Traditional Paving Patterns

Documenting existing pavement patterns in Flagstone and Telia Tiles inside the Heritage Sites in Kathmandu Valley

 

 

 

Temple Reconstruction at Swayambhu, a visual documentation

No words here as the pictures speak for themselves.

Setting out the plinth of the temple
Jan. 2017

Laying out the brick for floor PCC
Jan. 2017

The special mortar mix is made right next to the construction site
Jan. 2017

Plinth is all set in 20-cornered plan
Feb. 2017

Locating the corner gods in their rightful places
Feb. 2017

Feb.2017

Feb. 2017

The gods in place
Feb. 20, 2017

Feb. 23, 2017

The Public Resthouse: Kasthamandap, then and now

Taken after the April 2015 Earthquake
Notice the missing Kasthamandap at the back

Taken before the April 2015 Earthquake
Notice the Kasthmandap at the left corner

Looking at the fenced area where Kasthamandap stood
(Nov. 2016)


The lions at the entrance still stand
(Jan. 2017)


The void left behind
(Jan. 2017)

Kasthamandap as it stood before the April 2015 earthquake. Picture above was taken in January 2013.

 

        Kasthamandap after its reconstruction was completed. Photo taken in November 22, 2021

Lumbini and its surrounding areas

To be Continued...

The Sacred Pond
(Jan. 2017)

Mayadevi Temple with the Sacred Pond at the foreground
(Jan. 2017)

The Ashokan Pillar - Mauryan Period
(Jan. 2017)

Sights of Varanasi

It turned out to be a rather whirlwind trip through Varanasi (Beneras), Sarnath, Gaya, Bodhgaya, Allahbad. In many ways, felt like I was on a Buddhist circuit. But nearly not enough to soak in the place that was Beneras. I've heard stories, seen pictures and studied maps of the historic city with its narrow lanes and heard tales of the mighty river 'Ganga' that appears like an ocean to a first timer, but alas - two days wasn't quite enough.

I did manage to go to quite a few places, the ancient Kashi Temple through the narrow lanes, feasted on the famous Benerasi Paan, Rabadi and Tomato Chaat but it wasn't enough. I hope to be back soon and explore the narrow lanes and its magnificient ghats more. 

The thing about walking though the narrow lanes at least the ones that led to the Kashi Temple was how different it felt from walking along similar narrow lanes in other places. May be it was the openess - all the shops essentially open out to the street, or the relatively low height buildings, the lack of cantileverd projections butting out above your head - the walk, against all expectation did not feel cramped. Despite the vendors trying to lure you to their shops, it- the walk, wasn't unpleasant. That's something I take from the experience. 

Another aspect has to be the experience of the temple smack in the middle of this old city. I have to admit, I'm used to and almost expect religious buildings at a stand alone structure with a decent amount of foreground. This was different, one minute you are walking between these shops, and the next step you are literally walking through metal detectors to get inside the temple complex. It certainly was a first for me.

Along the way, we also got to see some of the Mauryan Stupas at Kesharia and Kohlua, possibly dating back to the reign of Emperor Ashok.

The thing that stood out most for me, was this contrast between the sense of place between Gaya and Bodhgaya. The difference was stark. And yet both places are so intertwined historically. Its puzzling how we human beings can create such different built-up environments even within such close proximity.

To be continued...

Kohlua Excavated Ruins
(Dec. 2016)

The banks of Gaya
(Dec. 2016)

Narrow lanes of Gaya
(Dec. 2016)

One of the access to the main Ghat area
(Dec. 2016)

Electric Tuk Tuks at Bodhgaya (Buddha Mahabodhi Temple)
(Dec. 2016)

Evening Ganga Aarti at Varanasi Ghat
(Dec. 2016)

Asokan Stupa at Kesharia
(Dec. 2016)

Wooden Stove at Gaya
(Dec. 2016)

80'-0" tall Budda Statue at Bodhgaya
(Dec. 2016)

Triveni Sangam, Allahbad, UP, India

Main approach to the confluence
(Dec. 2016)

Looking towards the main confluence point of three rivers
(Dec. 2016)

Setting up the area for the Kumbh Mela
(Dec. 2016)

Setting up the area for Kumbh Mela
(Dec. 2016)

Rani Pokhari (Queen's Pond)

Images from Rani Pokhari built during the reign of King Pratap Malla (1624-74 AD)

The pond, temple and clocktower at the background
before the 1934 earthquake (1920)

Rani Pokhari before the April-May 2015 Earthquake
(Nov. 2014)

Rani Pokhari (April 2015)

Rani Pokhari after the earthquake and
start of reconstruction (Oct. 2016)

Dried out Rani Pokhari during reconstruction
(Dec. 2016)

The revival of Kamal Pokhari

The following images are from Kamal Pokhari while the revival works were underway. The historical pond was finally getting a much needed make over with a paved pathway around it, as well as a thorough clean up of the pond. Initially targeted for SAARC 2014, construction work seems to have been delayed and is still going on as of December 2016.

As for the pond, it is a historical pond which for the longest time has been in a state of neglect. Land encroachment, construction of roads on either sides and an overall decrease of surface water has seen the pond shrink from its original size.

The efforts at revival is welcome as it aims to develop the pond and its surrounding area as a recreational public space which will be open to the public. In a city like Kathmandu with its open spaces rapidly shrinking giving away to the ever expanding concrete jungle, this is a welcome step.

Looking towards City Centre (SE)
(May 2016)

Looking towards South (May 2016)

Looking South West (May 2016)

Looking West (May 2016)

Looking North West (May 2016)

Looking North East (May 2016)

Looking East (May 2016)

Looking South East (May 2016)