Religion and religious merit have
been two very important aspects
in the life of Kathmandu Valley
dwellers. Gaining religious merit by
offering, renovating and beautifying
a temple or a stupa is not a new
concept here. With a similar idea
and based on the statement above by
Ven Tarthang Rinpoche (or Tarthang
Tulku the founder of Tibetan Nyingma
Meditation Center and sponser for
the Swoyambhu Renovation Project),
the ongoing renovation of the
Swoyambhu Stupa at Kathmandu,
initiated some one and a half years
ago, is now near completion. But
before going into details regarding
this renovation, I would firstly
like to focus on the history and
architecture of the stupa itself,
especially the Swoyambhu Stupa. The
Swoyambhu Stupa or the Swoyambhu
Mahachaitya1 is perhaps the most
important shrine for the Newar
Buddhists of Kathmandu Valley and is
located just west of the city atop a
hillock called the Singum or the
Cow-Tail hill.
The Legend and the Symbolism:
There is a popular myth, that
surfaces around the Kathmandu Valley
regarding its creation and the
creation of Swoyambhu, the Self –
Created or the Self – Existent. The
myth reveals the germination of a
Lotus, from the seed planted by
Vipaswi Buddha (before Gautam
Buddha) in the ancient Kalihrada or
Nagavasahrada (a lake, now Kathmandu
Valley), and within it the Swoyambhu
Dharmadhatu (Vajra). This
Dharmadhatu, further unfolds
revealing the Dhyani Buddhas –
“hosts of the created world”, and
the Stupa/ Chaitya finally erected
above this Swoyambhu Dhatu. In
essence, this creation myth,
accounted in the Swoyambhu Purana,
is a symbolic representation of the
union of the Lotus (female
representation) and the Vajra (male
representation) to produce
Bodhicitta, or the Buddha –mind. It
also symbolizes the Lotus as the
heart and the Vajra as the jewel,
and hence proposes the theory that
the jewel can only be found in one’s
own heart – a description of ‘Man’s
Search for Enlightenment’ through
meditation. This legendary history
of the creation of Swoyambhu, and
that of Kathmandu Valley, is in fact
the history of the creation of
universe according to Buddhist
Cosmology.2 This symbolism is also
depicted in the form of Stupas or
Chaityas, a religious element now
exclusive to Buddhism.
The five Dhyani Buddhas that are
revealed in the form of a chaitya
are related to the five elements of
creation, and the chaitya itself
represents the germination of life
in the form of a seed planted in
water – the divine life giving
substance (as revealed in Swoyambhu
Purana). The five Buddhas, along
with their respective elements and
positions are clarified in the plan
and the table (assembled using
multiple sources) in the following
page (pg. 69)
The history of the stupa:
Although a monumental architecture
today, the Stupas and the Chaityas
reflect their development from the
simple tumulus or burial mound, into
a form incorporating such a complex
celestial and spiritual symbolism.
Hence it has been considered safe to
assume that the standard form of
Nepali stupas, with thirteen stages
finial (triyodasa bhuwana) and eyes
painted on the harmika, was a much
later development, though stupa
construction was a major part of the
valley religion since the Lichhavi
times (c. 300 AD to c. 800 AD).
The Swoyambhu Mahachaitya itself,
has apparently developed into its
current form through time, and
though believed to have been created
before the creation of Kathmandu
(and also relating, mythological, to
the creation of the universe), the
exact historic dates of its
construction are not yet confirmed.
It is said that the first physical
form of a stupa at the hillock was
erected by the king turned bhiksu,
Santasri or Santikaracharya, which
was later repaired by Vrsadeva, but
the earliest physical records that
mention the stupa are in the form of
a distorted stone inscription from
which the mention of Swoyambhu (Sinagu
Bihara) in relation to Shankar Deva
(Mana Dev’s (5th Century AD)
Grandfather) has been concluded (as
revealed in an interview with Mr.
Manish Shakya, Director for Center
of Documentation and Conservation –
Swoyambhu Conservation Project).
