Cultural Heritage Commons

The cultural heritage of Nepal has been preserving through the national legislation known as Ancient Monument Preservation Act, 2013 (1956); which was developed on the basis of different principles, norms, values and practices of Nepalese societies and the state legislations those were in existence continuously since ancient history of Nepal. The historical inscription and other evidences have also proved it. The newest guidelines which has just been in implementation after earthquake 2015-Guidelines for the Post Earthquake Conservation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation, 2016; is also somehow in a newer concept but continuation of the previous legislations, norms and values addressing the post earthquake conservation, reconstruction and rehabilitation, which was gap in Nepalese heritage legislation. The National Culture Policy 2067 (2010) is also a significant policy for the conservation of Nepalese cultural heritage. These all policies and legislation focused on the continuation of traditional skills, techniques and technologies regarding and the community involvement, for which UNESCO World Heritage Convention and the Operational Guidelines also has given priority regarding the cultural heritage conservation. In this context, Nepalese heritage policies are guided by the state legislation which is completely based on principles, norms, values, customs and the practices since long time; however there are some new concepts included as per the context and necessities as well.

Nepal, renowned for its rich historical, cultural, and ecological diversity, holds immense potential for the tourism industry. The nation's Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), encompassing both tangible and intangible resources, form the bedrock of its tourism assets. Ancient engineering practices, rooted in the IKS, have contributed to the development of remarkable historical artifacts and structures that continue to attract visitors. However, despite the diverse range of tourism products available, the contemporary generations often overlook the significance of these inherited resources. This study examines the role of the IKS in modern tourism through a qualitative research approach, using thematic analysis integrated with narrative interpretation as its core methodology. Thematic analysis was facilitated by MAXQDA software, incorporating the students' perceptions and insights from secondary literature. The findings underscore the critical role of the IKS in preserving and promoting Nepal's cultural and historical identity. Students advocate for tourism strategies that prioritize community participation, respect for indigenous knowledge, and encourage sustainable practices. These strategies align with global trends emphasizing authenticity and local engagement as key factors for long-term success in tourism development. The study underscores the need for future research to develop actionable frameworks for integrating the IKS into tourism policy and management. By leveraging traditional wisdom and fostering its revitalization, Nepal can create unique tourism experiences while ensuring the conservation of its invaluable heritage for future generations.

Nepal, renowned for its rich historical, cultural, and ecological diversity, holds immense potential for the tourism industry. The nation's Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), encompassing both tangible and intangible resources, form the bedrock of its tourism assets. Ancient engineering practices, rooted in the IKS, have contributed to the development of remarkable historical artifacts and structures that continue to attract visitors. However, despite the diverse range of tourism products available, the contemporary generations often overlook the significance of these inherited resources. This study examines the role of the IKS in modern tourism through a qualitative research approach, using thematic analysis integrated with narrative interpretation as its core methodology. Thematic analysis was facilitated by MAXQDA software, incorporating the students' perceptions and insights from secondary literature. The findings underscore the critical role of the IKS in preserving and promoting Nepal's cultural and historical identity. Students advocate for tourism strategies that prioritize community participation, respect for indigenous knowledge, and encourage sustainable practices. These strategies align with global trends emphasizing authenticity and local engagement as key factors for long-term success in tourism development. The study underscores the need for future research to develop actionable frameworks for integrating the IKS into tourism policy and management. By leveraging traditional wisdom and fostering its revitalization, Nepal can create unique tourism experiences while ensuring the conservation of its invaluable heritage for future generations.

In this paper, we reflect on 'new commons' theory and elaborate on the ontology of memory institutions with the aim to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework for 'commons-oriented' GLAMs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums). In doing so, we propose an alternative for governing and managing cultural heritage against a backdrop of limited public funding and pressures for developing memory institutions into more inclusive, participatory and 'entrepreneurial' organisations. Our theoretical analysis is grounded in the review of the extant literature, including both the 'Ostromian' and 'Autonomist' schools of thought, drawing particularly on the new commons (urban, digital, cultural/heritage commons) to inform our framework. The conceptual schema we present here is adapted to fit with the idiosyncrasies of the sector, describing the functioning of commoning practices in GLAMs. Such a framework is critical for navigating future research and devising workable solutions to address current challenges for memory institutions in Europe.

