and its advantage Modular Kitchens can be defined as kitchens that can be installed fast, dismantled and reinstalled at a new location if necessary. It consists of contemporary kitchen furniture and accessories, which are made from a set of cabinetmodules, specially made from BWR (boiling water resistant) ply board combined with MDF (Medium Density Fiber) wood or entirely made from MDF wood, available in various types depending on the laminates used. The cabinets are pre fabricated and installed quickly and conveniently in a given space. It has various accessories for managing utensils and equipments for effective storage and easy cooking. However, modular does not mean that the design has to be same for all kitchens. Although same in technical aspects, the design, color and size can vary as per the users’ choice and requirements.

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Some advantages of a modular kitchen • It is custom made, measured on site and fabricated at the factory, which is then installed very conveniently, and without hassle, in the kitchen.

• Gives a trendy ambiance, looks very tidy, and sleek in appearance.

• Available in different designs and finishing providing a wide possibility for creativity.

• Can manage a lot of space for storage even in a small kitchen with proper space planning. Therefore, suits best for a small spaces.

• Can be easily installed and dismantled. But one should be very cautious in selecting the carcass (body) of the kitchen cabinets, if it has to be dismantled and installed again. Because dismantling and installing again in particle board cabinets and shutters can be a problem due to its weak resistance against water seepage and screws pressure.

• Its durability depends on the quality of board and accessories used.

• It is compatible to our cooking habit of using oil and spices that usually gets spilled over, as it takes less effort for cleaning.

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Things to remember before getting a modular kitchen

A modular way to store bottles/containers with dividers to group accordingly and cutlery bins made of stainless steel (bottom pic. opposite page) and PVC (below) caters different needs.

There are many modular kitchen suppliers in the market but your selection criteria should be based on factors as:• Pay attention to the brand, as kitchens have to last a lifetime.

• Make sure the brand has well qualified designers who can provide a unique kitchen that reflects your personality and matches your life style. The designers should also focus on ergonomics, anthropometry, functionality and optimum space utility making the kitchen user friendly.

• Always see your kitchen in a 3D format with your choice of shade, as this will give the exact image of your kitchen to be.

• Choose a brand that offers good service before as well as after installation.

• Ask your supplier if the cabinet boards are made of MDF (medium density fiber) and not particle board. Particle board cabinets are not strong and do not last long. The ply used in the kitchens should be of BWR (boiling water resistance).The quality of hinges are very important for a sturdy kitchen as well.

• The delivery time and installation procedure is equally important in selecting a supplier.

• Check to see if the supplier is a sourcing agent or a production house.

• The size of appliances that you intend to install must be well co-coordinated with the kitchen supplier as it needs to be taken into consideration at the time of production.

Various choices of handles and colors for cabinets available at Creative Decor Pvt. Ltd.

Courtesy L Mr. Ujwal Satyal, Advisor for Maggpie, Ice Cubes (Modular Kitchen & Wardrobes). Officiating Executive Director of NATHM (Nepal Academy of Tourism & Hotel Management).

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Different varieties of kitchens available at Index Furniture utilising small spaces to maximise the available space.

Life in a Kitchen The meaning of a kitchen transcends beyond cooking and touches the value of life, and most importantly makes life smart. It must be designed and developed as a room to see and a room to be. Because of its convenience, kitchen, specifically modular kitchen, as a concept is slowly being realized by the new modernized mass. It needs to be simple yet very practical. It has to suit the contemporary food habits as well as the new method of cooking. From necessity to luxury, a modular kitchen has everything to satiate. If this smart modular furniture is assisted by perfect planning then the kitchen looks sleek and stunning, while accounting for proper storage space.

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Creating gorgeous Kitchens for over 9 years ...

... and finding the one that’s perfect for you and your lifestyle is something we’re expert at.

Our showrooms showcase a carefully selected range of over 30 kitchens from laminated to high end lacquered all of which boast the perfect combination of practical design and functional style.

Once you’ve made your choice, our kitchen experts will guide you thought our “Total Kitchen Solution” service to create an affordable kitchen that’s as individual as you are.

KITCHEN

CONCEPTS

The Modular Kitchen Supermarket ^

GPO Box N. 8975, EPC 2700, Teku Road, Kathmandu (Next to Bakery Café) Tel.: (01) 422 1858, 421 2097 Fax: (01) 421 6112 Koteswor: Tel: (01) 446 4964, Kumaripati : Tel: (01) 500 8680 Sleek Kitchen Concepts : Srijana Chowk, Pokhara, Tel: (061) 53 4364 Chitwan Kitchen Concept : Sahid Chowk, Narayangarh, Tel: (056) 522 793 Email : nepalkitchen@wlink.com.np, Visit : www.kitchenconcepts.com.np September - October 2012

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style

This Dashain

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Style Your Kitchen

Text & styling: Ar. Yeshi Shrestha Concept & Photo: Arjun Shah

The evolution of the kitchen design in our market has finally hit a design crescendo. The kitchen design trends that are evident today show a stylish growth in our design tastes and demands. There is a greater desire for ease, control, functionality and multipurpose feature of the kitchen.

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A carousel or lazy susan can be added in this efficiently designed spacious corner unit for storing bulky items like utensils or food containers.

Location Courtesy: SB Furniture

Use handy cookbook holders to get a clear view of your recipe without occupying a lot of counter space.

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The Smart Sleek Kitchen

&

N

o matter what the budget or size, many homeowners are seeking

lighter and neutral palette to open the

unique and exclusive designs that suit

space. The glossy white color coat on

their personal tastes and preferences.

cabinets and drawers with an accent

Colors, materials, accessories,

of wood brown accentuated by steel

appliances and hardware contribute

hardware give a feel of clean and

to the individual personality of each

smooth look to this set up. Easy to

kitchen. Through these elements,

clean and maintain, the high pressured

the homeowners want a personal

laminate counter-top is inexpensive

touch on designs that showcase their

and durable and gives a contemporary

lifestyle, aesthetic preferences and

look to the kitchen.

personalities.

The entire kitchen unit runs along a

A unique and eye catching

corner, which is utilized in an efficient

kitchen that reflects your lifestyle and

and innovative manner. No more

personality can complement your

awkward, hard to reach and wasted

home. With the myriad of options

corner spaces. Instead of the usual,

available in the market today, one can

predictable L-shaped corner unit, this

choose from different finishes, styles,

kitchen has developed a trapezoidal

accessories and appliances to create

single unit that can be accessed by a

an exclusive kitchen that becomes the

single door. Talk about more easy-to-

statement piece of the house.

reach spaces for those huge canisters

This small kitchen is smart in its design and functionality, efficiently

A floor mat adds color to your kitchen and also relieves stress to your legs and back. Choose ones with good traction and absorbent properties.

This kitchen is designed with a

and bulky utensils.

A combination of cabinets,

using the tight square footage allotted.

drawers and open shelves provide

Designed along the lines of modern

ample storage in this kitchen. Shelving

style, it gives a sleek and clean look

in place of upper cabinets makes

which is achieved by the flat panel

the room look lighter and airier. The

doors, frameless cabinets, horizontal

shelves nearly reach the ceiling,

lines of cabinet doors and drawers,

utilizing the underused and far-to-

lack of ornamentation and sleek

reach space. Items are made easily

hardware. Straight lines play a dramatic

accessible as well.

role in this kitchen, creating a clean atmosphere.

