“Architecture as a material creative art is at once temporal and spatial – its immediate meaning lies in its specificity to time and season and space and people. And a building from history develops universality within the temporal and the social saving its original fixity only spatially! The history of architecture should be not for imitation or for glorification of the past but for the inspiration historical buildings offer for creative universality of architecture.”

– Prof. Sudarshan Raj Tiwari

The above is a prologue to Prof. Tiwari’s recently published research, ‘Temples of the Nepal Valley.’ Scholars like Prof. Tiwari are fortunate to have had the opportunity to be able to research on such world acclaimed architecture, although not as he correctly puts it, to glorify or imitate but more as an inspiration to creativity. Yes indeed, and as with Prof. Tiwari, we too are fortunate to still be able to boast of what our forefathers have left behind.

But can we say the same thing for our future generations? Are we leaving behind inspirational historical buildings for them to study, research and appreciate as our forefathers did?

Take for example the Gantantra Stambha proposed to be built at Ratna Park - a repeat of the Gantantra Smarak fiasco in the offing. As with the Smarak, the Stambha too has objectives which are worthy of commendation. But again as with the Smarak, the Stambha stops short of anything further than that. The proposed Stambha too has failed miserably as to its responsibility towards the country’s citizens in general, as its objective has been marred by deep personal and political overtones, cutting short drastically the vision with which the monument should have been addressed. Whereas the decision to build the Stambha could be justified in relation to time, although however political it may be, further specifications as to its location and design should have been left to experts, of which the country certainly has no dearth of. The Prime Minister’s out right decision to locate the Stambha at Ratna Park and specifying the Stambha to be a 52 metre tower capped with a flying horse, not only indicates our leader’s short sightedness but also makes a mockery of the country’s architects and planners and the recently established democracy as well. Furthermore, the DUDBC’s endorsement of the proposal is the authority’s double standards on the issue by being diplomatic to their position officially and at the same time trying to be ethical to their profession unofficially.

Nonetheless, if the Stambha is built as politically specified as above, unfortunately, that too, as defined by Prof. Tiwari, will be architecture. Our future generations will study it no doubt. But not in terms of how to do it, but rather how not to do it.

So much so for our not too far away history of (modern) architecture. Coming to this issue, we have focused on two topics – the restoration of the Swoyambhu Mahachaitya and the development of Eating Out culture in the Valley.

The Swoyambhu Mahachaitya, enlisted in the World Heritage Site, is seeing a major restoration after nearly 90 years. The restoration is scheduled to be completed by the end of January 2010 if not by early February. Swati Pujari, our research architect, follows up on its history, myths, the actual process and the people behind its restoration.

Although Kathmandu Valley is essentially dominated by the Newars, an ethnic group who are primarily very reserved socially, the influx of people outside the Valley into the commercial hub of the country has opened up vast business avenues. And one of these avenues is the business related to Eating Out. With architect Prajal Pradhan tracing out and analysing the reasons behind this trend, the issue also features the interiors of some prominent restaurants making waves in the Valley.

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