Kasthamandap, a 7th-century structure, a traditional public rest house with social, cultural, and religious significance, completely collapsed during the Gorkha earthquake of 25th April 2015. The initial reconstruction plans of Kasthamandap were not satisfactory, as they contradicted the traditional construction system. Therefore, the public protested against the proposals and insisted on using traditional methods and materials with community involvement for maintaining its value and originality. This paper focuses on challenges and discusses the learning of a community initiative in rebuilding Kasthamandap. The paper presents an exemplary participatory heritage rebuilding process, a learning to heritage reconstructions for the future.

Managing the scope of the “Properties” and “Performances” domains plays a fundamental role in the scheduling and controlling of the wide variety of variables and processes involved in any project, for the purpose of increasing the quality of outputs, which leads to time and budget-saving. Notably, in monument conservation projects, “scope management” is a vital factor targeted at maintaining historical parameter values and accuracy in the number of interferences and occupations on sites. Nowadays, as urbanization speeds up unprecedently, the territories of these heritage sites have been demolished or have lost their place on the World Heritage List. Undoubtedly, the existence of such critical conditions makes it increasingly necessary to apply scope management methods to preserve such archaeological and historic sites across the world. The purpose of this article is to propose a “Comprehensive and Regular Systematic Schedule” for the purpose of monument conservation via the use of s...

At a juncture where various streams questioning the role of Information and Communication Technologies(ICT)in democratic governance have joined, this paper explores how a traditional South Asian institution –the Guthi –is rejuvenated, if not resuscitated, by ICT.Furthermore, this study examines how the Guthi wastransformed,especially –but not only –by the communication aspect, prompted by a cataclysmic event, and also propelled towards global normative priorities. The case came to attention after the major earthquake of 2015 in Nepal. The Guthi, the traditional institution of cooperative self-governance prevalent primarily amongst the Newars of Kathmandu Valley, was in serious decline and the earthquake laid bare the void it had left behind. Leveraging on ICT and following their traditions, the communities put forward the case for their participation in rebuilding efforts. Especially the case for community participation, but also possibilities through ICT in general, “spun off” new iterations of the Guthi: neo-Guthis, sub-Guthis, and quasi-Guthis. We argue that much of the criticism that is levelled against the Guthi today ignores thesenewer iterations of the institutionand solely focuses on the ancient guthis. As we put forth, it was the reaction  to  the  demand  of  the  time  as  well  as  utilizing  the  digital  tools  available,  and  even adapting the organization(s) to do so, that enabled the rejuvenation of an indigenous institution for the common good.

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Having diverse cost and ethnicity, language and culture, Nepal is rich in cultural heritage. The paper's main aim is to illustrate the roles and responsibilities of the Guthi Sansthan for the conservation of cultural heritage in Nepal and the challenge it faces. Guthi is an example of a cooperative system. Guthi Sansthan, a government body is more responsible for preserving and managing Nepal's tangible and intangible cultural heritage. The finding reveals Guthi Sansthan has a leading role in heritage conservation. However, the Guthi still survives and continues as a significant informal heritage conservation system underlining these indigenous systems’ resilience. Many significant heritage places and monuments are now in crisis due to the government policies and encroachment of different organizations and institutions. Therefore, it is essential to recognise the significant value and contribution of Guthi Sansthan for the sustainable heritage conservation and management of ...

