March - April 2012

MARCH - APRIL 2012 

ART - ARCHITECTURE - INTERIORS - ACCESSORIES 

www.spacesnepal.com 

RENOVATION 

for adaptive reuse 

The Story of Swotha 

Aluminium Composite Panels (ACP) 

Style or 

Sensi sibility 

Rustic 

radiance 

To 

HOUSE 

or not to house 

Price NRs. 100/- IRs. 65/- 

A HOME with a HABITATION 

AMA GHAR

JK cement

Jorpati,Kathmandu,Nepal 

Tel: 4911701, 4426554 

Fax:977-1-912868 

Email: info@topwinsys.com 

topwinsys@yahoo.com 

Website:www.topwinsys.com

Price NRs. 100/- IRs. 65/- 

20 HERITAGE 


by Ar. Swati Pujari 

The value of preservation and the preservation 

of values go hand in hand. A one year series 

on change and preservation begins with the 

renovation of two buildings at Swotha, Patan. 

Volume 8 Issue 3 March - April 2012 

46 ARCHITECTURE 

A Home with a Habitation - Ama Ghar 

by Ar. Kalpana Bhandari 

“Ama Ghar” or “Motherly Home” a home 

for orphans and underprivileged children, in 

Godavari, showcases minimalism in design; 

passive and active solar energy management; 

and waste and rain water management. 



- Style or Sensibility 

by Ar. Shristi Shrestha 

Following the ongoing trend of using ACP or 

Aluminium Composite Panels, a comprehensive 

analysis of the material, its installation, its 

benefits and disadvantages 


House or Not to House 

by Ar. Yatra Sharma 

A common sight along the river corridors of 

Kathmandu - the Sukumbasi or squatters, and the 

dilemma of eviction versus distributing land titles 

is discussed and analyzed here. 


Rainwater Harvesting, a smart way 

of life! 

by Ar. Diskhya Poudyal 

“The term ‘GREEN’ is contextual. The concept 

of ‘Green Architecture’ means different in 

different places. For Nepal, Green Building is the 

building which is energy efficient, cost effective, 

structurally stable and sustainable.” 

-B. L. Shrestha 

MARCH - APRIL 2012 



ART - ARCHITECTURE - INTERIORS - ACCESSORIES 

16 

Interior 

Rustic Radiance 

by Artex Pvt. Ltd. 

‘Those who want to make it find a way, those 

who don’t, find a reason’ and interior designer 

Rishi Shroff has definitely found a way. Once a 

residence, the eatery - Grill me is now a challenge 

turned into an opportunity. 

COVER PHOTO : Ashesh Rajbansh 

50 ADVERTORIAL 

Just a Click Away 

by Ar. Swati Pujari 

Bipassana International - the up and coming 

name, buzzing in the field of home automation 

brings to you custom designed solutions in 

security and convenience - a Smart Home. 

RENOVATION 




Style or 

Sensi sibility 

ToHOUSE 


Rustic 

radiance 


AMA GHAR 

50 BOOK RELEASE 

Architecture of the Newars 

Dr. Niels Gutschow presents a tribute to the 

heritage of Nepal - his three volume book 

‘Architecture of the Newars: A History of 

Building Typologies and Details in Nepal’ - a 

comprehensive compilation of 40 years of 

research.

Volume 8 Issue 3 

March - April 2012 

Regd. No 30657/061-62 CDO No. 41 

Contributors 

Madan Chitrakar, a regular 

contributor to SPACES, is an 

artist, art critic, writer, and holds 

a masters degree in History and 

Culture besides a degree in Applied 

Art from J. J. School of Arts in 

Mumbai, India and Iconographic 

Design from the Netherlands. His 

writings on art include the book 

on his late father Tej B. Chitrakar, ‘Icon of a Transition’, 

published in 2004. He is presently associated as visiting 

faculty in the KU Centre for Art & Design. (madanc@ntc. 

net.np) 

Dikshya Poudyal received her 

B.Arch degree from IOE Pulchowk 

campus in 2010. She carries a 

passion for writing and believes 

that architecture has always been 

something that carries with it the 

essence of time and culture. 

Managing Editor 

Editor at Large 

Editors 

Public Relations 

Marketing 

Marketing /Correspondence 

Subscription/Marketing Ass. 

Contributing Art Editor 

Contributing Editors 

Contributors 

Accounts / Admin 

Senior Correspondent 

Photographers 

Design / Colour Separation 

Printed at 

Published by 

Ashesh Rajbansh 

Siddhartha Lama 

Ar. Swati Pujari 

Ar. Sushmita Ranjit Shrestha 

Prakash Bahadur Amatya 

Kripa Shrestha 

Kajal Pradhanang 

Anish Shrestha 

Madan Chitrakar 

Kasthamandap Art Studio 

Ar. Sworup G. Koney 

(President - Society of Nepalese Architects) 

Ar. Debesh Raj Bhattarai 

(General Secretary - Society of Nepalese Architects) 

Ar. Jinisha Jain (Delhi) 

Ar. Chetan Raj Shrestha (Sikkim) 

Barun Roy (Darjeeling Hills) 


Ar. Dikshya Poudyal 

Dipa Shrestha 

Ar. Bansri Pandey 

Ar. Kalpana Bhandari 

Ashesh Rajbansh 

Pradip Ratna Tuladhar 

Digiscan Pre-Press 

Naxal, Kathmandu. Phone: 4436817 

Format Printing Press 

Hadigaon, Kathmandu. Phone: 4010160 

IMPRESSIONS Publishing Pvt.Ltd. 

Kupondole, Lalitpur 

Post Box No. 227, DPO Lalitpur 

Phone: 5544606 

Ar. Yatra Sharma, is a post 

graduate in Urban Management 

and Development studies from 

the Netherlands, Institute of 

Housing Studies. After graduating 

in Architecture from Pulchowk 

Engineering College, she was 

involved in various architectural 

projects in both government and 

private sector. Currently, she is teaching at Khwopa 

Engineering College and is involved in a range of 

architectural and urban research works. 

(yatrasharma@gmail.com) 

DISTRIBUTION 

Kathmandu 

Mid & West Nepal 

Darjeeling 

Kalimpong, Gangtok 

R.B. Newspaper Traders, Kathmandu 

Ph: 4232784 / 4215652 / 4216658 

Allied Newspaper Distributor Pvt. Ltd., Kathmandu 

Ph: 4261948 / 4419466 

Sanjana Limbu 

The Digital Den 

Top Floor, New Super Market, Darjeeling - 734101 

Cell: 99323 - 85772 eMail:subbaangel@yahoo.com 

ADVERTISING & SUBSCRIPTIONS 

Kathmandu IMPRESSIONS Publishing Pvt.Ltd. 

Ph: 5544606 

email: market@spacesnepal.com 

Birgunj Kishore Shrestha, Hotel Kailash, Adarsha Nagar. 

Ph: 522384, 529984. email: hotelkailash@wlink.com.np 

Itahari Naya Bazar, Dharan - 05 

Biratnagar Ph: 025-5-21164/025-525118, Cell: 9842054110 

Shristi Shrestha is a final year 

architecture student at Nepal 

Engineering College, Bhaktapur. 

She has worked as a trainee 

architect with John Sanday 

Associates in Kathmandu, and 

along with architecture journalism 

Shristi is also interested in 

interior design and energy 

efficient design. 

SPACES is published six times a year at the 

address above. All rights are reserved in 

respect of articles, illustrations, photographs, 

etc. published in SPACES. The contents 

of this publication may not be reproduced 

in whole or in part in any form without the 

written consent of the publisher. The opinions 

expressed by contributors are not necessarily 

those of the publisher and the publisher 

cannot accept responsiblility for any errors 

or omissions. 

Those submitting manuscripts, photographs, 

artwork or other materials to SPACES for 

consideration should not send originals 

unless specifically requested to do so by 

SPACES in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts, 

photographs and other submitted material 

must be accompanied by a self addressed 

return envelope, postage prepaid. However, 

SPACES is not responsible for unsolicited 

submissions. All editorial inquiries and 

submissions to SPACES must be addressed 

to editor@spacesnepal.com or sent to the 

address mentioned above.

from the editor 

What is building green? It’s not just another overly used phrase but in recent 

times, green buildings, sustainable architecture and energy conservation 

have become social, or rather existential, responsibilities. Gone are the days 

of low fuel efficiency - it is neither affordable nor appropriate. And it is not just 

about mechanics either. In this issue of SPACES, we focus on the matter of 

green buildings. Our writers mention how 40% of the total energy consumed 

in the world is used by buildings, thus highlighting the responsibility of the 

building sector towards sustainability, energy consumption - and about green 

architecture. 

The term ‘Green’ and its multiple façades were discussed in a recent seminar 

‘Towards Green Building’, organized by the Department of Architecture, 

Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus and VSBK/ CESEF program 

Nepal. SPACES Magazine participated in this four day seminar and shares 

the experience in this issue. So what is Building Green? Is it about the 

use of materials, technology or energy? Is it even affordable to build a 

green building, or is the price of saving the planet too high for the limited 

budgets of the general public? The key points made at the seminar try to 

answer these questions, and their answer is that a green building can have 

different meanings in different places, and different contexts. To quote Ar. B.L. 

Shrestha of Shelter and Local Technology Development Center, “The term 

‘GREEN’ is contextual. The concept of ‘Green Architecture’ means different 

things in different places. For Nepal, Green Building is a building which is 

energy efficient, cost effective, structurally stable and sustainable.” One must 

understand that bigger is not always better- the bigger your building, the 

more energy it uses in lighting, heating, cooling etc. Also, more expensive 

is not always better. If the materials you use are very expensive, they either 

consumed a lot of labour, time, and energy in their production, or they were 

transported from a distance, increasing their energy consumption during 

transportation. Our writers bring to you issues, features and ramifications of 

building (and also not building), green. 

In this issue we also focus on building technologies, both old and new. We 

explore a once popular building trend using lime mortar/plaster called Bajra, 

, highlight entrepreneurs producing quality cement products for tiles and 

pavements, and feature how building materials are expanding the horizon 

for architects and designers enabling them to create innovative interiors and 

exteriors.. And for all our readers who love flipping through SPACES to see the 

architectural beauty of our buildings, outdoor spaces, palaces and courtyards, 

we bring to you ‘Traditional Homes, Swotha’. This primarily photographic 

feature of a recently opened Bed and Breakfast at Swotha, Patan, shows us 

the conversion and renovation of an old residence into a contemporary, well 

equipped building - a place where the old blends with the new. 

It is interesting to note how in architecture, like in many other fields, things 

come full circle. Our traditional buildings, which are already energy efficient, 

are renovated and reused by adding modern features. Meanwhile, our 

modern builders borrow the ideas of traditional construction to make new 

buildings ‘Green’. What goes around, comes aound it seems!

