The Best Adhesive in the World

Jai Rajbhandari, a devoted soul who has never missed an opportunity to show up at Janabahaa for the littlest of excuses since the time he became the master of his own conscience, says that the combination of epoxy resin and epoxy hardener makes the strongest glue in the world.

Jai Rajbhandari in a pensive mood during one of the many planning meetings at Janabahaa.

Jai must be right. After all, he is a chemical engineer trained in UK and Hungary, and is an avid environmentalist. Originating from the heart of Asan, he is also the owner of half a dozen varied businesses – and a highly successful one at that – including one that promotes green energy to help reduce the cost of everyday life for every household in the country.

The stone craftsmen from Chovaa blend the resin and hardener, purchased in the local market, in a predefined proportion, and apply a thin film of the mixture to the stone surface that needs repair. And then they add hand-crushed stone dust to the epoxy mix and give it a good whipping to make a fine dough. The dough is then carefully spread on top of the epoxy coating applied earlier.

Several hours later, after the dough attains the right hardening, the expert craftsmen chisel thorough it to try and bring back the centuries-old original shape of the cheevah (chaitya or stupa or chorten) before it deteriorated to the present form due to gross disregard, carelessness and even misconduct by the people who were supposed to be the very sentinels of these priceless treasures.

A video that aims to be the tutorial on “how to repair a Buddhist cheevah in two weeks” will be uploaded right here on this blog soon.

Photos by Alok Tuladhar.

Passion for Compassion

Abin Pradhan is an ardent fan of Janabahaa.

A telecom engineer by training, he has helped bring the benefits of modern telecommunications to many remote areas of Nepal. He went on to become part of the Asian Development Bank team to help the Nepal government formulate top-level policies on financial reform a few years ago. He now works in the United States as an IT specialist for one of the largest banks there.

Despite all his achievements on a global scale, he has not been able to keep his mind off of the happenings at Janabahaa, all the way across the world from where he lives. He has recently created his own photo blog about Janabahaa at http://janbahaaphoto-abin.blogspot.com/.

Abin meditates in the Garden of the Gods, Colorado, USA. Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

"Been There, Done That"

Undated. Photographer(s) unknown. Which of these two photos is the earlier one? Please leave your comments.

History Unearthed

The first six characters of the second line (“Sambat 753”) tell us that this monument is close to four hundred years old. Unearthed from the ground floor of the Janabahaa Dyo temple during its renovation and cleaning this summer, this stone plaque bears hand-carved inscriptions in Nepal Bhasa using the Nepal Lipi script. Asa Safu Kuthi, a Kathmandu-based private library set up to digitize ancient manuscripts, is now in the process of deciphering the text on this beautiful memorial stone. Photo by Alok Tuladhar.

Doorway to the Past

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

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

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

Metal Magic

METAL WORK ON A TEMPLE FRONT AT KATHMANDU.
In Nepalese art there is no "unmeaning ornament." Every detail is full of religious symbolism.

The above is the caption to this photo, printed on page 129 of "Picturesque Nepal" by Percy Brown, published by Adam and Charles, London in 1912. Thankfully, much of this treasure remain the same till today, nearly a hundred years later.

Of course, this is the central decoration piece above the front entrance on the main temple of Janabahaa.

Screening of footage of Kathmandu Valley shot in 1955-7

On the occasion of Yenyaa Punih, there will be a special screening this evening (Thursday) of exclusive film footage of Kathmandu Valley from 1955-7. Here are a couple of screen captures from the footage. Shot it 16 mm and in color, it includes extensive coverage of the daily lives of the Newaa people in the Kathmandu Valley, as well as interesting scenes of religious and cultural events and venues and major thoroughfares.

The venue of the screening is just outside the main gate of Janabahaa, on the main road in Kel Tole. It will start at 7 pm, and will last about three hours. All are welcome to attend this event.

This event has been made possible by Macchindra Club and Bajrayogini Credit & Saving Co-operative Ltd.

The original structure?

This photo is printed on page 119 of "Picturesque Nepal" by Percy Brown, published by Adam and Charles, London in 1912. A question raised many times during the last several years is this: does this photo depict the main entrance to Janabahaa before it was burnt down to ashes in the fire of 1917 AD? If so, the stone pillar stands as it is till this day, albeit with finer finishing. The two lions have been moved inside. The central figure on the wooden torana (tympanum) seems to be that of the thousand-handed Karunamaya, or the Shahashrabhuja Avalokiteshwora.

Any estimates on when this photo was taken?

Photographer unknown, undated. Striking differences are the tiled lower roof and the absence of chaityas in the foreground. And of course, absence of the metal cage is a big relief to the admirer of artistic grandeur.