Kasthamandap, a centrally located monument in the old settlement of Kathmandu, is the 7th century structure, from which the name of Kathmandu valley originated. Kasthamandap was originally a public rest house and holds social, cultural and religious significance. The 25 th April Gorkha earthquake completely collapsed the monument and it took a year before the government disclosed its reconstruction plan. However, the preparations were not satisfactory. The proposed plans severely contradicted with the traditional construction system. The introduction of modern materials such as steel and concrete made the aesthetic and artistic values of the monument to lose its original identity. The general public couldn't accommodate with the idea of our national heritage being rebuilt with considerably newer materialistic ideas and a large public outcry against the proposal was seen. The necessity of reconstruction using traditional methods and materials with equal involvement of the community was realised to maintain identity, increase community belongingness and to connect new generation with the heritage. Therefore, a community initiative to rebuild Kasthamandap started with the involvement of diverse groups from the community. This paper discusses the observations, learning and achievements of community participation of the Kasthamandap rebuilding process. Further, the paper includes exploration of both tangible and intangible aspect and its benefits for overall heritage knowledge of Kathmandu valley. This paper presents an exemplary participatory heritage-making concept, which can be a learning for heritage reconstructions in future.

Managing the scope of the “Properties” and “Performances” domains plays a fundamental role in the scheduling and controlling of the wide variety of variables and processes involved in any project, for the purpose of increasing the quality of outputs, which leads to time and budget-saving. Notably, in monument conservation projects, “scope management” is a vital factor targeted at maintaining historical parameter values and accuracy in the number of interferences and occupations on sites. Nowadays, as urbanization speeds up unprecedently, the territories of these heritage sites have been demolished or have lost their place on the World Heritage List. Undoubtedly, the existence of such critical conditions makes it increasingly necessary to apply scope management methods to preserve such archaeological and historic sites across the world. The purpose of this article is to propose a “Comprehensive and Regular Systematic Schedule” for the purpose of monument conservation via the use of s...

The historical monuments of the ‘City of Temples’ (Kathmandu) represent an intrinsic component of Nepal’s cultural heritage. The 2015 devastating Gorkha earthquake, besides human casualties, has led to a widespread demolition or partial damage of monuments at UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the ones in Durbar squares. This study, through an integrated material characterization of masonry binders, used in four case monuments from Hanuman Dhoka and Patan Durbar squares, intends to contribute to the knowledge of the technological know-how of the past in order to maintain as much as possible the original traditions and to provide appropriate conservation strategies. The analytical characterization of the ancient mortars was carried out by means of X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), petrographic analysis, X-ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and Pyrolysis–Gas Chromatography–Ma...

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the traditional practices of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH) through “Guthi”, that is continued by the indigenous community of Kathmandu Valley. It explores the ancient system as a management practice rather than just a social costume. By analyzing existing laws and policies relevant to intangible heritage of Nepal, it aims to find scope for the Guthi in the formal heritage conservation practice and its relevancy in present context of 2003 Convention, where community participation plays a pivotal role.Design/methodology/approachTo study the traditional method of safeguarding heritage “Guthi system”, the case of “Yehya Punhi Festival” also known as “Indra Jatra” of Kathmandu was taken as a case. Qualitative research methodology was used to study various sub festivals within Yenya, its functions, funding mechanism and its way of continuity by Guthi. Review of various legislations associated with the heritage of Nepal, p...

The main objective of this article is to illustrate the roles of the Guthi system in Nepalese society. The paper discusses the contribution of Guthi system for the protection of heritage in the Kathmandu Valley. Effects of technological advancement on the ability of the Guthi system to preserve and maintain tangible and intangible cultural heritages of Nepal are yet inalienable aspects of the research. The Guthi system seems to have been focusing on the preservation of the religious, cultural, and social services along with organizing and performing rituals, Jatra, festival, chariot, worshiping deities, promotion, and protection of temples and monasteries. The establishment of the Guthi system was based on the social and cooperative promotion of such cultural and religious aspects. This system has endured a number of centuries the backbone of Nepalese culture and community. Guthi endowments were/are given to religious and charitable institutions. Lands are granted in order to mainta...

