Neighborhood Guthi

[Neighborhood] Guthi reframing traditional practices to develop agency through social transformation Sujan Das Shrestha Master of Urban Design Carnegie Mellon University Thesis, Spring 2019

[Neighborhood] Guthi reframing traditional practices to develop agency through social transformation

Sujan Das Shrestha Master of Urban Design Carnegie Mellon University Thesis, Spring 2019 Thesis Advisors Jonathan Kline Stefan Gruber

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my gratitude to my thesis advisors Jonathan Kline and Stefan Gruber for their vast knowledge they shared along with valuable time and support throughout this project.

I would like to thank my Master of Urban Design for providing me with unfailing support and continuous encouragement. A special thanks to Rebecca Lefkowitz, my thesis partner, who made sure I kept my schedule on time and shared the same level of enthusiasm for my project as hers as we discussed week in week out.

I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to my mentor - Prof. Dr. Mohan Moorti Pant for all his help and support. My sincere thanks to Binita Magaiya who helped me throughout the different stages of the research and provided critical feedback and introduced me to key people.

Thank you all.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract Introduction to Kathmandu Valley • Issues • Objective Theoretical Framework • Introduction to Commoning • Fields of Tension • Commoning the City • Context of Community • Social Transformation through Planning • Crisis in Planning • Escape Routes • Re-centering of the Political Community Design • Re-defining the community • Traditional Guthi Communities • Relevance of Guthi on Conservational efforts for Urban Heritage • Case Studies • Kraftwerk1, Zurich • Campaign to Rebuild Kasthamandap • Reframing Guthis

Process • Social Contract • Imagined Scenarios • Implementation • Captializing of of Common Infrastructures • Disseminating Information • Common Theme • Kathmandu Commons Conclusion Appendix Bibliography

PC. MountainOfTravelPhotos.com

ABSTRACT Kathmandu Valley, as a historic city core, home to the Newar community has been romanticized a lot. Although its rich culture and architecture are exemplary, the most important urban heritage is definitely the people of these historic city cores who are responsible for the local culture.

A study of such a residential quarter shows that the residents suffered from poor housing conditions and shocks such as the devastating 2015 Gorkha earthquake further aggravated the situation.

The lack of aid from the government and financial institutions have placed these quarter under unfavorable conditions in

comparison to the temples and other monuments that even have international organizations to help rebuild it.

This major incident has indeed exposed the lack of resiliency in the traditional communities of Kathmandu Valley. The study looks at theories pertaining to planning and practices of commoning to evaluate whether the traditional communities can develop agency to take control and become not just resilient but responsive and adaptive current and future issues they might have to face.

a

b

a Kathmandu b Patan c Bhaktapur

c

Patan Durbar Square (Lalitpur) PC. Alexander ShaďŹ r

INTRODUCTION TO KATHMANDU VALLEY Kathmandu valley is made up of three major historic cities - Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur with smaller satellite towns and fringe settlements around it. Although Kathmandu is currently the capital of Nepal, the other two have also served as capitals at some point in time (Pant and Funo, 2007).

Of the many “ethnolinguistic communities” (Pant and Funo, 2007) that live in the valley, the Newar community has been the predominant inhabitants. Pant and Funo also ascribe the valley’s or settlements’ cultural development since ancient times to the Newar community. The scholars further postulate that pattern of town settlements and the architecture in the Kathmandu Valley is quite unique in South Asia.

“The Newar of the Kathmandu Valley show a gregarious living pattern with houses clustered along streets or around courtyards. All the neighborhoods of the town have a community square with a well or a fountain, rest houses, and shrines. After entering a city gate, visitors pass through a series of neighborhood squares and taking an almost straight route they reach the center of the city with a large square and a palace behind it.”

- Pant and Funo, 2007

This unique built environment is not only physical but comprises of socio-cultural layers that are innate to the urban fabric and the Newar community.

Effects of the Gorkha Earthquake in a residential quarter in Bhaktapur.

ISSUES The valley is also famous for its elaborate art and architecture along with its rich history and culture of the indigenous communities.

It is home to seven groups of monuments and buildings listed under the UNESCO World Heritage.

People that belong to the Newar community, having been the primary inhabitants of these historic cities, are often not considered as urban heritage. The residential settlements rarely benefit from the level care other monuments receive.

A survey done in 2011 of such a historic residential quarter in the city of Bhaktapur called Taulachhen Tole (“Tole� translate to neighborhood), towards the east of the Kathmandu, shows that most of the residents suffered from poor housing conditions such as lack of habitable space per person, insufficient light and ventilation, and poor structural quality. Shrestha (2016) mentions that the cause of such situations were primarily due to problems in ownership of the building/conflict of interest, increase in family member, unsupportive environmental conditions and lower income level to fund renovations in the house too.

Furthermore, looking closely at some of the financial policies adopted by commercial banks helps us evaluate the disparity to capital as a resource that could be potentially used to improve the living conditions in such historic settlements. In the traditional urban fabric, the majority of residential buildings are only accessible through narrow lanes or courtyards and underpasses that are at times 3-4 ft wide.

Lots that cannot be accessed through roads or streets less than 8ft wide are not eligible as collateral in commercial banks as well as development banks, leaving the majority of the people ineligible to secure low-interest rate loans based on their house or lot. This often leads residents to borrow from institutions and people that charge significantly higher interest rates for loans.

April 25, 2015, an earthquake 7.8 on the Richter scale devastated the country and rendered the settlement quarter of Taulachhen Tole hardly habitable. Previously, about 7% of the building stock was in poor condition but Shrestha (2016) mentions as much as 65% of the buildings were fully damaged after the earthquake with additional 15% partially damaged.

Mapping the Financial Disparity in Bhaktapur In Kathmandu’s traditional urban fabric, the majority of residential buildings are only accessible from narrow lanes or courtyards - leaving most people’s home ineligible for low interest loans. Lots that cannot be accessed through roads or street less than 8 ft wide are not eligible as a collateral in Class A Financial Institutions.

This often leads residents to borrow from institutions and people that charge higher interest rates for loans.

a

Access Type and Width - Main Street | > 8 ft.

Collateral - Eligible

b

b Access Type and Width - Courtyard | < 8 ft.

Collateral - Not Eligible

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Access Type and Width - Interior Lane | < 8 ft.

Collateral - Not Eligible

a

c

Unsupportive environmental conditions in the residential quarter of Taulachhen Tole, Bhaktapur

OBJECTIVES The inefficiency of the state in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the people after the earthquake was pretty evident in Nepal. Communities in the traditional historic city cores suffered more with debt after the earthquake [1]. It can be assumed that the state is pretty much helpless, and the state of the market has rendered the traditional settlements favorable for investors seeking an opportunity to grow setting a favorable stage for commercialization. With this, the local culture is at the risk the most. As the dilapidated architecture and the original residents are being displaced, historic city cores could very well become a museum for tourists one day. The political, economic and environmental challenges that the people in these quarters have faced, events such as the earthquake has come about as a major shock that has amplified the ever-present stresses. The governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposal to provide capital worth Rs.3,00,000 or $3000 for the reconstruction of the dwellings arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t near adequate but often the only thread the public can hang on to.

Reconstruction and rehabilitation are an urgent need in Kathmandu after the

devastating Gorkha Earthquake in 2015. The historic city cores of Kathmandu, renowned for its artistic architecture and urban form, are under a great risk of losing authenticity and integrity [5]. The lack of quality living standards plagued much of the residential quarters and the earthquakes that followed after April 25, 2015, have rendered most of it uninhabitable [6]. This incident can be taken in two different directions. We could either allow people to look after themselves and let the current state of affairs continue or integrate systems that would help the people develop resiliency and agency.

The aim of the study is to see if it is possible to mobilize residents and form a more sustainable society that will be ready to face and adapt to future shocks and stresses.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK The problems faced by the residents of the historic quarter of the valley and the lack of access to resources has indeed manifested as a complex wicked problem made even worse by the devastating earthquake. It is clear that under such circumstances, although individual efforts are necessary, there is greater value in a collective effort in order to deal with the scale and the dimensions of issues faced by the people in the historic quarters.