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Form and function

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This small and nifty sink is a great space saver along with being functional and stylish. The deep sink allows for ample space vertically when you are short on space horizontally. With the variety of options available in the market, you can choose functional and stylish pieces to give your kitchen an updated modern look.

Cheer it up!

Add a pop of vibrant color of your choice to break the monochromatic color palette of the kitchen. Here the lemon yellow chopping board and lime green towel add a refreshing touch to the overall look. By changing the color combination of these kitchen articles, you can re-do your kitchen look more often than you think.

Accessorizing with food Why not use our exotic variety of spices and food items as accessories? Food grains and spices bottled and organized in fun containers on the open shelves can act as decorative elements in the kitchen. As they are visible and within reach , one can access them more efficiently.

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Get the Look Knife block set: Rs. 1840/-.

Ceramic Plate: Rs.200-Rs. 500

Wooden Cookbook stand: Rs.300 Available at Idya Accessories

Available at Dhukuti

Available at Bhatbhateni Supermarket

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Stainless steel wire bowl: Price on request Available at S.B. Furniture

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Location Courtesy: SB Furniture

This integrated stainless steel oven is space savvy and gives the kitchen an uncluttered and super-slick modern touch as it is seamlessly built in the cabinets.

Create a style statement with this stylish bar stool with upholstered seat and wooden back in contemporary hard-edged design. spacesnepal.com

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These multiple kitchen island lighting pendants allow an even distribution of light over the food preparation surface and also add a warm ambience for dining.

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The Large Luxurious Kitchen

&

W

ith homes becoming more kitchen-centric than before, it has assumed the role of being the center stage for the family’s venue for work, leisure and entertaining along with its utilitarian roles. Homeowners are being more conscious about the significance and multi-role of kitchens. Hence, they are willing to dedicate a greater portion of their budget, square footage and design services to the thoughtful and efficient layout of their kitchen. The integration of the family lifestyle has to be reflected in the kitchen through its efficient design, layout and styling.

This expansive kitchen is luxurious and generous in size, amenities, accessories and space.

The modern design principles are reflected here as well in the flat door panels and clean horizontal lines of the cabinetry and drawers. When the doors are closed, the frame of cabinets is not visible except about 1/8 inch shadow line between the cabinets. This aesthetic quality amplifies the strong clean lines of modern design. The sleek and simple hard ware in steel accentuates these horizontal lines as well.

The light wood oak grain base cabinets are combined with metal September - October 2012

and fibre glass upper cabinets to create a transition from heavy to light. The stainless steel appliances embedded in the cabinets and dark granite countertops further enhance this transition. The small chocolate brown squared tiles add another layer of rhythm and scale to the kitchen.

These materials such as stainless steel, custom tile backsplashes and granite further the modern aesthetic while remaining elegant. This kitchen is anything but cold.

The dark granite island is the center piece of this kitchen attracting much attention and glory in this exclusive kitchen. And rightly so, it is the most multi- functional space and luxurious feature in the kitchen.

Its generous space provides a stage for prepping, entertaining and dining.

Task lighting provided by the chic pendant lights adds a beautiful touch to the island and the overall space.

This kitchen is laid out efficiently to facilitate easy movement from the storage area to the prep to cooking and cleaning. Deep drawers allow for easy access to pots and pans and a line of cabinets extending to the ceiling maximize the vertical space by providing a place to store items that are not used frequently.

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8

Table for two A large island offers the perfect place to not only prepare your meals, but to dine and entertain as well. A fun combination of crockery and cutlery in a perfect setting completes this intimate dining experience for two.

Smooth Storage The drawers in PVC with a wood grain finish that slides smoothly is another modern luxury. The clean horizontal lines of drawers and sleek hardware give it the perfect modern touch. The deeper drawers allow for efficient storage of large items.

Wash in style Sinks and faucets can add a wow factor to your kitchen. Choose stylish and functional faucets like this one where the head can be moved easily where water is needed. These taps are available in a large variety of designs in the market.

8

Get the Look Bar stool: Price on request

Available at S.B. Furniture

Knife set: Price on request

Available at S.B. Furniture

Glass goblet: Price on request

Available at S.B. Furniture

Candle holder: Price on request

Available at S.B. Furniture

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interior

Perfect Holiday Home Text: CILLA KHATRY Photographs: ARJUN SHAH

“The house has a lived in feel because nothing is staged. Also, everything serves a purpose so there is no room for clutter,” – Sambridhi

Glamorous niche I must have starred at this wall for a good 15 minutes at least. One of the walls in Sambridhi’s purple bedroom has been done up quite interestingly. Splashes of blue on white, the wall itself looks like a piece of art. A lone painting and a majestic chair with a simple carved table to match complete the area. Sambridhi admits to having various reading spots throughout the house and this is another one of those.

4

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W

hen Shova Gyawali, the director of Nepal Republic Media, one of the leading publication houses in Nepal arrived on the scene, the three-bedroom apartment located in Gwarko, Latipur was in desperate need of a facelift. Situated in a decrepit looking building within the premises of a printing press, the apartment was surrounded by acres of barren land with only warehouses for neighbors.

Luckily, she saw past that and now after a paint job, some serious renovation and decoration the place has become a delightful getaway home for her daughter Sambridhi Gyawali. Shova had no qualms about investing money and elbow grease to create the perfect space Sambridhi now enjoys and proudly shows off during her holidays when she’s here in Nepal from Australia where she’s pursing a masters’ degree.

I step in through the intricately designed, hand painted glass doors and I’m in for a pleasant surprise. “I’m in love with the vibrant colors in this house. It instantly lifts my mood,” says Sambridhi with an exuberant smile as I look around in awe. I’m enraptured by the vivid colors. Bright red, deep purple, soothing shade of blue and turquoise – the resplendent colors give the apartment a cheery feel without being overbearing despite the clash.

The décor is cheerful and happy with plenty of eye-catching details like the tiny bar area that is Sambridhi’s absolute favorite spot in the house. “Though it’s tiny, I like sitting on the bar stool and looking out of the window sipping a glass of wine,” says Sambridhi as Suyash, her younger brother who is over for a brief visit, clarifies that his sister is not much of a drinker though.

Sambridhi offers me a drink as I take in the space but I decline not wanting to interrupt the personal tour and break my trance.

But Suyash wants a bite to eat and as the sister attends to him my curiosity gets the better of me and I start nosing around.

I walk into the open living space, the walls of which are splashed a warm red. A pair of plush beige colored couches sits invitingly at the center. The gentle breeze blowing in through the massive open windows above it adds to the almost perfect ambience and I have to resist the urge to sink into the couch with a good book. Sambridhi is friendly and relaxed and her home exudes the same comfort and charm.

Inviting living room With its wooden flooring and plush couches, the living room exudes a warm and comfy feel. With stylish décor pieces like a lamp Shova picked up during one of her various trips abroad and a glass topped table, the living room is where Sambridhi can be found flipping through her favorite magazine, The Economist, while sipping a cup of coffee.

