Janabahaa Society

New Year Triple Bonanza

2011-12-29T19:18:00.003+05:45

The 2012 New Year's day coincides with the annual bathing ceremony of Janabahaa Dyo In the evening of January 1, the deity will be brought out from its sanctum in the main temple in the Janabahaa complex and carried to the raised platform in the south-east corner of the courtyard, where the image will be given a shower with holy water, milk and honey after an elaborate tantric ceremony. The bathing water is brought from the holy river known as Bhacha Khushi, located just below Byasah (Bijeshwari) by a group of caretaker priests the day before. From the next day onwards, a week-long process of repainting the deity from head to toe by designated caretaker priests of Janabahaa takes place in the open courtyard, from approximately 10 am to 3 pm every day.

The living goddess Kumari will grace the deity's ritual bath in person. This is one of the thirteen times in the year that the Kumari comes out of her beautiful temple abode in the Kathmandu Durbar Square.

The audio tour of Janabahaa that has been planned for quite some time will also be launched the same day, just before the bathing ceremony.

If you come to Janabahaa at about 4 pm in the afternoon, you will be guaranteed a few hours of festive atmosphere, local music, centuries-old religious tradition and a religiously awakened crowd. If you carry a large camera, you might even be invited to sit on one of the chairs reserved for the press with a good vantage point.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Janabahaa Audio Tour in the Offing

2011-12-25T18:43:00.007+05:45

An electronic guided audio tour is currently being rolled out on a trial basis in the living heritage site of Janabahaa. This kind of service is being made available for the first time anywhere in Nepal. The automated tour provides not only authentic and updated information about the historic and cultural monuments and practices found inside the Janabahaa premises, but also gives insights on the past, present and future efforts for the conservation of this "open museum" that is of great importance to the Buddhist community of Kathmandu.

This new service, designed for the benefit of visitors to Janabahaa, was announced via this blog a few months now. Thanks to the hard work of volunteers in both hemispheres of the globe, this service is now all ready to be launched. The content of this new offering was circulated to a large number of well-wishers and friends of Janabahaa, and many of them responded with encouragement and highly practical suggestions for the initiation of this novel task.

Watch this space over the next several days for updates on its actual launch date. Meanwhile, here is the full content for you to listen to, even without being physically present at Janabahaa. You may wish to download this to your mobile device and bring it with you, together with a pair of earphones, the next time you drop in at Janabahaa.

Click on the link below to listen to or download the guided audio tour recording.

Janabahaa Audio Tour

Starting Early, Keeping Janabahaa Clean

2011-11-30T00:16:00.000+05:45

Orange peel?

Right into the dustbin it goes.

And I will be a good boy and run back to get more stuff for the dustbin until Janabahaa becomes spotless.

Ah yes, we youngsters have the zeal, and we know how to lead by example.

Did any one of you elders notice how clean Janabahaa has been lately? Drop in and see for yourself. And tell us how to improve, because there is still room for much improvement.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Make Space for the Chariot

2011-11-27T02:44:00.000+05:45

The annual chariot festival of Janabahaa Dyo is one of the most colorful and important festivals in Kathmandu. Here is the full text of a comprehensive article about the festival published in the May-June 2009 issue of Spaces magazine.

The chariot festival of SETO MACHENDRANATH

by Sabina Tandukar

A crowd of more than thousand people, dancing euphorically to the tune of classical music, some singing religious hymns, some praying fervently and others looking around in awe; and amidst this crowd is the towering monumental moving temple - a 'Ratha' or a chariot. This mesmerizing scenario is the procession of Seto Machhindranath in Kathmandu valley. Full of life, colour and excitement, this festival enlivens the inner spirit and gives joy to the infinity.

These processions along the routes of the medieval towns were meant to foster the culture of community living besides paying homage to the revered god. A source of religious entertainment for the mortals of Kathmandu valley, these chariot festivals started since the early days of the Malla period.
Myths
The festival is said to have been started by King Pratap Malla. But judging by the available inscriptions in the courtyard of Janabahal, it is clearly older than this time. The deity was perhaps originally from the Hamhal monastery in Ranipokhari and later shifted to Kel Tol. A myth also supports this hypothesis saying that initially Jamal was a different country called Jamadesh and Yakshya Malla was the then ruling King. The Kantipuri was such a divine place, where every morning, people used to bathe in the holy river and visit Swayambhunath; such works of virtue led them to heaven after their death. Once the god of death 'Yamaraj', saw that none of the dead from the Kantipuri went to hell and on looking further he understood that the divine power of Swayambhunath was the cause. So with his fellow men he set himself on visiting Kantipuri and paid homage to the sacred god. While he was returning, King Yakshya Malla, along with his Tantric guru, captured them and asked for immortality. Yamraj himself being a mortal could not give such a blessing and said so, but the King would not let go of him unless he bestowed such power on them. The frightened god then prayed to Arya Awalokiteshwor and requested to free him. The Lord hearing such a prayer appeared instantly before them from the water. With a white colored body and eyes half closed looking downwards, the lord said that wherever the Kalmati and Bagmati meets, a temple needs to be established and whoever pays him a visit shall always be prosperous and live long. He told the King to organize a Ratha Yatra every year for three days starting from 'Chaitra Sukla Astami' so that he could travel to the houses of those people who cannot move, are disabled or stay longer at their houses and bless them with happiness and long life. The Ratha Yatra was to start from a place from where the god originated which happens to be the present Ranipokhari area.

Janabahal
The temple of Arya Awalokiteshwor is located in Janabahal. It is one of the few monastic courtyards which have a full fledged storied temple standing in the middle of a court with a shrine in the wing at the far end from the entrance. The temple is highly ornamental with gilt-copper roofs, ornamental metal banners, tympanum, and struts illustrating the diverse forms of Awalokiteshwor. While prayer wheels line the pedestal, lions and gryphon's guard the approaching step to the shrine doorway. The courtyard is large, spacious and stone paved with numerous chaityas and stone pillars holding aloft various Buddhist deities. At present the use of full length iron grills all around the temple has ridiculed its beauty and urgently calls for a better alternative to protect the enshrined gods and the historical works of art from possible theft.

Ratha
Ratha or a chariot is a moving temple. The Ratha with 13 stories (including those of the gajura) conforms to the shikhara style forming the Trayodasak Bhuwan; with the first storey being the "Pramodidabha" and the final one being the "Gyanawati". Each step leads up to the path of nirvana. Triangular shape determines stability, showing the right flow of energy; with each vertices of the triangle pointing to the three "Lokas" of this universe: Swarga (heaven), Martya (earth), and Narka (hell). The festival of the most compassionate divinity aims to end the sorrows of all those in these three lokas. While '32 lakchyan yukta' means the one with all the positive energy of this universe, this principle also guides the construction of the Ratha. The principle has that the total length of the Ratha from the bottom to the top of the Gajura must conform to 32 haat, even the horizontal length conforms to this principle. The circular wheels have a diameter of 16 haat (1 haat is approximate the length from the elbow to the middle finger tip).

The four wheels of the Ratha are symbolic representation of the four Bhairabs - namely; Yamantak (black), Pragyantak (white); Padmantak (red); and Bigmantak (blue). The idol of the god is placed in the chariot which is believed to be circumscribed by the 'Das Dig Lokapala' (other gods) during the entire procession.

More than 300 pieces of wood are joined together to form this Ratha. The 100 pieces of the total goes to the wheels each confirming to the exact 25 pieces. Woods of different species (around 8 types) are used, each making a vital part of the Ratha. Na-shin (a type of wood) forms the wheels as it has good compressive strength and the woods with higher flexibility form the towering portion of the Ratha. No iron nails are to be used so woods are joined together using lap or tongue and groove joints and tied together using 'beda' (local vine).

The Ratha is not the product of an isolated effort of a single group of people but rather various groups of people specializing in various activities come together to construct it. Since the earliest, two groups of Newar Jyapus, each from the Thane and Kwane have been constructing the Ratha. This time the troop lead by the Maharjan brothers - Prakash Maharjan and Pradeep Maharjan successfully completed the construction of the Ratha. A ritually important flower "la swan" is required which is especially grown by the Munikars. These activities bring unity and harmony among the caste groups of the valley.

The Route

On the day of Chaitra Sukla Astami, the priests, who are Shakyas, take the image of the chief deity, Padmapani Avalokiteshwor, out for a procession to Jamal beside Ranipokhari where the large wheeled chariot is waiting to receive it. The two leaders from Thane and Kwane lead the Ratha. The procession starts with the people of various castes playing their musical instrument and dancing to the tunes.

This colorful procession is so exhilarating that any observer is bound to feel energized, the towering chariot making its way down the alleys of the town, the enthusiastic youths pulling chariot with the rope, the peoples singing the hymns and praying, the lights, the smell of the incense sticks all create an aura magnanimous and full of divine power difficult to discern. All groups of people unify and come forward in the procession and pray for their long life and prosperity.

The very first day of this divine procession covers the Jamal, Ratnapark, Bhotahity and Ason area. On the second day, the procession starts from Ason to Balkumari, Kel Tol, Indra Chowk, Makhan and rests in the Hanuman Dhoka. Here the living goddess Kumari also comes out to pay her visit. On the final day, the Ratha moves through Hanuman Dhoka, Maru, Chikan Mangal, Jaisidewal, Jya Baha and finally reaches Lagan Tol. After circumambulating a special tree for three times the procession completes.

The religion says that the festival must complete before the Purnima or the full moon day of the month. On the fourth day, after a special puja, the image of the god is carried back to the temple and restored there.

The whole procession with its starting, finishing and stopping points enroute, interestingly shows the hierarchy of open spaces and the path-space configurations, giving a new socio-cultural meaning to existing religious sites, squares and streets. Everyday the procession pierces through the dense settlement of the city and at the end of the day stops at the Chowks or the Durbar squares that are the points of religious or political importance. These places act as the congregational points where locals come forward to perform religious activities.

Present scenario
Even to this day the Jatra holds the same value and importance to the city dwellers. Guthi sansthan is the government organization that works for the construction of the Ratha and continuum of this festival. This year a whole new set of Ratha was prepared using only about 20% of the old resources. However due to lack of time only one type of wood (Agrakh) was incorporated in its construction and few iron straps were seen in the junction and wheels to ensure its strength.

The culture of a nation is one of its most valuable assets. However, some additions to the new urban fabric has torn apart such values and beliefs. One such addition is the construction of the overhead bridge in the Ratnapark - Baghbazaar junction which lies in the route of this chariot festival. The clear height of the bridge is far less than the height of the Ratha. Last year, the Ratha toppled over at this point because of this obstruction and level differences created in its path as the towering Ratha had to struggle through the narrow space leftover by the bridge. Such unplanned development works should be checked by the concerned authority and greater public awareness is needed regarding such public activities.