Rather than just proposing the design of the built environment, incorporating bottomup approaches that can help transform the built environment would be ideal for Kathmandu. The importance of community participation cannot be stressed enough in such processes. While self-mobilized

(PlanningTank, 2018) forms of participation [7] would be ideal, relevant knowledge on how can we engage the public in a dialogue about their future ought to be studied.

In order to propose interventions that aim to tackle such complex problems, it is important to reflect on theories based on collective action and planning. Practices of commoning and learning from social mobilization and transformation are integral to the study to address challenges faced by the people but also to establish a system and process that is adaptive and responsive and not just resilient. Intersections between the theory forwarded by Friedmann and commoning can be found multiple points.

Photo: Simone Gilges, Š ifa

INTRODUCTION TO COMMONING A term popularized by historian Peter Linebaugh, P2P Foundation defines commoning as, “A verb to describe the social practices used by commoners in the course of managing shared resources and reclaiming the commons.” However, according to Massimo De Angelis, a professor of Political Economy at University of East London further states, “Commons are not simply resources we share conceptualizing the commons involves three things at the same time. First, all commons involve some sort of common pool of resources, understood as non-commodified means of fulfilling people’s needs. Second, the commons are necessarily created and sustained by communities - this of course is a very problematic term and topic, but nonetheless, we have to think about it.

Communities are sets of commoners who share these resources and who define for themselves the rules according to which they are accessed and used. Communities, however, do not necessarily have to be bound to a locality, they could also operate through translocal spaces. They also need not be understood as “homogeneous” in their cultural and material features. The third and most important element in terms of

conceptualizing the commons is the verb “to common” - the social process that creates and reproduces the commons.” Referring to the definition of the verb according to Peter Linebaugh, he mentions that the commoners were able to develop rules and regulation for the use of the common resources.

Furthermore, Mirko et al (2017) mention that “Commoning is a process of negotiating differences and conflicts between the individual, the community, and society. It is a process that involves the spatial organization of the relationships between production and reproduction, ownership and access to resources. A process in which solidarity networks are created and individual and collective rights are redefined.”

According to Julie Ristau, co-director of “On The Commons”, the act of commoning entails that the members of the community - so formed by those who share, know that it is their responsibility to take care of the commons and acknowledge that some things are shared and belong to everyone.

The practice of commoning demonstrates a shift in thinking from the prevailing ethic

PC. Commoning the City Studio, 2018.

Axis of Tension

General Sisters North Braddock, Pittsburgh

Zwicky Sud Dubendorf,Zurich

Manchester Craftsmen Guild Chateau,Pittsburgh

Freidorf Siedlung Freidorf, Basel

Latham Street Commons Friendship,Pittsburgh

Construction Junction Point Breeze,Pittsburgh

Giesserei Winterthur, Zurich

Rights

Production

Kalbreite Zolhaus Zurich

City of Asylim Pittsburgh

Kraftwerk1 Heizenholz Regensdorferstrasse

Braddock Carnegie Library Braddock

Zurich

n tio c du o r p Re

Garfield Community Farm Garfield,Pittsburgh

Community Forge Wilkinsburg

hip

Ow

Das Dreieck Zurich

AXIS OF TENSION

Triemli 1

rs ne

So lid ari ty Ac ce ss

Lawrenceville Community Land Trust Lawrenceville

Klee Ruggarcher,Zurich

Kraftwerk Hardturm Zurch

Siedlung Halen Bern,Switzerland

Mehr Als Wohnen Zurich

Millvale Community Library Millvale,Pittsburgh

Breathe Project Pittsburgh

of “you’re on your own” to “we’re in this together”(Ristau,2011).

Commoning represents a new way for everyday citizens to make decisions and take action to shape the future of their communities without being locked into the profit-driven mechanics of the market or being solely dependent on government agencies for funding. However, most folks who make these kinds of decisions probably don’t call their actions “commoning”; instead they may simply think of their actions as “common sense.” (Ristau, 2011). She mentions that commoning is a process through which the everyday citizens are able to make decisions collectively and begin to shape the environments they live in even without the support and aid of the state or market forces (Ristau, 2011).

Fields of Tension

The publication “An Atlas of Commoning” illustrates and elaborates projects, ideas, and practices of commoning initiated by citizens through a bottom-up approach. Editors Gruber and Ngo describe “commoning”

as a process where common goods both tangible and intangible are produced and reproduced that takes place outside the influence of state and market forces (An Atlas of Commoning, 2017). Gruber and Ngo, further point out that these emancipatory processes or practices of commoning are rarely without conflict and thus exist within a spectrum of fields of tensions and negotiations such as: • Ownership and Shared Access • Production and Reproduction • Solidarity and Rights

Commoning the City Based on the premise that attempts at creating sustainable urban developments would be futile if we do not attempt to address the growing social disparity and division, it becomes important we address the latter primarily (Gruber and Kline, 2018).

Investigating practices of commoning and the commons presents an alternative approach to understand how social inequalities have manifested in different regions of the world and what citizens have done to address them. Gruber and Kline

CIty in the Making PC. stadindemaak

(2018) mention such spaces of commoning, neither public nor private, are created by the people to liberate themselves from and exist outside the oppressive top-down state and market structures through rules for use and (re)production, subsequently creating new forms of social relations in the process. Such case studies pertinent to the study here is discussed in the later chapters as case studies.

Context of Community The terms “community”, “public” and “we” are used to a greater extent. Stavros (Atlas, 2017) compares the first two terms on the basis of how their interests align. According to him, “community” is used to denote a group homogeneous people that form an entity with similar interests whereas “public” denotes people with a diverse set of interests where negotiation can take place to reach a common ground.

“Relating commons to groups of “similar” people bears the danger of eventually creating closed communities. People may thus define themselves as commoners by

excluding others from their milieu, from their own privileged commons.” - Stavros (Atlas, 2017). On the importance to establish social contracts based on negotiations rather instead of just validating shared resources, Stavros emphasizes we need to figure what can be shared, how and among who. The latter as an indication to determine “we” in this context and who is excluded.

Yet, it seems that the essence lies not on the choice of words but its meaning and purpose. Community or public, the value in practices of commoning lies in understanding what the differences are, how can they be addressed to form a common ground where all can participate in the process of (re)production of commons.

Stavros, however, cautions that the struggle for commons could possibly work against the fight for liberation if people with similar interests are trying to preserve their commons against others. Elaborating how a middle-class neighborhood community might tend to fight for and preserve their character resulting in communities built on exclusion and entitlement, he mentions that it is vital that everyone is informed and participates.

“ Can people free themselves from tutelage by state and corporate power and become autonomous again as active citizens in households, local communities, and regions?

-John Friedmann

”

At the mercy of the state and the market forces, there is a need for an alternative model that shares a vision for the good of society.

Friedmann’s idea of Radical Planning suggests such a model can be achevied by re-centering political power in civil society that will also reinstate citizen control as mentioned in Arnstein’s “A Ladder of Citizen Participation” Friedmann states that resources such as time, energy, knowledge and skill are pooled in the household economy prior to being reallocated to market, civil society, political community and state.

Friedmann stresses on the need to rethink of the household as a sociopolitical entity for the selfproduction of life to transform both the state and corporate economy.

For the recovery of the political community, all actors should believe in the reality of common interest and possibility of common good.

Traditional groups called Guthis that focus on collective practice have existed in the Newar communities of Kathmandu Valley since ages, primarily focused on working for the common good.

This project builds on the tradition of the Guthi to propose a new means of empowering households in tradtitional communities

Knowledge to Action

tokenism

partnership delegation citizen power

social mobilization

citizen control practice

non-participation

informing consultation placation

social learning

emperical

manipulation therapy

policy analysis theoretical + scientific

theoretical + scientific

knowledge

social reform

action

citizen power

participation Arenas of Radical Practice

Social Transformation through Planning The problem as one can observe percolates down deep into several levels of the society.