Shakya also points out the mention
of installation of the Chaitya at
Swayambhu by Vrishdeva in the Gopal
raj Vamsavali, but also suggests
that the chaitya was perhaps only
renovated in a new design. If this
hypothesis is accepted, it can be
argued that the historicity of
Swayambhu chaitya goes back to at
least 4th century A.D. Yet the
evidences that point to the
existence of Swoyambhu, in the 5th
and 7th centuries are flimsy and far
from conclusive. However there is
ample evidence from the 14th century
onwards, particularly documenting
the many renovations that have been
carried out time and again. Records
show that the stupa was completely
renewed at least 12 times between
1370 and 1820. Until 1820, there
seems to have been 14 major recorded
renovations carried out at the stupa,
and in some of these cases, the
stupa was not only replicated but
rather ‘brought up to date’ by
enlarging it and adding divine
offerings. In every renovation the
divine essence of the stupa, nyasa,
is linked from the former chaitya to
the new one by a series of extended
rituals, and hence the renovated
chaitya, is essentially a remake of
the marred one it replaced. The
chaitya that presently stands is
composed of the parts dating back to
the renovations of 1816 and 1918,
and hence the physical structure
must have been constructed during
these renovations, but it can be
arguably said that this present
structure is a representation of
what the chaitya must have looked
like centuries ago, and perhaps also
what it originally looked like!4
Though a reflection of the ancient
stupa, it is believed that the many
elements that are currently
displayed are later additions. For
example, Mr. Manish Shakya reveals
how the elaborate shrines of the
five Tathagatas or Dhyani Buddhas
and the four Taras, their consorts (Vajradhateshwori,
the consort of Vairocana is
represented by an alcove, and not by
a shrine in Swoyambhu) were later
additions, which initially started
with the shrines of four Tathagatas
(all except Vairocana, who acts from
the center), and finally with the
addition of the shrines of the four
Taras during the 1918 renovation.
Yet the stone symbols of the five
Tathagatas, below their current
shrines that were discovered/
rediscovered during the current
renovation date back to the Lichhavi
time, and the toranas decorating the
shrines of the four Dhyani Buddhas
date nearly 740 years back, hence,
suggesting that the stupa is a
conglomeration as well as a physical
historic record of its development
over the years!
Buddha
Direction
Element
Colour
Mount
Gesture
(Mudra)
Tara
(Consort)
Vairocana
Centre
Ether
(Akasa)
White
Lion
Boddhyanga
Vajradhateswori
Akshobhya
East
Water
Dark
blue
Elephant
Bhumi
Sparsha
Lochana
Ratnasambhawa
South
Earth
Yellow
Horse
Barada
Mamaki
Amitabh
West
Fire
Red
Peacock
Dhyana
Pandara
Amogsiddhi
North
Air
Green
Garuda
Abhaya
Arya
Tara
An account
of the major
renovations
of the
chaitya is
presented in
the
following
table5 :
Year
Person
Responsible
Renovation
Works
c.
1264
-
1270
Jo-bstun
sPras-pa,
dPon-chen
Sakya
bzang-po
Renewing
the
timber
Yasti
whitewashing
of
the
new
chaitya
and
installation
of a
'long
stone'
1372
Rajaharsa
and
King
Jayarjundeva
Renovation
of
the
chaitya
and
hoisting
the
precious
Chattra
and
offering
of
many
bejewelled
and
gold
plaited
parts
1413
Mahapandita
Sakya-sri
Sariputra
and
King
Jyotir
Malla
Renewing
the
timber
Yasti;
renovations
of
the
parasol
along
with
the
accompanying
disks
c.
1484
gTsang-smyon
Heruka
Renovation
of
superstructure;
redesigning
of
the
upper
part
of
the
superstructure,
but
Yasti
was
not
renewed
1530
-
1539/40
lHa-btsun
Rin-chen
rNam-rgyal
Erection
of a
new
Yasti,
but
due
to
lack
of
resources
most
of
the
parts
were
gilt
only
after
30
years
1591
-
1595,
1601
-
1604
Sakyabhiksu
Jayaraksa,
and
the
population
of
Kathmandu
Complete
Renovation,
these
2
renovations
are
also
called
'Twin'
Renovations
1629/30
sixth
Zhva-dmar-pa
Partial
renovation
with
donation
of
golden
shields,
and
embellishment
of
the
Stupa
1637
-
1638
King
Laksminarasimha
Malla,
Pratapa
Malla
and
°Chandra
Bharo
Complete
renovation,
including
renewing
the
Yasti
and
setting
up
of
Buddha
images
in 4
niches
1681
-
1682
Rang
rig
ras
pa
and
King
Parthivendra
Malla
Complete
renovation,
including
renewing
the
Yasti
1710
-
1712/13
Queen
mother
Bhuvanalaksmi
and
King
Bhaskara
Malla
Complete
renovation,
along
with
making
a
part
by
part
measured
drawing.