Conclusion
Festivals and Jatras make the heart of the Newari culture. The Jatra of Seto Machhindranath in Kathmandu, Rato Machhindranath in Patan, and Bisket Jatra in Bhaktapur are famous and unique in their own style as the architecture of these towns itself.

These cultural activities give us our identity and are the part of our glorious past. We must consciously work for its continuity, making it a living heritage of the city.

Acknowledgement
Purna Ratna Bajracharya
Padma Sundar Maharjan
Guthi Sansthan
References
• Kathmandu Valley, The Preservation of Physical Environment and Cultural Heritage. A protective inventory prepared by HMG of Nepal in collaboration with the UN and UNESCO, the Austrian Federal Government and the JDR 3rd fund.
• Tiwari, S.R: The Urban Spaces of Kathmandu Valley Towns: a historical perspective
• Shakya, Gyanendra: Nepalese manuscripts on architecture: published in Vaastu vol. 5, pg: 53
• Bajracharya, Kamalananda; Janabahadyo Ya Bakha: Aaju publications.

Purna Ratna Bajracharya is the acting chairman of 'Shree Seto Machindranath Ratha Nirman Committee, 2066 B.S.'. After the Ratha toppled over last year during its procession, the committee was entrusted to construct the Ratha with special instructions that the untoward incident of the previous year does not recur this year too, as such incidents are considered to be a bad omen for the country. A graduate in Fine Arts, Bajracharya is also associated with Gorkhapatra Sansthan (Nepali National Daily) and has been working in various temple restoration projects. His works include the design and restoration of 108 Lokeshwor in Janabahal and restoration works in Nala Karunamaya temple.

The online version of the article is available here. Also, a video of the spectacular festival can be seen here.

Cleaning Up, Strengthening Family Ties

2011-11-27T01:34:00.001+05:45

The immense popularity of Janabahaa as a place of worship poses an immense challenge of keeping the place clean of all the "holy grit" that results from the elaborate rituals and ceremonies carried out by devotees in this complex. One common form of worship is to light oil wicks in the hundreds of metal lamps laid out around the main temple and around various stupas in the courtyard. Cleaning the lamps of the residue left by the oil and the burnt out wicks is a perpetual task, carried out by volunteers and devotees.

Shown here is the family of Sarbagya Tuladhar lending a hand in keeping the "daloo" lamps clean.

Photos courtesy Sarbagya Tuladhar.

Tears of Compassion

2011-11-26T20:14:00.000+05:45

This photo has been submitted to the Postal Services Department of the Government of Nepal for use in an upcoming postage stamp that the Department will publish soon. The two small figures seen at the bottom of this picture are the White Tara and the Green Tara, who represent two drops of tears shed by Karunamaya Aryavalokiteshor (or "the compassionate one") upon seeing the sadness and misery persisting in this world. These two Tara figures remain unveiled only for four days after the re-installation of the image of Karunamya in its sanctum upon completion of its annual bathing and repainting ceremonies.

Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Two Hours Outside Janabahaa

2011-11-16T01:50:00.000+05:45

One can easily spend half a day, without knowing how much time has passed by, inside the peaceful courtyard of Janabahaa studying the innumerable intricate artwork strewn all over the temple complex and the human activity happening all day round oblivious to the centuries-old art masterpieces.

Step out of the complex's main gate in the south, and one will encounter Kel Tol -- one of the busiest thoroughfares in the core area of Kathmandu city, joining the ancient trade center of Ason with Wongha (Indrachok). And one can also while away another couple of hours effortlessly in the middle of Kel Tol watching life go by, as afternoon hues give way to dusk, evening sights and sounds and the inevitable power cut.

Earlier reference to this this street on this blog can be found at Padmapani Rediscovered and Reclaiming the Streets.

Video by Alok Tuladhar.

A Taste of Compassion, for the Whole World

2011-11-13T18:59:00.000+05:45

All Ears in Janabahaa

2011-08-08T18:24:00.003+05:45

Okay, what is going on here? Not only does Janabahaa offer you a visual treat, but it will also excite one more of your senses with this new offer. Stay tuned to find out.

Colorful, Resourceful Devotees

2011-05-31T19:48:00.000+05:45

At 00:36 you will see see how a devotee uses the reflective surface of the camera lens as his mirror.

Templescape

2011-05-14T01:42:00.000+05:45

A timelapse video of Janabahaa. Once in Janabahaa, one rarely notices time go by.

Some More to Study

2011-03-08T00:31:00.002+05:45

Masters-level students from the Institute of Engineering, Lalitpur are back again in Janabahaa, this time to conduct a detailed socio-economic survey of some random households in Janabahaa. The twenty-strong group is in the process of preparing their report about the significance of ancient Buddhist courtyard complexes (bahaa and bahi) of Kathmandu valley in modern-day urban planning and space management, and have chosen Janabahaa as their place of study.

Community leaders were interviewed at length, using digital recorders. It was obvious that the scholars were highly interested in what they were researching.

The students have even pooled in some cash amongst themselves and made a generous contribution to help in the ongoing cleaning efforts of Janabahaa.

Once the study is complete, the resulting documentation is expected to be extensive, and a very valuable reference for any researcher on the socio-economic development of urban Kathmandu.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Global Demand for Nepalese Silver

2011-03-07T22:55:00.000+05:45

Friedhelm Nunnemann, a retired engineer and environmental/quality management expert from Germany, is a great fan of Janabahaa and the ancient architectural heritage of Kathmandu Valley. He makes it a point to drop in at Janabahaa every time he comes to town. Through this blog, he found out about the silver souvenir production, and asked his friend Bikas Maharjan, who is on his way to Germany, to pick up a few units of the precious relic on his behalf.

A Russian tourist who had happened to drop in at Janabahaa had also picked up the memento, seeing it being sold by volunteers at a counter.

Similary, Scott Faiia, an American development worker presently based in Nepal, is also the proud owner of the glittering souvenir.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Photo Exhibition, Now Online!

2011-02-22T21:55:00.002+05:45

A week-long photo exhibition on the topic of Janabahaa and Janabahaa Dyo was held for the first time ever this year on the occasion of the annual bathing ritual of Janabahaa Dyo. The exhibition, held from January 12 to 19, 2011 in the Janabahaa complex, was seen by tens of thousands of visitors every day for the entire week. It was thus probably a photo exhibition with one of the greatest number of viewers held in Nepal so far.

Here are the pictures displayed in the exhibition (you may click anywhere on the slide show to view larger pictures).

Symbolism in Stone

2011-01-29T11:56:00.000+05:45

There are more than fifty commemorative structures spread around the Janabahaa courtyard, dating back from a few decades to a few centuries. Most of them have beautiful hand-carved deities, and is full of amazing symbolism. Here is a high-resolution stitch of a votive chaitya (stupa or chorten).Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

All Decked Up, Almost Ready to Go Back In

2011-01-24T02:05:00.002+05:45

This photo was taken on January 18, a day before the image underwent elaborate consecration ceremonies and placed inside in its sanctum in the temple.Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Janabahaa Architecture Under the Microscope

2011-01-22T21:40:00.005+05:45

A group of post-graduate architecture students from the Institute of Engineering, Lalitpur have been visiting Janabahaa recently to prepare a presentation to their class. The group, specializing in urban planning, is studying the relevance of Buddhist monasteries (bahaa and bahi) of Kathmandu in urban space management, and has selected Janabahaa for their detailed study, which includes the various stages of architectural and social development within the Janabahaa courtyard.

Tri Ratna Bajracharya (right) briefs the IOE students on the unique features of Janabahaa and points out a stupa (center) that has no statues and opines that it is possibly from a period when the art of making statues was not developed.

Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

108 Lokeshor Repousse Series (North-east Corner)

2011-01-21T08:56:00.000+05:45

This gold-coated copper facade is on the north-eastern corner of the ground floor of the Janabahaa Dyo temple. You can browse around, zoom in, take snapshots of areas of your choice, examine the details and leave comments.Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Annual Paint Job of Janabahaa Dyo: A Work in Progress

2011-01-20T10:48:00.005+05:45

This photo was taken on January 17, 2011 -- two days before painting of the image was completed. Feel free to zoom in, browse around, take snapshots and leave comments.
Photo by Alok Tuladhar

999 Glittering Silver Sees Light of Day

2011-01-17T00:37:00.008+05:45

On the occasion of the annual bathing ceremony of Janabahaa Dyo, a silver souvenir was released amidst a ceremony in the Janabahaa courtyard on January 12, 2011. The memento shows off the temple of Janabahaa Dyo and the words “Shri Kanak Chaitya Mahavihar, Janabahaa, Yen” and “N. S. 1131” on one side, while the other side displays the image of Janabahaa Dyo with the words “Sri Aryavalokiteshor Sharana and Janabahaa Dyo.” A limited number of the 15-gram “coin” was sold to the general public at Rs. 1,500 each.

The relic is packaged in a hard plastic case, and includes a short note about the significance of Janabahaa Dyo to society in general (both in Nepal Bhasa and English).

As anticipated, the release of this relic has generated the much-needed funds to support the never-ending cleaning efforts of the Janabahaa complex. At the same time, this exercise has proved that there is no lack of public participation for a good cause, as long as there is initiative and sound leadership. All capital investments required for this venture was raised from about fifty individuals who volunteered to provide an interest-free loan of Rs. 25,000 each for up to three months.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Annual Bathing Ritual of Janabahaa Dyo (with New Additives)

2011-01-15T11:35:00.034+05:45

The annual bathing ritual of Janabahaa Dyo was held on January 12, 2011 in Janabahaa, accompanied with some brand new activities.

Three unique events highlighted this year's ceremony. First, on the occasion, a 15-gram silver souvenir coin was released; a week-long photo exhibition of Janabahaa and Janabahaa Dyo was launched; and an ancient visual footage dating back to 2024 Bikram Sambat (1968 AD) of the Janabahaa Dyo rath yatra (chariot pulling festival) created by Corneille Jest of France was shown to a large audience in a huge screen. Some pictures of those events are given below.

People of all age groups watching the photo exhibition.

Old pictures attract attention from a viewer.

Carefully reading the captions to understand the story behind the pictures.

Janabahaa was literally jam-packed with people during the three-in-one event, which some have started calling the kickoff of the Janabahaa Festival.

Honoring senior citizens during the silver souvenir release ceremony.