The failure of previous planning attempts is very evident now. While there exist systems to take care of the monuments, there are none for the residents and society.

An assumption is pretty clear by now that a positive change which benefits all be acquired through collective action and become emancipatory as well. How do the current forms of planning stack up to these ideas is important to assess? Referring to John Friedmann, in his book “Planning in the Public Domain: From Knowledge to Action”, different forms of planning are weighted to see what form of knowledge and action can sprout desired scenarios. Two central questions Friedmann asks is, “Can ordinary people be trusted to use their heads in the conduct of their own affairs or is superior wisdom needed?” and “Can people free themselves from tutelage by state and corporate power and become autonomous again as active citizens in households, local communities, and regions?”.

Crisis in Planning Friedmann (1987) mentions that with most plans done by planners failing especially in third world countries where problems are mounting. Highlighting a broken link between action and knowledge, he describes that the crisis in planning is basically a failure of societal guidance and has been primarily due to: • A Crisis of knowing • The accelerated pace of historical events The fast and rapidly changing conditions in the society often make the policies and acts of reforms obsolete by the time they are brought into action. Without ever getting to respond to the conditions that prompted the formation of the aforementioned policies, the condition will have changed requiring a new set of policies to address them.

• Unprecedented nature of the events The lack of time to address the sheer scale of the scenarios such as natural and man-made disasters or man-made conditions such as rapid globalization and environmental degradation as well as knowledge to address it (Friedmann, 1987).

Community Engagement Session PC. Global Aging

Escape Routes He further postulates that there are escape routes are open to addressing the crisis in planning.

Salvation by technology where scientists and engineers with their scientific and rational knowledge would come to the rescue.

Secondly, salvation by unfettered enterprise - The Free Market, where according to him, the state’s role will be drastically reduced in order to achieve growth and prosperity for corporations but would have to confront “ mounting indebtedness, hyperinflation in the Third World, environmental devastation, jobless growth and so on” (Friedmann, 2017, pg 314). Propaganda and repression to influence the consciousness of the people where those in opposition cannot contest, and could possibly allow the worst to rise to the top (Friedmann, 2017, pg 314).

Re-centering of political power in civil society in order to transform state and corporate economies. Public or the citizens in the latter three routes do not have much say on much. Their knowledge is of less value and they are to be directed by top-down structures. However, in the latter route, by re-

establishing a community where the power relations can be negotiated and exercised by people, changes in dynamics between the state, market and citizens can take place for the common good.

Re-centering of the Political Community Forms of planning such as social reform and policy analysis positions the state to guide the society, often in the interest of the bureaucracy (Friedmann, 1987). However, Friedmann further postulates that a new model of radical planning - a development of social learning and social mobilization would be capable to enable people to transform their society. Such a model where a vision for the good of society can be crafted by the people would be crucial for the task at hand. His idea of radical planning suggests that by re-centering the political power in the civil society, citizen control as mentioned in Arnstein’s “A Ladder of Citizen Participation” can be reinstated as well.

In order to do so, he states that we must

households, local communities, and regions?

-John Friedmann At the mercy of the state and the market forces, there is a need for an alternative model that shares a vision for the good of society.

Friedmann’s idea of Radical Planning suggests such a model can be achevied by re-centering political power in civil society that will also reinstate citizen control as mentioned in Arnstein’s “A Ladder of Citizen Participation” Friedmann states that resources such as time, energy, knowledge and skill are pooled in the household economy prior to being reallocated to market, civil society, political community and state.

Friedmann stresses on the need to rethink of the household as a sociopolitical entity for the selfproduction of life to transform both the state and corporate economy.

For the recovery of the political community, all actors should believe in the reality of common interest and possibility of common good.

Traditional groups called Guthis that focus on collective practice have existed in the Newar communities of Kathmandu Valley since ages, primarily focused on working for the common good.

This project builds on the tradition of the Guthi to propose a new means of empowering households in tradtitional communities

Knowledge to Action

tokenism

partnership delegation citizen power

social mobilization

citizen control

Arenas of Radical Planning that can be activated as citizen participation is citizen integrated in topower the system. practice

non-participation

informing consultation placation

social learning

emperical

manipulation therapy

action policy analysis theoretical + scientific

theoretical + scientific

knowledge

social reform

participation Arenas of Radical Practice

Democratic theory has always asserted the soverign right of the people to determince their own forms of governance. But as a form of governance, democracy implies the acceptance of an encompassing view of the whole that is more than the sum of its parts and more than a residual after private interests are somehow subtracted.

The very concept of citizen presumes the prior existence of a soverign political community more authoratative than the state .

John Friedmann

reclaim the political community first. Why? To reduce the imbalance of power in the public domain that would help bring people who are currently helpless into positions where they can participate in processes of governance.

To establish a polity, he states that it is necessary to recover the energies of a political community that will transform both the state and corporate economy from within. At the very core of it, we would need to rethink households as a socio-political entity for the self-production of life.

A political community, according to Friedmann, exhibits four characteristics • Their power extends over a given territorial base, • They enjoy historical continuity • They are composed of citizen members • They are part of an ensemble of communities among which citizenship is shared.

This further brings into question the argument on gaining legitimacy, authority, and finally agency. There needs to be a system in place that would empower people

to collectively shape both their spaces and lives, allowing them to negotiate traditions and modernity on their own terms.

Kasthamandap Reconstruction PC. Elite Joshi, Kantipur Daily

DESIGN Re-defining the Community Traditional Guthi Communities A form of civil society (political community perhaps) does exist within the Newar community. Innate into the culture is a membership for the men into a social trust cWalled Guthis.

“The meaning of the word “guthi” is derived from the Sanskrit “Gosthi” meaning an association’ or an ‘assembly’. In this sense, the guthi is an association formed by groups of people or members of a family based on caste, patrilineal grouping or territorial aspects.” - Pradhananga, Shrestha and Dee, 2009 Dangol (2010) in his dissertation “Sana Guthi and the Newars: Impacts of Modernization on Traditional Social Organization” presents Guthi as “a group of people united for a common objective, created to enhance the standard of living of people due to realization of the need to live together and

work together for a common purpose.”

Lekakis et al, 2018 mentions that community organizations called Guthis existed as an integral element of the Newar society as a structure for community governance as a part of the traditional urban socio-cultural setup.

Believed to have been existed since the Lichhavi era (400-750 CE), a palm-leaf manuscript that dates back to 1114 CE “explained the rules and regulations for collective use of the property of a Buddhist Monastery among the Guthi members” (Lekakis, et al., 2018). As an intangible heritage of the Newars (people who belong to the Newar community), guthis were also created for the conservation of various heritage resources, either built structures such as monasteries and temples or different forms of art such as folk music, dances and plays during festivals (Lekakis, et al., 2018).

Similar definition to Dangol’s is also mentioned in “Role of Guthi in Newar Buddhist Culture” by Vajracharya, 1998.

Vajracharya (1998) is quick to point out the theoretical aspects of Guthi that refer to the

गुठी | guthi Council of Members

Guthi finances regular maintenance of a wide oforheritage Based range on Caste items and monuments Patrilineal Grouping as or well as Territorial Aspects rituals and observance of cultural festivals

Collective Land Ownership Generates Financial and Social Capital Guthis were endowed with land donations from members and sponsors.

Guthis are usually structured around kinship, caste or geographical location.

The land was collectively farmed or otherwise utilized by the local community, providing employment and generating income for festivals, rituals and the maintenance of cultural heritage items such as temples, and patis (rest-houses).

Property that generates rent

Revenue helps funds repairs and pay for skill and labor

Productive Agricultural Land

Revenue Property rent or Agricultural produce Guthi is a form of social organization to support cultural and religious activities and resources.

Traditional Proposed Neighborhood Guthi is a form of social organization to create a shared weatlh and advance collective agency among neighborhood citizens

Council of Members

Sharing Labor, Capital and Knowledge Helps generates Solidarity

Solidarity E co n

Pooled labor and capital allows participating households to thrive in the absence of

presence of rules and regulation on how tasks are carried out by the members, equal rights, and responsibility to take care of the collectively owned resources among others.