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The dÊcor has evolved over time. We planned the initial renovation but after that we’ve let our hunches show us the way and added things we liked and thought would go well with the house.

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3 Alluring dining Dominated by a large glass topped with straight back chairs. The dining space is where Sambridhi sits down for a quiet dinner and serves her guests as well. A fresh vase of flowers at the center and beautiful cutlery laid out to perfection complete the look and make dinner conversation all the more interesting.

The dining space where Suyash is busy being served by his protective elder sister is dominated by a large table at the center.

Open shelving units on the wall next to the door that leads to the kitchen house more knickknacks. “We wanted the place to be stylish yet functional so we had open shelving units put up. They provide you with storage space while functioning as a décor addon,” says Sambridhi as I push open the glass door to the kitchen.

The same vibrant theme that dominates the living cum dining space seems to be maintained in the kitchen. Perky yellow and blazing red with a dash of white work well together to make the small kitchen seem bigger. Again shelving units take up most of the wall space here; stocked in which are cutlery and dishes picked up after much thought.

When I remark that this enchanting kitchen is tempting me to 8 whip up a dish and I’m someone who hates cooking, Sambridhi September - October 2012

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I think your home should showcase who you are and this space does just that. It’s an extension of my personality. spacesnepal.com

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Room in Detail

Purple paradise The bedroom is extremely elegant and subtle. A huge bed and dresser dominate the space and flowers lighten the mood. Sambridhi is extremely meticulous about this room and hence nothing is out of place. Even the dresser houses toiletries and perfumes in perfect order.

This shelving unit is more of a style statement but is perfect for showcasing knickknacks and books as well. It makes an interesting display for gifts, photographs and other items Sambridhi is fond of. A framed picture of her parents is the focal point of this innovative piece-of-art on a bright turquoise wall.

8 comments that a well-designed space is supposed to have that kind of effect. I have to tear myself from the kitchen to follow Sambridhi as she opens yet another glass door and walks in. “Though we’ve used different colors in every room we’ve stuck to the same wooden flooring throughout the house to make it appear cohesive,” says Sambridhi leading me to her bedroom which as I expected is bathed in a different color. Rich purple color adorns the walls and matching curtains, cushions and duvet lend an opulent feel to the bedroom.

The bathroom is tiny but very cute and well organized. With a glistening mirror with interesting patterns, porcelain basin and a tub to match, the space has been planned to perfection. Sambridhi uses it as a powder room and this is where she gets ready.

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3 My favorite space

The tiny bar area tucked away in a corner of the living cum dining room is Sambridhi’s favorite space. “I’m not much of a drinker but I like this quaint space. I like sitting on the bar stool and looking out of the window,” says Sambridhi. It is right in the middle of the vast space and gives Sambridhi an overview of everything.

We’ve tried to give our home a contemporary feel and I think we’ve succeeded in doing that.

The uber cool kitchen Sambridhi hardly uses the kitchen area but it is still very well equipped.

The combination of yellow and red works wonders and lends a feeling of vastness to the otherwise small area.

Even the glasses, plates and bowls are color coordinated with the rest of the space. So bright and cheery is this space that I was compelled to go back for another glimpse before I said goodbye.

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The bedroom like the rest of the apartment is quite minimalistic. But that’s just how the young lady likes it. Classic and clean is Sambridhi’s style. But she mentions that her mother is a décor freak with a penchant for knickknacks and moving the furniture around to change the feel of the space and is constantly at it whenever she’s over.

I’m guessing that also works in her favor as the apartment is simply amazing and unique and radiant like the owner. Everything serves a purpose and nothing is out of place. This luxurious yet simple home filled with personal artifacts and quite a few books is an extension of Sambridhi’s personality – which is how a perfect abode should be! A beautiful balance of style and substance, this house will definitely stay on my mind for a long, long time.

The writer is a correspondent at The Week, Republica

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international

Understated Elegance of the Literary Figure A glimpse of the personal space of Chetan

T

he man has awed us with his fivebestselling novels. He is a youth icon who has inspired us with his thoughtful and witty speeches. He has earned respect and recognition with his substantial contribution to the literary world. Undoubtedly, Chetan Bhagat is one of the most influential personalities in the world. And we cannot be blamed if we want to get a glimpse of the personal space of this literary figure.

Luxury is not what comes to mind when one sets foot in the 2,400 sqft Mumbai apartment. Instead, it boasts of an understated elegance. Simplicity is the essence of this apartment and reflects the Bhagat family’s strong middle-class values. Chetan believes that practicality should never be sacrificed at any cost. “Hence it was our endeavor to create a harmony between design and practicality,” shares Kaizad Dinshaw, the interior designer and partner at Nitido Design- a Mumbai-based design consultancy and contracting firm. All elements of the apartment were designed keeping in mind elegance, simplicity and practicality.

“Everything you see is here for a purpose.

If we didn’t need it, it wouldn’t be there. I was clear on including things that had a utilitarian purpose,” explains Chetan. Alongside practicality, Chetan’s wife Anusha wanted the designs to be pretty as well. Thus, the apartment is a perfect blend of the two. White walls and large windows frame the apartment. spacesnepal.com

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Bhagat

With the backdrop of white, the bespoke furniture pieces appear striking. The large windows create a brighter space allowing maximum possible natural light and reducing lighting cost. The couple had the option to choose an apartment on a higher floor but they fell in love with this apartment as it had the sight of eye-level greenery. “We could see branches of trees and flowers from this particular apartment,” Anusha fondly recollects.

Nitido Design specializes in turn-key residential and commercial projects. They focus on good design, good choice of materials and exceptional finishing and quality. Kaizad enjoyed working on the Bhagat’s project, as there was a good understanding between them. He adds,

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Chetan Bhagat & Kaizad Dinshaw (Interior Designer)

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Feature: Shilu Manandhar  Photo: Arjun Shah September - October 2012

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“Everything you see is here for a purpose. If we didn’t need it, it wouldn’t be there.”

Chetan Bhagat

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My Favourite space I love the bedroom, and this window especially, the window looks out to the surrounding greenery.

“Both Chetan and Anusha know exactly what they want and waste no time in taking bold decisions. They wanted to create a bright and cheerful living space that accentuated the available natural light and ventilation, thereby reducing reliance on artificial lighting and cooling.”

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The house has a contemporary style that emphasizes on comfort. Yet, one can spot many Oriental designs in the Bhagat’s apartment. Each room has a little something that is Oriental. Having lived in Hong Kong for 11 years, the couple acquired a tasteful Oriental collection. A few meaningful furniture-pieces were brought to include in

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their Mumbai home. “We simply love the Zen, minimal feel and wanted to combine it with the Oriental pieces we had,” shares Anusha.

The couple are devoted parents and have seven-year-old twin boys, Shyam and Isshan. Chetan is always travelling but when home he is either writing or spending quality time with the boys. Anusha is a working mother who currently is the Executive Director of UBS securities.