A banner inviting guest to attend the silver coin release ceremony.

Janabahaa Dyo returning back to the temple after the evening ritual.

Janabahaa Dyo wrapped in brocade cloth returning back to the temple.

A senior priest leading the Janabahaa Dyo procession.

Butter lamps lighting up the entrance offering space inside Janabahaa.

A large crowd gathered to witness the annual Bathing Ritual.

Priests performing Puja (offering) as part of the ritual.

A large crowd is still eagerly watching the photo exhibition late in the evening.

Photo exhibition draws a large crowd to the Janabahaa premise.

In the main street outside Janabahaa, a live streaming of the annual bathing ritual was shown on large screen for those who were unable to watch it inside due to over-crowding.

A large crowed gathered to watch the live streaming of the ritual that was taking place inside Janabahaa.

People eagerly watching the 1968 A. D. footage of Janabahaa Rath Yatra.

A crowd of all age groups watching the visual from 43 years ago on a large screen.

A screen shot of the footage that shows the people in Kamalakshi, near Ason Tole in 1968 A. D.

Living goddess Kumari returning after witnessing the Janabahaa Dyo bathing ritual.

Members of the general public queuing up to purchase the silver coin memento.

Devotees offering their prayers as they watch photos of Janabahaa Dyo.

Additional pictures are available as slideshow below.

Photos by Surendra Sthapit.

Another Gigapixel Compilation

2010-12-28T16:58:00.002+05:45

Here is another giga-pixel photo from the Janabahaa complex. Feel free to browse around, zoom in and take snapshots.

Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

The Shining Silver Souvenir Promise

2010-12-26T23:56:00.003+05:45

What an ingenious solution!

Hard cash is required (to pay the salaries, mostly) to continue the cleaning of Janabahaa. And, people do have a huge appetite for valuable mementos.

Just perfect!

A group of youths from Janabahaa, led by Bijay Shrestha, have come up with a plan to raise the much-needed funds by selling a limited number of specially-marked silver souvenirs. The 15-gram relic will be released on the occasion of the annual bathing ceremony of the image of Janbahaa Dyo (Karunamaya Aryavalokiteshor), which falls on January 12, 2011 this year, and will be available for sale to the public on first-come-first-served basis.

A lot of financial planning and resource mobilization goes into a task such as this. “Investment” for procuring the silver was raised from local individuals, who happily provided an interest-free loan of Rs. 25,000 each.

Each of the lenders has pledged that he/she will not ask that the money be returned until all the mementos are sold.

A small “profit” from the sale of each unit of the souvenir, amounting to no more than a couple of hundred rupees, will be deposited in the Janabahaa cleanliness fund.

As the souvenir will be of 99.9 % sterling silver, its monetary value is bound to appreciate quickly. Additionally, as the token is directly linked to Janabahaa Dyo, many people will consider it a priceless possession, of which they will want never let go.

If you wish to ensure that you get your unit of this unique sterling silver souvenir, book it today by calling Bijay Shrestha (cell: 977.98510.35097) or Prabodh Kasaa (cell: 977.98414.79388).

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Weekly Free Clinics Resumed

2010-11-22T22:25:00.002+05:45

Dr. Matina Tuladhar has resumed her voluntary service as the physician on duty at the weekly clinics run by the Janabahaa Society (please see earlier post about this here).

Clinic timings are 8 am to 10 am every Saturday morning, and the venue is the Janabahaa Society office in the Janabahaa complex.

The clinic is completely free. All are welcome.

Note: Karunamaya Aryavalokiteshor (Janabahaa Dyo), being the compassionate one, is believed to relieve the suffering of his devotees. In earlier times, when the holy water from the shrine of Janabahaa Dyo was sprinkled on the sick, they would be cured. The free clinic is one more way to help relieve the suffering of the ailing and the needy in modern times.

Caption Contest

2010-11-19T01:23:00.001+05:45

Send in your caption to this photo. The caption should be thought-provoking or funny. Just type it in the comments box below and submit. Top five entries will be published in this blog.

Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Repoussé art in Janabahaa

2010-11-12T21:39:00.003+05:45

Repoussé (French, pronunciation: [ʁəpuse]) is a metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is ornamented or shaped by hammering from the reverse side. There are few techniques that offer such diversity of expression while still being relatively economical.

Repoussé is used to work on the reverse of the metal to form a raised design on the front. The technique of repoussé utilises the plasticity of metal, forming shapes by degrees. There is no loss of metal in the process, as it is stretched locally and the surface remains continuous. The process is relatively slow, but a maximum of form is achieved, with one continuous surface of sheet metal of essentially the same thickness.

The zoom-able photo below shows some of the Repoussé art found on the ground floor or Janabahaa Dyo temple.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar

Dilemma No More

2010-11-07T00:52:00.000+05:45

Not sure about the date of upcoming events and festivals? No problem. Just go to Janabahaa and check out the calendar hung next to the gate of the main shrine of Janabashaa Dyo.

This is an example of how Janabahaa has been of practical use in one’s daily life for centuries. The debate about the dates of the Swonti (or Tihar) festival this year is addressed by this calendar – which authoritatively states that the Mha Puja and Nepal Sambat 1131 New Year’s day falls on Sunday, November 7. Happy New Year!

Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

It's Gigapixels Now, No More Megapixels!

2010-10-05T11:05:00.008+05:45

One of the topics covered in the photography workshop organized recently by the Janabahaa Society is this: Take some photos in Janabahaa with any mega-pixel camera. Or shoot with your mobile phone camera, or even with your old-school film camera. Then create extremely high-resolution (hundreds of giga-pixel per photo) with your shoot, and share it with the entire world instantaneously. Here is an example:You need the Adobe Flash player installed, and JavaScript enabled to use this viewer.

Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Vote for... compassion

2010-10-05T00:12:00.000+05:45

Being the only large space in the locality that is easy to secure, Janabahaa has been used by the government as a polling station for numerous elections in the past . Yet another contribution that Janabahaa makes to society.

The Election Commission is currently sending out teams all over the country to collect data on eligible voters. One such team arrived in Janabahaa on Monday. Many residents of Janabahaa enlisted themselves by providing the required information to the data collection team, ensuring that their voter's ID will be issued by the government in due course.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Janabahaa to Go On Air

2010-10-03T23:50:00.001+05:45

Getting some close-up footage of the gilded copper repousse work on the Torana on the eastern facade of the temple.

Bodhi Television (All Tradition Buddhist TV Channel) is in the process of producing a short documentary about Janabahaa, with assistance from the Janabahaa Society.

Nabin Shakya of the caretaker priest clan talks about the various festivals related to Janabahaa.

The documentary will be aired on Nepal Television 2 soon. Do check out this blog periodically for an update on when the documentary will be aired.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Danke, Herr Nunnemann!

2010-10-01T12:51:00.001+05:45

This is Friedlelm Nunnemann’s eighth visit to Nepal. He comes here every two years from Germany to trek the Himalayas, and in the course of his travels to Nepal, he has developed a deep interest in the unique heritage of Nepal. Sixty-eight year old Friedhelm (which means "peace helmet") is a retired exhaust emission and quality management expert who has worked for Mercedes and for the Environment Protection Agency of the United States government.

Friedhelm discovered an important document in November last year about a research carried by a Japanese university team about Janabahaa, and shared it with us. Details about that find are posted in this blog here.

Herr Nunnemann hanging out at Janabahaa.

Herr Nunnemann enjoys a cup of Nepali milk-and-sugar tea.

Herr Nunnemann gets introduced to Babu of the canine security corps of Janabahaa.

Friedhelm visited us at Janabahaa earlier this week and spent some time discussing the many architectural and artistic treasures of Janabahaa, and how his passion for Nepal’s heritage can be converted into something useful for a global audience who share his passion. He also made a generous cash donation to support the ongoing activities of the Janabahaa Society.

In honor of his continued interest and support to Janabahaa, we have decided to dedicate one of the flower pots that are being placed around the Janabahaa courtyard in his name.

Mit tiefer Dankbarkeit, unseren deutschen Freund! With deep gratitude, our German friend!

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Learning How to Click the Mouse

2010-09-24T23:50:00.004+05:45

Photo by Bijay Shrestha

The first Photography Basics Workshop organized by the Janbahaa Society concluded today. The workshop not only helped draw the participants' attention to the living heritage of Janabahaa, but also helped to raise some much-needed funds to carry out the regular activities of the Society.

"Novice participants produced some fantastic results after just seven or eight hours of instruction," said instructor Alok Tuladhar. He continued proudly, "the workshop has definitely proved that Janabahaa is a wonderful location to practice photography."

Raj Prajapati, a participant, says, "My last SLR was a vintage Mamiya. I have now decided to buy the Canon 60D immediately. I feel I am already a semi-professional photographer, thanks to the workshop."

Shown here are some of the works produced by the participants during the course of the workshop.

Photo by Bijay Shrestha

Photo by Himan Raj Shrestha

The Compass Buddha

2010-09-15T23:37:00.004+05:45

If you get lost, and there are no stars in the night sky to help you find the direction, just go to a chaitya near you and locate the Akshobhya Buddha. He always faces east.

Akshobhya (Sanskrit for “the Immovable One”) is the next important Buddha among the Dhyani Buddhas after Vairochana. Akshobhya was a monk who vowed never to feel anger or disgust at another being. He was immovable in keeping this vow, and after long striving, he became a Buddha.

Dhyani Buddhas are abstract aspects of Buddhahood. They are often called Tathagata or Pancha Buddha. They are so popular in Nepal that they are found in almost every chaitya, and found painted in the main entrance of many Buddhist houses.

Akshobhya is a heavenly Buddha who reigns over the eastern paradise, Abhirati. (Note that the eastern paradise is understood to be a state of mind, not a physical place.) Those who fulfill Akshobhya's vow are reborn in Abhirati and cannot fall back into lower states of consciousness.

In Buddhist iconography, Akshobhya usually is blue. He is most often pictured with his left hand resting on his lap, palm facing upward, and his right hand touching the earth, palm facing inward. This is the earth-touching mudra, which is the gesture used by the historical Buddha (Siddhartha Gautam) when he asked the earth to bear witness to his enlightenment.

In Buddhist tantra, evoking Akshobhya in meditation helps overcome anger and hatred.

So how many images of Akshobhya can be found in the Janabahaa complex? Well, it is surely worth counting.

Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Soap Nuts and Elephant Ears

2010-09-14T22:50:00.000+05:45

Much has been achieved in the course of the renovation and cleaning efforts undertaken in recent years in Janabahaa. Perhaps the most visibly striking result so far is the polishing of the Halampo (gilded copper repousse banners) hanging from the lower roof on the eastern face of the temple.

