Vol 15 No. 3 AUGUST 2018
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ART ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR
GADDI BAITHAK The once FORBIDDEN KINGDOM of Lo
AN INTERPLAY
OF MODERN AND TRADITIONAL
Beauty with Brain
WIND GATES
DESIGN ASPIRATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
THE SUBTLE RELATIONSHIP WITH
WATER
PLANOMETRIC DRAWING
BUDS
OF NEPALI MODERN ART
2 / SPACES AUGUST 2018
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Contents Volume 15 NO. 3 | AUGUST
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18 CONSERVATION
26 ARCHITECTURE
38 ARCHITECTURE
The once forbidden Kingdom of Lo
Gaddi Baithak
Design Aspirations and Solutions
44 INTERNATIONAL Wind Gates
48 STYLE FEATURE Fusion of Modern and Traditional Design
54 ART Buds of Nepali Modern Art
64 INTERIOR
70 FROM THE SHELF
69 ARTSPACE
Significance of color in Health care facility
H A Oldfield on 19th Century Nepal
My City
4 / SPACES AUGUST 2018
Contributors
Volume 15 N 3 | AUGUST O.
CEO
Ashesh Rajbansh Editor-in-Chief
Ar. Sarosh Pradhan Contributing Art Editor
Madan Chitrakar Kasthamandap Art Studio
Madan Chitrakar
Kai Weise
Asha Dangol
Anie Joshi
Sewa Bhattarai
Chhavi Vashisht
Shweta Shakya
Suprasanna Aryal
Rajina Shrestha
Shreesha Nankhwa
Rahul Rajkarnikar
Vignesh Premkumar
Junior Editor
Shreya Amatya Sristi Pradhan Pratap Jung Khadka Contributing Editor
President of Society Of Nepalese Architects (SONA) Ar. Brinda Shrestha Advisor
Ar. Pawan Kumar Shrestha Ar. Pravita Shrestha Kirti Kusum Joshi Photographers
Pradip Ratna Tuladhar Director- Operation & Public Relation
Anu Rajbansh
SR. Business Development Officer
Debbie Rana Dangol
Business Development Officer
Siddhartha Jung Khadka Legal Advisor
Yogendra Bhattarai Financial Advisor
Kiran Rajbhandary Accountant
Pratima Sherpa Subscription and Distribution Officer
Rohit Khadgi Intern
Sudikshya Dongol Ikchha Pokharel Prithvi Jung Khadka
Madan Chitrakar is a senior artist and an art- writer based in Kathmandu. As a leading art writer of the country, on many occasions he has taken Nepali Art beyond the borders - through his writings in many prestigious publications abroad - notably in Japan, India and Bangladesh. Two well acclaimed books Tej Bahadur Chitrakar - Icon of a Transition’ 2004 and ‘Nepali Art: Issues Miscellany’ - 2012 remain to his credit, in addition to the numerous writings on Art and Culture in English and Nepali. Presently, he is associated with Tribhuvan University, Central Department of Fine Arts and Kathmandu University, Center for Art and Design as a member of the respective Subject Committee. Kai Weise is a Nepali national of Swiss origin who has been working as a planner and architect in the Himalayan Region. Kai Weise has been facilitating the establishment of management systems for World Heritage properties and was involved in earthquake response and rehabilitation for the culture sector in Nepal and Myanmar. He is president of ICOMOS Nepal and fellow of the Institute of Advanced Studies, Durham University. Asha Dangol is a contemporary Nepali visual artist. He is co-founder of the Kasthamandap Art Studio and E-Arts Nepal. He holds Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from Tribhuvan University, and has been creating and exhibiting his art since 1992. He has 10 solo art exhibitions to his credit. Dangol has participated in numerous group shows in Nepal and his work has been exhibited in different countries outside Nepal. The artist experiments with painting, mixed media, ceramics, installation, performance and video.
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IMPRESSIONS Publishing Pvt.Ltd. Kopundole, Lalitpur, GPO Box No. 7048, Kathmandu, Nepal. Phone: 5181125, 5180132 info.spaces4@gmail.com Design/Layout & Processed at DigiScan Pre-press
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IMPRESSIONS Publishing Pvt.Ltd. Ph: 5181125, 5180132 6 / SPACES AUGUST 2018 spacesnepalmarketing@gmail.com
Anie Joshi is a practicing architect with a Post-master degree DSA “Architecture et Patrimoine”, a specialization degree in Heritage and Conservation from ENSAParis Belleville. She has been working since 2015 in various post-earthquake cultural heritage rehabilitation project including research, documentation and restoration of the monuments and sites within Kathmandu Valley with various national and international organizations.
Suprasanna Aryal did her bachelor’s in development finance from K.U. Starting her professional life in 2012 as a feature writer, she has written articles for Nepali magazines and newspapers on diverse issues, includes art, culture, music, literature, theater, food, travel, environment, careers and education. She is currently involved as a freelance writer for various publication houses in Nepal.
Sewa Bhattarai is a reporter at Nepali Times and an art reporter at BBC Nepali Service. She has completed her master degree in Sociology from Western Illinois University. She is a member of Film Critics Society of Nepal and Society of Fine Arts Journalists of Nepal. She was also a consultant at Save the Children and Action Aid Nepal. She has published several articles in English and Nepali language newspapers.
Rajina Shrestha is a graduate student and a freelance writer. Surrounded by friends in architecture, design, construction, and environmental fields, she writes what can be communicated from the experts to everyday snippets and conversational paragraphs. On other days, she works with Women Leaders taking over Nepal and Comedy Enthusiasts taking over Kathmandu’s Bars.
Chhavi Vashist is a Delhi-based, graduate in Bachelors of Architecture and Post Graduate of Landscape Architecture. She is experienced in content writing as an Interior Designer. She is a blogger, and working as a faculty of Interior Designing. She is practicing as an architect and her firm undertake projects of varied complexity in terms of Architectural Design and Execution, ranging from Concept making, Space planning, Detailed designing, Interior Designing, Fresh construction, Addition and Alterations in existing buildings, and Renovation work for every type of Residential, Commercial, Retail projects.
Shreesha Nankhwa is an aspiring environmentalist with a penchant for writing. She is interested in sustainable living, alternative energy and creating a better future for the planet. Her works have been published in a number of magazines and publications in Nepal. She currently writes and edits blogs for IT companies while dreaming of trekking across the Himalayas.
Shweta Shakya is an aspiring architect with a passion for exploring traditions and cultures. Being a heritage enthusiast, she has been involved in projects concerning understanding and preservation of traditional architectural constructs within Kathmandu Valley. During her spare time, she pursues writing as a hobby.
Rahul G. Rajkarnikar is doing bachelors in Environmental engineering from Kathmandu University and works as an Environmental Engineer for Eco Infinity Pvt. Ltd. He is a freelance writer, photographer and illustrator. He has keen interest in traditional Newari art and wants to revive it into the modern world. Ar.Vignesh Premkumar is a young budding Architect from Tiruchirapalli, Tamilnadu, India. He is the founder and CEO of Scribble studios- an art and animation based start up. He has also directed two short films which won few awards in south India. His short films are based on social issues and it’s universal in appeal. He also works as a consultant to CCBA, Pune.
Regd. No 30657/061-62 CDO No. 41 SPACES is published twelve times a year at the address above. All rights are reserved in respect of articles, illustrations, photographs, etc. published in SPACES. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher and the publisher cannot accept responsiblility for any errors or omissions. Those submitting manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other materials to SPACES for consideration should not send originals unless specifically requested to do so by SPACES in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other submitted material must be accompanied by a self addressed return envelope, postage prepaid. However, SPACES is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. All editorial inquiries and submissions to SPACES must be addressed to spaces.editor@gmail.com or sent to the address mentioned above.
AUGUST 2018 SPACES / 7
Editorial Walking around the streets of Kathmandu, you can clearly witness the insatiable hunger for modernization, through the towering new blocks of flats and offices amidst the older dilapidated buildings, a bursting economic mindset with cramped stores and bazars, teenagers with latest version of phones and from the suffocating dust everywhere. Nepal’s youth population are facing a pivotal moment of a crossroad where if you turn right you will be propelling rapid urbanization that looks towards the new Nepal- a poor man’s western replica or you can turn left where you can obtain growth in slower but sustainable path- one that preserves our nature and historical culture. Its ultimate conclusion comes forms answering, who are we? What do we want to show the world? What is Nepal? With answering these questions, will come unity and ultimately power, power to question and change to be creative about our future and sustain our heritage in a way that simultaneously speeds our growth. What we lack is power; the Ranas could build a Gaddi Baithak and introduce neo-classical architecture, they could do this because they had ultimate power and money obtained by oligarchy. In present democratic system we need to obtain power through people by promoting a passion for the arts and nature. That passion can be obtained by questions what happening around us and asking ourselves- What is Nepal and who are we as Nepalis?
Enjoy!
Ashesh Rajbansh / CEO
8 / SPACES AUGUST 2018
AUGUST 2018 SPACES / 9
NEWS
7TH EUROPEAN UNION FILM FESTIVAL
On
the occasion of the European Year of the Cultural Heritage, the European Union in association with the British Council presented the 7th European Union Film Festival at Nepal Tourism Board from 14th-16th July 2018. The festival featured over a dozen films from across the European continent. The titles included European art, heritage and culture, fiction films that championed the art of filmmaking
and altogether engaging, thought provoking narratives. The second day of the festival featured 'Bauhaus', a documentary movie about The Bauhaus School- a German art school operational from 1919-1933, that was famous for combining art with craft, and combining all forms of art including architecture. The movie tried to show how Bauhaus, the most influential School of Art, started after World War I and became
HIMALAYAN ART FESTIVAL 2018 E-Arts Nepal, an online art gallery was established in 2010 in order to promote contemporary Nepalese art and a onestop shop for quality paintings and sculptures made by our legends - the eminent artists and the contemporary artists of Nepal. On the occasion of Dashain and Tihar festival, E-Arts Nepal is organizing its 2nd Himalayan Art Festival at Nepal Art Council, Babar Mahal from 11-15 September 2018. In this festival season 2075, E- Arts Nepal will offers the finest collection and exhibition of Nepali paintings, prints, sculptures, installations, Paubha, ceramic and photographs by the legends eminent artists and the contemporary/ traditional artists of Nepal. The festival will also feature the performance by the contemporary young artists of Nepal. SPACES magazine is the magazine partner of this event. n 10 / SPACES AUGUST 2018
revolutionary. Along with Bauhaus, My Pure Land, Berlin Babylon, Taranta on the Road, Gazing into the distance and many other films were screened during the 3-day film festival. The goal of the film festival was to promote cultural exchange and increase understanding between European Union Member States and Nepal through the medium of film. Before this, the festival was conducted in Pokhara on 7th and 8th July 2018. n
ACAE ROUNDTABLE Arcasia Committee on Architecture Education (ACAE) Round table was conducted at Kualalumpur, Malyasia on July 6th, 2018. The program was moderated by the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) and was held in gracious presence of ARCASIA President Ar. S M Jahangir Khan and other respected presidents and representatives from 21 member nations of ARCASIA including Nepal. The round table was attained by the executive member of SONA, Ar. Apil KC (Vice- Coordinator of ACAE) and Ar. Dipesh Shrestha, where they presented the scenario of increasing number of architecture schools in Nepal. The round table was mainly focused on two main agendas, regarding the ACAE ongoing projects and the regional exchange of practising architects and architecture students. Members representing their nation mentioned the background and limitation related with such exchanges, however meeting was concluded with the resolution to promote the exchange of youth architects under the ARCASIA fellowship programs. The program also assigned working groups of earlier tasks of ACAE related with the documentation of architecture education, journal preparation and publication of thesis of students from each member nations in social media. Besides the ACAE round table, the event was made joyful with the astonishing participation of public, artists and arhitects in ARCHIDEX 2018. n
NEWS
12TH NATIONAL ASA ARCHITECTURAL EXHIBITION
‘A CELEBRATION OF SPACE, TIME AND HERITAGE’
T
he 12th National ASA Exhibition: A Celebration of Space, Time and Heritage was held from 13th-15th July 2018. The idea of this event was to elicit emotion through architecture within the space frame. This exhibition raised the questions and awareness towards the recent monopolistic deterioration of our heritages and crippled reconstruction works in our society and nation through various seminars, art, photographic and design competitions. For the 12th National ASA Architectural Exhibition, the pre- events were organized with an aim to promote and spread the essence of architectural exhibition. The first pre event of the 12th National ASA Architectural Exhibition was 'CAD and SketchUp', which is conducted every year with an aim to train the students about the basics in 2D-Modelling via AutoCAD and 3D-Modelling via Sketch-Up. A photography workshop was conducted for 4 days from June 16th – 19th, which turned out to be a common platform for learning the basics of photography under the guidance of experienced mentors. The third pre event of the exhibition was Concept and Model Making workshop, which was held for 3 days from June 28th - 30th, with an objective of site responsive design, concept development, block model development with site incorporation and mono chromatic approach. The event saw the participation of students from various architectural
schools like ACME, Thapathali, Khwopa, ERC (Dharan), while the mentors for the workshop were young architects from various consulting firms. The fourth event was the Bungamati Heritage Walk, which was supported by Center for Integrated Urban Development and UN Habitat. The objective of this event was to pledge support for the preservation of rich heritage of Bungamati, experience unending contrast between the old and the new by exploring the city on foot, learn about the conditions of our national heritage after the 2072 earthquake and give a thought on preserving its beauty together. Lastly, a seminar entitled, “Cultural Conservation vs. Urban Expansion” was organized on 9th July, where the view point