I AM 

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As a specialist chef, Sanjeev Kapoor knows what it takes 

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he chose to be Sleek's Kitchen Specialist. 

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Email : nepalkitchen@wlink.com.np, Visit : wwwsleekworld.com 

Sleek Kitchen Concepts : Srijan Chowk, Pokhara, Tel: (061) 62 1863 

"Opening shortly at Koteswor, Kumaripati & Chitwan".

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• A console, a lamp and 3 candle holders 

• Locally manufactured wooden console with custom designed inlays 

of Onyx ( Italian Marble), a ceramic base lamp and 3 lamp holders 

• Price: At request 

2 

• Dining Table with 6 chairs, a wooden console and attached mirror 

board, a lamp, a vase and a pair or urns 

• Veneer finished wooden furniture, Wooden Urns from Thailand 

• Price: at request 

3 

• Sofa with2 center tables, 1 circular side table, 1 side table, two lamps 

and a mirror 

• Teak veneer on wooden furniture, band of Egyptian Marble on 

centre wooden table, Egyptian marble top on side table with custom 

designed Onyx (Italian Marble) and glass inlays, a circular mirror 

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• Price: at request 

2 

URBAN 

Design 

1 

3 

spacesnepal.com 16 

March - April 2012

PRODUCTS 

1 

MAC 

Decor 

2 

3 

1 

• A dining table with 6 chairs 

• Made of compressed wood, product of China 

• Price: NRs 71, 500. 

2 

• Lobby Console with Mirror 

• Material specific: Made of compressed 

wooden board, product of China 

• Price: NRs. 26,800. 

3 

• Bar Rack 

• Made of compressed wood and glass, 

product of China 

• Price: NRs 42,600. 




19 

spacesnepal.com

ARCHITECTURE 

Ama Ghar - A Home 

with a Habitation, at 

Godawari amidst its 

serene surrounding 

MASTER PLAN 



ARCHITECTURE 


AMA GHAR 

Text: Ar. Kalpana Bhandari 

Nepal, a developing country, still has an 

underdeveloped education and health system, 

especially with regard to children. According 

to UNICEF, 4.8% of children under the age of 5 

died in 2010; 650,000 children were orphaned in 

2009, and 39% of children under 5 years of age 

were underweight (according to World Health 

Organization). Statistics like this, and numerous 

other related issues like child marriage, child 

labour, urbanization etc, highlight the necessity to 

provide children with basic rights. 

With these very feelings, Mr. Shrawan Nepali, 

along with co-founders Ama Tika Basnet and 

Shekhar Silwal, initiated the Ama Foundation in 

2001. The word ‘Ama’ (literally meaning Mother) 

represents love, faith, affection and belonging 

in our culture. Ama Ghar was started under this 

foundation by Mr. Nepali to commemorate his 

upbringing by his godmother Ama Tika Basnet. 

“Ama Ghar” or “Motherly Home” is a home for 

orphans and underprivileged children, 20 kms 

south of Kathmandu, in Godavari. In 2012, Ama 

Ghar moved from an abode for 14 children in a 

rented house, to its own building that houses as 

many as 46 children and 7 staff members. 

A passage in Ama Ghar with exposed brick 

walls and exposed concrete slabs/ lintels etc. 

decreasing the need for finishing material 

The DESIGN 

Besides being a home for children, 

Ama Ghar also features exemplary 

Green Architecture. The requirement 

for the building was to accommodate 

70 children and 30 staff members. 

The client also wanted the building 

to have a ‘home like’ environment 

instead of a ‘hostel’. The architect, 

Prabal Thapa, has designed the 

building with a minimalist approach, 

and whilst meeting the requirements, 

has also managed to keep the 

dependence on non- renewable 

sources of energy to a minimum. 

Ama Ghar is built on 13-ropanis of 

land (1 Ropani = 5476 Sq. Ft.). Since 

the area is contoured, sloping from 

east to west, the building is oriented 

towards the west to harmonize with 

the hills. Active and passive solar 

techniques have been incorporated 

for maximum usage of solar energy 

to meet heating and lighting needs. 

The building has open plumbing 

and electrical system which makes 

repair and maintenance hassle-free. 

In addition, the problem of water 

supply has been carefully tackled 

with wastewater management and 

rainwater harvesting. Ama Ghar 

is located on moist grounds so 

the French Drain foundation 1 was 

built to keep the building dry, and 

avoid any kind of seepage/leakage 

through floors. 

1 

French Drain is a trench covered with gravel or rock that redirects surface and groundwater away from an area. French drains are common drainage 

systems, primarily used to prevent ground and surface water from penetrating or damaging building foundations, Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 

French_drain 


21 

spacesnepal.com

ARCHITECTURE 

PASSIVE SOLAR ENERGY 

Courtyard Planning 

The building of Ama Ghar is U-shaped, 

opening to the west. The northern wing 

is longer than the southern wing so that 

the rooms in the Northern and Eastern 

wing get the afternoon sun all year round. 

Since the kitchen and toilets are mostly 

occupied in the mornings, these rooms 

have been planned to receive the early 

morning sun, thus minimizing artificial 

lighting requirements. All rooms have 

cross ventilation to provide cooling 

requirements for summer. 

Planning and layout 

All the walls of Ama Ghar are 14” thick, 

in order to insulate the heat inside the 

building. The U-shaped building has 

common activity areas, and rooms for 

boys, girls, and staff or visitors. The ground 

floor of the northern wing has rooms for 

a children needing mobility assistance, a 

study/library, and access staircase to the 

boys’ rooms on the first floor. The eastern 

wing has a common activity room, office 

room for staff, and a staircase to the girls’ 

rooms in upper floors. The southern wing 

houses the kitchen and the dining area – 

as well as covered sit-out spaces. 

Drainage pipes reveled in the building 

facade for easy access in maintenance 

A section of the building 

showing gutters in the 

multiple levels of the roof 

for rainwater harvesting 

The concrete block paved courtyard is 

used for games. The building as well 

as the courtyard faces the garden, and 

open fields to the west. The courtyard 

has raised platforms for plantations that 

are also used for seating. Since the site 

has contours, the amphitheatre space is 

designed in steps facing a gazebo that 

acts as a performing stage. The curved 

ramp is designed for ease of access for 

wheelchair users. 

Solar Path - the movement of 

sun and its apparent impact 

on the building and its active 

and passive solar techniques 

ACTIVE SOLAR TECHNIQUES 

PhotoVoltaic Cells (PV Cells) are 

positioned on the southern slope of the 

building. The electrical energy from PV 

Cells is adequate to light the rooms and 

cook rice in the kitchen of Ama Ghar. 



ARCHITECTURE 

THE MINIMALIST APPROACH 

Ama Ghar is minimalist in design 

and cost. The building has an 

exposed brick façade which 

eliminates the need of plaster 

and paint. The concrete surfaces 

are also exposed in ceilings and 

walls, without plaster or paint, 

which appears raw yet finished. 

The openings and balconies/ 

verandahs are supported and 

covered by light metal sections. A 

traditional essence is maintained 

through the slope roof, facilitating 

rain water collection as well. The 

wooden rafters in the roof are visible, 

and so is the jhingati roof in some 

places. The rooms of children are 

open (i.e. no doors), thus reducing 

the cost of wooden fixtures. The 

aluminium windows further enhance 

the heating system in the building 

and avoid the problems caused by 

wooden windows such as sagging of 

sections, dust accumulation, termites 

attack, etc. The open plumbing and 

electrical systems reduce the cost 

of concealing these features. In 

addition, the lobby in the first floor 

has a skylight, thus reducing artificial 

lighting requirement. 


23 

spacesnepal.com

ARCHITECTURE 

The kitchen of Ama Ghar, showing reveled electric 

wiring decreasing the need for concealing/ false 

ceiling as well as for easy maintenance 

GROUND FLOOR PLAN 

FIRST FLOOR PLAN 



ARCHITECTURE 

WATER TREATEMENT SYSTEM 

WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT 

Ama Ghar incorporates decentralized wastewater 

treatment system (DEWATS), along with organic waste 

management. The treatment system, designed for 100 

people, has treatment capacity of 8 cubic meters of waste 

water per day. 

The DEWATS here has three stages of wastewater 

treatment. 

The Primary Unit: The primary unit involves the 

sedimentation of wastewater and sludge, and their 

primary treatment in septic tanks. This unit treats black 

water and organic solids to produce 5m3 of bio gas per 

day, which fulfills one-third of fuel requirement for cooking. 

The Secondary Unit: In this unit, both black and grey 

water is treated in a chambered Anaerobic Baffled 

Reactor (ABR). The ABR reduces biological and chemical 

oxygen demand by anaerobic digestion inside the 

chambers. 

The Tertiary Unit: The final unit involves aerobic/anaerobic 

treatment inside Horizontally Planted Gravel Filters 

(HPGF) that reduces colours and odours. 

TOP FLOOR PLAN 

After tertiary treatment, the vegetables/garden plants 

absorb phosphorus and nitrogen. The treated water is 

used for flushing of toilets and gardening, thus, decreasing 

the use/ requirement of fresh water. The byproduct, 

biological and chemical oxygen demand (BOD and COD, 

or the biological and chemical remnants), are discharged 

into the nearby Godavari River. 


25 

spacesnepal.com

ARCHITECTURE 

RAINWATER HARVESTING 

In maintaining a traditional Nepali homes 

essence, the sloped roofs of Ama Ghar drain 

the rain water to gutters and pipes for rain water 

harvesting. After adequate treatment, the water 

is collected in a separate tank. This harvested 

rainwater is adequate for household purposes for 

5-6 months every year. 

Ama Ghar has synchronized architecture with 

energy sustaining methods, thus, making it an 

example of sustainable architecture. The Ama 

Ghar building not only reflects traditional Nepali 

Architecture in its exterior, it also demonstrates a 

practical approach to environmentally sustainable 

technology as a whole. While the city faces 

drought and power shortage most of the time, 

these aspects of water supply and electricity 

are well tackled at Ama Ghar. Architectural 

aestheticism, structural stability, ecological 

sustainability and cost effectiveness are assets 

of Ama Ghar. It is also an exemplary building 

that highlights the importance of non-renewable 

energy, and advantages of renewable sources of 

energy. It is obvious that the current power cuts, 

inadequate water supply, and gas shortage can 

be tackled with careful investment in environment 

friendly and ecologically sustainable technologies 

in the construction of a building. • 




27 

spacesnepal.com

ADVERTORIAL 

Control via i-Phone, i-Pad and Android devices 

JUST A 

Click away... 

Text: Ar. Swati Pujari 

YYou open your eyes in the morning to your favourite tune, walk into the 

shower and your geyser is already turned on, by the time you step out, 

your coffee machine is brewing your favourite coffee. Sipping on the freshly 

brewed coffee you turn on the television and catch up on the morning news. 

