FEATURES NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Preserving Kathmandu
From Ugly Human Intervention

By Khilendra Basnyat

KATHMANDU has been Nepal's capital for centuries. Actually, the central level administration, judiciary, legislature and the development activities have been centred in Kathmandu. Kathmandu is not only the capital but also the centre of Nepal where the Nepalese from every district come. The people coming from distant places and districts would address Kathmandu as Nepal. Still some people use to call Kathmandu as Nepal. The reason would have been mainly because Kathmandu has almost everything a country has to offer. Even in these days Kathmandu is a melting pot where communities of different groups intermingle.

Attraction

In fact, Kathmandu was attractive even more than a century ago. For this reason, the people from all parts of this country would visit Kathmandu to relish its beauty. If one looks at the temples, shrines and monuments of Kathmandu, it seems that an individual may have constructed them. However, a lot of community participation and offerings have contributed to make them attractive as one sees them. These temples, shrines and monuments are undoubtedly the assets created by the communities themselves.

Unlike in other parts of the world, such pieces of excellence are not credited to an individual. They were built in concert. Therefore, the communities at large are to be credited for them. It was not only the Shah dynasty and the Ranas who were tempted by Kathmandu, but there were other dynasties such as the Lichhavis and the Kirats who also ruled here for a long time. Despite the fact that the process of beautification of Kathmandu was initiated by Lichhavi dynasty in the medieval period, it reached the height of excellence during the Malla period.

No doubt, the water spouts, highly refined bronze and wooden sculptures, high skilled carved windows and superb temples and shrines are the gifts and rich legacy left behind by the Malla dynasty in Kathmandu.

In the past, many people used to visit Kathmandu which has gained prominence in art and architecture even in recent times. Whoever visited Kathmandu, they would either attempt to revisit it or would leave behind them inscriptions and scriptures relating to its magnificence. In by gone days, religious inns and open shelters were constructed within the proximity of famous temples to provide free shelters to the pilgrims. In those days, trusts were set up to build, repair and maintain the temples and shrines.

Although the trusts differed in nature, size and functions, the main objective was to render services to the community. The trusts were knitted into family type enterprises where the services were confined to the members of the tourists with the intention of delivering facilities and shelters to the travelers and pilgrims in general.

Building shelters and rest houses in by-gone days was considered auspicious. Most people after having adequate income and noblemen would consider to be their obligations in their life to construct something for the future generation. For this reason, one usually finds temples and shrines being built by someone and others providing ornaments and décor, etc. to the temples and shrines. It has been customary to keep on adding ornaments and offering in different forms to the temples and shrines, which would not only be sustained but would be properly maintained in those days.

Today, Kathmandu is polluted.The waterways have been made dirty with vehicular emission, cooking fire smoke and industrial emission apart from the landscape blighted by hideous architecture. Although there are laws to reduce such problems, they have not been implemented well. Access to safe piped water supply for drinking has become a problem in Kathmandu. Even the chlorinated water contaminated with putrid materials has become unsafe due to the mixing of sewerage and leaks in water pipes.

Since the past few years, problems have arisen in Kathmandu from urbanisation, resulting in the loss of agricultural land, verdure space, pollution, congestion and rising costs for urban management and services. The road traffic in Kathmandu is suffering from congestion due to population growth, haphazard urbanisation, increase in vehicles and inadequate infrastructure to handle them. Due to these factors, traffic conditions in the city are deteriorating, and traffic congestion occurs especially at traffic intersections and nearby areas. Generally, problems at such intersections and nearby areas include traffic congestion, increasing traffic accidents and adequate quantity of exhausts by the vehicles while waiting for green signal.

To reduce mounting problems in Kathmandu, the concerned authorities should maintain coordination among themselves in a more planned manner. In general, those that needs to keep up such coordination are the Home Ministry, Department of Roads, Nepal Electricity Authority, Nepal Telecommunication Corporation, etc. While installing and delivering some sort of services, it would be cost effective.

In recent years, some temples and shrines of Kathmandu are on the verge of ruin. Once the integral part of the cultural life of the locals, lost idols, sagging roofs and plants growing on rooftops are common sights. Instead of worshipping and praying, people have been using temples and shrines to keep shops and restaurants and even permanent shelters. Kathmandu's cultural heritage runs as a powerful force through every aspects of daily life. However, destructive processes both from within and outside the society are influencing the values and social structures, which have developed and supported this heritage.

Despite some work for the preservation of historic monuments of Hanumandhoka and Swayambhunath area, substantial efforts have not been integrated to the planning of Kathmandu. Since they are mainly donors- driven, in the long-term, this may provide unsustainable. It is because they have geared towards their own resources for maintenance and preservation.

Kathmandu has been many changes since the people's movement of 1990. From the spreading metalloid roads to radical market penetration, there has been an influx of people from different parts of the country. Moreover, Kathmandu has witnessed the advent of satellite television and the experiments with democratic living. Also, Kathmandu is seeing the effect of rapid erosion of traditions and customs, which paradixcally undermines its capacity to absorb changes.

Identity

Some important heritages of Kathmandu have already disappeared and others are under threat. Timeless heritage are gradually losing their identity because of the ugly human intervention. Actually, without the implementation of a well-organised programme of preservation, much of the heritage of Kathmandu is likely to disappear in future. Therefore, it is essential to give adequate thought to preserve Kathmandu from ugly human intervention.

Other Stories