of the cultural and urban realms were shared. The seminar sought to identify the issues regarding the cultural conservation and its provision within urban development. Moreover, this event answered how the cultural dimension and urban development could be expressed within a single concavity for sustainable development in the context of Kathmandu valley. The 12th National ASA Architectural Exhibition was the common ground where the students, academia, professionals and the general public came together to comprehend and discuss upon the present day architectural scenario. It was the platform of a space experience, a celebration of our history, culture and heritages, expression of our present time and a vision for a better future. n
AUGUST 2018 SPACES / 11
NEWS
56TH ENGINEER’S DAY Celebrating the 56th Engineer's Day, Nepal Engineer's Association (NEA) honored the talented and the outstanding engineers at the National Assembly Hall, Kathmandu on 19th July 2018. The Chief Guest of this annual event was Honorable Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transportation Er. Raghubir Mahaseth. On the program different people were honored for their contribution. Er. Sagar Shrestha was honored as Outstanding Youth Professional; Ar. Bindu Shrestha was honored as Outstanding Woman Engineer, Er. Ganga Bahadur Basnet was awarded Martyr Er. Nawaraj Bista Memorial Award, Ar. Sworup Kone Gurung was awarded Entrepreneurial Engineer Award. Likewise, Er. Narayan Dutta Sharma
was awarded Lifetime Achievement Award, Er. Krishna Basnet, Executive Director of Roads Board Nepal, was honored with the award given to the organisations contributing for national development. During the program, Television Program Coordinator, Mr. Ramhari Koirala, and Hama Steel were also presented with certificates of appreciation for their collaboration with the Association for the television program 'Purvadhar'. In the event, Minister Mahaseth requested the engineers to be the conductors of prosperity. He also informed that the Nepal government is ready to formally cooperate with the association and also said that, it would be suitable for the association to do the technological works of required fields of engineering for the Government of Nepal. The Association also conducted a halfday national conference on the topic
SRIJANA BOOK LAUNCH The book "Chitrakala: The Art of Painting", published by Srijana College of Fine Arts, was released on 6th July 2018 at Patan Durbar Square in presence of Mr. Abhi Subedi as the chief guest and senior artists Batsa Gopal Vaidhya, Madan Chitrakar and others. The book is based on the curriculum of the bachelor-level fine arts subject under the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of Tribhuvan University. The book is written in Nepali and the writers of the book are: Navindra Man Rajbhandari, Bijaya Maharjan, Ashok Man Singh and Krishna Gopal Shrestha. This book focuses on various types of paintings and painting elements, its basic rules, and the materials and mediums used in painting. It is believed that with the help of this book, the students will get maximum help and guidance in their course. Besides that, the book is also expected to benefit people who want to know more about paintings. n 12 / SPACES AUGUST 2018
'Integrated Engineering Services for Sustainable Development'. During the second session of the conference, Ar. Debesh Raj Bhattarai presented his papers on ' Integrated Engineering Services for Good Construction Practice'. Similarly, on the third session of the conference, Dr. Jagadish Chandra Pokhrel, former Vice-President of the National Planning Commission of Nepal, presented his papers on the subject 'Integrated Engineering Services for Sustainable Transport Development'. On the planning of Central Working Committee, a blood donation program was conducted on the same day at the National Assembly Hall. Marking the 56th annual event, the association had also conducted a cultural program during the evening. n
NEWS
AUGUST 2018 SPACES / 13
NEWS
FURNEX 2018
PRASHANT SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
T
hree graduates were awarded with the "Prashant Scholarship Awards" at an event held in Nepal Art Council, Babermahal, Kathmandu on 8th July 2018. Every year, Prasant Memorial Society awards three exceptionally talented students under fine arts subject with the "Prashant Scholarship Awards". Students who have secured the highest marks in graduate level with major subjects as painting and sculpture registered in Lalitkala Campus (under the Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty, Tribhuvan University), Sirjana College of Fine Arts, and Center for Fine Arts and Design, Kathmandu University are granted with this scholarship. The recipients of this year's awards were: Ms. Sony Rai from Lalitkala Campus, Mr. Hariram Adhikari from Srijana College of FineArts, and Ms. Nilam Bhurtel from Kathmandu University, Centre for Arts and Design. The winners were awarded NRS.15, 000 each and certificates by the Prashant Memorial Society in presence of Prof. Dr. Abhi Subedi as the Chief Guest. The other guests for the event were: Gauri Narayan Shrestha and Laxmi Shrestha - parents of late artist Prasant Shrestha, Batsa Gopal Vaidya - the chairman of Prasanta Memorial Society, Sashi Shah - senior artist, Mukesh Malla - senior arts critic and
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Madan Chitrakar - the principal of Srijana College of Fine Arts. Prasant Memorial society was established in the memory of late artist Prasanta Shrestha,with the objective to promote the young upcoming artist from the Fine Arts Colleges. Born on 1968 in Sankhu, Prashanta Shrestha was the founder and coordinator of Kasthamandap Artist’s Group. He had done 5 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 20 group exhibitions in Nepal and Bangladesh. He passed away at the age of 31 in 1999. Since then, Kasthamandap Art studio is active in promoting the new artists. Kasthamandap Artist Group is a community art centre established by eight young artists in 1994.The founders of the studio are Late Prasanta Shrestha, Asha Dongol, Erina Tamrakar, Bhairaj Maharjan, Binod Pradhan, Pradip Bajracharya, Pramila Bajracharya and Sunila Bajracharya. Prashant Memorial Society has been granting scholarships to fine arts graduates since 2003. The inauguration of a solo art exhibition of the late artist Prashant Shrestha was also conducted during the prize distribution. n
Furnex 2018, furniture and furnishing expo is going to be held from 20th September 2018 at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu. Initially, the expo was to be held on 30th August but was postponed on 20th September 2018 due to the upcoming BIMSTEC Summit on that same day. The 6th edition of the expo Furnex 2018 will be a home dĂŠcor special. The expo will be the perfect destination for interior design, which has been escalating along with modern lifestyle. The expo will be managed by Event Solution Pvt. Ltd. The main attraction of the expo will be the exhibition of office, kitchen, bedroom and living room furniture along with outdoor furniture, carpet, marbles and other interior related materials. Similarly, the expo will also display curtains, mattresses, decoration items, home appliances, and other products. Besides showcasing furniture, the expo will also provide information on furniture and furnishing to the visitors. According to Mr. Rajesh Agrawal, Chairperson of the association, the expo will be the ideal place for the visitors to gain knowledge on traditional and modern furniture. "The 6th edition of the expo will be beneficial for both the buyers and the sellers" said Mr. Suvendra Joshi, Coordinator of Furnex 2018. The five day event will have more than 100 stalls showcasing furniture and furnishing products from both national as well as international brands. Gem Flooring is the Title sponsor of Furnex 2018.The expo has been organized annually since 2012 with the purpose of promoting furniture and furnishing business in Nepal. n
NEWS
NEW PLAYERS IN TOWN
It
is no secret that Nepal is currently experiencing a construction boom with houses and commercial spaces being built with increasing frequency, both inside and outside of Kathmandu valley. This is undoubtedly a great opportunity for the construction industry and it has attracted several new businesses into Nepal. On 9th of July 2018, Fenesta and Kich, two Indian manufacturers inaugurated their joint store in Bluebird Mall, Tripureshwor. The showroom was jointly inaugurated by Mr. Saket Jain, Business Head at Fenesta Building System, and Mr. Dinesh Hapani, Director of Kich Architectural Product Pvt Ltd. They are working in association with Parth International, one of the leading suppliers of industrial raw materials in Nepal. Kich is India’s most popular Hardware brand. Celebrating its 25th year, the company supplies architectural hardware to over 25 countries including several European, Middle Eastern and African countries. A division of DCM Shriram Ltd., Fenesta is India’s premier windows and doors brand and has installed more than 2 million units across 150,000 homes. According to Mr. Hapani, Kich’s USP lies in the premium grade steel they use in their products. Kich products are made from anti corrosive 316 grade premium stainless steel which is highly recommended for Nepal. The products also come with a natural finish with no coating. ‘What
you see is that even after 20 years, the product remains the same. The beauty of our product increases the longer you use it. I am 100% sure that even after 20 years there won’t be any complains with the finishing of the products’ he elaborates. The company provides complete hardware solution to houses, commercial spaces and public spaces like airports and hospitals. It also has a special line of products that is highly suitable for healthcare business where hygiene must always be maintained. Mr. Saket Jain also believes his products to be unique, different and much more superior to the rest of the market. ’Our products have a much better sealing compared to wood and aluminum. Also, since UPVC is a bad conductor of heat and Electricity, Fenesta provide a much better insulation against dust, sound, heat and rain by providing close to 100% insulation which reduces the electricity consumption by 30-40%.’ Aesthetically unique in appearance, yet another selling point for Fenesta is the service they provide. ‘We provide end to end solution, which means we have full control over the quality of the product. Nobody is offering
the kind of service or ranges.’, he claims. While most other companies provide a standard model, Fenesta generates computer models for each window they create which calculates the wind speed and weather conditions of the city and designs the window accordingly. Parth International also believes in their product whole heartedly. ‘One thing we always have been making sure that we will always bring the best product to the market. That is why we have tied up with Fenesta, which is the no 1 UPVC windows and doors brand in India and Kich, which is the most reliable hardware brand in India. We are just focusing on the quality and right pricing.’ says Mr. Nikunj Agrawal, Executive Director of Parth International Pvt. Ltd. Both Mr. Jain and Mr. Hapani believe that there is a good market potential for their products. ‘Nepal is a country with diverse and rich culture. There is a huge replacement market as a lot of construction is going on’ says Mr. Jain. Both of these companies intend to expand across Nepal. Kich has already opened in Biratnagar and their partners, Parth International, are very aggressively expanding. n
AUGUST 2018 SPACES / 15
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CONSERVATION
SHORT HISTORY
The once
of Lo
GEO-POLITICS, HERITAGE AND DEVELOPMENT Text & Photo: Kai WEise
THE KALI GANDAKI RIVER THAT CUTS THROUGH THE HIMALAYAN RANGE BETWEEN THE ANNAPURNA AND DHAULAGIRI MASSIFS, BOTH RISING OVER EIGHT THOUSAND METRES HAS CREATED THE DEEPEST GORGE IN THE WORLD. ALONG THIS RIVER VALLEY WAS ON ONE OF THE MAIN TRADE ROUTES THROUGH THE HIMALAYAS LINKING THE GANGETIC PLAINS TO THE TIBETAN PLATEAU. THE KINGDOM OF LO, LOCATED IN UPPER MUSTANG DISTRICT CONTROLLED THIS ANCIENT TRADE ROUTE. AS A CENTRE FOR TRADING, THE KINGDOM OF LO FLOURISHED BUT SOON CAME UNDER THE SUZERAINTY OF JUMLA AND WAS THEN INCORPORATED INTO THE KINGDOM OF NEPAL. WITH CHANGING GEO-POLITICS IN THE REGION, THE TRADE DWINDLED AND UPPER MUSTANG ENDED UP IN THE BACKWATERS. TODAY UPPER MUSTANG COULD AGAIN PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN LINKING THE GIANT ECONOMIES OF CHINA AND INDIA. HAVE PREPARATION BEEN SUFFICIENT TO ENSURE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE FRAGILE ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE? 18 / SPACES AUGUST 2018
The histories of Lo shows lose ties with Western Tibet, Ladakh and the western Nepalese Kingdom of Jumla. Until the late 14th century, the area of Upper Mustang was still ruled by a provincial governor of the Purung Kingdom of Western Tibet. Around 1400 Amepal, a descendant of the provincial governor took over control, making his position hereditary and creating the Kingdom of Lo. It was in the early 15th century that Amepal founded the fortified monastic settlement of Lo Manthang. Amepal invited the renowned sage of the Sakyapa sect to Lo and built Thupchen Gompa. The Sakyapa sect is still predominant in Upper Mustang. Lo came under the domination of Ladkah in the 17th century and then under Jumla in the mid-18th century. It was during the 16th to 18th century that numerous small principalities were formed south of Lo, many accepting the domination of Jumla, though under constant feud. Most of the forts built along the Kali Gandaki River were constructed during this period. In 1795 when the Gorkhas took control over Jumla, Mustang was integrated into Nepal. Nevertheless, until 1950 Lo had the status of an independent kingdom within Nepal, paying a symbolic monetary tribute to Kathmandu. During the Rana era, the control of the salt trade was given to the Thakalis of southern Mustang, whereby Lo lost much of its power. The title of Raja was however retained till 2008 when Nepal was proclaimed a republic.
CONSERVATION
THE HIDDEN CONFLICT
The Kingdom of Lo didn’t come into the limelight even though one of the most spectacular guerrilla wars was waged in this corner of the Himalayas. Tibetan resistance groups were fighting the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the 1950s but they were soon overwhelmed and had to scatter, many moving into northern India, Nepal and Sikkim. The resistance by the Tibetan warriors, mainly Khampa from the Kham Region of Tibet continued to be supported by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States. The CIA and Tibetan resistant leaders planned to get organized by setting up camps in Upper Mustang, a district of Nepal that protrudes into Tibet. This seems to have taken place without the full know and acknowledgement of Nepal and India. In the winter of 1960, Tibetan fighters moved into Upper Mustang in larger numbers causing tensions with the local population. The dry arid region with difficult access couldn’t support the influx of several thousand warriors. Even many years later the locals related stories of hardship when the Khampas descended upon them. They blamed the Khampas for loss of cultural artefacts and for the deforestation of the entire area. Camps were set up and the battle continued well over a decade. The CIA supported the Khampas with supplies including relatively advanced weapons and equipment airdropped into their camps. The fashion of the day was jackets made from the parachute cloth.