When you leave for work, you don’t have to worry if the lights are still on or if 

you forgot to turn off the television, you can check the lights (and just about 

anything else) from your computer or your phone and turn them off or on as 

you like, or have a customized setting that turns off all selected fixtures and 

appliances when the clock says it’s your office time. When you come back 

home, your house greets you with a warm flood of lights and music, so you 

don’t enter a cold dark building. When you go to sleep, you can turn off all 

the lights, or keep the night lights on as per your convenience, and activate 

a security field in and around your house, with just a click of a button, while 

comfortably wrapping up in your blanket. 

This is precisely what Bipassana International strives to bring to you, a house 

that is customized to fit your needs and choices, providing you the comfort 



ADVERTORIAL 

2 

1 

1. Entrance Scenario Switch to control customized 

lights, all at once 

2. Access Control to activate the lock as well as 

other automation features like curtains, lights, 

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3. Video Door Phone to view and talk to visitors 

from inside your home, then let them inside with 

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3 

and security you would expect at a 

place you call home. The design of 

a residence comes from its users; 

your home should fit your needs 

and nobody else’s. That is why you 

employ a designer - to understand 

your needs as a user or as an owner 

and put to paper and then to the site 

what is most appropriate for you, 

considering your lifestyle and your 

budget. Home automation systems 

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process. Just as the placement of 

your windows bring in natural light 

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and the placement of your furniture 

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you safeguard and use your home 

and all its aspects the way you need. 

It also brings control of your entire 

house to your fingertips. 

Bipassana International is an up 

and coming name in the field of 

home automation in Nepal, and 

a conversation with Mr. Keyur K. 

Shrestha, its Managing Director, 

lets you know why. Bipassana 

International is not just a supplier of 

products related to home automation, 

neither is it a company that simply 

installs foreign products in your 

home. Rather it customizes its 

products and services, gives you 

consultations, and helps you make 

the right choice that suits your 

requirements - while keeping in 

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A project at Bipassana starts with 

site visits and/ or requirement 

studies; understanding the client’s 

needs is vital. The next step is the 

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There are a variety of products and 

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custom design of your automation 

system is provided to you. At the 


29 

spacesnepal.com

ADVERTORIAL 

Wireless door sensor. 

Gas leak sensors, Motion sensors, 

Glass break sensors are also available 

Upload your floor plans to control your 

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Curtain control switch and multi room 

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Lighting automation switches and 5.7 inches 

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core of this design are the features 

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After installation, these techniques 

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Bipassana International actually 

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So what exactly are the kinds of 

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can control? Well firstly, you can 

have a video door phone at the 

entrance to your home, so when a 

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talk to them via this door phone, 

and then decide whether to let 

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sensors in your driveway where, as 

you drive in after dark, the lights 

are automatically switched on, and 

a certain time after the driveway 

is cleared, they are switched off 

again. These sensors can detect 

occupancy and control the lights 

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install smoke detectors that signal 

the system to turn off the air 

conditioning if smoke is detected 

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entertainment systems like movie 

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have them custom designed and 

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ADVERTORIAL 

Lighting is one of the most powerful methods interior designers use to change 

moods, add elegance and intimacy. Create scenes for different tasks in a room 

such as dining, reading a book or the entire family to celebrate a birthday party. 

can play different music in different 

parts of the house, all originating 

from the same source. You can 

install sensors in your doors and 

windows and check which of these 

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you can even check and control 

the operation of lights as well as 

curtains and blinds. You can install 

a security field in and around your 

house that, if breached, sends out 

eight different pre-recorded phone 

calls. You can install all this in either 

a wired connection concealed in 

the ceiling, walls etc, or select the 

wireless options. And all this you 

can control either from the system’s 

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i-phones, android phones etc. via 

internet/ LAN. 

Understanding the current 

requirements of its clients, 

Bipassana International is also 

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security and affordability, whereby 

the entire system can be installed 

in an amount up to (not starting 

from) NRs. 3.5 Lakhs or NRs. Three 

Hundred and Fifty Thousand. 

In order to install just about any of 

these features, there is one very 

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need a stabilized voltage for the 

motherboard that controls the 

entire system. This mother board 

is something that looks like the 

CPU of a computer, and basically 

connects and controls the entire 


system while occupying minimal 

space. So whether you live in a 

small compact apartment, or a 

large palatial mansion, as long as 

you can spare space equivalent to 

a small drawer, you can install this 

system. 

Bipassana International redefines 

living experiences and with just 

some small changes, gives you the 

option of making your life safer, 

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by designing and installing an 

automation system that serves 

your lifestyle and also ensures the 

security of your family and your 

home, no matter where you are, 

with just a click. .• 

31 

spacesnepal.com

ARCHITECTURE 


Style or 

Sensibility 

Text: Ar. Shristi Shrestha 

Aluminium skin coating 

Protective film 

Plastic core 

Adhesive 

Aluminium skin 

Constructed mainly for dry construction and fast erection, the trend of ACP 

cladding has been followed widely in the past few years in the city. It has been 

employed mostly in commercial buildings and has been the rage these days for 

its aesthetics, durability, variety and workability. Used frequently for external 

cladding of building façade, its usage also includes any other form of cladding 

such as partitions, false ceilings, interior wall etc. So is it merely a fashion trend 

or intelligent engineering? What is its correct installation process? This article 

focuses on ACP –its structure, installation, its pros and cons. 

WHAT IS AN ACP? 

Aluminium Composite Panel 

(ACP) or Aluminium Composite 

Material (ACM) is a type of flat 

sandwiched panel that consist 

of a non-aluminium core (fire 

proof or plastic) bonded between 

two aluminium sheets coated with 

Polyvinylidene Fluoride Coating 

(PVDF) or polyester paint (PE) by 

an adhesive. Number of these ACPs 

are fixed within an aluminium section 

(spacer system) resulting in a cladding 

which basically is a typical metal 

curtain wall. 

Although these panels are used 

extensively in building exterior 

curtain walls, it has also been used as 

decorative materials of interior walls, 

bathroom, doors, ceilings, kitchens, 

balconies of home and hotel and so 

forth. It is also used as decorative 

materials in shops as column covers, 

fascias and canopy equipment 

enclosures and beam wraps, signage 

etc. 

TYPES AND VARIETIES 

Thickness of aluminium section 

The recommended thickness for ACP 

use largely depends upon the height 

at which it will be installed owing 

to the wind velocity experienced at 

that altitude. Panels are available at 

thicknesses of 1mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 

4mm, 5mm and 6mm. Mr. Saurav 

Bahety, C.E.O of Aalutuff, one of the 

leading brands in manufacture and 

supply of ACP, recommends using 

panels of 2.5mm thick aluminium 

sections for buildings that are up to 10 

storey high and 5mm thick aluminium 

sections if the buildings are higher than 

that but lower than 25 storey. 

Area 

According to Mr. Bahety, 4ft X 12ft 

panels are mostly used for exterior 

works, whereas, 4ft X 8ft and 3ft X 12ft 

panels are mostly used for works like 

ducting, false ceiling, partition, etc. 

Though the panels are manufactured 

as straight and flat panels, they can be 

bended to a certain degree if needed. 

Colors and texture 

The panels are available in different 

colors and texture like silver, flash 

silver, gold, flash gold, white, red, black, 

marble design, wooden design, golden 

mirror, silver mirror, brushed panel etc. 

(as required). 

FEATURES OF 

ALUMINIUM PANELS: 

Efficiency: 

1) Fire resistance of ACP can be 

highly improved by using a 

fireproof core (but this option is 

not easily affordable and thus not 

available in Nepal). 

2) Aluminium has high resistance to 

corrosion. It reacts with air to form 

aluminium oxide, an extremely 

hard coating that seals the 

aluminium surface from further 

degradation. 

3) Compared to steel, aluminium 

is extremely lightweight, 

approximately one third the density, 

resulting in low loads on buildings, 

which is particularly important 

where large spans are involved. 

4) The durability of ACP largely 

depends upon the quality of the 

material. Aalutuf, one of the leading 

brands offers 15- 20 yrs of warranty. 

5) It has good corrosion, pollutant and 

moisture resistant (Aalutuf adopts 

the protocol of ASTM B-117, IS 

13781-1993, and IS 101 (PT6/Sec 

1)-1998). 

6) Available in a variety of colors and 

textures. 

7) Is lightweight and easy to process. 

8) It can be re-used and is easy to 

maintain. 

9) These panels require careful 

attention to waterproofing, as lack 

of sufficient waterproofing may 

allow moisture to enter the seams 

around or above the panels. 

10) Some panels are self cleaning and 

also clean the air around them. 

Such panels use titanium dioxidebased 

technology .Titanium oxide 



ARCHITECTURE 

The structure of an ACP is composed 

of the following layers: 

1) Protective film 

2) Coating-basic level( PVDF or 

polyester) 

3) Aluminum Alloy sheet (of varying 

thickness) 

5) Adhesive 

6) Polyethylene core 

7) Adhesive 

8) Aluminum Alloy sheet 

9) Ground coating 

1 

on exposure to sunlight, acts as a 

catalyst in breaking down organic 

substances. At the same time, it 

forms a water-attracting surface 

(as explained by Ar. Manjushree 

Sthapit, (Asst. professor, NEC). 

Impact resistance 

Although aluminium has higher impact 

resistance than other metals, it is still 

lower than the impact resistance of a 

concrete structure. Hence sometimes, 

dents are observed in the buildings. 

This is observed especially if thickness 

of aluminium is less than required. 

It is also susceptible to storms or 

hurricanes as the composite strength 

is not high and easy to break when the 

surface bends. 

2 5 

3 6 

Thermal insulation and protection: 

1) Aluminium is one of the best 

reflectors of UV rays and 

electromagnetic waves. Hence 

the color stays for long. But, the 

fading of color of the panels largely 

depends upon the quality of PVDF 

coating. 

2) Insulation can also be installed 

between the partition board and 

the ACP hence improving energy 

efficiency of the building. 

3) If installed in tray binding system, 

the insulation provided increases 

dramatically. 

4) Some ACP products are also 

helpful in reducing internal building 

temperatures by achieving a high 

SRI (Solar Reflectivity Index). Such 

ACP can reduce internal building 

temperatures (reducing AC loads in 

warm climates) and also potentially 

reduce heat island effects which can 

be detrimental to natural habitats. 

4 7 

Stage 1: The RCC frame structure is completed. 

Stage 2: Installation of the aluminium section is carried out. 

Stage 3: Aluminium composite panel (ACP) is installed. 

Stage 4: Installation of insulation (extruded polystyrene foam). 

Stage 5: Installation a of internal partition board (calcium silicate board/ fiber cement board). 

Stage 6: All external works is completed. 

Stage 7: Aluminium glazing is fixed. ((photo courtesy: Innovative Creators) 

Stage 8: Weather proof silicon filling is done between the panels. 