This
renovation
also
mentions
re-
establishing
the
4
Buddha
images
with
addition
of 1
Buddha
image
(total
5
Buddha
images)
Complete
Renovation,
including
renewing
of
the
Yasti,
the
re-consecration
of
the
chaitya
was
done
in
both
Tibetan
and
Newar
ways
1814
-
1817
Supported
by
Bhutanese
patrons
Last
comprehensive
renovation
which
included
the
renewing
of
the
Yasti
1918
-
1921
rTogs-ldan
Sakyasri,
'Brug-pa
lama
dGe-bshes
Shes-rab
and
Dharmamanasim
Tuladhar
Though
the
Yasti
was
not
renewed,
the
entire
part
above
the
harmika
was
taken
down,
and
replaced,
perhaps
the
shrines
of
the
Taras
were
added
in
this
renovation
The fifteenth major renovation of
Swoyambhu Mahachaitya – 2008-10
As a religious offering to the
stupas of Nepal Mandala (the
Kathmandu Valley), Ven Tarthang
Rinpoche was initially keen on
carrying out an extensive renovation
of the Bauddhanath Stupa at Bauddha,
Kathmandu, in October 2007. But
discouraged by the disinterest of
the local people, the project turned
its concerns towards the
Swoyambhunath Stupa, which was last
renovated around the same time
period as Bauddhanath.
Co-incidentally the local community
of Swoyambhu was planning for a
renovation but could not implement
it due to the lack of resources. The
resources in this case were provided
by a California based organization
established by Ven Tarthang Rinpoche
– Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Center.
Initialization and Organization:
The Swoyambhu Mahachaitya is,
without a doubt one of the most
revered and sacred monuments of
Nepal and is associated with the
sentiments of perhaps each and every
person of the local community of the
Nepal Mandala. Originally a three
year long intervention focusing only
on renewing the gold covering the
copper elements, the project was
later converted to an 18 month
undertaking which included the
repair of all the copper elements,
the timber cornice over the harmika,
and re-gilding all the copper
elements with new gold.
Though the intervention does not
involve the renewing the yasti, it
is still a major undertaking not
only financially but also
culturally, and as in any
intervention, where there is social
capital involved, there is distrust.
The story of the chaitya’s
renovation shows that trust had to
be gained by all the parties
involved. Gaining this trust was a
matter of accountability, and being
accountable, according to Ms.
Tsering Gellek , Director, is not a
matter of grave difficulty when
every step of the process is
recorded, photographed, registered,
reported and monitored by the local
community (caretakers of Swoyambhu),
which is exactly what was done in
this undertaking.
The major organizations involved in
this project are: Federation of
Swoyambhu Management and
Conservation (The Mahasamiti);
Swoyambhu Youth Club; Department of
Archaeology (DoA); The Artisans,
District Administration Office (CDO’s
Office); Nepal Police; Kathmandu
Metropolitan City; Tibetan Nyingma
Meditation Center. Among these the
four key players were the Mahasamiti,
Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Center,
the Artisans and the DoA.
As a world heritage site, the DoA’s
concern with this undertaking was
undeniable, but the representative
of the DoA, Mr. Suresh S. Shrestha,
emphasizes that the success of this
undertaking should be credited to
local involvement. The local
community of Buddhacharyas
(caretakers of Swoyambhu) comprising
of the Mahasamiti and the Youth
Club, have created a three member
co-ordination team and a four member
monitoring team (along with a four
member gold monitoring team) who
have acted as a bridge between the
foreign management and DoA and also
any other local party involved. The
management would approach the DoA
through the Mahasamiti for any
required permissions or other legal
maters making the transaction
smooth.
The work flow, especially in the
metal works, comprised of removal of
metal sheets, copper repousse works,
gold plating and reinstallation of
the finished parts. Detailed log
sheets are kept of each and every
metal part after its removal and are
photographed accordingly. Then an
account of all the missing parts and
the repaired parts are kept. The
gold used for this purpose is
registered and the handing over of
the gold is photographed. The final
report for each element/ shrine/
ring is prepared after installation.
A representative from all the above
mentioned organization is present at
the removal and reinstallation of
each element/ shrine/ ring.
What is being done?
It is clear that the renovation of
Swoyambhu Mahachaitya is accounted
for by an extensive documentation
process, but the actual work being
carried out for this undertaking is
even more extensive. As mentioned
earlier, the project focuses on
repairing and maintaining the metal
sections of the nine shrines,
harmika, elements atop the harmika,
thirteen rings of the finial and the
gajur/pinnacle, along with the
timber cornice atop the harmika.