Upper Mustang became a restricted area off limits to all foreigners. There were clearly those in Kathmandu and Pokhara who knew very well what was taking place in this remote area, but things were kept quiet. It was an open secret with various news articles in the international press. However by the beginning of the 1970s the political tide was
changing. Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972 changed relations with China and soon afterwards the Nepali Government was put under pressure to shut down the camps. The Royal Nepal Army moved in and most of the Khampas surrendered. However, General Wangdu made a run for the Indian boarder in the far west, but was caught and killed in the encounter.
AUGUST 2018 SPACES / 19
CONSERVATION
THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM
Upper Mustang became totally isolated due to the conflict in Tibet and the movement of Khampa warriors into this area. Due to the delicate political situation, the Kingdom of Lo was declared a restricted area. This meant that foreigners were not allowed to enter the Kingdom without special permission, given only to a handful of researchers and adventurers. This would include Toni Hagen in 1952,Giuseppe Tucci in 1952, David Snellgrovein 1956 and 1960–61 as well as Michel Peissel in 1964.They all
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wrote about a magical kingdom in the Himalayas with Shangri-la like qualities. The isolation of Upper Mustang continued into the early 1990s allowing the landscape, community and culture to be conserved. While there has been change and destruction to many of the centres of Tibetan culture the Kingdom of Lo has become one of the unique places still retaining the identity of this ancient civilization. Of particular interest has been the walled earthen city of Lo Manthang with the three
gompas (monasteries) and the royal palace. There are numerous other settlements also with monasteries including a palace in Tsarang. There are the cave monasteries and settlements that have only recently been studied. Nomadic herder communities still live in yak-hair tents. Sky burials are still carried out where the Vajrayana Buddhist priests cut up the body and while they chant vultures devour the cadaver. Interest in Upper Mustang grew based on descriptions of a pristine
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landscape with one of the few remaining communities able to preserve the Tibetan traditions. The restrictions seem to have managed to retain interest in this ancient kingdom. However planning and preparation for inevitable change has not been going well.
EARLY PLANNING PROPOSALS
During the 1990s there were some efforts to establish sustainable planning for Upper Mustang. Upper Mustang came under the internationally acclaimed Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP). One of the main focuses was to ensure that tourism is controlled and studies and proposals were immediately prepared. The government was cautious enough to retain restrictions on visitors to Upper Mustang and in 1992 only two hundred permits were issued. This was later raised to a thousand permits a year with a relatively high rate of 70 USD a day for minimum ten days. The rate was reduced to 50 USD in 2008. Very little of this money has been ploughed back into the region. International organizations have vied to carry out projects in this unique paradise-like landscape. Images of Upper Mustang are easily sold to donors who are themselves interested to visit the area. The early conflict between American Himalayan Foundation (AHF) and Getty Foundation to get the right to work in Upper Mustang exemplifies this cutthroat business. The big players moved in possibly beginning with the AHF mission in 1996 to provide emergency interventions to Thubchen Lhakhang. Since then there have
been countless projects and research carried out in Upper Mustang. Many of these are commendable in the professionalism of implementing the individualactivities. The outcomes of some projects are questionable. However, overall there has not been sufficient planning that has gone into ensuring a sustainable future for Upper Mustang. There has been a lack of overall vision for the development of Upper Mustang. Individual projects are carried out without considering their impact. The Korolla to Kagbeni road through Upper Mustang, the construction of buildings in reinforced cement concrete and inappropriately planned resettlement are probably the most obvious of such projects.
Each of these projects would need to be critically reviewed. The struggle of locals to develop their land like it has been done in other places is destroying the unique potential for sustainable tourism and trade within the context of a pristine environmental and cultural context.
SUSTAINABLE PLANNING FOR LO MANTHANG
During my visits to Lo Manthang between 1991 and 1997 I prepared several short reports which were submitted to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich as well as to the Department of Archaeology. Continued research on history, culture and settlements has been further complemented however one aspect which seems to have been
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missed by all those working in Upper Mustang was proper development controls and a vision for the expansion of Lo Manthang. Particular focus was on the need to prepare and plan for the inevitable motorable road through Upper Mustang. My last conversation with the famous Swiss geologist Toni Hagen was about building a cable car up the Kali Gandaki instead of a road. The road has been built with no planning of alignment nor considering impact on environment and heritage. A more specific project for conservation and town planning of Lo Manthang was proposed. The identity of Lo Manthang was clearly defined by the earthen wall that still existed and it needed to be protected. An initial survey showed that with approximately 35,000 USD the land that the Raja and sold off in the late 1980s just outside the wall could have been bought back and a buffer created. This would automatically have provided a safeguard for the settlement walls.
The inner settlement structure needs to be maintained along with the basic building typology and materials following some very simple regulations. The buildings within the walled settlement other than the palace and three gompas should not be built higher than the wall. The first to break this rule was the building in which the ACAP office was located. The expansion of the settlement would also need to be considered.
This could either have been planned as a separate twin settlement or a radial extension leaving a clearly defined buffer zone to the ancient walled settlement. Today the wall is hardly visible and there are numerous openings that have been hacked through the wall. Change is inevitable however a better understanding of the unique character and opportunities is desperately needed to plan a sustainable future for the ancient Kingdom of Lo. n
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PERSONALITY
ARCHITECT SHRINKHALA KHATIWADA
Beauty with Brain Text: Sewa Bhattarai
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ho would have thought that an architect, who topped three semesters at IOE Pulchok, would ace the country’s topmost glamour competition as well? But here is this year’s Miss Nepal Shrinkhala Khatiwada, who counts the fact that she was the highest scorer for her thesis as one of her most precious achievements. A winner of numerous design competitions, Khatiwada is here not just for the glamour, but for the opportunity to use her fame for a good cause. “I have always been interested in Miss Nepal,” says Khatiwada. “But it was not just the glamour and beauty that attracted me. I knew that Miss Nepal is a huge platform where overnight you are recognized by the entire country. And fame can do wonders if you know how to use it well. Your voice is powerful and you can actually make change. I came to Miss Nepal to be a change maker. ” For starters, she wants to build a
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health post for a Chepang village in Makwanpur, for her part in the “Beauty with a purpose” title in Miss Word. The remote village of Bharta has very little infrastructure and facilities, and you have to walk more than 2 hours just to reach the nearest health care center. When she went there for her preliminary research, she was touched by the health problems there like malnutrition, early marriage, lack of hygiene, prevalence of uterine prolapse, and many others. She says “It was so common to see a 16-year old woman with 2 babies and due to lack of knowledge about health care, most were still dependant on traditional, superstitious remedies like dhami, jhankri, etc.” She is gathering funds and resources for her building project, trying to collect as much support in kind as possible for her planned prefab structure and approaching manufacturers of eco panels, doors, windows, etc to start the work as soon as the monsoon rebates. She
hopes to be done before Dashain, so that she can conduct a health camp there before leaving for the Miss Word competition in November. She has designed the building for maximum functionality as well as comfort, and is no stranger to that concept. For her thesis she had designed a building for Manav Sewa Ashram in Hetauda, which utilized the concept of “Translating Environmental Psychology into Built Spaces.” “Everything you see around you affects your psychology, and that applies to buildings too,” she added. “For example, tall and imposing buildings might intimidate you, and you feel more relaxed at a well designed café than in a crowded place. The color of the walls, the placing of the lights, the view from the windows, everything affects how a building makes you feel. Architects not just design building but also responsible for natural aspects of it. I have used the concept of healing
PERSONALITY by design by involving nature in architecture, and tried to make it as easy and comfortable as possible.” She does not plan to stop at designing a single health post. She wants to take her project to a larger scale. In fact, that was the prospect which attracted her to Miss Nepal in the first place, so that she can participate in the Miss World competition and make her work global and has already established an organization, “One Home Foundation”, with which she hopes to continue building shelters. “My work will be need based, it may be schools at one place, health posts in another, and homes in another,” she says. In fact, as word got around of her project in Makwanpur, many people came up to her to ask her to build more health posts, and one person even committed to donate land for it. Right now she feels limited as she is just one person running around with proposals all day, but she hopes that will change soon. She says, “ if I win the Miss World crown, I can find global contacts who will help me take my foundation global. Nepal has never won a title in Miss World, in fact, I am more attracted by the prospect of Miss World than by just Miss Nepal.” Khatiwada’s conviction that she can be a good representative of Nepal at Miss World was what convinced her parents, though they were apprehensive about the glamour field at first. Now, they have come around and are quite proud of her, especially as she is much the same person as before, who doesn’t dress any different, comes home at the same time, and has her feet firmly on the ground. She does not forget her stellar architecture background for a moment, and has a lot to say about current building patterns in Nepal. She feels that Kathmandu has completely lost the sense of urban planning and it is too late to turn it around. Kathmandu is ‘chaotic and beyond repair,’ but feels that there is a lot of potential in upcoming cities around the country. She also feels
strongly about the new structures coming up after the earthquake of 2015. “After the earthquake, the new buildings seem to have forgotten our vernacular architecture, which is our identity” says she. “And if we are to promote tourism, we cannot invite tourists to see modern structures. Like Malla-era architecture in Kathmandu and stone houses around Pokhara, every place has its own look and feel, and we should aim to preserve that.”
That is how she plans to work with One Home Foundation in future, with location-specific building designs, materials and wants to build low cost structures that reflect the civilization and history of a place, without compromising on comfort and functionality. This way she plans to integrate her profession with her fame. Here is wishing good luck to this confident and capable Miss Nepal! Hope she brings the crown home and builds the homes the world needs. n AUGUST 2018 SPACES / 25
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GADDI BAITHAK CONTINUED GLORY OF THE LEGACY BUILT BY CHANDRA SHAMSHER Text: Anie Joshi  Photo: A. Rajbansh & Anie Joshi
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The citation in the CHANDRAMAYUKHA - An illustrated Poetic work, printed in 1913 A.D., glorifies the construction of Gaddi Baithak, which was completed in 1908 A.D. during the reign of Chandra Shamsher. It states how the magnificent edifice named Gaddi Baithak was built in place of the Lal Baithak and its beauty awed everyone.
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onstruction of such a grand edifice in a very strategic location of the Hanumandhokha Palace complex indicates the influence of the ruling Rana regime and their desire to illustrate the power through an identity different from preceding rulers. The inscription on the western faรงade of the Gaddi Baithak where the long title of Chandra Shamsher has been engraved shows the power of the Rana regime during the ruling of the Shah Kings. Till the mid 19th century, Nepal had very limited interaction with foreign nations; it was during the reign of Jang Bahadur that the diplomatic relations with European countries was developed. With increasing
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foreign diplomatic relations at the end of the 19th century, the need to receive foreign delegates by the head of state became important. The construction of the state function hall must have been a priority leading to the initial construction of Lal Baithak. However, recorded history of the state hall came only with the construction of Gaddi Baithak in early 20th century.
The main purpose of Gaddi Baithak was to provide a place for formal meetings where foreign delegates and diplomats were received by the King. The Royal throne was kept in this Hall giving this historic hall its name: Gaddi Baithak. Along with its political significance, Gaddi Baithak played a major role in showcasing the living heritage of the valley to
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the foreign delegates. It is very interesting that with the relocation of the Royal Palace to Narayan Hiti, the use of Gaddi Baithak for the formal meeting discontinued but the use of Gaddi Baithak to greet the Kumari by the Head of state before the Chariot festival has continued till date. And this has become the new identity of the Gaddi Baithak. THE LEGACY OF NEW ARCHITECTURAL STYLE Architecture has always been the classical means for authoritarian regimes to engrave their identity into history. With the construction of Gaddi Baithak in neo-classical style, the Rana regime contributed their own architectural identity within the building ensemble of Hanumandhokha Palace. The
colonnaded balcony towards the southern side and the large stairway leading to the main hall from the west façade as found in the original design, exemplified a new architectural style, scale and construction system in Nepal. The introduction of Neo-classic architecture also initiated the use of lime and metal as new building materials in Nepal which was limited to decoration and finishing. However, the major structural elements were still composed of the traditional materials including brick, mud mortar and timber.
colors in its ornamentation. Pressed tin ornamentation appliquĂŠs, cornices, wall cladding as well as ceiling tiles has been used along with the cast iron balustrade for the staircase and balcony. The interior lime plaster details have been painted in blue, green, gold and orange shades. A polychromatic stained glass window was used to form the backdrop for the royal throne. The main hall is embellished with Venetian mirrors, crystal chandeliers, large painting portraits and a heavily carved wooden decorative piece.
Gaddi Baithak is embellished with Greek and Roman details The ornamentation built in situ in brick masonry covered with a white lime stucco finish. However, in the interior there is extensive use of
One of the major changes to the building since its origin is the demolition of the main staircase leading to the hall from its western façade which was replaced by a balcony.