Removal of protective film is recommended soon after installation (within 45 days) since 

residual glue may be left from protective film and stick onto lacquered coated surface of 

panels. 


33 

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ARCHITECTURE 

Environmental aspects and carbon 

emission 

1) Recycling the aluminium uses 

only up to 5% of the total energy 

required for extraction and can be 

recycled for generations without 

limitations. 

2) The core is made up of 

polyethylene i.e. plastic hence is 

non-biodegradable. 

3) Inspite of being one of the most 

abundant metal, aluminium is 

the most carbons emitting metal 

during extraction. However, eco 

friendly ACP is also available that 

focus on minimizing building’s 

carbon footprint and making 

significant contributions to the 

sustainability of a building. The 

reduced carbon footprint may be 

achieved by 

* Maximum utilization of Post 

Consumer Recycle Content 

(PCR) in the raw materials 

resulting in no harmful effect on 

the environment. 

* Energy Efficiency measures 

during its product’s life cycle. 

INSTALLATION PROCESS: 

WALL CLADDING V/S TRAY 

BENDING SYSTEM 

Wall cladding, the more popular 

installation practice among the two, is 

where the panels are simply placed 

among the aluminum section erected 

taking support on a curtain brick 

wall. Whereas, tray bending system 

is where the ACP is folded to a match 

box like structure and placed amongst 

the aluminium section. The difference 

is that in this system, brick curtain 

walls are omitted and internal partition 

board and insulation is used. 

“ACP is the need of time. But in this 

country, it has been abused. These 

panels have been developed for dry 

construction and fast erection. Hence, 

inspite of the popular practice of 

cladding the ACP to a brick curtain 

wall in a RCC frame structure, it 

isn’t the correct installation method 

and not the way ACP cladding is 

done in developed countries. In 

fact, construction of a brick curtain 


wall is not even advised since it 

results in unnecessary increment 

of construction cost, decreases the 

insulation property of the building 

as well as increases the dead load of 

the building.” states Ar. Ujjwal Maan 

Shakya, one of the pioneer users 

of ACP in Kathmandu who strongly 

encourages tray bending system. 

The pictures below show stepwise 

installation of ACP in tray bending 

system to be followed in Nepal 

Airlines Co-operation Office, 

Sinamangal. 

BENEFITS AND DIFFICULTIES 

WHILE WORKING IN TRAY 

BENDING SYSTEM 

Benefits: 

Better earthquake resistance 

Since the weight of aluminium panels 

and the partition board is very less as 

compared to the brick walls, i.e. less 

total dead load of the building, the 

performance of the building during an 

earthquake is better. 

Decrease in the total 

construction cost 

Although the cost price of ACP 

installation is high, (NRs. 300-500/- 

per square feet depending upon 

its strength), the total construction 

price becomes comparative low if 

the curtain brick walls are replaced 

by a smooth surfaced partition board 

like calcium silicate board (this 

omits the need for plastering) and 

insulation. Along with the deduction of 

construction price of the brick walls, 

here, price for plastering and coloring 

is also omitted resulting in significant 

saving. Moreover, lighter building 

equals to thinner columns and beams 

and less reinforcement bars. 


Better insulation 

Placement of insulation materials 

between the board and the panel 

will aid in thermal efficiency of the 

building resulting in less energy 

consumption. 

Faster construction 

This feature comes handy especially 

in commercial buildings where time is 

actually money; faster construction will 

result in maximum profit for the owner. 

Difficulties: 

Lack of skilled workmanship 

One of the main difficulties in 

practicing tray bending installation 

system is difficulty in finding the 

required skilled manpower. Since the 

skilled labor is not available locally, 

mostly it has to be imported from 

India. 

The selective use of ACP 

An important aspect to discuss here is 

the haphazard use of ACP, a trend for 

which the user is responsible and not 

the material. One can witness the use 

of ACP in newly constructed buildings 

in areas of historic importance 

without any regard to the built 

environment of the place thus ruining 

the architectural, historic and cultural 

fabric of the place. 

It can be argued that ACP is a stylish 

and sensible innovation, which can 

prove to be a blessing for commercial 

as well as decorative purposes. Yet 

one should be aware of its benefits 

as well as demerits, and also realize 

its installation process and features. 

This would result in the proper use of 

the material instead of the haphazard 

nature of its current introduction into 

the buildings in the city. • 

REFERENCES: 

1) http://www.archclad.com.au 

2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwich_panel 

3) http://www.blazelead.com/ALUMINIUM-COMPOSITE-PANEL--ACP/UNIVERSAL-METAL/ 

NP/2655415-26348-4/ 

4) http://www.architectandbuilder.com.au 

5) Interview with Ar.Ujjwal Man Shakya, Managing Director and Senior Architect, Innovative Creaters 

6) Interview with Ar. Manjushree Sthapit, Asst. Professor, N.E.C. 

7) Interview with Mr Saurav Bahety, C.E.O, Aalutuf

ARCHITECTURE 



ARCHITECTURE 

To 

HOUSE 


The dilemma of Eviction Vs Land 

Titles in Kathmandu 

Text: Ar. Yatra Sharma 

While hauling across the heavy-trafficridden 

Kupondole Bridge, the sight of 

squatter settlement in a squalid setting 

outlining the Bagmati River strongly 

imprints in the mind of the general 

passerby. Such blighted settlements 

have remained along rivers of 

Kathmandu for so long that it is almost 

impossible to visualize the mainstream 

waterline without them-as if to say 

squatter settlements are a component 

of riverbanks in the valley. 

Such plight often makes the public 

wonder why these inhabitants chose 

to live in such degraded environment 

and why they are tolerated here? 

One instant reaction towards the 

situation is the perception that squatter 

settlements devaluate the image of a 

city and should be directly removed. 

While some feel that these dwellers 

have no alternatives and therefore 

the government should create 

housing prospects before removing 

them. But both these option- one of 

evicting and the other of providing 

alternative housing- are remarkably 

controversial to implement. 

On one hand forced eviction involves 

clearance through violent force 

and large scale housing demolition 

when individuals, families and 

entire communities are displaced 

temporarily or permanently against 

their will, from their homes, land 

and businesses in the pretext of 

city beautification or environmental 

hazard. This approach leaves them 

homeless and hopeless aggravating 

the circle of poverty, discrimination 

and social exclusion; and therefore 

considered against human rights. 


37 

Below the Kupondole Bridge 

spacesnepal.com

ARCHITECTURE 

On the other hand, alternative housing 

is more often a financially, legally, 

technically, socially and politically 

controversial approach. It involves 

excruciatingly difficult and time 

consuming processes of accurate 

selection of beneficiaries; community 

cohesion, participation and 

consensus; land selection and plotting; 

infrastructure development, housing 

design and construction; temporary 

or permanent resettlements; housing 

to new buildings and adaptation; 

regulations and monitoring over 

informal property transaction- all 

these based on pre-formulated policy 

framework and support from various 

stakeholders including the general 

public. Even then, the consequences 

of this course of action remain 

indecisive and unpredictable over the 

period of time it gets accomplished. 

Either way, both approaches present 

a dilemma so deep and the probable 

solution so indecisive that they trigger 

a perplexing question- whether to 

house or not to house the urban 

landless mass unable to afford a 

respectable shelter in this thriving city 

of Kathmandu? 

SO MANY! OR HOW FEW! 

Kathmandu, being the primate city 

in the country with disproportionate 

concentration of all major facilities 

within its region, thousands of people 

migrate to the city in search for 

better opportunities of employment, 

education, economic activities and 

other amenities. Many of them are also 

internally displaced, pushed out from 

their villages due to political conflict, 

that have chosen to settle permanently 

within the safer periphery of the city. 

Most of these are poor and unskilled 

migrants unable to afford a proper 

shelter in this growing urban area with 

soaring real estate prices. Due to lack 

of an alternate, most migrants have 

resorted to so-called unauthorized 

or informal housing in the absence 

of developed land within their reach. 

As a result, Kathmandu has been 

experiencing increased number of 

squatter settlements over the last few 

decades. 

In 1985, it was estimated that there 

were only 17 squatter communities in 

Kathmandu valley, but now the number 

has grown to 71 (DUDBC, 2011) 1 with 

further emerging settlements. These 

settlements are communities in the 

city squatting illegally on public land 

that are environmentally sensitive 

areas such as river banks or flood 

plains, steep slopes and vacant 

spaces under high voltage electrical 

transmission line. Characterized 

by vulnerability and poverty, these 

settlements are growing each day and 

their physical existence getting more 

and more visible in the city. 

The approximate population of 

25,000 squatter 2 in Kathmandu 

amounts to a mere 1% of its total 

population. Although the number is 

still on a minor scale the issue is not 

insignificant. Towards the end of 2011 

we have seen more of these “illegal” 

buildings sprouting frequently with a 

much solid stance. What used to be 

sacks are now concrete structures 

claiming their place proudly amidst 

all the raging controversies. Ignorance 

is definitely not bliss in this contextwithout 

a quick resolution, these 

issues shall only escalate and become 

more complex to solve if lingered too 

long. 

INITIATIVES SO FAR 

Despite much inaction, the 

government of Nepal has initiated 

some efforts in providing secure 

housing to the squatters with support 

from Lumanti 3 in the recent past. 

These efforts have been aimed 

at squatter issues both within and 

beyond the valley. But the nature of 

the problem within the valley is rather 

unique and sensitive due to relatively 

high land rates, than the rest of the 

country. Most of the engagements 

in land development such as site 

and services or land pooling in the 

Valley have been targeted to general 

public or government officers who 

can afford it and not specifically the 

urban poor. Attempts to utilize the 

expensive land for social causes 

such as providing them at subsidized 

rates are extremely controversial and 

unsupported by policies. Therefore 

the initiations made towards these 

issues have not fully resolved into an 

adequate solution. 

Kirtipur Resettlement Housing 

Program, for instance, was conducted 

for housing squatters who were 

evicted for construction of Bishnumati 

Link Road in 2005. With support from 

Lumanti, Kathmandu Metropolitan City 

and other national and international 

NGOs, the program re-housed the 

evictees from Bishnumati area to 

a parcel of 6 ropanis (1 ropani= 

5476 sq.ft.) land in Kirtipur upon 

construction of individual housing 

units. Due to scarcity of land in the 

nearby area and high land prices 

close to it, the resettlement area was 

selected 10km away from city centre at 

a location with comparably lower land 

rates (3million rupees 4 per ropani, in 

2003) (Sengupta and Sharma, 2009). 

During site visits most inhabitants 

express the location factor has made 

them compromise their economic 

opportunities since increased distance 

from prior location has created 

difficulty in access to employment. On 

the other hand, urban experts argue 

that with growing road network and 

increasing transportation facilities, 

Kirtipur should be not be considered 

a “distant” location from the previous 

locality. Although the project is 

considered much successful, the 

bitter reality is that four out of the 

forty houses remain empty today. This 

presents a question to the replication 

of similar resettlement projects that 

remains uncertain to the livelihood 

of settlers that need to move far away 

from their preferred location. 