The historical monuments of the ‘City of Temples’ (Kathmandu) represent an intrinsic component of Nepal’s cultural heritage. The 2015 devastating Gorkha earthquake, besides human casualties, has led to a widespread demolition or partial damage of monuments at UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the ones in Durbar squares. This study, through an integrated material characterization of masonry binders, used in four case monuments from Hanuman Dhoka and Patan Durbar squares, intends to contribute to the knowledge of the technological know-how of the past in order to maintain as much as possible the original traditions and to provide appropriate conservation strategies. The analytical characterization of the ancient mortars was carried out by means of X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), petrographic analysis, X-ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and Pyrolysis–Gas Chromatography–Ma...

This paper investigates the emergence of friendship associations (guthis) in Nepal. It addresses three interconnected questions. Firstly, why are friendship guthis progressively taking the funerary function that was once the exclusive role of the sã guthi in Bhaktapur? Secondly, why are friendship guthis with an economic function so widespread when the sã guthi was not known for this role? Finally, why is it so important that the help received is “heartfelt”? This paper argues that while building on pre-existing practices of socialization (such as that of the guthi institution) and on the morality of help and reciprocity, the relatively new institution of the friendship guthi plays a crucial role in the networking between households, allowing local families to navigate vulnerability in a climate of dramatic social and economic transformation.

Kasthamandap, a centrally located monument in the old settlement of Kathmandu, is the 7th century structure, from which the name of Kathmandu valley originated. Kasthamandap was originally a public rest house and holds social, cultural and religious significance. The 25 th April Gorkha earthquake completely collapsed the monument and it took a year before the government disclosed its reconstruction plan. However, the preparations were not satisfactory. The proposed plans severely contradicted with the traditional construction system. The introduction of modern materials such as steel and concrete made the aesthetic and artistic values of the monument to lose its original identity. The general public couldn't accommodate with the idea of our national heritage being rebuilt with considerably newer materialistic ideas and a large public outcry against the proposal was seen. The necessity of reconstruction using traditional methods and materials with equal involvement of the community was realised to maintain identity, increase community belongingness and to connect new generation with the heritage. Therefore, a community initiative to rebuild Kasthamandap started with the involvement of diverse groups from the community. This paper discusses the observations, learning and achievements of community participation of the Kasthamandap rebuilding process. Further, the paper includes exploration of both tangible and intangible aspect and its benefits for overall heritage knowledge of Kathmandu valley. This paper presents an exemplary participatory heritage-making concept, which can be a learning for heritage reconstructions in future.

Kasthamandap, a centrally located monument in the old settlement of Kathmandu, is the 7th century structure, from which the name of Kathmandu valley originated. Kasthamandap was originally a public rest house and holds social, cultural and religious significance. The 25 th April Gorkha earthquake completely collapsed the monument and it took a year before the government disclosed its reconstruction plan. However, the preparations were not satisfactory. The proposed plans severely contradicted with the traditional construction system. The introduction of modern materials such as steel and concrete made the aesthetic and artistic values of the monument to lose its original identity. The general public couldn't accommodate with the idea of our national heritage being rebuilt with considerably newer materialistic ideas and a large public outcry against the proposal was seen. The necessity of reconstruction using traditional methods and materials with equal involvement of the community was realised to maintain identity, increase community belongingness and to connect new generation with the heritage. Therefore, a community initiative to rebuild Kasthamandap started with the involvement of diverse groups from the community. This paper discusses the observations, learning and achievements of community participation of the Kasthamandap rebuilding process. Further, the paper includes exploration of both tangible and intangible aspect and its benefits for overall heritage knowledge of Kathmandu valley. This paper presents an exemplary participatory heritage-making concept, which can be a learning for heritage reconstructions in future.

Kasthamandap, a 7th -century structure, a traditional public rest house with social, cultural, and religious significance, completely collapsed during the Gorkha earthquake of 25th April 2015. The initial reconstruction plans of Kasthamandap were not satisfactory, as they contradicted the traditional construction system. Therefore, the public protested against the proposals and insisted on using traditional methods and materials with community involvement for maintaining its value and originality. This paper focuses on challenges and discusses the learning of a community initiative in rebuilding Kasthamandap. The paper presents an exemplary participatory heritage rebuilding process, a learning to heritage reconstructions for the future.

