Book Review (Spotlight Weekly)

Some of My Essays on Culture
By: Jit Bahadur Manandhar
Price: Rs. 140
Pages: 124
Published by: Taradevi Manandhar

Book
Thoughts On Culture

Senior civil servant Jit Bahadur Manandhar discusses various facets of Nepalese cultural life

By A CORRESPONDENT

Although Nepal is geographically a small country in the world, it is rich in terms of culture and religion. Several books have already been written highlighting the importance of Nepalese culture; Manandhar’s book is a unique one, which reveals many issues, which remained unknown to many.

In the last many years, many western scholars as well as Nepali scholars have tried to depict the importance of the valley’s culture but they were not capable to completely present all sides of stories, myths and historical facts.

One of the important aspects of Manandhar’s book is that he explains all different kinds of cultural and religious importance of the temples and places describing the historical background and providing evidences.

Based on his published articles, Manandhar, secretary to Raj Sabha, highlights many religiously and culturally important places of the Kathmandu valley including the Panauti temple, which is outside valley.

Well known for his scholarly knowledge on Nepal’s important places and shrines, Manandhar looks at all the important aspects of the festivals, temples and its surroundings citing different sources.

From two Kumaris of Patan to Astamatrika of Pharping and Manjushree, Manandhar’s articles give new insight about them. Although the temple was destroyed by fire last year, Manandhar’s article on Anantpur temple helps to understand its religious and cultural importance in the valley.

Unlike other parts of the world, the temples and shrines in the valley have cultural as well as religious importance and most of the temples are regarded as a symbol of religion and culture. Whether it is a temple of star or Asta Narayan and Shikha Narayan, they have their own importance.

Manandhar has made efforts to analyze their importance in society. In his essay titled The Murals of Kumari, he gives an interesting insight.

To understand the religious and cultural importance of the temples of the valley is not an easy task as it requires extensive knowledge and visits to the particular place.

There is Unmatta Bhairab in all the cities of Kathmandu valley but the Unmatta Bhairab of Panauti has its own importance. In terms of temples, it signifies many things to the local people.

Other important aspects of his book are that he attempts to explain how Buddhism and Hinduism have converged in the all the valley’s temples. It is rare thing in other parts of the world to find one sect of religious people worshipping the god of other sect and vice versa.

Most of the temples and the gods of valley have these unique kinds of characteristics where there is no discrimination in terms of religious faith. Although it is a small book and a compilation of few articles, Manandhar has provided detailed insights regarding the cultural and religious importance of the temples of the valley.