The trust or Guthi finances regular maintenance of a wide range of heritage items and monuments as well as the observance of cultural rituals and festivals from the revenue generated through the collectively owned land and rental property.

Wealthy people of rulers would often build monuments or heritage items to gain goodwill and set aside resources such as land or money to take care of it. Furthermore, it established a form of local community economy, and exist in relation to other trusts or guthis as well.

On the level of political conception, the trust manifested on the household and urban commune levels as well as regional level, where it functioned as commons with the pooling of common resources for a shared interest and good.

Kasthamandap Reconstruction PC. Elite Joshi, Kantipur Daily

Relevance of Guthi on conservational efforts for Urban Heritage Foul management of resources available to the Guthiyars or members of the Guthi) prompted the government to institutionalize Guthis. According to Lekakis et al (2018), “With the “Guthi Sansthan Act” of 1964 and further amendments in 1976, several Guthis and their functions were incorporated into the state-owned Guthi Sansthan (Guthi Corporation) while the land that Guthis owned was either nationalized or allowed to be privatized and distributed amongst the Guthis’ members.”

Lekakis et al, argue that the Guthi framework can be applied to form a participatory process for governance for heritage conservation. Similarly, Pradhanga et al propose that policymakers would be able to achieve sustainable heritage conservation and management by recognizing the value of informal indigenous practices such as the Guthi. They further propose that the understanding the integral elements of Guthi such as the community, aspect of citizen control for empowerment, ability to exist as decentralized units, emphasis on collective action, cultural value and sustainability are important to enhance policies and decisions.

Roshan B. Bhandari in his paper “Social capital in disaster risk management: A case study of Social Capital Mobilization following the 1934 Kathmandu Valley Earthquake in Nepal”, 2014, proposes using the “existing authority structure of Guthi’ (Bhandari, 2014, pg 323) the decisions can be taken efficiently during disasters. He found that volunteers mobilized during the 1934 disaster were also members of guthis and provided labor as well as financial support to those in need in addition to conducting death rites for the deceased (Bhandari, 2014, pg 323). Based on the significance of social capital and theories of social capital along with the recorded conversations with people in the community, Bhandari (2014) emphasizes the value of Guthis and other forms of civil societies such as women’s associations, mother’s club, literary societies, etc can be mobilized to build “pre-disaster resilience”(Bhandari, 2014, pg 326) along with the support of the state.

With the practice of Guthis and its structure framed as a potential solution to some of the problems and tasks in the valley, it’s value in recovering the political community and ability to build agency among the residents becomes an interesting aspect to explore.

KRAFT WERK1 HEIZENHOLZ HONGG, ZURICH

1983

Zurich Child and Youth Hostel pm.

Bolo Bolo

As part of Zurich Children and Youth Foundation, we are not a municipal entity now

Under the construction law, since we are a non-profit, we didnt have to pay for land and were eligible for the tender

Kraftwerk1 does not exist in solitude but partners with other co-ops such as Ortoloco for food and others for fruits and vegetables.

Ortoloco Food Co-Ops Kraftwerk1

Domicil Foundation

Clustered Apartments for 9 individual as a result of discussion among the residents and the architect on how can we explore new ways to live together - share space.

It provide two subsidized units to Domicil Foundation, that advocates for affordable housing.

1970

2008

It's fun meet the others on the terrace here. Atleast we can sit down and talk for awhile.

Now that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve decided to retro-fit the existing buildings, We can discuss about clustered apartments for different individuals or families to share.

There are people who need housing more than us, do you think it would be possible to provide space for Domicil Foundation?

I think we should look into look into more ways to live together. But I would like to have a bathroom to myself or even a small kitchenette...

Case-Studies Two such cases of communities are interesting to study in order to understand how political communities have existed and operate - the co-operative housing - Kraftwerk1 in Zurich and Campaign to Rebuild Kasthamandap in Kathmandu.

Kraftwerk1, Zurich Zurich in the 1980s suffered from a lack of affordable housing as the urban center grew.

Tensions grew in the city among the youths, city and its hierarchy and their policies. It was during such a time a book written by P.M. or Hans Widmer - â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bolo Boloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;- an anarchist, anti-capitalist social utopian book, influenced the conception of Kraftwerk1, a housing and construction cooperative, much later in 1995.

Few questions surrounding discussions on affordable housing were Who determines what happens in the city?

Who owns the city?

Who is allowed to use which rooms and are there new ways of living together?

In 1998, Kraftwerk1 Hardturm was built with 100 flats in four houses with 100 working and office spaces. It was the first housing to have shared flats. Not exactly a bolo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an

autonomous community corresponding to the anthropological unit of a tribe of a few hundred individuals), it incorporated ideas such as solidarity support for the less profitable, shared rooms, commitment to the neighborhood, collaboration with the agricultural cooperatives such as Ortoloco and working in groups on different topics.

Similarly, Heizenholz was also based on such principles and exists as a member of a network of coops rather than a solitary entity.

As a bolo, it relies on coops such as the Ortoloco for vegetables and others for fruits and milk. Active participation of the future inhabitants during the conceptualization of this project meant that new forms of c and other social aspects were discussed thoroughly. Building off of the Hardturm project, Heizenholz introduced clustered apartments, each for as much as 9 people who would share a common kitchen and a living room.

Residents are members of the cooperative and participate to vote at the general meetings. The decision-making body with regards to, for instance, apartment rentals resides on a three-body committee made up of two residents of the settlement and one from the Kraftwerk1 board. This ensures

Exterior staircase that links the residential units and the shared spaces in the development.

Kraftwerk1, Heizenholz

that decisions are taken up by those who will most likely be affected by it. Depending on self-disclosed incomes, residents pay a spirit contribution in addition to rent, between CHF 15 to CHF 55 per month, of which half goes to subsidize rents and community fund.

The resident community, as a result of their discussions, have organized and written their own â&#x20AC;&#x153;house bookâ&#x20AC;? based on the statutes and the charter of Kraftwerk1.

Kraftwerk1 began as a model to re-imagining alternative model of living together but the charter theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve set out for the organization allows variations of it exist, pertaining to the resident community in different places. The charter outlines the overarching objective and goals but also defines not only the rights but also the duties and responsibilities for its members.

Kasthamandap - a historic pavillion that was totally destroyed by the Gorakha Earthquake in 2015 PC. WIkipedia

Campaign to Rebuild Kasthamandap Kasthamandap was a public rest house (categorized as a sattal, built around 700 CE) that was used by the general public and unlike the palaces or temples, that are under the ownership of the state, it was owned by a Guthi and subsequently the local community (Lekakis et al, 2018). The Campaign to rebuild Kasthamandap began as a revolt against delay in construction and substandard construction techniques adopted by the government to construct the monument.

People padlocked the construction site and after gaining sufficient support selforganized and mobilized to reconstruct the sattal. The local community launched the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Campaign to Rebuild Kasthamandapâ&#x20AC;? and signed an agreement with the newly formed National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), Department of Archaeology (DoA), and the municipality to rebuild the structure.

Although the plans werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t carried out later as planned, the citizen-led initiative gathered support, momentum, as well as legitimacy to actually alter the traditional monument. A

key takeaway from this example is how the people were able to gain agency through self-organization to actually author and practice caring for a form of commons, sheltering it from state forces. The collective adopted a constitution as well that defines the goals, objectives as well as criteria for membership and its scope and limitations.

A chariot festival in Lalitpur run by a traditional Guthi

Reframing Guthis Guthi as a Political Community and Institution of Commoning Citizenship and need to reinstate it Stavros (Atlas, 2017) says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the words of Mexican philosopher and activist Gustavo Esteva, commons has to do with polity, with the ways of structuring a community that recognizes itself as a form of weâ&#x20AC;Ś If commoning is a set of social practices, we will see how this idea affects the understanding of how space might become a commons. So, to enter a discussion about the field of commons and commoning, you must declare your own values, connect the means to the pursuit of those values, as well as to show how those values are linked to collective forms of social organization.â&#x20AC;?