She explains, “I believe that kids will be kids. So besides the obvious childproofing, the next best thing a parent should offer their child is space. Space for them to move around in freely and if that means less furniture, so be it!” The twins spend a lot of time in their room. It is spacious with plenty of room for playing and running around. The twins’ delightful nature reflects in their room as their likes and passion adorn it. Colorful striped blinds, racetrack carpet and open shelves fill the room.

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required special attention. “To create a totally unique melee, we selected natural hand-cut limestone slabs for the kitchen walls and genuine teakwood for the cabinets,” informs Kaizad.

Chetan has a room in the apartment that doubles up as his home-office and writing-room. One can assume what he does in here.

But besides working on bestsellers, he has a hobby that keeps him busygrowing herbs and vegetables. “I love the feel of greenery surrounding me, especially where I’m writing. So, Kaizad and I decided that in the little space outside the window, I could grow my own herbs and vegetables. I encourage my sons to help me grow these plants,” shares Chetan.

The Bhagats have had a home in Hong Kong and more recently at Church Gate in the South of Mumbai.

But, the couple was keen to create a space that was a genuine reflection of their personality, sensibility and status. With this apartment, they have managed to find a perfect blend that they call home.

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“I love the feel of greenery surrounding me, especially where I’m writing.”

Chetan Bhagat September - October 2012

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heritage

“O

ne day, when I was young, the lights went off and my father told us not to come downstairs. For about 30 minutes the lights were out and about six or seven people came to meet my father, after they left the lights were back on,” Mr. Mukunda K. Khadka recalls his childhood. He continues, “the next day, I heard my mama (maternal uncle) ask my mother, “Why did King Birendra visit your house yesterday?” My mama was one of the King’s guards and apparently while the lights were deliberately put out, the King had visited my house”.

Mr. Khadka is filled with fond memories of this little red brick house located at Pulchowk, where he was born and brought up, where he ran around in the gardens and played those childhood games. The house itself is now seventy years old; it is built with mud bricks on mud mortar with timber beams and raters supporting the (now) laminated floors as well as the original stone finished sections. Although the house was built during the Rana times, it can only be described as that unique mix brought about by the traditional knowhow of the local craftsmen and the visual influence brought in by the more travelled Ranas. The house is red, because as Mr. Khadka recalls, red was the color of the day, but interestingly it is not plastered using lime or any other material. The windows, although framed and detailed by wood, are not as elaborate as the Malla Tikijhyas. The lime cornices, one of the signature elements of the Rana style, is ever so present, a white focal element in the deep red façade. Precast concrete sunshades on the windows are supported by visible metal supports on the underside. All in all a conglomeration of different styles, technologies, and features that makes this building a charming old family house.

But it was not to remain a family house forever. In 1979 AD the Khadka family moved out and made way for what came next. Initially, as in many properties, the debate was weather to keep the building as is or to demolish it and build something new. Although the inclination was towards rebuilding, it was purely due to sentimental reasons that the building still stands. The house was built by Mr. Khadka’s late father Mr. Chakra B. Khadka and it was his mother, Mrs. Durga Kumari Khadka, who insisted in keeping the legacy of her late husband alive. Thus began the multiple transformations.

The Multiple Transformations Adding a small (perhaps temporary) shed at the backyard, the property was firstly transformed into a carpet factory. Sunder Carpets operated from this property for about six years before it was converted into a church. The church in turn functioned for ten years after which a local school used the property for two years. The property was never leased to the school; it was always

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a temporary solution. During this time, the place was not well maintained, especially by the factory and the school.

As it was a temporary house, the school never took very good care of the place and thus a few decades after the Khadka family had moved out, the building turned desolate. The property was in fact declined by a restaurant due to its shabby state, but then, along came Vesper.

Drawn to the location by the building, the space and the gardens, the Vesper Café has been operating from this location for the last three years.

heritage

Vesper CafĂŠ

Renovation for Adaptive Reuse IV:

The Old House Charm

Text: Ar. Swati Pujari Photograph: A Rajbansh

The charm and the ambience that could not be duplicated anywhere else, the once shabby house, garden and shed.

The charming little red brick house at Pulchowk, once residence, once carpet factory, once church and once school, and now a charming eatery, Vesper.

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Built with mud bricks on mud mortar with timber beams and raters that support the (now) laminated floors as well as the original stone finished sections.

Vesper - The Evening Star With sundown there comes a star in the sky, we call it a star but it is rather a planet that we see, Venus - the symbol of love and beauty. Vesper, literally meaning the evening star, often represents this planet. The love and beauty comes alive in the Vesper CafĂŠ, perhaps more so in the evening, during the rise of its namesake planet, Venus.

The Vesper CafĂŠ has, with very gradual change, transformed this once residence, once carpet factory, once church and once school, house into a charming eatery. The carpet factory shed now houses a bar, an extended kitchen and a dining section. Although most of the seating areas are in the garden and the shed, the house is used for offices and restrooms etc. Some areas in the house are currently getting transformed into children play room and family dining rooms.

The temporary shed, once built for the carpet factory now houses the bar, an extended kitchen and dining areas.

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Minimum structural intervention is one of the achievements of this transformation, absolutely nothing has been demolished. The house is in its original structural condition. Most of the intervention can simply be termed as ‘maintenance’, with minor changes in the finishes of wall and floor areas. Some sections of the walls have mud plaster on the interiors, but certain sections have a final layer of cement putty, similarly some sections maintain the original stone floor finishes while other areas have introduced laminated parquet flooring. And these, along with the addition of restrooms, are the only changes made to the original building.

When asked why Vesper is located at this place, Mr. Alex Muktan, who runs the organization along with his partner Mr. Gagan Kunvar, is quick to respond that it is because of the building and the garden. The charm and the ambience that could not be duplicated anywhere else. But certainly no charm comes without its share of difficulties; the major difficulty in running an organization from this old building, according to Mr. Muktan, is maintenance. Old structures with organic elements require a level of involvement from their caretakers.

But the attraction of the place makes the work worthwhile, Mr. Muktan reveals that the guests at Vesper cannot pinpoint to just one thing they like about the place, is it the building, the garden, the food, or the overall ambience, it is difficult to identify. Such is the charm of this old house that King Birendra once visited.

For more on Vesper CafĂŠ: http://www.vespercafe.com September - October 2012

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“We can choose to rebalance the use of resources to a more egalitarian pattern of consumption... or we can choose to do nothing and to drift into a downward spiral of economic and environmental ills leading to a more unequal and inhospitable future” - Royal Society report “People and the Planet” (April 2012)

Planet Text: Ar. Kalpana Bhandari Photo: Hemant Shrestha

C

ampaigns related to sustainability, or more accurately, saving the indigenous Earth have become an issue of utmost attention. Different organizations, whether local or international, are on a hurdle of scientific innovations that can benefit the earth and decrease, if not eliminate, the hazards like global warming, extinction of fossil fuels, prolonging lives of endangered species of plants animals, etc. that are ruining it. The overall target is bringing a balance to the ecosystem which is a base for existence of all living organisms, including humans. Though the trend of ‘ruining’ the natural state of earth began hundreds of years ago, this spacesnepal.com

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escalated after the industrial civilization with the invention of steel, concrete, glass, etc. which have raised issues on sustainability of architecture and environment as a whole. Therefore, the intricacy of nature needs to be resolved through architecture and understanding of its sustainability.