Age-old local techniques were used to remove the decades-old dirt (see earlier blog post entitled “Glitter under the Grime: Citrus Juice to the Rescue”). To give finishing touches to the cleaning job, two more home-grown commodities were used.

Hathan (Rittha or Soap Nuts). Scientific name Sapindus mukorossi. This natural soap is a locally grown product, and has been used traditionally as a natural cleanser.

Fakan (Karkalo or Elephant Ear/Taro). Scientific name Colocasia esculenta. The Elephant Ear plant grows in abundant quantities in the valley during the monsoon, and is used widely as a nourishing and tasty vegetable. The huge leaves of the plant is dried in the sun and boiled in water. The resulting liquid is applied on the soap-nut washed metal surface to bring out the rich glitter.

Finally, acrylic epoxy spray is applied on the surface for waterproofing.

The brilliantly-polished and waterproof Halampo will now hopefully remain so for the next few years, after which the whole process will need to be repeated.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Announcing... Photography Basics Workshop

2010-09-14T21:32:00.001+05:45

The historic East Germany Contax S, 1949, the first pentaprism SLR for eye-level viewing. Photo © by Jeff Dean

Hands-on Photography Basics Workshop

(coversSLR Camera Basics, How to Take Good Photos, Digital Correction)

Time: 8.15 am to 10.15 am

Date: September 20 (Monday) to24 (Friday), 2010

Venue: Janabahaa complex

Fee: Rs. 2,000 per person (allproceeds will go towards Janabahaa cleanliness fund)

To register, please call AlokTuladhar at 9851012482.

Water! Water! Where art Thou?

2010-09-12T02:41:00.000+05:45

The first picture (photo by Alok Tuladhar) is of a water fountain currently for sale in an “antiques” shop in downtown Bhaktapur. The second picture shows the original water fountain which had appeared in our earlier blog entry entitled "Cloud Lakes, Circle of Bliss and Creatures of the Rain Rivers."

Curious about this amazing work of art and its relevance to our modern day lives? Here are some excerpts from the article that appears in the online journal asianart.com in which the original water fountain has been described in detail (“The Creatures of the Rain Rivers, Cloud Lakes: Newars Saw Them, So Did Ancient India” by Gautama Vajra Vajracharya, Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and one of the foremost art historians of Nepal):

Most of the water fountains are simple, having only essential elements such as the makara spout and the images of yaksha or Bhagīratha... But some of them are much more elaborately designed as exemplified by the golden fountains of three royal palaces of the valley. Perhaps the best example is King Jitamitra Malla (reigned c. 1673-1696)’s contribution in his Bhaktapur palace (second pictured above). It shows huge head of the makara with its voluminous trunk raised upward. The makara has large eyes, curly horns, and short legs. On top of the spout, just behind the trunk an iguana like creature is crawling slowly. Both sides of the spout are crowded with aquatic and semi-aquatic creatures such as a snakes, crocodiles, ducks, turtles, and frogs and domesticated animals such as horses, goats and cows. Note also a conch shell near the foot of the makara. The human figure with bird’s feet and tail is indeed a kinnara; but in illustrated Newar iconographic texts this mythical figure is identified as jalamānus'a “aquatic man.” From the open jaws of the makara emerges a cow or a bull. This is indeed fascinating iconographic element of the Newar fountains.

Now comes the real interesting part. Continuation from Gautam V. Vajracharya’s article:

Epigraphic evidence tells us that some of these elements of water architecture go back to the Licchavi period (ca. 200-879 C.E.) or the transitional period (ca. 879-1200). During such a long period of history, the valley-dwellers developed admirable skills and techniques to bring water from considerable distances. An unpublished Sanskrit text entitled Vāriśāstra “Treatise on Water” describes how to build such water fountains. Currently, this small text is preserved in the collection of the National Archives in Kathmandu. Very likely it is composed in the valley because some part of the text is related to the technical and artistic features of the water fountains of the valley. Thus, it deserves special attention for a detailed study in the future.

Janabahaa, the Father's Day Blessing Center

2010-09-09T00:43:00.005+05:45

Among the many days of the year that Janabahaa draws a large number of devotees, Bau Ya Khwa Swoyegu (Kushe Aunsi or Father’s Day) is probably the day it is most crowded. To pay homage to their deceased fathers, Newa (Newar) Hindus and Buddhists of Kathmandu throng to Janabahaa from early morning to offer prayers, food and money to Janabahaa Dyo and to receive blessings from priests stationed around the courtyard.

Typically, beaten rice, curd, fruits and sweets are offered to Janabahaa Dyo in memory of one's deceased father on Father's Day, which fell on September 10 this year.

A Bajey (Hindu priest) in Janabahaa offers blessings to a devotee on Father's Day.

A Lama priest (follower of Mahayan Buddhism) recites a prayer on behalf of a devotee after accepting a donation of some rice and money.

A Guruju (Vajrayana Buddhism priest) receives alms from a devotee.

Many vendors set up shop in Janabahaa to take advantage of the large crowd that gathers at Janabahaa on Father's Day, like this lady who put up a stall to sell Szechwan pepper (pimpinella anisum).

While providing blessings to devotees, this Hindu priest sold the holy Kush grass (Eragrostis cynosuroides) at his stall. Though used for religious ceremonies by both Hindus and Buddhists throughout the year, Kush is bought and sold only on Father's Day (hence the name Kushe Aunsi).

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Brothers-in-Alms

2010-09-08T01:44:00.001+05:45

Led by Dr. Naresh Man Bajracharya (noted tantric priest in the Newar tradition, Director of Buddhist Studies at Tribhuvan University and Fulbright Scholar in Residence, Virginia Commonwealth University), a group of over one hundred Shakyas and Bajracharyas went around different Bahaas and Bahis of Kathmandu to collect alms en masse on the occasion of Panchadaan festival on Monday, September 6, 2010.

This is the fourth year the group alms collection event has been organized to help raise funds for construction of a Vihar in Lumbini. More than a million rupees has been raised from the last three years of the joint alms collection effort.

Panchadaan festival is traditionally celebrated in honor of Dipankar Buddha, and individual members of the Newar Buddhist priest cast (Shakya and Bajracharya) go from house to house to receive offerings given by devotees and to give them blessings.

When the “brothers-in-alms” arrived at Janabahaa, they were warmly welcomed by devotees who were eagerly waiting to give offerings of rice and money, in keeping with the ancient Panchadaan tradition.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Going Green

2010-09-05T04:07:00.001+05:45

To add some much needed greenery to this artistically rich, sacred heritage site of Janabahaa, we are adding a number of flower pots around the courtyard. If you wish to be involved in this task in any way, please leave a comment here with your contact details.

Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Holy Cow! It's the Sa Paru Festival!

2010-08-27T00:12:00.003+05:45

Almost all religious and cultural parades that take place during the course of various festivals in Kathmandu pass through the street in front of the main (eastern) entrace of Janabahaa, as it is located between Wongah (Indrachowk) and Ason, two of the most important thoroughfares in the older part of Kathmandu. Observing the Sa Paru (Gai Jatra) festival that fell on August 25 this year from the Janabahaa gate was a real visual treat.

Sa Paru, or Sa Yaa, celebrated in an extravagant manner in the Kathmandu Valley, is amongst the most colorful festivals of Nepal.

The mood in the streets is quite festive.

The local chapter of Rotary Club took advantage of the festival to spread awareness about recycling of household waste.

The Machhindra Rover/Ranger Crew of Nepal Scouts, affiliated to Macchindra Club, was present as usual, helping to distribute drinking water and to keep the area clean.

Cows, wrapped in shiny yellow cloth, are paraded through the city in memory of family members who have passed away over the last year.

Boys, dressed as cows, are often used as replacement of real cows to participate in the festival.

A lady enjoys the festival, sitting on the doorway of the recently rediscovered temple of Padmapani Lokeshwor.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Padmapani Rediscovered

2010-08-24T23:47:00.000+05:45

See the little red temple on the right? For decades, everyone thought it was a Narayana temple. Devotees did not have access to it, as it was used as storage space by a "footpath" vendor who has been selling his merchandise on the street immediately in front of the temple.

When the illegitimate street stalls were removed a few weeks ago (see post on that here), the hawker finally agreed to relinquish the temple to the public.

To everyone's surprise, it turned out that a beautiful stone statue of the lotus-bearing Padmapani Lokeshwor was housed inside the little enclosure, and not an image of Narayan.

The temple has now been freshly painted and a board fixed above the gate to proclaim it to be a Lokeshwor temple. The temple is now open for the public.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Exterior Up-close (East Face)

2010-08-24T12:08:00.001+05:45

Though the overall temple as an edifice is quite impressive even to the most seasoned onlooker, much of the detailed ornamentation on the exterior of the temple, especially on the upper floor, is not visible to the casual visitor, largely due to the muck and grime that has accumulated over decades. Getting closer, however, reveals an amazing array of intricate creations, made of both wood and metal.

The hard-to-see window in the center between the two roofs is metallic, and probably gold-plated.

Many of the objects d'art are accompanied by text in Ranjana or Prachalit script, and remain a reliable and authentic source of our glorious history.

Awe-inspiring images of various Lokeshwors are carved on all of the inclined wooden struts that support the lower and upper roofs.

Colorful, decorative carvings at the bottom of a wooden strut.

Elaborate design on a window that provides ventilation to the upper floor.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

No Kidding

2010-08-22T23:38:00.006+05:45

A bunch of kids. A lazy Saturday afternoon. Janabahaa. Perfect ingredients to make Janabahaa abuzz with an hour of hectic activity, fun and educational not only for the energetic kids but also for the lethargic locals.

First, divide the kids into two groups – one group with the younger kids and the other with the older ones. Ask the smaller kids to draw something on the tiled flooring with some sidewalk chalk, and they will not only come up with a big, bright rainbow in no time, but will also manage to pen down a message for the residents and store owners of Janabahaa: “Say No to Poly(thene) Bags.”

Ask the older kids to draw something, and immediately they will come up with an imaginary creature.

And then ask the older kids to find answers to three questions with the help of local people: what are the three names of Janabahaa, what are the three names of the deity who resides in the main temple in Janabahaa, and in which king’s reign was the main temple in Janabahaa built. They will immediately run around the complex, talking to every adult they bump into, and easily find answers to the first two questions.

But even after a good twenty minutes, they cannot come up with the answer to the third question, because none of the locals knew the answer.

Do you?