Another breakthrough initiation was 

made by the government in 2009 by 

assigning a budget of 15 crore (2007- 

2008 fiscal year) for upgrading any 

one of riverbank squatter settlement 

in the city. In order to aptly utilize the 

amount, Lumanti together with ACHR 5 

worked together with the government 

and proposed a land sharing project 

in Sankhamul squatter settlement 

that would also include residents of 

Bansighat and Kuriagaon squatter 



ARCHITECTURE 

settlements. The idea was to divide the 

land into two parts and share – one for 

accommodation of existing squatters 

in an apartment building with tenure 

security and the other for public use 

i.e. commercial development and 

green space. This would not only 

provide formal housing and eliminate 

the possibilities of forced evictions but 

also improve the surrounding river 

area. The commercial buildings would 

provide cross subsidy for construction 

of housing, making the project 

financially self-sustainable. However 

the concept of apartment housing was 

not appreciated by the community 

who wanted to own their own piece of 

land parcel and also the government 

river-setback regulations caused legal 

hindrances. Thus the first, government 

led on-site squatter upgrading effort in 

Kathmandu was rejected. 

After rejection of the land sharing 

project, the government of Nepal 

focused its attention outside 

Kathmandu Valley towards housing the 

deprived and marginal communities 

including squatters through a project 

called “Janta Awas”. As for within the 

valley, the government has bought a 

piece of 4 Ropanies of land in Ichangu 

Narayan (approximately 10km away 

from city centre) as part of 2008- 

2009 fiscal year’s budget for future 

resettlement of squatters residing 

in vulnerable conditions. Currently 

the government in collaboration with 

Lumanti is trying to identify settlements 

that need to be resettled immediately 

and designing apartments on the 

newly bought site for the purpose. 

MAJOR CONSTRAINTS 

Throughout the process of implementing 

these initiations, three major constraints 

were brought into light. 

Firstly, the institutional flaw in 

successful execution of the project 

lies in the lack of a policy framework. 

Such policy is to be the guideline for 

step-wise execution for transfer of land 

ownership, construction procedure, 

payments, form of tenure, transfer of 

use right and other legal aspects that 

is extremely important for carrying 

out the project- all of which need to be 

Below Sankhamul Bridge 

Pathivara Squatter along Dhobikhola Corridor, north of Chabahil Chowk 

approved by the Cabinet of Ministers 

of government of Nepal. Without such 

a policy no form of upgrading project 

can be executed in a systematic 

order. In realization of this drawback 

the government of Nepal has recently 

formulated a policy which, waiting 

in the desk of cabinet ministers for 

approval for more than a year, only 

reveals the hesitation of the related 

bodies in resolving the issue. 

Secondly, a critical technical problem 

lies in demarcation of land occupied 

by riverfront of squatter settlements 

(80% of squatter settlements in 

Kathmandu valley are along Bagmati 

River or its tributaries) created by the 

duality of records in current satellite 

maps Vs legal survey records. As 

per regulations, the official cadastral 

maps have to be referred for any 

construction works. The cadastral 

map of Kathmandu Metropolitan 

prepared by the Survey Department 

in the year 1965 indicates a wider 

course of Bagmati River and its 

tributaries which have substantially 

narrowed down today. Much of the 

river flow in the past was over the 

area that is now dry land occupied 

by the settlements today (Cadstral 

map 1965). So, most portion of land 

occupied by riverfront squatters at 

present does not legally exist in the 

survey records made in the past! 

Due to lack of updated data, the 

government is forced to overlook 

existing conditions. However, NGOs 

like Lumanti and squatter federations 

demand for on-site upgrading based 

on the argument that government 

has revised rules according to 

requirements as per changing times 

and conditions many times in the 

history, and similar should be the 

case for squatters in order to allow 

occupation of riverside land for 

housing instead of evicting them 

based on records that are no longer 

relevant. This duality of records 

also creates a dilemma whether 

to allow on-site upgrading or to 

resettle the squatters elsewhere. 

However, considering the limited 

government budget for social 

housing, scarce land in Kathmandu 

and the loss of livelihood created by 

resettlement, the second option is not 

preferable to majority of squatters 

who are sensitively attached to their 


39 

spacesnepal.com

ARCHITECTURE 

existing localities. As such the 

government has neither been able 

to satisfactorily resettle the squatters 

nor to legalize on-site upgrading. 

Thirdly and most importantly is 

the political and legal crisis of 

issuing land titles or “lalpurja” 

to the squatters as put forward 

by squatter federations as their 

foremost demand. Although time 

and again, political bodies such as 

the “Nepal Sukumbashi Samashya 

Samadhan Ayog” have distributed 

land titles over various parts of the 

country, the general public often 

questions the validity and legality of 

such actions. There are two doubtful 

aspects to issuing land titles- one 

is in true identification of squatters, 

since there are many land and 

property owners who claim to be 

landless and it is extremely difficult 

to assure that the most deserving 

candidate has received the benefits 

rather than a fake candidate with 

intentions of capitalizing the land 

value; second is in gentrificationwhereby 

issuing of land titles 

opens windows for transaction of 

property in a formal basis and, in 

doing so, the market forces will 

push the deserving urban poor 

out of their land and pull middle 

income citizens in. Through such 

transactions squatters will again 

remain landless and move into 

another informal settlement creating 

a vicious circle of landlessness and 

aggravating irregularity. 

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE 

Amidst all the constraints, in the 

last two years, the government has 

approached the squatter issue in 

Kathmandu with a positive outlook. 

It has taken a constructive step in 

formulating policies and initiating 

projects to address the situation in 

a participatory method by working 

through a coordination committee 

that includes not only political 

representatives, governmental, 

non-governmental and international 

bodies but also representatives from 

squatter federations, namely NBBSS 6 

and NMES 7 so as to resolve issues 

through mutual understanding and 

collaboration (Draft Working Policy 

2010, pp. 6-7). However, these initial 

efforts are yet to materialize. 

From the standpoint of squatters 

their demands for right to housing 

without forced eviction and access to 

alternative affordable housing seem 

valid and necessary but pressuring 

legal bodies to provide land titles 

puts a deadlock to negotiations. 

There are definite legal boundaries 

that the government has to abide 

by and there is little flexibility it can 

adopt at current times. Possibly, the 

matters of land titles can be settled 

through a strong political movement 

as seen in cases of Thailand 8 

where squatter communities have 

been upgraded in large scale in 

the past years based on ad-hoc 

practice rather than systematic legal 

procedures. As of now, the squatter 

federations in Nepal, like in Thailand, 

are well empowered and possess 

a good knowledge base such that 

they can revolt politically. NBBSS and 

NMES are well associated with NGOs 

such as Lumanti, Action Aid Nepal, 

Water Aid Nepal and international 

organizations like Asian Coalition for 

Housing Rights (ACHR) and Slum 

Dwellers International (SDI), through 

REFERENCES 

which they attain international 

exposure and trainings. So it seems 

important to recognize the capacity 

of squatters in retaining their 

occupied land. 

At the same time, there is a 

chance that if the government of 

Nepal becomes a federal state as 

intended, the squatters may need 

to lower down their demands and 

succumb to any housing solution 

put before them or else the next 

strong government may not hesitate 

in evicting the settlements in the 

course of revitalizing the city. 

There is definitely no correct 

solution or the best approach to 

solve this multi-faced problem. 

The key lies in case to case 

analysis, participative planning 

and mutual agreements of all the 

stakeholders involved. Flexibility 

and compromise from both demand 

and supply sides is necessary; 

and cooperative attitude of both 

parties seems essential in resolving 

how to house the squatters of 

Kathmandu. The issue here is the 

dilemma between evictions as 

opposed to provision of legal titles. 

Both extremes are not possible, the 

solution should be mid way. • 

CODI 2008, 50 Community upgrading projects, CODI Update, Vol. 5, Community 

Organizations Development Institute: Bangkok. 

DUDBC 2010, National Shelter Policy, [unpublished draft proposal], DUDBC, Ministry of 

Physical Planning and Works, Government of Nepal 

Sengupta U. and Sharma S. 2009, ‘No longer Sukumbasis: Challenges in grassroots-led 

squatter resettlement program in Kathmandu with special reference to Kirtipur Housing 

Project’ , Habitat International, Vol. 33, p. 34-44. 

Sharma, Y, 2010, Land Sharing Experience in Kathmandu: Case In Sankhamul Squatter 

Settlement “ Institute of housing Studies, Rotterdam 

Interview and draft article feed-back from Prafulla Man Pradhan , Advisor at Lumanti, 

Regional Capacity Development Advisor at UN Habitat. 

END NOTES 

1 Interview on 10 th Jan, 2011 with DDG Dr. Mahendra Subba in Department of Urban Development and Building 

Construction (DUDBC). Interview with NEST staffs that were a part of a survey conducted in 2011 on “Physical 

Mapping of the Squaer Selements in Kathmandu Valley”. 

2 This population does not include the total slum population or other informal settlements in the city. According to the 

report “State of Asian Cities 2010/11 “ by UN habitat the slum population in Nepal in 2007 was 59.4%. 

3 LUMANTI support group is a non-government organization dedicated to the alleviation of urban poverty in Nepal 

through the improvement of shelter conditions. 

4 Interview with Prafulla Man Singh, Advisor of Lumanti states the price was only 500,000 per Ropani. 

5 The Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR) is a regional network of grassroots community organizations, NGO’s 

and professionals actively involved with urban poor development processes in Asian cities based in Thailand. 

6 Nepal Basti Basobas Samrakchan Samiti, formulated in 2000; also known as SPOSH 

7 Nepal Mahila Ekta Samaj, formulated in 2000 

8 Community Organisation Development Institute (CODI), an independent body in Thailand has support various 

community-led development activities in providing secure tenure to urban poor in a large scale over the last 

decade.

each house with 100 square meter 

of roof area collects rainwater, 

then a volume of 160,000 liters 

can be collected 1 . This is the 

theoretical aspects of rainwater 

collection but the practical aspects 

also need to be addressed side 

by side. 

Rainwater 

Harvesting 

A SMART WAY OF LIFE! 

Text: Ar. Diskhya Poudyal 

Aaaa! Paani Aayo! Paani Aayo! 

Its 4 a.m. in the morning and Maili didi shouts as if she has hit gold mine. Well, 

precious than gold, and very rare in Kathmandu valley, is nothing but drinking water. 

Be it for the purpose of drinking or other use, we are forced to confront the problems 

which seem eternal. Also important, is the fact that we doubt the quality of water and 

usually boil it for drinking. This definitely questions the purity of the ‘drinking’ water 

supplied in the municipal grid or even extracted from deep boring wells. From quality 

to the quantity of water, rainwater harvesting can give relief to many, if not all! 