The journey of architecture has been artistic as well as visionary in the past few decades. It has, however, left traces [wastage] that are not disposable and the consequences, unacceptable! This debris on earth challenges sustainability in the long run. In lieu of caring for the earth and acknowledging sustainability, with an understanding that artists are capable of portraying the society that September - October 2012

one ought to have, if not utopia, Alliance Francais de Kathmandu and French Embassy organized the first ever public event of the Planet Nepal 2012 project from September 17 to September 21 2012 at Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus. Since its inception in October 2010, Planet Nepal offers a rich and varied program including art performances, concerts, documentary screenings, art performances, exhibitions, workshops and panel discussions.

The event, Planet Nepal 2012, exhibited forty sustainable projects around Paris, France and a symposium

by Nepalese and French architects on sustainable architecture. The speakers

architecture

Nepal 2012 of the event were Prof. Sudarshan Raj Tiwari from the Department of Architecture, Tribhuvan University sharing his ideas on sustainability with the topic ‘Traditional architecture of Kathmandu valley towns: an appreciation of its sustainable characteristics’, Debesh Raj Bhattarai from Society of Nepalese Architects (SONA) talked about ‘The creation of low cost Do it Yourself (DIY)’ , Sarosh Pradhan from SPACES and Sarosh Pradhan & Associates shared his experience as ‘Sustainable Architecture, Environment and Beyond...’ and Vincent Paredes and Laurent Vilette from l’Atelier Provisoire, France spoke on the topic and their practice of ‘Montage/ Dèmontage’.

The Symposium Sustainability is defined in different ways. It is mostly place-specific or userspecific. The inference that could be drawn from the program is that the sustainability approach works from whole to parts and vice versa.

Sustainability is what one has inherited from his/her ancestors whether it is the way of life, like religion or culture, or the way one lives close to them. From cave architecture to modern sustainable approaches of using renewable energy, architecture has always been a quest of nature. Therefore, the aim of sustainable architecture should be comfort in living along with balance to the adjacent environment.

Prof. Sudarshan Raj Tiwari approached sustainable architecture as the one where the building materials are perishable.

Architecture can function well when nature can take back what is taken from it, therefore, indigenous materials like mud, stone, wood, etc. are sustainable building materials. However, this does not solely

define sustainability. The other key factors are the skill, economy and technology in their preparation and installation and, above all, its adaptability to the environment. The traditional architecture [of palaces, temples and residences] of Kathmandu has survived different centuries in terms of sustainability as well as maintaining its cultural and architectural symbolism.

Likewise, Debesh Bhattarai explained the green approaches and fulfilling the energy requirements in present context in reasonable [economical] ways. He illustrated how one can achieve thermal comfort at low expenses and in local levels [both urban and rural] using simple technology. His experiment on ‘Low Cost - Do It Yourself’ incorporated the use of locally available water pipes to heat water for usage in households [for cooking and bathing] as well as for thermal comfort in rooms, using solar energy.

On the other hand, Sarosh Pradhan illustrated that sustainable architecture is maintaining the built environment along

with nature. Sustainability is the way of living life, the comfort, the happiness and balance in the environment, and spaces reflecting people and their behavior. He further added, “Sustainable architecture is our identity in relation to our environment.”

The French architects Vincent Paredes and Laurent Vilette, towards the end of the symposium shared the process of montage and dèmontage in architecture.

Their concept was simplifying architecture by adapting its essence from different projects and assembling them to bring out a more sustainable and effective

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Sustainability is tomorrow.

“Because we don’t think about future generations, they will never forget us” - Henrik Tikkanen

Professor Sudarshan Raj

Laurent Vilette and Vincent

Tiwari, Department of

Paredes, l’Atelier Provisoire,

Architecture, Institute of

France

Engineering [IOE], Tribhuwan University

Laurent Vilette and Vincent Paredes are two of six architects at l’Atelier

Professor Tiwari has been a

Provisoire, a cooperative society

faculty member at the Institute

of architects established in 1994

of Engineering (IOE), Tribhuwan

Ar. Debesh Raj Bhattarai,

Sarosh Pradhan, SPACES

Society of Nepalese

Magazine and Sarosh Pradhan

Architects’ [SONA]

and Associates [SPA]

Ar. Debesh Raj Bhattarai is

Sarosh Pradhan is the Director -

the General Secretary of 9th

Editorial at SPACES and Managing

Executive body of Society of

Director at Sarosh Pradhan and

Nepalese Architects [SONA] and

Associates. He graduated from

University since 1974. He completed his Bachelor of Architecture from School of Planning and Architecture, University of Delhi, Masters in Architecture from University of Hawaii, and Doctor of Philosophy in Culture from Tribhuvan University. Professor Tiwari has been felicitated with the Mahendra Bidhya Bhusan and Prince Dipendra Award for Science and Technology.

Managing Director at Creative

Delhi School of Planning and

Circle Consultants. He graduated

Architecture. He is a columnist

in Bachelor of Architecture from

for ‘The Kathmandu Post’

Indian Institute of Technology

and a feature writer for ‘A+D’

Roorkee, India. He is an

Magazine. He was awarded the JK

enthusiast of Green sustainable

Foundations South Asian ‘Young

technology.

Architect of the Year’ in 2005.

space. They shared ideas on how the regulations control architecture in France, and how architecture tries to find ways to build and reflect back on finished spaces. They believed that sustainability in developed countries, like France, is using less energy which results in conservation of more energy.

However, the key determinant is the scale of project and the technology that can be incorporated in them. They design less energy consuming buildings with compact envelope and insulated spaces along with usage of solar panels.

The aspects of architecture are to shape the constraint, economy, elementary, material, use and site.

Extracts Sustainable architecture is usage of perishable materials in local context, finding comfort and happiness living close to environment, culture, and religion, maximum usage of energy with minimum investment [economy and skill] and simplifying architecture by incorporating sustainability as a part of architecture. Sustainable architecture is mostly the user’s interaction with his spacesnepal.com

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environment, and an account of usage of natural resources and its dual impact on supplier [nature] and consumer.

The major problem in application and adaptation of sustainability is ignorance among the people. The users, especially in countries like Nepal, tend to adapt the technologies that are suited to capitalist hubs, like usage of steel and glass and high-rise construction, whether it is within their economy and skill or not. This risks the balance of local architecture. The modern architectural practice is not the use of perishable materials anymore, rather a hurdle to commercialize living ways that is directly deteriorating the architecture of context. As addressed

by Hugo Chávez, President of Venezuela on Fifteenth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (2009), “They all say ‘Save the Climate’. If the climate was a bank, they would have saved it already!” It holds true for Nepal because it is the ignorance from the people [users] that construction technology and materials that prevailed in Nepal for millennia has almost vanished within a September - October 2012

in Bordeaux, France. They both hold Diploma from the School of Architecture and the Sight, Bordeaux.