Also, the vajra at the end of the
eastern stairway was the first
element to be renovated after the
commencement of works on 15th July
2008.
The Copper Works:
The copper works begin with the removal
of the metal sheets from their original
locations; these sheets are then washed
mainly in water and cleaned using a
natural acidic fruit (chu-paun)
identical with the traditional cleaning
method. After washing, the parts are
studied at the workshop and depending on
the extent of work needed, they are
either simply hammered back to shape or
in some cases, parts that are missing or
totally damaged are re-made by the
artisans from scratch. The parts that
have to be remade are based either on
the repetitive or mirrored details of
the particular shrine or on historic
photographs. Firstly a paper cut out of
the part is made including all the
details, and then the designs are raised
in relief from the inside of the element
by hammering. Other specific and fine
tools are used according to the details.
After the repousse works are completed
the elements are sent for soldering if
needed. The parts are then smoothened
until all sharp corners have been
removed and the elements are totally
smooth. Finally, the elements are stored
until requested by the gold gilding
section. The copper section is headed by
Mr. Sajana Shakya, and is interestingly
the most time consuming task.
Mr. Sajana Shakya,
Head of Copper
Section:
Mr. Sajana Shakya,
from Oku Bahal,
Patan, was trained
in metal works from
the Norbulinga
Institute, Himachal
Pradesh, India, an
institute
established by the
H.H. Dalai Lama. He
comes from a family
of artisans working
in copper repousse
works and the last
three generations
from his family have
in-fact worked in
the renovation or
maintenance of the
shrines at Swoyambhu.
Currently he has 20
people working under
him, some of whom
are local people who
were interested and
were trained by him
during the course of
this renovation.
His previous works
include the copper
works for a chaitya
at Pati Bihar, Thimi
along with other
numerous copper
statues.
The Gold Works:
The gold plaiting method
used in the renovation is
the same method that was
used in the 16th century
Nepal, using mercury as a
bonding element and without
the use of any chemical
other than the traditional
chu-paun. Firstly the copper
elements are cleaned and
coated with a layer of
mercury. Then it is heated
in the furnace. The solid
gold that was donated, is
pressed into sheets and cut
into thin strips, after
which a hand made paste of
this gold and mercury (ratio
1:5) is made. The mercury
and gold paste is then
carefully applied to the
surface of copper, keeping
in mind the presence of old
gold in the surface. This
element is then heated on
the furnace, vaporizing all
the mercury, thereby leaving
a coat of gold. This surface
lacks the characteristic
shine of gold which is then
brought forth by polishing
the surface with an
approximately 2 inch long
agate stone. The polishing
of the gold is an
interesting process as one
can see the lustre of the
gold literally shining with
each stroke. The final
product is heated once again
to remove any remaining
mercury.
A feature of the gold used
in this shrine is that it is
a 24-K 9999 gold, which
means that the gold is
99.99% pure, unlike the
99.50% purity of the 24-K
gold used in jewellery.
One of the major concerns of
Mr. Lok Ratna Shakya, who
headed the gold section, was
the eminent health threat
posed by the use of mercury
in this process. Though
protective clothing and
masks are used for this
purpose, the experience of
two of the artisans falling
ill due to mercury related
reasons made Mr. Lok all the
more wary.
Mr. Lok Ratna Shakya,
Head of Gold
Section:
Mr. Lok Ratna Shakya,
from Hakha Tol,
Patan, worked in
gold plating since
he was fourteen. His
father, Kaji Dai,
deviated from their
family business of
making gold
ornaments in
preference to
working in gold
plating. There were
35 workers under
him; 20 skilled
while the others
were still learning.
His other works
included the gold
plating of a Gumba
at Budanilkantha,
and certain works on
the temple of Harati
Mata (the two tired
temple west of the
Swoyambhu Stupa)
some 16 years ago.
In his interview,
Mr. Lok recalled
that the ongoing
renovation was his
second experience in
working with old
copper and commented
that working with
old copper is so
much more difficult
than working with
new copper.
Mr. Lok Ratna Shakya
(27/8/2021 -
19/9/2066 B.S.),
passed away on 3rd
January 2010,
suffering a heart
attack. Besides his
expertise in the
gold works and his
involvement in the
Swoyambhu Renovation
Project, he was the
Organization
Commissioner,
Lalitpur District,
Nepal Scouts and
also a life time
member of Nepal Red
Cross Society. He is
survived by his
mother, wife and two
daughters. With his
demise the
department of gold
works at the
Swoyambhu Renovation
Project is now
headed by his wife
Ms. Ranjani Shakya.