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THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE GRAND EDIFICE The main hall of Gaddi Baithak is rectangular measuring 34 metres by 9.2 metres and a height of 10.5 metres high with a gable roof. At the east and west ends there are mezzanine balconies overlooking the main hall space. The three major staircases on the southwest, northwest and southeast corners give access to the mezzanine balconies as well as the ground floor. The ground floor is composed of four bays providing the base for the grand hall above. The entire structure is built as a load bearing structure with brick masonry in mud mortar with intervals of lime mortar layers. The large columns on the southern and western faรงade also built in brick masonry are tied to the main structure using large wooden beams. The use of wood as structural elements requires continued inspection to monitor deterioration. Moisture in terms of capillary action from the ground and rain water penetration from the terraces and roof are the main culprits for degeneration. Gaddi Baithak has been facing such issues due to lack of inspection and regular maintenance. IMPACT OF 2015 EARTHQUAKE CCTV footage from the east end of Basantapur Square has captured a glimpse of the destruction caused by the earthquake on the 25th April 2015. It was at 12:20:44 that the southern parapet wall of Gaddi Baithak collapsed towards the square. The two meter high freestanding parapet above the colonnaded balcony completely collapsed along with one of the columns and the southern wall of the
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stairwell. Major cracks developed on the pediments of the remaining two stairwells. In contrast, the interior structure of the hall survived with minimum damage. Horizontal cracks were developed on the piers of the southern wall which is composed of large openings and movement was seen on the gable walls. In addition, the western mezzanine ceiling was damaged by a collapsing wall and few of the tin ceiling tiles of the main hall fell. Major damage in the interior was to the magnificent crystal chandeliers. The ground floor had very little structural damage but with poor ventilation the wooden structural elements were rotten. No major damage was caused to the wooden roof trusses either. The damage to the building clearly indicates that the parts exposed to the weathering due to rain were, where the major damage could be seen. The interview with the contractor
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responsible for the yearly painting of the Gaddi Baithak before Indra Jatra indicated that the building had leakage from the terrace long before the earthquake and no major restoration work was carried out. So, it pointed towards the critical issue of lack of regular maintenance of this heritage building. This further leads to the question of how we want our historic building to be restored or rebuild; to ensure the longevity of the monuments to use new materials requiring less maintenance or sticking to traditional techniques which require a more elaborate maintenance plan. RESTORATION OF GADDI BAITHAK Gaddi Baithak, built in neo-classical architectural style with very high and massive brick masonry walls was complex in terms of its structural repair. Hence, the Department of Archaeology raised the need for structural assessment of this historic
building. This was when Miyamoto Global Disaster Relief Fund (nonprofit engineering experts) with its expertise in seismic safety showed its interest for the structural repair of this historic building. With funding from the “Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation� of the U.S. government, technical support from Miyamoto Relief and monitoring and guidance from the Department of Archaeology, the structural repair and restoration of Gaddi Baithak project was initiated in September 2016. For the documentation, assessment and structural repair design and project implementation planning, it took almost a year. The repair and restoration work was completed in June 2018 in eight and a half months. As this project was done in close collaboration with the steering committee and technical sub-committee formed under the Department of Archaeology, the implementation was done as per the
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Public Procurement Act and and as per Code of Federal Regulations (2CFR 200 and 600). Pachali Bhairan and Manakamana Nirman Sewa Pvt. Ltd. was selected as the contractor and was on site seven days a week along with site supervisor and engineer Mr. Bibek Pradhan from Miyamoto Relief to get this project completed on time. Mr. Bibek Pradhan mentions the timely completion of the project was achievable only by the efforts of both the engineering and contracting team who had been open to discussion for any problems during the implementation of the design intervention as per the site conditions.� Being a part of this Gaddi Baithak project which was tendered, I have an impression that it is possible to do quality work and on time with the tendering system but selection
of appropriate contactor and site supervisor play a critical role in this process. One of the major objectives of the Gaddi Baithak structural repair and restoration project was to improve the building performance during similar large earthquake in future with targeted structural interventions. However, these structural interventions were designed in such a way to strengthen the building without compromising the architectural and historical integrity of this grand monument. A major challenge was to implement this intervention in the building with minimum damage to the original structure. Maila Maharjan, the chief of the contracting company remembers one of the most difficult
situations “We tried to convince the engineers that the diaphragm in the hall was not implementable as it had very less working space but in discussion with the workers, the engineers came up with the solutions and it was finally done.� For any collapsed masonry wall, rebuilding was done with additional horizontal wooden wall plates at the interval of 1 metre. To improve the structural integrity of the southern balcony, wooden A-frames were embedded within the parapet wall and a diaphragm was created at roof level. Similarly to improve the seismic strength of the main hall, new diaphragms were provided at cornice level. Though there was no damage to the roof wooden cross bracing were added to improve the distribution of
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seismic load. The horizontal cracks on the applied columns of the hall were repaired with minimum dismantling of the original structure. Steel reinforcing bars were wrapped around the applied column and tied to the main masonry pier behind. To avoid the out of plane damage of the masonry wall of the stairwells, steel tie rods were used to hold the masonry together during an earthquake. The damage to the Gaddi Baithak during the 2015 earthquake also affected architectural components and during this restoration project these elements were restored after proper documentation. The stucco decorations completely were recreated using molds and casted. The damaged column capitals were built in situ using brick and lime mortar and finished with lime plaster. The interior pressed metal components damaged by the earthquake were salvaged, repaired, reinstalled and repainted wherever necessary. However, with extensive damaged components, new elements were reproduced in brass and were installed and painted. Considering the authenticity of the original painting of the ornamentations, only the very heavily damaged elements were repainted. The crystal chandeliers although heavily damaged, have not been restored considering the need for specialized expertise for its restoration. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF RESTORING THE GADDI BAITHAK The guidelines provided by the Department of Archaeology for the rehabilitation and restoration of the historic monuments affected by the 2072 earthquake encourage the
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use of salvaged materials as far as possible. However, with the collapsed materials already removed and dumped as debris, there was need for procurement of new bricks, wood, mud mortar and lime mortar. Considering the need for similar quality of materials and time constrain, the contractor brought salvaged materials from other sites. The large beam that was replaced on the southern balcony was brought from the Rastra Bank demolition site. Most of the required bricks were salvaged from various other sites. The emphasis on the use of traditional materials and skills was vital to this restoration project. The traditional skilled craftsmanship of carpentry, mason and plaster and stucco décor work was provided by the contractor who ensured minimum damage to the original structure while integrating the interventions to the building. As the Chargé d’Affaires Peter Malnak said at the inauguration ceremony, “The collaborative efforts among government, communities, and heritage experts – both Nepali and American – presented an opportunity to restore and seismically strengthen the iconic Gaddi Baithak. While respecting traditional restoration methods and supporting local livelihoods, the project successfully showed how restoring neo-classical buildings in Kathmandu can be both possible and cost-effective. The U.S. Embassy is proud to support Nepal government’s post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction efforts.” The restoration of Gaddi Baithak has also been a great opportunity
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to carry out detailed documentation of a Neo-classical historic building in Kathmandu. During the restoration of this historic building which survived two major earthquakes, it was interesting to discover the interventions done after the 1934 earthquake. Its partial rebuilding, major structural repair and improvement along with the restoration encourage us to use similar methodology for the restoration of the historical monuments from the 20th century which has been damaged by the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. FUTURE OF GADDI BAITHAK It was identified that the damage during the earthquake was amplified by the poor maintenance of the building, hence along with the
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restoration of this historic monument, a sustainability plan has been prepared to ensure its regular use and maintenance. Mrs. Aruna Nakarmi, chief of the Hanumandhokha Palace Museum is delighted that the annual opening of the Gaddi Baithak for the Kumari Jatra chariot festival will be continued this year. However, for its regular maintenance and cleaning she emphasizes the need of opening the building to the public either as a part of the museum or at least opening once a week with pre-booking guided tours of this magnificent architecture marvel. DG of Department of Arcaheology, Mr. Bhesh Narayan Dahal agrees
that Gaddi Baithak should be used regularly possibly as museum. However he emphasizes, with the ownership of the building under the Home Ministry who is responsible for the yearly management during the Kumari Jatra festival, negotiation has to be done in Higher Ministry level. He assures that efforts will be made from DOA with formal letters sent to the ministries to proceed the dialogue for the opening of Gaddi Baithak to general public. It will indeed be despairing to see this historic monument kept closed after the extensive restoration work that has been done. Hope the concerned authorities will work towards negotiating the proper reuse and management for Gaddi Baithak in near future. n
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Design ASPIRATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
Ar.
Arun Dev Pant co-established Design Cell Pvt. Ltd. (Est. 1998) together with Ar. Sanjaya Pradhan and late Ar. Umesh Shrestha with the aim of bringing forth creative yet practical solutions to the architectural, engineering, interior design and planning scene. His work includes a wide range of designed environments such as cable car stations, hotels and resorts, hospitals, office/commercial buildings, institutional buildings, planned sub-divisions, urban park spaces, residential buildings and interior spaces etc. International work has included design and project implementation work in neighboring areas such as Sikkim, Tibet and New Delhi as well as in USA.
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Text : Sweta Shakya
Ar. Pant shared his experiences as an architect in the platform acknowledging that it can be daunting as a graduate to make sense of the architecture world outside the university. With the strenuous and infinite hours in the studio, students may oversee the variant forces that impact architectural design process. Today, we are fortunate to have the architects who are eager to share their experiences from their practice to the aspiring architects. In his presentation entitled, Design Aspirations and Solutions- The dynamics of Client- Architect Relationship, he conferred that the transition from a hypothetical academic design to the live projects can be often baffling and frustrating because of the numerous constraints. He also affirmed that there is a tendency to emulate the architects that we had worshipped in school and set about the design process in a prescriptive manner,
ARCHITECTURE ON THE AWARD CEREMONY OF ASIAN PAINTS KALEIDOSCOPE 2017-2018 “HEROES OF THE FUTURE”, STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT COLLEGES WITNESSED THE EVENT. AR. ARUN DEV PANT WAS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER WHO CONVEYED HIS MESSAGE IN THE PLATFORM WITH YOUNG AND ASPIRING ARCHITECTS.
leading to the assumption that the architect knows best what is good for the client. This generally ends up leading to a long and troubled relationship during the design and especially in the construction phase. Few clients would be comfortable in completely handing over the design decisions and entrust their entire investment to someone else’s value system. In the contrary, some architects may just listen to the client, pandering to his every whim, resulting in the kitsch that is largely the norm in the city today. It is not surprising that the buildings that result from this course of action, though created by design personnel, end up very similar to the owner-built structures that seem to incorporate, without rhyme or reason, every decorative
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element in the book. He articulated that the heart of great architecture is relationships-between their value systems, and between people and their environment and between built structures and their context. As an architect, these relationships must be managed in order to forge connections and bridge gaps; happy medium wherein the clients’ preferences are included in the brief that allows a professional approach in devising solutions. Ar. Pant explained that the ArchitectClient relationship is a dynamic process where each learns from the other during their interactions. He addressed that the first step towards a successful design project is by letting the client feel that their project and investment is in responsible hands. Once a basic level of trust is established, the rest follows quite naturally. The next step as he pointed out was to understand the client’s values and preferences and know where the client’s assumptions and values lie. An architect would be foolhardy to impose his or her own value system and preferences on the client. If there are strong contrasts, then a mutual agreement on the acceptable course must be formulated before proceeding.
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Next, it is important transferring the architect’s knowledge and assumptions to his clients. An Architect is a trained professional who is able to understand the implications of a design solution in the context of the site, the brief along with the functional and aesthetic requirements. The process of transferring this understanding to the client can be challenging and time consuming. During the process however, it is not unusual for the architects to re-evaluate some of their own assumptions. Interactions with the client allow the process to breathe life into the design and often lead to novel solutions that are not pre-meditated either by the client or the designer. It was settled that once the dynamics between the two are established, the overall process remains in the hands of the designer. The creative process of evolving the design while balancing
the parameters of aesthetics, function, structure and cost all lie squarely on the architect. To illustrate his ideas, he showcased some of his successful design projects which aligned with his presentation. Temple Tree Resort
in Pokhara, Chandra Giri Cable car, Hotel Mulberry and Krishna Tower in Kathmandu are some of the projects that have been well established. He also expressed that it is important to take inspiration from our own roots and reflect the local architecture and expression which is one of a kind. n
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INTERNATIONAL
WIND GATES Text: Media Publication Agency Photo: Mr. Sanjay Chougule
THE BREEZE THAT WAFTS IN THROUGH THE TRIPLE-HEIGHT WESTERN AND EASTERN WIND POCKETS CREATED AT THE WIND GATES APARTMENT COMPLEX IN KOLHAPUR, INDIA. DESIGNED BY PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT PRASHANT KAPADI - VISION ASSOCIATES AND CONSTRUCTED BY ABHIJIT MAGADUM, BHIMA MAHABHARAT DEVELOPERS, WIND GATES FEATURES AN ASYMMETRICAL JUXTAPOSITION OF BLOCKS ON DIFFERENT GRIDS GIVING THE STRUCTURE A DRAMATIC FAÇADE. STRATEGICALLY SITUATED WITHIN THE CITY OF KOLHAPUR, INDIA WIND GATES PLOTS WERE ZONED TO AFFORD UNOBSTRUCTED VIEWS OF THE IMPOSING NEW PALACE MUSEUM, A HISTORIC ROYAL BUILDING IN KOLHAPUR SYNONYMOUS WITH THE IDENTITY OF THE CITY, FROM DIFFERENT POINTS. FOR MAXIMUM FLOOR SPACE, THE PRINCIPAL PLOT WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO WINGS, CONNECTED BY WIRE ROPE PERGOLAS AT THE ENTRANCE.