Laurent is also a part-timer teacher in the School of Architecture and the Sight, and was elected as an Administrator in the Centre of Formation for Architects from 2008 to 2012. Vincent studied in the School of Architecture of Granada, Spain in the Erasmus exchange program, and was a winner of the ‘International Cooperation of Guatemalan Cultural Ministry’ scholarship in 2005.

few decades. What was once a home of traditional architecture, temples and palaces, is now a site of unorganized and unplanned settlement. On the other hand, people of France have been exemplary to practice their rights and continue the sustainable way, whilst successfully opposing the high-rise construction. It is important to note that a developed country like France which had technology to build the Eiffel Tower [France] and the Statue of Liberty [United States of America] in the Nineteenth century has the capability to erect many more such structures. Had Nepal adopted better approach in sustainable and local architecture, the significance of Dharahara or Taleju or Nautale Durbar would be intact in history, architecture and symbolism of Nepal.

Nepal should build a better approach to architecture. It is not about aesthetics or the challenge to raise a-hundred-storey building, but rather a development of the technology that prolongs the usage of locally available materials and exhibit the same comfort as artificial equipments do, which consume a lot of energy.

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Changing Trends of

Wall Paintings from Murals to Street Art

Text: Usha Sharma Photo: Hemant Shrestha

W

all Paintings have always been an integral part of Nepali culture. Traditionally, wall paintings were created on religious sites such as temples, monasteries, shrines etc. Such paintings are usually made on a large scale, directly on dry walls and are commonly known as Murals. The traditional mural paintings reflect cultural and religious values of the society. These murals usually comprise images of various deities and making these murals was believed to eradicate evil. Nevertheless, they also hold aesthetic significance. From ancient times, murals have been used to decorate walls of palaces, houses and shrines. Traditional or non- traditional murals were an important tool to show different cultural values, concerns and legends.

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In the ethnically diverse Nepalese society people of varied groups created distinct patterns and styles of Murals, which also reflects the social composition of the place. From the multi dimensional culture of the Kathmandu Valley to the flat Terai, murals expressing various purposes can be observed.

The trend of Murals is believed to have entered Kathmandu Valley during the Lichchhavi Period, and there still are few reminiscences of murals belonging to this era.

The period of popularization of this art, however, came later, from the fifteenth till the eighteenth centuries. Murals holding odysseys of ancient legends emblazon the walls of Talejubhawani temple of Bhaktapur. These murals include images of Bhairav, Vishnu, Ganesh, and other mythological characters and creatures. Similar narrative Murals can be seen in and around other eighteenth century palaces and shrines. A reflection of the artistic workmanship of this era, most traditional murals portray mythological figures.

The mural on 55-windowed palace of Bhaktapur preserves the legendary epic of Mahabharat. Similarly, murals of

art

the Basantapur Palace, Kumarighar, Swyambhu etc. also illustrate different legends. Numerous murals that adorn the walls of ancient palaces associate to stories, chronicles and folklore.

Murals illustrating images from the Mahabharat and Ramayan at the Basantapur Palace continue the trend noticed in other palaces. Apart from that the mural showcasing a portrait of King Jayaprakash Malla, at Kumarighar, holds a different significance. The style of the mural suggests its influence from the ‘Rajput- Mughals’ of India.

A different side of wall painting can be seen in the common practice of the groups living in the Terai. These wall paintings, popularly known as Mithila Art, mirror their way of life and their cultural values. Besides being narrative, Mithila paintings also showcase the lifestyle of people portraying different deities, announcing the arrival of different festivals, seasons and auspicious occasions. The rituals of wedding ceremonies can also be observed in some murals.

The images and style of these different murals may vary from one culture to another but their significance remains the same. Religious and regional differences often separate the composition of these traditional murals but at the same time they celebrate a sense of tradition that relates to art

and painting in a universal way.

With a tide of contemporary issues, murals today depict different stories. No longer limited to religious sites and palaces, contemporary murals are created for purposes other than that of their ancient counterparts. Murals have slowly moved out of the palatial complexes and the houses of gods and into public places. Contemporary artists seem to popularize murals as a way to relay social messages to the public and spread awareness on social issues. Some artists don’t hesitate to define murals as a convenient media to generate awareness among the public. Art is usually limited to shows or displays in galleries, through murals, art is accessed by

everyone. When murals are created in public places, with the presence of a large crowd, it is supposed to bring a revolutionary impact. The transformation of murals with time has brought art and community closer.

Contemporary artists create murals as a medium of developing the observer’s visual sense.

Who hasn’t seen the bold red letters spread along different walls of Kathmandu, depicting political slogans, demonstrations and agitations? Even when these create a disturbing impact they have successfully communicated with the general public. Despite holding contradictory opinions, Street Art, as it is now called, creates vibes.

Street art is often characterized as rebellious and illegal. Some might

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believe this to be an adaptation of western culture, but the gradual alteration has translated to a much needed change in the perception of art and the development of consciousness.

Fresh images scattered around the walls of the valley present social messages and representations of different aspects of the place and the people. The Rainbow City, a mural on the wall of Café Cheeno at Patan Dhoka, gloriously celebrates the Kathmandu City. A gigantic image of an elephant stands as a binding character making its mark as the symbol of auspiciousness. Other images around seem to represent the multitudinous city. Similarly the boundary wall of Nepal Food Corporation (opposite Thapathali Engineering Campus) showcases a street art on the issue of ‘Uterine Prolapse’ for public awareness. Similar paintings can, today, be found in different walls around the valley.

The creators of such works of art relate themselves to the public in a creative and constructive way.

The medium is similar to the political parties but the expression creates a different sense of consciousness to the public. Undeniably, these art pieces might have created a sense of confusion to the public but the various groups of contemporary artists deny that their works aren’t any random works cluttered on the walls but actually are visual medium of communication.

From ritual and religious offering to a mirror of the communities activities, occasions and festivals, and finally to an expression of important issues and an artistic representation, this visual medium has certainly come a long way since its commencement during the Lichchhavi times.

REFERENCES: Navindra Rajbhandari, Faculty, Srijana College of Fine Arts Sujan Chitrakar, Program Coordinator, Centre for Art and design, Kathmandu University Kailash K Shreshta, Visual Artists spacesnepal.com

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review

focused on identification of pre-Lichchhavi settlements based on available documents and the use of the polygonal approximation methodology. Based on this methodology, the available records and inscription are corroborated with legends, chronicles and topographical features, and also analyzed based on terminology.

Although legends and chronicles are analyzed for spatial purposes and confirmations they are not used as primary source of data.

In addition, the term, ancient, is used to define the period before the Malla rule hence including the Thakuri, Lichchhavi and the prehistoric early Lichchhavi and Kirata periods. The purpose of the study is to locate the settlements of this ‘ancient’ pre-Malla period. The book discusses all elements contributing to such development, based on recorded as well as unrecorded accounts, the people, the Gopalas, Kirats and the Lichchhavis; the elements, the palaces, temples and the monasteries; the settlements, their patterns, character and nomenclature.

These elements and legends are discussed to interpret the physical location and development pattern of the ancient settlements. Yet primary archaeological field data have not been collected for the study. Field data is limited to verifications of inscriptions in selected locations only.