The Timber Works:
The timber works were
initially not a part of the
proposed intervention, and
were included only when the
copper plates of the harmika
were removed and the decayed
timber inside were
discovered. Upon this
discovery, the organization
had to apply to the DoA for
permissions to renovate the
timber elements as well.
Once the permission was
granted, the decayed timber
in the frame and the cornice
of the harmika were studied,
and the timber was found out
to be Sal in the structural
frame and Chillaune (Schima
wallichi ) in the decorative
cornice. Also the decay was
found to be due to the
seepage of water and not the
action of termites.
Replacing the damaged
portion of the frames and
cornice was a difficult
process, as the sections
(especially in the frames)
had to be strategically
removed, make sure that the
parts above it were properly
supported, and then the new
parts attached using
traditional joints. Due to
the unavailability of
properly seasoned timber for
the replaced 16 inch thick
section of the nearly 3 feet
thick cornice, the water
seepage problem was resolved
using interlocking overlaps
of the copper plates over
the timber, and also by
covering the top of the
harmika by copper plates.
Mr. Purna Shakya:
Head of Timber
Works:
Mr. Purna Shakya,
one of the members
of Shree Bacha
Mahavihar, a branch
monastery of the
Golden Temple, Patan,
is a 75 year old
retired man, who has
come back to work
especially for this
one project. Mr.
Shakya has been
working in woodworks
since he was eight
years old and
recalls how he could
handle the entire
work when he was
only thirteen years
of age; clearly, he
has more than sixty
years of experience
in this regard. Mr.
Shakya is also an
expert on the
existing 21 types of
traditional timber
joints used in the
valley.
His previous works
include the
renovation of Taal
Bahari Temple,
Pokhra, 45 years
ago.
1. One can find the earliest
mentions of the Swoyambhu
Mahachaitya in the
Gopalrajavamsavali, which records
the conservation of the ‘revered
chaitya of the monastery at Sinagu’
by King Visvadeva (presumably
Varsadeva) c. 400 AD. The Singum
hillock, is often called ‘Semgu’ or
‘Segu’, hence it has been proposed
that the ‘Chaitya at Sinagu’ refers
to the Swoyambhu Mahachaitya. Other
records such as a badly damaged
inscription at Gokarna by Amsuvarma
(7th century AD), mentions the
preserved letters …..bhucaityabhatta…..
a part of the conjectured word ‘svayambhucaityabharraraka’.
Another chronicle, the
Bhasavamsavali, composed after the
15th century AD in Nepali language,
after the conquest of the valley by
the Shahs, relates the chaitya with
Licchavi King Mandeva (Great
Grandson of Varsadeva). Yet both the
Vamsavalis were composed centuries
later than the actual events and
hence their reliability is often put
to question. Another badly worn out
inscription at the Murtisamgrahalaya
(Museum) at Swoyambhu, mentions the
renovation of the Chaitya, but the
poor legibility of the inscription
has lead to the reading of the three
ciphers as 2 4 9 by Mary Slusser
(Nepal Mandala, 1982). If this
inscription dates to N.S. 249
(=1128/29 AD) then it certainly
predates the raid of the valley by
Shams ud-din. But clearly all these
pre-mid 14th century evidences
regarding the Swoyambhu Mahachaitya
are flimsy and conjectural at best.
It is possible that the hillock was
an important religious site since
the Lichhavi (may be even Kirat)
times but the authentic historic
dates regarding the construction or
even the early renovations of the
stupa are as yet unconfirmed.
2. The Red Annals (Deb ther
dmar po) a chronicle compiled in the
14th century records the renovation
of Swoyambhu by Jo-btsun sPras-pa.
The tree for the yasti was fell at
Singa (present day Nuwakot, north of
Kathmandu Valley), the whitewashing
of the rebuilt chaitya, the setting
up of a new chattra and installation
of a ‘long stone’ (perhaps an
inscription) were recorded.
Unfortunately the chronicle does not
mention any dates. A Tibetan
dkar-chag (inventory) also records
the donation of three large dronas
and 50 ounces of gold by dPon-chen
Sakya bzang-po in the second half of
the 13th century, most likely
between 1264 and 1270. The
additional resources needed were
donated by Kalyabanutras from dBus
and gTsabg, the Bares from Nepal and
the Thakuras from India and the new
timber mast (yasti) was set up by a
father-son duo – the Blamas from
Tibet.