Drawing from the traditional collective practices such as Guthis that were bottom up, a new form of Guthi is proposed to reinstate the citizens as members of a polity, engendering a transition to an autonomous system that is resilient to future shocks and stresses. The study eventually aims to focus more on systems-level design for the public that can help transform their

relationship with the state and the market.

These interventions are necessary in order to frame the public as an active partner or even the client rather than be viewed as subjects for the state to intervene. With these in mind, reframing the traditional trust to form a new [Neighborhood] Guthi will aid the resident community to develop the agency to improve their built environment and share resources among themselves increasing their agency and fostering economic sufficiency.

गुठी | guthi Council of Members

Guthi finances regular maintenance of a wide oforheritage Based range on Caste items and monuments Patrilineal Grouping as or well as Territorial Aspects rituals and observance of cultural festivals

Collective Land Ownership Generates Financial and Social Capital Guthis were endowed with land donations from members and sponsors.

Guthis are usually structured around kinship, caste or geographical location.

The land was collectively farmed or otherwise utilized by the local community, providing employment and generating income for festivals, rituals and the maintenance of cultural heritage items such as temples, and patis (rest-houses).

Property that generates rent

Revenue helps funds repairs and pay for skill and labor

Productive Agricultural Land

Revenue Property rent or Agricultural produce Guthi is a form of social organization to support cultural and religious activities and resources.

Traditional Proposed Neighborhood Guthi is a form of social organization to create a shared weatlh and advance collective agency among neighborhood citizens

Council of Members

Guthi will rely on the collective action of the members and the resources they can share.

Pooled labor and capital allows participating households to thrive in the absence of the support of state or market

Appropriate common spaces with uses that benefit the residents and member

Elected Working Committee

Registered as an non-profit, the guthi will have gained the legal framework partner with local authorities and begin implementing interventions in the built environment

Solidarity E co no

y m

Guthi based on residency in the neighborhood. The members are bound by the constitution of the new organization.

Sharing Labor, Capital and Knowledge Helps generates Solidarity

Citizens share resources such as skill, space and labor.

General Assembly comprised of residents of neighborhood Initiate a microfinance lending pool to enable members to gain access to capital

Process It is important to actively and critically reframe the entity with respect to who gets to participate in such collectives if we are to bring about a significant change to the patriarchal dominant society. With the past roles within the Guthi always held by males either based on territory, kinship or caste, the inclusion of residents from the neighborhood regardless of their sex, caste and status in the society would be the first step. However, representation of the following would be ideal to involve the participation of people that belong to all three state, market and civic spheres.

The new organization will comprise of • A member of the larger Guthi or someone elected from the neighborhood • Businesses in the neighborhood (Tea shop vendors, etc) • Local Ward Official • Youth (1M and 1F minimum) • Women representatives • Elderly (1M and 1F minimum) • Graphic Artist.

As a non-profit organization, similar to the Campaign to Rebuild Kasthamandap, the new Neighborhood Guthi will need to define

its constitution to be recognized by the state in order for any of its proposal or activity to be legitimate. Kraftwerk1’s approach of establishing a central charter that can later be appropriated by the resident community suitable to their requirements seems the best way to move forward.

[22] It is the partnership or the direct involvement of the state in the form of a Ward official and the businesses that will render authority to the neighborhood guthi on issues pertaining to community planning and development as well. Enacting this framework would then allow the citizens take the helm as a partner rather than being subjects to inventions governed by the state or the market, become the author of their physical, economical as well as sociocultural environment.

[Neighborhood] Guthi Constitution 2075

Seeking the need to develop responsibility among the residents of [neighborhood] as well as to assist the government’s current and future interventions in the region in any way possible, this constitution has been prepared for the organization named “[Neighborhood] Guthi” registered through the “Organization Registration Act 2034” as a non-profit community organization.

Article -1 Preface

1.

Name of Organization The name of this organization will be “[Neighborhood] Guthi”, _____________ in Nepali and _NG will be used as an abbreviation. a. Address of the Organization The permanent address of this organization will be [location of a pati] (or the name of the pati) [Just a thought – maybe the pati should have a mailbox. Stationing the organization to a physical location] b. Scope of activity The organization will act within ______ neighborhood only. c. Initiation

Social Contract As a non-profit organization, similar to the Campaign to Rebuild Kasthamandap, the new Neighborhood Guthi will need to define its constitution to be recognized by the state in order for any of its proposal or activity to be legitimate. Kraftwerk1’s approach of establishing a central charter that can later be appropriated by the resident community suitable to their requirements seems the best way to move forward.

The charter or the constitution for the first guthi will then outline [18] • • • • • •

Purpose or Mission of the Guthi Rules and Regulations for Membership Rights and Duties of the members Scope and Limitations of the Organizations Procedures for amending the Constitution Financial Organization and Structure

Reflecting on the lack of access to capital promulgated by the commercial banks or larger corporations, an integral addition to

the new guthi structure to (re)produce the resources and maintain them would be through the adoption of a microfinance institution. Adhikari and Shrestha (2013) have presented very a compelling case of the positive impact and increase in income generated by incorporating a microfinance into a village community around Kathmandu.

The pioneer of such financial institution Nobel laurette Muhammad Yunus initiated Grameen Bank as a community development bank in Bangladesh. The bank is intended to build a financial system based on social resources such as “trust, accountability, participation and creativity” than on collateral. Microfinances “provides services to the communities who have no collateral to offer against the loans they take but have indigenous skills and strong desire to undertake economic activities for self employment and income generation” (Adhikari and Shrestha, 2013).

Financial institutions such as commercial bank, development banks and finance companies are grouped as Class A, B, and C with microfinance institutions classified as Class D financial institutions respectively.

Under the mandate of the National reserve,

Article -3 Membership

5. Membership Classification a. Classification of Memberships i. Residents ii. Honorary members 1.

Ward official

2. Academics 3. Professionals â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Developers 6. Membership Criteria i. Should be a nepali citizen ii. A resident of the neighborhood 1.

Registered in the local ward

iii. 18 years and above iv. Mentally sound v. No criminal records vi. Should have a sound tax record vii. New residents should can gain membership if recommended by 2 general members who are existing residents viii. Needs to set up an account with the neighborhood microfinance.

7. Conditions for termination of membership

banks under Class A, and B are directed to distribute a certain percentage of their liquidity to microfinances as a way to reach the un-bankable. This entails that microfinances in Nepal generally gain access to low-interest rate loans from a commercial bank, development banks as well as finance companies.

The incorporation of such financial structure into the new neighborhood guthi framework would drastically increase the access to financial resources for the residents.And now instead of relying on individuals for resources, the new model enables access to greater resources the incorporation of a microfinance-based on community guarantees rather than the need for collaterals.

[19] The neighborhood guthi would be responsible for initiating microfinance or establishing a branch of such communityoriented microfinance. Cooperatives are another form of financial institutions in Nepal that function similar to microfinance but are not bound by the strict state regulation and are informal at times.[20] In an ideal scenario, with the microfinance run by the guthi,

where some of the labor can be shared and potentially be unpaid, operating for the well-being of the community, the rates could potentially be lowered thus matching those of the Grade A - commercial banks or the higher interest rates can potentially be justified through benefits the community gains.