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Divine Light Rids Janabahaa of Darkness

2010-08-22T22:12:00.001+05:45

A pair of panels of photo voltaic cells is the latest addition in Janabahaa. The solar panels charge a truck battery which powers an inverter which in turn powers half a dozen compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) installed inside the Janabahaa complex. Thanks to the addition of a little bit of technology, residents of Janabahaa, and Karunamya Aryavalokiteshwor himself, are shielded from the notorious power cuts that the rest of the country suffers from during the dry months.

Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Janabahaa Evenings

2010-08-17T01:03:00.001+05:45

Quite, colorful and relaxing.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Charya Dance Enthralls Janabahaa Audience

2010-08-16T00:02:00.003+05:45

Organized by Macchindra Club, a Charya dance program was performed by the Lalitpur-based Singhini Research Center in the evening of July 23, 2010 on the street just outside the main gate of Janabahaa for the benefit of the general public.

Charya Nritya is an ancient ritual dance that dates back to over a thousand years, and is a religious discipline of the Vajrayana priests of Kathmandu, who perform the dance as part of their esoteric meditation practices, ceremonies and rituals.

The Newa Buddhist priests dance the Charya Nritya in a state of deep meditative awareness in order to embody the living presence of the compassionate, peaceful, and fierce divinities of the Vajrayana Buddhist pantheon.

Charya dance, which means “dance as a spiritual discipline,” is a sacred dance form.

Charya dance is a meditation discipline, vehicle of bodily and spiritual transformation, and opportunity for an audience to experience a vision of divine beauty.

After the performance at Janabahaa, the dance troupe has embarked on a trip to Switzerland and USA where they will be presenting special performances of the Charya dance. An excellent reference site to learn more about the Charya dance is http://www.dancemandal.com.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Reclaiming the Streets

2010-08-14T23:49:00.004+05:45

Starting July 31, 2010 – the red banner declared – all illicit “footpath” stalls will be banned, as they encroached upon public land, causing hindrance to pedestrian and vehicular traffic and defacing the city. With joint efforts of Kathmandu Municipality, police, traffic police, local ward office, Asan Sewa Samiti, Machhindra Club, Balkumari Khel Mandal and Indrachok Club, the ban has been enforced effectively and peacefully since that date.

This ban was enforced along the stretch between Asan and Wonghah (Indrachowk), including in the large open area just outside the Janabahaa main gate. This new development is seen by many as an excellent example of non-government and government cooperation for effective, immediate results.

Half a dozen hired “security guards” are now on duty throughout the day to enforce the ban on infringing street hawkers. Police and municipality officers also patrol the area more frequently now to help keep the streets free from unruly street vendors. These enforcement personnel not only ensure that touts relinquish the streets that they had occupied illegitimately, but also persuade storekeepers not to use public space to display their products.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Policing…. nahhhh. Patrolling… yeah!

2010-08-14T19:43:00.006+05:45

Scouts are always prepared. Members of the Machhindra Rover Ranger Crew, affiliated to Macchindra Club, are helping keep the Janabahaa premises clean with much vigor and enthusiasm.

Not only do the boy scouts help collect the garbage, they also talk to residents and shopkeepers about the importance of keeping the complex spotless.

As the younger generation get more involved in Janabahaa, they develop a keen interest in its priceless heritage, grooming themselves to take up conservation work with renewed energy.

Cleaning never stops at Janabahaa. Earlier blog entries about the continuous cleaning efforts are given below:

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Glitter under the Grime: Citrus Juice to the Rescue

2010-08-12T01:26:00.007+05:45

The decorative brass-work hanging from the lower roof, before it was cleaned. The dirt was accumulated over decades, primarily from pigeon droppings and exposure to the elements.

The metal surface is coated with citrus juice and left alone for a few days until the natural acid eats away all the filth, without causing any damage to the metal.

The brilliant, shining gold-plated surface is suddenly exposed for all humanity to appreciate after a simple hosing down with water.

The left section is yet to be cleaned, whereas the right section glitters after a few days’ work by one person.

Bamboo scaffolding put up for the cleaning work.

If you wish to get periodic updates via email about the happenings at Janabahaa and its periphery, please write to alok@nepmed.com. All photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Chariot Festival Day 1 (Preparation & Palanquin Trip)

2010-03-31T15:34:00.003+05:45

The annual festival of pulling Janabahaa Dyo’s chariot through the old part of Kathmandu kicked off from the southern end of Durbar Marg, just outside Teendhara Pathsala, on March 23, 2010, Tuesday, at about 5 pm.

Every year, this auspicious event coincides with Chaite Dashain, though it has nothing to do with that Hindu festival. Thousands of revelers joined in in this amazing event, and accompanied the chariot towards Ratnapark, Bhotahity and Ason.

Earlier, the statue of Janabahaa Dyo was put in an artistic palanquin at Janabahaa and carried to Durbar Marg by ten caretaker priests, who had undergone ritual purification procedures.

The palanquin procession was participated in by thousands of devotees, accompanied by several cultural and traditional musical groups who had converged at Janabahaa from different parts of Kathmandu to take part in this event.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Janabahaa Photo Story in Republica Daily

2010-03-23T11:39:00.003+05:45

A major win for the publicity of Janabahaa was achieved on February 5, 2010. On that day, the weekly edition of national broadsheet daily Republica published the blog entry entitled “A Day in the Life of a Caretaker Priest” in its center-spread photo feature. It so happened that the editor of the weekly edition (“The Week”) of the paper had seen the blog entry, and decided it was worthy of reproducing in the photo feature of The Week.

The online version of Republica, especially the weekly edition, has a huge and ever-growing readership among Nepali communities living abroad and among foreigners who are interested in Nepal.

The remuneration provided by Republica for contributing this feature has been deposited in Janabahaa’s clean-up funds by photographer/blogger Alok Tuladhar.

A Victory for Bijay

2010-03-16T09:26:00.006+05:45

Bijay is only in his early-40s, but has the experience and confidence like that of a veteran. A highly successful businessman in a very unique product line, he has been the inspiration to many copycat entrepreneurs. The leadership qualities that he has honed to sharpness in business have visibly overflown to community work at Janabahaa.

Bijay takes bold initiatives, coming up with new ideas. And then he shows others the way by getting his hands dirty, literally speaking. Results are inevitable – and it is only a matter of time before others pitch in to support Bijay’s ventures.

Together with the preservation and promotion of Janabahaa, Bijay is especially concerned about its physical cleanliness. He has led a team of fellow compatriots from Janabahaa to publish a wall calendar on the occasion of Nepal Era 1130 New Year celebrations last fall. The funds saved from that project are being used primarily to hire a full-time staff member who oversees the cleanliness and general orderliness of Janabahaa.

In the last two months since the “cleanliness supervisor” has been deputed to Janabahaa, its overall neatness has improved drastically. Thanks to his able leadership and foresight, Bijay has now achieved victory in his war against filth in Janabahaa.

Bijay has an avid interest in history, and is a collector of historical coins. He grew up in the Janabahaa courtyard, but currently lives in the south-western part of town. Bijay is the owner and chief executive of Ratnapark Paun Bhandar, a confectionery that produces sweet, hot and sour candy from the “lapsi” or “aamali” fruit that is indigenous to the hills surrounding Kathmandu valley. The candy is hugely popular, especially among the younger generation, for its mouthwatering, savory, exotic taste.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

A Day in the Life of a Caretaker Priest

2010-01-19T22:45:00.012+05:45

Prakash Shakya feels privileged to take his turn as the caretaker priest this month at the Buddhist temple of Karunamaya (Janabahaa Dyo or Aryavalokiteshwor), also worshipped as White Machhindranath by Hindus. As part of his duty, he has to perform several rituals daily and follow strict rules to stay pure.

The cult of Karunamaya is an ancient one. Karunamaya is revered by Buddhists across the world as "the compassionate one."

The Janabahaa courtyard, located in the heart of the city, is among the most important Buddhist sites in Kathmandu, and dates back to 4th Century BC. The central Karunamaya temple was added in 16th century AD. The complex today continues to be the hotspot of traditional Newaa culture, architecture and music, as well as the central location where religious activites of the Vajrayana sect of Buddhism are practiced.

Devotees gather at the shrine as early as 4 am to pray to the deity before they start their day.

Before entering the temple in the morning, which takes place at around 5 am, he needs to take a bath, in the open.

He has to cook his own food. The diet is strictly vegetarian, but onion and garlic is not allowed. Only one meal a day is allowed -- lunch. Milk and fruits can be taken in the evening if desired.

Some of the rice he cooks is first offered to the deity, and then to the birds, before he can eat.

Feeding rice to the birds before his own meal.

Newspapers are the only resource for him to keep in touch with the outside world.

Devotees and family are allowed to enter the outer chamber of the temple, but only the caretaker priest can enter the inner sanctuary.

The ritual of circling the temple, while ringing the bell, is undertaken four times a day.

Mother and sister ensure all impure objects, such as shoes, are out of the way before the encircling ritual, and make sure that nobody touches him. If he does touch anyone accidentally, he needs to purify himself before he can enter the temple again.

The encircling ritual is followed by reciting of special prayers while fanning the deity with a yak's tale attached to a silver handle. This special implement is called "chwamo" in the Newaa language.

Devotees of Karunamaya commonly offer butter lamps to the deity.

Another member of the priest clan recites the "Namsangati" prayer every evening.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Faces VI (Among the Five Thousand)

2010-01-11T23:03:00.018+05:45

A brief, informal survey was conducted a few days ago to try and estimate the number of people who visit Janabahaa every day. Exactly 137 people entered Janabahaa between 4:45 pm and 5:15 pm from the main gate, and 24 people entered from the back gate in the western side. Assuming this traffic to be the average flow of people passing through Janabahaa from 5 am to 9 pm, we arrive at over five thousand people per day! That too on a day when no festivals or special ceremonies occur. That is a lot of visitors for a single location.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Karmabhumi

2010-01-06T00:07:00.001+05:45

She is being trained for her future occupation.

And so is he.

Enough training for today... time for a milk break, straight from mom.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Before the Big Bath... and After

2009-12-30T11:04:00.001+05:45

Here are some glimpses of the environment in Janabahaa in the evening of Janabahaa Dyo's annual bathing ritual.

The stage is set (meaning, it is cleaned thoroughly to try and rid it of the pigeon droppings as much as possible).

The people start gathering from late afternoon onwards.

Representation of the older devotees is understandably large.

A large religious crowd means a large marketplace for religious books and pictures.

It is either the old or the very young who show up. The youth, sadly, do not seem too interested.

The seven-headed serpent or "Nagaraja" protects Janabahaa Dyo.