3. An inscription at
Swoyambhu records the repair works
carried out at the chaitya
re-consecrated in October 1372, some
23 years after it had been set on
fire by the troops of Shams ud-din
in 1349. It mentions a certain
Rajaharsa and his family as the main
donor, who having obtained
permission from the King
Jayarjundeva of Bhaktapur and
‘sub-king’ Jayasthiti Malla of
Kathmandu, renovated the chaitya and
hoisted the precious Chattra. Many
bejeweled and gold plated parts were
offered to the chaitya owing,
presumably to their removal by the
troops. The chattra, 13 gilded rings
(cakravali), a crystal (sphutita), a
shaft surmounted by a gem (ratnosnisadanda),
and studded with every kind of jewel
(visvamanikhacita), along with a
golden (gold plaited) finial (suvarnakalash),
banners (dhvaja), and golden struts
(suvarnadanda) were provided.
4. An inscription at
Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu
records the offering of a golden
finial to the lord Pashupati by King
Jyotir Malla in 1413. The same
inscription also mentions a
renovation of Swoyambhu carried out
during his reign (which commenced
only 4 years earlier). Also Tibetan
dkar-chag mentions the renovations
of the parasol along with the
accompanying disks, during 1413 AD.
The dkar-chag relates that the
donations had come from different
regional rulers in Tibet and
mentions that the king of Nepal Sri
Jyotir Malla superintended and
called together all the craftsmen
under his charge. The yasti in this
case was replaced, not by a Newar
but by the Mahapandita Sakya-sri
Sariputra, who happened to be
passing by Nepal, on his way to the
Chinese Ming Court. He apparently
used the funds provided by the
Chinese Emperor for whitewashing the
dome.
5. Related in the religious
biography (rnam thar) of
gTsang-smyon Heruka (1452-1507) is a
detailed dkar-chag of the renovation
carried out by Heruka after
obtaining permission from King Ratna
Malla (reign 1484–1520). The
necessary funds were raised from
amongst the Tibetans and Nepalese
and the king himself committed to
providing the wood. Yet the wood
that was fetched by 800 people, was
not used in the yasti, as no
mentions of replacing/ renovating
the yasti appears in any of the
Tibetan or Newar sources, only
citing renovation of the 13 rings,
and despite the reports of delay,
the renovation was completed within
a couple of months, evidently a time
period much shorter than that
required for the establishment of a
new yasti. Though the workers were
from the valley, the renovation
works were in the hands of the
Tibetans and the necessary rituals
were also carried out by the Tibetan
monks. It is also reported that the
chaitya’s superstructure was
redesigned by Heruka, an intriguing
indication of the measure of control
exercised by him.
6. In the year 1530, there
was yet another raid of the
Swoyambhuchaitya by the Magar troops
of Mukunda Sena, the king of Palpa.
This renovation is mentioned in a
Newar manuscript of Naradasmrti; the
initiation of the renovation was
once again credited to gTsang-smyon
Heruka, who appeared in a vision to
his disciple lHa-btsun Rin-chen
rNam-rgyal, requesting him to
renovate the stupa. The renovation
started in 1530 with the erection of
a new yasti, but owing to lack of
resources, it went on for nearly ten
years and was completed only in
1539/40. The lack of resources
resulted in only some parts of the
harmika and none of the rings being
covered by gilt, but 30 years later
the tiers and parts of the harmika
were covered by gilt by his disciple
sKyid-grong-gnas Rab-‘byams-pa
Phun-tshogs.
7. In the year 1591, yet
another renovation of the Swayambhu
Chaitya was initiated, since the
yasti had ‘become old’. This
renovation was completed in 1595,
but just six years later, the stupa
was struck by lightning and had to
be renovated again between 1601 and
1604. The yasti for the first
renovation was from a tree felled
somewhere along a tributary of the
Trisuli River and that for the
second renovation was felled in the
nearby forest of Kapilasa. The main
burden of the ‘twin’ renovations was
carried by a single sponsor of Votu,
Kathmandu and his family –
Sakyabhiksu Jayaraksa. But the
entire renovation was in fact a
combined effort of the entire
population of Kathmandu, where the
people came together to do their
part, in terms of the monetary
resources as well as active
participation. The people were
divided in groups according to their
community, and participated not only
in the physical rebuilding process
but also took care of all the
religious rituals in turns. These
two renovations were, in effect
solely carried out by the people of
Kathmandu Valley and are recorded
together in an extensive bilingual
inscription at Swayambhu.