गुठी | guthi Co-ordinated Housing Project

The Neighborhood Guthi provides loans for businesses or construction, creates shared facilities and plans for the neighborhood

Communal Laundry

Renovated House

Neighborhood Meeting Venue

Communal Laundry

Additional income from New Bakery shop, made it possible for the family to save for their children’s education

New Library

Air B’n’B Guthi runs an Air B’n’B in lieu of monthly installments to recover loan taken to rebuild the house Communal Laundry [wife] pursues her interest in accounting, taking classes on weekends

Handicraft business

Communal Laundry

Neighborhood Meeting Venue

Microfinance Office

Renovated House Microcredits from the microfinance helps family add a bathroom next to the grandmother’s room

Toy Depot Kids learn the value of sharing

Communal Laundry

Toy Depot New Pottery Business Daughter participated in the pottery training courses and now employs two more residents

Communal Laundry

Rebuild House

Neighborhood Meeting Venue

New Pottery Business

Toy Depot Rebuild House

Rebuild House

Renovated House

Neighborhood Guthi aims to distribute power evenly among the individuals and groups by providing access to forums of collective decision making and ability to influence the outcomes.

In order to do so, meetings are held in the common spaces - squares, courtyards and resthouse to discuss the common affairs.

As a legitimate organization, the structure guarentees political right that is protected by law and press.

Neighborhood Guthi can help negotiate planning for new development and ensure that it benefits the Guthi members.

I plan on building a hotel in the neighborhood. I assure you it will be better for you all too.

The hotel would need to share its spaces with us for events and be a member of the guthi to operate.

Imagined Scenarios The access to resources such as labor, capital, knowledge, and space will allow and empower the citizens to establish a solidarity economy benefiting the community. It will provide the residents an opportunity to renovate their houses, start a new business or establish facilities such as a shared laundry. As a much larger intervention, the resident community of the neighborhood could potentially begin to explore alternative ways of living together too as has been done by Kraftwerk1. A previous study by Pant and Shrestha (2016) into understanding the perception of the residents of traditional historic cores in Kathmandu illustrates that there are options available to the people and people do prefer co-operative housing structures. However, there emerged a pattern where people with larger lots or dwelling units in a favorable spot such as around a courtyard or on a main street would prefer not to negotiate their shares.

In such instances, the neighborhood guthi could prove to be catalytic in helping build consensus, awareness and social cohesion among the residents.

As mentioned previously, the interventions led by the people could also prove to be emancipatory for the repressed in the

society. Shared communal laundry spaces can prove to be a boon for the females in a household who would pursue their interests with the time saved. An intervention could potentially be to design features around such spaces in the future. Communal laundries could potentially become the next meeting spot for people. Similarly, the incorporation of toy depots within the fabric could be a way to teach children the value and methods to share with others.

Resources to start new business could very well enable the people, especially mothers and grandmothers, to engage in income generating. The range of interventions would then be up to the people to conjure as they see fit at present.

View of one of the largest Sattals in Bhaktapur near the Palace.

PC. TheStar.com.my

PC. Late Sanam Suwal

IMPLEMENTATION In order to realize this new entity, Friedmann also talks on how it is important, regardless of spatial hierarchy, the structure should promote the ability to participate in collective decision making and influence the outcomes. Furthermore, to function politically, people must have appropriate meeting spaces for discussing their common affairs. A right to speech and assembly at least.

Pati (Rest-houses or Pavillions) that are in common ownership and found throughout the traditional historic cities

Capitalizing off of Common Infrastructures The historic urban fabric in the valley is dotted with spaces such as the rest-houses called Patis and Sattals. These types of spaces are neither private or public but exist as common infrastructure. These spaces already facilitate a wide range of activities such as sun-basking or as meeting spots in the neighborhood and thus could be further leveraged to discuss the aforementioned common affairs as well.

Patis and Sattals are based on the scale of the structure, with Sattals tending to be larger and have additional floors compared to a single floor configuration of the Patis.

Patis are even more common throughout the traditional cities, showing up besides entrances to the city gates or on the ground floor of houses, free standing structures around common open spaces or along travel routes. An activity one might come across could be members of a guthi (that are responsible for art) chant religious hymns in these structures or store their instruments on the attic or upper floor of these structures.

In the past, sattals have also been used schools for the community. Along with the common spaces such as shared courtyards and squares, such common infrastructure

presents a space for the public to participate in collective decision making and to engage in shared activities pertaining to the new guthi.

Bhandari (2014) too found the common infrastructure crucial in his research as most of the interviews carried out in such spaces in Lalitpur.

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Monuments and their conditions recorded as after the Gorkha Earthquake 2015. The presence of common infrastructures such as Patis, Sattals along with courtyards and squares can be observed.

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People reading newspaper - A common sight in the shared spaces such as courtyards or squares in the historic city cores of the valley.

PC. Late Sanam Suwal

Disseminating Information The whole process revolves around the concept of reinstating the sense of citizenship among the residents in the neighborhood and which subsequently would result in a vast network of informed citizens that are capable of participating in discussion regarding their physical as well as socio-cultural and economic issues faced by the community.

Directly delivering the end product to the neighborhood residents could save time and potentially be cost effective too but yet again would become an action of societal guidance that lacks public participation. It is then important to begin crafting a set of scenarios and tactical interventions within the built environment that would potentially engage the people in discussions on collective effort or acting for a common good and how to negotiate and build consensus based on paradigmatic differences.

An activity people are seen doing in these spaces is reading newspapers which I find is the perfect method to disseminate ideas of commoning and collective effort.

Inspired by Atelier Bow-Wowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creation of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Made in Tokyoâ&#x20AC;? t-shirts for to share their publication - Japanese Pet Architecture and Made in Tokyo, looking at the newspaper closely, it basically comprises of three distinct elements - the news, advertisements and the political cartoon / comic section including the crosswords. While news are integral to the paper and the advertisements a method to secure income for the media houses, comics stand out as a space for negotiation in the artifact.

The comic strip is one section we rarely skip in these papers and partnering with the local daily to disseminate ideas and information through it would be the first intervention. The visual cue and way a comic works, being able to deliver messages and ideas across in a significantly short time and playfully, along with its ubiquitous nature of the paper makes it a better tool as well. These smaller niche level interventions does have the ability to potentially shift mind-sets of the mass,

A common practice to package food in Kathmandu.

PC. pbs.twimg.com

something political cartoons have been quite successful at throughout history.

Buying food in different places within the valley, you are bound to be given it wrapped in newspaper. In a way, this could potentially find its way into the heart of the private sphere - the household domain and into the dining space where it could potentially engage the family members in a discussion.

Common Theme Kathmandu Commons The comic strips, as a playful and simple element to engage people in discussions and making them aware of the potential outcomes of collective action would be done by the graphic artist present as a member of the guthi.

The comic strips would be structured and published in phases to help gather momentum in the society depending on the level of awareness and intention of the neighborhood guthi.

Two forms of comics are forwarded here.

The common theme shall be based on case studies of practices of commoning with

the Kathmandu Commons representative of current state of affairs or the phasing scenario discussed by the guthi.

Comic Strip Development The goal of the comic strip would be to illustrate possibilities of what could happen if people work together based on the problems and issues resident community or the general public face with respect to social, financial, cultural, environmental and physical issues.

Six phases of progression towards the actualization of the neighborhood guthi are defined below and will help construct the timeline for the comics as well.

Comic Strips as a medium to disseminate ideas in local dailys and newspaper of collective efforts

Comic Strip Development Phase A Introduction of comics in the patis and common infrastructure. “Common Theme” comics could potentially be sufficient and potent to increase awareness.

Phase B A more direct approach to highlight problems in the community. “Kathmandu Commons” drafted by the Guthi would introduce people to these shared spaces as potential gathering spots for political discussions and potentially illustrate imagined scenarios.

Phase C Start meeting with people and arrange meetings in these common spaces in the neighborhoods. It would also be beneficial to meet other support or neighborhood reform groups (participate with other civil societies).

Use comics strips to highlight common spaces as potentially meeting venues and also introduce the concept or thought of an establishing an organization.

Phase D Discuss ideas on how to improve and tackle issues faced by the community. Comics

could display how resources can be shared amongst a larger group and region.

Phase E As people begin to think of how they can be more effective and legitimate, establish the organization and engage in discussion to resolve financial aspects of the organization.

The comic can be a way to illustrate how younger generations can be incorporated into the group to resolve issues.