Based on the study, Professor Tiwari, draws a geographical and a geometrical image of the ancient settlements, according to the location of different elements, and compares them in reference to the cardinal directions, the patterns and practices of Malla as well as current times, the guidelines of the Vastupurushamandala and the Brihatsamhita.

A plethora of ancient facts, figures and fictional adaptations, this book

The Ancient Settlements of the Kathmandu Valley

Text: Ar. Swati Pujari

T

he study of urban settlement of ancient Nepal has, to a very large extent, been limited to the Malla time development of Bhaktapur, Kathmandu and Patan, perhaps also due to the surviving architectural structures from this era. The same is true regarding publications on this subject. But the history of Nepalese urban settlement goes far beyond this phase and much of the development of the Malla time was possible due to the contributions of its preceding periods.

In his book ‘The Ancient Settlements of the Kathmandu Valley’, Professor Sudarshan Raj Tiwari discusses the development of the settlement pattern of Kathmandu Valley, or the historic Nepal Valley, based on inscriptions, as well as legends, chronicles and topographic features. The book is an adaptation of his dissertation for Doctor of Philosophy in Culture, Tribhuvan University, 1995.

The book opens with a thought

by Nietzsche “…..Lack of a historical sense is the original error of all philosophers……” (Human, All-TooHuman, pp. 51, The Portable Nietzsche, 1982) In this study, however, the historic sense is derived based not only on the recorded inscriptions but also the most ancient form of documentation, legends, stories and chronicles. The study is

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gives an insight on the relevance of these elements in the spatial, formal and social development of Kathmandu valley settlements. An interesting read for architects, archaeologists, historians, and anyone fascinated by this place and its history, the book however is not recommended for just everyone.

The collected information, its vastness and the complications of the cross references with ancient inscriptions and legends, along with the convoluted and complicated descriptions and analysis can be overwhelming to the unacquainted reader.

About the Author: Professor Tiwari has been a faculty member at the Institute of Engineering (IOE), Tribhuvan Univertisy since 1974 and has served as Dean of IOE from 19881992. He completed his Bachelor of Architecture from School of Planning and Architecture, University of Delhi, with a gold medal, in 1973 and Masters in Architecture from University of Hawaii in 1977. He was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Culture from Tribhuvan University in 1995. Professor Tiwari has been felicitated with the Mahendra Bidhya Bhusan medal and for his research on traditional architecture of Nepal he was awarded the Prince Deependra Award for Science and Technology in 1989.

His other publications include A Monograph on MARFA (with co-authors B.P. Sharma and G. Sharma), 1977, Tiered Temples of Nepal, 1988, The Brick and the Bull, 2002, The Temples of the Nepal Valley, 2009, along with numerous articles in different publications.

Author: Sudarshan Raj Tiwari Foreword by: Prof. Tirtha P. Mishra, Ph. D., Executive Director, CNAS Published by: Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies (CNAS), Tribhuvan University Total Number of Pages: 264 (including appendix, bibliography, sketches, maps and photographs) Number of Sketches: 18, Number of Maps: 8, Number of Photographs: 6 Date of Publication: 2001

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Mother Goddesses in Kathmandu

Text: Sewa Bhattarai

O

nce upon a time, Kathmandu was a city ruled by women.

There were seven Ajimas, or mother goddesses, who protected the city. Once they were attacked by the demon Mayurasur (also called Chandrasur). Mayurasur wreaked havoc on the city, killing cows, goats, destroying crops, and injuring people. The mother goddesses were powerless against him.

When the goddesses met to discuss the situation, one of them said to Naradevi: “Your daughter Shwetakali is infatuated with Mayurasur. Mayurasur is taking away not just our wealth and livelihood, but our daughters too. You must talk to your daughter and resolve the situation.” Naradevi asked her daughter Shwetakali if she was in love with the demon; Shwetakali spacesnepal.com

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denied it outright. Unconvinced her mother took Shwetakali around the city, and showed her the devastation.

“Look what he has done!” she said.

“And you, his lover, can stop all this, and return our city to its former glory, if you choose.”

Though Shwetakali did not acknowledge her love for Mayurasur, she told her mother when he would visit her next. On advice of the mother goddesses, Naradevi handed Shwetakali a poisoned khadga (knife) and a bottle of liquor.

“When Mayurasur comes, give him the liquor” she advised. “When he is drunk, kill him with the knife.”

At the appointed time, Mayurasur arrived to meet Shwetakali. As per her mother’s advice, Shwetakali got him drunk and then drove the khadga into his heart. All her mothers, and the

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Bhadrakali, Kankeshwari, Naradevi, etc. and live on in folktales like the one above. Though Kathmandu is more famous for its virgin goddess Kumari, it is also home to several groups of mother goddesses collectively called Ashta Matrika, Nava Durga and Dasa Mahavidya.

Ashta Matrika

entire city rejoiced, but Shwetakali lay senseless over Mayurasur’s body.

“Get up and rejoice” said Naradevi to Shwetakali. “The time for weeping is over”. But Shwetakali could not. Devastated over the death of her love, she decided to live as Kumari forever. Since Shwetakali was instrumental in routing the demon she was forever worshipped as a virgin girl Kumari. According to culture expert Satya Mohan Joshi, this is how the tradition of living goddess Kumari began. Though there are various stories regarding the origin of Kumari, this version is performed in a dance in Indra Jatra every year.

The worship of mother figures is very old in many religions. Even though Kathmandu valley ceased to be matriarchal a long time ago, the mother goddesses continue to preside over in various forms.

Ajimas are still worshipped as

The earliest reference to Matrikas can be found in Mahabharata, where they are portrayed as the disgruntled mothers of the god Skanda. After that, the number of Matrikas always varied. In Mahabharata, there were six, while in Chandi, which contains the most popular description of Matrikas followed to this day, there are seven. In many places including Kathmandu, an eighth goddess called Mahalakshmi or Yami is added, possibly to correlate the number of goddesses with the number of directions.

From the beginning, these goddesses had two personalities, one benign and another angry. In Mahabharata, they ask their son Skanda for the right to torture children. They are allowed to do so until the age of sixteen, after which they must protect the children.

Ashta Matrikas in Chandi, likewise, were born primarily to kill demons.

Seven mother goddesses were born out of the bodies of seven male gods: Brahmi from Brahma, Maheshvari from Mahesh or Shiva, Vaishnavi from Vishnu, Indrayani from Indra, Kaumari from Kumar, Varahi from Varaha, and, Narasimhi from Narasimha. In Kathmandu, their angry personality is appeased through animal sacrifices and as benign mother goddesses, they protect their devotees. In the city of Kathmandu, the temples of eight mother goddesses are laid out in eight directions, four major and four intermediate.

According to Pickett, the logic of placing angry deities as protectors is people’s fear of angry deities. Hence, they are placed at the boundaries of settlements, where forests and

wild lands start, where thieves, bandits and demons live. Their placement is dictated by a mandala or yantra where each deity has a specific place. Each goddess is supposed to protect the residents of her area. Interestingly, even if a person moves away from their original residence, he or she is still protected by the goddess of their ancestral home and not the new home.

The shrines of Ashta Matrikas in Kathmandu do not have idols. Often, there are only shapeless stones in the shrines, and devotees have to look at the Torans, with detailed iconography, to identify the goddess.