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INTERNATIONAL
T
he pergolas convey building connectivity, while at the same time contributing to balance the spaces and height proportions. Despite the legal division between the two plots, the design gives the illusion of a single campus zone; the two wings are further interconnected by means of bridges through wind pockets at multiple levels. Situated centrally between the two wings are the common amenities including a multipurpose hall, gym and children’s play park. The functional segregation of the vehicular zone is achieved by placing the common amenities in contraposition to the access road, which prevents obstructions to the pedestrian zone. CLIMATIC RESPONSIVE ARCHITECTURE The building attains its name through the triple height wind pockets that allow the west wind to flow unhampered into the complex, amenity space and the internal faces of the two wings. A coherent design, with respect to both climatology and site conditions, creates well-proportioned interior and exterior spaces. Cantilevered projections, box frames and pergolas combine to develop an interesting play of shadow in both natural and artificial light.
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INTERNATIONAL
FAร ADE AND UNIT DESIGN The deceptive faรงade of Wind Gates masks the girth and verticality of the building through the asymmetrical protrusion of blocks in different grids. The recessive order of the blocks leading up to the penthouse on the sixth and seventh floors give the structure a unique skyline and afford wider sky views from the central interaction spaces. While presenting a challenge in visualizing and constructing these masses, the recessive blocks give character to the structure. The terraces attached to the units are projected through cantilevers over the protruding boxes, further enhanced by the addition of fabricated pergolas and glass railing. The overall effect is to create an interesting faรงade. Each individual dwelling space offers
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an en-trance lobby that segregates the space from the common passages. The floors of the common passages abutting every residence bear dark grey tiles, providing a striking contrast to the traditional rangoli patterns, and help to inter-rupt the monotony of the lengthy passage while enhancing traditional values. Openly designed wide stairways encourage residents to access their individual dwellings or mutual interactive spaces through the stairways. LANDSCAPE A water sculpture located at the entrance of the complex reflects the basic concept of massing and blocking while creating a soothing ambience. The interconnectivity of spaces within the compound is balanced through landscaping. During the construction, a significant number of existing plant life was
preserved and is one of the highlights of the landscape. Flowerbeds as well as water bodies interspersed among trees such as mango, flame tree, jasmine, bur-flower tree, passion fruit, frangipani and bird cherry create a soothing ambience. The trees invite nesting birds, and seating accommodations are provided under the shade of the trees so that residents can enjoy the scenery. The walking tracks feature pergola covered by creepers such as Rangoon creepers and the height and length of the compound walls are creatively minimized by planting palm trees continuously along the wall. GREEN FEATURES In addition to the climate responsive architectural design of Wind Gates, the building also incorporates ample
INTERNATIONAL
daylight and natural ventilation into its design. Fly ash bricks were used during construction and a significant portion of the building has been devoted to vegetation to reduce the urban heat effect. The building also integrates wastewater recycling and solar energy among its green features. COMMON AMENITIES AND SPACES The multipurpose hall located centrally between the two wings of Wind Gates is connected to the children’s play area as well as common interaction spaces. A rooftop garden, seating pockets and a kids’ paddle pool are situated above the multipurpose hall, while the gym and indoor games hall are located below, featuring skylights and indoor-landscape pockets. Intelligently designed landscape and common lobbies at parking level create a stressrelieving ambience while entering the building. The common lobbies are equipped with informal seating areas where residents can relax. Further seating pockets and overlooking passages are added to every floor level, promoting social interaction among neighbors and offering the senior residents’ space to intermingle. n
Project Name: Wind Gates Who: Mr. Abhijit Magdum –Director, Bhima Mahabharat Builders Where: Kolhapur Which Architect: Ar. Prashant Kapadi , Principal Architect -Vision Associates. Which Landscape Designers: Ar. Nila Jirge Which Structural Consultants: Dr.A.B. Kulkarni & Associates Which Civil Contractors: Bhima Mahabharat Builders Which Plumbing Consultant: Mr. Sunil Limaye Photo Credits: Mr. Sanjay Chougule Site Area: 4797 Sq. M Built up Area : 9003.54 Sq.m. Type: Residential Team : - Mr. Abhijeet Magdum(Director), Mr. Jayesh Kadam(Director)
Bhima Mahabharat Builders and other group of companies have been formed with the entrepreneurial enthusiasm of Abhijit Magdum. Over one and a half decade, Bhima Mahabharat Builders have redefined the residential and commercial constructions in Kolhapur.Spanning various construction projects, the name Bhima Mahabharat Builders has become synonymous with high quality and innovation. The company consists of 35 young, enthusiastic, energetic professionals in the fields of Engineering, Architects etc. led by Chairman & Managing Director Mr. Abhijeet Magadum and Mr. Jayesh Kadam, Director.
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STYLE FEATURE
S
THE LOBBY DESIGN
ince this is an area of religious importance that gets a lot of tourists, Rashmi considered the location of the hotel while designing the lobby. Having an ultra modern design would not suit the vibe of Boudhha. So, she incorporated Nepali culture, especially Newari design aesthetics into the lobby design. She also took into consideration the space available while designing the lobby. Since traditional Nepali houses have dalins(exposed wooden beams), she created a zig-zag pattern of wood on a white background in the ceiling to give a twist to the traditional Nepali design. She has used wood generously in many of her design elements in the lobby, which adds warmth to the room. She has incorporated wood into the pillar paneling and the paneling under the windows to give it a touch of tradition. She was influenced by the traditional dila khapa while designing the windows. In the reception, Rashmi has decided to play with lights and shadows. She has
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FUSION
OF MODERN AND TRADITIONAL DESIGN added lights to the back of the walls to create an interplay of lights and shadows, which looks wonderful especially after dark. Adding to the traditionality of the design, the back wall of the reception has eight metal carvings representing the astamangal, which are considered auspicious symbols in Nepali culture. The carvings were provided the client.
The walls space was limited so, instead of paneling the walls, she put up several paintings. The paintings all depict traditional life and culture of the Kathmandu valley. Some of the paintings portray women in traditional Newari grab while others show traditional temples and monuments of the valley. All of the paintings follow a cultural theme that represents aspects of Nepali culture.
Adding to the functionality of the design, Rashmi has added tile floors with some wood incorporated to add to the design. She initially considered using tela tile (traditional Nepali bricks also known as chikan ita) but decided to go with tiles as they blended better with the design of the rest of the hotel.
The furniture was designed to be luxurious. Since it is a hotel’s lounge and waiting area, it needed to give off an aura of opulence. The upholstery is made of velvet which gives a plush and lavish feel to the furniture. While the rest of the interiors were a mix of modern and traditional, the sofas were purely designed for maximizing comfort and luxury.
Rashmi designed the lobby/lounge area to be a warm and inviting space that would draw in the guests visiting the hotel. The wood element which adds warmth to the ambience of the room, the velvet upholstery and plush furniture which add to the comfort of the guests, they all serve the same purpose – to create a warm yet luxurious aura for visitors.
DESIGNER:
VENUE: HOTEL PADMA, BOUDDHA PHOTO: PRADIP TULADHAR TEXT: SHREESHA NANKHWA PRODUCTS: BRONZE OIL LAMP (PANAS), SOFASET, TIBETIAN INCENSE BURNER, CUSTOM DESIGNED COUNTER.
Rashmi Chitrakar did her IE in civil engineering from IOE Pulchowk Campus and did her bachelor’s in interior design from Kathmandu International College (KIC) and was university topper from her batch. She has done many projects like hotels, restaurants, residential, boutiques, showrooms etc. She is very fascinated about her design and keeps her heart and soul while designing. Her inspiration of work is in classical and traditional design and focuses more into color tone, wall panel and lighting while designing.
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ART
PLANOMETRIC DRAWING Text & Photo: Vignesh Premkumar
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ART
WHAT IS PLANOMETRIC DRAWING?
The plano-metric drawing is a combination of plans, sections, elevations and views in a miniature style of art with parallel projections in it. e.g., Mughal miniature paintings. The Planometric painting can also be described as a documentation of the Architectural spaces, elements, the connectivity, the ambience, humans and their activities both inside the building as well as surrounding the building, the landscape, the artworks , murals, sculptures, vehicles, furniture and animals in it. The planometric painting requires a lot of detailed study and understanding about the building in a different perspective. All the spaces of the building have to be documented as reference and have to be creatively imagined and get converted into painting. It also requires a lot of patience and concentration to do a planometric drawing.
INDIA HOUSE PLANOMETRIC DRAWING:
India House is the studio as well as the residence of Ar.Christopher Charles Benninger. India House Planometric painting is done by Ar. Vignesh Premkumar in duration of 64 days, with 10 hours of work per day. Most of the colours used in the painting were natural fruit colours to give an antique touch to it. The building is divided into two basic segments “the studio part” (left) and “the residential part” (right). The background consists of sun and moon interpreting both the parts of the office respectively, and the evening yellow colour is also a mix of day light and moon light. The connectivity between the ground floor to the first floor of the the building is through a cut out space with a Thangka painting in it, which is depicted in the planometric painting. As well as in the residential part, AUGUST 2018 SPACES / 51
ART
there is a hollow shaft which continues from the terrace floor and reaches till the first floor to provide natural ventilation as well as for stack effect purpose which is well interpreted and depicted in the painting. The Basement structure opens from the lobby space of studio part, with many murals in it. Few skylight openings are also depicted from the basement to the central courtyard part. The activities of Ar.Christopher and Mr. Ram in India House is well depicted in the painting, as well as the activities of other people inside the India House is also depicted. All the vehicles shown in the drawing is exactly the same category of vehicle that is present in the India House. Both the studio part and residential part are connected by a series of louvers in the terrace, which is also shown in a subtle manner. All the painting collections of India house Art Gallery are documented. Most of the murals present in the India house are interpreted as lively creatures such as the birds, fishes, tortoise, etc. The sculptures of India house is also illustrated and painted digitally. Cats are one of the prominent animals that roam around India House, so the activities of the cats inside the India House are also documented well in the painting. The palm tree in the front elevation provides the visual image of the India House for the passer by people, in the road outside the India House. The centre building which extends till first floor behind the courtyard in the background doesn’t belong to be a part of India House but still it belongs to a visual Image of India House courtyard. The silhouette banana trees and the coconut trees in the background add to the beauties of the
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landscape in the courtyard. The people’s activities outside the India House depict the glimpse of culture of Pune city and the variety of people in it.
OTHER PLANOMETRIC PAINTINGS BY Ar.VIGNESH PREMKUMAR: 01. “The essence of Tiruchirapalli” is a planometric drawing of Tiruchirapalli, which is the hometown of Ar.Vignesh Premkumar. It depicts the parallel projections of important historical monuments of Tiruchirapalli city such as the rock fort temple, the main guard gate, the Theppakulam, St.Lourde’s church, Srirangam, Cauvery bridge, Kollidam bridge, Kallanai dam, Nsbroad.,etc and their connections in a very interesting way. 02. “The planometric spaces of Rock-fort temple” is about the study of the spaces inside the Historical rock cut, Rock-fort temple. It deals with the spaces which we have to cross through to attain the main shrine of Lord Ganesha. It starts its way down from a commercial street moving next to a small mandapam having a tiny Ganesha statue in it, and then the upliftment of gentle stairs leads to a temple street, where most of the Brahmins live. That street further opens into a small temple tank. Then the main path is continuing towards a Lord Shiva shrine called as “Thayumanavar shrine” in between. Then finally the steps lead upwards to the main shrine of Lord Ganesha. Before reaching Lord Ganesha there is a bell tower in the right side of the painting. All these levels and spaces are well depicted in the planometric drawing of Rock-fort temple. n
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ART CONTEMPORARY ART WORLD IN NEPAL IS GETTING RICHER EVERY DAY WITH THE BUDDING ARTISTS EAGER TO EXPLORE THEIR CREATIVITIES. THIS GENERATION OF ARTISTS HAS ACCESS TO
BUDS
OF NEPALI MODERN ART
MORE ART TECHNIQUES AND THEY ARE SKILLED IN DIFFERENT ART FORMS INCLUDING SCULPTURE, DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATIONS. WE CAN TELL A LOT ABOUT ARTISTS’ PERSONALITIES, THEIR HISTORY AND THEIR ASPIRATIONS LOOKING AT THEIR ART WORK. HERE ARE SOME ART PIECES FROM THE YOUNGER GENERATION OF CONTEMPORARY NEPALI ARTISTS ASSOCIATED WITH SIRJANA
Text: Suprasanna Aryal Photo: Bijaya Maharjan/Nipurna Bajracharya
COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS, EXHIBITED AT THE ART EXHIBITION SIRJANA-2018.
READING BETWEEN THE LINES Whether in a rural context or urban, we still lack gender equality all over the world. Women still face discriminations and violence, despite all the advocacies for women’s rights. In artist Gangadhar Sharoo’s painting ‘During the Winter’, the main character is a young woman, who seems very sad and worried. Her head is covered with a scarf and a fire is lit nearby since it is very cold. It is dark and leaning on her is another child, perhaps her younger sister, who looks equally devastated. Where are their parents? Did they just face a tragedy and lost both their parents and their home? Is it safe for them, just the two females, to stay out in the open late at night?
Work by Gangadhar Sharoo.
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Work by Bhawana Manandhar.
While women’s dreams and aspirations have been suppressed all these years, there are women all around the world who dared to take paths untaken and proved their worth. Artist Bhawana Manandhar has been painting these extraordinary female politicians, social activists, musicians and artists, to remind the audience about the potentials of women and also to inspire younger women to follow their dreams. Her painting of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is not just a pretty portrait showing femininity. It honors the Mexican artist whose art was astonishing and more importantly, portrayed her own hardships and struggle; in her childhood, she was affected by polio, sexually abused and bullied. And yet, she expressed these misfortunes strongly in her paintings, thus contributing to the art scene of that era.
ART
Work by Krishna Gopal Shrestha.