WHAT IS RAINWATER 

HARVESTING? 

Rainwater Harvesting is the process 

of collecting and storing rainwater 

before it reaches the aquifer. It 

can be used for drinking, after 

filtration, various other household 

purposes and for irrigation in large 

scale. The roof of our houses can 

make considerable contribution 

for collecting water during rainy 

seasons. The main idea is to collect 

water in containers before it reaches 

the stratum level of the earth. 

Kathmandu Valley receives 1,600 

milliliters of rainfall annually and if 

USEFULNESS: 

Successfully collecting rainwater 

can ease the users from water 

scarcity during dry seasons. Also, 

the water stored can be made 

free from impurities and hence 

assures purity. But this condition is 

for those who have enough space 

in their house for the installation 

of such systems. But what about 

those who lack space, those who 

cannot install an extra tank in their 

house? Can they also have the 

facility of rainwater harvesting? 

Well, now it seems possible, and 

hopefully the water woes will ebb 

soon in the valley. 

A bid to harvest 5 million liters 

of rainwater was announced on 

March 1, 2012. A campaign has 

been launched by Kathmandu 

Valley Water Supply Management 

Board (KVWSMB) with the support 

of Center of Integrated Urban 

Development (CIUD). As ground 

work for this campaign, 10 ponds 

are currently being recharged 

through rainwater harvesting 

system in Kathmandu Valley. Dallu 

area and Trichandra College 

currently serves as demonstration 

areas 2 .This is a positive initiation, 

firstly to make people aware of the 

usefulness of rain water, secondly 

to minimize water scarcity during 

dry seasons, and, thirdly to help 

people understand the effort made 

in the community level to integrate 

those who cannot individually start 

a rainwater harvesting project at 

their small premises. 



ARCHITECTURE 

Image source http://www.mppcb.nic.in/rwh.htm 

HOW DOES RAINWATER 

HARVESTING SYSTEM HELP? 

The installation cost to set up 

the rainwater harvesting system 

depends primarily on the volume 

of water collection desired by the 

users. However, a simple installation 

costs around Rs. 45,000 3 . The long 

term advantages of this system 

are considerable, as the cost for 

its maintenance is low and the 

purity of water can be relied on. 

A smart decision is to design and 

provide provisions for a rainwater 

harvesting system early in the 

design of the building. This will not 

only save the cost of retrofitting 

in a completed building, but the 

owners/users of the building can also 

enjoy the 10% subsidy in the total 

installation cost provided by DUDBC 

(Department of Urban Design and 

Building Construction). For this 

a comprehensive design should 

presented in the building permit 

drawings. The noteworthy thing is 

that it has been 10 years since the 

implementation of this campaign in 

order to make everyone, especially 

the city dwellers, aware of the value 

of rain water, yet the popularity of 

this campaign is meek. 

HOW DOES RAINWATER 

HARVESTING WORK? 

Collecting rain water is easy but a 

smart technique makes it easier, 

practical and feasible. If you would 

like to make it an integrated part of 

your building water supply system, 

then it is a onetime investment 

only, which is an extra cost to be 

more specific, but can prove to be 

a lifelong solution. Installation of a 

rainwater harvesting system can free 

the users from activities like finding 

the perfect location for deep boring 

(in case of availability of land), calling 

tankers to refill the underground 

containers, or sleepless nights just to 

wait for water to pour down your tap! 

There are various methods to install 

rain water harvesting system. Some 

are easy enough and do not require 

expensive equipments. Some of the 

useful tips for collecting rain water at 

your premises are as follows: 

• Decide a part of your roof as 

catchment area. Then make a 

gully system along the edge of 

your roof (concrete slab sloped 

roof or CGI). A proper drainage 

pipe from the flat roof terrace 

would make the system more 

viable. 

• Connect these pipes to a 

container having sand filtration to 

trap impurities. 

• Also to get rid of contaminants 

the water from the first rain can 

be drained off from a separate 

valve. Later on, this valve can be 

closed to divert the rain water into 

the filtration container. However, 

sweeping your terrace regularly 

can also minimize the hassle from 

impurities to some extent. 

• Clean water is then collected in 

an underground water tank. 

• The overflow from the tank is then 

sent to a recharge pit which helps 

maintain the ground water table. 

The water that is replenished 

through such a system can be 

useful for various activities; from 

drinking to washing by easily 

extracting from a tube well, in the 

long run. 

• Simple filtration and chlorination 

can make rainwater drinkable. 

REALITY AND REFLECTION: 

Rainwater harvesting helps recharge 

the depleting ground water and 

maintains a balance in the natural 

system of earth strata. The ever 

increasing populationm and their 

demand for drinking water, is not fulfilled 

by Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani 

Limited (KUKL). This has led to rampant 

extraction from deep boring wells, 

such actions are neither monitored by 

the government nor can they be called 

illegal. But more importantly, without 

denying the fact that the water table 

in Kathmandu valley is drying up due 

to the lack of a source to recharge 

itself, most of the rainwater mixes with 

the gutter system of our city. Also, the 

misconception that rainwater harvesting 

is expensive is widespread. But if the 

cost of annual water demand and its 

scarcity are compared to the calculations 

of installing a deep boring system or 

some tankers fetching gallons of water 

to our houses, then one wouldn’t find 

rainwater harvesting an expensive option 

if adapted wisely. • 

REFERENCES: 

One Planet Solution Pvt. Ltd., Smart Pani (water 

related product brand) 

Bid to harvest 5 million of rainwater, KATHMANDU 

POST, March 1st 2012 

Image source: (http://www.mppcb.nic.in/rwh.htm, 

Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board 

1 

Source - One Planet Solution Pvt. Ltd., Smart Pani 

(water related product brand) 

2 

Bid to harvest 5 million of rainwater, KATHMANDU 

POST, March 1st 2012 

3 

Ibid, One Planet Solution Pvt. Ltd., Smart Pani 


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BOOK RELEASE 

ARCHITECTURE 

OF THE NEWARS 

I 

In 1962 Niels Gutschow first 

visited Nepal during a trekking 

expedition. In 1970, after 

graduating architecture, he 

returned to the country with his 

team to renovate the Pujahari Math, 

Bhaktapur, as a wedding gift to 

the then crown prince Birendra Bir 

Bikram Shah Dev. Today, 40 years 

later, Dr. Niels Gutschow presents 

a tribute to the heritage of this 

country, which has been a second 

home to him, in the form of his 

three volume book ‘Architecture of 

the Newars: A History of Building 

Typologies and Details in Nepal’. 

This book presents a complete 

history of the architecture 

of Kathmandu valley and its 

neighbors over a period of 1500 

years. The three volumes of 

the book include, Volume I - The 

Early Period, from 200 A.D. to 1350 

A.D. showcasing the architectural 

development before the Malla times; 

Volume II - The Malla Period from 

1350 A.D. to 1769 A.D. and; Volume III 

- The Modern Period from 1769 A.D. 

until present. 

‘Architecture of the Newars’ 

documents the research done by Dr. 

Niels and his team over the last 40 

years. The book includes documents 

in the form of photographs and 

drawings, both hand-drawn and 

digital. A total of 862 photos and 

939 drawings are published in the 

book, depicting the architecture 

of Kathmandu and its neighbors. 

The book identifies and defines the 

typology of the buildings and their 

different parts and elements. 

The first part of the book includes 

five sections, beginning with a section 

titled ‘About the waning skills of 

measured drawings’. In this section 

he writes “The trembling line of 

the free hand suggests a sense of 

life, while the straight line seems 

to be dead”. This note describing 

the process of documentation 

for the book, which includes 

making hand-drawn as well 

as digital measured drawings, 

exemplifying the beliefs of Dr. 

Niels that creating and publishing 

records is a way of preserving 

history and architecture. 

‘Architecture of the Newars’ 

was first published by Serindia 

Publications Inc., Chicago, Illinois 

in 2011, and printed at Vögeli 

AG, Langnau, Switzerland. The 

book was available at Vajra 

Book Shop, Jyatha, Kathmandu, 

in limited volumes. Although the 

initial volumes of the book are 

now sold out, readers may still 

purchase the book from Serindia 

Gallery, Bangkok. The listed 

price of the book is US $ 450, 

with a further shipping charge of 

US $ 25 in the United States and 

US $ 50 in Asia, which can be 

ordered from Vajra Book Shop, 

either at the outlet or online at 

www.vajrabookshop.com. The 

equivalent cost, inclusive of 

shipping charge, in Nepal is NRs. 

38,000/-. • 




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INTERIOR 

Rustic 

radiance 

Text-Ar. Shristi Shrestha 



INTERIOR 

A circular black and red signage opposite St. Mary’s School in 

Jhamsikhel directs you to a narrow lane leading to one of the 

best continental cuisine places in town- Grill me. Previously 

a residential building, the restaurant now hosts outdoor and 

indoor seating areas with an open bar, and a private lounge. 

Owners Ninesh Tiwari and Anudan Rana, and interior designer 

Rishi Shroff, deserve applause for converting it into such a 

Atrendy eatery. 


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INTERIOR 

“We didn’t want anything too prim and proper” says 

Mr. Rana, so they have opted for a rustic look. One 

can feel the amount of work that has been put in to 

retain its raw simplicity - and yet maintain interesting 

detailing. Stone, wood, and iron, are the three basic 

elements used to create a rustic ambiance, and the 

entire place is united with a ‘hide and seek’ of circles. 

Sculptures by Meena Kayastha, called ‘Lyrics from 

the Junkyard’, made of discarded materials, adorn the 

premises. They blend well with the rustic ambiance 

of the place. 

The main entrance, with parking to the right, leads 

up to the outdoor eating area and the lounge and 

bar. A stonewall barrier cuts off visual connection 

from the road, providing diners with privacy. The first 

thing that catches the eye is the open bar. This in 

fact was the only requirement of the clients. Looking 

the way it does now, it’s hard to believe that this was 

once a garage! The side and the front walls of the 

garage have been removed giving the bar a breezy 

feel. Walls have been left bare, staying true to the 

raw theme, and blue neon lights decorate the walls. 

Here, one can’t help but notice the circles. A signature 

element of the design, compositions of circles have 



INTERIOR 

been used on the walls, bar table, behind the 

liquor stand, and as a cut off in the angle beams. 

The luminosity of the lights behind these circles 

adds a different dimension to the bar. Another 

thing that one can’t help notice is the use of wood. 

Though new, the wooden tables and bar stools 

have been designed to look old, worn out, and put 

back together. 

The outdoor spaces tempt the guests even in 

the winter months with its stone fireplaces. In 

summer, these fireplaces are decked with stones 

and candles. A lounge with blue cushions is 

right at the entrance, followed by wooden sitting 

areas. A junkyard sculpture, ‘Lyrics of the Last 

Era’ is displayed next to the sitting. Pendent lights 

hanging from the ceiling, along with the radiance 

of blue lights from behind the walls and beneath 

the sitting areas, give the place a magical feel 

during the evening. 