In the past three decades, there has been increasing research carried out on the role of heritage and its processes in achieving broader sustainable development objectives beyond heritage conservation. As part of this movement, people-centered approaches and participation have been widely integrated into international regulations and guidelines on heritage management, stimulating the implementation of case studies-based research worldwide. Despite the wide advocacy of participatory heritage practices’ contributions to more inclusive and culturally sensitive local development in a great variety of projects, there is limited research into the roles these practices can have in addressing sustainability objectives. How are these roles addressed in international heritage regulatory frameworks, and what forms of participation are promoted for their fulfillment? This paper seeks to answer this research question through a content analysis of international declarations, conventions, guidelin...

In the past three decades, there has been increasing research carried out on the role of heritage and its processes in achieving broader sustainable development objectives beyond heritage conservation. As part of this movement, people-centered approaches and participation have been widely integrated into international regulations and guidelines on heritage management, stimulating the implementation of case studies-based research worldwide. Despite the wide advocacy of partici- patory heritage practices’ contributions to more inclusive and culturally sensitive local development in a great variety of projects, there is limited research into the roles these practices can have in ad- dressing sustainability objectives. How are these roles addressed in international heritage regulatory frameworks, and what forms of participation are promoted for their fulfillment? This paper seeks to answer this research question through a content analysis of international declarations, conventions, guidelines, and policy documents focused on the roles and forms of participation that are promoted. A crossed-matched analysis of results reveals that active forms of participation are those most used to promote all roles and subcategories of participation, as a right, as a driver, and as an enabler of sustainable development. However, fewer active forms are presented as complementary at different stages of sustainability-oriented heritage practices. Moreover, a higher incidence of generic forms of participation can be observed in documents addressing international stakeholders, while partnership and intervention are to be found in those targeting regional and local actors. Nevertheless, the low incidence of decisional forms of participation confirms the challenges of power-sharing at all scales. Trends and influences are highlighted, informing heritage research, governance, and policymaking, but also revealing gaps and ambiguities in current regulations that further research encompassing a larger number of documents might confirm.

The 2015 Gorkha Earthquake was a humanitarian disaster but also a cultural catastrophe that damaged and destroyed historic monuments across Nepal, including those within the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Property. In the rush to rebuild, traditionally constructed foundations are being removed and replaced with modern materials without assessments of whether these contributed to the collapse of a monument. Generally undertaken without scientific recording, these interventions have led to the irreversible destruction of earlier subsurface phases of cultural activity and the potential loss of evidence for successful traditional seismic adaptations and risk reduction strategies, with no research into whether modern materials, such as concrete and steel, would offer enhanced resilience. In response to this context, multidisciplinary post-disaster investigations were undertaken between 2015 and 2018, including archaeological excavation, geophysical survey, geoarchaeological analy...

This is the proceeding of the International Symposium Revisiting Kathmandu Safeguarding Living Urban Heritage, held in Kathmandu in November 2013, published by UNESCO in 2015.  It has my paper "Challenges in Conserving Living Urban Heritage", pp. 141-150

This paper analyzes the policies and initiatives taken by three cities in UNESCO "World Heritage Sites" list: Évora in Portugal, Paris in France, and Kathmandu in Nepal. These cities have been chosen as they represent various contexts, possess different heritage management backgrounds, and manifest different economic settings. It may seem that these cities are incomparable in certain aspects but the main aim is to focus on the policies these cities have taken for development and the activities that are still being taken to cope with new challenges regarding Heritage Conservation. The conventional way of Heritage Conservation, which is often criticized for being "Eurocentric" is in reality also unable to deal with the pressure of modernization, globalization, and urbanization. UNESCO's recommendation on Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) has been discussed in this chapter, which adopts a holistic approach to conservation. Like any other city in the world, these cities are no exceptions in terms of constant change and evolution over time. It has been understood and advocated throughout the paper that the management of any city is not a one-time job-it needs constant effort and creation of new ideas and plans to keep a city functioning properly.