All the "seats" are soon gone.

Only standing space is available now.

The biting mid-winter chill does not seem to deter the devotees.

The headgear worn by the officiating priest during the bathing ceremony.

The crown represents Janabahaa Dyo while the idol is removed from its sanctuary.

Devotees vie for drops of the holy liquid (water from Bishnumati River, milk, ghee and honey) from which the idol of Janabahaa Dyo was given a bath.

A popular and highly knowledgeable priest of Vajrayana Buddhism talks to Avenues Television after the ceremony.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Philosophy vs. Ritual

2009-12-26T23:44:00.007+05:45

What was the original significance behind the elaborate annual bathing ceremony of Janabahaa Dyo and the accompanying fanfare? It is hard to imagine that this display of pomp and pageantry was initiated solely to please the crowds. There must have been a deeper meaning to this ritual, as there is for every little action and icon in Vajrayana Buddhism practiced in Nepal.

But that meaning is now virtually lost. Perhaps a handful of individuals who possess that knowledge are still around, but those who are knowledgeable are perpetually stuck in enacting the rituals or watching them silently, without realizing the importance of dwelling on the philosophy behind the rites.

The bathing ritual of Janabahaa Dyo or "Nhawan" is probably its second most important annual event, after the chariot festival. It is conducted in the evening of the eight day of the waxing moon of the month of Poush (Poush Shukla Ashtami), which fell coincidentally on Christmas this year.

What happens is this: the official caretaker or "Dyo Pala" priests fetch water in seven containers from the holy Bishnumati River at Shova Bhagwati the evening before. The fact that Bishnumati is probably one of the most polluted rivers in the world now is totally ignored -- in honor of tradition. The idol of Janabahaa Dyo is removed from its sanctuary on the afternoon of the auspicious day and placed elsewhere to prepare it for the bath. It is carried unceremoniously by one of the priests in his shoulders to the dais in the south-east corner of Janabahaa, covered with ornate fabric. After half an hour of extravagant tantric ceremonies, the idol is disrobed of its dozen or so layers of clothing. Finally, several containers of the "holy" Bishnumati water, milk, ghee and honey are poured over the idol.

Drops of the thick liquid that accumulate on the pedestal on which the idol is placed are sprinkled to eagerly awaiting devotees, as the holy liquid or "jal" is supposed to have magical healing powers. The idol is then covered with decorative material and carried back to the temple.

Thousands of devotees gather to watch the ritual bath, many singing hymns in praise of Janabahaa Dyo. The most important spectator is probably the living goddess Kumari, for whom attending this event is one of the few occasions where she gets to come out of her temple-residence in Durbar Square.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Compassion vs. Passion

2009-12-23T22:37:00.005+05:45

This lady has put up her bird feed and incense stall in Janabahaa near the main gate, and supports a family with this occupation.

She does brisk business all day long, selling a basket of grains for Rs. 30 to devotees, who feed them passionately to pigeons -- an act of earning good karma.

Neither the devotees nor this lady spend much time thinking about the ill effect that bird-feeding has in the cleanliness of Janabahaa. The high number of devotees who wish to earn good karma by feeding the pigeons in Janabahaa every day contributes to an uncontrolled growth in the pigeon population. The droppings of the burgeoning bird population makes it almost impossible to keep the area clean.

There are many who feel compassionate for those who scrape up a living off of Janabahaa,. Their compassion, however, is in direct conflict with those who are passionate about keeping Janabahaa clean.

Note: among the many names of Janabahaa Dyo, the most popular one is Karunamaya, the Compassionate One.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Do You Own a Heritage Home?

2009-12-19T16:10:00.005+05:45

Sampadā chem̐ thuvāyā saṃrakshana myānuyala : Svaniga Viśva Sampadā Kshetra, Nepāḥ : svanigale aitihāsika chem̐ta marmata yāyagu sujhāva

(Heritage Homeowner’s Preservation Manual: Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site, Nepal: Advice for Maintenance of Historic Houses in the Kathmandu Valley)

The above might be a very, very long name for a book, but the name says it all. It has been brought to our attention, for the benefit of all of you via this blog, by Abin Pradhan, who is currently in Nepal for a short vacation from Charlotte, North Carolina in the US, where he has been living and working for the past few years.

Citing the significance of this book for places like Janabahaa where ugly matchbox concrete-and-steel structures are replacing the uniquely beautiful typical Newa style houses in an alarming pace, Abin says, "This book is a manual on maintenance and conservation of traditional residential structures, which I believe could be equally applicable - where relevant - to old temple and bahas like Janabahaa too. It is fairly comprehensive and gives plenty of examples. It is an interesting read without a doubt.. Let's keep the light on!"

With his earlier experience of working with top-level executives and decision makers of the nation, Abin is of the opinion that the grass-roots level approach to a problem can achieve only so much, and a top-down approach will do the rest to help meet the goals completely. In his opinion, formulation and implementation of national level policies that impact Janabahaa need to be created, if they do not exist already, so that the legal framework is there to enforce implementation for various problems like physical cleanliness, controlled commerce, adherence to architectural standards, etc.

Of course, much work needs to be done to achieve this lofty goal, but every major undertaking is initiated with baby steps. That is exactly what has been done at Janabahaa, with Abin firmly at the helm.

The book is written by Rohit K. Ranjitkar and published in 2006 by UNESCO (Kathmandu).The full version of the book can be downloaded from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001520/152020m.pdf.

All images are from the book.

Carpet Connection

2009-12-19T00:31:00.001+05:45

Literally scores of carpet-bearers pass through Janabahaa every afternoon. They all enter from the main gate on the eastern side, carrying their heavy burdens on their shoulders, in groups of two or three. They walk briskly and silently out of the Bahaa, via the western exit, as quickly as they come.

Everyone knows that they are traveling salesmen, trying to get the best deal for their hand-woven Nepali carpets, which is a merchandise mass-produced in Nepal since the last several decades, but of Tibetan origin.

These hardy young men obviously are of the Chhetri caste, judging from their facial features. What motivates them to go into business, instead of following the Chhetri tradition of getting a government job or enlisting in the security forces?

Where do they come from every day, and where are they headed? Why do they always take this particular route? These questions remain unanswered, at least for now.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Of Walls and Windows

2009-12-16T00:00:00.005+05:45

Intricate woodwork on the north, south and west walls of the ground floor of Janabahaa Dyo temple, and all four walls on the upper floor.

The ornate brass repoussé work depicting 108 Lokeshwor mounted along the north, south, and west walls of Janabahaa Dyo temple on the ground floor. This particular undertaking was completed in 2002, after about fourteen years of perseverance.

One of the last remaining Newaa-style houses inside the Janabahaa courtyard.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Power Cut? No Problem.

2009-12-15T01:03:00.002+05:45

A devotee prays at Janbahaa Dyo temple during load shedding hours in the evening, the shrine being illuminated beautifully by dozens of butter lamps. Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Milestones

2009-12-13T11:38:00.003+05:45

Sometimes, it is good to shut yourself off from the world from for a while and just reflect. We did just that, and came up with this list. Having something in black and white helps tremendously to put things in perspective.

Major Achievements of Janabahaa Society/Janabahaa Heritage Information Center

1.       September 2006: Establishment of Janabahaa Heritage Information Center, an office space to carry out the various works of Janabahaa Society in an organized manner. Rented and renovated a room inside Janabahaa courtyard, created brochure and membership certificate, part-time staff hired. Solicited support of half a dozen local non-profit organizations, such as the Aryavalokiteshor Sarva Sangh, Machhindra Bhajan Khala, Pradipta Pustakalaya, Macchindra Club, Machhindra Rover and Ranger Scouts, Kanak Chaitya Mahavihar Sudhar Samiti, etc.
2.       September 2006: Membership campaign launched to involve as many volunteers (professionals from all fields) as possible in the various activities of Janabahaa Society. Database of members’ address, email, telephone number, etc. created. Periodic newsletter sent to members electronically to maintain a close link with the member community using modern technology. Current membership stands at over 200.
3.       September 2006: Launched official website http://janabahaa.org.np and blog http://janabahaa.blogspot.com.
4.       October 2006: Cleaning campaign launched with the help of youth volunteers from different non-profit organizations to keep the periphery of Janabahaa courtyard physically clean.
5.       November 2006: Published and distributed a New Year calendar on the occasion of Nepal Sambat 1127.
6.       March 2007: A documentary entitled "Jheegu Janabahaa" aimed at creating awareness about the various religious, cultural and social aspects of Janabahaa was produced in DVD format. It was distributed in Kathmandu and London at a nominal cost.
7.       May 15, 2007: Survey trip to Raniban forest to locate fallen and aged “chilaune” trees required for renovation of Janabahaa Dyo temple after receiving permission from the authorities.
8.       May - August 2007: Numerous trips taken to Raniban forest by youth volunteers from Janabahaa area to fell and collect “chilaune” trees required for the renovation of Janabahaa Dyo temple.
9.       May 2008: Children’s mini library started at the Center with books donated by members of the Society. Objective of the library is to get the local youth interested and involved in the Society’s activities and objectives over a period of time.
10.   June 28, 2008: First annual meeting held with the participation of a large number of community members and public figures to discuss the achievements of Janabahaa Society and to chart out the way forward.
11.   July 12, 2008: Free health clinic launched to monitor community health and to provide general health awareness education with the help of volunteer doctors.
12.   August 27, 2008: Janabahaa Dyo temple renovation works officially launched on this auspicious date to replace the age-worn wooden beams in the inner sections of the first and second floors.
13.   September 15, 2008: Charity show of Nepali feature flim "Sano Sansaar" to raise funds for the activities of Janabahaa Society at Jai Nepal cinema.
14.   October 4, 2008: Children's group ("Macha Puchah") rolled out with the aim of bringing about increased awareness among the younger generation regarding the rich heritage of Janabahaa.
15.   April 2009: Janabahaa Dyo temple renovation works officially concluded (wooden beams were replaced on the inner section of the first and second floors and brick tiles on the first floor were replaced) with financial support from local community members and devotees. This was the first major renovation of the temple structure carried out after about a hundred years.
16.   May 2009: Repair works started on the votive stupas in the Janabahaa courtyard with financial help from community members and devotees.
17.   July 2009: Fundraising campaign started to collect the money required to repair the maney (prayer wheel) and daloo (metal oil lamp) structure and to relocate them from the temple platform to the lower ground surrounding the stupas.
18.   August 2009: Weekly meetings launched to plan for the design and construction of the Agam (Digi) Chhen – the multipurpose public building on the eastern face of Janabahaa. It was completely burnt down in a fire in 1917 AD, and was rebuilt with an European-style façade. It will now be rebuilt from the ground up, with a typical Newaa portico. Senior architects and engineers from the local community have taken the lead in the planning.
19.   September 3, 2009: Screening of rare footage of Kathmandu Valley shot in 1955-7 for the benefit of the general public.
20.   November 2009: Research work launched for the preservation of historical archives with the objective of locating, transliterating, translating and digitizing the numerous ancient inscriptions found in various wooden, stone and metal objects in and around the Janabahaa Dyo temple with technical and financial support from experts in this field who are based in Nepal and abroad.