Two doors open up into the indoor eating area 

and two sculptures are displayed on the doorway. 

The plaster of the existing building was chipped 

off for a rugged look and embellished with circles. 

Tables are arranged on either side of the walls 

with a gleams of light from behind decorative 


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INTERIOR 

wooden beams are used in the false ceiling. A kitchen, 

cold kitchen, and a washroom co-exist on the ground 

floor, next to the indoor sitting. A separate circulation area 

for the staff is provided along with a stairway that leads to 

the offices and lounge. 

A metal stairway decorated with circular cut offs 

leads to a private lounge that can serve 15 people. 

Accompanied by a balcony sitting area, the lounge 

has its own restroom and service entrance and hosts 

karaoke. The walls here are particularly interesting. 

Intended to be different from the lower floor, the paint 

on the wall seems like chipping off mud paint. This 

adds to the worn out look of the space. The orange 

cushions complement the mud-brown walls and the 

radiance of lights from behind the sitting areas and the 

false wooden beams gives an electric feel to the space. 

The balcony seating area adjacent to the lounge has a 

captivating ceiling which Mr. Shroff refers to as “stars 

on the ceiling”. Designed as if the pieces were sewed 

back together, light shining through random circles on 

the ceiling gives an illusion of distant stars. 

One can say that this restaurant is not just one of the 

many places with a popular “rustic” themes. Ingenious 

use of metal, wood and light has made the place 

different from others. Especially during evenings, 

the blue lights from least expected places renders a 

vivacious feel. ‘Grill me’ is successful in distinguishing 

itself from other restaurants around town and it 

certainly delivers a one of its kind eating experience. •

HERITAGE 

RENOVATION 


Text: Ar. Swati Pujari 

The Story of Swotha

HERIETAGE 

The value of preservation and the 

preservation of values go hand 

in hand. A one year series on 

change and preservation begins 

with renovation of two residential 

buildings at Swotha, Patan. 

In a country fascinated by the new, why would anyone 

want to preserve something old? This is a question 

conservationists in our country have been asking for years. 

A house is a symbol of status, building a new house is a 

symbol of achievement. It is the dream of every Nepali 

to have a house in Kathmandu. It is the dream of every 

homeowner in Kathmandu to rebuild a new structure, which 

is by far bigger and hence better than the other buildings in 

their neighbourhood. Haven’t we all heard the expression, 

“I couldn’t do much in life, but I’ve built a new house” or, 

“I’ve added a floor to the house built by my parents”, thus 

emphasizing their achievement as people who have built 

something new? 

So in effect, people who come into money end up 

showcasing their wealth and status by building something 

new. It is not a new trend; remember how the kings of 

the past built new monuments, palaces and temples to 

symbolize their status? And remember how even then it was 

a competition between neighbouring kingdoms? After all 

that is how the palace complexes of Kathmandu, Patan and 

Bhaktapur were built. So why not let the same trend continue 

with the rest of the population and let them compete with 

their neighbours in respect to their buildings, and thus their 

statuses? 

So in a scenario like this, what are the values that we strive to 

preserve? Why do we showcase our tradition and traditional 

values to the world, but fail to preserve them in our own 

lives? Why is it that tourists pay a certain fee to enter our 

monument zones, temples, and palaces, but the private 

buildings adjacent to these are demolished to make way for 

newer and apparently ‘better’ construction?

HERITAGE 

Heritage conservation and preservation of monuments have 

always been critical issues; everyone talks about the values 

of these buildings or artefacts. But the question is, what are 

these values? According to our law, anything more than a 

hundred years old is given the status of a monument and 

thus should be preserved, but is that the only definition of 

a monument? Can a building not be important due to its 

uniqueness or its aesthetic appeal? Can a building designed 

by a famous architect, or built using a rare technology not 

be a monument? Also, do these values remain the same? 

Can values, like people and societies, change with time? We 

all understand that change is inevitable, so is it not possible 

that the reason old buildings are not preserved is because 

the values of society have changed over time, and what was 

essential then has become, perhaps, a burden now? 

So what are the ‘values’ of today and shouldn’t conservationists 

try to understand these new social values and guide 

conservation trends accordingly, instead of stating that because 

it is a monument it has to be preserved? A large population in 

Kathmandu is educated and aware of our cultural wealth and 

importance, but has that awareness been enough? Is it the lack 

of awareness or interest amongst house owners that is causing 

the trend of demolishing old private buildings? 



HERIETAGE 

ARCHITECTURE 

Back façade of the 

building showcasing the 

mud plaster which will be 

preserved 

 

It is perhaps a mixture of both. Many homeowners are 

not aware about how to preserve their buildings, and find 

erecting a new building a much simpler and hassle free 

process. But it is also true that many homeowners suffer from 

a lack of interest. They find building a new building more 

profitable both in terms of investment as well as returns. 

Yet there are some buildings and spaces that are, in recent 

times, renovated in an avant-garde fashion, with ideas and 

inspirations that address the issues of conservation as well 

as current values. This series on heritage and conservation 

features is dedicated to find such projects where old 

buildings are renovated, and new profitable activities are 

created for them, thus meeting the needs of preservation as 

well as profit. This series will continue for one year and will 

feature multiple projects where conservation has lead to the 

adaptive reuse of spaces, and will also study the issues and 

problems faced by the owners and conservationists during 

the process. The series will culminate with an analysis of 

the issues related to modern conservation, addressing 

conservation principals as well as the changed social values. 

The projects featured in this series are a mixture of 

conservation and entrepreneurship, and the parties 

involved have tried to find a balance between the two, 

without sacrificing the ideals of either. Yet in some cases, the 

objectives of these projects may not strictly follow the text 

book definition of either conservation or entrepreneurship, 

or both. But these projects are an attempt at fulfilling the 

current needs of society, and not necessarily the ideas of 

imported or borrowed theories - thus they demand flexibility 

in part from all their stakeholders. The realization of these 

projects is not by an objective guidance or text book 

theory, but by subjective involvement between the owners, 

conservationists, stakeholders and most importantly, the 

neighbouring society. 

This journey begins with a feature of the ongoing renovation 

of two private houses at Swotha, Patan, adjacent to 

‘Traditional Homes-Swotha’ (previously featured in Jan-Feb 

2012 issue of SPACES). The renovation, started in November 

2011, is carried out as a process by which the external 

facade of the buildings was conserved but the cement 

plaster over the front outer wall was removed. This is done in 

order to showcase the brick facade, indigenous to the mud 

based architecture of the buildings. The mud plaster over the 

back wall of the building is preserved as is and the structure 

of all the outer walls, including the doors and windows. The 


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HERITAGE 

The old and the new, a 

section of new timber 

added to an old tham 

(traditional pillar) 

internal walls however are removed to make way for a new 

partition to accommodate new activities. These new walls 

are constructed with cement mortar, to decrease the wall 

sections, but will be plastered using mud based plaster, 

therefore creating a traditional allure. 

According to Dr. Rohit Ranjitkar, who is heading this 

renovation, the two buildings, previously owned by a single 

family, showcases the input of multiple generations. The 

proportions of the ground floors suggest that this section 

of the building was built prior to the 1934 earthquake, but 

the proportions and details on the top floors of one section 

suggest the development of a much later period. The roof 

of the other section has been converted to a flat roof - as 

opposed to the traditional slope - and one of the outer walls 

was plastered using cement. Yet the inner walls as well 

as the outer wall in the back section are finished in mud 

plaster. Thus the building has been constantly adapted as 

per the needs of the family. 

The current intervention in the buildings will convert it to 

a guest house, which operationally will merge with the 

adjacent Traditional Homes - Swotha. Although the three 

buildings will act as one entity in its function, the ownership 

of these two buildings will be different from that of the 

building currently housing Traditional Homes. Combined, 

the three buildings will have a common courtyard (achieved 

by demolishing the boundary walls) and common facilities, 

thus reducing the overhead and operation cost, but acting as 

a larger unit and serving a larger number of clients. 

The facility thus created will be converted into a boutique 

apartment hotel that although commercial, will maintain 

the prestige of being a privately owned heritage property. 

The east wing of the hotel, currently under renovation, will 

accommodate three rooms per floor with a suite at the top 

floor which will have access to an added private balcony, 

amongst other facilities. This section will maintain its flat 

roof and necessary waterproofing will be done using 

modern materials, although not visibly, and the space will 

accommodate a water tank, solar water heaters etc. This 

section is approximately 450 square meters in area, and 

the expected cost of this renovation/ conversion is close to 

NRs. 9 million, which includes renovation, finishing, furniture 

and all other required services. The commercialization of 

these facilities will be encouraged but controlled, keeping 

in mind the targeted clients. In this way these three privately 

owned buildings will be preserved with the help of their 



HERIETAGE 

A section of the front façade of 

the building where the cement 

plaster was removed 

owners, who are more interested in adapting their buildings 

according to their needs rather than demolishing and rebuilding. 

Thus the economic motive of the entrepreneurs, as well as the 

preservation motive of conservationists and of society is fulfilled. 

This complex is located near Patan Durbar Square, on the way to 

Bangalamukhi, at a historic location called Swotha. The society at 

this area has been able to maintain its traditional fabric to a large 

extent, although not entirely. Initiatives like these are appropriate 

and should be encouraged to preserve the traditional aesthetics 

of these areas, without sacrificing the current economic needs of 

the owners and other stakeholders. The project is expected to be 

complete in early November 2012. 

But this project is not without its share of troubles. The issue of 

whether the government views this as a renovation, remodelling, 

maintenance or rebuilding project is unclear. The legal permits 

required for each of these endeavours are vague, thus neither 

the conservationists involved, nor the government officials, are 

certain about what kind of permits are to be issued here. It is no 

wonder that many homeowners find it easier to demolish an old 

building and build a new one, since the official procedure for 

such endeavours are easy to understand - unlike the procedure 

for conservation or adaptive reuse projects. 


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HERITAGE 

The front façade of the buildings where the 

cement plaster was removed and a balcony at 

the top floor was added. 

Traditional Homes-Swotha, the existing guest house facility, 

with the buildings under renovation in the backdrop. All 

these facilities will merge together operationally to create a 

boutique heritage hotel 

As mentioned earlier, change is inevitable. Projects like 

these where old buildings are neither used in old ways 

nor demolished and reconstructed into new structures 

but adapted according to present need are examples of 

change, in both the social values as well as the society’s 

approach towards these buildings. This change needs to 

be accommodated not only in society but also in the legal 

processes, so that these projects are not only made hassle 

free and easily accessible, but are actually encouraged by all 

parties involved, be it the government, society, professionals 

of conservation or homeowners. • 



HERIETAGE 

Sipradi 


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PRESS 

RELEASE 


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Graaha or 

Text: Madan Chitrakar 

Makar 

Crocodiles in Nepali Art 

Man’s fascination to draw animals is as old as man’s history. It begins with 

when men still dwelt in caves: and animals were drawn or created in cave 

ceilings in Altamira or Lascaux. May be in those days they had a reason for 

drawing bulls for their own survival – the animals as a rich source of food. 