Heritage preservation is a resource-intensive activity nested among other processes in the public administration, related to identity building and touristic product enhancement. Strategies and schemata associated with heritage preservation sprang in the western world after WWII and they have been adapted, in the form of 'heritage management', in various contexts with questionable effectiveness regarding sustainability. Our paper discusses the case of the post-earthquake cultural, social and political landscape of the World Heritage Site of Kathmandu valley in Nepal. By reviewing the bibliography and drawing upon various case studies of post-earthquake heritage restoration, we focus on the traditional ways of managing human and cultural resources in the area as related to the modern national heritage management mechanism. We also examine how traditional practices, re-interpreted into a modern context, can point towards inclusive and sustainable forms of collaboration based on the commons. We shed light on the elements of an emerging management system that could protect the vulnerable monuments through community participation, adapted to the challenging realities of the Nepalese heritage and its stakeholders.

Nowadays, restoration interventions that aim for minimum environmental impact are conceived for recent buildings. Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced using criteria met within a life-cycle analysis, while energy saving is achieved with cost-effective retrofitting actions that secure higher benefits in terms of comfort. However, conservation, restoration and retrofitting interventions in historic buildings do not have the same objectives as in modern buildings. Additional requirements have to be followed, such as the use of materials compatible with the original and the preservation of authenticity to ensure historic, artistic, cultural and social values over time. The paper presents a systematic review—at the intersection between environmental sustainability and conservation—of the state of the art of current methodological approaches applied in the sustainable refurbishment of historic buildings. It identifies research gaps in the field and highlights the paradox seen in the Scandinavian countries that are models in applying environmentally sustainable policies but still poor in integrating preservation issues.

This paper explores the ways in which a theorization of heritage as a commons complicates the relation of heritage and identity. The paper analyzes how cultural heritage management and theorizations connect with the “old” vernacular commons in rural Europe, communist ideologies, Hardin’s and Ostrom’s theories, and finally with Hardt and Negri’s ideas. Can heritage managers and scholars work as mediators between the global flows of value and local communities, promoting redistributive policies and identity building capacities in the face of overarching commodification processes? How can the notion of a “shared” heritage be mobilized by local communities to implement politics of redistribution and rethinking of ownership against an alienated “world heritage” that frames itself as a globally “shared” common heritage of humanity? What are the consequences of treating heritage as a commons for identity politics?

The transition towards a cognitive and post-industrial economy has led to the emergence of new strategies of capture of the immanent productive capacities of the social forces. Heritage entities are subject to, and also participate in, processes by which common creativity and knowledge are being harnessed by novel forms of rent and control. The objective of this paper was to show that conceiving heritage as a common situated in specific contexts rather than as a universal essence can open up novel epistemological spheres of communication between different knowledge practices. Also, it can help bridge some ontological gaps among the various stakeholders in the arena of heritage, such as academics, managers, architects, local communities and market forces. This entails considering heritage as an emergent material and immaterial construction process involving many different agents. Currently, these processes tend towards the privatization of common values and the shattering of local communities. Normally, this situation entails a fundamental alienation between objects and subjects, and the reification of heritage. This paper suggests that considering heritage as a common could provide a different perspective to tackle this crucial problem. Accordingly, scholars should not only be bound to a critical discursive stance, but should also commit to ‘ontological politics’ that would situate them as mediators between the global hierarchies of value generated by heritage and the common productive potential of local communities.

page numbers 9-11 of the newsletter (follow the link above)

The first book "Monument Conservation in Nepal" is a book that - through personal experience of the author, Saphalya Amatya - highlights the scenario of "monument conservation" in Nepal (Kathmandu valley in particular). The second book is a publication by INTBAU based on an international conference of the same title "The Venice Charter Revisited". The first book presents a prevailing scenarios in a cluster of World Heritage Sites (in Nepal) that is so much framed by the Venice Charter, and the second book brings in a new wave that attempts to move beyond the Venice charter.