Phase F People begin to meet in the open spaces, share resources and begin to work collectively. Begin discussion on drafting the constitution and establish the neighborhood guthi along with the realization of some of the imagined scenarios such as communal laundries, etc.

Please refer to Appendix-2 for more comics.

CONCLUSION Through these preliminary interventions and the introduction of the social contract or constitution to the people, the project will gain sufficient momentum such that it will have reinstated the citizens as a polity engendering a transition to an autonomous system that is resilient to future shocks and stresses.

APPENDIX - 1 Neighborhood Guthi - Constitution

[Neighborhood] Guthi Constitution 2075

Seeking the need to develop responsibility among the residents of [neighborhood] as well as to assist the government’s current and future interventions in the region in any way possible, this constitution has been prepared for the organization named “[Neighborhood] Guthi” registered through the “Organization Registration Act 2034” as a non-profit community organization.

Article -1 Preface

1.

Name of Organization The name of this organization will be “[Neighborhood] Guthi”, _____________ in Nepali and _NG will be used as an abbreviation. a. Address of the Organization The permanent address of this organization will be [location of a pati] (or the name of the pati) [Just a thought – maybe the pati should have a mailbox. Stationing the organization to a physical location] b. Scope of activity The organization will act within ______ neighborhood only. c. Initiation

This constitution will be effective from the day the organization is registered. d. Basis This organization shall be an uninterrupted responsible, non-profit, politically

neutral,

non-governmental,

self-regulatory,

organized

community group. The individuals involved in the organization shall not engage in private consultation for the same task at hand and is expected to not have a conflict of interest.

2. Definition The following definitions are to be maintained and referred to unless specified. a. Constitution refers to the ________ Neighborhood Guthi, 2075 (2019 A.D.)’s constitution. b. Organization refers to “________ Neighborhood Guthi” c. Committee shall be understood as the Working Committee defined by Section 13 of this constitution under Article 4. d. Assembly shall be understood as the General Assembly and Special Assembly formed according to this constitution e. Personnel refers to office-bearers of this organization. f.

Rules refer to the rules formulated and enforced by this constitution.

g. Local Officer refers to Chief District Officer. h. “As mentioned,” or “According to” should be understood as matters mentioned in or to and according to this constitution and its rules.

i.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Localityâ&#x20AC;? refers to the respective Village Development Committee, or Metropolitan/ Sub-Metropolitan/ Municipality and District office.

j.

Residents shall refer to the legal inhabitants of the neighborhood this constitution is

3. Stamp and Seal of the Organization The stamp and the seal of the organization shall be in compliance with the prevalent law and according to Appendix-1 of this constitution. However, if it is found that the name, stamp and logo of the organization has already been registered, required steps shall be taken to rectify the situation.

Article -2 Purpose / Mission

4. Goals of the Organization The goals of the organization shall be as stated follows a. Help build awareness among the residents â&#x20AC;Ś. b. Conduct community engagement sessions and hold meetings on issues of the neighborhood c. Aid the government and organizations with relevant knowledge and research d. Conduct extensive research into the demographics of the neighborhood and maintain relevant datasets e. Maintain records and conduct analysis on a periodic basis f.

Conduct surveys and understand the current needs and pressing issues of the community

g. Educate households on economical or financial issues? h. Conduct team building exercises i.

Promote and introduce art and culture in the neighborhood â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hold events that look to engage/invite artists/ thinkers into the society.

j.

Help the community or the residents of the neighborhood define their charter and devise a strategy/ development plan.

k. Help support programs/ initiatives of the residents/ people with start-up assistance and provide incentives for participation. l.

Create suitable environment too support local initiatives and businesses.

m. Help retain settlement-based, district-based uses and promote infrastructures that benefit the community. n. Aid residents/ community members from consensus or design and construct social housing / cooperative housing models. o. Partner with other organizations if not capable to conduct the event, program independently. p. Help raise awareness of the existing situation of the neighborhood i. Conduct extensive research into the demographics of the neighborhood ii. Maintain records and conduct analysis on a periodic basis. iii. Conduct surveys and understand the current needs and pressing issues of the community. iv. Educate household 1.

Financial concepts and training

v. Conduct team building exercises vi. Help the community or the residents of the neighborhood define their charter and devise a strategy vii. Help support programs/ initiatives of the residents/people with start-up assistance and provide incentives for participation

viii. Create suitable environment to support local initiatives and businesses. ix. Help settlement retain settlement-based, district-based uses, and promote infrastructure that benefit the community. x. Aid residents/ community members form consensus or design and construct social housing/ cooperative housing models. xi. Reach out for partnerships with other organizations when required

Article -3 Membership

5. Membership Classification a. Classification of Memberships i. Residents ii. Honorary members 1.

Ward official

2. Academics 3. Professionals â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Developers 6. Membership Criteria i. Should be a nepali citizen ii. A resident of the neighborhood 1.

Registered in the local ward

iii. 18 years and above iv. Mentally sound v. No criminal records vi. Should have a sound tax record vii. New residents should can gain membership if recommended by 2 general members who are existing residents viii. Needs to set up an account with the neighborhood microfinance.

7. Conditions for termination of membership

i. Engaging in illegal activity ii. Does not participate in the general election for 2-3 consecutive years iii. If the resident is no longer a permanent resident or registers self in a different locality iv. Actions are proved to be against the welfare of the community and the organization v. Does not pay the membership funds.

8. Membership fee and procedure i. Admission fee and subscription fee shall be determined by the residents on their first general meeting ii. Each of the resident member shall comprise the general assembly with a single voting right respectively. iii. Honorary members do not have any votes in the general elections. iv. If membership is denied, proof of reason shall be presented.

Article-4 Regarding General Assembly, Working and Special Assembly

9. Establishing the general assembly, working, meeting a. The general assembly shall comprise of all members except the honorary members b. The general assembly will take place once a year i. Fi 1/4th of the ------Guthiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s members, wish to conduct a special general assembly, the working committee needs to hold the meeting within 7 days of being informed. There should not be more than 1 special general assembly every 6 months. c. The first general assembly shall be conducted 2 months after the completion of a year from the date this constitution comes into action and then shall continue to do so every year. d. The place for meeting/ time and date shall be circulated a month ahead of the general assembly and 15 days ahead of the special general assembly. e. The meetings shall be rescheduled if there is a lack of participants (1/3rd, 2/3rd should be present?) f.

Terms and regulations for the general assembly and special general assembly shall be maintained/ created in separate books

10. Duties and responsibilities of the general assembly: Rights

a. Give a vote of confidence/ Pass the budget presented by the working committee. b. Resolve conflicts personally as much as possible c. Participate in meetings and work in special committees d. Dedicate a certain hour of unpaid labor to the benefit and wellness of the community e. Contribute to the community fund that helps promotes shared infrastructure, mitigates social hardships and ecological programs f.

Question the budget and proposed outline of work

g. Right to vote for members of the working committee h. Give valuable advice/ file complaints on the progress/ workings of the committees i.

Provide consent or not when presenting honorary memberships.

11. Organization of the Working Committee a. A committee with X members shall be formed from general assembly through an election i. President ii. Vice-President iii. Secretary iv. Officers v. Members b. The term for the working committee shall not be more than 2 years

c. A position within the working committee can be filled if a member decides to abdicate from the role before the completion of his/her term. The newly appointed member shall serve for the remaining term period. Any other position shall be elected through the procedures of voting described in this constitution. d. The president shall call on a meeting of the working committee depending on the necessity. However, the president shall hold a meeting if more than 51% of the working committee members decide to hold one. e. The members of the working committee shall not hold a meeting unless 51% of the committee is present. f.

The meetings shall be chaired by the president. However, in the absence of the president, the vice-president shall chair the session or in his/her absence by a member appointed by the committee ahead of the meeting.

g. Decisions shall be finalized based on a majority vote. h. The topics discussed and the decisions taken shall be noted on a separate book along with the signatures of the members who approve of it.

Members who disagree shall need to write a remark for disapproval along with a signature. i.

The organization shall carry out works decided and approved by the working committee.

