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Kathmandu,Monday March 13, 2000 Fagun 30, 2056.
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Restore Bhaktapur Palace
The delayed restoration work at Bhaktapur’s
famed 55-window palace has brought it to a state of near collapse. Even then, the
appalling lack of coordination between Department of Archeology, the local municipality
and donor agencies, the reason for this state of disrepair, continues as never before. It
will indeed be a tragic event if this three century old structure that withstood even the
great earthquake of 1934 comes tumbling down during a minor tremor. Therefore, it is high
time the government intervened to save this valuable heritage from disintegration by
attending to it. This is by no means the first time that the government is being reminded,
but if the government still does not heed the warning, it will be responsible for any
eventuality that may befall the palace.
Ten years ago, the Department of Archeology had
drawn a preliminary plan to restore the structure of the palace. Three years later, the
German government came up with a new plan that was completely different from the previous
one. Hot on its heels came a plan from the Ministry of Housing and Physical Planning and
finally UNESCO came up with its own plan. No doubt, it was a case of too many cooks. The
only difference was nobody lit the fire. Naturally, a few questions arise. First, which
body is responsible for drawing up the plan for restoration work? Second, why were UNESCO
and the German government involved in drawing plans if the Department of Archeology felt
their plans did not stress the preservation of antiques? Third, is the government even
aware that the differences in plans are ultimately responsible for this ruinous state of
the palace more than anything else?
Due to delay in restoration work, the walls of the
palace including the frescos which UNESCO has included in the World Heritage list, have
begun to develop cracks and fissures. It is indeed saddening that none of the
organisations that were supposed to be responsible for the restoration work have perceived
the urgent need to do something about the dilapidated state of the palace. If these
organisations are so concerned with restoring the palace, then why is it that not a single
one of them has taken any initiative to prevent seepage on the walls during the rainy
season. Bhaktapur municipality must also be censured for its apathy.
Had the government mediated among the plan-pushing
organisations and resolved their differences, the structure of Bhaktapur’s 55-window
palace would have been restored in time. This did not happen. Now, having failed to take
care of antique property, Bhaktapur municipality as well as the Department of Archeology
are blaming UNESCO and the German government of negligence. Such mutual recrimination will
never lead anywhere. The government must therefore intervene to save the palace. The only
way to do this will be to get all the parties to agree to their areas of responsibility.
Then only can restoration work begin in earnest.
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