Kwalakhu, a place with a history of
its own, is a residential settlement in Patan, less than 500 meters North-West
of the Patan Durbar Square. Surrounded by monuments like the Hiranya Varna
Mahabihar (Golden Temple), Bangalamukhi and Kumbheshwor temples, Swotha Narayan
Temple and the Palace complex of ancient Lalitpur, Kwalakhu is a charming neighbourhood,
a melting pot, of different crafts, cultures and architecture within the realms
of traditional Newari art and lifestyle.
Folklore suggests that the neighbourhood
has been a historically significant location since the Kirat times and a
majestic Peepal tree (Ficus religiosa or Sacred Fig) in the area is often cited as the remains
from the prehistoric Kitati era. Such speculations, although not proven, have
been verbally transmitted in stories from generation to generation adding to
the charm and mystery of the place. The historicity of the place is further
heightened by stories from the Rana times when the Rajbhandaris of Kwalakhu
were known to have business relations with the then reigning Ranas. As such the
architecture of the area seems to have influences from all surviving time
periods, as early as the 'brick on mud mortar' Malla architecture to the lime
plastered Rana style and the cement concrete structures of the present times.
Neighbourhood and the 'Rajbhandari House':
A walk around Kwalakhu brings you
face to face with residents of different cultural backgrounds, within the Newar
community. Incidentally it also brings you close to different traditional
professions, which included trade and to a very large extend art. Even today,
majority of the shops in the neighbourhood display metal sculptures and fabrics
including Pashmina along with Nepali paper products.
It is befitting that this
neighbourhood now houses Yala Mandala - a conglomeration of art, history and
culture of all of Nepal. Yala Mandala Pvt. Ltd. is an art gallery that collects,
designs, and manufactures and preserves pieces that are exclusive to the Nepali
ways in terms of clothing, accessories, art, architecture and furniture and
lifestyle products.
The building housing Yala is named
the 'Rajbhandari House' after the family name of its original owners. Originally
the building was a residence, but it also housed a local school at one point in
history. In 2006 a section of the building was opened, after renovation by
UNESCO, as the 'Kwalakhu Cafe'. Today the cafe is housed in an inner section
and a part of the building is converted to Yala Mandala Art Gallery. Tracing
the history of the building itself, it seems these quarters have adapted and
transformed themselves as per the need of the time and place. Transformation -
a key for the survival of many heritage homes through history is the essence of
this place. A section of another building in the same courtyard has recently
been renovated to be transformed into the offices of Yala.
Visually the buildings housing the
gallery and the offices are similar to their original counterparts but parts of
the interiors have been modified as per the needs of the function. Some of these
spaces are opened up longitudinally with areas flowing into one another. The
internal surfaces and spaces have been designed using traditional inspired
finishes, furnishing and furniture ranging from jute mat flooring to low-height
seating and timber furniture.
The refurbishment of the office
building of Yala is done in a minimal intervention approach whereby the
elements of the existing building are maintained rather than renovated. All
external elements including the exposed brick wall and the carved timber
windows are simply cleaned and re-finished with a fresh layer of linseed oil. Internal
surfaces too have been simply cleaned and re-finished with either jute mat or
mud flooring and a fresh coat of wall paint.
Interestingly the renovation of the
building is not supervised by any professional designer or conservationist. The
artisans, who have been trained through generations in their respective fields
and who work with Yala, were given control over the respective details. The outcome
is a product of their hands-on training and years of experience. The
maintenance and preservation of all elements in the building is done in
traditional techniques, depending on the traditional know how of this
generation of artisans. And the intervention is so minimal that no extensive
construction is done in any part of this building, all spaces have been adapted
rather than redesigned.
"Renovation is not a project, it is a lifestyle" - Mr. Prabin
Chitrakar, YALA
For centuries, building and building
maintenance has not been about hiring professional help, it was always an
endeavour of the community and the family. Of course the international norms of
conservation are better followed by a conservationist and perhaps the end
result is also better, but conserving a building one has been living at should
not be a farfetched and unaffordable task. There was a time when the 'sikarmi' (carpenter) living around the
corner would be called upon to fix a staircase, when everyone knew how to clean
their jhingati roofs and how to
polish their telia floors. Today this
knowhow is diminishing, with the lack of people who are aware of such technologies;
hence it is important to promote the artisans who still have the traditional
knowledge by promoting the lifestyle of renovation and adaptive reuse. "The people who work in these
traditional arts do not realize their own capacity, yet they are the ones who
are realizing these visions and who actually make it happen", adds Mr.
Chitrakar. The idea behind the renovation of the office buildings at Kwalakhu
is the resurrection of this traditional technology without the intervention of
any foreign knowledge or the influence of a school of design. It is not only by
visiting a museum that the general public can learn of the splendours of this
place, at Yala the visitors can feels the space around them and hopefully can
get inspired to adapt these ideas into their own homes.
Even with all the potential social
benefits of the endeavours at Yala, it is important to note that these actions
are not only for a social cause, there is a professional, promotional and business
aspect to this place and all that is done here. The only highlight is that the
place and the people have realized a way that will cause promotion as well as
preservation.
YALA
With a tag line of 'creativity in
every sphere', Yala strives to provide and inspire just that - creativity in
every sphere. Yala Mandala designs, develops and manufactures products and
services that are inspired by the local community and their trade skills. The
products at Yala include jewellery, natural buttons, paper products, knitwear,
clothing and accessories, natural rugs, candles, bath and beauty products,
paintings, furniture and furnishing, artefacts and collectables. All products
of Yala are handcrafted in Nepal. The gallery, at the 'Rajbhandari House' is a
fusion of art, craft, tradition and architecture which presents the unique yet
traditional products of Yala in a jovial atmosphere of a traditional mud and
timber based building.
Yala also promotes local and
traditional art by hosting events dedicated to and presenting the local music,
food etc. Heritage is not limited to its tangible products, every aspect of
this tradition, from the art to the rituals and the beliefs should be
experienced. So at Yala, it is not only the products but the atmosphere and the
energy of the place that one can experience, especially during these events and
during the sessions of music therapy and cooking classes. No aspect of the
tradition is compromised for the benefit of the visitor, instead the visitor
blends in the experience and perceives as per their comfort.
Another initiative at Yala is the
promotion of traditional architecture by preserving and renovating abandoned or
neglected buildings and inserting activities in such spaces, starting from
their own office space opposite to the gallery.