Another art piece revolving around women’s context is ‘Silent Prayer’ by artist Krishna Gopal Shrestha. The image is of an old woman seated in front of her house with her hands closed together, in a position for prayer. Notice the details of the door behind her- intricate wooden carvings, a picture of snakes which must have been pasted above the door on Naagpanchami. The woman looks happy; sparkling eyes, faint smile on her face. But her feet look swollen and her hair is messy. This raises a question- is there no one to take care of her? Like the story of many Nepali families today, do her children also live far away? She looks content nevertheless, praying for the well-being of her family, and herself, too!
Work by Roshan Bhandari.
In the same way, the portraits of ‘Contemplation’ may look like ordinary portraits at first but look closer and many thoughts, feelings and emotions will cross your mind. Artist Roshan Bhandari has done this beautifully; you cannot make out what is in the background, just like portrait photographs with blurred backgrounds, suggesting that these children are occupied in their own deep thoughts. Two girls look straight at you while one of the boys has his hands on his chins and the other boy is seated, holding his knees. They seem to be contemplating in silence, maybe about what their parents said earlier or what their friends/teachers told them? They are still very young, yet to see and experience a lot in life that will make them wiser.
Work by Manish Lal Shrestha.
Likewise, speaking about society and people’s emotions are paintings by artist Manish Lal Shrestha. All of us go through countless events, thoughts and emotional statesthese fractions are what our life is made of. Based on this theme are his paintings, where he paints multiple small circular dots that make up a complete image. These dots are not consistent in size, embodying his inconsistent thoughts and ideas. These dots represent numerous time frames, notions and feelings and the complete image represents life in general. ‘Child thinks with heart and smiles with heart’ is one such piece. The image is of a smiling girl. There is a small heart and heartbeat, depicting that the girl is thinking and smiling with her heart, illustrating innocence of children.
Work by Devina Malla.
And then there are artworks on the rich heritage, religions and culture of Nepal. Artist Devina Malla depicts Nepal’s religious diversity in her artworks. In her painting ‘God is Omnipresent’, we can see that there are hills, mountains and the lowlands, and all these places are blessed with the presence of God. There are images of a Buddhist stupa, a temple with Lord Ganesh’s sculpture, a chariot and Goddess Kumari’s tika. These images represent different deities and religions and by placing them together in one place she has tried to illustrate that Nepal is rich in religions and despite that, people following them respect one another and live in harmony. There is also a house nearby, showing that people here don’t need to travel long distances to worship. AUGUST 2018 SPACES / 55
ART
Work by Mukesh Shrestha.
Likewise, ‘Aarya Tara’ illustrates spiritual thoughts and teachings of Buddhism. The deity, worshipped for liberation and protection from harm and fear, has been depicted with details; her throne with carvings, lotus flowers, her exotic ornaments, demon-like creatures suppressed under her lotus flower. Artist Mukesh Shrestha uses distortions in his art to portray the consequences of changes in social and political situations and sentiments attached to them. Thus, in this beautiful piece, there are distortions in white hues, perhaps depicting that despite such mighty belief on Aarya Tara, dedication and faith among some people have diminished due to various social and political reasons. We can also see sadness in the picture and a plea for the restoration of devotion toward the deity among such group of people.
Work by Dewendra Pandey.
Also, artist Dewendra Pandey’s paper crafts on heritages make us look at our world from different angles. His 3D cards based on the theme called Pop-up Paper World speak mostly of Nepal’s history and cultural heritages. These cards embody the unique pagoda-styled temples and monuments that we can see around in our towns. The artist focuses on smallest of details, like consistent staircases of the temples, sculptures adorning the temples and each storey. The delicate cuttings and folding make up structures that we are well familiar with but contemplating on these pieces and the shadows formed when looked under light give us a diversity of images that we can interpret in relation to Nepal’s history.
Work by Dawa Omu Lama.
Similarly, ‘Karunamaya’ is a series of mixed media illustrations that explore the stories behind Rato Machhindranath, Kumari, Bhairab and the chariot. Artist Dawa Omu Lama has used geometric patterns to depict faces of deities and some patterns portray the gravity and power of these deities, explaining how they affect human lives. These works give a beautiful detail of Macchindranath Jatra and its popularity among devotees who drag the tall decorated chariot in Lalitpur area during the festival. It is believed that the festival was first organized to pray for rain so that farmers would have enough harvest and since then, has been a popular tradition in Nepal.
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Work by Chandra Shyam Dangol.
Lastly, a stone sculpture of Boudha Stupa by artist Chandra Shyam Dangol is a representation of his desire to contribute in the revival of heritages of Nepal. Even though stone sculpture is viewed as a very difficult task today, the artist takes it as a challenge and does it with all his heart. The replica of the Buddhist shrine is very beautiful and the fact that he was born and raised among artistic Newari people in khokana is reflected in his outstanding sculpture.
ART
Work by Saurganga Darshandhari.
A handful of art pieces are based on nature. All living beings have a strong connectedness with nature and artist Saurganga Darshandhari’s artworks revolve around this idea. Her art piece ‘Field’ features green grasses and plants that make up a silhouette of a woman- hair, face and body. There are birds rested on her shoulders and chest, portraying that nature provides shelter to all living beings. In place of her right ear are two women sitting and gossiping probably about an isolated woman seated where the other ear ought to be. Instead of eyes, the silhouette has a darker shade of green, a cloud-like structure. This perhaps portrays that even though nature is unbiased and loves all beings unconditionally, the society’s eyes are clouded and there is discrimination among people on different the basis of ethnicity, caste, religion.
Work by Samjhana Rajbhandari.
Correspondingly, artist Samjhana Rajbhandari’s painting ‘Transition 2’ is that of a forest in the Fall season. The trees’ leaves have turned yellow and red which makes the place look beautiful. The fact that these leaves will eventually fall and new ones will sprout with newer energies reminds us that we also have bad days in our lives but it is just a phase that will pass. This “transition” is inevitable. Red shades among the trees possibly portray wildfire and brown hues on the ground represents flood in the forest, despite which the trees have survived all these years. This gives us hopes that in spite of ups and downs in life, we ought to stay optimistic and hopeful for a better tomorrow.
Work by Laxman Bhujel.
Similarly, the painting ‘Confrontation’ by artist Laxman Bhujel features the fight of two bulls- white and black, embodying good and evil of our lives respectively. Just like how both of these bulls look very strong and aggressive and eager to show their potentials of winning, the good and evil within us are equally strong and are in constant competitions. Whether we choose to listen to the good side or the evil determines our attitudes and our actions. There are other bulls in the background who seem disturbed by the fight and seem to be running around chaotically- an illustration of how the battles between good and bad within us affects different aspects of our lives. We never know which side eventually wins the battle.
Work by Bijaya Maharjan.
It is common for us to look down at the streets from our terraces. People passing by have numerous stories to tell- some people rushing to get their children to or from school, others doing grocery shopping from street vendors. But have you ever tried looking up at the silhouette of rooftops from below while gazing at the skies? Doing this inspires artist Bijaya Maharjan to do his paintings, brings him close to nature and helps him contemplate his past. ‘Nature Unwrapped 6’ is one from the series. This is an embodiment of his desire to find beauty in unexpected places. This image of the rooftop and blue skies with birds flying around and chirping shows you a different dimension of the world you live in. n
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ENVIRONMENT
THE SUBTLE RELATIONSHIP WITH
WATER Text & Photo: Rahul G Rajkarnikar
NEPAL RESTS BETWEEN TWO GIGANTIC LAND MASSES AND GRACES AN UNPREDICTABLE LANDSCAPE DECORATED WITH DIVERSE VEGETATION AND THE ANIMALS ADAPTED TO LIVE WITHIN. IT ONLY COVERS ABOUT THREE PER CENT OF THE LANDMASS IN SOUTH ASIA. THE LARGEST WATER RESERVE IN NEPAL IS MERELY FOUR PER CENT OF THE AVAILABLE RESERVE TO THE NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.
T
he cost for this diversity is bore by the six thousand river and its tributaries efficiently distributed across the landscape, reaching the tightest corners inside the earth. These water systems are effectively supplied by rain. Every year, Nepal receives additional water from the clouds brought by the winds from the distant Indian Oceans and Mediterranean Region. Monsoon contributes the most with about eighty-five per cent of the total water supply between June and August.
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The winter rainfall caused by the Western Disturbances covers the rest between December and February. Annually, Nepal receives about 1,600 mm of rain water. That is about the size of a swimming pool. However, this number is simply an average over the year. Sometimes the pool does not fill up, else it overflows. In either case though, nature requires the swimming pool to be full all the time. The best solution to the puzzle would be to store the overflowing water from
the wet period and introduce it when the climate is dry. Cloud water that fall tend to move towards river streams where it flows as a collective unit. However, not all water ends up reaching the stream. Certain quantity of water runs off and oozes into the earth. The water moves down vertically, sideways or both and finds empty space between soil particles until it becomes full.It can only be estimated that the quantity of groundwater is 20 times more than
ENVIRONMENT
the amount of visible water in river streams and lakes. Our ancestors understood this. The intricate system of traditional water supply across Patan is the most notable example. This system consists well planned network of irrigation canals, community ponds, and stone spouts all fed by groundwater. Hence, essentially, Groundwater became an integral and iconic part of the Newari community. Additionally, one in two people in Terai directly depend on underground water for their daily water consumption. Utilization of wells and taps is simple and convenient as it only requires rainwater to recharge it naturally. Unfortunately, centralized developmenthas swayed the natural order.
After a drastic change in political landscape in 1950, Kathmandu Valley and few major citieswitnessed rapid concrete urbanization. Every year, an estimated 100,000 migrants entered the Valley. The population since rose to four million and so did the water demand.According to KUKL, the water demand in Kathmandu Valley is currently about 400 Million Liters per Day (MLD). But, the main water supply from the river streams are still only at 150 MLD during wet season and 90 MLD during dry season. More than fifteen per cent of the valley’s populationorder water trucksyear round. At present, it can be estimated that there are over 800,000 shallow drinking water well providing some of the outstanding water requirements.
Groundwater demand is now over 200 MLD. But in 1990, JICA suggested that the advisable amount of water that can be extracted should be limited to 15 MLD. This adds significant stress on groundwater in the Kathmandu Valley. As per reports from Groundwater Resource Development Board the ground water level has depleted over ten meters in different parts of the Valley.Concrete buildings and pavements preventrainfall to move downwards. This directly depletes the surface water to compensate the rapid drying inwards.In additional to that, leakage in sewer pipes and spilling of waste into the ground will cause further water pollution below the surface. As a result, the same cohesive property of water makes it easier for water contaminates to reach community water sources.
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ENVIRONMENT
As groundwater lower, the soilloses the support water provide. Thus, they undergo compaction. If compaction is great enough, the ground surface sinks and collapse. Ultimately, cracks and depressions are apparent at sites of over-pumped groundwater.It leaves infrastructures prone to damages, especially during earthquakes.One way of relieving stress off water demand is to tap into the annual rainfall. Prakash Amatya, Technical Advisor at Guthi, states that “Rainwater Harvesting is simple plumbing. It does not require sophisticated engineering.” Rainwater harvesting has been highly regarded as a feasible alternative to meet the water demand.He states that the rainwater pipes can be easily implemented as a part of the household design without much increase in building cost. The accumulation and deposition can be reused on-site, rather than allowing it to run off into river streams as waste.Furthermore, Kathmandu’s Municipalities grant ten per cent discount on respective building plan’s approval fee for installing a Water harvesting systems. Pokhara also grants ten percent while Dharan grants up to fifty percent. The harvesting system simply consists a catchment area where the water falls, pipes, a simple filter and a storage tank. The pipes include a flushing system that allows the system to be periodically flushed clean.Mr. Amatya has successfully implemented this system in over 200 schools in Kathmandu with the help of foreign aid. He states that there is a better Return in Investment from Rainwater Harvesting as “rain is money”.Installation can 60 / SPACES AUGUST 2018
be accomplished with the help of professional installers. However, with simple calculations and measures rainwater harvesting systems can be installed with a minimum effort. Here are some questions to reflect upon before designing and fitting the arrangements:
1. What will be the purpose of rainwater harvesting and where will it be used? This is the most important step in any design process. This gives the designer a clear idea about the capacity required and consequently its resulting cost.Usually, very little filtering is needed for this purpose; as rainwater is better for plants than tap water. A fine sieve will suffice. For household use, the rainwater should appropriately filtered. While, if the rainwater is to be used for drinking, water purification becomes imperative.
2. How much rainwater will be harvested from your roof?
It is important to understand the potential outcome from any design. For rainwater harvesting this step requires simple math. For this calculation, the area of the roof and the average annual rainfall in the localityneeds to be known. Assume that about 90% of the average rainfall is collected. Multiply the three numbers to get the approximate amount of rainwater that can be harvested from the roof.Basically, 1 millimeter of rain on 1m² roof area will deliver 1 liter of water into the tank. This is supply.
3. What will be the size of the rainwater tank?
The size of the everyday requirement determines the size of the rainwater tank required. The larger the household, the greater the water demand. Connecting the water tank
ENVIRONMENT for internal use in the toilet and cleaning will further increase the numbers. In addition to that, water consumption varies between summer and winter each year. This is demand.
4. What will be the type of water tank installed?
Water tanks can be found made from fiberglass, stainless steel, galvanized steel, concrete and polyethylene. Best water tank is one with ease of transport and installation, relatively low cost and good longevity based on where it can be installed.