Gan Pyakhan: The Dance of Ashta Matrikas Every year in Lalitpur, the dance of Ashta Matrikas is performed. In Nepal Sambat 774, King Srinivas Malla dreamt of eight Matrikas dancing in his courtyard. The royal priest proclaimed it a good omen, and established the tradition of this dance.

The group of Ashta Matrikas is called a Gana, with time Gana came to be known as Gan. Hence, this dance is called Gan Pyakhan, or dance of the Ganas. Every year, twenty four participants from Nakubahal of Lalitpur begin training eight days before Ghatasthapana. Of the twenty four, thirteen are dancers while the rest are musicians and singers. The Ashta Matrikas featured in the dance are: Brahmayani, Maheswari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrayani, Kali and Mahalakshmi. Apart from the Matrikas, the other characters are Simhini, Vyaghrini, Bhairav, Ganesh and Kumar.

The dance includes many interesting dramas. Like, Chamunda and Barahi are the wives of Bhairav.

The older wife is angry with him for loving the younger wife too much, and the drama depicts this quarrel. Ganesh and Kumar perform solo dances while other characters dance in couples.

There is also a little drama about Ganesh being superior to Kumar, and being worshipped first.

After a rigorous training, the dance begins on Ghatasthapana and is performed daily till Dashami. The

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dance starts at Nakubahal and from Saptami onwards is performed at the main square.

During this dance, the dancers are believed to be real incarnations of their corresponding deities and are worshipped as such.

Former dancer Manish Shakya, recalls the requirements in being a god, the dancers have to go their corresponding deity’s temple, worship the deity, and bring along their spirit. When the training begins, the dancer’s shave their heads, remain pure, and cannot leave their house until the dance ends. As a god, it is the dancer’s prerogative to receive food first at his home.

Strangely, though all the characters in the dance are female, all dancers are male. This is a well known and accepted tradition in Kathmandu.

The former Kumari dancer further explains that traditionally, the dancers were chosen on hereditary basis. Manish’s brother was a Kumari before him, and their father before them. But today, the dance is open to any traditional residents of Nakubahal. However, this dance was discontinued for several years, and a local committee ‘Lalitpur Vikasko Lagi Samaj’ is taking steps to reinstate it.

Nava Durga in Bhaktapur Durga Bhawani, known as Chandi, Bhagawati and many other names, is most famous for killing the buffalo formed Mahishasur.

Her nine forms, Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, spacesnepal.com

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Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Sidhidatri, are worshipped as Nava Durgas.

The worship of Durga is an ancient tradition in Kathmandu, proven by a third century statue found in Handigaun’s Dhanaganesh temple.

Subsequent historical documents also mention the worship of a goddess who killed a buffalo-demon.

Amshuvarma was a famous patron of the Nava Durgas and is credited for the establishment of their regular ritual worship.

Of the three cities, mother goddesses are the most prominent in Bhaktapur, where statues of Matrikas can be found in and around the Durbar Square. In Licchavi period, Kathmandu Valley was in danger from powerful Khasa and Doya kingdoms. Since Bhaktapur is located in a higher altitude, and the main settlement surrounded by a river, it was believed to be the most secure place in the valley. This led to the establishment of an additional ninth goddess, Tripurasundari, who presided over the center. The palace’s name, Tripur, is supposed to come from Tripurasundari, a goddess around whose temple Anandadev built his palace.

The eight Matrikas and the ninth goddess Tripura Sundari comprise the Nava Durgas of Bhaktapur.

Worshipping the same deity in different forms is an old tradition, and hence it is not surprising that Matrikas are worshipped as

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Durgas. Similarly, the central Durga, Tripurasundari, is also worshipped as one of the Dasa Mahavidyas.

Anandadev’s construction of the Navadurga shrines for protection is mentioned in several genealogical chronicles. Eight outer Matrika shrines are located at strategic tantric points.

The construction is based on ancient mandala based Vaastu system, according to which the temples are located at strategic points from where the city can be best protected.

The Nava Durgas are honored in Bhaktapur through a dance every April in the Bisket Jatra festival. The masks used in this dance are of special importance as they are constructed through tantric ritual process.

Dasa Mahavidya The Dasa mahavidyas are also tantric goddesses, worshipped as manifestations of Durga. Their name literally means ‘ten great wisdoms’.

Though famous goddesses of Kathmandu like Bagalamukhi and Shobha Bhagawati are among the Dasa Mahavidyas, they are not as famous collectively as the Ashta Matrikas or Nava Durgas.

Among the three cities of the valley, the Ashta Matrikas are least visible in Lalitpur, while the Dasa Mahavidyas occupy a prominent place here. They are honored ever year through ceremonial worship.

Even though there are more festivals dedicated to male gods than female, the most important Hindu festival, Dashain, is dedicated to a fierce mother goddess. The mother goddesses of Kathmandu are an example of this interesting phenomenon. Whatever status women may have in real life, as goddesses they are worshiped fanatically. Besides, though women are encouraged to be gentle and docile in real life, the goddesses worshiped are vengeful and bloodthirsty. Thus, besides enriching the cultural life of Kathmandu residents today, the mother goddesses of Kathmandu provide an interesting link to ancient matriarchal cultures too.

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Index Furniture

Text: Suzata Shrestha Photo Courtesy: Index Furniture

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NEW store hoping to become a part of the town’s landmark, Index furniture opened its doors to the customers at its new store at Jawalkhel, Lalitpur on September 13th 2012, Thursday. A brand well- known in Thailand, Index wrapped up at the furniture trade show recently in high point. It was evident that furniture stores are seeing better days in a slowly improving economy. ‘An excellent range of value for money, quality products’, Index has recently embarked on a substantial expansion program.

“A mix of the latest furniture style” the store itself is well designed and inviting.

The store is split within 2 floors. Everything from sofas, chairs, dining room tables, lamps, desks, carpets and so much more can be found in this huge furniture store.

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The staff is very knowledgeable and provides helpful advise on the different lines that are available. They will also order any of their merchandise to suit their client’s needs as per the customer’s requirement at a reasonable cost.

Looking for furniture stores in Kathmandu? Dinning tables, coffee tables kitchen cabinets, and more is waiting to be found at Index furniture. The furniture in this sleek store is suited for modern décor.

Their well-planned stores use shelves as their backdrop to showcase their accessories, which makes it so easy to see everything that is available. The spaces in their stores are fashioned in a way where the customer can get inspiration for their own homes. The styles at Index furniture range from casual to sophisticated.

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Almost anything needed to make a home complete can be found here.

From dining room tables and chairs, sofas, lamps and several different styles of draperies to a huge collection of home accessories, this innovative company is now gracing the city of Kathmandu and is yet to be discovered by so many. All furniture is manufactured in Thailand and the quality shows. The chic style and brilliant space-saving is unlike anything available out there. Their bright and welldesigned spaces make for a very pleasant shopping experience. Bedroom pieces that provide space-saving solutions, as well as the latest in foam latex mattresses.

Thai-made sofas and sectionals with fabric choices will complement your living space beautifully.

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Sanchiti Sunday Aaucha

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