8. A partial renovation of
the stupa is recorded in a thyasaphu
mentioning the donation of golden
shields to the four niches in the
cardinal directions. This endeavour
of embellishment was carried out by
the sixth Zhva-dmar-pa, who visited
Swoyambhu in N.S. (1629/30). This
renovation, though mentioned as a
thorough repair of the chaitya in
some records does not mention the
repair or replacement of the Yasti.
9. In much the same ways as
the ‘twin’ renovations, the
renovation that happened during the
reign of King Laksminarasimha Malla
(reign=1619-1641) was a collective
undertaking by the local community
of Kathmandu. The detailed account
of this renovation is recorded in a
thyasaphu, which mentions the
de-consecration of the chaitya in
March 1637 (10th day of bright half
of Phalguna), after the new yasti
arrived atop the Sengu hillock. The
new yasti was erected two months
later and the rebuilding of the
chaitya happened over the next
fourteen months. Interestingly the
thayasafu mentions the setting up of
the four Buddha statues in their
respective niches but makes no
mentions of the niche of Vairocana
or the Taras, suggesting that the
later five shrines were not added by
that time. The main sponsors (Danapati)
for this renovation are mentioned as
King Laksminarasimha Malla, his son
the junior king (merahma juju)
Pratapa Malla and a certain °Chandra
Bharo (the first part of the name is
missing), but also mentions the
involvement of different communities
of Kathmandu in providing the
materials as well as participation.
Notably each of the rings of the
finial is recorded as being
sponsored by a certain locality of
Kathmandu.
10. The renovation that
initiated in 1681 was presumably
initiated by a Tibetan and then
executed by the Newars. The Tibetan
dkar-chag mentions the donations of
some funds (32 ounces of gold to be
precise) left over after the repair
of the stupa of Bauddha, to King
Parthivendra Malla for the
renovation of Swoyambhu. It is
recorded that in 1680 the yasti was
impaired (by a ‘mad-man’) and though
the ritual begging for forgiveness
was practiced, yet the chaitya was
marred and repairing the yasti was
considered necessary (another source
quotes that the yasti broke). Much
like the previous restorations, the
different localities of Kathmandu
sponsored certain parts of the
chaitya and a Newar thyasaphu
mentions the divine essence of the
chaitya (nyasa) being extracted on
the 9th day of Chaitra (1681). It
also mentions the two kings (juju
nihma), perhaps Parthivendra Malla
and his younger brother Mahipatendra
witnessed the different events. This
renovation also mentions the
installation of the four Buddha
statues but fails to mention the
shrine of the other five deities.
The final consecration ceremony was
initiated in December 1682 and the
customary rituals were performed in
February/ March 1683.
11. After less than 30 years,
the Swoyambhu Chaitya was renovated
yet again (1710 AD) and in this
renovation, a part by part measured
drawing of the chaitya was made
(perhaps recorded or in any case
mentioned for the first time).
According to a Newari Manuscript,
this renovation was again an
endeavour by the local Newars of
Kathmandu and the Queen mother
Bhuvanalaksmi and her adolescent
son, King Bhaskara Malla, who took
keen interest in many stages of the
renovation. The manuscript also
mentions that the king and his
mother sponsored five new Buddha
images for the shrines. This is
perhaps the first mention of 5
images (instead of 4), suggesting
that the niche of Vairocana was
added during this renovation. Though
the cause for this renovation is not
mentioned, the detailed account of
the renovation records the ritual
begging of forgiveness being held in
June 1710 with the ritual extraction
of the nyasa (divine essence).
Surprisingly, the dismantling of the
chaitya only began a year and a half
later. The chronology of the works
also mentions that the chaitya was
ready for re-consecration in June
1712 (Jyestha N.S. 832), however the
transfer of nyasa back to the
chaitya is dated one year later in
N.S. 833 (1713 AD)
12. After a series of Newar
undertakings in the renovation of
Swoyambhu, a joint undertaking by
the Tibetans and Newars initiated in
1751 (less than 50 years after the
last renovation). The renovation was
carried out after the initiation by
the Tibetan rNying-ma-pa lama-Kah-thog
Rig-‘dzin Tshe-dbang nor-bu. The
entire renovation is recorded in his
rnam-thar as well as in an
inscription at Swoyambhu. Other
Newar chronicles recording this
renovation were written by
Vimalaprabahananda - the main
priest, and one by
Svayambhuvajradeva – son of one of
the priests involved. It is
mentioned that when the lamas
requested permission to renovate the
chaitya from the king of Kathmandu –
Jayaprakasha Malla, the king called
a meeting with the leaders of the
Buddhist community who pointed out
that the renovation of Swayambhu had
been an endeavour by the locals of
Kathmandu alone and not even
entrusted to the people of Bhaktapur
or Patan in the past (though this
was only the case in the last five
renovations). Hence it was decided
that the king would be formally in
charge and the population will
assume responsibility, and the lamas
would be merely ‘helpers’. But the
lamas were more than just ‘helpers’
and Rig-‘dzin Tshe-dbang nor-bu,
took on the responsibility of the
renovation and later passed it on to
his two disciples. As the renovation
works were carried out during the
conquest of Kathmandu by the king of
Gorkha, Pritivi Narayan Shah, this
seven year long endeavour is filled
with interesting facts. Firstly, the
timber for the new yasti was
provided by Prihivi Narayan Shah,
who occupied the area of Nuwakot.