12. Duties and Responsibilities of Working Committee â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the duties and responsibilities of the working committee shall be as follows

a. Present the outline of the annual general assembly as well as the budget to the general members during the assembly. b. Whilst following the regulations set forth in the constitution, the committee shall be responsible to enact on the decisions given by the general assembly c. Shall hold activities for the benefit of the organization d. Prepare plans to carry out interventions or activities as well as be responsible to formulate financial scheme to support it as well be responsible for the supervision as well monitoring them. e. Shall be responsible for the funds, property and the revenue generated by the organization and its activities in addition to managing the account in the microfinance. f.

Represent the organization

13. Abdicate from official position a. The president can resign in the presence of the vice-president and the attendance of more than 51% of the members of the working committee.

Subsequently, the vice-president can choose to resign in the presence of the president and 51% of the member of the working committee.

14. Establishing Sub-committees a. As permitted by the constitution, the working committee shall create separate committees as well as sub-committees upon defining the need for such and with the approval of the general assembly. b. Sub-committees shall report directly to the working committee.

Article-5 Duties, rights and responsibilities of Officials

15. Duties, Responsibilities and Rights of the Elected Officials a. Presidents i. Chair and conduct the committee and assembly. ii. Represent the organization as well as choose representatives iii. Direct the secretary to hold meetings iv. Deliberate meetings? b. Vice-President i. Aid the president ii. Complete the tasks entrusted by the president iii. Shall take on the duties, responsibilities and rights of the president in his/her absence. c. Secretary i. Responsible for the daily operations of the organization as well as overseeing the activities. ii. Shall complete tasks entrusted by the president. iii. Establish contact and relation with organizations or groups and individuals that are interested to collaborate. iv. Aid and maintain financial records of the organization. d. Members

i. Participate in the meetings and agendas as outlined for the committee. ii. Shall carry out the tasks assigned by the committee. iii. Responsible to voice opinions for and against agendas and views set forth at meetings.

16. Critical Mass a. Any General Assembly held without the presence of at least 51% of the members shall not be held. b. In correspondence to Article---- and -----, an assembly that has been rescheduled could then be conducted even with the participation of a least 33% of the members

Article-6 Financial Framework

17. Organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Accounts 18. Organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Funding a. The organization shall establish its very own microfinance institution with the following schemes for deposits i. Membership fees ii. Donations given to the organization by individuals, groups or organizations. iii. Sale of any assets that belongs to the organization iv. Solidarity fund v. Funds generated by the activities performed by the organization. b. Any foreign funding in the form of cash or kind shall have to pre-approved and be revised by the concerned governing national authority. c. The organization shall utilize the funds through an account in the microfinance.

19. Financial Account Handling a. The microfinance account shall only be accessed by the secretary and transactions permitted through the joint signature of the secretary and the president.

20. Procedures to Use of Funds

a. The funds deposited in the accounts shall be accessed through the following procedures i. The funds shall not spent on items that have not been notified and clarified or will be accountable in the annual budget. ii. The funds can be used by staying within the budget passed by the general assembly. iii. A brief overview of the expenses shall be mentioned in the following yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual general meeting with details descriptions provided for closer evaluation to interested parties.

21. Organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Accounting and Audit a. Records of income and expenses shall be properly maintained as per the stipulated accounting regulations required by the law. b. The finances of the organization shall be audited by an auditor registered with the corresponding governing body. c. The organization shall co-ordinate with the officials representing Nepalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Government when any concern and investigation into the financial matters is expressed by them. d. The auditor shall be selected and voted for during the general assembly, however, will be appointed by the working committee directly for the first year.

Article-7 Regarding Voting, Vote of No-Confidence, and amendments to the constitution

22. Voting, Vote of No-confidence, Constitution Amendments a. A committee with no more than 3 members will be formed to conduct and organize the election for the future working committee. b. The practices adopted by the election committee shall hold the utmost standard and be conducted according to the law. c. The decision of the election committee shall be deemed final incase any dispute arises with regards to the conduct and election process. d. The election committee shall be dissolved the following day of the election.

23. Qualifications of candidates a. The candidates for the positions in the committee should meet the following qualifications i. Shall have been a member for of the general assembly for at least 2 years. ii. Shall have been involved with the organization in different capacities, fulfilling the duties and responsibilities entrusted upon him/her. iii. Should have been present in the General Assembly.

iv. Shall not have obstructed justice or acted against the organization.

24. Vote of No-Confidence a. A written statement of distrust against any officer should be submitted to the working committee and registered with the following criteria fulfilled i. Should be written in Nepali and be legible ii. The subject of the letter should be clearly stated. iii. A petition with signatures of at least ¼ members of the general assembly along with their name and address. b. With regards to ---- 21.a. of Article…., the vote of no-confidence along with the clearly outlined subject issue will be shared for a general assembly or a special assembly along with the date, time and venue for the general or special assembly in accordance with the …. Of article … c. Regulations for the discussions on Vote of No-Confidence i. The person responsible for conducting the general assembly shall be allowed to present the issues at stake in accordance to article 21.a and requiring the attendance of at least a member from the group that filed the complaint to discuss the issue at the assembly. ii. The president shall grant permission to the members willing to vote on the issue raised at the general or special assembly. iii. The Master of Ceremony? / chairperson shall allocate and provide the member/s who have been complained against a chance to clarify their position in the general or special assembly. d. Decisions for Complaints

i. It would be the responsibility of the assembly chair to conduct a poll with regards to the issues raised at the general or special assembly after the respective issues have been presented.

1.

The session chair has the option to conduct the polls either explicitly or hold a private voting session.

ii. The vote to be held significant would need to gather at least 2/3rd of the votes cast upon which the desired step shall be taken, or the officer or member shall be removed from the position immediately. iii. A time period of at least 6 months shall need to be maintained before a complaint can be filled against the same member or on the same issue. e. Amendment Process i. With a majority of at least 2/3rd of the members of the general assembly, any regulations stated in the constitution can be amended by submitting the proposal to the local authority initially.

Only with the approval from the local authority can the constitution be amended. f.

Ability to make Rules i. The organization is allowed to formulate rules seen necessary to carry out its objectives. The proposed rules would need to be passed by the general assembly before enforced with prior notice given to the local authority.

ii. The working committee shall be permitted to define and enforce new rules that would aid the implementation of objectives of the organization as well as the financial administration. The rules would however be needed to be passed by the general assembly.

25. Employee Considerations a. The following regulations shall be followed for issues pertaining to the daily activities, employee structures and remuneration as well as incentives and services. i. In case the organization is to be involved with foreign volunteers or to receive donations from foreign bodies, the organization shall inform the local authorities of the amount or their qualifications.

26. Dissolve Organization a. The organization can be dissolved if the general assembly presents a special case and approves of the notion. b. In accordance with 23.a., the general assembly shall appoint one or more liquidator along with one or more auditors to liquidate and audit the accounts of the organization. c. The remuneration for the services provided by the liquidator/s and the auditor/s shall be pre-approved by the general assembly.

27. Further Explanation a. Detail explanations of the regulations set forth in the constitution shall be the responsibility of the working committees 28. Maintaining secrecy

a. Any activities shall not be against the organization and the members of the working committee as well as the general assembly are expected to maintain the highest level of decorum during session or whilst addressing members of the assembly.

29. Any regulations or rules that have not been defined by the constitution shall be in line with the law of the government.

30. The organization shall follow the law and regulations maintained by the Government of Nepal.

31. Current Committee a. The founding committee shall call on a general assembly within 6 months of registering the organization and form the election committee to elect the new working committee along with notifying the concerned members and local authorities.

APPENDIX - 2 Common Theme Kathmandu Commons

Common Theme comic strips based on international practices of commoning.

Left Comics based on Braddock Carnegie Library, City in the Making, and Kraftwerk1.

Utilizing the common space in the newspaper that does not hamper the news or the advertisements

APPENDIX - 3 Images from Thesis Exhibition

Thesis Exhibition

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