So are in the civilizations of Mohenjo-Daro or Harappa where bulls or cows 

– useful for multiple reasons, made strong appearances in clay seals. So are 

the horses or other wild animals in ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian 

civilizations. 

But what one finds astonishing is the imagination of creatures beyond the 

forms found in reality. As the available evidences go, an earliest example 

is found in Assyrian Art – a winged-bull created in some 700 B.C. circa. An 

imagination of a four footed mammal with wings at that early stage of history 

is unthinkable and perplexing! Since then presence of mythical beings - birds 

or animals in art has always been common in many of the ancient or medieval 

art. Flying dragons, unicorns or phoenix or monsters or genies are some 

common examples and it continued to remain regular features in the many of 

the art and architectures in both East and West. But more often than not, it had 

always been inspired or derived from a native animal or a bird found around 

the place where it was been created. That is to say artists usually create forms 

with which they are reasonably familiar. 



NEPALI ART: A PROLIFIC 

PRESENCE OF ‘GRAAHA OR 

MAKARS’ 

In this context, Nepali art tradition 

too has remained very interesting. 

It has its rich share of mythical 

creatures. The examples are aplenty 

and most of them are still very well 

in public view – right up to this 

moment as medieval architectural 

contents. Some famous examples 

include– a hybrid man- an upper 

half of a man with lower body of a 

serpent –described as ‘Nagaraja’- 

the king of serpents or a half-bird 

half man described as ‘Garuda’- the 

legendary mount of Lord Vishnu. 

But they remain only in selected 

places. 

But a strange and an amazing 

creature which has made 

unbelievably an omni - presence 

in various contexts of Nepali art 

and architecture- other than the 

mythical lions, is an image of a 

hybrid creature – a crocodile in 

the upper half and the body of a 

bird- replete with two bird-like 

legs and decorative wings. As the 

important upper half –the head is 

of a crocodile, it primarily retains 

the character of the aquatic animal. 

Described as ‘Graaha orMakar or 

Hiti-Manga’ in local Newari dialect, 

since the time immemorial, it has 

come down in the Nepali religious 

and art tradition as a giver of holy 

water – so essentially needed in 

every sacred act of worship. As a 

result, ‘Makar’ has made strong 

appearances whenever or wherever 

there is a context of natural flow of 

holy waters - that is in water spouts 

- manifested in stone gargoyle 

sculptures. In addition, it has a wide 

spread and more regular presence 

as an integral part of medieval 

architectural embellishment – 

as wood carving or as metal 

repousse works. Not to mention the 

presence of crocodile ‘the Makar’ 

in the painting tradition as well in 

various roles and manifestations. 

An attempt is made here to make a 

brief observation on this interesting 

phenomenon. 

IN PAINTING 

Let’s begin with the tradition of 

painting wherever crocodile are 

seen or depicted in the stated weird 

form of ‘Graaha or Makar’- with 

reference to few available examples. 

Its manifestation in Nepali painting is 

astonishingly diverse and is amazing. 

It has continued to appear since the 

medieval times to right up to this 

moment in various manifestations. 

One of the most prolific and regular 

appearances are when it is seen in 

two sides of the outer rectangular 

extensions in all the four sides of a 

Buddhist Mandalas – a geometric 

diagram designed to assist in an act 

of meditation - essentially included 

as all important guardian deities. 

Two evidences cited here span 

some four hundred years from one 

another. Yet they serve the same 

purpose and are found almost in 

similar positions. The ‘Mandala of 

Sambhara’ – a Paubha dating 16th 

century circa – remains one of the 

earliest examples when a ‘Makar’ is 

seen in a Nepali painting. The next 

evidence cited here is a Mandala 

painting dated 1021 Nepal Era 

corresponding to late 19th century 

circa has too has a very close 

continuity in drawing the shape and 

its placement. The visible difference 

between the two can and is noted 

only in the artists’ changing taste for 

more details as a result of growing 

external influences creeping in the 

then local trend. Yet more amazing 

is the inclusion of Makar as part of 

decorative elements in the paintings 

painted for the Tibetan clientele as 

late as 18th century circa. Unlike 

the paintings meant for local clients, 

an example cited here has two 

Tibetan holy men – monks of the 

red cap sect (Nying Ma-Pa) as the 

central figures in the Paubha. Here, 

two diminutive Makars are found 

flanking outside the halos of the holy 

men. Such presentations are hardly 

found repeated in the works painted 

for local devotees. Interestingly, 

here the creatures are painted green 

than the usual red in other Mandalas. 

An image of a powerful head of a 

Makar is also found included along 

with the heads of other strong and 

powerful animals like elephant 

or lions in the medieval paintings 

whenever there was a need to 

attribute or demonstrate a display 

of an extra energy to a particular 

deity. Inclusion of crocodile as one 

of the extra heads in the depiction 

of multi- headed- all powerful Hindu 

or Shakta deity like ‘Guheswori or 

Guhyakali is one good example. 

It leads us to believe that in the 

medieval times, the notion of 

crocodile as a source of great 

energy was apparently very strong. 

So in the image we’ve included 

here the goddess Guheswori, in 

addition to many other heads, also 

has a head of a Makar. It visually 

describes the deity also possesses 

the aquatic power and strength like 

that of a crocodile. Similarly, in the 

narrative scrolls from the Nepali 

medieval art, crocodile are found 

depicted as normal aquatic creature 

– residing in a pool and has an 

encounter with a cursed elephant. 

As illustrations, Makars are painted 

based in the narratives of Hindu 

mythological story of ‘Gajendramoksya’- 

the salvation of the cursed 

elephant. The example given here 

is a folio from a prayer book used 

by Gen. Ranbir Singh Thapa- the 

youngest brother of Gen. Bhimsen 

Thapa in early 19th century circa. 


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IN SCULPTURAL TRADITION: 

AN INTEGRAL ELEMENT 

More surprising than in the painting, 

Nepali medieval architecture is 

obsessively replete with the image of 

‘Graaha or Makar.’ In the medieval 

tradition, an inclusion of this mythical 

creature had remained so prolific 

that it had virtually become an 

integral part of the architectural 

tradition. The most strong and visible 

example is the globally acclaimed 

tradition of stone water spout. All 

the popular stone water spouts 

found in the Kathmandu Valley 

narrate the extent of wide spread 

popularity of the tradition nurtured 

since near two thousand years. 

And till today it continues to remain 

all visible examples of its past 

glory. Virtually with no exception, 

all the stone spouts have the head 

of the carved head of Makar or a 

crocodile gargoyle – releasing water 

from its mouth. The most important 

feature of this unique tradition is its 

unmistakable continuity in its form 

and the style of presentation – since 

the earliest to the late nineteenth 

century after which the tradition went 

in decline. The front part has always 

a head of the mythical creature 

whereas the body is carved has 

floral motifs – derived mostly from 

the similar tradition found in the 

northern Gangetic plains. Stylistically, 

there may remain a little variation 

in the minor details as a result of 

local improvisations or the passage 

of time. But in essence, beginning 

from the Licchavi times to late Malla 

period, the tradition of stone spouts 

remained intact, vibrant and alive. 

More astonishing is how the Makar 

has a place in metal and wood 

works of medieval architecture. An 

interesting example is the tradition 

of placing a tympanum in each and 

every important door way – be it a 

place of worship – irrespective of 

Buddhist or Hindu shrine or a main 

entrance of a palace. Also in addition, 

whenever there is a need to provide 

an arch-like niche to a deity, the basic 

paraphernalia remains the same. 

The tradition has a rigid standard 

that the contents of such decorative 

arch should invariably remains same 

and unchanged. The normal contents 

include other than the central figures 

of Chhepu- or the ‘Kirti- mukha’the 

all powerful protective monster, the 

sides must by flanked or protected 

by the two mythical crocodiles - 

looking in two opposite directions. So 

a careful observer would note that 

from all important palace entrance 

like the Golden gate of Bhaktapur 

Durbar to Patan Durbar or to every 

entrance of a Buddhist Vihar, the 

composition and the elements remain 

unaltered except in some rare cases. 

In addition, even in a stone Buddhist 

stupa wherever there is a niche 

created for the deity is created the 

upper arch is always embellished 

with the same contents- that is both 

the ends flanked by ‘Graaha or 

Makar or Hiti-manga’. 

Origins: a Sub-continental Culture 

A popular belief held by many here 

that many of the contents or the 

motifs mentioned above including 

the ‘Makar’ have its origins here. To 

think otherwise it may not be easily 

acceptable. And it is partly true. But 

it is also true that in the hoary past 

many of these weird motifs forms had 

had interesting origins elsewhere but 

had passed through many gradual 

phases of transformation before it 

came to be established as a very 

important and integral part of Nepali 

Art. 

The entry of a hybrid-crocodile 

as we find in the local art tradition 

as ‘Makar’ is one of such glaring 

examples. First and foremost is a 

fact that the art tradition of Nepal has 

always remained concentrated in the 

Valley of Kathmandu and the Valley 

has never remained a natural habitat 

for this aquatic anima. So there is 

very likelihood of local artists were 

familiar or got inspired by this weird 

animal to enter into their imagination. 

Going by an early example, 

depiction of crocodile in a stone 

water spout is found in Handigaon 

as early as early Licchavi period of 

4th or 5th AD circa. It means by the 

time the artists had well knew the 

need to depict form of crocodile or 

‘Makar’ in a stone spout – meant for 

the flow of holy water. And here it 

becomes natural to conjure a fact that 

the tradition made the entry along 

with the art-forms from the Gangetic 

plains in the South where the rulers 

from both the sides had had close 

blood relations. 

And it is widely believed the 

tradition to sculpt a decorative head 

of crocodile or a ‘Graaha’ had a 

beginning with a religious belief to 

provide a lofty or sacred status to 

a natural flow of water- specifically 

meant to lustrate the deities every 

morning during the Vedic times. 

Also apparently to the early men, a 

presence of an image of a crocodile 

may have provided them a notion of 

the animal as a perennial source of 

holy water. And as time passed by, 

the tradition gained a widespread 

acceptance not only throughout 

the Indian sub- continent including 



the Valley of Kathmandu but also 

spread far and wide in South Eastern 

civilization of Java, Sumatra as well. 

And in other word, this amazing 

phenomenon although so popular 

and has remained so integral part of 

our visual culture, is a result and an 

extension of a wider Sub- continental 

heritage. 


April 17, 2012 

madanc@ntc.net.np 


65 

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Nepa Marble 


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March - April 2012

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