Punk is Not Dead

2009-12-11T00:00:00.000+05:45

Who says punk is dead? Three of them ended up in Janabahaa just the other day, and spent quite a bit of time looking around and taking pictures.

Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Cloud Lakes, Circle of Bliss and Creatures of the Rain Rivers

2009-12-09T00:00:00.021+05:45

Cloud lakes, circle of bliss and creatures of the rain rivers all sound mystical, and remind one of Shangri-La. Well, across the world from the mysterious East and the possible location of Shangri-La, Dr. Gautama Vajracharya of Madison, Wisconsin is an expert on those topics.
Dr. Vajracharya has taught Buddhist art and iconography for many years at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His latest works published in internet journal Asianart.com include "Elements of Newar Buddhist Art : Circle of Bliss - a Review Article" and "The Creatures of the Rain Rivers, Cloud Lakes: Newars Saw Them, So Did Ancient India." Due to the sheer length of those articles, it is not possible to replicate them here, so please click on the links above to go to them directly.

Though physically very distant from Janabahaa, Dr. Vajracharya is not very far removed in spirit from the place he was born and brought up in. He has recently retraced his steps back to his roots via our blog. Here is an email received from him over the weekend:

====================================
From: Gautama Vajracharya
Sent: Saturday, December 05, 2009 9:41 AM
To: alok@nepmed.com
Subject: Janabaha

Dear Alok,

Almost certainly, you don't know me because I left Nepal thirty five years ago and most of my works are published in the west. I taught Buddhist art and iconography for many years at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA. I am deeply interested in your Janabaha project not only because I am from Janabaha but also because there are plenty of materials, both manuscripts and artistic works, some of them in the inner room, /garbhagriha/, at the second floor of digi, others in the main temple. I am quite familiar with the objects, particularly the manuscripts because I worked on them thirty years ago when my father Divyavajra Vajracharya and my uncles were alive. They need to be well preserved and photographed in detail before renovation begins. Please be extra careful with these valuable objects.

I will be in Nepal for a week at the beginning of February 2010. I may be able to help you to protect the heritage both intellectually and financially (few hundred dollars from my personal saving).

Best,
Gautama Vajracharya
====================================

Two of the many interesting illustrations included in Dr. Vajracharya's articles mentioned above.

Counterclockwise!

2009-12-08T14:15:00.000+05:45

When does one circumnavigate Janabahaa Dyo anticlockwise? Well, when one is dead.

A high-ranking Buddhist priest belonging to the Newa community passed away on December 3, and his dead body was taken on a funeral procession the next day to the banks of the Bishnumati River where his relatives performed last rites before cremating his body. Now, it so happened that Janabahaa fell on the procession route. Instead of going around Janabahaa in the clockwise direction, as done normally by all living Buddhists, the funeral parade went counterclockwise, following centuries-old tradition.

Friends and relatives attending the funeral procession carry incense in their hands.

Traditionally, the dead body, placed on a palanquin, is carried by relatives, but this one was mounted on a vehicle.

This particular body was wrapped in colorful, gold-yarn embroidered fabric, and kept in a sitting position throughout the cavalcade, indicating the deceased individual's special status.

Close relatives walk barefoot all the way to the cremation spot, covering their heads with Dhaka shawls. Only male friends and relatives participate in the funeral procession.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

The Three Boys from Barcelona

2009-12-07T04:36:00.004+05:45

Here is an email received early this week from Barcelona, Spain. At the end are the screen shots of their web site (the original, as well as the translated version). Shows the popularity Janabahaa is gaining by the day, not only locally but also globally. Much thanks to Manel and friends for helping publicize Janabahaa Dyo, and for letting us know about it.

==============================================

jwajalapa friends!

How are you? we are already in christmas time, cold days... Do you remember us? We are the 3 boys from Barcelona who came in year 2007 to take film about Janabahaa dya jatra...

We have just published an article about the festival: http://www.festes.org/articles.php?id=918

Tha article includes only a few pictures from the thousands we did in year 2007 during our visit and it is only a short version text of all what we will like to explain, but even though we think it is sufficient to let know you fantastic festival around Seto Matxendranathbetween here in Barcelona, Catalonia.

We hope you enjoy the pictures... the text is in catalan, but you can translate by using Google translate: http://translate.google.com/

As you can see we have put a link to Janabahaa dya society. Please send us your comments and explain how are the things going!!

best regards from Barcelona!

manel

Associació Rebombori Digital

c/wellington 78 4rt 1a

08018 Barcelona

info@festes.org

http://www.festes.org

========================================================

Screen shot of the original website created by the boys from Barcelona (http://www.festes.org/articles.php?id=918)

Screen shot of the same web site machine-translated into English by Google (not so accurate!).

Coverage on Republica daily newspaper

2009-12-04T15:27:00.000+05:45

Today's edition of Republica broadsheet daily included a story on the ongoing renovation and preservation efforts at Janabahaa. The interview for the story was conducted at the Janabahaa Society office two days ago by Kanchan Burathoki. The story is available online at http://theweek.myrepublica.com/details.php?news_id=12520.

Here is a screen capture from thew newspapers's online edition.

Children of Karunamaya IV

2009-12-01T09:50:00.001+05:45

Karunamaya, the compassionate one, provides a virtually unlimited-size drawing board to these children who are growing up happily in Janabahaa. The long-haired girl's mother is a full-time sweeper at Janabahaa, and also sells flowers at the gate all day long to support her two kids. The parents of the girl on the right scrape up a living with a tea-stall that has the sky as its roof just outside Janabahaa.

A visitor at Janabahaa basks in the sun happily.

Another happy visitor.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Lovers' Paradise?

2009-11-26T23:32:00.007+05:45

Is Janabahaa frequented by couples looking for a quite dating spot?

Well, a picture speaks a thousand word.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

The Flying Bull

2009-11-24T14:37:00.000+05:45

One cannot help wonder if this bull is related to the Dipankha bull in Nagbahaa, Lalitpur, though that one does not have wings. In the past, there were four of these “flying bulls” in Janabahaa, but only one of them has survived the test of time. The stone craftsmen who are at present repairing the chaityas (memorials shrines) in the Janabahaa complex are going to try and rebuild three of these bulls with wings and place them at the exact spots where they once rested. Do visit Janabahaa sometime and find out for yourself where the lone bull is, and where they have gone missing from. After all, Janabahaa is open 24X7.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

The Hunt!

2009-11-19T01:49:00.001+05:45

Friedhelm Nunnemann is a retired quality management specialist from Germany, and is a fan of Kathmandu's cultural and architectural heritage. He recently found us via this blog, and has single-handedly delivered the results that we have been trying to achieve for a long time now -- locating the floor plan of Janabahaa created by a Janapese research team more than two decades ago. As it turns out, the research was specifically about the Nitya Puja -- the daily rituals conducted by the priest caretaker (dyo pala) of the Janabahaa Dyo temple. We now know, thanks to our new German friend, that the research was conducted at Janabahaa by a team from Kanazawa University of Japan.

Given below is the email trail that led to this discovery.

From: F. Nunnemann
Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 5:15 PM
To: info@janabahaa.org.np
Subject: Please help me !

Namaakar,
my name is Friedhelm Nunnemann, 67 years old and living in Germany.
I visited Nepal seven times and I´m very interested in the culture
and architecture of Kathmandu Valley.
During my studies I found a plan of Janabahaa (Attachment 1) but didn´t
find the author of this googling in the net. The author must be a japanese
scholar conducting a project about Janabahaa some years ago.
Do you know this group or some sources of information about the results ?
It would be very kind, if you could help me.
Waiting for your answer
with best regards
Friedhelm Nunnemann

From: Alok Tuladhar
Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 6:02 PM
To: 'F. Nunnemann'
Cc: 'Sampurna Tuladhar'; 'Jai Rajbhandari'
Subject: RE: Please help me !

Dear F. Nunnemann,

Thank you for your mail, and for your interest in our cultural heritage. We do not know the author of this plan, nor do we have any information about it. In fact, I was just talking to a college group yesterday at Janabahaa, and I had mentioned this very plan to them. We do have two other plans of Janabahaa with us, but I had told the students yesterday that we need to hunt down a plan that a Japanese team had developed. What a coincidence!

Well, let me ask you – where did you get this plan?

Are you a scholar of eastern culture? An architect? How did you find out about us? We are very interested to hear from you.

Regards,

Alok Tuladhar

for Janabahaa Society

http://janabahaa.blogspot.com

From: F. Nunnemann
Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 7:49 PM
To: Alok Tuladhar
Subject: RE: Please help me ! (2)

Namaskar Alok Tuladhar,
thank you for your quick and surprising answer. I´m happy to have this contact with you and Nepal.
Here my answers :
1. I found this literature in the internet by googling (Bahal, Bahil, Vihara etc.) and at that time I have
copied only this one page I sent to you. Later on I didn´t find the same page, because I don´t know the name
of the author or other tag words.
2. I found your address in your very informing and nice Blog (Janabahaa.blogspot.com).
3. I´m retiered. Before that I was at Mercedes responsible for exhaust emission and later for quality management. Nepals heritage is my time consuming hobby.
My last visit was september / october last year.
My next visit will be october next year.
I wonder who of us will find the origin of the plan.
Best Regards
F. Nunnemann

From: F. Nunnemann
Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 10:03 PM
To: Alok Tuladhar
Subject: RE: Please help me ! (3)

Namaste Alok Tuladhar,
now I found the literature I asked for - quite by chance - in the web :
http://web.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/~hikaku/mori/works/article_pdf/4_01nityapuja_SAMBHASA.pdf
Perhaps you are interested in it.
With best regards
Friedhelm Nunnemann

From: Alok Tuladhar
Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 11:03 PM
To: 'F. Nunnemann'
Subject: RE: Please help me ! (3)

Wow! This is quite a discovery. I have dreamt for finding this document for a long time, and had inquired with lots of people about it. Many elders knew about the research project that the Japanese team had conducted, but no one could give me any concrete links on how to trace the researchers. Now you have achieved the results on your own!