The first tree that was fallen was
rejected by Rig-‘dzin Tshe-dbang
nor-bu and the new tree that was
fallen took 3 years to reach atop
the Swoyambhu hill. Another
interesting fact regarding this
renovation was the ritual
transformation of the divine spirit
(nyasa) happened twice during this
one undertaking. The conquest by the
king of Gorkha put a fear regarding
the possible capture of the nyasa by
the conquerors, and hence before the
arrival of the yasti, nominal
renovations were carried out and the
stupa was re-consecrated in 1754/55.
In 1757, the stupa was once again
de-consecrated and the new yasti was
erected in May 1757. Interestingly
the consecration was carried out in
both Tibetan and Newar traditions in
January 1758 according to Tibetan
tradition, and in May/June 1758
according to Newar tradition.
13. Between the year 1814 and
1817, the last comprehensive
renovation of the Swoyambhu,
including the replacement of the
yasti was carried out. The old yasti
was broken or tilted to the left at
the very least. But yet again, the
first yasti that was initially
selected from a forest in Hetauda
was discarded due to the difficulty
in pulling it to the valley, and a
yasti was felled on the banks of one
of the tributaries of Trisuli, in
the beginning of the year 1815. It
took two years to bring the yasti
atop the Swoyambhu hill, and during
January/ February, the divine
essence was extracted. After this,
the works commenced rather quickly
and four months after the
de-consecration, the dismantling and
subsequent rebuilding was completed.
The divine essence was transferred
back to the chaitya a few days
later. One can find the mentions of
Bhutanese involvement in this
renovation.
14. The last major renovation
at the stupa was carried out in
1918, though this renovation did not
include replacement of the yasti,
yet the entire part above the
harmika (13 staged finial) was taken
down, and replaced. The new elements
were more elaborate and decorative,
and the niches were entirely
renewed. The statue of Vairocana was
replaced, and it is suspected that
the niches of the Taras were added
during this renovation. The funds
for the renovation was collected
from different countries including
Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. The main
protagonists behind the project were
rTogs-ldan Sakyasri, the ‘Brug-pa
lama dGe-bshes Shes-rab and the
Newar Sahu Dharmamanasim Tuladhar (Dhanan
Sahu). The re-consecration of the
stupa was done in both Tibetan and
Newar ways and this elaborate
ceremony ended in 1921.
With the involvement of all the key players,
the current Swoyambhu Mahachaitya renovation
is undoubtedly an extremely well documented
and accountable work. As a dharma
initiative, and as a conservation work, the
interesting thing about this project is that
it has tried to find the mid-grounds for the
undertaking, and the active involvement of
DoA in this matter has helped preserve the
conservational values of the monument. The
DoA has responsibly accounted for the proper
following of the Ancient Monument
Preservation Act. The elements that were
added (like the chepu at the shrine of
Lochani Tara and the torana at the shrine of
Pandara Tara etc.) were based on evidences
like historic photographs and also on the
existing details in the elements. Another
important feature of the project is the fact
that the newly added copper sheets are
dated, or at the very least marked («),
before installation (a requirement of the
DoA).
The renovation of the Swoyambhu Stupa, is a
once in a lifetime event, and the last
renovation was some 90 years ago (1918). The
current renovation, besides a religious
offering or an architectural intervention,
is in-fact a revival of many things, amongst
which lies our cultural and religious
history – or the intangible culture. During
the course of these 18 months, numerous
rituals have been performed for the first
time in the last 90 years; also the
renovation of the stupa will once again end
with the consecration ceremony, where the
divine essence of the stupa will be
transferred back. Hence, one can say that
the renovation of the Swoyambhu Mahachaitya,
has, to the people of Nepal Mandala, been an
opportunity to revive their culture after
almost one century!