5. Where will the water tank be installed?
This is when calculation meets reality. Until the water tank can fit perfectly in the household, the calculation needs to be modified.All in all, rainwater harvesting is rewarding – it not only releases stress on groundwater pumping but it also saves money on water bills, ensures emergency water supplies during water supply outages and is good for the environment.There has always been an unseen subtle balance between rainwater, surface water and groundwater.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This article would not have been completed without the technical support of Mr. Prakash Amatya, Guthi and lecture notes from Dr. Kumud Raj Kafle, Kathmandu University Department of Environmental Science and Engineering.
REFERENCES
Gautam, R. (2016). Potential of Rainwater Harvesting in Nepal: A case study of Kathmandu. IMV Department, NMBU. Jeewan P. Thanju, B. D. (2010, July). Rainwater Harvesting in Kathmandu. Hydro Nepal, 24-25. Jha, P. C. (n.d.). Groundwater Governance in Nepal. Institute of Engineering, IHP-Nepal. Kathmandu: Tribhuvan University. Rain Editors. (2016, February 12). Why Rainwater Harvesting Is Important For Nepal. Retrieved from Rain Foundation: http://www. rainfoundation.org/publications/rainwater-harvesting-in-nepal/ Rana, K. (n.d.). Uses of Ground Water in Nepal. Department of Water Supply and Sewerage. Stephanie H. Bricket, S. K. (2014). Groundwater Resilience Nepal: A preliminary findings from A case study in the middle hills. British Geological Survey, ISET-Nepal. n
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INTERIOR
Significance of
COLOR
in
HEALTH CARE FACILITY TEXT : Ar. CHHAVI VASHIST COLOR IS A PARAMOUNT ELEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN. IT IS LINKED TO PSYCHOLOGICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, VISUAL, AESTHETIC, AND TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF HUMAN-MADE HABITATS. COLOR IS A VITAL ASPECT OF EVERY DESIGN THAT INFLUENCES VARIETY OF SURROUNDINGS. A HOSPITAL IS A PLACE THAT CONVEYS A FEELING OF PEACE AND CALM. A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL MARKS THE INFLUENCE OF COLOR IN A VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENTS WITHIN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES, WHICH IMPACTS THE BRAIN AND RESULTS IN BETTERMENT OF HEALTH. IN THE BUILDING WHERE CHIEF TASK IS TO HEAL THE SICK AND INJURED, COLOR DO MATTERS FOR BOTH PATIENTS AND HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL. HOSPITALS CONSIST OF NUMEROUS ROOMS LIKE PATIENT’S ROOM, STAFF ROOM, WAITING ROOM, RECEPTION SPACE, LABORATORY AND MORE. THE PLANNING REVOLVES AROUND WELL VENTILATED LOBBIES TO NEUTRAL-TONED OPERATING ROOMS; ADDING TO THIS THERE ARE MANY SPACES WHERE CAREFULLY SELECTING COLOR CAN MAXIMIZE COMFORT FOR OCCUPANTS AND USERS.
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INTERIOR
C
olor is a potent communication tool and is often used by designers to strengthen action, influence mood, and tap into emotions. Colour design for interiors covers all materials and surfaces, including everything from light and paint to art and ambience, from aesthetics to functionality. You need to decide right shades for each and every room. You cannot choose any color you wish. A perfectly crafted color palette can do wonders for a healthcare facility, whether it’s the product of a new-build project, renovation, or just a bit of rejuvenation. Some studies say that the patients express a preference for lighter hues for their rooms—from the ceilings and floors to the furniture and upholstery. Creative colour schemes can lead to more stimulating environments, which will be of benefit to all users. Neutral
palettes with soft natural tones work best for patient rooms and can offer a hand in calming patients and their family members, facing the stress of having an ill loved one. The designers should avoid using palettes with strongly contrasting colors in these spaces, as they are known to cause strain for occupants. In intensive care units, colors like blue, violets and greens are recommended. Not only are these healing colors, that help in calming and soothing-they also have stress reducing effect. In such health care spaces, avoid the use of bright and energy inducing colors like red, yellow and orange. Similar design considerations should be made where patients and their family members will spend time, such as waiting areas in emergency departments. Space should overall balance and every design element shall complement each other. It is important to manage this atmosphere with right color tones.
It could be the nurses’ station, for example, and that certainly should be different than a patient room. Employee spaces should be homelike, that Increase comfort for doctors, nurses and other staff members. Professionals providing the care in healthcare environments are known for working long, stressful 9-12 hrs shifts, and standing for hours on end. They need a zone to respite to rest and rejuvenate. Brightly lit rooms with stronger color palettes can help those needing a quick break to stay fresh and lively. Cool colors add some warmth, as well, using neutrals, beautiful beiges, warm wood tones to go along with those and give you a nice sense of tranquility. Darker, subtler break rooms with softer lighting are preferred by many workers looking to rest for longer periods of time. Providing changing rooms and lockers with sterilized space and calming interior is what worker looks for. Colour design and lighting can make the staff’s job a lot easier by providing the best possible viewing conditions, making it approachable for all users of the building. In operating rooms it is important to neutralize the red color. In the operating room, surgeons and surgical nurses are focused on one color: blood red. While white is habitually seen as the institutional color of preference, more often than
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INTERIOR
not operating rooms will need the use of blue or green on the walls to contrast across the red. This is the reason that hospital scrubs are generally hued in blue or green color. Scrutinizing one color for a specific amount of time will produce an image of a complementary color afterward (termed as afterimages), so it is best to avoid stark white backgrounds. With white walls, surgeons would constantly see blue-green spots when looking away from the operating table.
over pastels, which can blur together in patients with poorer eyesight or vision disorders.
Accommodations, waiting areas and wards are designed considering patient conditions and age. Children’s hospitals are often colorful and bright in their design to help pediatric patients feel at home during their stay. In contrast, nursing homes are softer and more neutral. With elderly populations, vision is changing and deteriorating, so greater contrast is needed to help guide patients through their rooms. Consider saturated colors
Color therapy and healing (called chromo therapy or light therapy) is a body of practical guidance to color mixing and the visual effects of a specific color combination. The psychology of color is based on the mental and emotional effects colors have on sighted people in all facets of life. Selecting colors to different spaces is a task. While there is no concrete scientific evidence supporting its effects, the use of color
Take into account the various medical conditions of certain patients. One example can be taken of patient suffering from jaundice, or yellowing of the skin. Doctors and nurses treating those with the condition may find difficulty while assessing patients if yellow and blue walls or surfaces are dominant.
psychology can help enhance the function of a space or room. Natural colors, such as green, blue, or brown, are seen as calming, and can signal the designation of a room. Red, while a stimulating color especially for creative types, is often avoided in facilities that treat neurological conditions or patients suffering from ailments such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Orange - Symbolizing the sun, the color orange is said to treat depression by increasing alertness and concentration, and by decreasing feelings of dread. Appetite can be improved with warmer color choices for dining—for example, coral, peach, and soft yellow. Violets, yellow-green, gray, olive, and mustard are poor choices! Yellow to green tones should be avoided because they are associated with body fluids. Yellow, green, and purpose colors are not flattering to the skin and reflect jaundiced skin tones. Yellow color schemes may cause difficulties for people who have yellowing lenses. Bright yellow colors can intensify to the point of annoying. Pastel yellows are difficult to distinguish from white (which appears yellow). Healing hues are the colors like blue, green and white. It is found that these colors have extraordinary psychological effects and that is why they are widely suggested for hospital rooms. Green and blue are best refreshing and relaxing colors, they promote peaceful atmosphere and encourages concentration.
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INTERIOR
Blue - The most common color used in color therapy, blue is used to reduce tension throughout the body, helping with both anxiety and depression. Navy blue and white, when used together, create a nautical, oceanic color palette that often represents sailing, and sailors. The terms “feeling blue” or “getting the blues” refers to the extreme calm feelings associated with blue, such as sadness and depression. Green is the color of Nature and the earth. It’s balanced and harmonious in essence and possesses a soothing influence upon both mind and body. Green can be used for just about any condition in need of healing. Green offers calming effects to the nerves. Psychiatric wards and hospital waiting rooms are usually painted in green color. It is the reason surgeons wear green clothes. Green is the basic color for designating safety and the location of first aid equipment, other than fire fighting equipment example, safety bulletin boards, first aid kits, first aid dispensary, stretchers, and safety deluge showers. Green flooring is particularly good at showing up spills of body fluids, thus helping to prevent accidents due to slippery floors. White is clean and crisp, and hospitals should always remain clean, so white is a natural color choice. White color is commonly used in majority of hospital walls. It is because it offers calm and peace mood to the visitors. The second reason to choose white color is it denotes cleanliness. It makes the patient feel assured and implies sterility. It is the reason most nurses and doctors wear white uniforms.
Black, white or combination of black and white are the basic colors for designation of traffic and housekeeping markings. Solid white, solid black, single color striping, alternating stripes or checkers of white and black is used in accordance with local conditions (e.g., dead ends of aisles or passageways; location and width of aisles or passageways, stairways [risers, direction and border limit lines]; directional lines; location of refuse cans; drinking fountains and food dispensing equipment locations;
clear floor areas around first aid, fire fighting, or other emergency equipment). Red is used for protection equipment and apparatus, danger, and stopping. Example, fire exit signs, fire alarm boxes, fire extinguishers and fire hose connections, stop buttons or electrical switches, etc.
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INTERIOR
Purple on yellow signifies radiation hazards (e.g., rooms and areas outside or in-side buildings where radioactive materials are stored or which have been contaminated with radioactive materials; disposal cans for contaminated materials; burial grounds and storage areas for contaminated materials or equipment; containers for radioactive materials; contaminated equipment not placed in special storage.) Texture makes tones appear darker, absorbing important ambient light. A monochromatic color scheme throughout the building may be perceived as institutional. It can become monotonous and boring when viewed for an extended period. It can contribute to sensory deprivation, which leads to disorganization of brain function, deterioration of intelligence, and an inability to concentrate. For those who suffer from a deficiency of perception, plan variety in color, pattern, and texture.
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TIPS AND TRICKS • The overall surround must be neither too bright nor too dim. • Glare sources, whether direct or indirect, should be eliminated. • Walls and floors should have a reasonable range of brightness levels. Easy to maintain finishes and furnishings should be chosen. • Excessive contrast is not visible in the immediate background to any task. • Look at each space and the people who occupy that space, the things that are occurring in that space, to make sure you’re
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looking at color in an appropriate way. Provide tonal details at architraves, door frames, skirting and doors from their immediate surroundings by the use of depth (for example, raised mouldings to give shadow detail). The cubicle curtains that divide spaces and the drapery treatments that are used on windows also are a great place to add some pattern and texture to bring a little bit of color and warmth into a space. Limit the colour palette when choosing internal finish materials, using a lot of differing colours may lead to an environment which is too visually busy, leading to confusion and unease. Coordinate colours of the building and existing finishes with paint for colour harmony. Use colour and contrast in materials and textures to create surfaces which are tactile, visually stimulating and which use lighting to maximise shadow detail. Provide continual visual interest with a variety of colour and lighting levels: this will ensure that users do not have feelings of boredom or under-stimulation due to monotonous visual environments. There should be meaningful lighting. Potential obstacles and freestanding objects should be coloured in such a way that they
stand out from their surroundings. • Handrails which contrast with walls and are attached to a wall at waist height are a good aid. They should be applied to all staircases and could be considered in wards for older people. • Signage as an essential part of an integrated design scheme. Graphics can help in adding interest to health care buildings. • Colour-coding can be an efficient method of assisting orientation as well as navigation within a building. • Steel and glass, used widely in modern buildings, create considerable problems especially for visually impaired people. This should be avoided. • Hard flooring such as linoleum, rubber or PVC for hospitals is a staple material. Hospitals are usually complex buildings, and they run more smoothly if people, both staff and visitors, can find their way about. Colour design is a powerful way finding tool if it is planned with care. The hospitals are properlydesigned visual environment, with the appropriate use of colors which have important benefits. It can make the health care experience more pleasant for a wide range of users from the elderly to the very young. A balance is required between providing good colour rendering of people’s faces and good colour definition generally, and producing an adequate upbeat light environment to sustain the ambience.n
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ARTSCAPE
MY CITY In this particular Mithila painting, he has juxtaposed contemporary with the traditional form, natural colors and spiritual aesthetics of the Kathmandu valley. His simple drawings and minimal colors focus on a link of heritage of Mithila with the city of Kathmandu. n
ASHA DANGOL
SC Suman (b.1961) is a self taught artist and is a Council Member and Head of Department of Folk Arts Department, Nepal Academy of Fine Arts. Honored by “Ratriya Pratibha Puruskar,” Suman has done 16th Solo shows in Nepal and has participated many art exhibition including, Kathmandu Triennale, 7th Beijing International Art Biennale-2017, 3rd Maritime Silk Road International Art Festival and “Below the Clouds” Exhibition of Nepalese Arts at Coombo Gallery UK.
