Doorway to the Past

As dust and debris were being cleared away from the Janabahaa Dyo temple while it was undergoing renovation recently, someone discovered this wooden door carelessly stashed away in a corner on the ground floor. As it had laid there for an unknown period of time, moisture had made the wood as soft as sponge.

Purna Shrestha, who lives in the next block from Janabahaa, wears a forlorn look, contemplating on the apathy of the people who paid no attention at all to the preservation of ancient art.

Due to decades -- possibly even centuries -- of human neglect, minute organisms had eaten away a large portion of the top section of the door, causing the lower right limbs of the intricately carved godly figure to be lost forever. Photos by Alok Tuladhar.