Thank you very much indeed.

I will share information about this discovery with my blog readers, of course, with due credit to you. I will hide your email address, unless you desire otherwise.

PS: I am sure we will be able to meet when you come to Kathmandu next.

Regards,

Alok Tuladhar

for Janabahaa Society

More Engineering Inputs

2009-11-18T00:01:00.009+05:45

During the planning stage of the renovation of the main Janabahaa Dyo temple, MEH Consultants Pvt. Ltd. had sent a team of surveyors and architects, led by senior engineer Manik Tuladhar, to measure the floor plans of the temple. As a results of that exercise, we have on record the detailed measurements of the temple structure in CAD format, thanks to the dedicated team from MEH.

Manik Tuladhar (right) briefs a metal technician. Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Maink Tuladhar oversaw the entire renovation of the Janabahaa Dyo temple from the structural engineering perspective. He has had a distinguished career, including many years in a senior position at the Institute of Engineering of Tribhuvan University, and is a founder director of MEH Consultants. With a M.S. (Structures) degree from the University of Hawaii, USA and a B.E. (Civil) degree from the University of Kashmir, India, he has over 35 years of experience as structural engineer and computer analyst. He has extensively used modern computer software packages for design of civil engineering structures. He has vast experience in structural design of buildings, commercial complexes, bridges, drainage works and water supply related projects. He continues to contribute his experience and talent to the Digi Chhen reconstruction that is being planned with much gusto at present.

Kathmandu-based MEH Consultants is a consulting company that renders consulting services in engineering, health, education, agriculture, forestry and other sectors. MEH was established in 1997 by senior professionals who were actively engaged in the consulting profession since the last two decades.

Gajoo elevation.

Ground floor plan.

First floor plan.

Daloo Cleaning: A Perennial Chore

2009-11-16T14:57:00.007+05:45

The "daloo" cleaning campaign is a never-ending one. It takes about two weeks for the daloos to get back to their dirt-laden condition. The leftover oil attracts dust and pigeon feathers quite easily. It is not surprising that the bird droppings accumulate fairly quickly, given the huge pigeon population in the courtyard. Here are some pictures of a clean-up campaign conducted in June 2008, with participation from devotees, local residents and members of the official priest clan.

Use of gas burner to melt the dirt before scraping it off.

Melting away the dirt using a high-power gas burner.

Dipankar Shakya (in hat) scraping off the melted dirt with thick (gunny bag) cloth.

Nabin Shakya, a member of the priest clan, scraping the daloos clean with a knife.

Subarna Chitrakar scraping the melted dirt.

The end result.

Photos by Sampurna Tuladhar.

Minutes of November 7 meeting

2009-11-15T11:20:00.010+05:45

Here are the latest versions of the conceptual drawings of the Digi Chhen for it proposed reconstruction. The central windows have been scaled down in this version so that they fit in one story, as opposed to the previous one where they were almost one-and-half floors in scale.

Minutes of November 7 Meeting (Recorded by Umesh Kaji Tamrakar)

PROJECT TITLE	Janabaha Agam chen
Meeting title	Site meeting on modified plans and conceptual elevation and section
Date	07.11.09
Time	10.00am
Present	Mr. Tirtha Dhar Tuladhar
	Mr. Nil Kaji Shakya
	Ms. Rajani Tamrakar
	Mr. Bibhuti Man Singh
	Mr. Manik Tuladhar
	Mr. Rajesh Shrestha
	Mr. Nabin Shakya
	Mr. Buddha Shakya
	Mr. Alok Tuladhar
	Mr. Umesh Kaji Tamrakar

SN	PARTICULARS	ACTION
1	Columns grid towards the courtyard side to shift along the wall so that the hall in the second floor becomes column free space
2	Toilet to be removed from first floor and instead have two toilets in the ground floor.
3	Shallow well instead of underground water tank for rain water harvesting

Getting Blogged in Popular Nepali Blog MySansar.com

2009-11-12T00:01:00.005+05:45

The first, and apparently the most popular, blog in Nepali, MySansar.com, posted two stories (part 1 and part 2) with the title "Kathmandu 54 Years Ago" recently. The posts were about the screening of footage of Kathmandu valley shot it 1955-57 held outside Janabahaa on the occasion of Yenyaa Punih (Indra Jatra) on September 3 this year.

It seems the blogger Salokya sat through the entire three-hour screening with his video camera, and enjoyed it so much that he thought it worthy of publishing two separate posts about the screening on his highly admired blog. Pictured here are a couple of interesting screen shots from MySansar.com, which boasts an unprecendented 200+ simultaneous viewers from all over the world at any given time.

Engaging the Youth

2009-11-11T03:50:00.002+05:45

The ongoing cleaning campaign at Janabahaa resumed on November 7, 2009 Saturday with zealous participation of about fifteen volunteers students from Nepal College of Travel & Tourism Management, Naxal, Kathmandu. Besides rallying the much-needed muscle power to help keep the artifacts around the courtyard clean, this activity serves in a major way to gain entry into the minds of today’s youth and to instill a sense of belonging in them about our one-of-a-kind heritage.

As part of the program, Alok Tuladhar, representing Janabahaa Society, gave brief a tour of the premises and conducted a short interaction with the students about the various issues concerning Janabahaa and the participation of people in their possible solutions. Most of the participations willingly became members of the Society, which showed their keen interest to be part of the preservation efforts at Janabahaa.

Special appreciation goes to Raman Nepali and team from Nodan Club for facilitating this event.

History Repeats Itself

2009-11-08T00:01:00.001+05:45

Did the inventors of these have any practical purpose in mind, besides being objects of beauty, devotion and faith? One cannot help but wonder, as the power cut season draws nearer by the day, could lighting be one of those?

Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Cleaning effort continued

2009-11-07T23:31:00.001+05:45

Cleaning is a continuous process. It requires people’s involvement. And involvement is a good thing.

In an effort to give continuity to the cleaning campaign at Janabahaa, (http://janabahaa.blogspot.com/2008/07/continued-cleaning-campaign.html), Janabahaa Society has re-initiated the campaign of inviting different groups, especially the youth, to Janabahaa and involving them in the cleaning of various religious and archeological artifacts in this sacred courtyard.

To start with, a group of about twenty students from the Ace Institute of Management (http://www.ace.edu.np), Sinamangal, Kathmandu were mobilized to clean up the “daloo” or oil lamp posts on three sides the main temple building on October 11, 2009. These students were all from the BBA and BBA-BI First Semester of Ace, and belonged to the volunteer group RUNVAN, or Returned United Nations Volunteers Association of Nepal (http://acesocialwork09.blogspot.com/2009/10/introduction.html). Coordinated by Santosh Bohara and facilitated by Ambika Poudel, this group not only carried out the cleaning work with much gusto, but also uploaded photos and feedback about this activity on their own blog site at http://acesocialwork09.blogspot.com/2009/10/cleaning-of-seto-machchindranath-temple.html.

After the cleanup, Alok Tuladhar led a brief group discussion with the students at the Janabahaa Society office about the ongoing preservation works at Janabahaa and its significance to the unique historical, religious and cultural identity of the country. Free membership to the Society was also offered to the participants of the cleanup program that day.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar

Minutes of Meeting October 9, 2009 (re. Digi Chhen)

2009-10-19T12:00:00.003+05:45

Veteran architect Bibhuti Man Singh's markup on the elevation of the Digi Chhen building for its proposed reconstruction.

Minutes (Recorded by Umesh Kaji Tamrakar)

PROJECT TITLE	Janabaha Agam chen
Meeting title	Site meeting on modified plans and conceptual elevation and section
Date	09.10.09
Time	9.30am
Present	Mr. Tirtha Dhar Tuladhar
	Mr. Nil Kaji Shakya
	Mr. Indra Man Suwal
	Mr. Jai Rajbhandari
	Ms. Rajani Tamrakar
	Mr. Bibhuti Man Singh
	Mr. Manik Tuladhar
	Mr. Umesh Kaji Tamrakar

SN	PARTICULARS	ACTION
1	Plan to be checked against the site dimensions
2	Discussion on front elevation and conceptual section
3	Elevation neo traditional as per Bibhuti Man Singh’s concept

Here are the latest versions of the drawings (conceptual), incorporating changes suggested during the meeting held on October 9:

All engineering drawings digitized and modified in CAD format by Umesh Kaji Tamrakar.

Minutes of Meeting October 2, 2009 (re. Digi Chhen)

2009-10-18T23:24:00.003+05:45

Minutes (Recorded by Umesh Kaji Tamrakar)

PROJECT TITLE	Janabaha Agam chen
Meeting title	Site meeting on modified plans
Date	02.10.09
Time	9.30am
Present	Mr. Tirtha Dhar Tuladhar
	Mr. Nil Kaji Shakya
	Mr. Alok Tuladhar
	Mr. Jai Rajbhandari
	Ms. Rajani Tamrakar
	Mr. Bibhuti Man Singh
	Mr. Manik Tuladhar
	Mr. Umesh Kaji Tamrakar

SN	PARTICULARS	ACTION
1	Public toilet on ground floor to be shifted in front with access from the courtyard
2	Can Bhajan space be multipurpose? To be discussed with Bhajan group
3	Basement to be planned. For maximum utility of basement, water tank be shifted to courtyard which in turn be used for water distribution to public after water harvesting
4	Baidyo space be used as information centre and part of kitchen be used as ancillary office space with sliding folding partition so that once a year this space be used as kitchen
5	Ht. not to exceed around 40’ although measured ht. till the top of Gajur is 56’ (from surveyed information) as the actual established deity is lower
6	Elevation to be developed
7	Floor heating not a necessity as we have just 4 months of winter that too not severe. Also equipments for floor heating require frequent maintenance and therefore not cost effective. However, floor heating not totally phased out, still open for discussion and expert technical opinion

Our Kingly Ancestors

2009-10-13T10:58:00.093+05:45

These are digitized versions of portraits that adorn one of the walls of the Bhajan chamber, besides the main entrance to the Janabahaa complex, on the ground floor of the Digi Chhen. The portraits depict some of the more famous Malla-dynasty kings, who ruled the Kathmandu Valley from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (see Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malla_(Nepal)).

If you wish to get your hands on replicas of these precious collectors' items, hold your horses for a few days. We will tell you right here, on this blog, how you can acquire high-quality copies of these.

Bhaskar Malla

Bhupatindra Malla

Jayaprakash Malla

Jayasthiti Malla

Mahindra Malla

Parthibendra Malla

Pratap Malla

Siddhinarsingh Malla