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FROM THE SHELF
H A Oldfield on
BUDDHISM IN NEPAL
T
oday Buddhism is one of the four major religions of the world the other three being Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. But some writers, especially in India, believe that Buddhism emerged as a protest against Brahminical tyranny under Hinduism. The author has used different names for Buddha such as Sakya Singha, Savartha Siddha, Gotama, Sakya Muni, and Maha Muni, but not Siddhartha, by which name the Buddha was famous in his early years. Buddha’s father, Suddodhan, is referred to as the king of Magadh, which is not true. He was the ruler of Kapilvastu. The author writes that Buddha was born at the ‘sacred city of Kapila’ viz Kapilvastu. In fact, he was born in Lumbini, which is located in Nepal. Similarly, Oldfield has given an impression that Siddhartha won Yasodhara’s hand in marriage by winning an archery competition. In fact, the episode is only part of a traditional story. Henry Ambrose Oldfield seems to have had an avid interest in the philosophy of Buddhism and its practice in Nepal. A very significant portion of his writing, which was ultimately published posthumously in two volumes through the efforts of family members, is an examination of this subject. In the original publication, the entire second volume focuses on the Buddhism of Nepal along with the religious festivals connected with it, except for the first two chapters which deal with the remaining portion of the history of Nepal from 1855-57. The author did not explain the sources he used to analyze Nepali Buddhism. But it seems that he went everywhere he could and got valuable information from local people. Oldfield has compared Buddha with Muhammed but writes, ‘where Mahomet appealed to the passion, Sakya (Buddha) appealed to the reason; where Mahomet trusted in the sword, Sakya trusted in the word of truth’. Regarding the success and failure of Buddhism, the author argues that Buddhism spread in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Burma (Myanmar), Siam (Thailand), China and Russia, but declined in India. The Indian Buddhists took shelter in Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet and they were ‘cordially received and zealously supported’. But it does not mean that Buddhism emerged in Nepal only after its decline in India. The author aptly writes that Buddhism was introduced in Nepal during the time of Buddha himself, and in the Newar tradition in Nepal, there are references to a visit made by the Buddha to Nepal. Today, Buddhism is roughly divided into two streams Therabad (previously termed as Hinayana) and Mahayana. Within Mahayana, a tantric element is added which is popularly known as Vajrayana. But Oldfield does not mention any of these streams throughout the 70 / SPACES AUGUST 2018
FROM THE SHELF
book. Instead, he divides Buddhism into two categories, Atheistic and Theistic, representing Therabad and Mahayana respectively. The author is correct in saying that the Theistic system of Buddhism (Mahayana) is ‘prevalent in Nipal’, because Therabad Buddhism had already disappeared from Nepal in the early medieval period, and it re-emerged only in the first half of the 20th century. Oldfield also analyses in detail the similarities and differences between the two schools of Buddhist thought from the philosophical viewpoint, and argues that ‘both sects in common worship the Buddhist triad—Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as the divine symbol and exponent of their faith’.
The Newar population was divided into different caste groups by King
Jayasthiti Malla in the 15th century A.D. Historians believe that this action marks the beginning of the Hinduization of the Nepali people. The point about the role of the Hindu administration in the lives of the people has been further elaborated by the author when he writes about how caste offences were tried. Cases were heard by a supreme state priest called Dharmadhikari, who decided the case ‘in accordance with the laws laid down in the Hindu Shastras’, and his decisions were applicable to both Hindus and Buddhists. The author also talks about the Guthis i.e., organizations formed to conduct
religious or charitable functions at state or familial levels, and argues that ‘its laws are binding upon the Hindus as well as upon the Buddhist Niwar’, and they were founded upon the system of caste. Coming to the objects of Buddhist worship, Oldfield writes, ‘The highest object of Buddhist worship is the Supreme Being Adi Buddha, and Tri Ratna or Trinity is the most sacred as well as most common object of worship to the Buddhist of Nipal’. The Trinity consists of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, representing the person, the philosophy, and the institution respectively. n
This is not a Book Review; this is just an effort to conveying information to the readers on rare and valuable books on art and architecture. This column aims to give a helicopter view on such books and thus presents the excerpts and illustrations either from the preface, introduction, jacket or main contents of the book from the shelf. This book was kindly provided by Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, Kathmandu (Tel. 4227711).
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# Text copied from ‘Introduction’ of the book.
The well-known story according to which Sankaracharya is believed to have destroyed thousands of Buddhist texts and compelled Buddhist monks and nuns of Nepal to return to family life, has been narrated in brief. Historians have raised doubts about the authenticity of the incidents, but Oldfield, instead of examining their historicity, has simply mentioned them as a part of the Newar tradition of Nepal. One full chapter is devoted to the ‘present state’ of Buddhism in Nepal, which means of course the mid-19th century. The author starts his narration with these words: ‘Nothing has contributed so much to the decline of Buddhism in Nipal as the adoption ofcaste by the Buddhist Niwars, and the consequent decay of all the monastic institutions of the country’.
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SMART CHOICE
RIGHT MOVES SMART CHOICE FOR
Seepage Solution MOST OFTEN DURING MONSOON THAN OTHER
The cause of seepage is due to inadequate construction design, compromise in cost, inferior materials and poor workmanship. Alike the saying “Prevention is better than cure”, a little more investment during construction on superior quality raw materials and waterproofing material, now which are easily available in the market can save the ruining aesthetics of your house with patches and peeled paint. Seepages also weaken the life of your property, and can cause allergic reaction to residents. And if let to run further, can damage your furniture and electronics.
SEASONS, YOU MIGHT NOTICE A PATCH ON YOUR WALLS THAT LOOK LIKE A WATER WAS JUST SPLASHED ONTO A PAPER SHEET. IN SOME CASES, THIS IS ALSO ACCOMPANIED BY FUNGAL, ALGAL OR MOLD GROWTH AND CAN SMELL UNPLEASANT. IT DOESN’T GO ON ITS OWN AND STAYS TILL YOU TREAT IT. THIS IS CALLED SEEPAGE.
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Common Causes 1. Leakage from drainage pipes or water supply pipes. This can be from your own house or your adjacent house 2. Incorrect Water Cement Ratio during construction 3. Deteriorating Waterproofing from Terraces, Balconies, Toilet, Sinks, and Bathtubs. 4. Water logging from the adjacent house during their construction process. 5. Water Logging from external wall or terrace from rain Since the main cause includes water logging from terrace and external wall because of rain, this problem is most seen during the monsoons. If this year’s rain has given you more trouble than joy of summer relief, greenery, hot momos, and risky ice creams- in form of huge water patches, here are things you could do to fix it! 1. Find the source and treat the leakage first. Seal in leaking pipes, hole on your wall or anything that is causing the leak in the first place. Make sure you know that no further water will
come in. But if the problem persists even after doing so, get the problem diagnosed by an expert. 2. Get a procedure done called Injection Grouting. This process, done on concrete surfaces, has a nozzle used to inject chemicals to the walls that need treatment. The process fills cracks, open joints, and interior voids with a material that cures in place to produce the desired results. It takes a week on average to completely finish the process. PREVENTION If things haven’t gone that bad- yet, make sure you spare a day or two to make sure there are no possibilities of this happening in near future. Address Leakage sources! Your big red areas are the terrace, bathrooms, and kitchen. In the terrace, look for cracks, separation gaps, damaged or loose tiles, and debris blocking the outflow pipes. Other less obvious signs can be growth of plants and weeds. If a plant is growing on it, the surface has moisture stored in it.
SMART CHOICE
In bathrooms and kitchen, the source of water ingress is from tile joints, porous tiles, concrete mother slab, pipes, and drainage outlet. Old Tile joints can eventually open up and permeate water through vertical and horizontal joints. This can lead to dampness on adjacent wall and roof of the flat below. Particularly in bathrooms, the shower area on the walls can be more susceptible. In Kitchen, sink areas are most vulnerable. You can find various options ranging from waterproofing compounds like offered in the market for terrace and balcony areas. These solutions can be liquid coats or semi solid fixes and do not require an invasive process. For tiles, after concrete and before putting on tiles, a waterproof coating can go a long way. Finding first signs: If your internal wall seems to be developing a water patch, you need to be alarmed. When it gets worse, the paint will start to peel off and cracks might appear. Normal paints can seem like a quick fix but your problem will literally resurface. There are specially designed polymers available that will react with the cement and brick on the wall to seal it effectively. Solution Examples: Dr. Fixit’s superlatex, Asian Paint’s SmartCare Damp Block. SIKA Waterproofing, BASF Waterproofing, PERMA Seal. For your external Walls that face the direct brunt of the rain, look for patches and peeled paint every once in a while. There is usually less attention on external walls before things get way out of hand. Area around the window frames, parapets, and balconies are more prone to hair-line cracks. If you spot the cracks, fill them first and go with a good exterior raincoat paint. Basements Most regular Nepalese houses do not have basements but in commercial buildings, basement is more susceptible to seepage as it is in constant first contact with the soil and water. Waterproofing admixture should be used on basement retaining wall, PCC & raft concrete. This makes the otherwise porous concrete more cohesive & hence impermeable. Solution example: Dr. Fixit Pidiproof LW+ PERMA Seal, SIKA Waterproofing, BASF Waterproofing. During Construction During construction, ask your engineer if s/he is taking steps to prevent seepages. Waterproofing solutions can be added to your cement that can increase durability of your property. This in cement prevents dampness, cracks on walls and rusting of
rebars thereby enhancing the life of your home! Solution Examples: Dr. Fixit LW+, SmartCare Vitalia from Asian Paints PERMA Seal, SIKA Waterproofing, BASF Waterproofing. Concrete mixture should be mixed and compressed with vibrators instead of just using hand. Talk to your engineer/ contractor about water cement ratio and if your construction material is being washed of mud. All in all, the major step is to diagnose. And it might not be the easiest task and require you to scan meticulously. Once you know you have a problem, the solution is just a step away! n
Mr. Subrata Bhakta, Branch Manager, Pidilite Industries Limited (Dr. Fixit) strongly recommends that you take a preventive approach for your home’s life. So insure your home with the right home waterproofing solutions! In line with its vision of ‘leak free and & damp free’ homes, it offers a comprehensive range of solutions designed to address almost every surface area of a structure. This is also assisted with a host of technical expertise backed by unmatched warranty and trust garnered over many years of quality products.
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Connects 67 Asian Paints Nepal Balkumari, Lalitpur Ph: 977-1-5203045 E-mail: ccm@asianpaints.com.np Website: www.asianpaintsnepal.com.np
79 Marvel Technoplast Pvt. Ltd. Heritage Plaza-II, Kamaladi, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4169122/123 E-mail: info@marvel.com.np Website: www.marvel.com.np
61 ATC Pvt. Ltd. 336/21, Ganesh Man Singh Path-2, Teku Road Ph: 977-1-4262220 E-mail: info@atc.com.np
2 Murarka Organisation (Pashupati TMT) Rudramati Marg, Thapathali Ph: 01-4260910
80 Berger Jenson & Nicholson (Nepal) Berger House - 492, Tinkune, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4466038 E-mail: info@bergernepal.com
42 Nagarik - Nepal Republic Media Pvt. Ltd. JDA Complex, Bagh Durbar Ph: 977-1-4265100, 4261808 E-mail: circulation@nagariknews.com
78 Bharati Trade Centre (Graffiti) Maitidevi, Kathmandu Ph: 977- 9801179313 E-mail: raulzain555@gmail.com
77 Nepa Top Organization Samakushi, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4354117, 4363548, 4387901 E-mail: info@nepa.com Website: www.nepatop.com.np
72 Communication Corner Pvt. Ltd. (Ujyaalo 90 Network) Ujyaaloghar (Behind Central Zoo) Jawlakhel, Lalitpur Ph: 977-1-5000171
52 Nepal Property Market (Aaron) Lazimpat, Kathmandu, Nepal Ph: 977-01-4414417/ 4002005 E-mail: info@nepalpropertymarket.com Website: www.npminterior.com
7 Festival of Architecture and Interior Designing (FOAID) Andheri (E), Mumbai-400059, India Website: www.foaidindia.in
13 Panchakanya SS Pvt. Ltd. Panchakanya Bhawan, Krishan Galli Ph: 977-1- 5526551 E-mail: info@panchakanya.com
69 Foto Hollywood Civil Bank Building, Kamaladi Ph: 977-1-4169060 Website: www.fotohollywood.com.np
9 Parth International Pvt. Ltd.(Featherlite) Central Business Park, 4th Floor Thapathali, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1- 424 5342 / 410 1504 E-mail: info@parthinternational.org Website: http://www.parthinternational.org
5 Furniture Land Store Pvt. Ltd. Blue Star Complex, Tripureshwor Ph: 977-1-4224797 43 Gyani Internation Pvt.Ltd Utter Bagaicha Shanti Kuna Jawalakhel, Patan Ph: 977-1-5521335; 5531221 E-mail: gyaniinternational@gmail.com gyaniintl@gmail.com Website: www.gyaniintl.com.np 3 Home Saaz Maitidevi, Ratopool, Kathmandu Ph: 977-01-4420661/ 4420647 E-mail: homesaaznepal@gmail.com 53 International Electronics Concern (P.) Ltd. Harati Bhawan, Putalisadak, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4421991, 4422107 E-mail: market@iec.com.np enquiry@iec.com.np Website: www.iec.com.np
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73 Pidilite Industrial Limited Putalisadak, Kathmandu Ph: 9851092221 E-mail: subratabhakta@yahoo.com Website: www.pidilite.com 72 Shree Marble Traders Gwarko Kharibot, Balkumari Ph: 977-1-5550007, 5550077 E-mail: shreemarble@hotmail.com replymani92516@gmail.com 37 Shree Shyam Hardware Pvt. Ltd. Kathmandu Ph: 977- 1- 4275835, 4282337 43 Skylight Pvt. Ltd. Naxal (Opp to Police HQ), Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4423851 E-mail: info@skylight.com.np Website: www.skylight.com.np
17 Technical Associates 1st Floor,Sharda Group Building Thapathali, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4219999, 9802030479 E-mail: sktulshyan@gmail.com www.theheatingexpert.org 16 Worldlink Communication Pvt. Ltd. Jawalakhel, Lalitpur Ph: 977-1-5523050 E-mail: enterprise.support@worldlink.com.np Website: www.worldlink.com.np
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